Patent Document

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS 
   Not applicable. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable. 
   REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   Not applicable. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   It is to be specified that in this description, odor diffuser is understood as any material means capable of producing, diffusing or releasing an odoriferous substance. 
   The subject of this invention is a billboard that diffuses odors, designed to be seen simultaneously by several people, the nature of the fragrance diffused being for example in close relation with the content of the advertising message displayed so that the two visual and olfactory messages mutually reinforce each other&#39;s effects to significantly improve the perception of the advertising message by the public. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Thus, the subject of thus invention is a billboard designed to display an advertising message intended to be seen simultaneously by several people and the diffusion of an odor, the nature of which is for example in relation with the content of the visual message displayed, said billboard comprising a frame  2  constituted by the assembling of two vertical posts  3  to two upper and lower horizontal crosspieces  4 , said board defining a parallelepiped volume in which at least one of the two large opposite vertical faces comprises a display quadrangular window, bounded by a perimeter marginal zone of the billboard face and in whose volume an advertising message display assembly is arranged facing the window  7 , is mainly characterized by an odor diffuser capable of generating an odoriferous stream, installed in the internal volume of the board, said odor diffuser being associated to an odor diffusing element, which element comprises a diffusion chamber receiving the odoriferous stream, said chamber being in a communication relation with an opening in the board, ending outside the latter to diffuse the odoriferous steam generated by the diffuser outside of the internal volume of said board. 
   As understood, the purpose of the odor diffuser is to produce an odoriferous stream at a predefined rate and the purpose of the diffusing element is to diffuse said odoriferous stream into the atmosphere exterior to the board. 
   The odor diffuser and the diffusing element by being completely inside the billboard are fully protected by the latter and secure from any act of vandalism. 
   The diffusion of an odor in the immediate environment of a billboard, placed for example outside, in pedestrian walkways and other public places, supposes that the flow rate of the diffused odoriferous stream is high enough for the odor to be easily noticeable within a very short time after its diffusion into the atmosphere. 
   To that effect, the diffusing element consists of a body comprising a diffusion chamber receiving the odoriferous stream, having a first opening facing the billboard opening to the outside, a second opening facing the internal volume of the board, in which second opening a fan is placed to drive an air flow from the internal volume of the board to said chamber so that this air flow mixes with the odoriferous stream contained in the chamber and that the mixture achieved is drawn to the outside of the panel. 
   The odor diffuser can consist of a substrate impregnated with a volatile odoriferous product that can come in the form of a gel or liquid. The odor diffuser can also be a container containing odoriferous products that can come in the form of crystals, a gel, liquid or else. 
   Such an odor diffuser can be placed in the diffusing element outlet chamber. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Under a preferred embodiment, the odor diffuser has a head providing for the mixing of a carrier gas with an odoriferous fluid contained in a suitable container, said head being in communication relation with the diffusion chamber and having an outlet through which the odoriferous stream obtained is delivered, which is driven toward the diffusing element, to be then driven to the outside of the board. In this figure case, the odor diffuser is placed outside the diffusing element outlet chamber and said diffusing element comprises an odoriferous stream inlet in said chamber, connected through a line at the outlet of the odor diffuser head. 
   The mixing of the odoriferous stream delivered by the mixing head and the air flow drawn by the fan thus takes place in the outlet chamber. The mixture produced discharges from the chamber through the first opening and then through the board opening. Because of the air flow drawn by the fan, this diffusing element increases the speed of diffusion of the produced odoriferous mixture into the immediate environment. To compensate for the effects of dilution of the odoriferous mixture produced by the mixing head in the outlet chamber, the proportion of odoriferous fluid in this mixture will be increased and the head will be adjusted accordingly. 
   The use of a diffusing element makes it possible to use a low diffusion rate and thus low power usage diffuser. Such diffusers generally are small-sized which is conducive to facilitating their integration into the internal volume of the board. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, the odoriferous fluid is an odoriferous gas, the odor diffuser comprising then an odoriferous compressed gas container, connected through a manifold to the mixing head. 
   But preferably, according to another characteristic of the invention, the odoriferous fluid is a liquid, the odor diffuser comprising then an odoriferous liquid container connected to the mixing head, said head also ensuring the fractioning of the liquid into fine particles. 
