Fragrance dispenser

• US 5,882,256 A
• Filed: 06/09/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maurice C. Shropshire
• Original Assignee: Maurice C. Shropshire
• Inventors: Shropshire, Maurice C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US08/871,691
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 454/157, 422/123, 422/124
• US Class Current: 454/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/12 Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0007 Adding substances other than water to the air, e.g. perfume, oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 3/0035 characterised by the control methods for adding the substance

Abstract

A fragrance dispenser including a fragrance container for housing a predetermined amount of liquid fragrance. A dispensing mechanism is included for dispensing the fragrance upon the receipt of power. Also provided is a manual actuation switch for allowing the single and immediate transfer of power to the dispensing mechanism upon the depression thereof. Finally, the manual actuation switch is connected to an ignition of the vehicle for being capable of transferring power only when the vehicle is activated.

Claims

1. A fragrance dispenser for a vehicle comprising, in combination:

a fragrance container having a cylindrical configuration with a circular top face, a circular bottom face, and a periphery formed therebetween defining an interior space, the container including a dispensing tube vertically disposed within the interior space of the container and extending through the top face thereof via a gasket, the dispensing tube having a first end situated within the interior space of the container adjacent the bottom face thereof with a plurality of apertures formed therein, the dispensing tube also having a second end positioned exterior of the container, wherein the container holds a predetermined amount of liquid fragrance and the top face of the container is removably coupled to the periphery such that the container may be refilled when necessary;

a pump connected to the second end of the dispensing tube, the pump having a dispensing nozzle connected thereto and situated below a dash of the vehicle, the pump adapted to spray the liquid fragrance from the dispensing nozzle upon the receipt of power;

a fan situated behind the dispensing nozzle for dispersing the liquid fragrance sprayed by the pump upon the receipt of power;

a control panel having a rectangular configuration and situated within a reach of a user of the vehicle;

a fragrance low level detection means including a liquid switch situated within the interior space of the container and situated a predetermined distance from the bottom face of the container adapted to open upon the lack of detection of liquid for emitting a low level signal upon the lack of detection of liquid, the fragrance low level detection means further including a light emitting diode situated on a front face of the control panel for emitting a light upon the receipt of the fragrance low level signal;

a manual actuation switch situated on the front face of the control panel for allowing the single and immediate transfer of power to the fan and pump upon the depression thereof;

a delay actuation switch situated on the front face of the control panel and connected to delay control means positioned within the control panel, the delay control means adapted for allowing the intermittent transfer of power to the pump and fan upon the depression of the delay actuation switch, wherein the delay control means comprises an oscillator and a divider for providing a pulse governed by an associated RC time constant and the RC time constant may be selectively determined by way of a potentiometer that is controllable via a slider switch located on the front face of the control panel, wherein a duration between each dispensing of fragrance is between 5-30 minutes; and

central control means positioned within the control panel and connected between the pump and fan and the manual actuation switch and the delay actuation switch and delay control means, the central control means adapted to allow the transfer of the power to the fan and pump from at least one of the switches upon the depression thereof and further govern each transfer of power such that they are of a constant predetermined magnitude and duration, wherein the central control means includes an OR gate with inputs connected to the manual and delay actuation switch, a one-shot multivibrator connected to an output of the OR gate for deploying a pulse of constant duration upon the receipt of a power signal from the switches, and a voltage controlled switch coupled to the multivibrator for providing necessary voltage to the fan and pump;

said manual actuation switch and said delay actuation switch both connected to an ignition of the vehicle for being capable of transferring power only when the vehicle is activated.