Abstract:
A liquid perfume diffuser includes a perfume bottle holding a liquid perfume, an inner cap threaded onto the perfume bottle, a rotary cover rotatably capped on the inner cap for pressing and rotating by the user to move the inner cap relative to the perfume bottle between a close position and an open position, so that when the perfume is opened, the liquid perfume can then be absorbed by a liquid-absorbing material in the rotary cap, enabling the pleasant smell of the liquid perfume to be slowly and naturally released into the outside open air through a capillary effect.

Description:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to scent releasing devices and more specifically, to a liquid perfume diffuser, which has a special structural design that allows the user to control the evaporation of the liquid perfume into the outside open air only when desired and that prohibits a child from improperly using the liquid perfume diffuser to cause leakage of the liquid perfume out of the perfume bottle through the inner cap, thereby prolonging the application time and avoiding wasting the liquid perfume. 
     2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     A perfume diffuser, for example, an inverted perfume diffuser, generally comprises a liquid perfume container holding a liquid perfume, a bottleneck located at a bottom side of the liquid perfume container, a cap capped on the bottleneck, a tapered liquid guide hole located in the bottom side of the cap, a hollow base for holding the liquid perfume container on a flat surface in such a manner that the bottleneck suspends inside the hollow base, a liquid-absorbing material placed in the hollow base and kept in contact with the liquid guide hole. The hollow base comprises a plurality of through holes cut through the peripheral wall. Thus, the liquid perfume can flow out of the liquid guide hole and then be absorbed by the liquid-absorbing material for evaporation into the outside open air through the through holes of the hollow base. However, because the liquid perfume container is supported on the hollow base in an upside-down position, the liquid-absorbing material can be over-wetted. Thus, the liquid perfume diffusing amount cannot be properly controlled, leading to waste of the liquid perfume. Too rich aroma can destroy the atmosphere. Further, the inverted perfume diffuser can fall down accidentally, leading in to an environmental pollution or security problem. 
     When using a natural volatile aromatic device, the user can open the inner cap of the container for enabling the contained liquid perfume to be evaporated into the outside open air continuously. As the liquid perfume is being continuously evaporated into the air, the user cannot control the diffusing amount of the liquid perfume. Some other designs use a liquid-absorbing material for absorbing the contained liquid perfume from the liquid perfume container through a cotton rope for evaporation into the air. However, when the level of the liquid perfume in the liquid perfume container is lowered to a certain extent, the speed in delivering the liquid perfume from the liquid perfume container through the cotton rope to the liquid-absorbing material will be slowed down, affecting the liquid perfume diffusing performance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a liquid perfume diffuser, which allows the user to control the evaporation of the liquid perfume into the outside open air only when desired, prolonging the application time and avoiding wasting the liquid perfume. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a liquid perfume diffuser, which prevents the liquid perfume from leakage due to an improper operation to remove the perfume bottle from the inner cap or when the liquid perfume diffuser is placed lying down or being moved. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a liquid perfume diffuser, which facilitates carrying and application. 
     To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a liquid perfume diffuser comprises a perfume bottle, an inner cap, a rotary cover, and a liquid-absorbing material. The perfume bottle holds a liquid perfume therein, comprising a bottleneck located at a top side thereof, a male thread extended around the periphery of the bottleneck, and a bottle stopper fastened to the bottleneck. The bottle stopper comprises a liquid guide tube extended through opposing top and bottom ends thereof, and a fine pore located in a closed bottom end of the liquid guide tube in communication with an opposing top open end of the guide tube. The inner cap comprises a bottom opening, a top cap head, a protruding tube, a female thread and a plurality of protruding blocks. The protruding tube is axially located at the center of the top cap head, comprising a bottom wall that suspends inside the inner cap and blocks up a bottom end of the protruding tube, a plug downwardly extended from the bottom wall, and a liquid guide hole cut through the bottom wall in communication with the inside space of the protruding tube. The protruding blocks are located at a top side of the top cap head, and spaced around the protruding tube. The female thread is located on an inside wall of the inner cap for rotatably receiving the male thread of the perfume bottle for enabling the plug to be press-fitted into the liquid guide tube to seal the liquid guide tube and the liquid guide hole. The rotary cover is a hollow cylindrical shell member, comprising an inner race and a plurality of notches. The inner race comprises an opening at a free end thereof. The notches are spaced around the opening of the inner race. The rotary cover is rotatably capped on the inner cap to attach the inner race onto the protruding tube, and to force the notches into abutment against the respective protruding blocks at a top side. The liquid-absorbing material is mounted in the inner race of the rotary cover in contact with a top side of the protruding tube of the inner cap for absorbing the liquid perfume. 