   In this latter embodiment, if there is no need for a significant flow rate at the outlet of the board, the diffusing element will not have a fan and will thus consist of a body comprising a tight diffusion chamber receiving the odoriferous stream of the odor diffuser, this chamber having an outlet opening in communication relation with the board opening and an odoriferous stream inlet in communication relation with said diffuser. This diffusion chamber will act as relief chamber so that the large particles that the odoriferous stream might carry settle on the latter&#39;s wall. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, the odor diffuser mixing head comprises a head body in which a mixing chamber, a first conduit in communication relation with the mixing chamber and with the internal volume of the odoriferous fluid container, a second conduit in communication relation with the mixing chamber and with a form of socket end, made horizontally in said head and terminating on the lateral face of the head body, said second conduit being designed to receive a stream of compressed carrier gas and a third conduit in communication relation on one hand in the mixing chamber and on the other hand with an outlet port made in the upper face of the head body, said third conduit and said outlet port being designed to lead the carrier gas and odoriferous fluid mixture to the outside of the head. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, the odoriferous fluid container and the mixing head are mounted in a removable manner in a fixed support in one of the posts of the board frame. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, the support has a horizontal spigot end designed to fit into the socket end of the mixing head, said spigot end being connected through a line at the compressor compressed air outlet on the odor diffuser. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, the support bears a vertical fitting end connecting the outlet port to the mixing head, said fitting end being connected to the diffusing element through a pipe. 
   These characteristics facilitate the removal or installation in the support of the assembly made of the container and the mixing head. 
   According to another characteristic of the invention, the odor diffuser is divided into two separate modules. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will become apparent when reading the description of a preferred embodiment, given as a non limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a billboard under the invention. 
       FIG. 1   a  is a partial sectional view of a board under the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the head and container assembly in its support. 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the odor diffuser head. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along line A-A of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 4   a  is an enlarged sectional view of the head shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view along line B-B of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view along line C-C of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  are detailed sectional views of the support for the odor diffuser head and container assembly. 
       FIG. 9  is an inner perspective view of the fastening mechanism associated with the support for the container/head assembly. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the diffusing element. 
       FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of an odor diffuser under another embodiment, with both modules placed side by side. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   As shown, the billboard  1  under the invention is designed to display an advertising message and to diffuse an odor, the nature of which is related to the content of the displayed advertising message. Thus for a food product, the visual advertising message can be supplemented with an olfactory message that is a reminder of that product. 
   Typically, the billboard  1  comprises a frame  2  making up its support structure, formed by the assembling of two vertical posts  2  with two upper and lower horizontal crosspieces  3 . The board  1  defines a parallelepiped volume of relatively small thickness compared to its other dimensions (height and width) with at least one of the two large opposite vertical faces occupied by a quadrangular display window  7 , bounded by a perimeter marginal area  7   a  of said large face of the board. The face of the board comprising window  7  can consist of a transparent quadrangular wall of height and width dimensions identical to those of the board. 
   This wall will make up the window  7 , the marginal zone  7   a  will for example be made of vertical and horizontal bands making up a screen and bounding the vertical and horizontal sides of said wall. The window  7 , as it is understood, is delineated by the screen bands. This wall will be attached to the board frame through any known means. 
   The other large face of the board will be made of a rectangular opaque wall attached in a known manner to the board frame. 
   A display device designed to feature a removable advertising bill  8  facing the window  7  is mounted inside the board parallelepiped volume. In addition, the display device is provided with a set of lighted tubes  9  capable of diffusing a white light in the volume defined by the frame. This lighting device provides for the back-lighting of the advertising bill  8 . 
   The display device can be of the fixed or mobile bill type. 
   In that case, the advertising bills can be presented in turns facing at least one of the two windows  7 . 
   The posts and crosspieces  3 ,  4  of the frame can be made of—without being limited to—structural straight channel sections. Through their intrados, these sections are oriented toward the center of the board. In other terms, the concave side of each post or crosspiece is turned toward the inside of the board  1 . The posts and crosspieces can also consist of square or rectangular straight tubular sections. 
   In accordance with the invention, the billboard  1  is equipped with an odor diffuser  10  associated with a diffusing element  11  capable of diffusing outside the board  1 , through an opening  1   a  in the latter, an odoriferous stream generated by the odor diffuser  10  at a proper rate. 
   In a preferred, not limiting, design, the opening  1   a  consists of a boring made in one of the side or base wings of one of the posts or crosspieces. If one of the posts or crosspieces of the board is already provided with an opening of the above-mentioned type, the diffusing element  11  will be positioned facing the latter, thus avoiding having to do boring work on that board. 
