Aug. 7, 1956 J.

SAMANN 2,757,957
CONTAINER FOR WOLATILE SUBSTANCES
Filed Oct. 8, 1954

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 United States Patent Office 2,757,957
Patented Aug. 7, 1956
1. 2
by way of example, I have shown my invention applied
to an air-deodorizing or perfuming substance of liquid
or semi-liquid form, and an article of an absorbent nature
2,757,957 which is impregnated with the substance to be volatilized.
CONTAINER FOR WOLATELE SUBSTANCES For example, 7 represents an article made of suitable ab
sorbent material, such for example as is employed in
Julius Samann, Zurich, Switzerland blotting or filter paper, but other porous materials may
be employed for this purpose. The substance with which
Application October 8, 1954, Serial No. 461,229 the article is impregnated or soaked may be a deodorizing
9 Claims. (Cl. 299-24) 0. substance, an air perfuming substance, an insect-repelling
or destroying substance or any other volatile substance.
In order to sell an article of this type, it is, of course,
Very important that the same be contained in a suitable
package which is as nearly impervious as possible to the
This invention relates to envelopes or containers for 5 volatile substance. For example, cellophane is very suit
volatile substances by means of which the volatilization able for this purpose, and also has the advantage that
of such substances is retarded or prevented while the it is transparent so that the article itself may readily be
same are transported and stored. seen through the cellophane. Other materials, of course,
Certain substances, such as odor-destroying, air-perfum may be used. In the particular construction shown, the
ing substances, or substances employed for destroying 20 article 7 is contained within an envelope 8 made of an
insects are generally quite volatile and in order to trans impervious material, such for example as cellophane.
port and handle them and store them on the dealer's This material may be in the form of a tube which can
shelves, they must be enclosed in envelopes or containers be flattened out to receive the article 7, and in order to
which are hermetically sealed. It is also desirable at seal the article in this envelope or tube, the opposite ends
times to provide means for controlling or retarding the 25 thereof are tightly closed by suitable sealing or bonding
volatilization of such substances when such articles con means by which the opposite layers of the envelope are
taining them are in use. Excellent and relatively inexpen secured together in an air-tight manner. 9 represents the
sive means are available from which envelopes may be bonding means at the bottom of the envelope or con
produced in which the volatile substances of articles im tainer which in the construction shown, is formed by
pregnated with the same may be hermetically sealed. It is 30 applying heat to the end portion of the envelope in such
generally desirable to provide the articles with cords by a manner that the two layers of the envelope are secured,
means of which they may be suspended when in use. bonded or Welded together. Of course, it is also possible
Since the substances are sometimes of an oily or sticky to apply a suitable adhesive or cement to the inner face
nature, or hard to remove from the hands, it is very desir of the two layers of the envelope and thus secure them
able that these cords, or at least parts of the same, be 35together. Generally the bonding of the two ends by
kept out of contact with the articles and be readily acces means of heat is preferred, since it is more quickly applied
sible upon opening the envelope or container so that the and leaves no excess cement or adhesive on the exterior
person using the articles may reach the cord without com of the envelope which may cause the envelope to adhere
ing in contact with the volatile substance. to other envelopes or objects. It is also frequently
It is, therefore, one of tse objects of this invention to 40 desirable to turn over the lower end of the envelope as
provide an envelope or container for substances of this shown at 10 so as to form a very secure hermetic seal.
type which may be sealed or bonded at the ends thereof, The upper end 2 of the envelope may also be securely
and in which the cord is held by means of the Sealing or bonded or sealed by means of heat. When bonding or
bonding agent in a position to be readily accessible. Welding two layers of cellophane or other plastic mate
The impervious material of which the envelopes or 45 rial to each other, the heat is generally applied by means
containers are preferably made is quite difficult to tear, of Sealer bars having heated metal surfaces which are
particularly at the parts: thereof in which two layers corrugated so as to produce a series of corrugations or
of the sheet material are bonded or sealed together. undulations in the part of the object which is sealed.
