Abstract:
A device is disclosed for distributing chemicals, such as mosquito inhibitor chemicals. The device includes a housing and a light source. The light source is positioned within the housing such that the light source can be used to illuminate objects located near the device. The housing also includes a chemical disperser capable of distributing the chemicals. A solar panel provides power to the device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to aerosol distribution devices, including but not limited to chemical distribution devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mosquito inhibitor distribution device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Biting insects, such as mosquitoes, can be annoying and in some instances carry disease. Reports are on the rise of mosquito transferred West Nile virus. West Nile virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, and can infect people, horses, many types of birds, and some other animals. On some occasions, a West Nile virus infection can result in severe and sometimes fatal illnesses. 
     Known devices are used to attempt to destroy or repel the mosquitoes such as bug zappers and electronic repellers. Many bug zappers rely upon ultraviolet light to draw insects through an electrified wire grid. A burst followed by crackling sounds signals that the insect has passed through the electrocuting device. Bug zappers may kill many insects, but few of the insects killed are pests. Most of the insects are beetles or night-flying moths tricked into the trap while attempting to navigate by the moon. Mosquitoes may make up a small percentage of bug zapper collections since mosquitoes are not attracted to light. Likewise, hum producing electronic repellers may not prevent mosquitoes from biting. 
     Other products, such as chemicals, have been found to be effective that inhibit the sensors of a mosquito to stop the mosquito from finding a human target. There is a need for devices that distributes such chemicals. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     A device is disclosed for distributing chemicals, such as mosquito inhibitor chemicals. The chemical can operate to affect the sensors of mosquitoes to inhibit the mosquitoes from finding humans. The chemical preferably activates at room temperature and the chemical can include a fragrance. 
     A device is disclosed for distributing chemicals, such as mosquito inhibitor chemicals. The device includes a housing and a light source. The light source is positioned within the housing such that the light source can be used to illuminate objects located near the device. The housing also includes a chemical disperser capable of distributing the chemicals. A solar panel provides power to the device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a chemical distribution device. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the device. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side cutaway view of an assembled device. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the device with the canister removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a chemical distribution device, generally device  100 . The device  100  includes a housing having as a base  110  and a cover  120 . The base  110  includes inlet openings  130  and outlet openings  140  which allow air to flow through the base  110 . The air flow is capable of expelling a chemical contained within the base  110 . The chemical can be used to repel or inhibit pests or rodents, such as insects or mosquitoes. For example, the chemical can operate to affect the sensors of mosquitoes to inhibit the mosquitoes from finding humans. The chemical preferably activates at room temperature, but other chemicals can be used that activate at other temperatures. The chemical can include a fragrance. An exemplary chemical is LINALOOL manufactured by BioSensory Inc. located in Willimantic, Conn. 
     To operate functions of the device  100 , the device can include a knob  150  located on an outer surface of the base  110 . The knob  150  can be used to turn on and off features of the device  100 . For example, the knob  150  can be used to turn on and off an impeller and/or a light source, discussed below. The knob  150  can also be used to control other features, such as the storing or releasing of the chemical, discussed below. 
     The housing of the device  100  may also include an enclosure  160  positioned, for example, on the base  100 . The enclosure  160  can be manufactured from the same or a different material than the base  110 , such as plastic, glass or steel. The enclosure  160  can be transparent, translucent or opaque. A transparent or translucent enclosure  160  allows light to be dispersed from the device  100 . The cover  120 , positioned above the enclosure  160 , can also be manufactured from transparent, translucent or opaque materials, depending on how the device  100  is implemented. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the device  100 . The cover  120  is positioned to be supported by the enclosure  160 . The cover  120  can be secured to the enclosure  160  with fasteners, such as pins  200 . The pins  200  can be positioned through tabs  201  located on the enclosure  160 . The cover  120  includes an opening  263 , which can be closed by a transparent or semi-transparent cap  170 . When in position, the cover  120  is preferably sized to overlap the enclosure  160  to maintain elements, such as rain and snow, from entering the enclosure  160 . The cap  170  also preferably maintains elements from entering the enclosure  160 , while allowing sunlight to enter the enclosure  160 . 
     The enclosure  160  may include a wall portion  202  that forms a chamber  203 . The term portion includes all or less than all of the element. The chamber  203  can be formed integrally with, or separate from, the enclosure  160 . The wall portion  202  may be manufactured from the same material as the remainder of the enclosure  160 , such as a translucent, transparent or semitransparent material, including glass, plastic and STYRENE. The chamber may accommodate a motor  210 . 
