AU2007240229A1

AU2007240229A1 - Device for dispensing scents

Info

Publication number: AU2007240229A1
Application number: AU2007240229A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Ernst; Robert Ochsenschlager
Original assignee: Aldi Einkauf GmbH and Co OHG
Current assignee: Aldi Einkauf GmbH and Co OHG
Priority date: 2006-12-08
Filing date: 2007-11-29
Publication date: 2008-06-26

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INVENTION TITLE: DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SCENTS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- 28/I1/07.Documentl7.1 2 CKI DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SCENTS O DESCRIPTION Z The invention relates to a device for the dispensing of scents to for instance sales CK1 rooms, in the area of goods presentation appliances or similar with a scent dispenser and a scent distributor.

SSuch devices are basically known and are employed for example for sales promotion or for supporting certain moods during visual and/or acoustic presentations (refer DE 196 26 602 A For this purpose the known teaching proposes a flat plateshaped basic body which, largely parallel to its top and bottom, is penetrated by several I 0 separate channels. The channels in question serve to accommodate the substances or scents to be dispensed in gas form and have an inlet and an outlet opening each. A supplied gas flow flows through the channels. This has basically proved itself.

In addition to this, a device for the dispensing of scents is known through DE 600 10 265 T2 where a first scent composition is mixed with a second scent composition which is periodically supplied. An entirely independently working device is also provided in this case.

Altogether, the state of the art has proved itself as far as the basic dispensation of scents in rooms is concerned. However, devices to be attached separately are always required for this purpose. This is expensive. This is where the invention comes in.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a device that the effort and the costs are reduced.

To solve this technical setting of problems the invention proposes with a generic device that an air circulating facility known per se and advantageously already present in the sales room concerned or in the area of the goods presentation appliances is equipped with the scent dispenser so that its air circulating unit not only ensures the air circulation but simultaneously acts as scent distributor.

In other words, the invention expressly does not make use of a quasiindependent device for the dispensation of scents but utilizes an air circulating facility that already exists or is known per se for this purpose to upgrade this facility in terms of additional scent dispensation. For the air circulating facility in question will be equipped O3

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CK with the scent dispenser. As a result, the compulsory air circulating unit of the air O circulating facility takes on a quasi-dual function. On the one hand it ensures that the air Z in the sales room or in the area of the respective goods presentation unit or the goods presentation appliance is circulated as part of its originally intended purpose. On the other hand the air circulation in question or the air circulating unit is simultaneously N utilized for dispensing the scent as part of the invention. This means air circulating unit (Ni (Ni and scent distributor are congruent.

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It is consistent that the object of the invention also is the use of an air circulating (Ni Sfacility known per se in conjunction with an additional scent dispenser for the 10 simultaneous air circulation and air scenting as part of the sales promotion. The (Ni simultaneous air circulation and air scenting in for instance rooms, more preferably sales rooms, can be carried out at the same time. Alternatively or additionally air circulation/air scenting is conceivable with goods presentation units or goods presentation appliances.

Advantageously the air circulating facility is designed as cooling facility or air conditioning unit and/or part of such a cooling facility or air conditioning unit. Mostly the air circulating facility is assigned to a goods presentation appliance and/or integrated in such a goods presentation appliance. The goods presentation appliance is advantageously a cooling appliance for instance a refrigeration counter, a refrigerator, refrigerated shelving etc.

The air circulating facility can also be designed independently and for instance as mobile refrigeration appliance, combined with a goods presentation appliance or generally arranged in the sales room. Instead of an independent cooling appliance, an independent air conditioning appliance is obviously also conceivable. In addition, the air circulating facility together with the goods presentation appliance can form a unit of the two aforementioned elements. For this purpose, the air circulating facility and the goods presentation appliance may be (detachably) joined with each other.

In detail it has proved itself if the scent dispenser has a distribution facility for the liquid scent, for example a spray head, a nozzle, a heatable wick etc. Originating from a reservoir the scent is then dispensed distributed finely in small droplets in the air 4 i flow made available by the air circulating facility or its air circulating unit as quasi O aerosol. The scent as such may be present in liquid or also solid form.

