Abstract:
A snowglobe assembly for emitting a fragrance to an ambient environment. A motor may be provided to agitate particulate material inside the globe.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The embodiments of the invention relate to globe assemblies and, more particularly, to globe assemblies that emit a fragrance. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The use of globe assemblies is known in the prior art. Many known systems have particulate material suspended in a liquid in the globe assembly and have means, such as a motor, for circulating or agitating the particulate material suspended in a liquid if the globe assembly to give the appearance of snow falling. Often there is some type of figurine located in the globe assembly. It is also known to incorporate music assemblies for generating an aural tune as well as light sources. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a snowglobe is provided having a base member, a globe member, a fan and a fragrance source. The base member is adapted for resting upon a horizontal support surface. It has a bottom wall and a perimeter wall extending upwardly, from the bottom wall. The base member has a substantially hollow space and an air intake port and an air outflow port. The globe member is substantially transparent and has a perimeter wall defining an interior space. The globe member is mounted on the base member. The fan is located in the hollow space wherein the fan, in operation, creates an air stream that draws exterior air to the base member through the air intake port and circulates it to the air out flow port. The fragrance source is located inside the hollow space of the base member and is positioned in the air stream created by the fan. There is at least one opening in the base member for allowing a scent generated by the fragrance source to escape the substantially hollow space of the base to an exterior of the base member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a globe assembly according to embodiments of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is the globe assembly shown in  FIG. 1  with a door located on the base member opened to expose a portion of a substantially hollow interior of the base member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a globe assembly according to embodiments of the invention. The globe assembly  10  generally includes a base member  12  and a globe member  18 . The base member  12  is adapted for resting upon a horizontal support surface such as a table. The base member  12  has a bottom wall  14  and a perimeter wall  16  that extends upwardly from the bottom wall  14 . The base member  12  is substantially hollow. The globe member  18  is mounted on the base member  12 . The globe member  18  has a perimeter wall  19  that defines an interior space  20 . The perimeter wall  18  is substantially spherical although it may have other desired shapes. The perimeter wall  18  is also substantially transparent and is preferably substantially transparent about its entirety so as not to block viewing of the interior space  20  of objects that may be located in the interior space of the globe member  18 . 
     The globe member  18  is substantially filled with a liquid media  22 , and a quantity of particulate material  24 . The particulate material  24  may be temporarily suspended in the liquid media  22  upon disturbance or movement of the liquid media. The particulate material is often shaped to resemble snow or snow flakes. The agitated particulate material relatively slowly descends through gravitational forces on the liquid media and particulate material to thereby simulate snow fall in the interior space  20  of the globe member  18 . 
     The embodiments of the globe assembly may also include a moving means (not shown), such as motor assembly, for continuously agitating the liquid media and thus the particulate material while the motor assembly is active. This will create a continuous snowfall effect of the particulate matter as long as the motor is operating. 
     The moving means may include a motor assembly that is positioned in the hollow space of the base member. A rotating member (not shown) such as an impeller is operationally coupled to the motor assembly as well known to those of ordinary skill. The rotating member may be provided with blades adapted to create the agitation in the liquid media. 
     In one embodiment, a battery may be provided in the hollow space of the base member. The battery provides electrical energy to the motor assembly. A switch member is positioned substantially within the base member and is accessible to a user through a switch aperture n the base member. The switch member is operationally coupled to the battery member and the motor assembly. The switch member has a first position that permits electrical energy to flow from the battery to the motor assembly. The switch member has a second position that inhibits electrical energy flowing from the battery to the motor assembly. 
     In another embodiment, an electrical input connector may be used instead of, or in addition to, the battery to operatively couple the motor assembly to a power outlet, such as a wall socket. The electrical input connector  50  is preferably coupled to the base member. The electrical input connector  50  facilitates supply of energy to the motor assembly. A cord assembly  52  is designed to be coupled to a conventional household electrical outlet and the electrical input connector  50 . The cord assembly  52  may also include an AC adapter, if necessary. 
