Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The use of a free body dispenser of materials to produce a given result wherein the materials are freed as a function of the rupture of the dispensing container or on the happening of some given condition are a know expedient as is indicated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,215,311, 3,114,647 and 3,397,106.
One area in which dispensing techniques have been attempted have been in the treatment of laundered products either in the home or in commercial laundries but these have not proven extensively successful up to the present time and are limited as to the nature of the treatment that can be applied to the laundered products.
In the present invention, an improved dispenser is provided which is particularly adapted to be used in either home dryers or commercial laundry dryers which will permit scenting, deodorizing, water proofing, germ proofing or disinfecting of various laundered items. It consists of a light weight generally hollow dispensing device with permeable walls which holds the treating material or the material in a suitable protective carrier and permits the treating material to escape through the permeable walls when certain given temperatures or other conditions are met. The dispenser or dispensers, as the case may be, being thrown in with the items such as clothing, textile materials or the like to be treated as in the drying chamber of a laundry dryer or closely associated therewith so that the treating material or agent when released can act on the various items in the dryer.
One method of utilizing the dispenser of the present invention is based on the fact that the drying of laundered items is accelerated by the use of heat and mass air movement and that the wet or damp laundry remains at a relatively low temperature until all moisture has been removed by the action of such heat and mass air movement at which time the temperature of the laundered items increases substantially to the ambient heat of the system. The conventional dryers operate on a time cycle so that the operator can select the exposure time to heat based on the quality of laundered items generally by weight to be dryed and it is conventional practice not to allow the laundered items to be over exposed to extreme heat for prolonged periods of time.
The dispenser of the present invention can be filled with a material which is particularly adapted for this type of operation in that by the selection of a suitable treating material the laundered items which are being dryed can be treated at a precise moment as a function of the temperature in the dryer. Treating materials which have properties adapting them to volatilize at the proper point in the drying cycle i.e., the point at which the temperature of the laundered items pass to the elevated temperature of the ambient heating medium can be used to perfume, disinfect, moth proof and to water proof the laundered items or to coat them with anti-microbiological substance or apply a variety of other treatments.
The effective application of a given treatment relies on the fact that the treating material or the protective carrier and the treating material dispensed therein will be held in the dispenser and will melt or degrade when a critical temperature is reached. This critical temperature at which melting or degradation occurs can be selected by choosing the treating material for performing a given treatment which is temperature susceptable and suitably mounting the same, in or on the device either directly or with a suitable protective and degradable carrier, in the desired quantity.
Thus, in the use of the present dispensing device in the preferred application; so long as the clothing is wet or damp, the temperature of the environment of the laundered items in the dryer never reaches the critical temperature at which the treating material or the protective and degradable carrier with the treatment material, as the case may be, melts or degrades. However, as the laundered items dry and the temperature increases to the critical temperature, the gaseous or dissolved end state of the treatment material is then released either under direct action or initially by degradation of the coating of the protective carrier in the environment in which the dispenser and the items to be treated are located.
If the treating material or the protective and degradable carrier mounted in or on the dispenser is insoluble to water the dispenser is prevented from releasing the gaseous type of treatment material prematurely.
Since the treatment technique above described does not expose the treating material for prolonged periods of time to high temperature, moisture or mass air movements, loss and/or degradation of the treatment material is significantly reduced.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Thus, the present invention covers an improved dispenser comprising a generally spherical body with permeable walls which forms a collecting and dispensing chamber and in which is mounted a means for holding a treating material or a protective and degradable carrier and treating material and for passing the treating material when it volatilizes or dissolves to the collecting and dispensing chamber; the spherical body member having an entry means to permit treating material or treating material in or on a suitable protective and degradable carrier to be loaded into the means for holding the treating material.
Additionally, the present invention covers a dispenser as above described having a suitable attaching means such as a permanent magnet affixed to the spherical body to permit the dispenser to be attached or to freely attach itself in the environment in which the dispenser will be used.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient and easy to use dispenser for use in laundry drying equipment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a light-weight dispensing mechanism which will carry a specific treatment material and will release the treatment material as a function of a given condition of the system or environment in which the dispenser is used.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device which will hold and dispense a specific treatment material contained in or on a protective carrier which carrier is water insolule and degrades at a given critical temperature and thereby permits release of the treatment material.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a light-weight free body dispensing device having permeable walls in which a vaporizable material can be placed and which is adapted to be used in a home dryer so as to release material in vaporized from during the drying cycle at a given critical temperature.
Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein,
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a tope elevation of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a side view of another form of the invention partly in section.
FIG. 7 is a top view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6 showing a closure mechanism to permit access to the means for holding the treatment material.
FIG. 8 is a side view partly in cross-section taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 6 with the closure member in open position and phantomized in closed position.
FIG. 9 is an exploded partial perspective view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a side view broken in part and having an exploded partial perspective view of the upper and lower portions of the form of the invention shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 13 is a graph showing the percent release of a given treating material as against temperature variation or change in a given drying cycle.
SPLIT HOUSING FORM OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 5 show one form of dispenser in accordance with the present invention formed by a generally spherical housing 10 consisting of a semi-spherical upper member 11 and a semi-spherical lower member 12 which have means thereon, as hereinafter described, to detachably connect the upper and lower members together to form the composite spherical shape of this from of the invention.
It will be understood that while this and other forms of the present device are illustrated as having a generally spherical shape that this is not intended to so limit the shape of the present device and as will be understood by thos skilled in the art this device can be square, cone shaped or trapizoidal as the case may requre to facilitate formation or construction of the device for the particular mechanism or system to which the device will be applied.
The upper and lower members 11 and 12 are relatively thinned walled elements and when connected together form a collecting and dispensing chamber generally designated 13. The collecting and dispensing chamber 13 as indicated in the drawings has a relatively large volume as compared with the treating material storage chamber 14 formed by means more fully described below which is connected to the upper and lower members 11 and 12 so as to lie across or transversely of the chamber 13 for reasons which will appear clear in regard to the volatilizing of the treating material held in the storage chamber 14.
The collecting and dispensing chamber 13 is relatively large to allow for expansion and storage of the volatilized or dissolved treating material before it is passed through the walls of the respective upper and lower members 11 and 12 of the housing 10 when the dispensing mechanism becomes operative.
The upper member 11 and lower member 12 are generally made from the same material and this can be any suitable type of material which can be molded or shaped such as in a stamping process for stainless steel sheeting or a molding process for plastic materials.
Suitable materials for the upper and lower housing 11 and 12 will be those which are inert chemically and can physically withstand temperatures, pressures or both and the impact shock to which the dispenser may be subjected in the performance of the specific treatment or use to which it is applied.
Materials particularly adapted for the device in accordance with the present invention would be stainless steel sheeting of relatively thin gauge or any of the heat resistant polymers which are chemically inert such as fluorocarbon resins, polypropylenes, polystyrenes, etc.
It will be further noted that the upper member and lower member 11 and 12 respectively are provided with a plurality of spaced openings 15 which may have a geometrical pattern as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings or alternatively may be randomly disposed through the walls of each of the respective members.
It is believed clear that while openings 15 are shown as extending through the walls of the respective upper and lower members 11 and 12 that these members may be made of relatively permeable materials in which the premeability of the walls would be a function of the porosity of the materials selected for this purpose.
For example, one material that might be used for this purpose is a fluorocarbon resin material sold on the open market under the trademark "Zytex". The functional character of this material in its formation being such that it can provide the desired porosity as may be required.
The semi-spherical upper member 11 as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 is provided with a plurality of indented sections as at 16, in the upper member 11 and 17 in the lower member 12 which served to strengthen the relatively thin walls of the respective upper and lower members of housing 10. Transverse portions as at 18 on the upper member 11 and 19 on the lower member 12 associated with these indented sections 16 and 17 respectively are continuous with the respective annular flange 20 extending radially outward about the open end of the upper member 11 and the L-shaped annular flange 21 extending radially outward on the lower member 12.
Transversely disposed across the open end of the upper member 11 is a perforated screen like element 22 which is connected at its peripheral edge to the flange 20 as is clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.
A transverse perforated screen like element 23 closes the open end of the semi-spherical lower member 12 and is fastened at its peripheral edge to the flange means 21 in the same manner above described for the transverse screen element 22 of the upper member 11. However, the transverse element 23 is further provided with a medially disposed indented perforated portion 24 which as shown in FIG. 3 will when the upper and lower members 11 and 12 are detachably connected together form the treating material storage chamber 14 above described.