Z As an alternative, the invention proposes as scent dispenser a carrier material to accommodate the scent. The carrier material can be embodied porous or for example represent a mat, a filter etc. The mostly liquid scent is located in the pores of the carrier material. The carrier material is placed in the air flow generated by the air circulating (Ni unit so that the scent is carried along with the air flow in form of finely distributed

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droplets. Here, an arrangement of the scent dispenser in the area of an air outlet of the I air circulating facility has proved itself.

Finally it is within the scope of the invention to combine the scent dispenser with a humidifying unit. In this case, not only finest liquid particles of the scent but also finest water droplets are dispensed therefore in the air flow generated by the air circulating unit and in the room to be supplied, dispensed in the area of the goods presentation unit etc. Consequently a quasi air/water droplet/scent droplet aerosol is then formed.

As a result, a device for dispensing of scents is proposed within the scope of the invention which makes use of an air circulating facility which already exists or is intended in a room and utilizes the air circulating unit of the said facility as scent distributor at the same time. Here, not only an air circulating unit of the air circulating facility known per se which is used for providing supply air, i.e. with a cooling appliance of cooling air is possible. But within the scope of the invention and after particularly preferred development, waste air can also be provided by the air circulating unit and employed for the distribution of the scents. Such waste air is discharged for example with cooling appliances as quasi lost air in large quantity in the relevant room and can now according to the invention be utilized to simultaneously ensure the distribution of the scent.

This means the supply air and/or waste air of the air circulating facility is utilized as carrier for the scent. In other words, the air circulating unit can be embodied as supply air distributor and/or waste air distributor. In both cases the distributor concerned simultaneously acts as scent distributor. It is therefore a supply air/scent

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distributor and/or waste air/scent distributor. Here it is understood that the scent O dispenser can be operated continuously or discontinuously, for example in cycles at Z certain time intervals. As a result, the concentration of the scent or of several scents can be specifically varied in the room, more preferably sales room, and utilized for the relevant sales promotion. It is conceivable at this point to measure the concentration of the one scent or the several scents in the relevant room with the help of one or several N sensors and in terms of a control to set a specified set value for the scent concentration.

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In each case the air circulating facility known per se is quasi upgraded within the

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scope of the invention and accompanied by an additional benefit which consists in that through the supplemented scent dispenser the air circulating unit of the air circulating facility not only ensures the air circulation but simultaneously acts as scent distributor.

These are considered the essential advantages.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail by means of an exemplary embodiment; it shows: Fig. I the device according to the invention in combination with a cooling appliance; and Fig. 2 a version with a unit of goods presentation appliance and cooling facility.

A device for dispensing scents I is shown in the figures. The scents I are merely shown in form of finely distributed droplets I and are dispensed within the scope of the version according to Fig. I into a room, more preferably sales room 2. With the embodiment according to Fig. 2 scenting with the help of the scents I occurs in the area of a goods presentation unit or a goods presentation appliance 3. The device in question always has a scent dispenser 4; 5, 6 and a scent distributor 7, which are still explained in more detail in the following.

Of particular importance is the fact that an air circulating facility 8 known per se is equipped with the scent dispenser 4; 5, 6. As a result, an air circulating unit 7 of the air circulating facility 8 not only acts as air circulator but at the same time as distributor for the scents I or scent distributor 7. This means the air circulating facility 8 known per se is, combined with the additional scent dispenser 4; 5, 6, employed for the simultaneous air circulation and air scenting as part for example of sales promotion. For 6 C this, the room or sales room 2 is according to Fig. I and/or the goods presentation unit 3 o within the scope of the version according to Fig. 2 are suitably supplied.

