Air freshener

An air freshener is provided. The air freshener includes a base, a battery power supply and a fan motor mounted on the base and is covered by a motor cover. The fan motor has a fan blade extending above the motor cover. A shell covers the motor cover and the fan blade. The shell has a perforated open chamber in an upper portion thereof to hold spices. A transparent shade with air vents covers the open chamber. A power switch is provided and mounted on the shell. The power switch is connected in series between the battery power supply and the fan motor for controlling the operation of the fan motor, the fan motor producing currents of air for carrying the smell of the spices out of the transparent shade into the air through the air vents of the transparent shade.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to air fresheners. More particularly, the 
present invention relates to an air freshener which uses a fan motor to 
produce currents of air for carrying the smell of the spices out of the 
housing of the air freshener for freshening the air. 
Commercially available air fresheners commonly use a container to carry a 
liquid chemical or solid spices, permitting the smell of the liquid 
chemical or solid spices to be released into the air for freshening the 
room, motor vehicle, etc. When a liquid chemical is used for releasing a 
smell for freshening the air, it will be splashed over the surrounding 
area when the container is shaken heavily. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is one object of the present invention to provide an air freshener which 
uses solid substances such as dehydrated flowers, solid spices, etc., for 
releasing a good smell for freshening the air. It is another object of the 
present invention to provide an air freshener which uses a fan motor to 
produce currents of air for carrying the smell of the dehydrated flowers, 
solid spices, etc., into the air. 
According to one aspect of the present invention, the air freshener 
comprises a base, a battery power supply and a fan motor mounted on the 
base and covered by a motor cover. The fan motor has a fan blade extending 
above the motor cover. A shell covers the motor cover and fan blade. The 
shell has a perforated top open chamber to hold spices. A transparent 
shade with air vents covers the top open chamber. A power switch is 
mounted on the shell and is connected in series between the battery power 
supply and the fan motor for controlling the operation of the fan motor, 
causing the fan motor to produce currents of air for carrying the smell of 
the spices out of the transparent shade into the air through the air vents 
on the transparent shade. According to another aspect of the present 
invention, an AC-to-DC adapter may be installed so that battery power 
supply as well as city power supply can be used for driving the fan motor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the base plate, referenced by 10, comprises two 
symmetrical battery chambers 11, a center recess 13, and two hooks 15 at 
two opposite sides. Two battery cells 12 are respectively mounted in the 
battery chambers 11 and connected in series. A motor 14 is mounted in the 
center recess 13. A motor cover 20 is fastened to the hooks 15 on the base 
plate 10 and covers the battery cells 12 and the motor 14. The motor cover 
20 comprises a chamber 21 overlaying the battery chambers 11, two 
retaining holes 22 respectively fastened to the hooks 15 of the base plate 
10, and a center motor mounting hole 23, which receives the motor 14. A 
fan blade 30 is coupled to the output shaft 141 of the motor 14 outside 
the motor cover 20. A shell 40 covers the fan blade 30 and the motor cover 
20. The shell 40 comprises a bottom chamber 41, which receives the base 
plate 10 and the motor cover 20. Two opposing retainer rods 42 fasten to 
the motor cover 20 to hold the motor cover 20 inside the bottom chamber 
41. Shell 40 also includes a top circular open chamber 43 with a plurality 
of air vents 44 formed therein and in communication with the bottom 
chamber 41. A power switch 45 is connected in series between the battery 
cells 12 and the motor 14 for controlling the operation of the motor 14. A 
transparent shade 50 is fastened to the shell 40 and covers the top open 
chamber 43. The shade 60 has a plurality of air vents 51 on the smoothly 
curved top side thereof. 
Referring to FIG. 5, dehydrated flowers or spices 60 are put in the top 
open chamber 43 and covered within the transparent shade 50. When the 
power switch is switched on, the smell of the dehydrated flowers or spices 
60 is carried out of the transparent shade 50 into the air through the air 
vents 51 by the currents of air induced by the fan blade 30. 
FIG. 6 shows an alternate form of the present invention, in which a lamp 
bulb 70 is installed in the top open chamber 43 of the shell 40. An 
AC-to-DC adapter 80 is mounted to the shell 40 for converting AC to DC for 
the motor 14. 
It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of 
illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and 
scope of the invention disclosed.