Abstract:
An air quality modification apparatus for dispensing a volatile material, such as for scenting the air, controlling pests, allergen control, or the like, includes an electric motor having a rotor and a coil. When electric current is applied, the coil produces both heat and an electromagnetic field that causes rotation of the rotor. A source of the volatile material is located adjacent to the coil so as to be volatilized by the coil&#39;s heat. An impeller, attached to the rotor, moves air across the volatile material and blows the vapors away from the apparatus. Energy efficiency is provided by employing the electric motor coil as the source of heat to vaporize the volatile material. Also disclosed is a refill supply of a volatile material for use with such an air quality modification apparatus.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to devices that volatilize a substance and disperse the resultant vapor into the air in a room or other space; and more particularly to such devices for dispensing air scents, pest control materials, allergen control ingredients, and other substances for air quality modification. 
     A common type of air freshener is plugged into an electrical wall outlet to supply power to a heating coil within a housing. The generated heat raises the temperature of a fragrant substance and volatilizes the substance. Convection air currents dispense the fragrance into the room. A similar heating mechanism can be used with a liquid air freshener, as is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,395 and 5,647,053. The disclosure of these patents and all other publications referred to herein are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth. 
     Both these types of air fresheners rely on existing air currents in the room to disperse the fragrance, and such reliance may not evenly or swiftly distribute the substance throughout a relatively large room. There is a need for efficient and economical means to both volatilize and effectively distribute volatilizable materials into the air of a room or other area. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present environment control apparatus volatilizes and dispenses material into the air in a room or other area. This apparatus has an electric motor with a rotor and a coil such that, when electric current is applied to the coil, an electromagnetic field is produced that causes rotation of the rotor. Heat also is emitted from the coil. A source of volatile material to be dispersed into the ambient air is located adjacent the electric motor so as to be heated by the coil. That heating results in the material being volatilized. An air propulsion element, for example a fan or other impeller, is driven by the rotor to move air across the material and blow the resultant vapor into the surrounding environment. Various different embodiments of this apparatus can be provided for solid and liquid forms of the volatile material. In these various embodiments, the motor coil is configured to optimize heating of the material as well as applying a magnetic field to operate the motor. 
     For purposes of this disclosure, the term “magnet” means a member or material that already has been magnetized, either permanently or temporarily, so as to produce a magnetic field, such as an electromagnet or a permanent magnet. In contrast, the term “magnetic” means a member or material that has a sufficient magnetic susceptibility to be capable of being temporarily magnetized to form an electromagnet or capable of being magnetized to form a permanent magnet. 
     The electric motor of the apparatus can be either a nutating type motor or a more conventional, non-nutating motor. However, a nutating motor is preferred, in part because of the flexibility possible in the design of the core. For example but without limitation, the coil can have a serpentine shape. The air propulsion element referred to can be any air movement impeller but preferably is a fan of any convenient design. A simple propeller-type blade fan is especially preferred. The existence in the prior art is acknowledged of nutational motors that employ a rotor caused to nutate within a stator by application of an alternating magnetic field. 
     The volatile material can be any desired volatile material that most readily vaporizes at a temperature elevated above room temperature. Air quality modification agents, pest control ingredients, and allergen control agents are preferred. An air quality modification agent is defined as any volatile material that changes the scent or other quality of the air, including but not limited to perfumes and air deodorizers. Pest control ingredients include insecticides, growth regulators, repellents, and any other volatile material that kills or affects the development, functioning, or behavior of a pest animal, including but not limited to insects. 
     The source of a volatile material can include a carrier substance into which the volatile material is incorporated, whether by impregnation, intermixture, coating, solubilization, or other means. A preferred carrier substance is a mat, including fibrous mats. Mats can be made of felted, woven, or non-woven fibers and fabrics. Alternatively, the carrier substance can be made of a material selected from polymeric, ceramic, or clay materials or from any other material capable of holding a volatile material for heated volatilization. Such materials can be liquids, gels, solids (including but not limited to powders), or any other convenient physical form. 
