Air treatment device with controlled pore size substrate
AssigneeS.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
InventorsPadma Varanasi, Joel Adair
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are substrates suited for dispensing air treatment chemicals upon being heated. Granular particles, preferably sand with a phenolic binder, are adhered together to form a substrate body having a network of pores. A volatile air treatment chemical is disposed in the pores. The particle size and pores are such that the smaller particles of the substrate are grouped at one end, preferably an end adjacent to a projecting nose. This structure tends to wick the volatile air treatment chemical towards the nose, and heating that area can lead to efficient, and rechargeable, dispensing. Methods for using such substrates, and methods for forming such substrates, are disclosed.
Claims14
A substrate that can actively dispense a volatile air treatment chemical upon being heated, the substrate comprising:
- granular particles adhered together to form a body having a network of pores;
- and
- volatile air treatment chemical disposed in the pores;
- wherein the substrate has a first end and a second opposed end;
- and
- wherein an average size of the granular particles adjacent the first end is less than an average size of the granular particles adjacent the second end such that the first end tends to wick air treatment chemical towards the first end as air treatment chemical is dispensed from the first end.
A method for dispensing a volatile material from a substrate, comprising:
- obtaining a porous substrate having a projecting nose, the substrate being impregnated with a volatile air treatment chemical;
- heating the substrate such that heat is applied to at least an end of the nose to cause a first burst of volatile air treatment chemical to be dispensed from the substrate;
- allowing the nose of the substrate to cool and permitting additional volatile air treatment chemical to be drawn from the substrate to the nose;
- and
- re-heating the substrate such that heat is applied to at least an end of the nose to cause a second burst of volatile air treatment chemical to be dispensed from the substrate.
A method for forming a substrate that can actively dispense a volatile air treatment chemical upon being heated, the method comprising:
- placing granular particles in a mold;
- shaking the mold to cause smaller granular particles to move downward relative to larger granular particles in the mold;
- and
- thereafter forming the substrate in the mold such that an average particle size of the substrate at a bottom of the substrate is less than an average particle size of the substrate at a top of the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.