Evaporative deodorizing system

Claim 2

An evaporative deodorizing apparatus including a housing having air inlet and outlet openings and enclosing a suction chamber into which air flows through the inlet opening, a blower at the downstream end of the suction chamber for drawing air into said chamber, motor driving means that drive the blower, the blower being a centrifugal blower including a rotor enclosing a hollow space therein open at one end for the entrance of air into the rotor, the motor driving means being at the other end of the rotor and connected therewith, blades around the hollow space for propelling air radially out of said hollow space of the rotor as the rotor rotates, the suction chamber including the hollow space within the rotor, the wick extending into the suction chamber, a liquid container holding deodorant liquid, a cover on the liquid container, a wick in the liquid container, the wick in the liquid container extending from near the bottom of the liquid container through an opening in the cover of the liquid container and for some distance above the cover, and detachable fastening means for connecting the liquid container to the housing with the upper end of the wick projecting for a substantial distance into the suction chamber.

Claim 3

The evaporative deodorizing apparatus described in claim 1 characterized by an air filter in the air supply passage upstream from the portion of the suction chamber that is in the rotor and through which air from the ambient atmosphere is drawn by the suction of the rotor, the air pressure around the upper end of the wick being further reduced by the pressure drop through the air filter.

Claim 4

The evaporative deodorizing apparatus described in claim 1 characterized by means for maintaining a substantially constant area of absorbing surface of the wick exposed to the deodorant in the container substantially independent of the depth of liquid in the container, said means comprising a construction of the wick with a peripheral surface thereof substantially impervious to the liquid in the container and that extends downward to a fixed location at the lower end portion of the wick, said wick having a porous core exposed at both ends of the wick and through which liquid deodorant is drawn up through the wick from said lower end portion of the wick.

Claim 5

The evaporative deodorizing apparatus described in claim 1 characterized by the peripheral surface of the wick being substantially impervious to the liquid in the container and the wick having a core made of fibers extending lengthwise of the wick, the fibers being exposed to the liquid at the lower end of the wick and the fibers extending above the upper end of the impervious peripheral surface and the core fibers being expanded out beyond the cross section of the portion of the wick below said upper end to form a flowered top of the wick which provides a stationary evaporation surface for the deodorant which is drawn up through the wick.

Claim 6

The evaporative deodorizing apparatus described in claim 4 characterized by the peripheral surface of the wick being a wall having a thickness between 0.001 and 0.014 inch, and the fibers of the core being loosely packed therein for efficient wicking action, the lower end of the wick having the peripheral wall cut off at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the wick to prevent the bottom of the container from interfering with access of the liquid to the core of the wick when the core reaches to the bottom of the container.

Claim 7

The apparatus described in claim 1 characterized by an air-circulating system, the outlet passage of the blower being connected with a duct of the air-circulating system in a cellar of a building, and another duct leading from the air supply passage of the blower to an air source outside of the cellar.

Claim 8

The apparatus described in claim 1 characterized by the cover of the liquid container being fastened to the lower end oF the housing and forming a bottom of the suction chamber, the inlet opening including arcuately extending open spaces around the circumference of the cover of the liquid container, the wick being supported by the cover of the liquid container, the motor and the fan being in alignment with one another on a substantially vertical axis of rotation that extends downward toward the liquid container whereby the fan sucks air up around substantially the full circumference of the suction chamber and from all sides of the wick.

Claim 9

An evaporative deodorizing apparatus including a container for holding a deodorant liquid, a wick that extends into liquid in the container and that has an upper end above the liquid container, a centrifugal blower including a rotor enclosing a hollow space therein open at one end for the entrance of air into the rotor, blades around the hollow space for propelling air radially out of the rotor as the rotor rotates, an air supply passage, including a chamber between the container and the rotor, and including also the hollow space within the rotor, a wick having its upper end portion extending into and terminating in said air supply passage where the air pressure is reduced by the suction effect of the rotor blades to facilitate evaporation of deodorant from the wick, and a motor operatively connected with the rotor, characterized by an air filter in the air supply passage upstream from the portion of the air supply passage in which the wick is located and through which air from the ambient atmosphere is drawn by the suction of the rotor, the air pressure around the upper end of the wick being further reduced by the pressure drop through the air filter, and further characterized by the centrifugal blower having a housing at an intermediate level of the apparatus and having its axis of rotation extending generally vertical, the motor being attached to the upper end of the centrifugal blower, the container being located below the centrifugal blower and comprising a jar having a top from which the container is detachable, the top being spaced from the lower end of the centrifugal blower and the space between the top and the centrifugal blower being part of the air supply passage, and the air filter being a porous ring clamped between the jar top and the centrifugal blower housing by fastening means extending through the jar top and through the filter and into the housing at angularly spaced regions around the a axis of the blower.

