Dispensing device for dispensing scents

• US 6,581,915 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Farrell, Michael Sean, Bartsch, Eric Richard, Laudemiel-Pellet, Christophe, Kaiser, Carl-Eric, Goodall, Kevin George, Kvietok, Frank Andrej, Trinh, Toan, Owens, Grover David, Bush, Stephan Gary, Westring, Brice Daniel, Rodriguez, Pedro Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US09/730,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20020066967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 261/26, 261/30, 261/104, 261/142, 261/DIG.65, 261/DIG.88, 261/DIG.89, 422/123, 422/124, 239/57, 239/58, 239/59
• US Class Current: 261/26
• 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 9/037 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 9/127 comprising a wick
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/88 Aroma dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/89 Electrically heated aroma dispensers

Abstract

A dispensing device for dispensing scents into the environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, the dispensing device is used in conjunction with an article of manufacture which contains one or more scents or aromatic materials. In such an embodiment, the dispensing device can include a housing and a removable, reusable/replayable, closed, multiple scent-containing article of manufacture which is removably inserted into or onto said housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for diffusing aromatic materials contained in or on an article of manufacture which article comprises multiple aromatic materials, said apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

a removable, reusable/replayable, closed, multiple scent-containing article of manufacture, said multiple scent-containing article of manufacture comprising a plurality of receptacles for retaining multiple aromatic materials, said article having a sealed state so that said aromatic materials remain sealed from evaporation when said article is removed from said housing, wherein the multiple scent-containing article is removably inserted into or onto said housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the multiple scent-containing article comprises a closed structure having a single opening therein for the emission of said scents.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receptacles of said multiple scent-containing article are closed with a single sealing mechanism that seals said receptacles when said article of manufacture is not in use.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receptacles of said multiple scent-containing article are closed by a single movement of a sealing mechanism that seals said receptacles when said article of manufacture is not in use.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a locking mechanism capable of locking and unlocking the scent-containing article of manufacture.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a sealing mechanism having a first sealed position and a second opened position, wherein article of manufacture cannot be removed from said housing until said sealing mechanism is in its sealed position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said aromatic materials are enclosed when said article is removed from said housing and are not accessible from outside said article.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said article further comprises a blank section which does not have scents provided thereon or therein, wherein said blank section provides a start and stop position for emitting said aromatic materials from said article of manufacture.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said article of manufacture comprises multiple scent-containing receptacles wherein said single opening is disposed so that the air into which said aromatic materials will be emitted passes adjacent to, rather than through, said receptacles.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said multiple scent-containing article of manufacture comprises a cartridge.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said multiple scent-containing article of manufacture comprises a disc.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the multiple scent-containing article of manufacture has a configuration selected from the group consisting of:

disc-shaped, oval, parallelepiped-shaped, rectangular, cube-shaped, cuboid-shaped, cylindrical-shaped, pyramid-shaped, spherical-shaped, or irregularly-shaped.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 having emission settings wherein at least one of the aromatic materials is emitted for an emission period of greater than or equal to about 1 minute and less than 120 minutes.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least one of the aromatic materials is emitted for an emission period of between about 1 and about 60 minutes, inclusive.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least one of said aromatic materials is emitted continuously during said emission period.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least one of said aromatic materials is emitted intermittently during said emission period.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 which is set to shut off for a non-emission period that is of a shorter duration than said emission period.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said non-emission period is less than or equal to one-half of the duration of the emission period.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a heater for heating the aromatic materials.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a mechanism for rotating the receptacles within the multiple scent-containing article so as to align said at least one receptacle with the heater.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the heater for heating the aromatic material is provided with a heating element that is heated to a temperature between about 20°

C. and about 100°

C.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the heater heats at least one of the aromatic materials for an emission period of greater than or equal to about 1 minute and less than 120 minutes.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the heater heats at least one of the aromatic materials for an emission period of between about 1 and about 60 minutes, inclusive.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said heater is set to run continuously during said emission period.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said heater is set to run intermittently during said emission period.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said heater is set to shut off for a cool down period that is of a shorter period than said emission period.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said cool down period is less than or equal to one-half of the duration of the emission period.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein after heating said at least one of said aromatic materials for said period of time, the apparatus seals the aromatic material being emitted, and prepares to emit another aromatic material.

29. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said receptacle comprises a staging area in which a portion of the aromatic material in the reservoir is heated while the remainder of the aromatic material is not directly subject to heat.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 which is provided with a control for the user to control the duration of the emission of the aromatic materials.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the control allows the user to provide the same emission period for the different aromatic materials, or a different emission period for the different aromatic materials.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising a computer program wherein the apparatus has a control which is controlled by the computer program to allow the user to program the order in which the different aromatic materials are emitted.

33. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a timer integrated therein which allows the user to set the time for the apparatus to turn on and/or off.

34. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a control that allows user to skip one or more of the aromatic materials.

35. The apparatus of claim 1 having a single control which controls both the activation of the aromatic materials from a resting state and the diffusion of the aromatic materials into the environment.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 further comprising heater for activating the aromatic materials and a fan for diffusing the aromatic materials into the environment wherein said single control controls both the heater and fan.

37. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a hand held remote control so that said apparatus can be operated from a distance away from said apparatus.

52. An article of manufacture comprising the apparatus of claim 1 in a package in association with a set of instructions that direct the consumer how to operate the apparatus and/or the multiple scent-containing article correctly, to obtain the desirable olfactory, psychological and/or physiological effects.

53. The article of manufacture of claim 52 wherein said set of instructions for use comprise an instruction for setting the apparatus based on the size of the space in which the apparatus is placed.

54. The article of manufacture of claim 52 wherein the set of instructions for use comprises an instruction for setting the time of scent emission.

55. The article of manufacture of claim 52 wherein said set of instructions for use further comprises an instruction for setting the scent intensity.

56. The article of manufacture of claim 52 wherein said set of instructions for use comprises an instruction for setting the apparatus to arrange the play sequence with the desired duration for emission or non-emission of each individual scent.

57. The article of claims 52, 53, 54, 55, or 56 wherein said set of instructions for use further comprises pictures and/or icons.

38. An apparatus for diffusing aromatic materials contained in a cartridge comprising multiple aromatic materials, said apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

ascent-containing cartridge comprising;

a shell; and

a disk rotatably mounted inside said shell, said disk comprising a plurality of scent receptacles for containing at least one scent element.

39. An apparatus for diffusing aromatic materials contained in or on an article comprising multiple aromatic materials, said apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

a removable, interchangeable, closed, multiple scent-containing article, said multiple scent-containing article comprising a plurality of receptacles for retaining multiple aromatic materials, said article having a sealed state so that said aromatic materials remain sealed from evaporation when said article is removed from said housing, wherein the multiple scent-containing article is removeably inserted into the housing; and

a mechanism for locking and unlocking the article, said mechanism being capable of unlocking all of said receptacles simultaneously.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the article has a hole therein and said mechanism for unlocking the article comprises at least one projection that passes through the hole in said article.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein when the article is locked, the aromatic materials cannot be accessed through doors or opening elements.

42. An apparatus for diffusing aromatic materials, comprising:

a housing;

a removable, interchangeable, closed, multiple scent-containing article, said multiple scent-containing article having a plurality of receptacles therein for retaining aromatic materials, said article having a sealed state so that said aromatic materials remain sealed from evaporation when said article is removed from said housing, wherein the multiple scent-containing article is removeably inserted into or onto the housing;

an activating mechanism disposed within the housing for at least partially converting at least a portion of the aromatic material within at least one of the plurality of receptacles in the multiple scent-containing article from a deactivated condition to an activated condition, said activating mechanism having an activated state and a deactivated state; and

a mechanism for aligning said at least one receptacle with the activating mechanism.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein said activating mechanism comprises a heater.

44. The apparatus of claim 42 further comprising a mechanism for locking and unlocking the article.

45. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the mechanism for aligning said at least one receptacle with the activating mechanism comprises a mechanism for rotating the receptacles.

46. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the mechanism for aligning said at least one receptacle with the activating mechanism comprises a mechanism for rotating the activating mechanism.

