WO2009090415A2

WO2009090415A2 - Method, device and system for emanating a fluid

Info

Publication number: WO2009090415A2
Application number: PCT/GB2009/000146
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Butler; Chris Jones; Kate Langley; Shaun Rymer
Original assignee: Reckitt Benckiser (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 2008-01-19
Filing date: 2009-01-19
Publication date: 2009-07-23
Also published as: GB0801007D0; WO2009090415A3

Abstract

An emanation device is described comprising: a housing adapted to receive at least one container of fluid; emanation means adapted, in use, to emanate the fluid; a controller in communication with said emanation means; one or more remotely located sensor means in communication with the controller. Emanation systems, integrated emanation systems and methods of operation are also described.

Description

Method. Device and System for Emanating a Fluid

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method, device and system for emanating a fluid into the surrounding environment, such as a room or the like, and particularly, but not exclusively, for the emanation of fluids such as fragrances, deodorizing materials and/or pest control materials.

Background

Devices are known in which a bottle of volatile liquid has an upwardly projecting wick with a heater located in the vicinity of the upper end of the wick to accelerate the evaporation of volatile liquid from the wick. The bottle, wick and heater are retained within a housing which carries an electric plug. To operate the heater the device is plugged into a wall socket. Devices of this type commonly claim to allow control of the rate of evaporation of the volatile liquids, for example, by varying the distance between the heater and the wick.

Devices are also known in which an aerosol air freshener or the like is held within an automatic spraying device. A powered mechanism actuates the valve on the aerosol to periodically emit a spray of the air freshener. Devices of this type commonly claim to allow control of the amount of spray over a fixed time period by the consumer being able to vary the time period between emissions.

To permit a user of such known devices to temporarily increase the amount of fluid emitted into the surrounding environment, it is known for these devices to have a boost button which may be depressed to cause the device to substantially immediately emit fluid or increase the rate at which fluid is being emitted.

Whilst the presence of a boost button may offer a user a degree of additional control over the rate at which fluid is emitted, this is not necessarily convenient. To be convenient the device needs, amongst other things, to be in easy reach of the user. Commonly such devices are powered by mains electricity, the electrical sockets for which are generally located at a low level near the floor, thus, not convenient for a user to easily depress the boost button.

Additionally, users of such devices often prefer to use them discretely such that the device is out of sight when placed in an area such as a room. A discrete location of a device is unlikely to render it convenient for a user to depress the boost button when the emission of more fluid is required. The boosting of a level of fluid may pose a safety risk, particularly when the device emits the fluid by spraying it into its surrounding environment. Whilst safety systems are typically built into a device with a boost button, such as a timer delay to allow a user to press the boost button and then move away from the device before the spray is emitted, the possibility of a user being sprayed with fluid by the device remains. This potential risk is intensified when the device is located on a surface which is between 1-2 metres from the ground since any spray would be emitted in the general vicinity of a user's face, thus potentially risking a user inhaling or ingesting the fluid or being sprayed in the eyes with fluid.

There is a need, therefore, for a device which overcomes the defects of the prior art whilst also providing a user with the ability to adjust the level of emitted fluid in the room to suit their specific requirements.

Summary of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided therefore an emanation device comprising: a housing adapted to receive at least one container of fluid; emanation means adapted, in use, to emanate the fluid; a controller in communication with said emanation means; one or more remotely located sensor means in communication with the controller.

Within the context of the present invention the term "remotely located sensor means" is to be understood to mean that said sensor means is not located within or on the housing.

Preferably the one or more remotely located sensor means is/are operable, in use, to detect at least one of the following triggers: a sound trigger; a motion trigger; an odour trigger; activation of a remote control trigger; or a combination of the aforesaid; and communicate the sensing of said trigger(s) to the controller.

