Space Deodorizer And The Like

Abstract

A device for imparting deodorizing vapors or the like to the ambient atmosphere comprises a sintered aluminum powder shape the top and side portions of which are substantially nonporous and the interior portion of which is porous and in fixed sintered contact with the undersurface of the top portion, the side portion having openings which permit escape of volatilized deodorant or the like from entrainment in the porous interior portion to the ambient atmosphere.

Description

This invention relates to a space deodorizer or the like and, more particularly, to such a device composed essentially of sintered powdered aluminum.

Home and working spaces frequently are contaminated with objectionable or unhealthy vapors which should be neutralized if possible. Absorbent porous and wicklike devices have been proposed heretofore for the purpose of disseminating liquid deodorizer vapors but the structure of these devices have not generally been capable of isolating the supply of absorbed liquid from direct contact with its surroundings.

The space deodorizer of the present invention is capable of charging deodorizing vapors and the like to the ambient atmosphere while nevertheless sequestering the volatilizable liquid supply of the deodorizer from direct contact with its surroundings. My novel space deodorizer is composed essentially of sintered powdered aluminum adapted to hold a controllably entrained normally volatile liquid space deodorizer and comprises a shape sintered aluminum powder compact substantially impervious to the passage therethrough of the deodorizer. The shaped compact is provided with a top platform portion and a peripheral sidewall portion extending downwardly from the platform portion to define an interior recessed portion below the top platform portion. A porous mass of sintered aluminum powder is fixed in sintered contact with the interior recessed portion of the shaped compact and is capable of being impregnated with a supply of said deodorant. The sidewall portion of the shaped compact is provided with at least one laterally positioned opening communicating with the porous sintered mass so as to permit escape to the ambient atmosphere of deodorant volatilized from said supply thereof in the porous sintered mass.

These and other novel features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken through the center of a device embodying the invention in the form of an ash tray; and

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

The space deodorizer shown in the drawing comprises an ash tray having a top platform portion 5 and a peripheral sidewall portion 6. In order to form the ash tray, the sidewall portion extends upwardly to provide a retaining wall 6a around the platform portion 5, and in order to form the deodorizer device pursuant from the platform portion, as indicated at 6b, to define therewithin an interior recessed portion 7 below the top platform. The downwardly extending sidewall portion 6b is provided with a plurality of lateral openings 8 which provide communication between the interior recessed portion 7 and the ambient atmosphere outside of the sidewall portion.

The aforementioned structure is formed by known powder metallurgical technique using aluminum or aluminum alloy powder or mixtures of aluminum and other alloying metal powders. The powders and procedures described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,250,838, 3,301,671, 3,326,679 and 3,366,479, are well adapted to producing this structure in the form of a nonporous sintered aluminum powder compact. If the amount of compaction of the green powder is not sufficient to produce the desired nonporous characteristic in the sintered mass, the latter can be coined by conventional practice to close the pores of the compact. The pores should be sufficiently closed, or rendered noncommunicating, so that liquid deodorizer absorbed in the sintered porous portion of the device is not free to migrate through the walls of the top platform portion or the like sidewall portion of the device.

In forming the aforementioned sintered shape, I have found it further advantageous to provide the shape with a retaining ring or wall 9 depending from the under surface of the top platform portion and spaced inwardly from the sidewall portion. This ring is designed to hold the powdered aluminum for the porous sintered portion of the device, and accordingly its lowermost edge terminates above that of the sidewall portion 6b. The retaining wall 9 is further provided with a plurality of lateral openings 10 positioned to communicate with channels to be formed in the porous sintered mass retained by the wall 9.

The sintered porous mass 11 for holding the liquid deodorizer is readily formed from the aluminous powders and sintering techniques described in the aforementioned patents as well as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,754. The powder is charged to the space formed by the retaining wall 9 and the bottom surface of the top platform portion when the device is turned upside down. The resulting powder mass can remain uncompacted or it can be compacted while containing a volatilizable conventional lubricant which will be removed during sintering to leave a porous mass of powder characterized by interconnecting porosity. The powder mass, prior to sintering, is advantageously provided with channellike passageways 12 communicating between the interior of the powder mass the lateral openings 10 in the retaining wall 9. The shaped powder mass 11 is then sintered to form a stable porous mass in sinterweld contact with at least the undersurface of the top platform portion 5 of the device and generally with the interior surface of the retaining wall 9.

The resulting device thus comprises a structure in which the top and sidewall portions are of nonporous sintered aluminum powder and the sintered porous portion is held in sinterweld contact with the interior of the device but above the level of bottom edge of the sidewall portion. Thus, when the porous mass is impregnated with a conventional liquid volatile deodorizer, such as an aqueous solution containing formaldehyde or an odor-suppressing scent, or both, the liquid is retained by the porous mass out of contact with anything surrounding the device which might come into contact with the top, side and bottom of the device. For example, when the device is in the form of an ash tray as shown in the drawings, the liquid deodorizer does not come into contact with ashes in the tray or with the surface on which the tray is placed. Nevertheless, the porous mass in the interior of the device is free to give up its liquid content by volatilization of the liquid and by escape of the resulting vapor through the passageways 12, the retaining wall openings 10 and the sidewall openings 8 into the ambient atmosphere. Tests performed with a device having the shape and construction described hereinbefore, and charged with a conventional liquid space deodorizer absorbed in its porous interior portion, showed that it would maintain a room 12 feet square completely free from the odor of cigar and cigarette butts and ashes present in the top ash tray portion of the device for days at a time. In order to insure against excessive moisture contact with the supporting surface for the device the bottom surface of the porous interior portion 11 was covered with a moisture-impervious membrane or sheet 13, advantageously in the form of a pressure-sensitive tape secure to the bottom surface or rim of the retaining wall 9. If desired, however, the covering sheet 13 can be applied to the lower edge of the sidewall portion 6b so as to completely seal off the bottom of the device from the surface on which it is supported.

Claims

I claim:

1. A space deodorizer composed essentially of sintered powdered aluminum adapted to hold a controllably entrained normally volatile liquid space deodorizer which comprises a shaped sintered aluminum powder compact substantially impervious to the passage therethrough of the deodorizer, the shaped compact having a top platform portion and a peripheral sidewall portion extending downwardly from the platform portion to define an interior recessed portion below the top platform portion, a porous mass of sintered aluminum powder in fixed sintered weld contact with the interior recessed portion of the shaped compact capable of being impregnated with a supply of said deodorant, the sidewall portion of the shaped compact being provided with at least one laterally positioned opening communicating with the porous sintered mass which permits escape to the ambient atmosphere of deodorant volatilized from said supply thereof.

2. A space deodorizer according to claim 1 in which the sides of the interior recessed portion are defined by a retaining wall integrally formed with the impervious compact and extending downwardly from the underside of the top platform portion and spaced inwardly from the sidewall portion of the compact.

3. A space deodorizer according to claim 1 in which a moisture-impervious barrier is secured across the lower edge of the peripheral sidewall portion of the compact.

4. A space deodorizer according to claim 2 in which a moisture-impervious barrier is secured across the lower edge of the retaining wall of the compact.