     The carrier substance can be held within a container. If necessary or useful, the container can have an opening that is closed by a material through which the carrier substance cannot pass but that is permeable to the volatile material. The container can include a cup within which the carrier substance or, in some instances, the volatile material without a carrier substance, is held. The cup can have an open top closed by a material through which the carrier substance (or the volatile material prior to volatilization) cannot pass but that is permeable to the volatile material in the vapor state. 
     If a liquid volatile material or carrier substance is to be heated by the coil to vaporize the volatile material, the source of a volatile material can include a vessel containing the liquid volatile material or carrier substance. The apparatus then preferably includes a wick that is in contact with the liquid and extends to the vicinity of the coil to transport the liquid to the coil for heating. In this context, a wick is understood to extend to the “vicinity” of the coil if it extends sufficiently close to the coil to be heated by it with the effect of increasing volatilization of liquid carried by the wick. 
     In one aspect of the invention, the electric motor (preferably a nutating motor) further includes a core of magnetic material extending adjacent to the wick, with the coil being wound around at least a portion of the core. In this context, a core of magnetic material shall be defined as extending “adjacent” to the wick if it is situated immediately beside the wick, is wholly or partially contained within the wick, or is a magnetic material capable of simultaneously serving as both the wick and core, whereupon the wick and core effectively extend together. 
     By way of example only, such a core can usefully curve at least partially around the wick. For example, the core can be a U-shaped core, with the wick extending between and being embraced by the arms of the U. As an alternative to such a U-shaped core, the core can curve entirely around the wick one or more times, surrounding the wick. Alternatively, the core can extend parallel to the wick and embrace it to a desired extent, like a partial sheath or longitudinally extending cover. 
     Alternatively, a core extending “adjacent” to the wick can include a body of magnetic material contained within the wick. Such a core can be a rod-like structure held within the wick. Alternatively, the wick can include discrete particles of magnetic material distributed within the wick, the discrete particles magnetically coacting to constitute the core. Such particles can be grains or particles, filaments, or any other convenient shape. Alternatively, a wick can be made partially or entirely of woven, felted, molded, or otherwise formed magnetic material to create a wick that can serve as a core and also be either porous or at least capable of transporting liquid by capillary action. A solid material can be made with capillary grooves or channels to transport liquid as a wick. This solid material can be itself a magnetic material that can serve simultaneously as both core and wick, or it can be a non-magnetic surface material with capillary grooves, the surface material extending along or even covering at least a part of the core. Such grooves or channels are taught in a different context in Lembeck, U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,881. Lembeck shows the use of open grooves formed in a plastic surface to carry liquid by capillary action upwardly from a reservoir to another, elevated location. In Lembeck, air freshening liquid is carried upwardly from a reservoir to an evaporator pad. 
     The apparatus can be usefully controlled in any convenient way including, for example, by incorporating a timer or incorporating a detector for sensing a selected physical event that occurs in proximity to the apparatus and controlling the electric motor in response to sensing such event. By way of example only, temperature or light conditions or the presence of a person can all be sensed and used as triggers for control. 
     The invention can be summarized alternatively as being an environment control apparatus for dispensing a volatile material into ambient air including a housing having an internal chamber with an air inlet and an air outlet. The apparatus further includes an electric motor positioned within the housing and having a rotor, a coil and a conductor for applying electric current to the coil, wherein application of electric current to the coil produces heat and also produces an electromagnetic field that causes rotation of the rotor. The apparatus also includes a holder to retain the volatile material within the housing and adjacent to the coil to allow the volatile material to be heated and vaporized by heat from the coil. An air propulsion element is connected to the rotor to move air through the housing from the air inlet, across volatile material retained in the holder, and through the air outlet. Optionally, a connector can be attached to the housing and coupled to the conductor of the electric motor for connecting the environment control apparatus to an electrical outlet. 
