Abstract:
Technologies are generally described for air freshener devices. The devices may comprise an insertion section including electrodes. The electrodes may be effective to receive and conduct an electric current and to secure the devices to an electric source. The devices may include a base. The base may be attached the insertion section. The base may include a port effective to receive at least part of the electric current from the electrodes. The base may include a collar effective to apply heat sufficient to release a fragrance from a material infused with the fragrance when at least part of the electrical current is supplied to the collar from the electrodes. The device may include a cap. The cap may have a ring shaped cross-section and may be sized and shaped so as to be connectable to the base such that the port is accessible when the cap is connected.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Air fresheners reduce or mask undesired odors and emit pleasant odors. Air fresheners typically emit a pleasant odor in the form of a fragrance. Air fresheners include sprays, candles, oils, gels, and plug-ins. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In one example, air freshener devices are generally described. The devices may comprise an insertion section. The insertion section may include a first side and a second side. The insertion section may include electrodes. The electrodes may be effective to receive and conduct an electric current. The electrodes may be further effective to secure the device to an electric source such that the first side of the insertion section is proximate to the electric source. The devices may include a base. The base may include a first end. The first end of the base may be attached to the second end of the insertion section. The base may include a port at a second end of the base. The port may be effective to receive at least part of the electric current from the electrodes. The base may include a collar. The collar may be within the base. The collar may be positioned between the first end of the base and the second end of the base. The collar may be effective to apply heat sufficient to release a fragrance from a material infused with the fragrance when at least part of the electrical current is supplied to the collar from the electrodes. The devices may include a cap. The cap may have a ring shaped cross-section. The cap may be sized and shaped so as to be connectable to the base around the second end of the base such that the port is accessible when the cap is connected to the base. 
         [0003]    In another example, methods for assembling a device are generally described. The methods may comprise attaching a cap to a first end of a base. The cap may have a ring shaped cross section. The cap may be effective to secure a material infused with a fragrance to a collar and the base. The base may include a port at the first end of the base. The collar may be positioned between the first end of the base and the second end of the base. The first end of the base may be connected to a first side of an insertion section. The insertion section may include electrodes effective to receive and conduct an electric current. The electrodes may be further effective to secure the device to an electric source such that a second side of the insertion section is proximate to the electric source. The port may be effective to receive at least part of the electric current from the electrodes. The collar may be effective to apply heat sufficient to release the fragrance from the material infused with the fragrance when at least part of the electrical current is supplied to the collar from the electrodes. 
         [0004]    In another example, methods for releasing fragrance from a material are generally described. The methods may comprise placing a material infused with a fragrance around a collar. The collar may be positioned between a first end of a base and a second end of the base. The first end of the base may be attached to a first side of an insertion section. The insertion section may include electrodes effective to receive and conduct an electric current. The electrodes may be further effective to secure a device to an electric source such that a second side of the insertion section is proximate to the electric source. The methods may comprise attaching a cap to the second end of the base. The cap may have a ring shaped cross section. The cap may be effective to secure the material infused with the fragrance to the collar and the base. The methods may comprise attaching the electrodes to the electric source. The methods may comprise receiving the electric current from the electrodes at the collar. The collar may be effective to apply heat sufficient to release the fragrance from the material infused with the fragrance. 
         [0005]    The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0006]    The foregoing and other features of this disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only some embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an air freshener; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an air freshener with metal terminals; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of an air freshener with metal terminals; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view illustrating two ports of an air freshener; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an angled side perspective view illustrating a body, a disk, and a cap enclosure of an air freshener; 
           [0012]    all in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components unless context indicates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure as generally described herein and as illustrated in the accompanying figures can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated and/or designed in a wide variety of different configurations all of which are explicitly contemplated herein. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an air freshener in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. An air freshener  102  may include a body  112  comprising an insertion section  130  connected to an outer section  132 . Insertion section  130  of body  112  may have a cylindrical shape and may have a first and a second end. Insertion section  130  may include an anode electrode  104  extending axially from the first end. The second end of insertion section  130  may be connected to outer section  132 . Insertion section  130  may include cathode electrodes  106  extending radially from the sides of insertion section  130 . Insertion section  130  including anode electrode  104  and cathode electrodes  106 , may be arranged such that air freshener  102  may be plugged into a cigarette lighter socket, such as a vehicle cigarette lighter socket, with the anode electrode  104  and the cathode electrodes  106  aligning and connecting to the electrodes of the vehicle cigarette lighter socket respectively. The current provided by the vehicle cigarette lighter socket may be direct current and may be 12 volts. 