     Thus, when using the perfume diffuser, the user can hold the perfume bottle with one hand, and then press the rotary cover and simultaneously rotate the rotary cover with the other hand to move the free end of the inner race over the top edges of the protruding blocks of the inner cap and to further force the respective notches into engagement with the respective protruding blocks. When the user continuously rotate the rotary cover after engagement between the notches and the respective protruding blocks, the inner cap is rotated with the rotary cover to carry the female thread in direction away from the male thread of the perfume bottle and to pull the plug in direction away from the liquid guide tube, allowing air and liquid communication in between the inside space of the perfume bottle, the fine pore, the inside space of the liquid guide tube, the liquid guide hole and the inside space of the protruding tube. At this time, the user can shake the perfume bottle to force the liquid perfume out of the perfume bottle through the fine pore, the liquid guide tube, the liquid guide hole of the protruding tube toward the liquid-absorbing material, enabling the liquid perfume to be absorbed by the liquid-absorbing material so that the perfume molecules can then be diffused into the surrounding environment subject to the capillary effects of the liquid-absorbing material that is disposed in contact with the outside open air. 
     When compared to conventional designs, the liquid perfume diffuser of the present invention allows the user to control the evaporation of the liquid perfume into the outside open air only when desired, prolonging the application time and avoiding wasting the liquid perfume. Further, the structural design of the present invention can prohibit a child from improperly using the liquid perfume diffuser to cause leakage of the liquid perfume out of the perfume bottle through the inner cap. Further, the liquid perfume diffuser of the present invention facilitates carriage and application. 
     Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a liquid perfume diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded sectional elevational view of the liquid perfume diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is another exploded sectional elevational view of the liquid perfume diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4A  is an oblique top elevational view, in an enlarged scale, of the inner cap of the liquid perfume diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4B  is a schematic top view of the inner cap shown in  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5A  is a longitudinal sectional view of the inner cap shown in  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5B  is a schematic bottom view of the inner cap shown in  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5C  is an oblique top elevational view, in an enlarged scale, of the rotary cap of the liquid perfume diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic sectional assembly view, in an enlarged scale, of a part of the liquid perfume diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional elevational view, in an enlarged scale, of the liquid perfume diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the liquid perfume diffuser in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , a liquid perfume diffuser  1  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The liquid perfume diffuser comprises a perfume bottle  1  holding a liquid perfume, an inner cap  3 , a rotary cover  5 , and a liquid-absorbing material  7 . 
     The perfume bottle  1  comprises a bottleneck  11  located at a top side thereof, a male thread  13  spirally extended around the periphery of the bottleneck  11 , and a bottle stopper  15  fastened to the bottleneck  11 . The bottle stopper  15  comprises a liquid guide tube  151  extended through opposing top and bottom ends thereof, and a fine pore  153  located in a closed bottom end of the liquid guide tube  151  in communication with an opposing top open end of the liquid guide tube  151  and facing toward the inside of the perfume bottle  1 . 