     Preferably, the internal chamber of the housing of the environment control apparatus so disclosed is formed by a first section into which the air inlet opens and in which volatile material can be positioned by the holder. The first section is configured to direct air from the air inlet across the container so positioned. The housing includes a second section into which the air outlet opens and which receives air flow from the first section. Preferably, an air propulsion element driven by the rotor is located in the second section. 
     The environmental control apparatus as so alternatively disclosed can include a volatile material to be dispersed. The volatile material preferably is a selected air quality modification agent, pest control ingredient, allergen control agent, or combination of such materials. The environment control apparatus can include a container held by the holder, the container holding either the volatile material itself or a carrier substance into which the volatile material to be dispersed is incorporated. The container has an opening that is closed by a membrane or other material through which the as yet unvolatilized material or the carrier substance cannot pass but that is permeable to the volatile material in the vapor state. Any of the carrier substances disclosed above can be used. The wick arrangements disclosed above for use with liquid materials can be used here, as well. Similarly, the alternative forms of the coil and means of controlling the apparatus already disclosed can also be used here. 
     The invention can be further summarized as a refill supply of a volatile material for use with a dispensing apparatus for delivering a volatile material into ambient air, the dispensing apparatus having an electric motor having a rotor and a coil producing an electromagnetic field that causes rotation of the rotor and also producing heat when electric current is applied to the coil. The refill supply is removably attachable to the dispensing apparatus and includes a vessel containing a liquid that incorporates the volatile material; a wick in contact with the liquid and extending within the coil when the refill supply is attached to the dispensing apparatus to transport the liquid for heating by the coil; and a core of magnetic material extending adjacent to the wick and positioned within the coil when the refill supply is attached to the dispensing apparatus. Any of the alternative embodiments disclosed above of a wick with adjacently extending core can be used here. 
     This apparatus has the advantage that the same coil that produces an electromagnetic field that operates the motor for air propulsion also provides heat to vaporize the volatile material. This offers opportunities for compact design, efficiency of manufacture by use of fewer independent parts, and energy-efficient operation by utilizing for volatilization what would otherwise be uselessly lost coil heat. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a view of the front of an apparatus for volatilizing and dispensing an air quality modification material; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 showing the motor of the apparatus; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a variation of a coil for the motor; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view through a second embodiment of an apparatus for volatilizing and dispensing a chemical; 
     FIG. 6 depicts a horizontal cross-section through a third embodiment of an apparatus for volatilizing and dispensing a liquid chemical; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 8 depicting an alternative coil arrangement; 
     FIG. 9 depicts a vertical cross-section through a fourth embodiment of an apparatus for volatilizing and dispensing a liquid chemical; 
     FIG. 10 depicts a vertical cross-section through a fifth embodiment of an apparatus for volatilizing and dispensing a liquid chemical; 
     FIG. 11 depicts a wick made of a solid material and having capillary grooves or channels to transport liquid; and 
     FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the wick of FIG. 11, taken along section line  12 — 12  of FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With initial reference to FIG. 1, an environmental control apparatus  10  according to the present invention has a housing  12  with a front face  14  with an outlet opening  16  that extends into an interior chamber  13 . Preferably the housing  12  is made of plastic, which may be molded or otherwise formed by conventional plastic fabricating techniques. The interior chamber  13  is subdivided into first and second regions  15  and  19 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first region  15  of interior chamber  13  contains a source  18  of a volatile material to be dispersed into the environment of the apparatus  10  and the second region  19  houses a motor driven fan assembly  17 . The fan assembly  17  includes a nutational motor  20  specifically adapted for driving an air impeller  27  and comprises a body  21 , a stator  22 , a rotor  24  and a nutational actuator  25 . 
