GB2514137A

GB2514137A - Clothes drier fragrance dispenser and clothes freshening kit

Info

Publication number: GB2514137A
Application number: GB1308659.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dominic Trotman-Dickenson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-05-14
Filing date: 2013-05-14
Publication date: 2014-11-19
Also published as: GB201308659D0

Abstract

The dispenser 10 is for dispensing fragrance to clothes within the clothes drier. The dispenser includes a housing 11 and a fragrance receiving member 15 disposed within the housing. The housing includes a fragrance permeable portion 16 such that fragrance can pass from the member out from the housing through the portion to freshen clothes. The permeable portion may include apertures of different size. A closure or lid 12 may be detachably coupled to the housing. The fragrance receiving member may comprise an absorbent material. A clothes freshening kit for a clothes dryer includes the dispenser and at least one fragrance which may be selectively applied to the fragrance receiving member.

Description

I

Clothes Oder Fraurance Dispenser and Clothes Frnhenina Kit The present invention relates to a clothes drier fragrance dispenser and a clothes freshening kit.

Clothes are generally washed using a washing machine and subsequently dried either by placing the clothes on a washing line, or by placing the clothes within a clothes drier, such as a so-called tumble drier. ft is well-known that once the clothes have been washed, then they must be dried, since ii the clothes are left Fn the washing machine or otherwise left in a damp state fol" a period of time, then the clothes can develop an unpleasant odour. This is a problem, parficulatly when clothes are set to wash in a wasi'Irtg in machine overnight for example, and typicafly necessitates that the clOthes ate re-washed jn order to remove the odour.

When washing patticularly dirty, odorous clothes, it is also found that while the washing process may remove dirt from the clothes, the unpleasant odour may remain.

Again, this typically necessitates that the clothes are re-washed.

is I have flow devised a clothes drier' fragance dispenser and clothes freshening kit which alleviates the above problems.

According to, a first aspegt of the present invçntion, there Is provided a clothes drier fragrance dispenser for dispensIng fragrance to clothes within the drier, the dispenser comprising a housing and fragrance receiving member disposed within the housing, the housing comprising a fragrance permeable portion, such that fragrance can pass from the member out:from the housing, through the patton.

Advantageously, the dispenser may be placed within the drier during the drying of the clothes and i arranged to dIspense a pleasant fragrance or aroma to the clothes to freshen the clothes.

In an embodiment, the permeable potijon of the housing comprises at least one aperture fotmed within the housing, through which the fragrance can pass. Preferably, the housing comprises a pluraifty of apertures, which may be of dIfferent sizes.

The dispenser may comprise a closure or lid detachably couplable with the housing S for opening and qiosing the housing.

The fragrance receiving member may comprIse an absorbent material, such at an absorbent pad or sponge, for receiving and retaining the fragrance. In an ernbodment, the ec&vlng member may be removed from the housing via the closure and washed to remove the fragranct The member may then be dried and replaced within the housing for receipt of a further fragrance.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clothes freshening kit for a clothes drier, the kit comprising a ckithes drier fragrance dispenser according to the first aspect and at least one fragrance which may be selectively applied to the fragrance receiving member.

An embodiment of the present inventIon' will now be described by way of example only and wtth reference to the accompanying drawings: ip whieft Figure. 1 is a side view of the clothes drier fragrance dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view qf the dispenser illustrated in fIgure 1; and, FIgure 3 is a. perspective view of a clothes freshening kit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, There is illustrated a, cLothes drier fragrance dispenser 10 according to an embodiment of the present rnverition for dispensing a fragrance to clothes (not shown) within a drier (not shown). The dispenser 10. comprises a substantially rigid housing 11, which may be substantially oylindricai in shape for example, having a dosure or lid 12 which may be detachably coupled with the housing 11 to open and close the housing 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the closure 12 comprises an internally threaded portion (not shown). Which is arranged to couple. with an externally threaded portion 13 disposed on a collar 14 which extends around an open peilphery of the housing 11, The dIspenser 10 further comprises a fragrance receiving member 15 removably disposed Within the housing 11. The member 15 may be formed of a porous material and may comprise an absorbent pad or sponge, for example1 for absorbing the fragrance which' may be applied thereon as a scented liquid via a pipette (not shown), for example.

Trw housing 11 further comprises a fragrance permeable portion, which may be formed in a side wall ha of the housing 11, through which the fragrance may pass. In an alternative embodiment, the permeable portion. may be addftionally' or alternatively formed in a base lib of the, housing 11 or the closure 12. The permeable portion may comprise an aperture 16 formed within the housing In a further embodiment, the housing 11 may is comprise a plurality of apertures 16, which may be. of different, sizes. Alternatively, the housing, or at least the permeable portion thereof, may be formed of a mesh material.

Referring to figure 3 of the drawings, there is illustrated a clothes freshening kit 100 acqording to an embodiment of the present invention. The kit 100 comprises the dispenser described above and as such like features have been referenced with the same numerals, The kIt 100 further comprises a plurality of different fragrances in the form of concentrated scented liquids 20, 30,40 dIsposed in separate bottles or vials 21, 31,41.

In use, the closure 12 oithe housing 11 is removed and scented liquid 20, 30, 40 is applied to the fragrance receiving member 15 using a pipette or similar (not shown), for example. The closure 12 is then secured to the housing 11 to close the husing 11 and the dispenser 10 may then be placed within a clothes drier (not shown) with, the clothes (not shown) to. be dried. As the clothes move around within the drier, heat from the drier causes the scented hqud 20, 30, 40 disposed upon the member 15 to evaporate. The resulting fragrance passes through the permeable portion, such as the apertures I b, of the housing 11 and permeates the clothes within the drier (ncit shown), thereby freshening the clothes, The movement of the dispenser 10 amongst the clothes (not shown) within the drier is also S found to encourage the separaton of the clothes therein, which facilitates a quicker drying of the clothes and a more even distribution of the fracirance.

Once the drying cycle has been completed, the dispenser 10 may be removed from the drier (riot shown). and opened so that the fragrance receiving member 15 may be removed from within the housing ii If required, the member 15 may then be separately :ro wasned and dried, and replaced within the housing 11 for receipt of a further or alternative scented liquid 2.0. 30, 40.

Fmm the Lorecloing therefore, it evident that the clothes drier ftaqpç dispenser pmvdes for a simple yet effective means. of freshening clothes. $

Claims

ClaIms 1. A clothes drier fragrance dispenser for dispensing fragrance to clothes within the drier, the dispenser comprising a housing and fragrance receiving memla disposed within the housIng, the housing comprIsing a fragrance permeable portion, such that fragrance S can pass from the, member out from the housing through the portion.
2. A dispenser according to claim 1, whereIn the permeable portion of the housing comprises at least one aperture formed within the housing, through which the fragrance can pass.
S. A dispenser according to claim I or 2, wherein the penrieable portion comprises a plurality of apertures formed within the housing. thmuØ* whkh the fragrance can pass.
4. A dispenser acconliricj te claim, 3, wherein the apertures comprise different sizes is
5. A dispenser according tG any preceding claim, further comprising a closure or lid detachably couplable with the housing for Opening and closing the housing.
6. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, wherein the fragrance recelvinç member comprises an absorbent material for receiving and receiving the fragrance.
7. A clothes freshening kit for a clothes drier; the kit comprising a clothes drier fragrance dispenser according to any preceding claim and at least one fragrance which may be selectively applied to the fragrance receiving member.