   On the attached figures, the diffusing element  11  is arranged in the volume defined by the lower crosspiece  3  and the opening  1   a  is made in the basal wing of this crosspiece. This configuration offers the advantage of making the opening  1   a  visible, but this opening can be made in one of the wings of one of the two posts  3  and the diffusing element housed in this post. This will be especially the case when the internal volumes of the upper and lower crosspieces are occupied by bill scrolling mechanisms. 
   The diffusing element  11  consists of a body comprising a diffusion chamber  110  that receives the odoriferous stream from the odor diffuser  10 . This chamber has a first opening  111  placed in communication relation with the opening  1   a  in the board. Thus, this opening can be placed directly facing the opening  1   a  in the board, but according to a second embodiment, the opening  111  is in tight communication relation with a line that is in communication relation with the opening  1   a  in the board. Thus in the case where the posts and crosspieces of the board each consist of a tubular component, the line ensuring communication between the opening  111  and the opening  1   a  will be housed for the major part in the corresponding post. In this figure case, the opening  1   a  will be made for example at the lower end of the post. At a distance from the opening  1   a , the post will be provided with a through-boring into which the diffusing element can be partly inserted so as to be connected in the post through its  111  to the above-mentioned line. A diffusing element external to the post can also be provided for; in that figure case, the above-mentioned line can be inserted into the post through-bore to be connected to the opening  111 . 
   According to a preferred embodiment, the diffusing element  11  has a second opening  112  facing the board internal volume into which a fan  113  is placed to draw an air flow from the board internal volume to the chamber  110 . 
   The odor diffuser  10  can be installed in the diffusion chamber  110  of the diffusing element and consist in this case of a substrate impregnated with a volatile odoriferous product that can come in the form of a gel or liquid, or of a container containing odoriferous products that can come in the form of crystals, a gel, a liquid or else. 
   In a preferred design, the odor diffuser  10  is external to the diffusion chamber  110  of the diffusing element and has a mixing head  13  capable of ensuring the mixing of a carrier gas with a concentrated odoriferous fluid in a suitable container  12 . This mixing head  13  comprises an outlet port  135  through which the odoriferous stream achieved is delivered, which stream is driven toward the diffusing element  11 , to then be driven to the outside of the board  1 . 
   Under this odor diffuser embodiment, the diffusing element  11  comprises an inlet  114  of the odoriferous stream into the chamber  110 , in communication relation with outlet  135  on the mixing head  13 . This inlet  114  is materialized by a manifold entering the diffusion chamber  110 . 
   In a preferred design, the first  111  and second  112  openings of the diffusion chamber  110  of diffusing element  11  are facing each other, and the inlet  114  of the odoriferous stream into said chamber is oblique or perpendicular to a geometric axis secant with the first and second opening, said opening being oriented toward the first opening. 
   This arrangement creates a Venturi effect in the diffusion chamber facilitating the introduction into said chamber of the odoriferous mixture produced by the mixing and fractioning head  13 . In other terms, this odoriferous mixture is drawn into the diffusion chamber. 
   The diffusing element  11  around its first opening  111  can be equipped with a soft gasket through which it is attached to the lower crosspiece  4 . 
   The odor diffuser  10  and the diffusing element  11  are lateral to the window  7  and are masked by the marginal zone  7   a  bordering the window  7 . Thus, it is possible to avoid the formation of shadows on the billboard  8 , shadows that can affect the esthetics of the bill on one hand and blur or alter the advertising message on the other hand. The odor diffuser  10  and the diffusing element  11  can be fully or partially housed inside the volume of at least one of the posts or crosspieces of the frame. 
   The odor diffuser  10  can be divided into several functional modules for better back integration of the marginal zone  7   a  bordering window  7 , for example in the volume of one post  3  or crosspiece  4  on frame  2 . These various modules can be attached through gluing or through adhesion-type removable fastening systems. It is thus possible to avoid any machining work on the posts or crosspieces. 
   Under a preferred embodiment, the odor diffuser  10  is basically divided into two separate functional modules that can be placed apart from each other. For example, the first of these modules will be placed in the volume defined by the lower crosspiece  4  while the second one will be placed in the volume defined by one of the two posts  3 . 
   The first module consists of a control and command unit for the odor diffuser and of a compressor operated by a low power electric motor. This unit and the compressor electric motor are electrically connected to the lighting device power supply. The compressor is designed to deliver a carrier gas flow on its outlet manifold, said manifold being connected through a suitable line  14  to the mixing head  13 . In a preferred design, the carrier gas is compressed air. 