     While a particular, bladed impeller structure is shown, any alternative impeller adapted to cause air movement when driven by the nutational motor  20  would be within the scope and spirit of the invention. The nutational actuator  25  includes a U-shaped magnetic core  26  around which a pair of coils  28  are wound and a two pronged electrical plug  30 . The coils  28  are electrically connected to the electrical plug  30 , preferably in series. The body  21  of the fan assembly  17  is secured within the interior chamber  13 , preferably fitting between ridges on the walls of the interior chamber  13 , to hold the body in place and serve as a base for supporting a stator  22  and the nutational actuator  25 . 
     Preferably, a circuit within the housing  12  provides a timer that controls application of electricity to the coils  28  so that the apparatus  10  operates only at certain times of the day. Alternatively, the circuit  31  can be connected to a passive infrared detector  33  that senses the presence of a person in the vicinity of the apparatus  10  and activates the motor  20  by applying electricity to the coils  28 . In another version of the apparatus, the detector  33  can sense the ambient visible light and control the apparatus in response to the ambient light level. For example, the application of pesticides may be desired after dark when the target insects are prevalent. In this case, the detector  33  would be selected so as to activate the motor when the light level is below a predefined threshold. Any sensor adapted to control the application of electricity to the coils  28  in response to an environmental physical state or to an event in the vicinity of the apparatus  10  is within the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, body  21  includes platform  32  and prong support  34 . Platform  32  has apertures within which are received the stator  22 , magnetic core  26  and coil  28  as best shown in FIG.  3 . Prong support  34  projects rearwardly from platform  32  and holds the two prongs of plug  30  at spaced positions for insertion into a conventional electrical wall outlet. As a result, plugging apparatus  10  into an electrical wall outlet  11  simultaneously mounts the environmental control apparatus  10  to the wall. It will be apparent that alternative prong styles and plug conventions are possible and would be selected to accommodate the conventions of the country in which the device would be used and are within the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     The stator  22  comprises a portion of motor  20  that remains fixed with respect to nutating rotor  24 . The stator provides an inner circumferential surface  42  concentric with an axis  44  about which rotor  24  nutates. Stator  22  preferably is a tubular sleeve  46  that is press fit or otherwise fastened within an aperture of platform  32  and preferably is made of a compressible material, such as rubber. Use of such a material increases the necessary friction between the stator  22  and rotor  24  and, during nutation of the rotor, dampens vibration and reduces noise. 
     The rotor  24  is fastened to the air impeller  27  and has a preferably hollow, non-magnetic shaft  50  with a permanent magnet  52  force fitted therein. The magnet  52  preferably is so oriented that its opposite poles are displaced along the axis  44  of rotor  24 . For example, magnet  52  is oriented with a North pole facing the air impeller  27  and a South pole facing the plug  30 . As will be described, the magnet  52  interacts with the magnetic forces generated by the nutational actuator  25  thereby causing rotor  24  to nutate about axis  44  against circumferential surface  42  of stator  22 . 
     The shaft  50  has an outer circumferential surface  54  adjacent the inner circumferential surface  42  of stator  22 , which stator surface extends concentrically about axis  44 . The diameter of shaft  50  is less than the inner diameter of stator  22  defined by inner circumferential surface  42 . In the exemplary embodiment, the ratio of the inner diameter of the stator bore to the outer shaft diameter is approximately 1.0 to 1.2. It has been found that as the mass of rotor  24  and the attached component are increased, the ratio of the inner bore diameter to the outer shaft diameter should be decreased. 
     The U-shaped magnetic core  26  generally includes legs  56  and  58 , a cross member  60 , and electrical insulators  62  and  64 . Legs  56  and  58  and the cross member  60  comprise an elongated material preferably having a high magnetic susceptibility, such as ferromagnetic materials including ferrite, cobalt, nickel and gadolinium. Electrical insulators  62  and  64  extend between legs  76  and  78  and coils  28 . Legs  56  and  58  include end portions  66  and  68 , respectively, which are positioned on opposite sides of rotor  24  and are angularly spaced from one another in relation to the shaft  50  by approximately 180 degrees. The opposite ends of legs  56  and  58  are interconnected to one another by the cross member  60 , which conducts magnetic flux across legs  56  and  58  when magnetic core  26  is magnetized by alternating current flowing through coils  28 . 
