Air freshening system and method

• US 9,726,395 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scott David Hammer
• Original Assignee: Scott David Hammer
• Inventors: Hammer, Scott David
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorman, Eric
• Application Number:
  US13/843,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/14 Filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/16 Connections to a HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/048 air treating gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/12 Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/082 Grilles, registers or guards
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/50 by odorisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49948 Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]

Abstract

The present invention supports an airflow register accessory comprising an accessory having an outer and an inner surface and defining vents, a fastening mechanism located on the inner surface of the accessory, and a scented component located on the inner surface adjacent and accessorizing the vents. In a preferred embodiment, the accessory may be easily attached to and detached from the room-facing surface of an airflow register. Upon air flow from an HVAC system through the airflow register and airflow register accessory, a pleasant scent may be imparted to the room via release of scent from the scented component.

Claims

1. An airflow accessory, comprising:

a first airflow register accessory body structure having an outer surface being situated proximate to the area being ventilated, an inner surface, a plurality of elongated ledges, each of said plurality of ledges being located proximate to a plurality of ventilation opening apertures that allow for substantially unobstructed air flow to be channeled there through, said first airflow register accessory body structure capable of being placed on an exterior surface of an air register vent so that air flowing through the air register vent will be filtered for particulate removal and scented with a first desired scent;

a fastening mechanism that removably couples said airflow register accessory body structure to said air register vent, said inner surface of said airflow register accessory body structure being substantially situated near said exterior surface of said air register vent, said airflow register accessory body structure being mobile to be removed and replaced when said first desired scent is depleted;

one or more of said plurality of ledges on said first airflow register accessory body structure supporting a scented gel composition impregnated with a predetermined fragrance, said impregnated fragrance being activated when a sheet coating surrounding the gel composition is removed to be air-activated, said gel composition proximate to said ventilation opening apertures on the first airflow register accessory body structure, and

said scented gel composition being located on each of said plurality of ledges substantially across an entire surface area of the air register vent, said fragrance being emitted into the air flow channeled through the air register vent and apertures in the first airflow register accessory body structure, said scented gel composition does not substantially obstruct the air flow through the first airflow register accessory body structure,

said scented gel composition having a diluent of water in the range of 30% to 50% by weight of the gel composition, a polymeric gel in the range of 50% to 70% by weight of the gel composition, a scented fragrance component in the range of 0.75% to 3.75% by weight of the gel composition, a colorant of 0.05% to 2.75% by weight of the gel composition, and an antimicrobial additive with range of 0.20% to 5% by weight of the gel composition.

2. The airflow accessory of claim 1, wherein said fastening mechanism is a magnet.

3. The airflow accessory of claim 1, wherein said fastening mechanism is magnetic tape strip.

4. The airflow accessory of claim 1, wherein said fastening mechanism is an adhesively secured magnetic tape strip.

5. The airflow accessory of claim 1, wherein said scented gel composition is an oil-based composition having impregnated fragrance.

6. The airflow accessory of claim 1, wherein said scented gel is a water-based composition having a scented aroma.

7. The airflow accessory of claim 1, wherein said scented gel is placed into scented fabric.

8. The airflow accessory of claim 1, wherein said scented gel is placed into scented fabric,

a first airflow register accessory body structure having an outer surface being substantially situated proximate to the area being ventilated, an inner surface, a plurality of elongated ledges, each of said plurality of elongated ledges being located proximate to a plurality of ventilation opening apertures that allow for substantially unobstructed air flow to be channeled there through, said first airflow register accessory body structure capable of being placed on an exterior surface of an air register vent and said first airflow register accessory body is configured to be of a similar shape as the shape of the air register vent so that air flowing through said air register vent will be filtered for particulate removal and scented with a first desired scent;

a fastening mechanism that removably couples said airflow register accessory body structure to said air register vent, said inner surface of said first airflow register accessory body structure being substantially situated near said exterior surface of said air register vent, said first airflow register accessory body structure being mobile to be removed and replaced when scent is depleted;

one or more of said plurality of elongated ledges on said first airflow register accessory body supporting a scented gel composition impregnated with a predetermined fragrance, said impregnated fragrance being activated when a sheet coating surrounding the scented gel composition is removed to be air-activated,

said scented gel composition coupled proximate to said ventilation opening apertures and located on each of said plurality of elongated ledges of the first airflow register accessory body structure substantially across an entire width of the air register vent, said fragrance being emitted into the air flow channeled through the air register vent and apertures in the first airflow register accessory body structure, said scented gel composition does not substantially obstruct the air flow through the first airflow register accessory body structure,

said scented gel composition having a diluent of water in the range of 30% to 50% by weight of the gel composition, a polymeric gel in the range of 50% to 70% by weight of the gel composition, a scented fragrance component in the range of 0.75% to 3.75% by weight of the gel composition, a colorant of 0.05% to 2.75% by weight of the gel composition, and an antimicrobial additive with range of 0.20% to 5% by weight of the gel composition.

9. The airflow accessory of claim 8, wherein said fastening mechanism is a magnet.

10. The airflow accessory of claim 8, wherein said fastening mechanism is a magnetic tape strip.

11. The airflow accessory of claim 8, wherein said fastening mechanism is an adhesively secured magnetic tape strip.

12. The airflow accessory of claim 8, wherein said scented gel composition is an oil-based composition having impregnated fragrance.

13. The airflow accessory of claim 8, wherein said scented gel is a water-based composition having a scented aroma.

14. A method of provided fragrance to airflow channeled through an air register vent, comprising the steps of:

providing a first airflow register accessory body structure having an outer surface being substantially proximate to the area being ventilated, an inner surface, a plurality of elongated ledges, each of said plurality of elongated ledges being located proximate to a plurality of ventilation opening apertures that allow for substantially unobstructed air flow to be channeled there through,

placing said first airflow register accessory body structure on an exterior surface of said air register vent, said airflow register accessory body is configured to be of a similar shape as the shape of the air register vent so that air flowing through the air register vent will be filtered for particulate removal and scented with a first desired scent;

fastening said first airflow register accessory body structure to said air register vent, said inner surface of said first airflow register accessory body structure being substantially situated near said exterior surface of said air register vent, said first airflow register accessory body structure being mobile to be removed and replaced when scent is depleted;

supporting a scented gel composition, impregnated with a predetermined fragrance, on each of said plurality of elongated ledges substantially across an entire surface area of said air register vent said impregnated fragrance being activated when a sheet coating surrounding the gel composition is removed to be air-activated, said gel composition being positioned proximate to said ventilation opening apertures on the first airflow register accessory body structure,

emitting said fragrance into the air flow channeled through the air register vent and apertures in the first airflow register accessory body structure, said scented gel composition does not substantially obstruct the air flow through the first airflow register accessory body structure,

said scented gel composition having a diluent of water in the range of 30% to 50% by weight of the gel composition, a polymeric gel in the range of 50% to 70% by weight of the gel composition, a scented fragrance component in the range of 0.75% to 3.75% by weight of the gel composition, a colorant of 0.05% to 2.75% by weight of the gel composition, and an antimicrobial additive with range of 0.20% to 5% by weight of the gel composition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said fastening step is accomplished with a magnet.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said fastening step is accomplished with a magnetic strip tape.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said fastening step is accomplished with an adhesively secured magnetic tape strip.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said scented gel composition is an oil-based composition having impregnated fragrance.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said scented gel is a water-based composition having a scented aroma.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said scented gel is placed into scented fabric.

21. The method of claim 14, where said fastening step is performed using a connector.