GB2256589A

GB2256589A - Multicompartment air freshener

Info

Publication number: GB2256589A
Application number: GB9112711A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Warren
Original assignee: TURTLE WAX MANUFACTURING LIMIT
Current assignee: TURTLE WAX MANUFACTURING LIMIT
Priority date: 1991-06-13
Filing date: 1991-06-13
Publication date: 1992-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2011-06-13
Also published as: GB2256589B; GB9112711D0

Abstract

An air freshener comprises a circular section enclosure having a row of circumferentially extending apertures 14. The enclosure is subdivided into compartments by a partition arranged to seal against the inner surface of the enclosure and also rotate, by means of an outside thumbwheel 20 to bring each compartment into registry with the apertures separately. Different sources of scent can be held in each compartment. One compartment can be left vacant to enable the air freshener to be substantially deactivated if desired. <IMAGE>

Description

AIR FRESHENER This invention relates to air fresheners, that is dispensers for carrying a source of scent which is released into the air.

Typically, air fresheners comprise an apertured enclosure in which a source of scent is located. The aperture or apertures are sealed to prevent the scent being released before the air freshener is purchased.

The full working effect of the air freshener is achieved by removing the seal.

According to the present invention there is provided an air freshener comprising an enclosure formed with at least one aperture, the enclosure being subdivided into compartments each arranged to carry a source of scent, a member or members movable relative to the aperture between a releasing position in which one of the compartments communicates with the aperture and a closed position in which that compartment is substantially sealed.

The compartments may be defined between an inner surface of the enclosure and a movable compartment wall or walls constituting the member or members.

In one particular form the enclosure is a cylindrical tube with closed ends and the compartment walls constituting the members extend radially outwardly to engage the inner surface of the enclosure to define angularly spaced compartments in which the different scent sources may be located. Particularly advantageously the tube is circular in cross-section.

The radially extending walls engaging the inner surface of the enclosure are thus rotatable selectively to bring each compartment into registry with the aperture in the releasing position.

The aperture is preferably formed in the tubes such that registry of one compartment with the aperture in a releasing position effectively seals off the other compartments in their respective closed positions.

Preferably, the apertures are a plurality of circumferentially extending slots in the enclosure which are shorter in circumferential extent than the angular extent of a compartment. When in registry with the apertures the walls partially defining the compartment seal the other compartment or compartments to either side of the circumferential extent of the apertures.

Preferably, the member or members are connected to an external handle or wheel by which they may be manipulated between positions. Advantageously, the handle or wheel closes one end of the tube. It may be moulded with the member or members or operably connected with it.

Preferably, the air freshener is provided with an adhesive backed base.

The source of scent may be in the form of a solid stick or an absorbent material impregnated with a scent. In either case each compartment is preferably provided with means for holding the source in position.

These may be a clip, clamp or jaw arrangement providing a push-fit housing for the source.

The invention can thus provide a source of different scents of a plurality of sources of the same scent in the compartments which may be in turn be exposed to an apertured portion of the enclosure so that its scent may be released.

The invention can be put into practice in various ways one of which will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an illustration of a preferred form of air freshener according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, an air freshener comprises an elongate circular section tubular enclosure 10. The enclosure is moulded from rigid plastics material closed at one end 12. A plurality of circumferentially extending slots 14 are formed in the enclosure spaced axially along its longitudinal extent.

The tube end 16 opposite the closed end 12 is open. Through this end 16 a rigid plastics cruciform section member 18 is inserted into the tube. One end of the member 18 is formed with a wheel 20. The wheel 20 has a radially outwardly projecting annular lip which is adapted to engage with the axially inner side of a radially inwardly extending annular lip on the inside of the tube itself. This engagement provides a rotatable snap-fit retention for the member 18 in the tube. Other forms of retention for the member 18 and the wheel 20 will be apparent to the skilled person.

With particular reference to Figure 2, the member 18 comprises four equally angularly spaced walls 22 extending radially outwardly to define the cruciform shape. The radial edge of each wall 22 and their ends remote from the wheel 20 sealingly engage the inner surface of the tube. The walls 22 thus define compartments which are rotatable within the tube. It will be appreciated that the seal between the walls 22 and the inner surface of the tube 10 is unlikely to be perfect. In the context of the air freshener the seal should be sufficient to retain the odour of a source of scent to the extent that it is substantially undetectable by the human nose except at close quarters.

Each compartment is formed with a pair of axially spaced webs 24 projecting from radially adjacent walls which serve to stiffen the walls. The webs 24 are formed as a pair of opposed jaws in which a scented stick 26 of absorbent material can be securely held.

The sticks are thus replaceable when they are spent.

The tube is also formed with a base 28 connected to the tube by a central stem 30. The base 28 has an adhesive pad 32 on its ground engaging surface to allow it to be mounted on a plane inclined to the horizontal.

It will be seen that the slots 14 cover a quadrant of the circular section of the tube. One compartment is in a releasing position in which it is exposed to the outside of the tube through the apertures as it is orientated to be in registry with the slots. In this position the other compartments are sealed. By rotating the wheel 20 the compartment in registry with the slots can be selected and the others sealed off.

Of course more or less compartments can be defined by the walls 22 and the compartments can be selected to hold a source of scent 26 or left vacant. A vacant compartment can be rotated into registry with the slots in order to inhibit the emission of scent.

A marker arrow 32 on the end 16 of the tube adjacent the wheel 20 is provided to register with indicia on the wheel indicating the compartment exposed according to the rotational position of the wheel.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An air freshener comprising an enclosure formed with at least one aperture, the enclosure being subdivided into compartments each arranged to carry a source of scent, a member or members movable relative to the aperture between a releasing position, in which one of the compartments communicates with the aperture, and a closed position, in which that compartment is substantially sealed.

2. An air freshener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compartments are defined between an inner surface of the enclosure and a movable compartment wall or walls, constituting the member or members.

3. An air freshener as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the enclosure is a cylinder with closed ends, the members extending radially outwardly to engage the inner surface of the enclosure to define angularly spaced compartments in which a different source of scent is located.

4. An air freshener as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cylinder is circular in cross-section.

5. An air freshener as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the aperture is formed in the cylinder such that registry of one compartment with the aperture in the releasing position effectively seals off the other compartment(s) in closed positions.

6. An air freshener as claimed in claim 5, wherein the apertures are laterally extending slots in the enclosure which are shorter in lateral extent than the angular extent of a compartment.

7. An air freshener as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the member or members are connected to external manipulation means, such as a handle or wheel.

8. An air freshener as claimed in claim 7, wherein the manipulation means closes one end of the cylinder.

9. An air freshener as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the manipulation means are integrally moulded with the member or members.

10. An air freshener as claimed in any preceding claim in which each source of scent is an absorbent or solid element held in position within a compartment by a jaw arrangement.

11. An air freshener substantially as specifically described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.