     Each coil  28  encircles one of the legs  56  or  58 , with the coils encircling the legs in the same direction to create reinforcing rather than canceling magnetic flux in the combined legs  56  and  58  and cross member  60 . As shown by FIG. 3, the coils  28  have ends adjacent to the rotor  22  that are electrically connected to the prongs of the electrical plug  30 . The opposite ends of each coil  28 , adjacent the cross member  60 , are electrically connected together. 
     When plug  30  is inserted into a standard electrical outlet, alternating electric current flows through both coils  28  to produce a magnetic flux that flows through the legs  56  and  58 . This produces opposite magnetic poles at the ends of the core  26  on opposite sides of the rotor. Because the electrical current is alternating, the core end portions  66  and  68  alternate between North and South magnetic poles at the frequency of the alternating current. This results in an alternating attraction and repulsion of the North and South poles of magnet  52  in rotor  24 , creating an alternating torque that causes the rotor to wobble or nutate about axis  44 . In particular, the resulting alternating attraction and repulsion of rotor  24  initially causes portions of rotor  24  to reciprocate between opposite sides of circumferential surface  42 . However, during this reciprocation, rotor  24  has a tendency to become off-centered so that the rotor begins reciprocating between portions of stator surface  42  that are other than 180 degrees apart, striking the circumferential surface  42  a somewhat glancing blow each time. Consequently, the alternate attraction and repulsion causes rotor  24  to roll against circumferential surface  42  and nutate about axis  44 . 
     It is believed that the magnetic field, attracting and repelling the rotor  24 , must have a sufficient magnitude to ensure that rotor becomes off-centered during reciprocation and that the desirable magnetic field magnitude is dependent upon the rotor&#39;s mass and the relative diameters of the stator  22  and the rotor  24 . The speed at which rotor  24  rotates is dependent upon the frequency at which rotor  24  is attracted and repelled and upon the relative diameter of stator  22  and rotor  24 . 
     With reference to FIG. 2, rotation of the air impeller  27  draws air through the interior of housing  12  preferably upwardly from an inlet at end  70 , past a source  18  of a volatile material, and through the outlet opening  16 . An opposite air flow direction is also possible. Although the air impeller  27  is illustrated as a multiple blade fan, other types of devices that can be motor driven for creating that movement of air may be utilized. The first region  15  of interior housing chamber  13  acts as a chimney directing the air flow past the volatile source  18 . That air flow picks up the vapors emitted from the source  18  and disperses the volatile material into the room in which the apparatus is located. 
     The volatile source  18  comprises a carrier substance  72 , such as a gel that either constitutes or has been impregnated with the volatile material to be dispensed. In the exemplary embodiment, the carrier substance  72  is held in a container  74  at least a portion of which is either open or at least (and preferably) is closed by a barrier that contains the carrier substance  72  but is permeable to the vapor of the volatile material being used. For example, the container  74  has a membrane  75  along one side through which vapors pass. Although the container  74  is preferably made of a heat-resistive plastic, metal or other suitably heat-resistive and volatile containing materials may be used. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown, the container  74  slides through the open end  70  of the housing  12  and into a holder in the first region  15  where it is retained by friction. When sufficient material has been volatilized from the carrier substance  72 , the source  18  can be replaced with a new one by pulling on a tab  77  that projects outward from the container and through the open housing end  70 . Although the arrangement shown is preferred, alternative structures to introduce, hold, and remove or replace a container will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, a housing can be designed with two open ends such that fresh containers can be introduced through one of the open ends and simply push an exhausted container out of the other open end. 
