Abstract:
An air freshener with a device configured to maintain an air freshener&#39;s ability to disseminate a constant odor to an environment. The device incrementally advances the position of an air freshening composition such that an effective amount to maintain the air freshening odor is consistently exposed to the surrounding environment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This Application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/747,491 filed May 17, 2006 entitled “Actuated Air Freshener Dispenser,” wherein such provisional application is hereby incorporated in its entirety, by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to a device for distributing an air freshener composition. More particularly, the device of the present invention comprises an actuated air freshener distribution device configured to advance the position of an air freshener composition so that an effective amount is continuously exposed to an environment.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Air fresheners have long been common household items used to enhance the environment of their surrounding area. Many air fresheners comprise a fragranced liquid or gelatinous material which evaporate over time at room temperature or when heat is applied to them. These liquid or gelatinous materials are known as “volatiles.” 
         [0004]     Generally, a consumer purchases an air freshener, removes it from the packaging, and sets it in the desired location. The consumer can then enjoy the benefits of an odor enhanced environment. Once the air freshening volatiles have exhausted, though, the user must purchase another air freshener device for replacement. As such, the user is required to monitor the air freshener device and, upon identifying that the device has exhausted its volatiles, must purchase the replacement. Additionally, air fresheners are inconsistent in their ability to maintain a constant intensity of air freshness to their respective environment. For example, as the various volatiles that comprise the air freshening composition evaporate, they usually do so at varying rates, thereby resulting in an ever decreasing effectiveness to deliver adequate air freshness over the life of the air freshener.  
         [0005]     What is needed is an air freshening device that is consistent in its ability to deliver a consistent level of air freshening intensity over the usable life of the air freshening device. Also needed is a device that has a usable life in excess of a typical air freshener, such that a user does need to monitor the device to the extent they would need to monitor a typical air freshener.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     As set forth in the detailed description and accompanying figures, the present invention comprises, in various exemplary embodiments, a device configured to overcome a typical air freshener&#39;s shortcomings with regard to maintaining consistent odor effectiveness during the usable life of the product. As a result, an air freshener device that exhibits a useful life in excess of a typical air freshener is disclosed.  
         [0007]     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an air freshener is configured with an actuation mechanism that advances the position of an air freshener composition. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the actuation mechanism of the air freshener is powered by at least one of a battery, solar cell, outlet plug, charged capacitor, and any like components that can provide operating power to the mechanism or cause the mechanism to actuate. Further, in accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the air freshening device is configured to exhibit a usable life in excess of typical static air fresheners.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The subject invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein;  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an schematic diagram of the present invention depicting a motorized air freshening device in a pre-actuated state in an exemplary embodiment;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an schematic diagram of the present invention depicting the motorized air freshening device in the actuated state, wherein the air freshening composition is shown in an advanced position and exposed to the environment in an exemplary embodiment;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3A  is a schematic diagram depicting a discrete switch for operating the device according to an exemplary embodiment;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3B  is a schematic diagram depicting a variable switch for operating the device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram depicting a cap with an opening according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the invention herein makes reference to the accompanying figures. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.  
         [0015]     In accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, an air freshener device is configured with an actuating mechanism that advances the position of an air freshener composition to expose a portion of the air freshening composition to an environment. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an air freshener composition having a substantially solid or semi-solid form is provided, wherein the form is advanced by an actuation mechanism suitably connected to a motor. As the motor operates, it actuates the mechanism to incrementally advance the position of the air freshening composition. As the composition is advanced, a portion is exposed to the environment. The portion of the air freshening composition exposed to the environment evaporates depending on the certain environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity.  
         [0016]     In this exemplary embodiment, a portion of the air freshening composition is continually exposed to the environment. Specifically, a portion of air freshening composition is exposed to the environment and evaporates. Before the portion of the composition completely evaporates, the air freshening composition is advanced by the motor and actuation mechanism. exposing a new un-evaporated portion of the composition to the environment. Therefore, a portion of the air freshening composition is always exposed to the environment until the air freshening composition completely evaporates or is otherwise volitized.  
         [0017]     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and with reference to  FIG. 1 , an actuatable air freshener is shown. Air freshener  100  comprises a vessel  105  to house various components of air freshener  100  such as an actuating mechanism  110  and a composition  120  which is scented. Actuating mechanism  110  comprises various elements that function to incrementally advance the position of composition  120 .  
         [0018]     In an exemplary embodiment, an actuating mechanism  110  is operable by a switch  140  to actuate an advancing platform  150  by an advancing member such as a screw  130 . The motor drives screw  130  which moves composition  120  into or out of the environment depending on the direction that screw  130  moves. In other exemplary embodiments, the motor is eliminated and the screw  130  is moved by a dial, knob, or other type of user-controlled device located on air freshener  100 .  
         [0019]     In the exemplary embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , advancing platform  150  is configured to support composition  120 , and as screw  130  is turned by the motor advancing platform  150  pushes composition  120  into the environment.  FIG. 2 . depicts composition  120  in an advanced state, wherein a portion is exposed to the environment.  
