Abstract:
A liquid-misting apparatus is described that is installed in the air-handling system of a vehicle. Upon operation by an occupant of the vehicle, the system mists liquid containing a fragrance, deodorant, antibacterial solution, etc. or any combination thereof into the air handling system of the vehicle to improve the comfort and enjoyment of all of the occupants of the vehicle.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims an invention which was disclosed in Provisional Application No. 61/337,578, filed Feb. 8, 2010, entitled “APPARATUS TO INJECT LIQUID SOLUTION INTO A VEHICLE AIR AIRCULATING SYSTEM”. The benefit under 35 USC §119(e) of the United States provisional application is hereby claimed, and the aforementioned application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The invention pertains to the field of vehicle air fresheners. More particularly, the invention pertains to an air freshener for use in a vehicle that employs a solvent fluid containing a fragrance and/or air freshening agent and stored in the vehicle for injection into the vehicle&#39;s air conditioning and/or heating system. 
         [0005]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0006]    Vehicular air fresheners are well known to the art, and many types are available on the market. Most function acceptably well, but all have a common problem, in that they are cumbersome add-ons that intrude into the already-cramped passenger compartment of the vehicle. They can be easily bumped into and broken or dislodged. 
         [0007]    One example of this is published patent application 2009/0250526 by Litten-Brown, et al. That invention requires the installation of a fragrance device containing multiple compartments into the passenger compartment of a vehicle. While it can be used with the vehicle&#39;s existing heating/air conditioning system, the placement of the invention near the vents of the vehicle reduces existing space. Although it also contemplates the use of a separate fan for the required air flow, this further increases the space required for its use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In contrast, the existing invention works with the vehicle&#39;s existing air-handling system with minimal intrusion. Other than a control switch, no visible presence in the vehicle compartment is required. Loss of space in the vehicle compartment is therefore reduced to an absolute minimum. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the invention installed in a typical vehicle air-handling system. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  shows the component parts for the attachment depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  shows the top view of the nozzle. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  shows the electrical system connections in a vehicle equipped with a fuse box. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  shows the electrical system connections in a vehicle where an inline fuse is employed. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  shows the liquid connections and liquid-handling components of the apparatus 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  shows the electrical connections of the apparatus. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of an example switch installation for the invention in the vehicle passenger compartment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The drawings show an air-handing system for a vehicle and the present invention installed thereto. In  FIG. 1 . an internal/external air changeover box  3  having an external air intake port  1  and an internal air intake port  2  is provided, and a fan  5  driven by a blower motor  4  is disposed in the box  3 , together with an internal/external air changeover door  6  for selecting intake of air conditioning air. 
         [0018]    In a next stage connected to thus composed blower unit  7 , a cooler unit  9 , which incorporates an evaporator  11 , is employed as a heat exchanger in a cooler housing  10 . The evaporator  11  is an evaporating device connected in a refrigeration cycle to external elements not shown but well-known to those skilled in the art, and acts to deprive the surrounding air of heat. 
         [0019]    Air in the system then flows from cooler unit  9  to heater control unit  12 . Inside this unit  12 , there are a heater core, an air mixing door  16 , and vent door  17 . By movement of air mixing door  16  and vent door  17 , conditioned air (cool air or warm air) is blown out into the passenger compartment in the desired proportions through heat outlet  13 , floor outlet  14 , and vent outlet  15 . 
         [0020]    In an embodiment of the invention contained in a thusly-constituted vehicle air-handling system, the nozzle  18  is positioned at the upstream side of the evaporator  11  for directing a liquid spray  8  toward the forward (air intake) side of the evaporator  11 . 
         [0021]    The nozzle  18  is a relatively slender cylindrical form made of synthetic resin having a condensed leading end as shown in  FIG. 2A . 
