Air freshener dispenser device with disposable heat-promoted cartridge

• US 5,903,710 A
• Filed: 04/14/1997
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Wefler, Mark E., Martin, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, DANIEL LEON
• Application Number:
  US08/837,193
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 392/392, 392/395, 392/394, 392/390, 424/76.2, 239/44, 239/47, 239/49, 239/51.5, 422/125, 261/142
• US Class Current: 392/392
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2077 using an electrical resistance as heat source A01M1/2083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/037 comprising a wick

Abstract

This invention provides an air freshener dispenser device comprising (1) a disposable air freshener cartridge, (2) a disposable electrical plug housing, and (3) a reusable electrical plug for engaging a wall electrical outlet. The cartridge has an elongated thermoplastic hollow body configuration with a sealed internal reservoir chamber of liquid air freshener medium, and the upper section of the cartridge body is shaped to a flat shallow extension of the cartridge chamber. An electrical-resistance heating element is affixed on the inner surface of the cartridge chamber shallow extension. A thin wick matrix extends internally from the cartridge chamber bottom up to the top of the chamber shallow extension. The cartridge has an integrally structured means adapted for removal of a top portion of the cartridge chamber shallow extension to expose an upper section of wick matrix to the atmosphere. The disposable electrical plug housing is detachably secured and positioned in front of the cartridge and proximate to the cartridge heating element. The plug housing has two short metal blades which extend through the cartridge vertical slots and engage the reusable electrical plug for conduction of an electrical current to the cartridge heating element, and for heat-promotion of air freshener wicking into the atmosphere.

Claims

1. An air freshener dispenser device which is adapted for engagement and support by an electrical outlet, and which is an assembly of modular units, the dispenser device comprising:

a disposable cartridge having (a) an elongated thermoplastic hollow body having a sealed internal reservoir, the reservoir including a chamber containing liquid air freshener medium and a flat shallow extension extending up from and contiguous with the chamber and two vertical slots through the body on opposite sides of the extension, (b) a thin wick matrix which is contained in the reservoir and extends internally from the cartridge chamber to the extension, (c) integrally structured means for facilitating removal of a top portion of the extension to expose an upper section of the wick matrix to the atmosphere, and (d) an electrical-resistance heating element which is affixed to an inner surface of the cartridge adjacent to the extension for heating the wick matrix to promote air freshener wicking into the atmosphere, and which is integrated with the two vertical slots;

a disposable electrical plug housing which has two short metal blades which are insertable through the cartridge vertical slots so as to engage the heating element and extend rearwardly from the cartridge; and

a reusable electrical plug which has a pair of slot inlets, which receive and detachably secure the metal blades of the disposable plug housing, and two metal prongs, to which the metal blades are electrically connected when secured within the slot inlets and which extend rearwardly for engagement with the electrical outlet for conduction of an electric current to the heating element.

2. A dispenser device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hollow body of the cartridge is a construction of sealed juxtapositioned sections of molded vapor-impermeable polyvinyl thin film having transparency, and the air freshener medium in the reservoir chamber is visible therethrough.

3. A dispenser device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wick matrix is a porous structure selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic, cellulosic and ceramic compositions.

4. A dispenser device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air freshener medium is a liquid fragrance composition.

5. A dispenser device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air freshener medium is a liquid pesticide composition.

6. A dispenser device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air freshener medium is a liquid therapeutic composition.

7. A dispenser device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical-resistance heating element is in the form of a film coating or printed pattern.

8. A dispenser device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the disposable electrical plug housing and two blades are a molded thermoplastic or thermoset polymer unitary structure, and the blades have metallized surfaces to conduct electric current.

9. A dispenser device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the disposable electrical plug housing encases the front of the extension when the blades are inserted through the cartridge vertical slots, to thereby insulate generated heat when the dispenser device is operational, and additionally functions as a child-proof shield.

10. A disposable air freshener cartridge which is adapted for utility as a module in a heat-activated air freshener device, the cartridge comprising:

an elongated thermoplastic hollow body having a sealed internal reservoir the reservoir including a chamber containing liquid air freshener medium and a flat shallow extension extending up from and contiguous with the chamber, and two vertical slots through the body on opposite sides of the extension;

a thin wick matrix which is contained in the reservoir and extends internally from the cartridge chamber up to the extension;

integrally structured means for facilitating removal of a top portion of the extension to expose an upper section of the wick matrix to the atmosphere; and

an electrical-resistance heating element which is affixed to an inner surface of the cartridge adjacent to the extension, and which is integrated with the two vertical slots,

wherein the disposable air freshener cartridge is usable in combination with a disposable electrical plug housing which has two short metal blades insertable through the cartridge vertical slots so as to engage the heating element and extend rearwardly from the cartridge to engage a reusable electrical plug for conduction of an electric current to the cartridge heating element.

11. An air freshener dispenser device comprising:

a disposable cartridge having (a) a thermoplastic hollow body having (i) separable top and bottom portions, (ii) a sealed internal reservoir, the reservoir including a chamber containing liquid air freshener medium in the bottom portion of the body and a shallow, flat extension contiguous with and extending from the chamber to the top portion of the body, and (iii) two vertical slots through the bottom portion of the body on opposite sides of the extension;

(b) a thin wick matrix contained in the reservoir and extending from the chamber into the extension so as to be partially disposed in the top portion of the body so that removal of the top portion of the body partially exposes the wick matrix; and

(c) an electrical-resistance heating element affixed to the body adjacent to the extension for heating the wick matrix to promote air freshener wicking into the atmosphere, the heating element being integrated with the two vertical slots;

a disposable electrical plug housing which has two short metal blades which are insertable through the cartridge vertical slots so as to engage the heating element and extend rearwardly from the cartridge; and

a reusable electrical plug having a pair of metal prongs, extending rearwardly for insertion into an electrical outlet, and a pair of inlets into which the blades of the disposable plug housing are insertable to electrically engage the metal prongs so as to conduct electricity from the outlet to the heating element.