   The control and command unit as well as the air compressor are housed in one single parallelepiped-shaped case of dimensions suitable to those of the crosspiece or post internal volume that receives it so as to be fully housed inside the volume of said post or crosspiece. In a preferred design, this case will be attached through gluing to said crosspiece. 
   The second module consists of the container  12  and the mixing head  13 . The mixing head  13  comprises a head body into which a mixing chamber  130  is formed, a first conduit  131  in communication relation on one hand with the mixing chamber  130  and on the other hand with the internal volume of the container  12 , a second conduit  132  in communication relation with the mixing chamber  130  on one hand and with a socket fitting end  133  on the other hand made horizontally into said head so as to end onto the lateral face of the head body, said second conduit  132  being designed to receive a stream of carrier compressed gas and a third conduit  134  in communication relation on one hand in the mixing chamber  130  and on the other hand with an outlet port  135  made in the upper face of the head body, said third conduit  134  and said outlet port  135  designed to carry outside of head  13  the mixture of carrier gas and odoriferous fluid. 
   In a preferred non-limiting design, the odoriferous fluid is drawn into the mixing chamber  130  by the Venturi effect, said effect being created by the flow of carrier gas through the mixing chamber. 
   The first conduit  131  is preferably connected in a tight manner to a line  131   a  feeding into the container  12 . The socket end  133  receives in a removable manner a spigot end  15 . This spigot end is mounted at the end of line  14 , said line being connected to the compressor outlet manifold. The outlet port  135  is connected through line  16  to the diffusing element  11 , more specifically at inlet  114  of the diffusing element  11 . 
   The fluid contained in the container can be an odoriferous gas, but according to the preferred embodiment, the odoriferous fluid is a liquid and the mixing head  13  in the mixing chamber  130  also ensures the fractioning of the liquid into fine particles. 
   In a preferred design, the mixing and fractioning head  13  produces a nebulisate and, in that case, the odor diffuser is a nebulizer. The mixture delivered by the diffusing element will consequently be a nebulisate. It should be reminded that a nebulisate is made of particles of a size smaller than one micron. The advantages of producing a nebulisate are many. On one hand, the stream delivered by the diffusing element is visually imperceptible, but in addition for an equal quantity of liquid, a nebulisate contains a much higher number of particles than any other form of production of an odoriferous cloud, atomized or other, which permits to achieve an enhanced olfactory effect. Another advantage to produce a nebulisate, i.e., a cloud made of very fine particles, resides in the fact that contrary to a stream comprising large particles, the risk of pollution through deposit, both inside and outside the board, becomes inexistent due to the electrostatic charge of the particles and their rapid evaporation into the atmosphere because of their exit velocity. Should there exist a risk of presence of large particles in the odoriferous stream yielded by the head  13  of the odor diffuser  10 , the diffusing element  11  does not have a fan  113  and is made of a body comprising a tight diffusion chamber receiving the odoriferous stream of the odor diffuser, said chamber having an outlet opening in communication relation with the opening  1   a  on the board and an inlet of the odoriferous stream in communication relation with said diffuser. This diffusion chamber acts as a relief chamber so that the large particles that the odoriferous stream might carry deposit on the latter&#39;s walls. 
   According to the preferred embodiment, the head  13  is attached on the rim of container  12 , in a removable or non-removable manner. 
   The container  12  and head  13  are appropriately mounted in a support  17  attached in a removable manner in one of the board posts. This support ensures that the container and head are held vertically. 
   As one can see, this support  17  comprises a front plane vertical wing  170  bordered by two lateral vertical wings  171  running parallel to each other behind the front wing  170 . The container  12  and the mixing head  13  are mounted in front of the front wing facing the latter. The front wing  170  is provided with a through-bore in which the spigot end  15  is fixed, the latter running horizontally through said wall. Behind the wall, the spigot end  15  is connected to the line  14 . The head  13  through socket end  133  fits onto spigot end  14 . 
   In addition, the support  17  is equipped with a vertical fitting end  18  at the outlet port  135  on head  13 , said end  18  being connected to line  16 . In a preferred design, this end  18  connects to the port through simple socketing, which facilitates the installation or removal of the head assembly  13  and container  12  on support  17 . 
   In a preferred design, the fitting end  18  is borne in a floating manner by the support  17  and is applied against the outlet port  135  of the mixing head  13  through an elastic component  19  mounted in a compressive manner between the support  17  and said end  18 . Because of the thrust action exercised by the elastic component  19 , the end  18  remains in place in the outlet port  135  without any risk of nebulisate leak. In order to enhance tightness further at that level, an elastically deformable o-ring can be placed in a counterbore of the outlet port  135  and the fitting end  18 , through the action of the spring  19 , will be applied against this elastic gasket. The fact that the fitting end  18  is borne in a floating manner by the support  17  makes it possible to take up the positioning defects of the outlet port  35  of head  13  in relation to said end  18 . 