     As an alternative to an impregnated gel, the volatile material can be contained in other types of carrier substances, some of which require no separate container such as container  74 . Such carrier substances include fibrous mats of felted, woven, or non-woven fabrics; molded, extruded, cast, or otherwise formed polymeric, ceramic, and clay materials; as well as other convenient materials loaded with volatile ingredients, whether by impregnation, printing or otherwise. When present, the container can be a metal or plastic cup holding a volatilizable gel, powder, or liquid that can either be adhered to the cup or be retained in the cup by a volatile-permeable membrane, grid, or other suitable barrier that retains the volatilizable material or carrier substance but that is permeable to the volatile. Indeed, the carrier substance or carrier substance in a container can be any convenient means for holding a material to be volatilized by the application of heat. The art is well aware of a wide variety of suitable materials and structures used in conventional mosquito-control heated devices and in air-scenting devices. 
     In addition to causing nutational movement of rotor  24  about axis  44  of stator  22 , the nutational actuator  25  formed by magnetic core  26 , coils  28  and plug  30  also serves as a heat source to volatilize the material within the source  18 . Owing to the inherent resistance of their electrically conductive material, the coils  28  heat up in response to the current flowing through them. By so designing the apparatus  10  that the coils  28  extend along and in close proximity to the carrier substance  72 , the heat generated in the coils is transferred to the source  18  and warms the volatile material. The size and configuration of the nutational actuator  25  preferably conform to the size and shape of the source to enhance the heating effect. This action heats the volatile material above its volatilization temperature thereby producing vapors that are picked-up by the air flow through the first internal chamber region  15 . By using the motor coils  28  to heat the volatile material, a separate heating element is not required and the apparatus  10  can be more compact, less expensive to manufacture, and more energy efficient. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the nutational actuator  80 , which is mounted in a body  86  that serves the same function as body  21  in FIGS. 2 and 3. The nutational actuator  80  comprises a bendable core  82  of magnetic material and a single coil  84  wound around substantially the entire length of the core  82 . Their bendable nature allows the core and coil to have a serpentine shape that extends through a greater portion of the body  86  and thus extends adjacent a greater surface area of the carrier substance  72 . This more evenly distributes the heat from the coils to the carrier substance and the volatile material. 
     With reference to FIG. 5, the present concept can be applied to a dispersing apparatus  90  that utilizes a standard, non-nutating electric motor such as the electric motor shown at  92 . The electric motor  92  is located within a housing  91  and includes a hollow cylindrical stator coil  94  within which a conventional permanent magnet rotor  96  is mounted. The rotor  96  is coupled to a shaft  98  with an air impeller  97  attached thereto. 
     In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the volatile material is contained in a tubular carrier  99  that is pushed around the outer diameter of the stator coil  94  and held in place, preferably simply by friction. The carrier  99  has a structure similar to that of the previously described source  18 . Alternatively, other shapes and mounting configurations of the carrier can be utilized with this motor design so long as the carrier is placed in relation to the coil  94  such that the heat of the coil effectively heats the carrier to volatilize the material to be dispensed. 
     When the dispersing apparatus  90  is plugged into a standard electrical outlet, an electromagnetic field produced by the stator coil  94  causes the rotor  96 , shaft  98  and air impeller  97  to spin. This creates a flow of air through the housing  91  and across the carrier  99 . The flow of electric current through the stator coil  94  also generates heat that raises the temperature of the carrier and vaporizes the volatile material therein. The vapors from that material are drawn into the air flow through the housing and exhausted into the ambient environment. 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the present invention also can be used with volatile materials in liquid form. The apparatus  100  for this purpose comprises a motor housing  102  that attaches to a vessel  104  that contains the liquid volatile material  106 . A wick  108  projects preferably upwardly from within the vessel and into the motor housing  102 . 
     A motor assembly  110  is mounted within the housing  102  and has a body  112  with an aperture  114  through which the wick  108  extends. A nutational actuator  116  includes a magnetic core  118  with a linear section  119  around which an electromagnet coil  120  is wound. The wick, which is in contact with the liquid volatile material  106 , extends to the vicinity of the coil  120  to transport the liquid to the coil for heating. The linear section  119  of the magnetic core  118  is located adjacent the aperture  114 , and a pair of arms  122  of the core extends from ends of the linear section  119  to opposite sides of a rotor  124 . A propeller-type fan  126  or alternative air impeller is attached to the rotor  124 . 
