Breakable wick for use in a dispenser for a volatile liquid

Abstract

A wick assembly for use in a dispenser for a volatile liquid includes a wick having an external surface and a discontinuity in the surface providing a location in the wick of less resistance to a force applied to the wick than a location adjacent to the discontinuity. In one embodiment, the wick is adapted to be positioned to extend from an inside of a container, through an opening defined in the container, to an outside of the container, and the wick is formed such that a portion of the wick will block the opening when the wick is broken at the discontinuity.

1 . A wick assembly for use in a dispenser for a volatile liquid, comprising: 
 a wick having an external surface; and    a discontinuity formed in the surface providing a location in the wick of less resistance to a force applied to the wick than a location adjacent to the discontinuity;    wherein the discontinuity is disposed between a portion of the wick adapted to reside substantially inside the dispenser and a portion of the wick adapted to reside substantially outside the dispenser.    
   
   
       2 . The wick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wick is elongate.  
   
   
       3 . The wick assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the wick has a thickness measured in a direction generally transverse to a length of the wick and is of a lesser dimension than the length.  
   
   
       4 . The wick assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the location and the adjacent location have different cross sectional areas.  
   
   
       5 . The wick assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the wick has a cylindrical shape in which the location has a smaller diameter than the adjacent location.  
   
   
       6 . The wick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of a cross section of the wick is a simple geometric shape.  
   
   
       7 . The wick assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the geometric shape includes one of a circle, a diamond, a rectangle, a hexagon, an octagon, an oval and a triangle.  
   
   
       8 . The wick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the discontinuity comprises a junction between two portions of the wick.  
   
   
       9 . The wick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wick is substantially rigid.  
   
   
       10 . The wick assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wick comprises high density polyethylene.  
   
   
       11 . The wick assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a retention member defining an opening adapted to be received in another opening of a container for holding the volatile liquid and in which the opening of the retention member receives a portion of the wick therein with an interference fit.  
   
   
       12 . The wick assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the discontinuity in the surface of the wick is positioned proximate the retention member.  
   
   
       13 . The wick assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the discontinuity is positioned proximate to the other opening of the container.  
   
   
       14 . A wick assembly for use in a dispenser for a volatile liquid, comprising: 
 a wick having an external surface;    a discontinuity formed in the surface providing a location in the wick of less resistance to a force applied to the wick than a location adjacent to the discontinuity; and    a retention member defining an opening adapted to be received in another opening of a container for holding the volatile liquid and in which the opening of the retention member receives a portion of the wick therein;    wherein the portion of the wick received in the opening of the retention member forms an interference fit with the retention member.    
   
   
       15 . The wick assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the wick is substantially rigid and comprises ultra high molecular weight high density polyethylene.  
   
   
       16 . A wick assembly for use in a dispenser for volatile liquid, comprising: 
 a wick adapted to be positioned to extend from an inside of a container, for holding the volatile liquid, through an opening defined in the container and to an outside of the container; and    means for enabling the wick to separate into at least two portions wherein one of the portions blocks the opening of the container.    
   
   
       17 . The wick assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the means for enabling the wick to separate comprises an absence of the material selectively positioned within the body.  
   
   
       18 . The wick assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the means for enabling the wick to separate comprises a notch formed in an exterior surface of the wick.  
   
   
       19 . The wick assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the means for enabling the wick to separate comprises a seam formed between a first and a second portions of the wick in which the second portion of the wick abuts the first portion.  
   
   
       20 . The wick assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the wick has a first cross section generally transverse to a length of the wick, the first cross section having a first cross sectional area, and the means for enabling the wick to separate comprises providing a second cross section of the wick generally transverse to a length of the wick and adjacent the first cross section in which the second cross section has a second cross sectional area less than the first cross sectional area.