         [0015]    Outer section  132  may be substantially hemispherical shaped and include a cap  116  and a base  134 . Outer section  132  may be connected to insertion section  130  axially at base  134 . Base  134  may be substantially cylindrically shaped with a substantially larger radius than insertion section  130 . Base  134  may have a first and a second side and may include flat edges, textured edges or be smooth. Base  134  may slightly taper in radius axially on the first side of base  134 . The first side of base  134  may be attached to the second side of insertion section  130 . Cap  116  may extend axially from base  134  on the second side of base  134 . Cap  116  may be substantially hemispherical in shape and may be smooth and taper in radius along an axial direction away from base  134 . Cap  116  may have a ring shaped cross-section defining an opening in the middle of cap  116  where the second end of base  134  may be exposed when cap  116  is connected to base  134 . Cap  116  may include vents  110 . Vents  110  may be grilled, slotted, screened, or any other venting configuration capable of allowing air to flow between inside of cap  116  and outside of cap  116 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a side view of air freshener  102  with metal terminals in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Those components in  FIG. 2  that are labeled identically to components of  FIG. 1  will not be described again for the purposes of clarity. In another embodiment, insertion section  130  may include electrodes  140  that are metal prongs or terminals extending axially from base  134 . Metal terminals  140  may be arranged such that air freshener  102  may be plugged into an electrical socket. Metal terminals  140  may secure air freshener  102  to an electric socket when plugged into the electric socket. An electrical current may be provided to metal terminals  140  and subsequently to air freshener  102  when metal terminals  140  are plugged into an electrical socket. 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of air freshener  102  with metal terminals in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Those components in  FIG. 3  that are labeled identically to components of  FIGS. 1-2  will not be described again for the purpose of clarity. Metal terminals  140  in insertion section  130  may be retractable. Metal terminals  140  may be able to fold 90 degrees to range from perpendicular to the surface of the first side of base  134  to parallel to the surface of the first side of base  134 . Grooves  142  may be present in the surface of base  134  such that metal terminals  140 , when folded parallel to the surface of the first side of base  134 , may recess into the surface of the first side of base  134 . When recessed into the surface of the first side of base  134 , metal terminals  140  may be completely submerged within the first side of base  134 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a front view illustrating two ports of air freshener  102  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Those components in  FIG. 4  that are labeled identically to components of  FIGS. 1-3  will not be described again for the purposes of clarity. Air freshener  102  may include ports  108  and grilled vents  110 . Ports  108  may be included in the second side of base  134  and grilled vents  110  may be included in cap  116 . Ports  108  may be universal serial bus (USB) ports and may be accessible when cap  116  is attached to base  134 . Cap  116  may have a ring shaped cross-section and may be sized and shaped so as to be connectable to base  134  around the second end of base  134  such that ports  108  are accessible when cap  116  is connected. In one embodiment, ports  108  may be powered by an electric current from anode electrode  104  and cathode electrode  106  (illustrated in  FIG. 1 ) when connected to vehicle cigarette lighter socket electrodes. In another embodiment, ports may be powered by an electric current from metal terminals  140  (illustrated in  FIGS. 2-3 ) when plugged into an electric socket. As described in more detail below, vents  110  in cap  116  may allow fragrance to flow from air freshener  102 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is an angled side perspective view illustrating a body, a disk, and a cap enclosure of car air freshener  102  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Those components in  FIG. 5  that are labeled identically to components of  FIG. 1-4  will not be described again for the purposes of clarity. Air freshener  102  may include insertion section  130 , base  134 , a disk  114  and cap  116 . Insertion section  130  may include anode electrode  104  and cathode electrodes  106 , and may be attached to base  134 . Base  134  may include USB ports  108 , and collar  118 . Current provided by a vehicle cigarette lighter socket may travel from electrode cathode  106  to electrode anode  104  and provide power to USB ports  108 . 
         [0020]    Disk  114  may be a liquid oil, gel or solid material infused with a fragrance. Fragrances may be any desirable fragrance including fruit scents, new car smell, etc. Disk  114  may be in the shape of a flat ring and may fit around collar  118 . Collar  118  may be heated when a current provided by vehicle cigarette lighter socket travels from electrode cathode  106  to electrode anode  104 . Heating of collar  118  by electric current provided by vehicle cigarette lighter socket may release fragrance from disk  114 . 
         [0021]    Cap  116  may secure disk  114  to collar  118  and base  134  when cap  116  is attached to base  134 . Cap  116  may attach to base  134  and be secured to base  134  by locking mechanism  120 . Locking mechanism  120  may secure cap  116  to base  134  such as by protrusions from base  134  that cap  116  may snap onto to secure to base  134 . Locking mechanism  120  may secure cap  116  to base  134  such as by threads on base  134  for cap  116  to screw onto to secure to base  134 . Fragrance emitted from heating of disk  114  may disperse through vents  110  in cap  116  to freshen air proximate to air freshener  102 . 
         [0022]    For example, insertion section  130  may be placed into a vehicle cigarette lighter socket such that anode electrode  104  and cathode electrodes  106  align with electrodes in vehicle cigarette lighter socket. Electric current may travel from vehicle cigarette lighter socket to cathode electrodes  106  through air freshener  102  circuitry to anode electrode  104  and back to vehicle cigarette lighter socket. Electric current may be direct current and may be 12 volts. Air freshener  102  circuitry may be configured to supply electric current to USB ports  108 . USB ports  108  may function to supply power to connected USB cables for powering and/or charging devices attached to a connected USB cable. Air freshener  102  circuitry may further be configured to provide electric current to heat collar  118  in base  134 . Collar  118  may be heated by electric current as current travels from cathode electrodes  106  to anode electrode  106 . Collar  118 , heated by electric current, may conduct heat to disk  114  located and secured around collar  118  by cap  116 . Heating of disk  114  may release fragrance infused within material of disk  114 . Released fragrance may diffuse into the air. Air with diffused fragrance may disperse through vents  110  and provide fragrance to air proximate to air freshener  102 . 
         [0023]    Among other potential benefits, a device in accordance with the disclosure may provide a desired fragrance within a vehicle while also providing operational USB ports for use. Vehicles with a single cigarette lighter socket may be able to utilize the single socket for more than one purpose. Multiple devices, such as global positioning devices (GPS), cell phone chargers, media players, etc., may be attached to the USB ports while freshening the air of the vehicle. 
         [0024]    While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.