47. An apparatus for diffusing aromatic materials, comprising:

a housing;

a removable, interchangeable, closed, multiple scent-containing article, said multiple scent-containing article having a plurality of receptacles therein for retaining aromatic materials, said article having a sealed state so that said aromatic materials remain sealed from evaporation when said article is removed from said housing, wherein the multiple scent-containing article is removeably inserted into the housing;

an activating mechanism disposed within the housing for at least partially converting at least a portion of the aromatic material within at least one of the plurality of receptacles in the multiple scent-containing article from a deactivated condition to an activated condition, said activating mechanism having an activated state and a deactivated state; and

a mechanism for aligning said at least one receptacle with the activating mechanism,

wherein said receptacles are closed by the movement of a single sealing mechanism that seals said receptacles when said article of manufacture is not in use.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein said activating mechanism comprises a heater.

49. The apparatus of claim 47 further comprising a mechanism for locking and unlocking the article.

50. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the mechanism for aligning said at least one receptacle with the activating mechanism comprises a mechanism for rotating the receptacles.

51. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the mechanism for aligning said at least one receptacle with the activating mechanism comprises a mechanism for rotating the activating mechanism.

58. An apparatus for diffusing aromatic materials contained in or on an article comprising multiple aromatic materials that are related to each other by a common scent theme, said apparatus comprising:

a housing; and

a multiple scent-containing article, said multiple scent-containing article comprising a plurality of receptacles for retaining multiple aromatic materials that are related to each other by a common scent theme, said article having a sealed state so that said aromatic materials remain sealed from evaporation when said article is removed from said housing, wherein the multiple scent-containing article is removeably inserted into or onto the housing.

59. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein all of the scents in the multiple scent-containing article of manufacture share a common theme.

60. The apparatus of claim 58 which is not designed to be used simultaneously with other media.

61. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein the common theme is selected from the group of themes consisting of:

(a) floral and bouquet themes;

(b) pleasant location themes selected from the group consisting of sylvan, flowery garden, forest, field, sea, or mountain themes;

(c) themes for relaxation;

(d) themes for stimulation;

(e) themes relating to various times of the day;

(f) scents from various countries, states, cities, or geographies;

(g) seasonal themes;

(h) themes relating to food;

(i) themes relating to nature;

(j) themes relating to historical events;

(k) themes relating to other events;

(l) themes relating to memories;

(m) themes relating to celebrations;

(n) romantic themes;

(o) themes relating to a sound track;

(p) themes relating to artwork;

(q) spiritual theme relating to meditation, inspiration, and serenity;

(r) theme relating to religion and/or worship;

(s) theme relating to ethnicity;

(t) themes relating to color;

(u) aromatherapy themes; and

(v) themes relating to, or for encouraging the sale of products.

62. The apparatus of claim 59 further comprising at least one illustration, color, icon, and/or writing on the article that indicates the theme of the scents in the article and/or a sequential listing of the scents.

63. The apparatus of claim 59 further being provided with packaging for said article, wherein said packaging comprises an illustration, color, icon, or writing that indicates the theme of the scents in the article and/or a provides a sequential listing of the scents in the article.

64. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein the multiple scent-containing article is removable from said housing and the aromatic materials therein are sealed when said article is removed from said housing.

65. An apparatus of claim 58 wherein the multiple scent-containing article of manufacture comprises a cartridge.

66. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein the multiple scent-containing article of manufacture has a configuration selected from the group consisting of:

disc-shaped, oval, parallelepiped-shaped, rectangular, cube-shaped, cuboid-shaped, cylindrical-shaped, pyramid-shaped, spherical-shaped, or irregularly-shaped.

67. An apparatus according to claim 58 wherein the scent-containing article of manufacture comprises a disc.

68. The apparatus of claim 58 wherein the aromatic materials are provided in a form selected from the group consisting of:

solids, liquids, gels, beads, encapsulates, wicks, a carrier material impregnated with ascent, and combinations thereof.

69. The apparatus of claim 58 in association with a set of instructions that direct the consumer how to operate the apparatus correctly, to obtain the desirable olfactory, or psychological and/or physiological effects.