Fragrance delivery system

• US 8,603,398 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Broncano Atencia, Toni, Sorribes, Silvia, Gell, Francisco
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Regina M
• Application Number:
  US12/095,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20100221143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,566 Days
• Field of Search: 422/120, 422/123, 422/125, 422/5
• US Class Current: 422/125
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/035 emanating multiple odours
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/037 comprising a wick
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/24 incorporating means for heating the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/04 for sequential operation or multiple outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/105 by capillary action, e.g. using wicks

Abstract

The invention provides a fragrance delivery system comprising: a control unit for controlling a release mechanism to release at least one selected fragrance, said control unit comprising a selection unit for selecting said selected fragrance from at least two fragrances and controlling said release mechanism to release said selected fragrance, and a switching element for switching said release mechanism between an first state and an second state or vice versa, in which first state said release mechanism releases said selected fragrance at a higher rate than in said second state. The invention further provides a kit of parts comprising said device and a at least two fragrance reservoirs filled with a fragrance chemical. In addition, the invention relates to the use of a control unit for controlling a release mechanism to release a selected one of at least two fragrances in a fragrance delivery system, which control unit comprises a selection unit for selecting said selected fragrance and controlling said release mechanism to release said selected fragrance, and a switching element for switching said release mechanism between an active state and an inactive state or vice versa, and to the use of the present fragrance delivery system to deliver a fragrance to a space which is at least periodically occupied by an individual.

Claims

1. A fragrance delivery system, comprising:

a control unit configured to control a release mechanism to release at least one selected fragrance, said control unit comprising a selection unit configured to select said selected fragrance from at least two fragrances and said control unit controlling said release mechanism to release said selected fragrance, and

a switching element configured to switch said release mechanism between a first release state and a second release state or vice versa,

wherein said release mechanism releases said selected fragrance from said fragrance delivery system to a space in said first release state and in said second release state, and wherein said release mechanism releases said selected fragrance at a higher rate in said first release state than in said second release state, and

wherein said switching element is further configured to switch said release mechanism between said first release state and said release second state during a first period of time, and to switch said release mechanism between said first release state and said second release state during a second period of time, wherein said first period of time is longer in duration than said second period of time,

a timer configured to measure a measured period of said first state in the range of from 100 to 200 seconds and a measured period of said second state is in the range of from 20 to 100 seconds,

a memory element in which at least one desired value of a period of the first and/or second state may be stored, and

a comparator configured to compare said measured period of said first and/or second state with said desired value and output a switching signal to said switching element,

wherein said switching element is arranged to change said release mechanism between said first state and said second state in response to said switching signal.

2. The fragrance delivery system according to claim 1, wherein in the second period of time the ratio of the duration of the first state relative to the duration of the second state is lower than in the first period of time.

3. The fragrance delivery system according to claim 2, wherein said release mechanism comprises a heating element wherein, during the second period of time, said heating element is configured to release said selected fragrance in the second state only.

4. The fragrance delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said release mechanism comprises an electro-thermal transducer, said transducer being electrically connectable to an electrical power source configured to be coupled thermally to a fragrance chemical, the transducer further configured to convert electrical energy from said power source to thermal energy applied to said selected fragrance.

5. The fragrance delivery system according to claim 1, further comprising a holder for holding at least two fragrance reservoirs.

6. The fragrance delivery system according to claim 5, wherein said release mechanism comprises a heating element in thermal contact with at least a part of a fragrance chemical in said fragrance reservoirs and is configured to release a selected one of at least two fragrances from said fragrance reservoirs.

7. A kit of parts comprising a fragrance delivery system according to claim 1 and at least two fragrance reservoirs filled with a fragrance chemical.

8. The kit of parts according to claim 7, wherein the release mechanism comprises a release mechanism provided for each of the at least two fragrance reservoirs configured to release the fragrance chemical contained in each of the at least two fragrance reservoirs.

9. The kit of parts according to claim 7, wherein the at least two fragrance reservoirs are part of a fragrance cartridge.

10. The kit of parts according to claim 7, wherein the fragrance chemical in each of the at least two fragrance reservoirs are different and complement each other.

11. A method comprising the use of a fragrance delivery system according to claim 1 to deliver a fragrance to a space which is at least periodically occupied by an individual.