The one or more sensor means may be located away from the vicinity of the device (i.e.: >5m from the device) in a location a user is likely to occupy prior to moving into the vicinity of the device. For instance, in a domestic use of the device, the device may be located in a remote reception room away from the entrance to the domestic property. In this arrangement the one or more sensor means may be located in an entrance hall or a walkway leading to said reception room, whereby said sensor means may be operable to sense one or more of the triggers in the entrance hall or walkway and may communicate the sensing of the trigger(s) to the controller of the remotely located device, which, in turn, may instruct the emanation means to increase the emanation rate of the fluid. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more sensors may be located adjacent to a bedroom whereas the device is located in a remote reception room such as a sitting room or the kitchen. In this arrangement said sensor means may be operable to sense one or more of the triggers near the bedroom, such as when the user awakens from sleep, and the sensing of the trigger(s) can be communicated to the controller of the remotely located device to permit emanation of the fluid in the sitting room or kitchen in anticipation of the user's arrival from the bedroom.

The one or more sensor means may communicate with the controller by any suitable arrangement. One arrangement may be for the one or more sensor means to be wired to the device. However the wiring of the device to the one or more sensor means may make installation of the device troublesome as a user may prefer to conceal the wiring, therefore, the one or more sensor means is/are preferably arranged to wirelessly communicate with the controller of the device by any suitable wireless arrangement.

The sensor means may be arranged to detect a trigger within the vicinity thereof. Typically such devices are intended for domestic use, therefore, "within the vicinity of the sensor means" within the context of the present invention is understood to mean in the same room as the source of the trigger, say within a 20m radius of the sensor means; and preferably within a 15m radius of the sensor means; and more preferably within a 10m radius of the sensor means; and most preferably within a 5m radius of the sensor means.

Preferably the sound trigger that is detectable by the sensor means is an increase in the sound level over and above the ambient background noise, preferably >65 decibels, and more preferably >75 decibels, and most preferably >85 decibels.

Preferably the sound trigger is a short burst of sound, such as a clapping noise made by a user or the like.

Alternatively or additionally, the sound trigger may be one or more voice commands delivered by a user. In this arrangement the sensor means may be operable to sense specific commands articulated by the user within the vicinity of said sensor means.

Preferably where the sensor means is/are operable to sense specific commands articulated by the user, the device may be operable to adjust other operations of device. For instance, the detectable commands recognizable by the device in addition to a command to boost the present emanation rate may additionally relate to the standard emanation rate of the device which the user may wish to increase or decrease. Preferably the motion trigger that is detectable by the sensor means is motion within the vicinity of said means. Even more preferably, the detectable motion trigger is the act of the user moving past or waving in the vicinity of the sensor means. Continuing with the aforementioned example where the device is for domestic use and is located in a remote reception room away from the entrance to the domestic property, the one or more sensor means may be located in an entrance hall or a walkway leading to said reception room. In this arrangement said sensor means may be operable to sense the motion of a user in the entrance hall/walkway and may further be operable to communicate the sensing of this motion to the controller of the remotely located device, which, in turn, may instruct the emanation means to increase/boost the emanation rate.

Preferably the odour trigger that is detectable by the sensor means is odour within the vicinity of said means. Even more preferably, the detectable odour trigger is the odour created by the user in the vicinity of the sensor means whilst moving toward the location of the device which is remote therefrom. Continuing with the aforementioned example where the device is for domestic use and is located in a remote reception room away from the entrance to the domestic property, the one or more sensor means may be located in an entrance hall or a walkway leading to said reception room. In this arrangement said sensor means may be operable to sense the odour created by a user in the entrance hall/walkway and may further be operable to communicate the sensing of this odour to the controller which, in turn, may instruct the emanation means to increase/boost the emanation rate.

Preferably the activation of a remote control device can initiate the remote control trigger that is detectable by the sensor means. The remote control device and sensor means may be located remotely from the device and at least not within the vicinity of the device to allow the user to remotely demand a boost of the emanation rate. The remote control device may communicate with the sensor means by at least one of: Infra Red signals; radio signals; any other convenient wireless communication means.

In one preferred embodiment the one or more remotely located sensor means is in communication with the controller of a single device. In an alternatively preferred embodiment, the one or more remotely located sensor means is in communication with the controller within each of two or more devices.

The controller may be provided with a detection means which is in communication with the one or more sensor means. Additionally, the device may be provided with one or more sensor means within or on the housing. This may be advantages to increase the emanation rate if the user is mainly within the vicinity of the device. Alternatively the sensor within or on the housing may be there to detect for the presence of the user within the vicinity of the device to allow the controller to prevent or delay the emanation means from operating in response to the detection of a trigger from the one or more remote sensors until the user is no longer within the vicinity of the device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided therefore an emanation system comprising a plurality of emanation devices wherein each of said devices comprise: a housing adapted to receive at least one container of fluid; emanation means adapted, in use, to emanate the fluid; a controller in communication with said emanation means; one or more remotely located sensor means operable to detect a trigger wherein said sensor means is in communication with said controller.

