U.S. patent number 3,727,840 [Application Number 05/173,049] was granted by the patent office on 1973-04-17 for dispersant container and dispenser.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Gillette Company. Invention is credited to Louis V. Nigro.
United States Patent |
3,727,840 |
Nigro |
April 17, 1973 |
DISPERSANT CONTAINER AND DISPENSER
Abstract
Container for dispersant material comprising first and second
members adapted to be movably connected together, the first member
having wick means disposed therein in communication with a
surrounding atmosphere, the second member having therein a sealed
reservoir containing fluid dispersant material, the first member
further including means for opening the reservoir, whereby upon
relative movement of the first and second members toward each other
the reservoir opening means operates to open the reservoir,
permitting flow of the dispersant material therefrom onto the wick
means.
Inventors: |
Nigro; Louis V. (Saugus,
MA) |
Assignee: |
The Gillette Company (Boston,
MA)
|
Family
ID: |
22630312 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/173,049 |
Filed: |
August 19, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
239/43; 239/47;
239/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61L
9/127 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61L
9/12 (20060101); B05b 017/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;239/37,41,42,43,44,47,57,309 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wood, Jr.; M. Henson
Assistant Examiner: Love; John J.
Claims
Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desired
to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:
1. Container for dispersant material, said container comprising a
molded plastic first member, said first member providing a
generally cup-shaped chamber, wick means disposed in said chamber,
said first member having aperture means for placing said wick means
in communication with a surrounding atmosphere, a molded plastic
second member adapted for threaded connection to said first
member,said second member including as an integrally molded portion
thereof a sealed reservoir for containing fluid dispersant
material, and a conical portion molded integral with said first
member and disposed for alignment with said second member, whereby
upon progressive advancement of said threaded connection, said
conical portion ruptures said reservoir permitting said dispersant
to flow from said reservoir into said wick material to be
dissipated to said atmosphere by way of said apertures.
2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said container
includes as an integrally molded portion thereof support means for
maintaining the remainder of said container removed from a surface
on which said container rests.
3. The invention according to claim 1 including removable tape
means attached to respective proximate edges of said first and
second members when said members are threadedly connected, for
inhibiting advancement of said threaded connection.
4. The invention according to claim 1 in which said conical portion
is provided with a groove adapted to place the interior of said
reservoir in communication with said wick means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to containers and dispensers and is directed
more particularly to a container for a dispersant, which container
is easily converted into a dispenser of the wick type.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dispensers of the wick type are often used to release dispersants
in gaseous or vaporous form into a room or other area, usually to
establish a pleasant odor or a medically advantageous environment,
or to control or eliminate insects, or the like.
Generally, such a dispenser reaches the consumer with a major
portion of a wick means submerged in the dispersant material and a
smaller portion of the wick means extending from a reservoir in
which the dispersant is confined. The protruding portion of the
wick is usually covered with a cap to prevent undue loss of
dispersant through evaporation. When the cap is removed, dispersant
enters the surrounding atmosphere in gaseous form. Thus, whenever
the dispenser is in operation the wick means is exposed and by its
nature not particularly attractive.
To overcome the unattractiveness of such devices, the wick may be
covered by a grid or screen, in which case two caps are required,
one comprising the grid and a second to cover the grid to inhibit
evaporation.
Aside from appearance problems, whenever the wick means is subject
to saturation by the dispersant material, there is almost
invariably loss of dispersant by evaporation, creating limitations
as to the shelf life of the dispensers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a dispenser
of the wick type in which the wick and dispersant are kept
separately until it is desired to use the dispenser, thus
eliminating entirely shelf loss of contents.
A further object of the invention is to conceal the wick means by
an attractive perforated cover which, because of the dryness of the
wick means, need not itself be covered, but which upon activation
of the dispenser serves to facilitate passage of dispersant vapors
from the wick means into the surrounding atmosphere.
With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter
appear, a feature of the present invention is the provision of a
container for dispersant material comprising first and second
members, the first member having wick means therein as well as
aperture means for permitting flow of vapors from the wick means to
the surrounding atmosphere, the second member having a sealed
reservoir containing fluid dispersant material, the first member
further having means engageable with the reservoir and operable
upon engagement to open the reservoir to permit the dispersant
therein to flow therefrom onto the wick means, the first and second
members being adapted to be movably connected together, so that
upon relative movement of the members toward each other the
reservoir opening means engages the reservoir and oper-ates to open
the reservoir.
The above and other features of the invention, including various
novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now
be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying
drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that
the particular device embodying the invention is shown by way of
illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The
principles and features of this invention may be employed in
various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope
of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which is shown an
illustrative embodiment of the invention from which its novel
features and advantages will be apparent.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of dispersant container
and dispenser illustrative of an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the two components of the
container just prior to attachment to each other, and showing one
of the components in centerline section;
FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but shows the two components attached
to each other;
FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but shows the components in operative
position; and
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the
container.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the container includes a
top member 2 and a bottom member 4. The bottom member 4 is
generally cup-shaped and has support means, such as legs 6, for
supporting the container on a surface. The bottom member includes a
cylindrical wall 8 which is threaded to receive the top member 2.
Disposed in the bottom member 4 is a wick material 10 which is in
communication with the surrounding atmosphere by way of apertures
12 in the bottom member 4. The bottom member 4 also includes a
generally conical portion 14 provided with a groove 16, the conical
portion 14 and groove 16 serving as an opening and conduit means,
as will be fully described below.
The top member 2 includes a cylindrical projection 20, which is
threaded for engagement with the threaded cylindrical wall 8 of the
bottom member 4. Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the top
member 2 is adapted for threaded connection to the bottom member 4.
The top member 2 includes an internal bottom wall 22 which
completely seals a chamber 24 in the top member, the chamber 24
containing a dispersant product 25, as for example, a room
freshener, a medicament for inhaling, an insecticide, or the like.
The bottom wall 22 of the top member 2 includes a portion 26
disposed proximate to the pointed end of the conical portion
14.
The bottom member 4 may be formed of plastic in a molding operation
with the wall 8, the legs 6, conical portion 14 and apertures 12
all molded as an integral unit. The top member may be formed by
molding all but the wall 24, filling the top member 2 with the
dispersant 25 and then molding the wall 22, thereby producing an
inviolate chamber 24 containing dispersant 25.
In assembly, the top member 2 and bottom member 4 are threadedly
connected, as shown in FIG. 3. A tape member 28, or the like (FIG.
1), may be used to inhibit further rotation of the members 2, 4
relative to each other, or at least indicate when such tampering
has taken place.
In operation, the tape 28 is removed, as shown in FIG. 1, and the
top member 2 is screwed further into the bottom member 4. The
portion 26 of the wall 22 engages the pointed end of the conical
portion 14. Further rotation of the top member causes the conical
portion 14 to pierce the wall portion 26, permitting the dispersant
25 to flow along the groove 16 and to be absorbed by the wick
material 10, as shown in FIG. 4, and particularly in FIG. 5. The
dispersant 25 absorbed by the wick material 10 evaporates and
passes through the apertures 12 into the surrounding atmosphere in
vaporous or gaseous form.
The wick material 10 may be any porous material compatible with the
dispersant in the chamber 24. A plastic or rubber sponge-like
material may be used, or a fibrous material, or other material
suitable for the purpose.
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means
limited to the particular construction herein disclosed and/or
shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or
equivalents within the scope of the disclosure.
* * * * *