Richard R Ruffolo

US Patent:

62368079, May 22, 2001

Filed:

Jan 7, 2000

Appl. No.:

9/479637

Inventors:

Richard R. Ruffolo - Columbus OH
Anthony Zembrodt - Covington KY
Roberto Zaraboza - New York NY

Assignee:

Bath & Body Works, Inc. - Reynoldsburg OH

International Classification:

A61M 1600
F24F 608

US Classification:

392390

Abstract:

A vapor emanation system includes a plastic housing having a socket portion and an electric plug portion. A decorative miniaturize container containing liquid to be evaporated by heat, has a body for storing the liquid and a neck connected to the body for engaging the socket portion of the housing for supporting the container on the housing. The neck has a passage there through and a retaining ring is fixed in the passage. A hole extends through the ring. A wick having an upper portion extending through the hole of the retaining ring also has a lower portion extending down into the body of the container for absorbing liquid from the container and for moving the liquid into the upper portion of the wick by capillary action. A tangential electric heater in the housing heats the upper portion of the wick above the neck to evaporate liquid from the wick. A retaining pin extending through the wick below the neck, extends radially beyond the wick by an amount which precludes upward extraction of the wick from the retaining ring to prevent a child from removing the wick and being exposed to the liquid.