Volatile material diffuser and method of preventing undesirable mixing of volatile materials

A volatile material diffuser, comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second containers holding first and second volatile materials and having first and second wicks, respectively, in contact with respective volatile materials and extending out of respective containers, wherein the containers are inserted into and detachably attached to the housing;
• first and second heaters disposed within the housing adjacent the first and second wicks, respectively, to vaporize the first and second volatile materials, respectively;
• and
• a fan disposed in the housing such that air from the fan exhausts vaporized volatile materials from the housing;
• wherein when the first heater is deactivated and the second heater is activated, the fan acts to cool the first wick to reduce temperatures of the first wick and the first heater to minimize the amount of the first volatile material that is emitted while the second volatile material is being emitted;
• wherein the fan is energized for a period of time after the deactivation of each heater to aid in cooling the deactivated heater and the wick associated with the deactivated heater and wherein the period of time is between about 30 seconds and about 5 minutes.

A volatile material diffuser, comprising:

• a housing;
• first and second containers holding first and second volatile materials and having first and second wicks, respectively, in contact with respective volatile materials and extending out of respective containers, wherein the containers are inserted into and detachably attached to the housing;
• first and second heaters disposed within the housing adjacent the first and second wicks, respectively, to vaporize the first and second volatile materials, respectively;
• and
• means for providing an air flow disposed in the housing such that air from the means to provide air flow transports vaporized volatile materials away from the housing;
• wherein the heaters are energized in an alternating sequence such that when a heater is deactivated, the means for providing an air flow cools a wick associated with the deactivated heater;
• wherein the means for providing an air flow is disposed in a first chamber, the wicks and heaters are disposed in a second chamber separate from the first chamber, the wicks are disposed in channels formed within the second chamber, and the air flow moves air through gaps formed by channel walls and the wicks to thereby cool the wicks and heaters.