Drink coaster and air freshener

• US 6,695,272 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey C. Maerschalk, Sanya M. Maerschalk
• Original Assignee: Gregory Jay Bomgaars, Robert Anthony Terranova
• Inventors: Terranova, Robert Anthony, Bomgaars, Gregory Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, ANITA M
• Application Number:
  US10/080,227
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 248/346.11, 248/346.01, 215/394, 215/393, 239/53, 239/56, 428/157
• US Class Current: 248/346.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2200/08 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 23/032 made of paper, board, or the like, e.g. beermats
• 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 9/12 Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24488 Differential nonuniformity at margin

Abstract

The invention is a disk-shaped combination drink coaster and air freshener for a drink holder. The top layer absorbs condensation or liquid spills from a drink container. The disk may have a layer impregnated with an air freshener, which will gradually be released into the vehicle or room. The disk has a plurality of layers designed to absorb liquid spills and prevent liquid spills and the air freshener material from leaving deposits on the bottom of the drink holder. The device may be imprinted with advertising names or symbols. The device has perforations to facilitate tearing off part of the circumference of the disk to reduce its diameter. The disk can also be used in combination with a coaster holder impregnated with air freshener, the weight of which prevents the coaster and air freshener from sticking to the bottom of a liquid container when the container is lifted.

Claims

1. A device which is, in combination, a drink coaster and air freshener, adapted to be positioned in a drink holder or on a flat surface, comprising a substantially circular or polygonal shaped disk, said disk further comprising a plurality of layers including a top layer and a bottom layer liquid absorbent and an air freshener middle layer impregnated with a material capable of evaporation and selected from a group of substances or mixtures having an odor pleasing to humans or capable of combating odors unpleasant to humans.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a removal hole in the disk positioned relatively close to the edge of the disk and adapted for insertion of a pointed object, whereby the disk is capable of being easily removed by the pointed object from said drink holder.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the layers of the disk beneath the top layer are smaller in circumference than the top layer, whereby spilled liquid from a drink container is less likely to contact the middle and bottom layers of the disk or the bottom of the drink holder.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the layers of the disk beneath the top layer are smaller in circumference than the top layer, whereby spilled liquid is less likely to contact the middle and bottom layers of the disk or the bottom of said drink holder.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a removal hole in the disk positioned relatively close to the edge of the disk and adapted for insertion of a pointed object, whereby the disk is capable of being easily removed by the pointed object from said drink holder.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the top layer includes one or more sets of substantially circular or polygonal lines of perforations or lines of weakness, inside of, and parallel to, the circumference of said disk, whereby an outer substantially ring-shaped portion of the top layer of said disk can be removed by tearing outer portions of the top layer away from the inside substantially circular or polygonal shaped portion of said disk, and whereby the diameter of said disk can be changed to fit drink holders of varying sizes.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a removal hole in the disk positioned relatively close to the edge of the disk but inside the set of perforations or lines of weakness with the smallest diameter, and adapted for insertion of a pointed object, whereby the disk is capable of being easily removed by the pointed object from said drink holder.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the layers of the disk beneath the top layer are smaller in circumference than the top layer, whereby spilled liquid from a drink container is less likely to contact the bottom layers of the disk or the middle and bottom of the drink holder.

9. The device of claim 6, further comprising a logo, symbol, name, or other advertising or identifying mark printed or embossed on the liquid absorbent top layer of said disk.

10. The device of claim 6, further comprising a removal hole in the disk positioned relatively close to the edge of the disk but inside the set of perforations or lines of weakness with the smallest diameter, and adapted for insertion of a pointed object, whereby the disk is capable of being easily removed by the pointed object from a drink holder, and wherein the layers of the disk beneath the top layer are smaller in circumference than the top layer.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the air freshener layer impregnated with a material capable of evaporation, has an exposed substantially cylindrical or polygonal edge surface out of which the material can evaporate from the disk, and wherein the top and bottom surfaces of said air freshener layer are sealed by being attached to one or more layers of liquid impervious material.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the liquid impervious layer comprises waxed paper, plastic, a continuous coating of glue, or a continuous coating of adhesive, or a layer of plastic applied by spraying the plastic dissolved in a solvent capable of evaporation.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the air freshener layer is comprised of cardboard, pulp board, blotter paper, pulp paper, natural sponge, plastic foam, or matted fibers.