     The inner cap  3  comprises a bottom opening  31 , a top cap head  33 , a protruding tube  35 , a female thread  37 , and a plurality of protruding block  39 . The protruding tube  35  is axially located at the center of the top cap head  33 , comprising a bottom wall  351  that suspends inside the inner cap  3  and blocks up a bottom end of the protruding tube  35 , a plug  353  downwardly extended from the bottom wall  351 , a liquid guide hole  355  cut through the bottom wall  351  in communication with the inside space of the protruding tube  35 . The protruding blocks  39  are located at a top side of the top cap head  33  and spaced around the protruding tube  35 . The female thread  37  is located on an inside wall of the inner cap  3 . The male thread  13  of the perfume bottle  1  is rotatably threaded into engagement with the female thread  37  to press-fit the plug  353  into the liquid guide tube  151 , thereby sealing the liquid guide tube  151  and the liquid guide hole  355 . 
     The rotary cover  5  is a hollow cylindrical shell member, comprising an inner race  51  and a plurality of notches  55  spaced around the opening  53  at the free end of the inner race  51 . The rotary cover  5  is rotatably capped on the inner cap  3  to attach the inner race  51  to the outer perimeter of the protruding tube  35  and to force the notches  55  into abutment against the respective protruding blocks  39  at the top side. 
     The liquid-absorbing material  7  is mounted in the inner race  51  of the rotary cover  5  in contact with the top end of the protruding tube  35  of the inner cap  3 . Further, the liquid-absorbing material  7  can be selected from the group of sponge, cotton, non-woven fabric and porous ceramics that have siphon capillary characteristics. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6-8  again, when using the perfume diffuser, the user can hold the perfume bottle  1  with one hand, and then press the rotary cover  5  and simultaneously rotate the rotary cover  5  in the clockwise direction with the other hand to move the free end of the inner race  51  over the top edges of the protruding blocks  39  of the inner cap  3  and to further force the respective notches  55  into engagement with the respective protruding blocks  39 . When the user continuously rotate the rotary cover  5  after engagement between the notches  55  and the respective protruding blocks  39 , the inner cap  3  is rotated with the rotary cover  5  to carry the female thread  37  in direction away from the male thread  13  of the perfume bottle  1  and to pull the plug  353  in direction away from the liquid guide tube  151 , allowing air and liquid communication in between the inside space of the perfume bottle  1 , the fine pore  153 , the inside space of the liquid guide tube  151 , the liquid guide hole  355  and the inside space of the protruding tube  331 . At this time, the user can shake the perfume bottle  1  to force the liquid perfume out of the perfume bottle  1  through the fine pore  153 , the liquid guide tube  151 , the liquid guide hole  355  of the protruding tube  35  toward the liquid-absorbing material  7 , enabling the liquid perfume to be absorbed by the liquid-absorbing material  7  so that the perfume molecules can then be diffused into the surrounding environment subject to the capillary effects of the liquid-absorbing material  7  that is disposed in contact with the outside open air. 
     On the contrary, the user can hold the perfume bottle  1  with the one hand and press and rotate the rotary cover  5  in the counter-clockwise direction with the other hand to move the free end of the inner race  51  over the top edges of the protruding blocks  39  of the inner cap  3  and to further force the respective notches  55  into engagement with the respective protruding blocks  39 . When the user continuously rotate the rotary cover  5  counter-clockwise after engagement between the notches  55  and the respective protruding blocks  39 , the inner cap  3  is rotated with the rotary cover  5  to carry the female thread  37  in direction toward the rear end of the male thread  13  of the perfume bottle  1  and to force the plug  353  into the liquid guide tube  151 , thereby sealing the fine pore  153  and liquid guide tube  151  of the bottle stopper  15  of the perfume bottle  1 , the liquid guide hole  355  and the inside space of the protruding tube  331 . Sealing the perfume bottle  1 , the liquid guide hole  355  and the inside space of the protruding tube  331  prevents the liquid-absorbing material  7  from absorbing an excessive amount of the liquid perfume due to oscillation of the liquid perfume diffuser during movement, or uninterruptedly evaporation of the liquid perfume due to constant contact with the outside air. 
     If the user releases the downward pressure from the rotary cover  5 , the notches  55  will be moved upward and disengaged from the respective protruding blocks  39 , thus, rotating the rotary cover  5  relative to the inner cap  3  will run idle without moving inner cap  3  toward or away from the perfume bottle  1 . 
