Patent Publication Number: US-2011068191-A1

Title: Decorative aroma diffuser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to aroma diffusers and more particularly, to a decorative aroma diffuser that provides a decorative function. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     People who are sensitive to beauty do care about life style and personal taste. Using an aroma diffuser in the house can create a unique and peaceful atmosphere. 
     Aroma diffusing has been used in many chain hotels as a unique service to attract clients. By means of the central air conditioning system, aroma is diffused into the air being delivered to every room of the building. Different aromatic smells may be released in different seasons to create different atmosphere. For example, teat tree aroma with peppermint aroma may be applied in summer; orange essential oil may be used in winter. However, a big-scale aroma diffusing system for use in hotels is not practical for home application. 
     There are small aroma diffusers practical for home use. These aroma diffusers commonly have a housing made from ceramics. However, if the ceramic housing has a thin wall thickness, it may break easily. If the ceramic housing has a thick wall, it does not facilitate transfer of heat energy from the heat source mounted therein to the aromatic fluid held on its top side. Further, if the diffusing mouth of the fluid chamber at the top side of the ceramic housing is narrow, it will take a long time to start diffusing of the aromatic smell after heating of the aromatic fluid by the heater. Further, conventional aroma diffusers do not facilitate cleaning. Further, regular aroma diffusers are not attractive when used as a decorative item. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is main object of the present invention to provide a decorative aroma diffuser, which provides a decorative effect and facilitates cleaning. It is another object of the present invention to provide a decorative aroma diffuser, which is safe in use. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a decorative aroma diffuser, which saves power consumption. 
     To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a decorative aroma diffuser comprises a tray, a base, a heater and a bottom plate. The tray is made from ceramics in the shape of a bowl for holding an aromatic fluid, comprising a top side curved inwards and defining a holding space for holding an aromatic fluid, a bottom side, and a plurality of endless ribs respectively raised from the top side and the bottom side to reinforce the structural strength. The base is fixedly connected to the bottom side of the tray, thereby defining an accommodation chamber. Further, the base comprises two inside flanges bilaterally suspending in the accommodation chamber and facing each other. The heater is mounted in the accommodation chamber and kept in contact with the bottom side of the tray and adapted to heat the tray. The bottom plate is covered on the base to close the accommodation chamber. Further, the bottom plate carries a power source for providing electricity to the heater to heat the tray. 
     The decorative aroma diffuser further comprises an aromatic fluid carried in the holding space in the tray, and at least one flower petal or one herb leaf carried on the aromatic fluid. Further, the heater is a cement resistor for heating the aromatic fluid in the tray at a temperature within the range about 15° C.˜60° C. This low heating temperature does not cause the herb leaves or flower petals to be dissolved out quickly. 
     The decorative aroma diffuser further comprises a locating member supported between the two inside flanges inside the base, and a fastening device fastened to the locating member to lock the heater to the bottom side of the tray. Further, the locating member comprises a mounting through hole. Further, the fastening device comprises a tightening-up screw threaded into the mounting through hole of the locating member and stopped at one side of the heater against the bottom side of the tray, and a nut threaded onto the tightening-up screw and stopped at the bottom side of the bottom plate. Further, each inside flange of the base comprises a locating groove. Further, the locating member has two opposite ends respectively fastened to the locating grooves of the two inside flanges of the base. Further, the two inside flanges and the base are formed integral with the tray. Further, the bottom plate comprises a plurality of foot members equiangularly disposed at a bottom side thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, oblique bottom view of a decorative aroma diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, oblique top view of the decorative aroma diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional assembly view of the decorative aroma diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic applied view of the present invention, showing an aromatic fluid and flower petals carried in the tray. 
         FIG. 5  is another schematic applied view of the present invention, showing an aromatic fluid and herb leaves carried in the tray. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a decorative aroma diffuser in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a tray  10 , a base  20 , a heater  30  and a bottom plate  40 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the tray  10  is prepared from ceramics and shaped like a bowl, having a relatively wider top side  12  and a relatively narrower bottom side  13  and defining a holding space  11  for holding a fluid. The tray  10  further comprises a plurality of endless ribs  15  concentrically arranged on the inside and outside walls thereof to reinforce the structural strength and to increase the fluid contact surface area in the holding space  11 , thereby enhancing thermal transfer and warm keeping effects. Further, the endless ribs  15  generate an image that simulates waves and ripples of water to attract people&#39;s eyes. 
     The base  20  is a hollow member prepared from the same material used for the tray  10 , and formed integral with the bottom side  13  of the tray  10 . The base  20  defines with the bottom side  13  of the tray  10  an accommodation chamber  21 . Further, the base  20  comprises two inside flanges  22  suspending in the bottom open side of the accommodation chamber  21  and opposing each other. Each inside flange  22  has two protruding portions  221  and a locating groove  222  defined between the two protruding portions  221 . 