         [0022]    A nozzle neck  18   c  formed in a taper tube small in diameter at the leading end  18   a  side and larger in diameter at the base side  18   b  and stopped in the cooler housing  10  are bonded using means for bonding to be employed (adhering, clipping or taping with double sided tape). Accordingly, only by piercing pores in the cooler housing  10 , the nozzle  18  can be mounted instantly and securely. The leading end of the nozzle  18   a  has piercings  21  to allow for the solvent to mist at the end of the nozzle. 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 2B , an embodiment of the nozzle is depicted, showing a cross-shaped aperture for misting the applied liquid. The size of the aperture is enlarged here to show the detail; the actual aperture is much smaller. Depending upon the viscosity and type of liquid used, other apertures may be useful, such as multiple separated cylindrical openings. The nozzle base  18   b  is connected to check valve  19  and then to the leading end of the rubber hose  20  which is adhered and fixed to the check valve  19  and to the nozzle  18  by elastic force. Check valve  19  allows fluid to flow in only one direction, so that the electric pump does not go dry in between activations. This decreases the time the system must be activated in order to produce the desired amount of aerosol mist, even if a long period of time occurs between subsequent activations. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 3A , an example connection diagram is shown in a vehicle that incorporates a fuse panel. The switch  24  is connected through wire  27  to vehicle fuse panel  28  and then connected through wire  23  to electric pump  22 . The electric circuit for electric pump  22  is completed to ground through wire  25  which is connected to the ground terminal of vehicle battery  26 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 3B  shows an example connection diagram in a vehicle where a spare fuse on a fuse panel is not available. The wiring for the switch  24  is connected to an inline fuse  29  and is directly applied to the battery  26 . Electric pump  22  is connected to the electrical system through switch  24  which itself is connected by wire  27  to the vehicle battery  26  through inline fuse  29 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4A  shows the liquid connections of a preferred embodiment of the invention. One end of rubber hose  20  is connected to the electric pump  22 . The liquid input of electric pump  22  is attached to refillable container  31  through supply hose  30 , which is connected on the other side to refillable container  31  to permit liquid to flow therebetween. Refillable container  31  is mounted directly to any part of the vehicle that would be able to hold and sustain the weight of the container without affecting the stability or function of the other parts of the vehicle and would be secured using the proper means (adhering, bolting or clipping). 
         [0027]    It can be observed that the only visible part of the apparatus in the passenger compartment of the vehicle is the switch  24  that will be located somewhere accessible to an occupant of the passenger compartment. As shown in  FIG. 5 , whether connection is made through the fuse panel as depicted in  FIG. 3A  or through an inline fuse as depicted in  FIG. 3B , switch  24  is affixed to any accessible place in the interior of the vehicle by piercing the surface of the interior  33  to permit wiring to pass through, then held in place with a washer  34  or by any other proper means (adhering, bolting, clipping or taping with double sided adhesive tape). 
         [0028]    Herein, embodiments of the liquid employed in the apparatus include but are not limited to a cleaning solution, an odor eliminating solution, a disinfectant, antibacterial, fungicide, deodorant, or fragrance, which may be used either alone or in mixture. The desired liquid is placed into the refillable container, and liquids may be replaced or exchanged at the desire of the user. 
         [0029]    The action of the accessory structure for vehicle air-handling system thus constituted is described below. 
         [0030]    When the user requests to use the apparatus and deploy the liquid, switch  24  is depressed sending an electric current through electric pump  22 . Electric pump  22 , thusly activated, then drives the liquid through hose  20  to nozzle  18  into cooler housing which mists the liquid into liquid spray  8 . 
         [0031]    The air flow from the blower then carries the liquid in aerosol form through the evaporator, then through the vents into the interior of the vehicle. 
         [0032]    The applications of this apparatus are therefore not limited to vehicles with air-conditioning only; it may be used with any vehicle air-handling system with the only restriction being that there is an air flow source. When the vehicle is moving, for example, air flow can be created through the vents into the passenger compartment which can carry the misted liquid. Moreover the components of this invention may be made of any substance that would not limit the productivity of the invention. 
         [0033]    Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.