Preferably the plurality of devices are linked such that, in use, a trigger detected by at least one of said remotely located sensor means is communicated to the controller of each device, to cause at least two devices to substantially simultaneously increase the emanation of the fluid therefrom, and more preferably cause all of the plurality of devices to substantially simultaneously increase the emanation of the fluid therefrom.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided therefore an integrated emanation system comprising a plurality of linked emanation units wherein each of said units comprise: receiving means to receive at least one container of fluid; emanation means adapted, in use, to emanate the fluid; a controller in communication with said emanation means; one or more remotely located sensor means operable to detect a trigger and wherein said sensor means is in communication with controller; and wherein the units are linked such that, in use, the detection of a trigger will be communicated to the controller and cause at least two linked units to substantially simultaneously increase the emanation of the fluid therefrom.

Preferably, in use, one remote demand to increase the rate of emanation of the fluid will cause substantially all of the linked units to substantially simultaneously increase the emanation of the fluid therefrom. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided therefore a method of increasing the emanation rate of a fluid from a remotely located emanation device comprising the steps of: a user remotely demanding an increase in the rate of emanation of fluid from the emanation device according to the device of the first or second aspect of the present invention by initiating at least one trigger; said trigger being detectable by one or more remotely located sensor means; the detector means communicating the detection of the trigger(s) to a controller of the device; the controller communicating with an emanation means of the device to direct the emanation means to increase the rate at which fluid is being emanated from the device.

Preferably the emanation means of the devices or units of the present invention is provided in the form of at least one heater means and/or at least one electric fan means when the container to be used with the device comprises a wick having a proximal end region within the container and a distal end region above the container from which the fluid, in use of the device, is to be emanated.

Alternatively or additionally, the emanation means of the devices or units of the present invention may be provided in the form of an actuation means when the container to be used with the device comprises fluid held under pressure within the container, said actuation means being operable to cause a valve in the container to be opened, thus permitting fluid to be sprayed.

The devices or units of the present invention may be provided with an indicator wherein said indicator is operable to indicate to a user what function the device is currently performing; such as whether the device or unit is boosting or not. The indicator may be operable to provide a visual indication and/or provide an audible indication.

Preferably the indicator is configured to provide a visual indication by emitting light from one or more light sources, preferably one or more LEDs.

The one or more light sources may be adapted to emit a different colour of light to indicate the current function the device is performing. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more light sources may blink or flash to indicate the current function the device is performing.

Alternatively or additionally, the devices or units may be operable to visually indicate the function currently being performed via a screen. The screen may be an LCD screen that is adapted to provide a message to a user, for instance such messages could include "ON", "BOOSTING", "OFF".

The devices or units may be power by mains-supplied electricity and/or be battery powered and/or be powered by solar cells located on the device. Most preferably the device(s) is/are battery powered.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which:

Fig.1 illustrates a perspective view of a device of the present invention; and

Fig.2 illustrates a sectioned side view of a device of the present invention.

Fig.3 illustrates a front elevation of an alternative device of the present invention with a front cover removed; and

Fig 4. illustrates a front elevation of a further alternative device with a front cover in place.

Description of an Embodiment

In general terms, the device 1 illustrated in Figs. 1 & 2 is shown with a container of volatile liquid engaged therewith. The container has a reservoir portion in the form of a bottle containing a volatile liquid 3 and a wick 6 extending into the bottle. The wick 6 also extends above the top of the bottle through a seal and into a chimney means of the device 1. The wick 6 may be substantially cylindrical. The seal is present to retain the liquid 3 within the bottle should the device 1 be knocked over and/or inverted when the container is engaged therewith.

The device 1 has a housing 2 which partially extends over the container and its upper part. From the rear wall of the housing extends electrical plug formations 5.