Claim 10

An evaporative deodorizing apparatus including a container for holding a deodorant liquid, a wick that extends into liquid in the container and that has an upper end above the liquid container, a centrifugal blower including a rotor enclosing a hollow space therein open at one end for the entrance of air into the rotor, blades around the hollow space for propelling air radially out of the rotor as the rotor rotates, an air supply passage, including a chamber between the container and the rotor, and including also the hollow space within the rotor, a wick having its upper end portion extending into and terminating in said air supply passage where the air pressure is reduced by the suction effect of the rotor blades to facilitate evaporation of deodorant from the wick, and a motor operatively connected with the rotor, characterized by an air filter in the air supply passage upstream from the portion of the air supply passage in which the wick is located and through which air from the ambient atmosphere is drawn by the suction of the rotor, the air pressure around the upper end of the wick being further reduced by the pressure drop through the air filter, and further characterized by the centrifugal blower having a housing at an intermediate level of the apparatus and having its axis of rotation extending generally vertical, the motor being attached to the upper end of the centrifugal blower, the container being located below the centrifugal blower and comprising a jar having a top from which the container is detachable, the top being spaced from the lower end of the centrifugal blower and the space between the top and the centrifugal blower being part of the air supply passage, and the air filter being a porous ring clamped between the jar top and the centrifugal blower housing by fastening means extending through the jar top and through the filter and into the housing at angularly spaced regions around the a axis of the blower.

Claim 11

The evaporative deodorizing apparatus described in claim 8 characterized by a plurality of stiff wicks extending through openings in the jar top and across the space between the jar top and the centrifugal blower housing and into the space within the rotors of the blower, the wicks including porous material that is flowered out at the upper ends of the wicks to increase the area of the wicks within the space enclosed by the blower rotor.

Claim 12

The evaporative deodorizing apparatus described in claim 9 characterized by the jar having a depth greater than its width and having threads at its upper end detachably connecting it with the top, the wicks extending through openings in the top of the jar and fitting snugly in said openings whereby the wicks remain in place when an empty jar is removed for replacement by a full one, each of the wicks having a peripheral wall that is substantially impervious to the liquid in the jar and having a porous core exposed at both ends of the wick and through which liquid deodorant is drawn up through the bottom end of the wick at a rate that is substantially independent of the depth of liquid in the container in contact with the impervious peripheral wall of the wick.

Claim 13

The apparatus described in claim 10 characterized by the means for connecting the jar with the lid comprising a screw thread around the mouth end of the jar, and the upper end of the wick extending into the hollow space within the blower rotor.

Claim 14

Apparatus for evaporating deodorizing liquid for distribuTion as vapor to an airspace including, in combination, a centrifugal blower including a rotor, a housing around the blower and defining an air chamber therein and an inlet and an outlet passage in said housing, said inlet passage being in flow communication with the inside space of the rotor at the center of the centrifugal blower, and the outlet being at a location around the circumference of the housing, a motor that drives the blower, a container for material that is to be vaporized, the blower housing, motor and container being a unitary assembly, detachable fastening means connecting the container with the rest of the assembly, and means on the assembly for connecting it with a support, a flange around the outlet passage of the blower housing and by which the assembly is supported when connected to a duct wall having an opening in register with the outlet of the blower housing, an air duct having a substantially vertical wall with an opening in register with the outlet of the blower housing, fastening means connecting the flange to the duct wall, a valve that closes the opening in the duct wall, means urging the valve into closed position to prevent escape of air from the duct, said valve being movable into position in response to pressure of the air from the blower when the blower is in operation, the container being a jar with a mouth having means for connecting with a lid, a lid for the jar having its upper end secured to the blower housing and closing an opening through the inlet side of the blower housing, a hole in the lid in register with a part of the area of the blower housing opening which is closed by said lid, a wick in said hole, the wick extending upward beyond the lid and the path of air flowing through said chamber in the blower housing inlet whereby liquid evaporation from the wick is increased by the reduced pressure on the suction side of the blower.

Claim 15

Apparatus for evaporating deodorizing liquid for distribuTion as vapor to an airspace including, in combination, a centrifugal blower including a rotor, a housing around the blower and defining an air chamber therein and an inlet and an outlet passage in said housing, said inlet passage being in flow communication with the inside space of the rotor at the center of the centrifugal blower, and the outlet being at a location around the circumference of the housing, a motor that drives the blower, a container for material that is to be vaporized, the blower housing, motor and container being a unitary assembly, detachable fastening means connecting the container with the rest of the assembly, and means on the assembly for connecting it with a support, a flange around the outlet passage of the blower housing and by which the assembly is supported when connected to a duct wall having an opening in register with the outlet of the blower housing, an air duct having a substantially vertical wall with an opening in register with the outlet of the blower housing, fastening means connecting the flange to the duct wall, a valve that closes the opening in the duct wall, means urging the valve into closed position to prevent escape of air from the duct, said valve being movable into position in response to pressure of the air from the blower when the blower is in operation, the container being a jar with a mouth having means for connecting with a lid, a lid for the jar having its upper end secured to the blower housing and closing an opening through the inlet side of the blower housing, a hole in the lid in register with a part of the area of the blower housing opening which is closed by said lid, a wick in said hole, the wick extending upward beyond the lid and the path of air flowing through said chamber in the blower housing inlet whereby liquid evaporation from the wick is increased by the reduced pressure on the suction side of the blower.