Z The air circulating facility 8 can be embodied as cooling facility and/or air Sconditioning unit. With the version according to Fig. I the air circulating facility 8 is a special cooling facility, namely a cooling appliance, which in this case and not restrictively is designed as cooling shelf. In contrast, the cooling facility according to Fig. 2 is embodied as portable cooling appliance with rollers at the bottom and, in combination with the goods presentation unit 3, forms a combined unit of the goods presentation unit 3 or the goods presentation appliance and the cooling facility or air circulating facility 8.

Logically, the air circulating facility 8 can be assigned to a concomitant goods presentation appliance or a goods presentation unit 3 and/or integrated in such a goods presentation appliance 3. Here, the air circulating facility 8 may be designed independently as is shown in Fig. 3 with the concomitant cooling appliance or can be integrated in the unit of the air circulating facility 8 and for example the goods presentation appliance or the goods presentation unit 3 shown in Fig. 2.

The upper area of a lateral part of the cooling appliance in question or generally the air circulating facility 8 is shown in detail in Fig. I. The cooling appliance is as mentioned a cooling counter or a cooling shelf etc. An air cooler 9 which at the head changes into a cooling air duct 10 is shown. With the help of the air circulating unit 7 air is now drawn through the cooler 9 by way of the cooling air duct 10 and discharged via an outlet opening or supply air opening 1 I as cooling air and supply air respectively into a goods room 12. Because the air drawn in by the air circulating unit 7 is additionally passed through an air guiding unit 13 with fins 14 in the area of the supply air opening I1 and a head plate 15 of the cooling appliance simultaneously ensures the air guidance, a cooling air flow suggested by arrows is realized altogether which in an ideal case has a laminar flow.

In the cooling air flow, more specifically in the cooling air duct 10, a scent dispenser 4 is arranged, more specifically immediately in front of the air guidance unit 13 and the scent distributor 7. The scent dispenser 4 within the scope of the version 7 C1 according to Fig. 1 is one that is equipped with a porous carrier material 4 which serves O to accommodate the scent 1. In fact the scent I in question is absorbed in individual pores of the carrier material 4 and is itself either liquid or solid.

As soon as the air drawn in through the cooling air duct 10 by the air circulating unit 7 cooled with the help of the air cooler 9 passes the porous carrier material 4, the liquid scent I located in the pores is taken along and enters the goods room 12 together with the cooled air through the supply air opening 1 1. As a result, the cooling air flow or cooling air curtain which is formed at the outlet of the supply air opening I I in the goods room 12 is quasi flavoured or scented.

Alternatively or additionally the scent I however can also enter the room or sales room 2 by way of a waste air opening 16. Then, not the air cooled with the help of the air cooler 9 is used as carrier of individual droplets of the scent 1, but rather the unavoidable waste air generated by the air cooler 9. This waste air may be discharged into the sales room 2 via the waste air opening 16 wherein, in this case, an air circulating unit 7 again ensures the appropriate movement of the air. Since with this alternative development the scent dispenser 4 in form of the carrier material 4 saturated with the liquid scent I is arranged in flow direction upstream of the scent distributor 7 or the air circulating unit 7 the air being discharged through the waste air opening is suitably flavoured. This means the scent dispenser is located in the area of the supply air opening 1 I and/or the waste air opening 16.

Of special importance for the invention is the circumstance that the obligatory air circulating unit 7 takes over a quasi dual function. For on the one hand it ensures that the waste air and the supply air are discharged via the waste air opening 16 and the supply air opening 11 respectively and on the other hand that the scent I is distributed.

This means air circulating unit and scent distributor 7 are congruent. In this connection both the waste air and the supply air separately or jointly can act as carrier of the scent I.

An alternative embodiment of the scent dispenser 4; 5, 6 according to the invention is shown in Fig. 2. Here, in fact, the scent dispenser 5, 6 is again as with the embodiment according to Fig. 1 arranged in the flow of the air circulating unit 7, more 8 r' specifically in the area of an air outlet or in this case in the vicinity of the supply air o opening 11. Obviously the scent dispenser 5, 6 there could be alternatively or Z additionally placed also in the vicinity of a not expressly shown waste air opening 16.