In order to connect the upper and lower members 11 and 12 together an upwardly extending annular wall 25 is connected at one end to the periphery of the lower flange and it extends upwardly a sufficient distance so that when the upper annular flange 20 on the upper member 11 is nested into engagement against the lower annular flange 21 locking lugs as at 26, 27 and 28 struck in the sides of the annular wall means 25 will detachably hold the upper member 11 and lower member 12 in assembled position as is clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
In operation or use the upper and lower members 11 and 12 which are made of relatively thin resilient material can be easily detached from one another. When separated, treating material or as above described treating material in or on a suitable protective and degradable carrier is placed in the indented or tray portion 24 of the transverse perforated element 23 and when the upper member is connected to the lower member the treating material or the carrier and treating material will be held securely between the respective perforated plates 22 and 23 and will not spill into the collecting and dispensing chamber 13 formed by the housing member 10.
FIG. 3 further shows that the perforated screen like elements 22 and 23 are so disposed that the openings or at least a plurality of the openings will meet and permit either fluids to contact the treating material or the carrier and treating material as the case may be or alternatively will permit the treating material or the degradable carrier to dissolve or volatilize and the gaseous or fluid end product for the treatment to escape from the holding chamber 14 into the collecting and dispensing chamber 13. From the holding and dispensing chamber 13 the volatilized or dissolved end products for applying the treatment can pass through the openings 15 in the upper and lower housing 11 and 12 to accomplish the desired treatment in the environment and to the items in this environment into which the dispenser has been placed.
In the case of a laundry dryer, the wet laundered items and one or more of the dispensers as above described are thrown into the dryer together. The drying cycle is commenced in the conventional manner well known for the drying of laundered items.
By reference to FIG. 13, one such conventional cycle is graphically illustrated to show how a treating material for example, a freshening agent having a relatively high thermal release point, will act in such cycle.
The graph shows that until a substantially dry condition is reached by the laundered items, the critical release temperature for the treating material will not be achieved. When the critical release temperature range is reached, the treating material in the dispenser is volatilized without any difficulty and the laundered items thus receive the desired treatment at the right point in the drying cycle.
Where the thermal release point is low for example in the case of a perfume treatment when the essential perfume oils which are used have a low vapor pressure but conversely must be released late in the drying cycle if the perfume essence is to remain in the laundered items, the low vapor pressure materials must be protected by some technique as by encapsulating or compounding the treatment material into a carrier or other type a high critical temperature release material which will dissolve or vaporize at a high critical temperature. High critical temperature release materials for this purpose would be casein based glues or heat resistant polymers, waxes, etc. Such materials and devices for this purpose are known and can be purchased on the open market.
Conversely, however, it may be desirable to use low thermal release materials for certain treatments as for example, in the case of an antibacterial treatment using hexachloraphene or a moth-proofing treating using dechloroparabenzene.
The temperature at which degradation of the treating material or the carrier and treating material as the case may be will occur can be varied and will depend on the material and the particular treatment. It can vary between 80° F to 250° F depending on whether the treating material or the carrier is an essential oil, wax, or other temperature degradable material. The concept of the operation of the dispenser in the case of laundry drying however, being a function of the critical temperature of the treating material within the indicated range.
SIDE PORT FORM OF THE INVENTION
Another form of the invention may utilize a side port for charging the treating material into the dispenser.
This type device is shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 of the drawings as having a substantially spherical housing 50 with a wall 51 made of relatively thin material. The housing has vent openings or perforations 52 to receive fluid from the exterior of the housing 50 or to vent gases or fluids to the exterior of the housing, and the housing forms a dispensing chamber 53.
A segmental opening 54 is formed in the wall 51 of the housing 50 and an annular L-shaped flange as at 55 is connected to the inner surface of the wall 51 about the segmental opening 54.
A closure member 56 having substantially the shape as the segmental opening 54 and an exterior curvature to match the curvature of the spherical housing 50 is pivotally connected to a suitable hinge means 57 on the annular flange 55.
