Electrochemical Dispenser

Fragrance dispensers as air fresheners for home care and institutional environments are now readily accepted and represent a global market of multi-billion dollars.
Yet, most commercial fragrance releasers, such as gels, reeds, diffusers, are passive devices, unable to maintain constant, steady, release of fluids. Heat-activated, plug-in, devices represent an improvement over passive units, albeit still providing uncontrolled delivery. Active dispensers, such as spray systems, represent a further improvement, but use undesirable propellants (fire hazards) and are generally expensive.
The industry is confronted by the need to provide low cost commodity products and quality fragrance release, which implies improved delivery technology.
Over the past twenty years, Med-e-Cell has been developing miniature fluid pumps, initially for the drug delivery market (Infu-disk™), more recently for the low cost release of pheromones
(Pher-Emit™) and finally for air care in the institutional market (ViveE!). Pump power is supplied from single commercial hearing or button cells, operating at about 1 volt.
In other applications, the generator with a life in excess of 5 years, is an external component and the reservoir is replaced by a refill.
In all instances these products are based on Med-e-Cell’s patented electrochemical gas generation technology, described for instance in U.S. Patent Publication # 2012-0187217, where the generator is an integral part of the single-use dispenser.
Small (0.1-0.2 cm2) single electrochemical cells are used to extract oxygen from air; the generated oxygen becoming a motive gas that compresses plastic reservoirs filled with liquid.
The liquid is released to an absorbing surface from which it can freely evaporate. A computer program using pad properties and approximate fluid vapor pressures yields surface areas required to maintain a quasi-constant fluid emanation rate.
Reservoir sizes can vary from 5 to 50 mL; emanation rates from 0.25 to 10 mL/day and pad sizes from 1 to 50 cm2. Most fluids, including multi-component fluids, can emanate, even if vapor pressures are low. Generally the devices are rated to operate from 1 to 3 months.
The delivery systems are cost-competitive with existing products while providing greatly improved quality.
Intellectual property (IP) rights have been out-licensed for the institutional markets (Away from home markets). To view an existing product, please refer to www.oxygen-powered fragrance dispensers.
Med-e-Cell, an operating IP company is seeking licensees for home care air fresheners and car fresheners. The Company can provide product and manufacturing development assistance.

Attached files:
electrochemical dispensers.pdf

Patents:
US 7,681,809 issued 2010-03-23

Type of Offer: Licensing



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