14. The device of claim 6, further comprising a removal hole in the disk positioned relatively close to the edge of the disk and adapted for insertion of a pointed object, whereby the disk is capable of being easily removed by the pointed object from said drink holder.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the layers of the disk beneath the top layer are smaller in circumference than the top layer, whereby spilled liquid from a drink container is less likely to contact the middle and bottom layers of the disk or the bottom of the drink holder.

16. The device of claim 11, further comprising a logo, symbol, name, or other advertising or identifying mark printed or embossed on the liquid absorbent top layer of said disk.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the top layer includes one or more sets of substantially circular or polygonal lines of perforations or lines of weakness, inside of, and parallel to, the circumference of said disk, whereby an outer substantially ring-shaped portion of the top layer of said disk can be removed by tearing outer portions of the top layer away from the inside substantially circular or polygonal shaped portion of said disk, and whereby the diameter of said disk can be changed to fit drink holders of varying sizes, and further comprising a removal hole in the disk positioned relatively close to the edge of the disk but inside the set of perforations or lines of weakness with the smallest diameter, and adapted for insertion of a pointed object, whereby the disk is capable of being easily removed by a pointed object from the drink holder, and wherein the layers of the disk beneath the top layer are smaller in circumference than the top layer.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the liquid absorbent top layer comprises cardboard, pulp board, blotter paper, pulp paper, natural sponge, plastic foam, or matted fibers.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the bottom layer, beneath the air freshener layer, is comprised of substantially the same material as the liquid absorbent top layer.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a logo, symbol, name, or other advertising or identifying mark printed or embossed on the liquid absorbent top layer of said disk.

21. The device of claim 1, further comprising a coaster holder comprising:

(a) a round or polygonal shaped coaster holder disk having a raised rim, adapted to hold the coaster and air freshener, and

(b) a plurality of coaster retainer means extending from the raised rim of the coaster holder over the coaster and air freshener, and adapted to retain the waster and air freshener in a fixed position in the coaster holder disk.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising a coaster bolder hole through said holder, and a removal hole in the raised rim of the bolder, whereby a human finger or other elongate object can move through the coaster holder hole and press the coaster and air freshener out from the coaster holder, and whereby a pointed object can be inserted in the removal hole, whereby the coaster holder can be removed from a drink holder or similar cavity.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the coaster holder is made of plastic comprising a glow in the dark means.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the coaster holder is made of plastic or other moldable material, impregnated with air freshener means, and wherein the air freshener layer is absent.

25. A device which is, in combination, a drink coaster and air freshener, adapted to be positioned in a drink holder, comprising a substantially circular or polygonal shaped disk, said disk further comprising:

(a) a liquid absorbent means,

(b) an air freshener means,

(c) an air freshener holder means,

(d) a diameter reducing means,

(e) a disk removal means, and

(f) an attaching means for attaching parts (a) and (c) together.

26. The device of claim 25, further comprising a coaster holder comprising:

(a) a round or polygonal shaped coaster holder disk having a raised rim, adapted to bold the coaster and air freshener, and

(b) a plurality of coaster retainer means extending from the raised rim of the coaster holder over the coaster and air freshener, and adapted to retain the coaster and air freshener in a fixed position in the coaster bolder.

27. The device of claim 26, further comprising a coaster holder hole through said holder, and a removal hole in the raised rim of the holder, whereby a human finger or other elongate object can move through the coaster holder hole and press the coaster and air freshener out from the coaster holder, and whereby a pointed object can be inserted in the removal hole, whereby the coaster bolder can be removed from a drink holder or similar cavity.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the coaster holder is made of plastic comprising a glow in the dark means.

29. A device which is, in combination, a drink coaster and air freshener, adapted to be positioned in a drink holder, comprising a substantially circular or polygonal shaped disk, said disk further comprising:

(a) a liquid absorbent means,

(b) a diameter reducing means,

(c) a disk removal means, and

further comprising a coaster holder comprising;

(d) a round or polygonal shaped coaster holder disk having a raised rim, adapted to hold the coaster and air freshener, and

(e) a plurality of coaster retainer means extending from the raised rim of the coaster holder over the coaster and air freshener, and adapted to retain the coaster and air freshener in a fixed position in the coaster holder,

wherein the coaster bolder disk is comprised of plastic or other moldable material, impregnated with air freshener means.