Electroluminescent night light and air freshener unit

A combined electroluminescent plug-in night light incorporates an air freshener in a single unit. The unit plugs into a standard wall outlet and provides a continuous, low wattage light source and the desired air freshening. It includes a low operating temperature, is highly energy efficient, and the compact, space saving design are desirable features.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 This application relates to low wattage night lights and electrically
 activated air fresheners, and particularly to an integrally combined
 electroluminescent night light and air freshener unit.
 2. Discussion of the Art
 It is known in the art to provide a room air freshener unit that is
 electrically actuated, i.e., designed to be plugged into a wall outlet to
 power a small heating element. The heating element surrounds a cavity or
 receptacle in which a thermally activated or diffused substance is stored.
 The thermally diffused substance is typically a refillable packet or
 replaceable cartridge that is activated by the heat. A series of openings
 are provided in the housing to radiate the diffused substance to the room.
 Over time, a new supply of air freshener substance is required. Thus easy
 access is provided to the housing container to remove the used container
 and insert a new one.
 Today's home has found a substantial increase in the number of electrical
 appliances and devices. Not surprisingly, market studies indicate an
 increased demand for electric outlets throughout the house. One particular
 example of the scarcity of outlets is in bathrooms where there are a
 number of demands for the outlets in association with a wide variety of
 uses. For example, hair dryers, styling irons, electric shavers, electric
 toothbrushes, etc. are all examples of AC powered products that are
 prevalent in the bathroom. In additional, consumers often maintain a night
 light in the bathroom.
 Incandescent night lights are the most widely used type of night light.
 However, more recent development has focused on the development of
 electroluminescent lamps (EL lamps). Rather than using an incandescent
 coil as the light source, EL lamps convert electrical energy into light by
 applying an electric field across a thin phosphor layer to produce or emit
 light. A phosphor layer is interposed between first and second conductive
 electrodes. One of the electrodes is light transmissive, or optically
 clear. The AC voltage across the electrodes causes the phosphors to emit
 light during each cycle. By controlling the voltage and the frequency, the
 light brightness will alter, and also to some degree the color.
 These types of electroluminescent light sources have found widespread use
 as night lights because of the level of lamp brightness that is generally
 unaffected by voltage, frequency, temperature, etc. The lights also do not
 fail in an abrupt manner. For example, incandescent light sources fail
 abruptly upon failure of the coil. Electroluminescent lamps, on the other
 hand, generally undergo a gradual decrease in brightness over time and are
 generally rated with extended useful lives relative to incandescent night
 lights. Thus, EL night lights are generally considered low maintenance
 since they do not require replacement as encountered, for example, with
 incandescent night lights. Moreover, EL night lights are very efficient
 and may only consume current on the level of milli-amps as to draw power
 at, for example, approximately 0.3 watts. They are also very cool
 operating lamps, as opposed to the heat generated by an incandescent lamp.
 Thus, the absence of heat generation plays an important factor for reasons
 to be noted.
 Also related to the number of outlets is the fact that known separate air
 freshener and night light units cannot be accommodated in the same dual
 outlet wall socket because of the extended profiles of the air freshener
 and night light structures. The extended profiles dictate whether the unit
 is oriented in a particular manner in the outlet to provide access to the
 other outlet in a dual outlet arrangement.
 Thus, a need exists to provide these desired functions without contributing
 to the problems noted above in a simple, effective manner.
 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a combined night light and air
 freshener unit includes a storage compartment adapted to receive an air
 freshener cartridge therein. A heating element is disposed adjacent the
 storage compartment and powered via a male plug adapted for receipt in a
 conventional electrical socket. In addition, a low wattage
 electroluminescent lamp integrally extends from the storage compartment
 and is powered via the same plug.
 The exemplary embodiment conforms the width of the nightlight to that of
 the storage compartment to minimize the dimensions of the overall unit.
 The exemplary embodiment preferable integrally molds the electroluminescent
 night light and air freshener in the same housing to minimize assembly
 steps and overall dimensions of the unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
 A combined electroluminescent nightlight and air freshener unit A is shown
 in FIG. 1. It includes an integrally molded housing 10, such as a plastic
 housing, that has a generally planar front or first face 12. A first or
 lower portion 14 of the housing comprises the air freshener housing. It
 includes a storage compartment 16 having an opening 18 providing ease of
 access to the storage compartment. The storage compartment is dimensioned
 and adapted to receive a refillable packet or replaceable cartridge of a
 thermally diffused substance 20. The storage compartment extends from a
 second or rear face 22 of the housing and a male plug 24 protrudes
 outwardly therefrom to provide electrical connection with an electrical
 socket or wall outlet (not shown). Although the individual blades of the
 male plug are oriented in a vertical direction, it will be appreciated
 that the blades can be oriented at other angles as desired. The plug is
 electrically connected to a heater element 26 associated with the air
 freshener portion of the unit. The heater element is represented in dashed
 line and it will be understood that the heater element is a resistive
 element that heats the storage compartment in a manner well known in the
 art. Examples of known arrangements are shown and described in, for
 example, published PCT application WO 98/11924, D 350,209, and D 332,488,
 as well as the associated commercial products which are well known in the
 art.
 A series of fragrance dispensing openings 28 are preferably provided in the
 front face 12 of the device. Stylized openings are illustrated, although
 it will be recognized that various opening configurations may be adopted
 without departing from the scope and intent of the present invention.
 Typically, the openings are directed outwardly toward the room and thus
 are oftentimes preferably disposed in the opposite face of the unit from
 the plug.
 A second portion 40 of the unit comprises an electroluminescent night
 light. It is also electrically connected to the male plug 26. The EL night
 light includes a visible light transmissive panel 42 which, as described
 in the background, is typically one of the electrodes that form the well
 known electroluminescent lamps. The housing 10 includes an enlarged
 opening 44 in the planar face 12 to maximize the amount of light that is
 emitted from the light panel 42. As shown in FIG. 1, the opening is
 semicircular in conformation although it will be understood that the
 opening or night light configuration may be altered without departing from
 the scope and intent of the invention. The embodiment of FIG. 1
 illustrates that the overall width of the integral unit is preferably not
 increased by incorporating the EL night light and air freshener portions
 into a single unit. It is also preferred that the housing is an integrally
 molded arrangement for ease of assembly. Thus, the planar face 12 is a
 mere extension of the air freshener portion and easily accommodates the EL
 night light portion. It preferably extends in a longitudinal direction
 away from the air freshener portion. Of course, the EL night light could
 also be disposed on different faces of the unit without departing from the
 present invention.
 As best illustrated in FIG. 2, since the EL night light is a thin panel
 assembly, it does not adversely impact on receipt of the wall plug 24 into
 an outlet. Thus, the overall depth of the unit is not increased or
 adversely affected. This minimizes the number of outlets required for
 different functions in the wall outlet. It also exhibits a low profile
 structure and the cool temperature of the night light does not adversely
 impact on the desired heat level for the refillable air freshener
 cartridge. As will be appreciated, too much heat would quickly dispense or
 thermally diffuse the volatile component of the air freshener and result
 in frequently refilling or replacement of the cartridges.
 The invention has been described with reference to the preferred
 embodiment. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others.
 The invention is intended to cover such modifications and alterations
 insofar as they fall within the scope of the appended claims or the
 equivalents thereof.