     The heater  30  is a cement resistor. Further, the heater  30  is mounted in the accommodation chamber  21  and kept in contact with the bottom side  13  of the tray  10  for generating heat to heat the tray  10 . 
     The bottom plate  40  is mounted on the bottom side of the base  20 , carrying a power source  41  and having a mounting through hole  42 . The power source  41  provides electricity to the heater  30 , causing the heat source  30  to generate heat in heating the tray  10 . According to the present preferred embodiment, the heat source  41  is a power jack. 
     Further, the heater  30  is a flat member having two power contacts  31  electrically connected to the power source  41  and one broad side  32  kept in contact with the bottom side  13  of the tray  10 . 
     The decorative aroma diffuser further comprises a locating member  50  and a fastening member  60 . The locating member  50  is a metal bar, preferably iron bar. The fastening member  60  is a metal tightening-up screw. The locating member  50  is bridging the gap between the two inside flanges  22  of the base  20 , having two opposite ends respectively engaged into the locating groove  222  on each of the two inside flanges  22 . The fastening member  60  is threaded into the mounting through hole  42  of the bottom plate  50  and stopped at the bottom side of the heater  30  against the tray  10 . 
     After installation of the fastening member  60  in the mounting through hole  42  of the bottom plate  50  to lock the heater  30  to the tray  10 , a nut  70  is threaded onto the end of the fastening member  60  and stopped at the bottom side of the bottom plate  40 . 
     The bottom plate  40  has foot members  43  equiangularly disposed at the bottom side for supporting the whole assembly of the decorative aroma diffuser on a flat surface stably. 
     When comparing to the conventional designs that have drawbacks, such as cleaning inconveniency, thick wall thickness of ceramic housing to lower thermal transfer efficiency from the heater to the applied aromatic fluid, fragile characteristic of thin wall thickness of ceramic housing or low diffusing speed at the initial stage due to narrow diffusing mouth of the ceramic housing and the use of a low temperature heater, the decorative aroma diffuser has the characteristics of high strength, excellent heat transfer and warm keeping effects and power saving. Subject to the shape design of the open type tray  10  and the arrangement of the endless ribs  15 , the aroma diffuser provides a decorative effect and facilitates cleaning. The open type holding space  11  of the tray  10  facilitates filling and diffusing of aroma fluid. The endless ribs  15  reinforce the structural strength of the tray  10  so that the tray  10  does not break easily and facilitates transfer of heat energy from the heater  30  to the aroma fluid held in the holding space  11 . Because of high thermal transfer efficiency, the invention saves consumption of power supply. As the endless ribs  15  are raised from the inside and outside walls of the tray  10  and arranged in a concentric manner, they impart an image that simulates waves and ripples of water to attract people&#39;s eyes. As the cement resistor type heater  30  is kept in contact with the bottom side of the tray  10 , heat energy generated by the heater  30  is directly transferred to the tray  10 , assuring a high level of safety. The bowl-shaped tray  10  facilitates application of an aromatic fluid. Further, herb leaves or flower petals can be placed on the aromatic fluid in the tray  10  for decoration, creating an atmosphere of nice feeling. Further, using the open type tray  10  to carry an aromatic fluid facilitates diffusing of the aromatic fluid and cleaning of the diffuser. 
     Further, because the invention utilizes a cement resistor to generate heat for heating the applied aromatic fluid at a low temperature about within the range about 15° C.˜60° C., slow evaporation of the aromatic fluid does not causes the herb leaves or flower petals will not be dissolved out quickly. 
     The inside flanges  22 , the base  20  and the tray  10  are made from ceramics in integrity, having high strength and electric insulation characteristics. Therefore, the decorative aroma diffuser does not break easily. 
     Because the invention utilizes a cement resistor to heat the aromatic fluid at a low or medium temperature, touching the tray  10  with the hands does not cause the hands to be scalded, assuring safety. When heating the aromatic fluid into vapor, a pleasant smell is diffused into the air without causing the herb leaves or flower petals to be dissolved out quickly. 
     When using the decorative aroma diffuser, an aromatic fluid is filled in the holding space  11  of the tray  10 , and then flower petals  80  (see  FIG. 4 ) or herb leaves, for example, peppermint leaves  90  (see  FIG. 5 ) are add to the aromatic fluid. The aromatic fluid is heated into vapor slowly. Different flower petals or different herb leaves may be selectively added to the aromatic fluid subject to one&#39;s preference, providing a decorative effect and giving a certain pleasant smell. 
     Further, adding different herb leaves to essential oil creates different smells. For example, rose petals can be added to lavender essential oil for diffusing a special pleasant smell that is good for the respiratory system and the integument system. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.