   Under the preferred embodiment, the fitting end  18 , through a cylindrical section of its body, limited by an upper shoulder  181  and a lower shoulder  182 , is inserted with clearance into a boring made in an horizontal wing  172  of support  17 , the working clearance giving to said end  18  a limited latitude of axial displacement and pivoting, the mixing head  13  and container  12  being positioned under said wing  172 , the latter extending toward the front of frontal wing  170 . 
   The elastic component  19  is a spiral spring arranged around the cylindrical section of the body of end  18 , and mounted in a compressive manner between the horizontal wing  172  of support  17  and the lower shoulder  182  of end  18 . 
   In a preferred design, a thrust  20  is provided, that is attached to the horizontal wing  172  of support  17 , protruding downward, under which the upper face of the head  13 , said thrust  20  being designed to limit the pivoting movement around the spigot end  15  of the head  13  and container  12  in a direction corresponding to the angular distance of the port  135  in relation to the end  18 , the opposite pivoting movement being against the end  18 . 
   This arrangement ensures an angular blocking of the container and head assembly in the support while allowing for a low amplitude pivoting movement in either direction limited to a few degrees in order to facilitate the installation or removal of said assembly head and container assembly from its support  17 . 
   The support  17  is positioned in the volume defined by the corresponding post so that its lateral wings  171  are parallel to the lateral wings of this post, and oriented toward the basal wing of the latter. The container  12  and head  13  are turned toward the opening of this post to be readily accessible. 
   In the support  17 , the first module together with the diffusing element  11  can be mounted above the second module. Thus a one-piece assembly is formed that will be placed vertically in one of the frame crosspieces. 
   Support  17  can be provided with a removable adhesion-type attachment system  21  in the corresponding post  3  of frame  2  for board  1 . This attachment system works together with at least one of the lateral wings of the post and consists of a clamping pad  22  mounted at the end of an operating device  23 . Through action on this device, the clamping pad is applied under pressure against one of the lateral wings to achieve securement or is kept apart. This operating device  23  comprises at least one arm  231  elastically flexible at the distal end of which the clamping pad  22  is placed, and a screw  232  and nut  233  type mechanism onto which the nut  233  is attached in a rigid manner at the proximal end of the arm  232  and onto which the screw  232  is arranged vertically, is inserted into a through-boring made in an upper horizontal wing  173  of the support, said screw  232  being blocked in translation and free in rotation in relation to said support  17  and said arm  231  running in an oblique manner in relation to the screw  232  and coming to rest against a fixed radial thrust  24 , so that by operating the screw  232  the obliquity of the arm is modified through elastic deformation of said arm, and said arms turns and slides on the thrust  24 , which translates into a distancing or closing movement of the pad  22  in relation to the screw. 
   In a preferred design, the pad  22  shall be made of a fold-over of the arm  231 . 
   The arm  231  is inserted through its distal area into a opening  241  made in a lateral vertical wing  171  of the support  17 , one of the upper or lower lip of said opening depending on whether the proximal end of the arm  231  is lower or higher than the distal end, making up the fixed radial thrust  24 . 
   Under a preferred embodiment, the operating device  23  comprises two opposite arms  231  each provided with a clamping pad  22 , and inserted into two openings  241  made in the vertical lateral wings  171  of the support  17 . The attachment system  21  works together with the post two lateral wings. 
   Preferably to improve the quality of the attachment, the operating device  23  comprises two pairs of opposite arms  231 , i.e., an upper pair of arms and a lower pair of arms, mechanically jointed to each other through a tie bar  25  and a stress transmission link. A upper pair of openings and a lower pair of openings  241  will be provided in the lateral wings  171  The attachment of the support  17  in the respective post  3  will be made with four upper and lower points. 
   To facilitate the removal of the head  13  and container  12  assembly, an operating handle  26  will be added to this assembly. This operating handle is pivoted to a plate  27  inserted between the head  13  and the container  12  and comprises beyond its articulations two arm shapes  28  capable of having a thrust action against the front wall  170  of the support  17  when it is tilted upward. 
   It is understood that this invention can accommodate any fixtures and alternatives from the field of equivalent techniques without thereby going outside the spirit of this invention.

Technology Category: 7