A finger grip means 58 is provided on the closure member 56 to facilitate opening and closing the segmental opening 54. When the closure means is moved to the closed position as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, the projecting lip 59 will engage an indented portion 60 struck in the side of the L-shaped annular flange 55 so as to latch the closure member 56 in closed position.
FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 show that extending radially inward from the annular flange means 55 on opposite sides of the segmental opening 54 are spaced brackets as at 61 and 62.
These spaced brackets 61 and 62 as shown in section at FIG. 6 extend towards each other adapting them to receive a trapizoidal shaped perforated basket element 63. The basket element will have perforations in the order of 30 gauge mesh and will serve to receive the treating material which can be placed therein through the segmental opening 55.
Alternatively, in place of the basket member a molded trapizoidal shaped carrier (not shown) with the treating material intersperced therethrough may be placed in the position in which the bracket member 63 is presently illustrated.
Carrier devices adapted for use with the dispenser shown in FIGS. 6 through 10 will be described more fully below.
The operation of the basket means 63 or a molded carrier device will be the same.
Thus, when it is desired to use the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 the closure member 56 is moved to the open position and the basket 63 is either loaded with granules or pellets of the treating material or in lieu of the basket, a molded carrier, is placed in position on the brackets 62 and 63.
The closure member is then moved to the closed position as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 and the dispenser is then ready for use in the same manner as above described for the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings or for any other use to which dispensers of the present invention can be applied.
As above indicated, it is possible to mold a trapizoidal shaped carrier to fit into position on the brackets 61 and 62. Such carriers will be particularly adaptable for low vapor pressure materials which can be encapsulated into a matrix or carrier compound which melts or degrades when the critical temperature is reached. By choosing the desired matrix or carrier material and combining the same with the treating material, the composition can be molded into the desired shape to fit into the brackets 61 and 62. For example, high temperature wax type compounds with the treating materials therein are purchaseable on the open market and can be molded for this purpose. Heat resistant casein based glues may also be used. Heat resistant polymers such as polyurethanes, polystyrenes, polypropylenes, etc. are also adapted for this purpose.
DISPENSER WITH ATTACHING MEANS
In certain dispensing techniques it may be desirable to provide some form of attaching means to either fix the position of the dispenser in the apparatus in which it is being used or to fix it in a more desirable position with respect to the device to which the particular treatment is to be applied.
FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate a magnetic form of attaching means as applied to a device substantially similar to that above described for FIGS. 6 to 10 of the drawings.
Thus, FIGS. 10 to 12 show a dispenser also having a substantially spherical housing 100 with a relatively thin wall 101 which has vent openings or perforations there through as at 102.
The housing 100 forms a collecting and dispensing chamber 103 which communicates with the vent openings and perforations 102 in the same manner as shown and described for the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 described above.
This form of the invention has the segmental opening 104, the associated annular flange 105, brackets 106 and 107 and basket member 108 mounted in the bracket members and a closure member 109 which elements are identical to those above described for the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 of the drawings and accordingly require no further description for this form of the invention.
This form of the invention, however, differs from the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 in that at some point spaced from the segmental opening 104, the housing is provided with an annular wall 110 which is connected at one end with the exterior portion of the wall 101 of the housing so as to form a recess or compartment 111.
Mounted in the recess or compartment 111 is a permanent magnet member 112 which is connected in assembled position as by a suitable connecting member such as the rivet means 113 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 of the drawings.
The thickness of the permanent magnet member 112 and the depth of the recess or compartment formed by the annular wall 100 will be such that the permanent magnet member 112 will project beyond the outer end 114 of the annular wall 100 at least a sufficient distance to provide a magnetic surface of sufficient area to affix and hold the housing 100 of the dispensers to a metal surface either in the apparatus or adjacent thereto as the case may require.
In operation this form of the invention is loaded or filled in the same manner above described for the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 10 then it is either placed or affixed in position in the apparatus in which it is used or else it is thrown into the apparatus and will automatically affix itself in position in the device to any suitable metal surface to hold the dispenser in position.
Thus, three alternate forms of the present invention have been illustrated which are adapted to provide means for dispensing treating materials to produce certain qualities or results. More particularly these dispensers are for use in laundry drying devices wherein the operation of the dispensing member and the dispensing of the treating material are a function of the temperature acting in the apparatus.
The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described and each may have substitutes which perform a substantially similar function.