Heated volatile dispenser

A volatile carrier suitable for use with a heated volatile dispenser that has an insert slot through which the volatile carrier can be inserted to load the heated volatile dispenser, the insert slot having keying structures that impart to it a cross-sectional profile that departs at least in part from a rectangular opening and that so restricts access thereto as to prevent loading through the slot any volatile carrier not having a non-interfering cross-sectional profile to the insert slot, the volatile carrier comprising a treated section bearing the volatile material to be dispensed and having a cross-sectional profile that is non-interfering with respect to the insert slot.

A volatile carrier suitable for use with a heated volatile dispenser designed to expose a volatile carrier to a flow of hot gases, the volatile carrier comprising

• a. a treated section that is linearly extended and is loaded with the volatile material to be dispensed, the treated section having front and back sides and a leading edge;
• and
• b. a heat-resistant edge guard positioned on the leading edge to split the flow of hot gases when the volatile carrier is held within a flow of hot gases with the leading edge presented toward the hot gas flow to direct the hot gases over both the front and back sides, and to assist in protecting the treated section from direct, edgeward impact from the hot gases.

A heated volatile dispenser for use with a volatile carrier having a volatile-loaded section having a linearly extended, volatile-releasing surface, the heated volatile dispenser comprising:

• a. a fuel burner generating upwardly flowing hot gases;
• and
• b. a carrier holder that can hold the volatile carrier with the volatile-loaded section above the fuel burner and within the hot gases in an orientation such that hot gas sweeps across the volatile-releasing surface.

A method of dispensing a volatile material from a volatile carrier having a volatile-loaded section having a linearly extended, volatile-releasing surface, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a fuel burner generating a flow of hot gases;
• and
• b. holding the volatile carrier with the volatile-loaded section within the flow of hot gases in an orientation such that hot gas sweeps across the volatile-releasing surface, in contact therewith.

A method of dispensing a volatile material from a volatile carrier by use of a heated volatile dispenser of the sort that utilizes a fuel burner to generate a flow of hot gases over the volatile carrier to release volatile material therefrom, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a fuel source for the fuel burner having an amount of fuel selected to become exhausted and cause the fuel burner to extinguish at the same time that the volatile of the volatile carrier is substantially exhausted so that the extinguishing of the fuel burner is a use-up cue for the substantial exhaustion of volatile from the volatile carrier;
• and
• b. lighting the fuel burner.

A kit for use with a heated volatile dispenser that employs a fuel burner to provide hot gases to heat and release a volatile material from a volatile carrier, the kit comprising:

• a. at least one volatile carrier, each volatile carrier bearing a selected amount of the volatile to be dispensed;
• and
• b. at least one fuel source for the fuel burner, the amount of fuel in a selected number of fuel sources being selected to be exhausted at substantially the same time that a selected amount of the volatile has been exhausted from at least one of the volatile carriers of the kit, whereby the exhausting of fuel provides a use-up cue indicating that the selected amount of volatile has also been exhausted.