Volatile material-containing article

• US 20040016818A1
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Bush, Stephan Gary, Murdell, Rachel
• Granted Patent: US 7,160,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/34
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2033 using a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2038 Holders or dispensers for pressurized insecticide, e.g. pressurized vessels, cans
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2072 combined with a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2077 using an electrical resistance as heat source A01M1/2083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/02 using substances evaporated in the air by heating or combustion
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/035 emanating multiple odours
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/037 comprising a wick
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/04 using substances evaporated in the air without heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/042 with the help of a macromolecular compound as a carrier or diluent A61L9/048 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/048 air treating gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/122 comprising a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/125 emanating multiple odours
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/127 comprising a wick
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/145 air-liquid contact processes, e.g. scrubbing
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2003/0042 with ventilating means for adding the substances
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2003/005 with heating means for adding the substances
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2003/0064 adding more than one substance
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0007 Adding substances other than water to the air, e.g. perfume, oxygen

Abstract

Volatile material-containing articles of manufacture are disclosed.

Claims

1. A multiple compartment article comprising:

a holder with individual receptacles for volatile compositions, wherein at least two of said receptacles contain different volatile compositions, and said receptacles separate said volatile compositions so that said volatile compositions are not in contact with each other, and at least a portion of said at least two receptacles are open to the atmosphere; and

a removable sealing material that covers said at least two receptacles, wherein said removable sealing material is configured so that it can be at least partially removed from said at least two receptacles at the same time.

2. The multiple compartment article of claim 1 wherein said holder comprises a tray, and said receptacles comprise pockets formed in said tray.

3. The multiple compartment article of claim 2 wherein said tray is open on the top and said removable sealing material covers at least two pockets, and said sealing material is removably sealed to the tray.

4. The multiple compartment article of claim 1 wherein said holder is located inside a cartridge.

5. The multiple compartment article of claim 4 wherein said cartridge has an opening therein for removal of said removable sealing material.

6. The multiple compartment article of claim 1 wherein said different volatile compositions in said at least two receptacles comprise scented compositions.

7. The multiple compartment article of claim 1 wherein said removable sealing material comprises a film.

8. The multiple compartment article of claim 7 wherein said film comprises a first portion that covers said at least two receptacles, and a second portion that is folded back upon at least a portion of said first portion.

9. The multiple compartment article of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said second portion of said film comprises a tab for grasping by a user.

10. The multiple compartment article of claim 1 wherein said removable sealing material is configured so that it can be removed from said least two receptacles with one motion by pulling on a portion of said removable sealing material.

11. A single use multiple compartment article according to claim 1.

12. A reusable multiple compartment article according to claim 1.

13. The reusable multiple compartment article according to claim 12 wherein said removable sealing material is configured to be resealable to said holder after it has been removed.

14. A multiple compartment article comprising:

a holder with at least three individual receptacles for volatile compositions, wherein said receptacles separate said volatile compositions so that said volatile compositions are not in contact with each other, and at least a portion of said at least three receptacles are open to the atmosphere; and

a removable sealing material that covers said at least three receptacles, wherein said removable sealing material is configured so that it can be removed from said at least three receptacles at the same time.

15. A multiple volatile material-containing article of manufacture comprising multiple volatile compositions therein or thereon in which the volatile compositions comprising volatile materials, and said volatile compositions are at least partially sealed when the article of manufacture is not in use, wherein said at least partially sealed article of manufacture retains about 50% or more by weight of the volatile material in the volatile compositions over a 3 month period.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 having a single opening region therein which is configured for the emission of one of said volatile compositions at a given time.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16 further comprising a locking mechanism which prevents said volatile compositions from moving into alignment with said opening region.

18. A multiple volatile composition-containing cartridge comprising:

a shell; and

a multiple compartment volatile composition-containing component inside said shell, wherein said multiple compartment volatile composition-containing component is movable relative to said shell; and

a locking mechanism that prevents movement of the component inside the shell when in a locked position wherein said locking mechanism is integrated into the shell or the volatile composition-containing component that interferes with movement of the component.

19. The cartridge of claim 18 wherein said shell has an inside surface and said locking mechanism comprises a projection on the inside of said shell.

20. A system comprising a volatile material emitting device and the cartridge of claim 19 wherein said projection on the inside of said shell can be unlocked by a projection in said device.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein said locking mechanism is in a locked configuration when the article of manufacture is outside of said device.

22. A multiple volatile composition-containing cartridge comprising:

a shell; and

a multiple compartment volatile composition-containing component inside said shell, wherein said multiple compartment volatile composition-containing component is movable relative to said shell;

wherein at least a portion of at least one of said shell and said component of said cartridge comprises a sealing mechanism.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 22 wherein at least a portion of said sealing mechanism is integrated into the shell and the component inside the shell.

24. The cartridge of claim 23 wherein said sealing mechanism is comprised entirely of portions of said shell and said component inside said shell.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein said sealing mechanism further comprises a system of posts and ramps for bringing portions of said cartridge shell and said component together to form a seal, wherein one of said posts and said ramps is located on the inside of said shell and the other of said posts and said ramps is located on said component inside said shell, and said ramps contact and move with respect to said posts.

26. The cartridge of claim 25 wherein said component inside said shell has a perimeter, and said posts are located on the shell and said ramps are located on the perimeter of the component inside the shell.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein said component inside said shell has a perimeter, and said ramps are located on the shell and said posts are located on the perimeter of the component inside the shell.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 25 wherein the component inside said shell has a top surface, and said seal is integrated on the inside surface of said cartridge shell, and said seal comprises raised portions on the inside of said shell that meet with the top surface of the component inside the shell to form a seal.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 28 wherein said shell has a top surface that is provided with curvature, convex or concave relative to the component inside the shell, to increase the effectiveness of the seal.

30. A volatile material-containing article having a longitudinal centerline and a transverse centerline, said article comprising:

a shell having an upper surface and a lower surface; and

a multiple compartment volatile material-containing component inside said shell,

wherein said shell has an opening region in its upper surface for emitting volatile materials and at least one opening in its lower surface for inserting an element of a diffusing device into said shell, wherein said article comprises at least one stabilizing region thereon.

31. The article of claim 30 wherein the at least one opening in the lower surface of the shell comprises a first opening that is generally centrally located.

32. The article of claim 31 wherein at least a portion of said first opening is at least about 1.3 cm wide.

33. The article of claim 31 wherein the shell has an outer periphery, and the at least one opening in the lower surface of the shell further comprises a second opening that is in an area that is between about 0.25 inches (6 mm) and about 2 inches (about 5 cm) inward from the outer periphery of the shell.

34. The multiple scent-containing cartridge of claim 31 wherein the article has a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, and said first and second openings lie along the longitudinal axis of the article and the lower surface of said article further comprises a third opening that is located at an angle between about 45°

and about 55°

relative to the transverse centerline of the article as measured from the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse centerlines.