The top of the housing 2 has a generally circular central aperture 7 which defines the upper aperture of the chimney means. The upper aperture is aligned with a co-axial lower aperture (not shown), thus defining a channel therebetween for volatilised liquid to flow up and out of the upper aperture into the environment surrounding the device 1.

The emanation means may be provided in the form of at least one heater means and/or at least one electric fan. In Figs. 1 & 2, the emanation means is illustrated in the form of a first electrical heating means 8 and a second electrical heating means 9. Said heating means 8,9 are illustrated as separate resistors, such as positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors. However, either of both of the first or second electrical heating means 8,9 could be provided by way of a ring heater or the like, or a combination thereof.

An electrical fan 4 may also be provided. All of the fan 4 and the first and second electrical heating means 8,9 are in operable communication with a controller (not shown) which may act as the principal receiver of information from the one or more remotely located sensor means. The one or more remotely located sensor means may be operable to sense one or more triggers initiated by the user of the device in the form of a sound and/or motion and/or odour and/or activation of a remote control. The controller processes the information provided to it by the sensor means and directly controls the aforementioned components.

The mode of operation of the device and the inter-relation of the components will now be explained.

The device 1 must first be placed in an operational mode. There may be a user-activated switch (not shown) to permit the device to be switched into the operational mode. The device 10 will draw power from the power source which is depicted as plug formations 5 to draw mains electric power. Instead of plug formations, the device could be connected to a cable of electrically conductive wiring which has plug formations at its remote end to draw mains electricity. However the power could be from solar cells mounted on the device and/or one or more batteries instead of or in addition to mains electricity.

In one mode, initiating the operational mode will cause the first heater means 8 to warm up to a temperature that will cause a standard amount of evaporation of the volatile liquid from the device 1 , so called 0-50% duty cycle. If no trigger is detected by the sensor means, the controller may direct the emanation means to continue to evaporate a standard amount of volatile liquid or begin a rest period, a so-called 0% duty cycle.

The remotely located sensor means may be operable to continually be receptive to sensing for one or more triggers and operable, on sensing such a trigger, to inform the controller so that the controller may instruct the heating means 8,9 to heat up to cause an increase in the evaporation rate of the liquid to impart a greater than standard amount of heat (e.g. a 50-80% duty cycle). If while imparting a greater than standard amount of heat a further remotely sensed trigger is sensed, the controller may instruct either or both heater means 8,9 to impart a maximum amount of heat (e.g. 80-100% duty cycle) and/or instruct the fan 4 to be activate. The device 1 may be operable to not emanate any liquid until one or more remote trigger(s) is sensed; detection of said trigger by the sensor means being communicated to the controller which in turn instructs the heater means 8,9 to increase the emanation rate from zero to a standard amount of emanation.

The illustrated device 1 is shown having an indicator 11 which is provided in the form of an LED. The LED(s) may be operable to provide a visual indication of the function currently being performed by the device.

The indicator 11 may also be provided with an audio component (not shown) wherein this component is capable of giving an audible alert when a particular function is being performed.

Alternatively or additionally, a screen (such as an LCD screen) could be presented on a prominent part of the device 1 to provide a message to a user indicating the current functioning of the device 1.

In one preferred arrangement, the device 1 may be located in a remote reception room away from the entrance to the domestic property. In this arrangement the one or more sensor means may be located in an entrance hall or a walkway leading to said reception room, whereby said sensor means may be operable to sense one or more of the triggers in the entrance hall or walkway and may communicate the sensing of the trigger(s) to the controller of the remotely located device 1 which, in turn, may instruct the heating means 8,9 and/or fan 4 to increase the emanation rate of the liquid.

The one or more sensor means may communicate with the controller by any suitable arrangement, preferably wirelessly by any suitable wireless arrangement.

As shown in Fig. 3, the spraying device 40 comprises a housing 13 which supports a platform 14. The platform 14, in turn, is shaped to support and retain a container of fluid 26, such as an aerosol of fluid, when the device is in use. The housing 13 also supports an actuation means 18, a controller 22, a motion sensor means 24 and a power source which in Fig. 3 is depicted as a pair of batteries 16, although more or less batteries may be used.