It is, therefore, another object of this invention to pro The article 7, which is impregnated with a volatile
vide means adjacent to the cord whereby the sealed or 50 Substance, is provided with a cord 14 by means of which
bonded portion of the envelope may be readily opened it may be suspended when removed or partly removed
so as to render the cord easily accessible. from the envelope. This cord may be in the form of a
Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the loop, the ends of which are secured to the article, for
following description of one embodiment of the invention example, by means of a staple 15 of usual form. It is
and the novel features will be particularly pointed out 55 desirable that this cord be so arranged within the enve
hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.
in the accompanying drawings:
lope that a portion thereof will be readily accessible
when the envelope or container is opened so that a per
Fig. 1 is a face view of a container embodying this Son may grasp the cord without soiling his fingers with
invention for storing and controlling the liberation of a the volatile substance. During ordinary shipment and
volatile substance. 60 handling of the articles, it is, of course, practically im
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view thereof, on line possible to control the position of the cord within the
2-2, Fig. 1. envelope, and since in some instances the substance with
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof, as seen which the article 7 is impregnated is of such nature that
approximately from line 3-3, Fig. 1. it is difficult to remove from the fingers, I have employed
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary Sectional view thereof, taken 65 the sealing or bonding means to hold a part of the cord
approximately on line 4-4, Fig. 1. 14 in a position in which it is readily accessible. Under
Fig. 5 is a face view of the upper portion of a con some conditions it is desirable that the cord shall not
tainer or envelope of a modified form. extend outwardly through the part of the envelope which
My improved container may be used in connection with is sealed or bonded. For example, with cotton cord or
volatile substances of any suitable or desired type which 70 string a certain amount of the substance may pass to the
may be held by a suitable article from which they may exterior of the envelope through the string, which may
be readily volatilized. In the particular construction shown act as a wick or which may make it impossible to seal
 2,757,957
3 4.
the envelope with sufficient tightness around the cord. It will be understood that various changes in the de
If the cord is made of wire, it is impossible to form a tails, materials, and arrangements of parts which have
hermetic seal completely around the wire by means of been herein described and illustrated in order to explain
the usual heating bars. It is, therefore, necessary to have the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled
a part of the cord 14 held in place by means of the in the art within the principle and scope of the invention,
bonded part 12 of the envelope or container without ex as expressed in the appended claims.
tending through the same. In the particular construc I claim as my invention:
tion shown, the bonding means includes a part 6 which 1. A device for controlled liberation of a volatile Sub
is arranged below the main bonding part 12 and through stance into the atmosphere, said device comprising an
which a part of the string or cord 14 extends. By means IO article containing said substance in condition to be lib
of this arrangement, the bonded portion 12 of the enve erated to the atmosphere, an envelope made of a material
lope may be very securely sealed without having the substantially impervious to said substance, bonding
thickness of the cord or string interfere with the uniform means for closing an end of said envelope by Securing
pressing together of the opposite layers of the envelope together opposite layers of the envelope to confine said
and the separate bonding 16 may, if desired, be spaced 5 article in the same, and a cord connected with said ar
from the upper bonding part 12 so that the cord or ticle and by means of which said article may be sus
string will in no way interfere with the forming of a pended, a part of said cord being arranged in position
hermetic seal at the end 12 of the envelope. This upper to be readily accessible at that part of said envelope
part 12 is sealed by applying relatively heavy pressure to which is closed by said bonding means, said bonding
opposite faces of the envelope by means of hot sealer 20 means extending about a part of said cord at said end
bars, and if the cord or string 14 is of such thickness of said envelope and holding the same against displace
or nature that it cannot be sealed into the portion 12, ment therefrom, in a position for separation from said
then, either before or after sealing the upper end of the bonding means for use in suspending said article, said
envelope at the portion 12, the sealing bars may be bonding means holding said envelope on said article
brought together with somewhat less pressure and below 25 when the same is partly removed from said envelope.
the part 12 to form the other sealing or bonding part 16. 2. A device according to claim 1, in which said cord
It is also possible to employ a thin but strong twine is confined entirely within said envelope by said bonding
made of a thermoplastic substance or substances which CaS
can be passed entirely through the seal 12 without inter 3. A device according to claim 1, in which said cord
fering with the making of this seal hermetically tight. 30 extends through said bonding means to the exterior of
For instance, cord made of nylon may be used for this the envelope, said bonding means extending about said
purpose, since it is not materially changed by the tem cord to prevent escape of volatile parts of said substance
perature which is used for sealing cellophane. In this from said envelope.
case, as shown in Fig. 5, a cord or string 20 applied to 4. A device according to claim 1, in which said cord
the article 7 passes through the sealed upper end 21 of 35 is in the form of a single piece of material formed into a
the envelope. This construction has the advantage that loop having both ends connected with said article.
