DEVICE FOR INTRODUCING ACTIVE SUBSTANCES INTO AMBIENT AIR

Abstract: A device for introducing active substances, such as aromatic substances, insecticides and the like, into ambient air, comprises a holder for a carrier with a wick impressed thereon, which carrier can be placed in the holder and is replaceable. A mechanism to be operated by hand is provided for operating an ignition element, which can be placed in the holder and is replaceable, as for instance a gas lighter, to enable a wick to be ignited when a carrier with this wick has been placed in the holder.

Description: Device for introducing active substances into ambient air The present invention relates to a device for introducing active substances, such as aromatic substances, insecticides and the like, into ambient air, comprising a holder for a carrier with a wick impressed thereon. Carriers with a wick impressed thereon are known; the wick may be made on a carbon base, with charcoal and wood pulp used as basic ingredients, while the desired active substances have been added for spreading aromatic substances, insecticides and the like, as well as further substances for realizing a desired rate of combustion. The wick must be lighted by hand. To facilitate the use of such a device and likewise increase safety, the device is characterized in that a mechanism to be operated by hand is provided for operating an ignition element, which can be placed in the holder and is replaceable, to enable a wick to be ignited when a carrier with this wick has been placed in the holder. An embodiment advantageous in terms of price and easy to operate is obtained when the holder is suitable for placing a gas lighter therein, which gas lighter can be operated by means of the above mechanism. The simplest and cheapest gas lighter may be chosen. A practical embodiment of the above mechanism is obtained when this is formed by a control button, by means of which the housing of a gas lighter placed in the holder can be moved relative to an ignition push button provided on this gas lighter. Normally, such a gas lighter can be operated by pressing the ignition push button relative to the housing tightly held in the hand. To prevent a carrier from being wrongly placed in the holder, the device is provided with fitting means to enable the carrier to be placed in the holder in a fixedly defined position. Besides, clamping means may be provided to enable a carrier placed in the holder to be clamped in its fixedly defined position. To efficiently deliver the active substances to the ambient air, the holder may be provided with openings arranged in the upper surface of the holder above the place intended for the carrier. The invention not only relates to a device for introducing active substances into ambient air but also to a carrier suitable for being placed in the holder of such a device, which carrier is provided with an impressed wick in which active substances are included which, when this wick is burning, are released and delivered to the ambient air. According to the invention, the shape of this carrier is adapted to the supporting surface therefor on the inner side of the holder. Around the right place where the ignition of the wick has to occur, a recess is provided in the carrier near one end of the wick impressed thereon, which recess is of such a size and in such a position that, when activating the ignition element, only this wick end is ignited. The carrier may further be provided with fitting means which, when placing the carrier in the holder, can cooperate with the fitting means of the holder. Finally, the invention relates to a combination of a device and a carrier as described above and an ignition element, preferably a gas lighter, as mentioned above. The invention will now be explained in more detail on the basis of the exemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing. In this drawing: Fig. 1 shows a device according to the invention for introducing active substances into ambient air; Fig. 2 shows a carrier with an impressed wick to be arranged therein; and Fig. 3 shows the device according to the invention from below. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the device according to the invention is formed by a holder 1 with a bottom plate 2, in which an upwardly directed, elongated hollow space 3 is provided. From below a gas lighter 4 can be placed in this hollow space 3. Housing 5 of this gas lighter rests against a support 7, which can hinge around line 6, while the ignition push button 8 of lighter 4 rests against a supporting edge 9 of bottom plate 2. By tilting support 7 around line 6 against spring force, housing 5 can be moved in the direction of arrow 10. This means that ignition push button 8 is pressed relative to this housing 5 and lighter 4 ignites. In space 11 in bottom plate 2 an upwardly deflected flame is thus obtained, which is extinguished when support 7, by spring action, returns to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the housing 5, by the built-in spring action in the gas lighter, moves backwards against the direction of arrow 10 relative to ignition push button 8. Support 7 can be tilted against spring pressure by means of a push button 12. This push button 12 is fixed to a cover 13, which is arranged in holder 1 and can hinge around line 14. Push button 12 is provided with two triangular lips 15, which, when cover 13 is moved down, fit into two corresponding slits 16 in an operating member 17 of holder 1. Push button 12 can be moved down relative to cover 13 against spring action. When holder 1 is closed, push button 12 can therefore be pushed further down against spring action, with the edges of the triangular lips 15 abutting against the edges of support 7 and causing this support to tilt against spring action. In the present exemplary embodiment, the holder is provided with arch- shaped side edges 18, while cover 13 is curved accordingly and is provided with a lattice structure. A carrier 19 provided with an impressed wick 20 can be placed in holder 1. Fig. 2 shows such a carrier, in which the wick is spirally arranged. Other forms for the wick are of course possible, for instance a meandering wick. The wick is made on a carbon base and provided with active substances, as for instance aromatic substances or insecticides, which, when the wick is burning, are released and delivered to the ambient air. It will be clear that the length of the wick determines the life of the carrier. The lattice structure in cover 13 serves to facilitate the delivery of the active substances from the top of holder 1 to the ambient air. Around the end 21 of the carrier 19 a recess 22 is arranged in the carrier. The place of this end 21 is such that, when carrier 19 is arranged in holder 1, this end comes to lie approximately above the place where the flame of gas lighter 4 is obtained. Holder 1 has flat edges 23, on which carrier 19 can be placed. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shape of the circumference of carrier 19 is adapted to these edges 23. Edges 23, together with corresponding lower edges in cover 13, can form clamping means, between which the carrier can be clamped. Carrier 19 and holder 1 are further provided with respectively fitting means 24 in the form of holes and 25 in the form of protuberances, so that the carrier is always laid in the holder in a fixedly defined position. It is further noted that, although not shown in the figures, a cover may be provided for closing the hollow space 3, into which the gas lighter fits, and the bottom side of the operating member 17. Both carrier 19 and gas lighter 4 are replaceable constituent parts in the whole. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described herein with reference to the drawings, but comprises all kinds of modifications thereof, of course as far as falling within the scope of protection of the appended claims.

