Abstract:
A scent diffuser comprises a porous membrane, an absorbing material and a scented liquid. The absorbing material is substantially contained by the porous membrane. The absorbing material contains peat moss. The scented liquid is absorbed by the absorbing material. When the scent diffuser is in use, the absorbing material gradually releases the absorbed scented liquid in ambient air through the porous membrane so as to distribute over a period of time a scent of the scented liquid.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to the field of scent diffusers. More specifically, the invention relates to a scent diffuser that uses peat moss as an absorbing material to absorb and release a scented liquid. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Diffusing a nice scent to mask an unpleasant smell such as those that may occur in bathrooms is common practice. Aromatherapy, which is a method of diffusing soothing or stimulating scents, depending on an intended objective, is rapidly gaining in popularity. Olfactive marketing consists of using scents in a business context to enhance the experience or to alter the mood of customers and to eventually make the customer take a purchasing decision. What all these activities have in common is that they use some kind of scent diffuser to diffuse the scent in ambient air. 
         [0003]    Some diffuser atomize a scented liquid directly in the air to produce the intended scent. The drawback of such scent diffusers is that the scent typically does not last long. Hence, a rather large quantity of scented liquid is required over time. 
         [0004]    In order to make the scent last longer, some diffusers use an absorbent material which absorbs the scented liquid and slowly release it in the ambient air. Such scent diffusers use a wick as its absorbent materials. The wick may be made of a rope, paper, or a bamboo stick. They all work by capillarity. Although they make the smell last longer than a spray, they often waste much scented liquid in the air through direct evaporation of the scented liquid in which the wick sit. This produces a more present smell in the first few hours or days, which rapidly declines as the scented liquid evaporates relatively rapidly. Other types of absorbent materials may include a gel or a sponge, which often are not natural products. 
         [0005]    Some other diffuser use energy to heat the scented liquid in order to release it in gas form in the ambient air. The disadvantage of such technology is that it requires a source of energy, which may not always be conveniently located or at all present in the room where the scent is intended to be released. 
         [0006]    In terms of scented liquids, many are petrol derived products, which may have a negative long-term incidence on health as the invisible particles of scented liquid suspended in ambient air are breathed and then absorbed by humans. 
         [0007]    There is therefore a need for an air diffuser that does not use energy, that do not use petrol by-products and that provides a longer-lasting scent. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a scent diffuser that overcomes or mitigates one or more disadvantages of known scent diffusers, or at least provides a useful alternative. 
         [0009]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a scent diffuser for releasing a scent in ambient air. The scent diffuser comprises a porous membrane, an absorbing material and a scented liquid. The absorbing material, which absorbs the scented liquid, is substantially contained by the porous membrane. The absorbing material contains peat moss. When the scent diffuser is in use, the absorbing material gradually releases the scented liquid in the air through the porous membrane so as to distribute over a period of time a scent of the scented liquid that was absorbed by the absorbing material. 
         [0010]    The porous membrane may be opaque and made of a fabric. The fabric may be a synthetic fiber such as nylon or a natural fiber such as jute or cotton for example. 
         [0011]    The scented liquid may be a scented oil such as an essential oil made of natural products. 
         [0012]    The absorbing material is substantially made of peat moss. Optionally, the absorbing material may be completely made of peat moss. The peat moss may be made of dried particles having a diameter smaller than 6 mm (0.24 inch) and preferably smaller than 5 mm (0.20 inch). 
         [0013]    Optionally, the scent diffuser may further include a container in which the absorbing material and the scented liquid are contained. The absorbing material and the scented liquid absorbed by the absorbing material may be placed directly in the container, or may be completely contained within the porous membrane. The container has an aperture through which the scent of the scented liquid is released. The aperture is at least partially closed by the porous membrane if the absorbing material with the scented liquid is placed completely within a closed bag made of the porous material, or the aperture may be completely closed by the porous membrane if the absorbing material with the scented liquid is placed directly in the container. 
         [0014]    The container is preferably opaque and may be made of a metallic material such as aluminum. 
         [0015]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a scent diffuser for diffusing a scent in ambient air where the scent diffuser comprises a porous membrane, an absorbing material, a scented liquid and a container. The absorbing material is substantially contained by the membrane and is made with peat moss. Optionally, the absorbing material may be made completely of peat moss. The scented liquid is absorbed by the absorbing material. The absorbing material with the absorbed scented liquid are contained within the container. The container has an aperture to release the scent of the scented liquid. The aperture is at least partially closed by the porous membrane. When the scent diffuser is in use, the absorbing material gradually releases the scented liquid in the ambient air through the porous membrane so as to distribute over a period of time a scent of the scented liquid that was absorbed by the absorbing material. 
         [0016]    Advantageously, the absorbing material and the absorbed scented liquid may be completely contained by the porous material such as if placed in a bag. Alternatively, the absorbing material and the absorbed scented liquid may be directly placed in the container and the porous membrane be placed so as to close the aperture, thereby preventing the absorbing material to escape the container while still allowing the scent particles of the scented liquid to escape in the ambient air. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the container is made of aluminum and the scented liquid is an essential oil. 
         [0018]    In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for making a scent diffuser. The method comprises the step of containing with a porous membrane an absorbing material made of peat moss and a scented liquid absorbed by the absorbing material. 
         [0019]    Optionally, the method further comprises placing the porous membrane in a container. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the method further comprises substantially closing an aperture of the container with the porous membrane. 
