Vaporizers and wick assemblies therefor

Claim 2

A wick assembly for a vaporizer, such assembly comprising an absorbent wick material provided with a substantially impermeable backing sheet, the wick material and the backing sheet being disposed in a substantially spiral configuration so as to define a substantially spiral flow passage extending through the assembly, the spiral configuration being formed by mating together the wick material and backing sheet in face to face relationship and rolling them into the spiral configuration with the wick material disposed on an outwardly facing convex side of the backing sheet, so that in a rolled assembly the wick material is stretched into intimate contact with the backing sheet, fastening means being provided to hold said wick material and backing sheet in such spiral configuration, and means for detachably mounting the assembly in a vaporizer.

Claim 3

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wick material and the backing sheet are each in the form of elongate strips and are secured together substantially uniformly over the length of their mating faces.

Claim 4

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 1, including spacing means arranged between successive turns of said wick material and backing sheet to maintain a minimum width of said spiral flow passage.

Claim 5

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spacing means comprises dimples in said backing sheet.

Claim 6

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprises a retaining element extending around the outside of the assembly.

Claim 7

A vaporizer including a detachable wick assembly as set out in claim 1.

Claim 8

A wick assembly for a vaporizer, such assembly comprising an absorbent wick material formed of metallic wire cloth provided with a substantially impermeable metallic backing sheet, the wick and the backing sheet being disposed in a substantially spiral configuration so as to define a substantially spiral flow passage extending through the assembly, the spiral configuration being formed by mating together the wick material and backing sheet in face to face relationship and rolling them into the spiral configuration with the wick material disposed on an outwardly facing convex side of the backing sheet, so that in a rolled assembly the metallic wick material is stretched into intimate contact with the metallic backing sheet, fastening means being provided to hold said wick material and backing sheet in such spiral configuration, and means for detachably mounting the assembly in a vaporizer.

Claim 9

A wick assembly for a vaporizer, such assembly comprising an absorbent wick material formed of metallic wire cloth provided with a substantially impermeable metallic backing sheet, the wick and the backing sheet being disposed in a substantially spiral configuration so as to define a substantially spiral flow passage extending through the assembly, the spiral configuration being formed by mating together the wick material and backing sheet in face to face relationship and rolling them into the spiral configuration with the wick material disposed on an outwardly facing convex side of the backing sheet, so that in a rolled assembly the metallic wick material is stretched into intimate contact with the metallic backing sheet, fastening means being provided to hold said wick material and backing sheet in such spiral configuration, and means for detachably mounting the assembly in a vaporizer.

Claim 10

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the wick material and the backing sheet are each in the form of elongate strips and are secured together substantially uniformly over the length of their mating faces.

Claim 11

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 7, including spacing means arranged between successive turns of said wick material and backing sheet to maintain a minimum width of said spiral flow passage.

Claim 12

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the spacing means comprises dimples in said backing sheet.

Claim 13

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the fastening means comprises a retaining element extending around the outside of the assembly.

Claim 14

A vaporizer including a detachable wick assembly as set out in claim 7.

Claim 15

A wick assembly for a vaporizer, such assembly comprising an absorbent wick material formed of metallic wire cloth provided with a substantially impermeable metallic backing sheet, the wick material and the backing sheet being disposed in a substantially spiral configuration so as to define a substantially spiral flow passage extending through the assembly, the spiral configuration being formed by mating together the wick material and the backing sheet in face to face relationship and rolling them into the spiral configuration with the wick material disposed on an outwardly facing convex side of the backing sheet, so that in a rolled assembly the metallic wick material is stretched into intimate contact with the metallic backing sheet, the assembly further comprising fastening means to hold said wick material and backing sheet in such spiral configuration, a first closure plate abutting one longitudinal end of the spiral configuration, a second closure plate abutting another longitudinal end of the spiral configuration, such plates including openings which respectively permit entry of liquid to be vaporized into the assembly and exit from the assembly of vapor saturated gas, and at least one fixing element extending longitudinally through the assembly between the first and second closure plates so that the spiral configuration of said wick material and said backing sheet is clamped between the plates, the fixing element having a free end for detachably securing the assembly to attachment means provided within a vaporizer, whereby the assembly forms a self-contained unit for detachable mounting in a vaporizer.

Claim 16

A wick assembly for a vaporizer, such assembly comprising an absorbent wick material formed of metallic wire cloth provided with a substantially impermeable metallic backing sheet, the wick material and the backing sheet being disposed in a substantially spiral configuration so as to define a substantially spiral flow passage extending through the assembly, the spiral configuration being formed by mating together the wick material and the backing sheet in face to face relationship and rolling them into the spiral configuration with the wick material disposed on an outwardly facing convex side of the backing sheet, so that in a rolled assembly the metallic wick material is stretched into intimate contact with the metallic backing sheet, the assembly further comprising fastening means to hold said wick material and backing sheet in such spiral configuration, a first closure plate abutting one longitudinal end of the spiral configuration, a second closure plate abutting another longitudinal end of the spiral configuration, such plates including openings which respectively permit entry of liquid to be vaporized into the assembly and exit from the assembly of vapor saturated gas, and at least one fixing element extending longitudinally through the assembly between the first and second closure plates so that the spiral configuration of said wick material and said backing sheet is clamped between the plates, the fixing element having a free end for detachably securing the assembly to attachment means provided within a vaporizer, whereby the assembly forms a self-contained unit for detachable mounting in a vaporizer.

Claim 17

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the wick material and the backing sheet are in the form of elongate strips and are secured together substantially uniformly over the length of their mating faces.

Claim 18

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 13, including spacing means arranged between successive turns of said wick material and backing sheet to maintain a minimum width of said spiral flow passage.

Claim 19

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the spacing means comprises dimples in said backing sheet.

Claim 20

A wick assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fastening means comprises a retaining element extending around the outside of the assembly.

Claim 21

A vaporizeer including a detachable wick assembly as set out in claim 13.