         [0020]     In other exemplary embodiments, advancing platform  150  can be operated by other components than depicted in  FIG. 1 . For example, advancing platform  150  can be raised and lowered by a piston or similar mechanism. In yet other exemplary embodiments, air advancing platform  150  is driven by pins. Further, while only a single screw  130  is depicted, a plurality of mechanisms could be used to move advancing platform  150  as noted below.  
         [0021]     Alternatively, advancing platform  150  may not be mechanically driven but operated by the user. In such an exemplary embodiment, advancing platform  150  may contact vessel  105  by friction fit or contact vessel  105  by interlocking releasable members such as tabs (not shown). In this exemplary embodiment, a user can manually advance platform  150  with their hands or other object.  
         [0022]     In yet other exemplary embodiments, advancing platform  150  may not move at all but rather is stationary. In these exemplary embodiments, vessel  105  may be movable by a sliding, twisting, or other similar motion that exposes composition  120  to the environment. Moving the vessel  105  exposes composition  120  to the environment thereby freshening the air in the surrounding environment. In still yet another exemplary embodiment, vessel  105  comprises a material that is easily removable and allows the user to remove a portion of vessel  105  to expose composition  120  to the environment. In this exemplary embodiment, vessel  105  may be constructed from a paper-based material such as cardboard or any other type of material that is easily removable.  
         [0023]     In accordance with an aspect of the invention, vessel  105  comprises any configuration that houses the various actuating elements and allows composition  120  to be stored and subsequently incrementally advanced within vessel  105  to expose a portion of composition  120  to the environment. In one exemplary embodiment, vessel  105  comprises a regular geometric tubular shape such as, for example, an oval, circle, rectangle, square, or any other polygonal shape. In other exemplary embodiments, vessel  105  comprises other configurations, such as irregular shapes or decorative shapes.  
         [0024]     In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, cap  160 , is used to seal vessel  105 . As cap  160  is removed actuating mechanism  110  may be activated and composition  120  can advance and, thereby, become exposed to the environment, as shown in  FIG. 2 . In another aspect of the invention, a cap  160  may be used as to facilitate a decorative exposed shape to provide a more aesthetically pleasing embodiment. For example, instead of air freshener  100  displaying exposed composition  120  as composition  120  emerges from vessel  105 , cap  160 , as the one shown in  FIG. 1  further comprises an opening  162  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Other openings  162  other than shown in  FIG. 4 . can be used for cap  160  and fall within the scope of the present invention though. In this exemplary embodiment, as composition  120  is advanced, it is forced through opening  162  of cap  160 , and the exposed air freshening composition emerges as a 3-D decorative design.  
         [0025]     In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, cap  160  may be used as both an opening  162  and a sealing element. In one exemplary embodiment, cap  160  may comprise a peel-off cover, such that upon removal, air freshener  100  can be activated and composition  120  can be exposed to the environment. In another exemplary embodiment, cap  160  may screw onto air freshener  100  or snap onto air freshener  100 .  
         [0026]     In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, air freshener  100  comprises actuating mechanism  110  which comprises advancing platform  150  and screw  130 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the motor is powered by a battery. However, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the motor may comprise other elements configured to supply power to the motor. For example, power may be supplied by elements such as, a solar cell, a charged capacitor, an outlet plug, gravity, and any like components that can provide operating power to the motor and associated actuating mechanism  110 . With return reference to  FIG. 2 , as composition  120  advances due to the operation of actuating mechanism  110  and is exposed to the environment, composition  120  evaporates or is otherwise volatized at a particular rate dictated by the particular air freshening composition and the encountered environmental factors.  
         [0027]     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, air freshener  100  comprises a switch that is suitably configured to initiate the operation of actuating mechanism  110 . The switch allows a user to control when air freshener  100  is actuated. For example, the switch is in an “OFF” position during shipping and display. Once a consumer purchases the item, it is removed from the packaging and the switch is turned to the “ON” position, thereby actuating the unit. The switch also allows the user to control the operation of air freshener  100  based upon their particular lifestyle. For example, if a user travels frequently or opts to be away from the environment, the user has the ability to disengage operation of the unit by turning the switch to the OFF position. With reference to the  FIGS. 1 and 2 , air freshener  100  further comprises switch  140  suitably connected to actuating mechanism  110 . As switch  140  is set to the ON position, air freshener  100  is actuated, when set in the OFF position, actuating mechanism  110  is deactivated.  
         [0028]     In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, switch  140  is configured to be adjustable and allows for gradients of operability of actuating mechanism  110 . In this embodiment, switch  140  comprises a discrete or variable control mechanism. In other exemplary embodiments, switch  140  merely acts as an “on/off” switch. With reference to  FIG. 3A , an exemplary discrete switch  140  is depicted, wherein the device may be adjusted from an OFF position (i.e. no power or movement) to variable discrete operating positions ( 1 - 5 ) up to a MAX position (i.e. full power and movement). With reference to  FIG. 3B , an exemplary variable switch  140  is depicted, wherein the air freshener  100  may be adjusted to operate along any point between the OFF and MAX position. By incorporating such switches, a user can synchronize the optimum operating parameter for their unique environmental conditions, or tailor the device to their operating preferences.  