         [0021]    In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of diffusing a scent. The method comprises gradually releasing through a porous membrane a scented liquid absorbed by an absorbing material where the absorbing material is substantially made of peat moss. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    These and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a scent diffuser shown partially open to expose the material contained inside the scent diffuser in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the scent diffuser of  FIG. 1  placed in a container and shown partially open to expose the material contained inside the scent diffuser; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view describing a method of making a scent 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    The present invention relates to a scent diffuser. The scent diffuser uses a natural absorbing material which slowly and gradually releases a scented liquid absorbed by an absorbing material substantially made of peat moss through a porous membrane. The absorbing material may be reused. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  depicts a scent diffuser  10  for diffusing a scent  12  in ambient air  14 . The scent diffuser  10  comprises a porous membrane  16 , an absorbing material  18  and a scented liquid  20  absorbed by the absorbing material  14 . 
         [0028]    The scented liquid  20  is first mixed with the absorbing material  18  so that the scented liquid is all absorbed by the absorbing material  18 . The absorbing material  18 , soaked with the scented liquid  20 , is then placed inside a bag  22  made of the porous membrane  16 . The absorbing material  18  then slowly and gradually releases particles of the scented liquid  20  in the ambient air  14  through the porous membrane  16 . 
         [0029]    Typically, the scented liquid  20  is made of scented oil. For those who prefer natural products, essential oils having different fragrances may be used. Such oils are commercially available. 
         [0030]    Because essential oils may be affected by ultra-violet rays, it is preferable in this case to use a porous membrane  16  that is opaque. The porous membrane  16  is typically made of a fabric, itself made of a synthetic fiber such as nylon, which may be blended with lycra to provide some elasticity, or of a natural fiber such as cotton or jute. The porous membrane material needs to be selected so that the weave of the fabric does not create pores that are so large so as to let the absorbing material  18  through, or too small so as to prevent the released scented particles of the scented liquid  20  to travel through the porous membrane  16 . It has been found that widely available fabrics, such as cotton used for T-shirts, performs well. 
         [0031]    The absorbing material  18  is made in major part of peat moss. Actually, it has been found that it may be preferable to solely use peat moss as the absorbing material  18 . It has been found that a fine-grained peat moss with dried particles having a diameter smaller than 6 mm (0.24 inch), and preferably smaller or equal to 5 mm (0.20 inch) performs very well in retaining the scented liquid  20  and slowly releasing it. For example, the absorbing material “Clean Sorb”, an organic absorbent made of sphagnum peat moss performs very well. This absorbing material is made by Lambert, a Canadian company. This type of absorbing material may absorb up to 13 times its weight in liquid. It has been found that a ratio of 40 ml (2.4 cubic inch) of scented liquid  20  absorbed in 100 ml (6.1 cubic inch) of absorbing material  18  performs adequately. 
         [0032]    Once the absorbing material  18  has absorbed the scented liquid  20 , by trapping or encapsulating the scented liquid  20 , it slowly and gradually releases particles of the scented liquid  20 . For the quantities provided above, the scent may last up to a month. Once the absorbing material  18  has released all or most of the scented liquid  20  in the air  14 , it may conveniently be re-used to absorb more scented liquid  20 , thereby making for a user-friendly and earth-friendly scent diffuser. 
         [0033]    For convenience, the scent diffuser  10  may use a container  24  in which the bag  22 , containing the absorbing material  18  having absorbed the scented liquid  20 , is placed. The container  24  is equipped with an aperture  26  to release the scent of the scented liquid  20 . The bag  22  is typically placed in the container  24  so as to completely close the aperture  26 . However, it may occur that the bag  22  does not completely close the aperture  26 . This does not create a real problem as the absorbing material  18  is totally contained within the bag  22  made of the porous membrane  16 . 
         [0034]    Alternatively, the absorbing material  18  having absorbed the scented liquid  20  may be placed directly in the container  24 . In this case, it is preferable that the porous membrane  16  be placed so as to completely close the aperture  26  so that the absorbing material  18  cannot escape. In this case, the porous membrane  16  may be attached on a perimeter of the aperture  26 . 
         [0035]    Again, because essential oils, which may be used as the scented liquid  20 , are affected by ultra-violets rays, it may be preferable to use an opaque container. The container  24  may be made of dark colored glass, painted glass, wood, plastic, metallic material, or any other suitable material. It has been found that an aluminum container performs adequately, may be cleaned easily and does not get degraded by the scented liquid  20 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  is now referred to. The scent diffuser  10  may be made by first mixing a first quantity of scented liquid  20  in a second quantity of absorbing material  18  at step  28  until the scented liquid  20  is fully absorbed by the absorbing material  18 , or until the absorbing material  18  is saturated. These mixed components are then placed either directly in the bag  22  made of the porous membrane  16 , which is then closed to control diffusion of the scented liquid  16 , or directly in the container  24  in step  30 . The importance being that the mixed components be at least partially contained by the porous membrane  16 . In the case where the mixed components is placed in the bag  22 , the bag  22  is closed and then may be placed in the container  24  at step  32 . In the case where the mixed components of absorbing material  18  and absorbed scented liquid  20  are placed directly in the container  24 , the porous membrane  16  must be installed so as to close the aperture of the container  24  and so as to contain these mixed components and allow gradual release of the scented liquid  20 . 
         [0037]    Different fragrances may be used for different applications of the scent diffuser  10  and its associated method of diffusing a scent. For example, a scented liquid having a coffee fragrance may be used near a coffee machine or near coffee shops to entice customers to purchase coffee. Another example may be to use the scent diffuser  10  and associated method to diffuse a fragrance of lemon in a public bathroom to mask odors. Yet another example may be to use the scent diffuser  10  and associated method to diffuse a fragrance of lavender in a house to provide a soothing atmosphere. 
         [0038]    The present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments. The description as much as the drawings were intended to help the understanding of the invention, rather than to limit its scope. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein, and such modifications are intended to be covered by the present description. The invention is defined by the claims that follow.