Claims: Claims 1. A device for introducing active substances, such as aromatic substances, insecticides and the like, into ambient air, comprising a holder for a carrier with a wick impressed thereon, characterized in that a mechanism to be operated by hand is provided for operating an ignition element, which can be placed in the holder and is replaceable, to enable a wick to be ignited when a carrier with this wick has been placed in the holder. 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holder is suitable for placing a gas lighter therein, which gas lighter can be operated by means of said mechanism. 3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that said mechanism is formed by a control button, by means of which the housing of a gas lighter placed in the holder can be moved relative to an ignition push button provided on said gas lighter. 4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided with fitting means to enable the carrier to be placed in the holder in a fixedly defined position. 5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided with clamping means to enable a carrier placed in the holder to be clamped in its fixedly defined position. 6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holder is provided with openings arranged in the upper surface of the holder above the place intended for the carrier. 7. A carrier, suitable for being placed in the holder according to any one of the preceding claims, provided with an impressed wick in which active substances are included which, when said wick is burning, are released and delivered to the ambient air, characterized in that the shape of the carrier is adapted to the supporting surface therefor on the inner side of the holder. 8. A carrier according to claim 7, characterized in that in the carrier near one end of the wick impressed thereon a recess is provided, which is of such a size and in such a position that, when activating the ignition element, only this wick end is ignited. 9. A carrier according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it is provided with fitting means, which, when placing the carrier in the holder, can cooperate with the fitting means of the holder. 10. A combination of a device according to any one of claims 1-6, a carrier according to any one of claims 7-9, and an ignition element as set forth in any one of claims 1-3.

Inventors: GASET VINAIXA PEDRO, MIRO AMENOS JORGE, GASET VINAIXA, PEDRO, MIRO AMENOS, JORGE
Applicants: GASET VINAIXA PEDRO, MIRO AMENOS JORGE, SARA LEE DE NV, GASET VINAIXA, PEDRO, MIRO AMENOS, JORGE, SARA LEE/DE N.V.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A61L9
IPC codes: A01M1, A61L9, F23D3