     The motor  210  connects an impeller  220 , such as a fan, to produce airflow through the base  110 . A chemical disperser includes one or more of the motor  210 , the impeller  220 , the inlet openings  130  and the outlet openings  140 . The chemicals can also be dispersed with ambient air flow. A canister  230  may contain the chemicals. The canister  230  may be positioned in the base  110 , such as near the bottom of the base  110 . A vent  240  is arranged above the canister  230  and a vent cover  250  is arranged above the vent  240 . The vent  240  and vent cover  250  include openings  255 , such as generally triangular shaped openings. When the openings at least partially overlap, vapor from the canister  230  is allowed to enter the base  110 . When the openings do not overlap, such as when the vent cover  250  is rotated so that the openings do not overlap, the vapor is substantially maintained in the canister  230 . 
     Power can be provided to the device  100  in various ways, such as with batteries, via a power cord, solar panel or a low voltage buried cable. The batteries can be rechargeable. To recharge the batteries, the device can include a solar assembly  260 . The solar assembly  260  can include one or more photovoltaic cells, such as a solar panel  262 , positioned under the cover  120 . For example, the solar panel  262  can be positioned in an opening  263  of the cover  120  which is covered by the cap  170 . The batteries can be contained in a battery holder  264 . 
     Circuitry  266 , such as circuitry located on a printed circuit board  268 , can connect between the solar panel  262  and the batteries to control charging and recharging of the batteries. The circuitry  266  can also be used to turn on a light source, described below, for example when the solar panel  262  is not receiving sunlight. Such circuitry is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,891, which is incorporated by reference herein. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side cutaway view of an assembled device  100 . The device  100  can include a light source  300  such as a light emitting diode, a fluorescent light or an incandescent light, such as a light bulb. The light source  300  can be powered by the rechargeable batteries or another power supply, such as non-rechargeable batteries, a low voltage power line, or a power cord plugged in to an outlet. The light source  300  may be positioned in the enclosure  160  and/or the base  110 . 
     Positioned adjacent, e.g., below, the light source  300  is a reflector  305 . The reflector can also be positioned above or to the sides of the light source  300 . The reflector  305  may be arranged to spread light emitted from the light source  300  through the enclosure  160  including through the wall portion  202 . The reflector  305  may include a general cone-shape (shown also in  FIG. 2 ) or include other shapes that redirect light away from the light source  300 , instead of only reflecting the light directly back at the light source  300 . The reflector  305  may be used in conjunction with a light emitting diode as the light source  300 . The light emitting diode may produce less of a drain on the batteries than other light sources, such as light bulbs. 
     The wall portion  202  of the enclosure  160  may include inner surfaces  303  and outer surfaces  304 . The inner surfaces  303  may include a pattern to diffuse the light emitted therethrough. The pattern may include a half-radii pattern that protrudes from the inner surfaces  303  to diffuse the light. The outer surfaces  304  and the remainder of the enclosure  160  may be smooth. It should be understood that the outer surfaces  304  of the wall portion  202  and the remainder of the enclosure  160  may also include a pattern. Also the inner surfaces  303  may be smooth. Other patterns may be used instead of the half-radii pattern, such as a full radii pattern or a pattern that produces a prismatic effect of the light emitted form the light source  300 . 
     The light source  300  can be turned on with the knob  150  and/or the circuitry  266  can be used to turn on the light source  300  automatically, such as at dusk. The knob  150  can also be used to turn the impeller  220  on and off. The knob  150  includes a knob contact  310 . The knob contact  310  contacts base contacts  320  as the knob  150  is turned to determined positions. The knob contact  310  and the base contact  320  complete a connection to turn the impeller  220  and/or other features on and off. The impeller  220  is surrounded by a cylindrical wall  324  which includes an opening  326  positioned below the impeller  220  along the axis of the impeller  220 . When the impeller  220  is spinning, air is drawn through the inlet openings  130  positioned radially around the impeller  220 . Air is then forced through the opening  326  towards the canister  230 . 
     The knob  150  also connects to an arm  330 . The arm  330  connects to the vent cover  250  such that when the knob is turned, the vent cover  250  opens or closes the openings  255  to the canister  230 . Closed openings  255  help to maintain the inhibitor or repeller chemical in the canister  230  when the device  100  is not in use. The vent  240  includes appendages  340  positioned with corresponding mounts  350  located on the base  110  to align the vent  240  to the base  110 . Fasteners  360 , such as screws, can also be used to mount the vent  240  to the base  110 . 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the device  100  with the canister  130  removed. The vent  240  includes slots  400  that accept similarly shaped projections located on the canister  230 . For example, the canister  230  can be attached to the vent  240  by positioning the projections into the slots  400  and turning the canister  230  until the canister is locked in to the vent  240 . Features  410  can be located on an inner wall of the base  110  to provide structural strength to the base  110 . 
     It is to be understood that changes and modifications to the embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and are contemplated. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope of this invention.