The device 40 is illustrated with a container of fluid 26 loaded therein and, specifically, Fig. 3 is depicted with an aerosol of fluid loaded therein. The fluid is sprayed from the aerosol by an arm 20 connected to the emanation means 18 being moved in a downward direction and into contact with a spray head 28 of the aerosol. The movement of the arm 20 continues until the spray head is depressed and the valve within the aerosol is opened, thus, causing a quantity of fluid to be sprayed therefrom. Preferably the device 40 has a metered dose aerosol loaded therein. A metered dose aerosol being advantageous as a single depression of the spray head will release a predefined quantity of fluid from the aerosol regardless of the duration of time the spray head is depressed. However, a non-metered dose aerosol may be used in the device 40 as could a non- pressurised container possessing a pump mechanism to spray the fluid therefrom.

Alternatively, the emanation means 18 could take the form of a valve system, such as a solenoid valve system. Such a solenoid valve system may work together with a pressurised aerosol engaged therewith. Rather than initiate actuation by movement, the solenoid valve would be energised to initiate the release of a quantity of fluid from the aerosol.

Regardless of the specific form of the emanation means 18, the mode of operation of the device and the inter-relation of the components will now be explained in more detail.

The device 40 must first be placed in an operational mode. There will be a user-activated switch (not shown) to permit the device to be switched into the operational mode. The device 40 will draw power from the power source which may be mains electric power and/or solar cells mounted on the device, but is depicted in Fig. 3 as a pair of batteries 16.

A detector means 24 is preferably provided which is in wireless communication with one or more remotely located sensor means (not shown), the detector means 24 being operable to communicate and input information received from the one or more sensor means to the controller 22. Once the controller 22 has received this information it is operable to instruct the emanation means 18 to emanate a quantity of fluid.

Although not illustrated, the controller 22 may also be the detection means.

If no communication is received from the remote sensor means, the controller 22 may direct the emanation means to continue to spray a standard quantity of fluid or may instruct the emanation means not to spray any fluid.

The detection means 24 may be operable to continually be receptive to detecting communication from the remote sensor means and operable, on detecting communication from one or more of said sensor means, to inform the controller so that the controller 22 may instruct the emanation means to substantially immediately emanate a quantity of fluid, thus boosting the emanation rate. Should the detection means 24 detect more than one communication from the remote sensor means this may be communicated to the controller 22 which may, in turn, instruct the emanation means 22 to emanate a greater amount of fluid, such as two doses or holding the valve open for two seconds.

The one or more sensor means may be operable to only transmit a communication of a detected trigger when the trigger is over a threshold level for that particular tigger.

Alternatively, the one or more sensor means may be operable to transmit a communication of any detected trigger and the detection means 24 and/or controller 22 is responsible for determining whether the detected trigger is over a factory set or user set threshold level before determining whether the emanation means is to be instructed to activate.

The one or more sensor means may be located away from the vicinity of the device 40 in a location a user is likely to occupy prior to moving into the vicinity of the device. For instance, in a domestic use of the device 40, the device 40 may be located in a remote reception room away from the entrance to the domestic property. In this arrangement the one or more sensor means may be located in an entrance hall or a walkway leading to said reception room, whereby said sensor means may be operable to sense one or more of the triggers in the entrance hall or walkway and may communicate the sensing of the trigger(s) to the detection means 24 of the remotely located device 40, whereby the detection means 24 may communicate the detection of the triggers) to the controller which, in turn, may instruct the emanation means 18 to activate thus moving the arm 20 against the spray head 28 such that liquid is sprayed from the aerosol to boost/increase the emanation rate of the liquid.

The one or more sensor means may communicate with the detector means 24 and/or controller 22 by any suitable arrangement, preferably wirelessly by any suitable wireless arrangement.

Turning to Fig.4, the housing may be shaped such that it is capable of substantially completely surrounding a container of fluid 26. The front cover of the housing is illustrated and it can be seen that the front cover includes an aperture 30 therethrough which is in registration with the spray head 28 of the container 26. When the emanation means 18 cause the spraying of the fluid, the fluid exits the housing through the aperture 30 into the environment surrounding the device 40. The device 40 is fitted with an additional sensor 32, preferably a motion sensor, on the device. The motion sensor 32 protrudes from the front of the device 40 to ensure a wide field of view, which is particularly useful when detecting motion. The additional motion sensor 32 may permit the device to determine whether a person is located directly in front of the device such that, in use, should one or more of the remotely located sensors detect a trigger and communicate this to the device, the detection of a person in front of the device by motion sensor 32 allows the controller 22 to delay the emanation means from activating until the user moves away from the device.

