Abstract:
The invention features a scented mask system to provide a pleasant smell in an unpleasant environment. The mask is a one piece stretchable material with opening sized to fit around the user&#39;s ears. The mask becomes fragrant when nestled inside of a pod having area sized to receive at least one fragrance component such as a fragrant discs or strips which cause the mask to become scented.

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 61/669,950, filed Jul. 10, 2012. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates, in general, to a scented mask system having a disposable mask fitted on the nose, wherein the mask is nestled inside of a pod having a fragrance component which transfers the scent to the mask. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Many people are susceptible to bad smells and foul odors due to the environment or poor hygiene of others. Morticians, researchers, and those around animal wastes, for example, are more sensitive and reactive to the scents around them. Pregnant women have a heightened sense of smell during pregnancy due to pregnancy hormones. The heightened sense of smell often leads to morning sickness. Being surrounded by unpleasant smells causes sickness and can often cause employees to be less productive because they are seeking a solution to avoid the foul odors. Opening windows or using spray or plug-in air fresheners are not effective. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a lightweight scented mask used to make trips to less fragrant places more bearable. The mask is nestled in a scented pod having a fragrance compartment that stores a fragrant component such as powders, discs or strips which transfers the scent to the mask. 
         [0005]    An aspect of an embodiment of the invention provides a mask of a stretchable material that is effortless to fit and use. 
         [0006]    A further aspect of an embodiment of the invention features a mask that covers the region around the nose of the user and features cutouts sized to receive the user&#39;s ears. 
         [0007]    A further aspect of an embodiment of the invention features the mask being unitary and one piece. 
         [0008]    A further aspect of an embodiment of the invention features a pod having an area sized to receive at least one fragrant component such as a scented disc. 
         [0009]    A further aspect of an embodiment of the invention features the fragrance compartment area sized to receive the fragrant components having walls and a cover with openings that allow the fragrance to escape. 
         [0010]    Additional aspects, objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the mask of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the top half of the pod showing a cross section line. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a view of the top half of the pod along the cross section line. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an inside view of the bottom half of the pod. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bottom half of the pod showing a cross section line. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6   a  is an illustration of the bottom half of the pod along the cross section line. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6   ab  is an enlarged illustration of the indentions on the bottom half of the pod. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the fragrance compartment cap. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the fragrance compartment cap. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the connected top and bottom halves of the pod with a cross section line. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a view of the connected top and bottom halves of the pod along the cross section line. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the mask  100  of the present invention. The scented mask system comprises a mask  100  and a pod  200 . The mask is a unitary one-piece sheet of stretchable material  101  having a top edge  102 , bottom edge  103  and a left end region  104  and a right end region  105 . The mask is thin, lightweight, and breathable. The material is preferably spandex; however, a stretchable, absorbent material that can maintain integrity may be used. The scent from the pod  200  transfers to the mask  100  allowing the user to breathe a pleasant and soothing smell, when desired. The mask  100  will vary in color to match the user&#39;s complexion or they can feature designs or be transparent. The mask  100  is sized to be worn on the user&#39;s face to cover the user&#39;s nose so the user breathes the fragrance directly. The material  101  spans a distance D of about 3″ between the top edge  102  and bottom edge  103 . The central region  110  of the sheet is the middle area of the sheet  101  between the left region  104  and the right region  105  shown by dashed lines  108  and  109 . The sheet is die cut such that the length L of the sheet is about 12 inches. Because the material is deformable, the length L of the sheet does not have to be the distance from the left and right ear of the user because the user can stretch the material towards the left and right ears of the user so that the mask can be connected to the user&#39;s ears, in use by aligning the cutouts with the ears. The middle area  110  of the top edge  102  forms a peak  106  which contacts an external ridge of the user&#39;s nose, when the mask is worn by the user. The top edge  102  slopes upwards from the left and right regions,  104 ,  105  towards the middle area  110  to form the peak  106 . The peak  106  is in the shape of a hill and is the highest point along the top edge  102 . The distance D 2  between the top edge  102  and bottom edge  103  in the left and right regions  104 ,  105  is less than the distance D from the peak  106  along the top edge  102  to the bottom edge  103 . The top edge  102  slopes downward along the left and right regions  104 ,  105  and then upwards to form the peak  106  in the middle area  106 . The left and right regions contour the user&#39;s cheekbones when the mask is worn. 
         [0023]    The bottom edge  103  sits slightly above a user&#39;s upper lip when worn. The left bottom edge area  107  slopes upwards towards the middle area  110  and then is somewhat straight and then slopes downwards towards the right bottom edge area  111 . The left region  104  is the area to the left of the middle area  110  dashed line  108 . The right region  105  is the area to the right of the middle area  110  dashed line  109 . The bottom edge can be longer to cover the user&#39;s upper and lower lip so long as the nose of the user is covered when the mask is worn. The left top edge area  112  and the left bottom edge area  107  form a curved left end  114  on the mask. The right top edge area  113  and the right bottom edge area  111  form a curved right end  115 . A first cutout  120  and a second cutout  125  are in the left end region  112  and the right end region  113 . The cutouts  120 ,  125  are elliptical-shaped openings on the sheet  101  where the sheet material is removed from the mask to form the openings. In use, the user grasps the mask by ends  114  and  115  and positions the left and right ear through the cutouts  120 ,  125 , respectively. The cutouts  120 ,  125  are integral with the sheet material and no additional straps or connecting mechanism are required to position or hold the mask in place nor are additional materials necessary to be attached to the mask. It is not necessary to expand or resize the cutouts as they are sized to receive the user&#39;s ear and no additional altering of the cutouts is required. The mask does not have to be turned or folded to use or see the cutouts. 
