Electromechanical apparatus for dispensing volatile substances with single dispensing mechanism and cartridge for holding multiple receptacles

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing a volatile substance includes an electromechanical dispenser attached to a pivot arm, and a cartridge for holding a plurality of reservoirs each containing a volatile substance. The cartridge is rotatable such that any one of the reservoirs can be positioned in an engagement position, in which the volatile substance can be dispensed. The cartridge has a cam feature consisting of a contoured circumferential surface that alternately rises and falls. The pivot arm operates in tandem with the cam feature such that, when the cartridge is rotated, the dispenser alternately engages and disengages from successive reservoirs, and remains out of the path of motion traversed by the reservoirs as the cartridge rotates from one engagement position to a subsequent engagement position. The electromechanical dispenser may be a piezoelectrically actuated vibratory type liquid atomization apparatus, and the volatile substance may be a fragrance.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.