     A music assembly may be provided and located substantially within the base member  12 . In such a case, the base member  12  would be provided with a plurality of music apertures to allow music to be heard externally of the base member. The music assembly may be controlled by the same switch controlling the motor assembly, or a separate switch may be provided so that it operates independently from the motor assembly. 
     Located within the globe assembly may be a figurine. The figurine may be of a person or persons, or of an object or a plurality of objects, for example, a small village. The figurine may be stationary or it may rotate. In particular, the figurine may be operatively coupled to the motor assembly, as would be well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to rotate with the motor assembly. 
       FIG. 2  is the globe assembly shown in  FIG. 1  with a door forming part of the perimeter wall of the base member opened to expose a portion of a substantially hollow interior of the base member. Located within the substantially hollow space of the base member is a fragrance source as well as a fan. The fragrance source may take many forms. For example, it may be a solid gel such as those seen in air fresheners, or fragrance impregnated pellets. Alternatively, it may be a volatile fluid in which case preferably a wick is provided and partially immersed in the fluid. 
     Wick in one example is formed from a plastic material such as nylon, or in particular ultra high molecular weight, high density polyethylene (HDPE). Alternatively, wick could be formed from another material (e.g., cotton, fiber, capillary, stone, ceramic, etc.). Fragrance source, in one example, is a liquid dispenser that is designed to disseminate a volatile liquid, such as a fragrance compound, into a room. The fragrance compound emanates from the wick at room ambient temperature and is moved into the ambient air via a generated air stream as will be described below. 
     The wick and fragrance source can release a fragrance in a variety of ways. For example, wick and fragrance source could be episodic, meaning that a fragrance is only released for a short period of time, such as a few hours or even minutes. Alternatively, the wick and fragrance source could release a fragrance for longer periods of time, such as days, weeks, or months. The longevity of wick and/or fragrance source will depend on the needs of the designers, manufacturers, buyers, and consumers. It should also be noted that wick and fragrance source could be replaced by another device that emanates a fragrance (e.g., gels, solids, fogs, aerosols, etc.), as long as the device that produces the fragrance is positioned such that the fragrance is placed in the air stream. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, the fragrance source takes the form of a liquid housed in a container having a wick partially submerged in the liquid. Preferably, a fan is located in the substantially hollow space of the base to create an air current. The air current it generates will be directed against the exposed wick to help disperse the fragrance. The base member has perforations or apertures formed in its bottom wall (not shown) that allow fresh air into the substantially hollow space of the base. Located at the top of the base member are perforations or apertures that allow the scented air to escape into the ambient air outside of the base member. The fan assembly may generate the air stream and may be controlled by the same switch controlling the motor assembly, or a separate switch may provided so that it operates independently from the motor assembly. 
     The base member is provided with a door in its perimeter wall that can be opened to partially expose the substantially hollow space. A user can thus access the compartment that holds the battery so that it can be easily replaced. Also, the container housing the fragrance can be refilled with the same scent or a different one depending on the users preference. Also, the fan assembly can be accessed in case it needs servicing. 
     In use, a user can shake the globe and base assembly if it is not provided with a motor to agitate the snow or, alternatively, the user turns on the motor assembly. The air fan may be activated so that a fragrance is emitted by the base member into the atmosphere and enjoyed by the user. For example, if a figurine is provided in the globe member, the user may fill the liquid container with an appropriate fragrance. For example, if a Christmas holiday type figurine is in the globe&#39;s interior, the user may select an appropriate fragrance such as pine tree or bay berry. If the figuring is a Fall or Halloween type figuring, the user may select a fragrance such as pumpkin. The same can be said for the various seasons and holidays. 
     The exterior of the base member&#39;s perimeter wall may be decorated as well perhaps with some engravings as shown in  FIG. 1 , or a picture, for example.