     Alternatively as shown in FIG. 8, the nutational actuator may have a U-shaped magnetic core  127  and electromagnet coil  128 . The curved core  127  and coil  128  extend at least partially around the wick  108  of the source of volatile material. This latter configuration increases exposure of the wick  108  to heat produced by the coil  128 . Alternatively, the core  127  and coil  128  may loop multiple times around the wick  108 . 
     Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 7, the wick  108  draws the liquid volatile material  106  from the vessel  104  into the motor assembly  110 . When electricity is applied to the apparatus  100 , the nutational actuator  116  causes the rotor and the fan  126  to spin, which action causes air to flow through apertures  115  in the housing  102 . The heat from the coil  120  is transferred to the upper end of the wick  108  to volatilize the volatile material at that end. The vapors from the volatile material are carried into the ambient environment by the air flow generated by the fan  126 . 
     FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of an apparatus  130  for volatilizing and dispersing a liquid volatile material. A housing  132  attaches to a vessel  136  containing the volatile material. The housing  132  encloses a nutational motor  134  that comprises an annular coil  138  wound on a bobbin  140  and electrically connected to a two-pronged plug  142 . A wick  144  extends from within the vessel  136  through a center opening in the bobbin and coil assembly and receives heat from the coil  138  when the motor is operating. 
     A rod-like core  146  of magnetic material is held within the portion of the wick  144  that is within the bobbin  140  and coil  138 . The core  146  projects toward a stator  148  within which is a rotor  150  of the nutational motor  134 . The rotor  150  contains a permanent magnet  152  and has a fan  156  or other air impeller attached to one end. The alternating magnetic flux produced by the coil  138  is conducted by the rod-like core  146  and applied to the stator  148 . That action produces nutation of the rotor  150  and rotation of the fan  156 . 
     FIG. 10 illustrates a modification of the embodiment of apparatus  130  in FIG. 9, and identical components have been assigned the same reference numerals. In the resultant apparatus  160 , the wick  144  and core  146  have been replaced by a wick  162  that is impregnated with discrete particles  164  of a magnetic material. The discrete magnetic particles  164  coact to form the core for the electric motor. The discrete magnetic particles may be granular, as shown, or they may be filaments or otherwise vary in shape. Thus the wick  162  both draws the liquid volatile material  166  from the vessel  136  to the coil  138  for heating and serves as the core to transfer magnetic flux from the coil to the stator  148 . 
     FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a wick, wick  168 , generally corresponding in mode of use to wick  162  of FIG.  10 . FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of wick  168 . Wick  168  is made of a generally solid material and has capillary grooves  170 , which are open-faced channels, to transport liquid typically upwardly from a vessel (not shown) corresponding to vessel  136  of FIG. 10 to a coil (not shown) corresponding to coil  138  of FIG.  10 . The solid material of which the wick  168  is made may itself be or include a magnetic material. For example, it may be a plastic incorporating a ferromagnetic material introduced as a powder before the plastic hardens. Alternatively, the solid material can be non-magnetic and either extend along or cover a core made of a magnetic material. The wick  168  can be made by any conventional plastic manufacturing techniques appropriate to such structures, including molding, extrusion, machining, and the like. 
     The foregoing description was primarily directed to preferred embodiments of the invention. Although some attention was given to various alternatives within the scope of the invention, it is anticipated that one skilled in the art will likely realize additional alternatives that are now apparent from disclosure of embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined from the following claims and not limited by the above disclosure. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     Volatilizing scents, insect control materials, and other volatile materials is an established, useful practice. The invention disclosed provides for an apparatus that provides a new means for doing so effectively.