In fact the scent dispenser 5, 6 with the version according to Fig. 2 consists of a distribution facility 6 for the scent 1 and a reservoir 5 for the scent I in question. Since in this case liquid scent 1 is used the distribution facility 6 is designed as nozzle (Ni arrangement with outlet nozzles on both sides while the reservoir 5 is designed as a liquid reservoir. The scent dispenser 5, 6 in question is combined at this point with a humidifying unit 17. In fact the humidifying unit 17 and the scent dispenser 5, 6 are congruent. The invention achieves this in that in the (liquid) reservoir 5 a mixture of water and the scent 1 are accommodated so that the distribution facility 6 with its nozzles on both sides creates an aerosol with fine water droplets and droplets of the scent 1 in the suggested air flow. Guidance of the air flow is again ensured by the air circulating unit 7 which simultaneously represents the scent distributor 7.

One recognizes that with the version according to Fig. 2 the cooling facility 8 is joined with a goods presentation unit or a goods presentation appliance 3 in terms of a combined unit 3, 8. In fact cooling facility 8 and the goods presentation appliance 3 are each modularly constructed with a separate frame and can be joined to each other. The goods presentation appliance 3 has a sloping goods support 18 on which the suggested goods 19 are placed.

The cooled air flavoured with scents I and also humidified if required is discharged via the air guidance unit 13 from supply air openings II provided on both sides of each cooling facility 8. Here, the fins 14 of the air guidance unit 13 ensure that the air flow in question is deflected largely parallel to the goods support 18 and at the end of the goods support 18 reaches a return air facility 20. In the return air facility the air flow is again deflected and returned to the cooling facility 8 in the sense of a circuit.

In both exemplary cases according to Fig.l and 2 a sensor 21 is also suggested with the help of which the concentration of the scents I in the sales room 2 (Fig. I) and in the area of the goods presentation unit or the goods presentation appliance 3 9 respectively (refer Fig. 2) is measured. The sensor 21 is connected to a merely O suggested control unit 22 which, with the version according to Fig. 1, supplies the air Z circulating unit or the scent dispenser 7 intermittently if required to adjust the concentration of scents 1 in the sales room 2 to a value preset on the control unit 22 in the sense of a control. With the embodiment according to Fig. 2 the control unit 22 fed with values of the sensor 21 ensures that the nozzles of the distribution facility 6 are (Ni opened and closed (intermittently). Obviously both procedures can also be combined.

In this way it is possible at any rate to adjust the concentration of the scents I now in the area of the goods presentation unit or the goods presentation appliance 3 to 10 a specified value. In addition, it is within the scope of the invention to work with (Ni different scents 1. These cannot only be dispensed as a function of specified concentrations with the help of the control unit 22. But it is additionally conceivable to make the amount of scent and, if applicable, a scent combination dependent on the season, the temperature, the time of day etc. and use these parameters for variation.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form or suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the scent dispenser is (Ni designed with a carrier material to accommodate the scent.
3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the carrier material is embodied porous and for instance constitutes a mat, a filter etc. 10 4. The device according to any one of the claims I to 3, characterized in that the (Ni scent dispenser is arranged in the air flow of the air circulating unit, preferably in the area of an air outlet. The device according to any one of the claims I to 4, characterized in that the scent dispenser has a distribution facility for the liquid scent for example a spray head, a nozzle, etc.
6. The device according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the scent dispenser is combined with a humidifying unit.
7. The device according to any one of the claims I to 6, characterized in that the air circulating facility is designed as cooling facility and/or air conditioning unit.
8. The device according to any one of the claims I to 7, characterized in that the air circulating facility is assigned to a goods presentation appliance and/or integrated in such goods presentation appliance.
9. The device according to any one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the air circulating facility is designed independently or integrated in a unit of the air circulating facility and for example a goods presentation appliance. Use of an air circulating facility known per se in connection with an additional scent dispenser for the simultaneous air circulation and air scenting as part of sales promotion.
11. A device for dispensing scents substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.