         [0029]     In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, switch  140  is configured to be suitably connected to elements that further facilitate control of actuating mechanism  110 . For example, switch  140  may be suitably connected to a control/timing device that is configured to monitor various control elements and/or temporal conditions. As the control device is programmed by a user or encounters pre-set conditions, the control device feeds input into switch  140  (or directly to the motor) to subsequently control operation of actuating mechanism  110 .  
         [0030]     For example, switch  140  may be configured to operate in conjunction with an environmental monitoring device which is configured to monitor various conditions either in the surrounding environment or within air freshener  100 . A user, knowing that the evaporation rate of composition  120  may be dependent upon particular environmental conditions, such as, air temperature, pressure, moisture content, or the like, benefits from the monitoring device that forwards a signal to switch  140  so that switch  140  can adjust the setting of air freshener  100  to appropriately maintain the optimum setting. In other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, switch  140  merely acts as a timing device. In these exemplary embodiments, switch  140  may be turned to a pre-set time amount and activate actuating mechanism  110  for desired time period.  
         [0031]     In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, actuating mechanism  110  comprises a motor, a screw  130 , and an advancing platform  150 . As described briefly herein, composition  120  is supported by advancing platform  150 . As actuating mechanism  110  is engaged to operate by switch  140 , the motor turns screw  130 , thereby causing advancing platform  150  to rise, and consequently causing composition  120  to emerge from vessel  105  and become exposed to the environment.  
         [0032]     It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that screw  130  and advancing platform  150  is merely one example of an actuation configuration. Any other configuration that provides for advancement of composition  120  by a powering means, such as a motor, is contemplated by the present invention. For example, air freshener  100  may benefit from a configuration upside down, and advancing the composition occurs through gravity and a braking mechanism. Moreover, the actuation configuration may comprise any other known combination of screws, platforms, pulleys, cables, wedges, compressed air, gears, bearings, rods, and any like actuating elements or advancing members. In this regard, any other advancing member or device that performs the function of screw  130  can be used and fall within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0033]     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, air freshener  100  comprises composition  120  that is volatizable and evaporates based on environmental conditions. As used throughout this application, the term “volatizable” means the ability for the composition  120  to emit a sufficient amount of fragrance to adequately freshen the surrounding environment whether or not it is evaporated. For example, a solid or gelatinous composition  120  may be “volatized” if it has lost its ability to emit a fragrance sufficient to freshen the surrounding environment. Therefore, a portion of this type of composition  120  may protrude from the air freshener  100  and would be volatized if that portion no longer emitted a sufficient amount of fragrance to freshen the air. Further, the term “volatized” also means when composition  120  is evaporating or is completely evaporated.  
         [0034]     Composition  120  comprises a gel form in one exemplary embodiment. In other exemplary embodiments, composition  120  may be configured with any consistency such that upon exposure to the environment, composition  120  is able to maintain a static position. In other words, composition  120  is sturdy enough to remain in one position, supported by a platform, such that composition  120  may interact with the natural fluid flow of the air when exposed to the environment. In accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, composition  120  may comprise various configurations and may be a liquid, solid, gelatinous, or take other states.  
         [0035]     For example, composition  120  may comprise at least two different scents that, in one instance, are layered, thus, as composition  120  advances, as one scent is exhausted over time, the other scent is exposed. In another example, composition  120  comprises various aesthetic characteristics, for example, color. For example, composition  120  may comprise two or more different colors that again may be layered, and as composition  120  advances, a new color is exposed.  
         [0036]     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, composition  120  may be configured to indicate when the life of air freshener  100  or composition  120  is exhausted. As illustrated by  FIGS. 1 and 2 , because the device is configured to consistently expose a portion of composition  120  to the environment, a user may have a difficult time determining how much longer the device will last before it must be replaced. In one exemplary embodiment, vessel  105  may be transparent or have a transparent portion to allow the user to see to what level composition  120  has advanced and exhausted.  
         [0037]     In another exemplary embodiment, composition  120  may comprise a separate color towards the last portion to be exposed. In this manner, a user can identify that air freshener  100  must be replaced or refilled upon noticing the change in color that is exposed. The same type of indication can be accomplished by other indicators, such as a separate odor. In yet another exemplary embodiment, advancing platform  150 , as it advances incrementally, may be configured to actuate an end of use indicator switch. The indicator switch, for example, may comprise an indicator light, or audible indicator.  
         [0038]     Finally, various principles of the invention have been described in illustrative embodiments. However, many combinations and modifications of the above-described structures, arrangements, proportions, elements materials and components, used in the practice of the invention, in addition to those not specifically described, can be varied without departing from those principles.