the cord is very readily accessible and may also be used 5. A device for controlled liberation of a volatile sub
to facilitate the opening of the upper end of the envelope. stance into the atmosphere, said device comprising an
The sealed ends of cellophane envelopes are generally article containing said substance in condition to be liber
quite difficult to open unless cut in some manner. How 40 ated to the atmosphere, an envelope made of a material
ever, even a very small cut or nick in the sealed portion Substantially impervious to said substance, bonding means
of the envelope greatly facilitates the opening of the for closing an end of said envelope by securing together
same. I have, consequently, provided slight cuts or opposite layers of the envelope to confine said article in
nicks 25 in one or more places at the upper seal 12, in the same, a cord connected with said article and by means
portions thereof adjacent to the cord 14 so that the of which said article may be suspended, a part of said
envelope can be easily opened to obtain access to the cord being arranged in position to be readily accessible at
cord. It is sometimes necessary to employ a double that part of said envelope which is closed by said bond
walled pouch or envelope, since some substances pass ing means, and a second bonding means below the first
through a single walled cellophane pouch or envelope, mentioned bonding means and which extends about said
especially in hot weather. When such pouches are used, cord to hold the same in place, said first bonding means
the small cuts or nicks in the sealed portion of the enve forming a hermetic seal at the upper end of said envelope
lopes are quite necessary to enable the envelopes to be and the second bonding means serving only to hold said
readily opened. cord in readily accessible position.
In the use of the device, after the envelope has been 6. A device according to claim 5, in which said envelope
opened at the upper portion thereof and the cord is in the part thereof closed by said bonding means is pro
accessible, the article 7 is preferably pulled only partway vided with a small slit extending inwardly into but not
out of the envelope, since generally the article contains through said bonding means and located adjacent to said
cord.
sufficient volatile material so that only a part of the 7. A device according to claim 5, in which a pair of
article need be exposed to the atmosphere for a number slits are provided in the upper bonded part of the en
of days, and later it may be pulled out farther or en 60
velope, said slits extending inwardly but not through said
tirely removed therefrom to permit the remainder of the bonding means adjacent to said cord, the space between
volatile material to escape. Said slits being such that when an opening from said slits
In order to facilitate the partial pulling of the article is formed through bonding means the size of the opening
out of the envelope, the cuts 25 are preferably spaced is Sufficient to permit said article to be only partly re
apart to such an extent that when the part of the sealed moved therefrom.
end of the envelope between these cuts is removed, a 8. A device for controlling the liberation of a volatile
part of the article 7 may readily extend out through the Substance into the atmosphere, said device comprising an
opening thus formed and the envelope will be retained
in place on the article, and prevented from sliding down article containing a substance in condition to be liberated
wardly on the article to expose all or more of it. In 70 to the atmosphere, an envelope made of a material sub
this manner the rate of evaporation of the volatile sub stantially impervious to said substance, bonding means
stance can be controlled. for closing an end of said envelope by securing together
The term “bonding means” is herein employed to in Opposite layers of said envelope to confine an article in the
clude a bond formed by heat, as well as a bond formed Same, said bonding means including a plurality of closely
by a suitable cement or adhesive. 75 Spaced corrugations extending lengthwise of said envelope
 2,757,957
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and facilitating the tearing of said envelope at said bond closing an end of said envelope by securing together op
ing means in a direction lengthwise of said corrugations, posite layers of said envelope to confine an article in the
and a cord connected with said article and by means of same, and a cord connected with said article and by means
which said article may be suspended, a part of said cord of which said article may be suspended, said article being
being arranged in a position to be readily accessible at 5 of increasing width from the upper portion thereof toward
that part of the envelope which is closed by said bonding its lower portion, whereby said bonding means may be
means, said bonding means extending about a part of said Successively opened to a greater extent to permit increas
cord and holding the same against displacement there ingly larger parts of said device to extend outwardly from
from, said article being of increasing width from the said envelope.
upper portion thereof toward its lower portion, whereby O
said bonding means may be successively opened to a References Cited in the file of this patent
greater extent to permit increasingly larger parts of said
device to extend outwardly from said envelope. UNITED STATES PATENTS
9. A device for controlling the liberation of a volatile 1,898,236 Blank ----------------- Feb. 21, 1933
substance into the atmosphere, said device comprising an 15 2,335,159 Salfesberg ------------- Nov. 29, 1943
article containing a substance in condition to be liberated 2,431,924 Duanaway -------------- Dec. 2, 1947
to the atmosphere, an envelope made of a material sub 2,644,634 Weitzner ---------------- July 7, 1953
stantially impervious to said substance, bonding means for