     The liquid perfume diffuser of the present invention has other advantages. The application method of the invention is to shake the perfume bottle  1 . By means of the fine pore  153  to control the flow rate, the liquid perfume will not be instantaneously excessively introduced into the liquid guide tube  151  and the liquid guide hole  355  and the liquid-absorbing material  7  will not instantaneously absorb an excessive amount of the liquid perfume, avoiding perfume overflow. When the liquid perfume diffuser is placed lying down or being moved after sealed the perfume bottle  1 , the liquid perfume will not be absorbed by the liquid-absorbing material  7 , avoiding waste of use or leakage of the liquid perfume; in application, the user needs to press and rotate the rotary cover  5 , driving the inner cap  3  to move the plug  353  backwardly away from the liquid guide tube  151  of the perfume bottle  1 , thereby opening the fine pore  153  and liquid guide tube  151  of the bottle stopper  15  of the perfume bottle  1  for direct communication with the liquid guide hole  355 , and thus, the user can operate the liquid perfume diffuser for enabling the liquid-absorbing material  7  to absorb the liquid perfume when needed, maintaining a longer use of time. The structural design of the present invention can prohibit a child from improperly using the liquid perfume diffuser to cause leakage of the liquid perfume out of the perfume bottle  1  through the inner cap  3 . Further, the liquid perfume diffuser of the present invention facilitates carriage and application. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B and 5C , each protruding block  39  of the inner cap  3  has a beveled surface  391 ; the rotary cover  5  further comprises a beveled edge  551  located at one side of each notch  55  of the inner race  51  to mate with one respective beveled surface  391 . Thus, when the user presses the rotary cover  5  and then rotates the rotary cover  5 , the respective beveled edges  551  of the inner race  51  are respectively slidably kept in contact with the respective beveled surfaces  391  of the protruding block  39 , guiding the notches  55  into positive engagement with the respective protruding blocks  39  for enabling the inner cap  3  to be rotated with the rotary cover  5  relative to the perfume bottle  1 . 
     In the present preferred embodiment, the liquid guide tube  151  is an inverted cone tube; the plug  353  is cone plug. 
     Preferably, the inner cap  3  further comprises a stop ring  32  extended around the outer perimeter thereof; the rotary cover  5  further comprises an inner annular flange  52  extended around an inside wall thereof below the inner race  51  and stopped at a bottom side of the stop ring  32  of the inner cap  3  to prevent escaping of the rotary cover  5  out of the inner cap  3 . 
     The inner annular flange  52  defines a beveled surface portion  521  sloping downwardly inwards toward the inside wall of the rotary cover  5 ; the inner cap  3  further comprises a tapered sliding wall  34  downwardly outwardly extended from a bottom side thereof. Thus, when the rotary cover  5  is forced downward or moves upward relative to the inner cap  3 , the beveled surface portion  521  of the inner annular flange  52  is moved over the outer surface of the tapered sliding wall  34  (a predetermined distance), forcing the notches  55  into engagement with the respective protruding blocks  39  or moving the notches  55  away from the respective protruding blocks  39 . 