Alternatively or additionally, the additional sensor 32 may be operable in combination with the one or more remotely located sensors such that the device is operable to increase the emanation rate in response to triggers being detected by the one or more remotely located sensors and/or in response to a trigger being detected by the additional sensor 32 located on the device. In this latter arrangement the device could be operable to increase the rate of emanation of the device as a user approaches the device from another room and, if the user stays in the same room as the device, continue with the increased emanation rate whilst the user remains in the same room as the device.

The illustrated device 40 is shown having an indicator 34 which is provided in the form of a pair of LEDs. The LEDs may be operable to provide a visual indication of the function currently being performed by the device. The indicator 34 may also be provided with an audio component (not shown) wherein this component is capable of giving an audible alert when a particular function is being performed.

Alternatively or additionally, a screen (such as an LCD screen) could be presented on a prominent part of the device 1 to provide a message to a user indicating the current functioning of the device 40.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. An emanation device comprising: a housing adapted to receive at least one container of fluid; emanation means adapted, in use, to emanate the fluid; a controller in communication with said emanation means; one or more remotely located sensor means in communication with the controller.

2. An emanation device according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more remotely located sensor means is/are operable, in use, to detect at least one of the following triggers: a sound trigger; a motion trigger; an odour trigger; activation of a remote control trigger; or a combination of the aforesaid; and communicate the sensing of said triggers) to the controller.

3. An emanation device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more sensor means wirelessly communicate with the controller of the device.

4. An emanation device according to any preceding claim, wherein the one or more remotely located sensor means is in communication with the controller of a single device.

5. An emanation system comprising a plurality of emanation devices wherein each of said devices comprise: a housing adapted to receive at least one container of fluid; emanation means adapted, in use, to emanate the fluid; a controller in communication with said emanation means; one or more remotely located sensor means operable to detect a trigger wherein said sensor means is in communication with said controller.

6. An emanation system according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of devices are linked such that, in use, a trigger detected by at least one of said remotely located sensor means is communicated to the controller of each device, to cause at least two devices to substantially simultaneously increase the emanation of the fluid therefrom, and more preferably cause all of the plurality of devices to substantially simultaneously increase the emanation of the fluid therefrom.

7. An integrated emanation system comprising a plurality of linked emanation units wherein each of said units comprise: receiving means to receive at least one container of fluid; emanation means adapted, in use, to emanate the fluid; a controller in communication with said emanation means; one or more remotely located sensor means operable to detect a trigger and wherein said sensor means is in communication with controller; and wherein the units are linked such that, in use, the detection of a trigger will be communicated to the controller and cause at least two linked units to substantially simultaneously increase the emanation of the fluid therefrom.

8. An integrated system according to claim 7, wherein, in use, one remote demand to increase the rate of emanation of the fluid will cause substantially all of the linked units to substantially simultaneously increase the emanation of the fluid therefrom.

9. An emanation device, system or integrated system according to any preceding claim, wherein the emanation means of the devices or units is provided in the form of at least one heater means and/or at least one electric fan means when the container to be used with the device comprises a wick having a proximal end region within the container and a distal end region above the container from which the fluid, in use of the device, is to be emanated.

10. An emanation device, system or integrated system according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the emanation means of the devices or units is provided in the form of an actuation means when the container to be used with the device comprises fluid held under pressure within the container, said actuation means being operable to cause a valve in the container to be opened, thus permitting fluid to be sprayed.

11. An emanation device, system or integrated system according to any preceding claim, wherein the devices or units are provided with an indicator wherein said indicator is operable to indicate to a user what function the device is currently performing.

12. A method of increasing the emanation rate of a fluid from a remotely located emanation device comprising the steps of: a user remotely demanding an increase in the rate of emanation of fluid from the emanation device according to the device of the first or second aspect of the present invention by initiating at least one trigger; said trigger being detectable by one or more remotely located sensor means; the detector means communicating the detection of the trigger(s) to a controller of the device; the controller communicating with an emanation means of the device to direct the emanation means to increase the rate at which fluid is being emanated from the device.