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the connected top  201  and bottom halves  501  of the pod  200  with a vertical cross section line  506  dividing the bottom half  501  in half.  FIG. 10  is a view of the connected top  201  and bottom halves  501  of the pod  200  along the cross section line  506 . The top and bottom halves  201 ,  501  are semi-round around the sides but somewhat flat along the top half center point  203  or the bottom half center point  503  so the pod can sit freestanding in an upright position on either its top or bottom half. The sides of each pod side may be indented so that the user can easily grip and control the pod sides. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the top half  201  of the pod  200  showing a vertical cross section line  202 .  FIG. 3  is a view of the top half  201  of the pod  200  along the cross section line  202 . The top half  201  of the pod  200  has an oval egged shape on a top area  205  extending from the edge  212 . The bottom area  206  of the top half features ridges  207  around the edge of the top half. The ridges  207  will mate with the bottom area  806  of the bottom half  501 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bottom half  501  of the pod showing a cross section line  500  along the vertical axis dividing the bottom half in half. The bottom edges of each half meet in a closed position. The edges may screw into each other in a secure closed position whereby rotating the top side in an opposite direction from the bottom side, or vice versa, the halves will be secured and closed. The edges may also feature a seal which will remain intact until it is broken, when the sides are disengaged or the pod is in an open position. Alternately, the pod halves may be attached by an adhesive, Velcro® or snap inside of each other in a closed position. 
         [0027]    The bottom half  501  of the pod  200  has an oval egged shape on the bottom area  805  extending from the bottom edge  812 . The edge  812  features indentions  807  that mate with the ridges  207  of the top half  201  of the pod. The indentions  807  and ridges  207  extend fully around the circular edges of the top and bottom halves.  FIG. 6   ab  is an enlarged illustration of the indentions  807  of the bottom half of the pod along the cross section line  500 . The indention  807  is formed by a cutout of the bottom area  806  of the bottom half. The top portions  601  and  602  of the bottom area  812  contact the bottom area  206  of the top half. The ridge  207  has a thickness or protrusion  207   a  that is sized to fit securely into the middle indention area  605 . The bottom area  206  of the top half and bottom area  812  of the bottom half connect and are snapped and fitted inside the connected halves as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 6   a  is an illustration of the bottom half  501  of the pod  200  along the cross section line  500 . The bottom half or the top half can feature a fragrance compartment  900  which will house a fragrant component such as a scented powder, scented strips, scented discs or the like. The fragrant components can be made from paper stickers, felt, cardboard or other similar materials that can retain a scent for long periods of time. The discs feature fragrances that are made from an essential oil or gentle fragrances. The scents should be soothing and pleasant smells such as mint, lavender or orange, for example. Alternatively, the scented discs may span the area along the edges of the top and bottom halves. A protective layer can be attached to the discs and to its respective pod side. When the pod halves are disengaged the protective layer is removed from the disc releasing the fragrance. Thus, the disc will avoid unnecessarily drying out and the fragrance will last longer. The inside of the pods may be lined with scented discs, strips or stickers that are fragranced with essential oil or some type of fragrance carrier. 
         [0029]    For illustration and discussion purposes, the compartment  900  is shown in the bottom half  501 . The fragrance compartment  900  is positioned along an inside base  901  of the bottom half  501  or the inside base  902  of top half  201 . The fragrance compartment  901  has a circular base  908  that sits along the inside base  901  or  902 . A wall  909  extends away from the circular base  908 , wherein the walls  908  act to surround the fragrant components which will be housed in the compartment. The compartment has an opening  910  which receives the components such that the fragrance components are between the walls  909 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is an inside view of the bottom half  501  of the pod  200 . The fragrance compartment cap  700  fits over the opening  910  of the compartment  901  to further secure the fragrant components.  FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the fragrance compartment cap  700 .  FIG. 8  is a top view of the fragrance compartment cap  700 . The fragrance compartment cap  700  has a diameter slightly larger than the opening  910  of the compartment  901  so that the cap will press fit over the opening securely. Alternatively, the cap can be designed to screw onto the opening of the compartment. The top side  701  of the cap  700  features apertures  702  which release the scent of the components without the need for the component to physically contact the mask. The mask  100  is placed inside of the first or second half of the pod and the pod is closed, as discussed above. The sheet of stretchable material absorbs the scent of the fragrant components released through the cap apertures. When the scented mask is removed from the pod, the user&#39;s ears are placed through the cutouts and the user can breathe the pleasurable fragrance absorbed by the mask from the fragrant components in the pod. 
         [0031]    The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.