     During the operation or use of the liquid perfume diffuser, a small amount of the liquid perfume molecules can flow downwards and stopped by the male thread  13  and the female thread  37  to leak out of the perfume bottle  1 . In order to eliminate this problem, the inner cap  3  is configured to provide a tooth ring  36  extended around the inside wall thereof below the female thread  37  for abutment against the periphery of the perfume bottle  1  below the male thread  13 . The tooth ring  36  comprises a plurality of tooth claws  361  equiangularly spaced around the inside wall of the inner cap  3 , and a the gap  363  defined between each two adjacent tooth claws  361  for accumulating liquid perfume molecules that leak out of the perfume bottle  1  during the operation or use of the liquid perfume diffuser. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2, 3 and 7 , the inner cap  3  further comprises a sealing ring  38  sealed to a bottom edge of the tapered sliding wall  34 . The sealing ring  38  has a top edge thereof bonded to the bottom edge of the tapered sliding wall  34  by ultrasonic sealing technology to form a tear line  383  between the tapered sliding wall  34  and the sealing ring  38 , and a plurality of claw portions  381  equiangularly space around an opposing bottom edge thereof. When the female thread  37  of the inner cap  3  is threaded into engagement with the male thread  13  of the perfume bottle  1 , the claw portions  381  of the sealing ring  38  are hooked on a bottom side of the male thread  13  of the perfume bottle  1 . When the user uses the liquid perfume diffuser at the first time, press the rotary cover  5  to force the notches  55  into engagement with the respective protruding blocks  39  of the inner cap  3 , and then rotate the rotary cover  5  in the reversed direction to move the female thread  37  in direction away from the male thread  13  of the perfume bottle  1  for a small distance. At the moment when the rotation operation is started, the tear line  383  of the sealing ring  38  will be broken and separated from the inner cap  3 , leaving the sealing ring  38  at the bottleneck  11 . At the time when the tear line  383  of the sealing ring  38  is broken and separated from inner cap  3 , a tactile or visual message is given to the user, enabling the user to know that the liquid perfume diffuser has been opened like the first time your open the bottle cap of a bottle beverage. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 , the inner race  51  of the rotary cover  5  further comprises a first inner step  54  and a second inner step  56 . The first inner step  54  extends around an inside wall of the inner race  51  at a top side. The second inner step  56  is concentrically spaced below the first inner step  54  and defines an inner diameter relatively smaller than the inner diameter of the first inner step  54 . The opening  53  of the inner race  51  is surrounded by a bottom side of the second inner step  56 . The inner race  51  further comprises a plurality of grooves  561  located on the second inner step  56 . If the liquid-absorbing material  7  absorbs an excessive amount of the liquid perfume, the liquid-absorbing material  7  can release the excessive amount of the liquid perfume into the grooves  561  for storage temporarily. After evaporation of a part of the liquid perfume from the liquid-absorbing material  7 , the liquid-absorbing material  7  can then absorb the temporarily accumulated liquid perfume from the grooves  561 . The liquid perfume diffuser further comprises a ring cap  9 . The ring cap  9  comprises a bottom edge  91  stopped at the first inner step  54  of the inner race  51 , and a plurality of axial ribs  93  equiangularly spaced around an inside wall thereof above the bottom edge  91  and stopped at a top side of the liquid-absorbing material  7  to hold down the liquid-absorbing material  7  on the second inner step  56  inside the inner race  51 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2, 3, 6, 7 and 9 , the liquid perfume diffuser further comprises an outer cap  10 . The rotary cover  5  further comprises an annular top flange  59  upwardly extended from an inner side of a top edge  58  thereof. The outer cap  10  is capped on the annular top flange  59  of the rotary cover  5  and stopped at the top edge  58  to block up the rotary cover  5 , prohibiting contact between the liquid-absorbing material  7  and the outside open air and avoiding continuously releasing of the liquid perfume. 
     In application, the user can press the outer cap  10  to force the rotary cover  5  into engagement with the inner cap  3  and drive the outer cap  10  to rotate the rotary cover  5  and the inner cap  3  in direction away from the perfume bottle  1 . When wishing to diffuse the liquid perfume into the outside open air, the user can then open the outer cap  10  for enabling the liquid-absorbing material  7  to release the absorbed liquid perfume into the outside open air by the capillary effects 
     Preferably, the bottle stopper  15  further comprises a recycling trough  155 , a liquid chamber  157 , and a drip hole  1571  located in a bottom side of the liquid chamber  157 . The recycling trough  155  is disposed between the liquid guide tube  151  and the bottle stopper  15 . The liquid chamber  157  is located at a bottom side of the bottle stopper  15 . The recycling trough  155  is disposed in communication with the liquid chamber  157 . If the liquid perfume is excessively diffused or the outer cap  10  has never been opened for evaporation of the liquid perfume that has been absorbed by the liquid-absorbing material  7 , the overflowed liquid perfume can flow through the recycling trough  155  into the liquid chamber  157  and recycled into the perfume bottle  1  through the drip hole  1571 . 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.