US2866472A - Instant car air freshener - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1958 B. H. RISELY 2,866,472

INSTANT CAR AIR FRESHENER Filed Dec. 10, 1956 1N VENTOR.

Bruce/{8kg 2,866,472 INSTANT CAR AIR FRESHENER Bruce H. Risely, San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 10, 1956, Serial No. 627,496 2 Claims. 011137-353 excess dust and even to a certain extent smog.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an instant air freshener for automobiles which can be installed by an unskilled person without the necessity of drilling holes or employing tools, in a matter of minutes, and which can be used with conventional deodorant bombs of the type currently on the market.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an instant air freshener for automobiles which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in operative use;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l and Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of the device shown partly in elevation.

.Referring now more in detail to the drawing, represents the dashboard of an automobile, 11 the windshield, and 12 the firewall, substantially as illustrated.

13 indicates generally a conventional deodorizing unit or bomb of the type in widespread use, including the hollow frusto conical neck portion 14 having a top wall 15, having a central opening within which is slidably positioned the usual push button 16 having the U-shaped bore 17, the push button 16 being retained in the valve closed position by the usual coil spring 18, substantially as illustrated.

In the practice of my invention, means are provided for mounting the bomb 13 on the firewall 12 below the dashboard 1t) and include a V-shaped mounting bracket having a horizontal shelf 19 and a depending portion 20 which is sufficiently wide to be frictio-nally supported between the fire wall 12 and the floor mat 21, as shown in Fig. 1, the horizontal portion 19 havinga rim flange 22 to prevent displacement thereofl of the bomb 13.,

A specially designed, hollow cylindrical cap indicated generally at 23 is provided for the bomb and includes a depending internally threaded skirt 24 which is adapted to be screwed onto the externally threaded upper portion of the neck 14, the bottom wall 25 of the cap 23 having a circular opening receiving the push button 16 upwardly therethrough. An internally threaded adapter 26 is suitably mounted on the top wall 27 of the cap, the latter being provided with a central opening which is aligned vertically with the push button 16. The cap 23 is also provided with a window 28 which extends through at 2. least one hundred and eighty degrees so as to provide communication between the bore 17 of the push button and the surrounding atmosphere within the car.

A U-clamp 29 is fixedly mounted on the lower edge 30 of the dashboard 10 by means of the clamp screw 31 and is integrally formed at its lower end with the depending doubled up portion 32 having a circular opening therethrou'gh.

A flexible tube 33 having externally threaded end portions is screwed into the adapter 26 at one end and passes through the depending portion 32 of the clamp 29 at the other, being fixedly mounted thereat by means of the nuts 34 and 35, as will be obvious. t

A flexible shaft 36 extends through the tube 33 and the opening in the top wall 27 of the cap 23 and is in abutment with the push button 16, the other end of the shaft 36 extending outwardly of the dashboard and fixedly mounting the knob or button 37. The flexible shaft 36 is retained in the inoperative position of Figs. 1 and 3 by means of the coil spring 38 which sleeves the shaft 36 intermediate the nut 35 and the push button 37, the ends of the spring 38 being connected to the nut 35 and button 37.

In operation, to actuate the push button 16, it is only necessary to push the knob 37 against the action of the spring 38 to move the flexible shaft 36 downwardly and to depress the button 16. After the deodorizing action has taken place, the spring 38 will return the shaft to its inoperative position, and the spring 18 of the bomb will then close the valve of the same. It will be noted that the device may be easily and readily mounted in any automobile to be controlled below the dashboard without requiring special tools or skill in a matter of minutes. It can be used with any commercial deodorizer or bomb now on the market. The device is also relatively simple in construction and can be manufactured at relatively low cost. The direction of spray may, of course, be changed by rotating the bomb 13 on the support 19. Thus, it may be directed towards the air vent forward to the left of the driver or it may be pointed under and across the dashboard area for even distribution. A

small shot before leaving the car parked" and locked willrefresh the entire interior, removing cigarette smoke door panels and upholstery. It will be noted that the device is too] proof and the replacement of the bomb is done in a matter of seconds. The button 37 may be finished in chrome so as to increase the attractiveness of the same, and to simulate the appearance of standard equipment.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A car air freshener adapted to be mounted upon the fire wall of a vehicle with thecontrols therefor mounted upon the vehicle dashboard comprising, in combination, a push button actuated deodorizing container, means for supporting said container, a hollow housing adapted to fit onto the deodorizing container surrounding the push button, said housing having an opening communicating with said push button, a flexible tube, means for mounting one end of said tube on said housing in vertical alignment with the push button, said housing having an opening communicating with the interior of said tube, means for mounting the other end of said tube, a flexible shaft positioned within said tube and extending downwardly through the opening of said housing into engagement with the pushbutton, a knob on the other end of said shaft, said shaft extending beyond the outer end of said tube,

spring means for retaining said shaft in the inoperative position, said means for mounting the other end of said tube comprising a U-clamp, a screw clamp screw threaded through the upper end of said clamp, a depending portion connected to the lower end of said clamp and having an opening receiving therethrough the end of the tube, the end of the tube being-externally threaded, and a nut on each side ofsaid depending portion screwed onto said externally threaded end of said tube, said spring means comprising a coil spring sleeving said shaft intermediate said nuts and said knob, said coil spring engaging said nut and knob at opposite ends, said means for supporting the deodorizing container comprising a V-shaped bracket having a horizontal upper portionsupporting the container thereon and a downwardlyandforwardly extending bottom portion, and-said horizontal portion having a rim to prevent displacement of said container therefrom.

2. A car air freshener according to claim 1, said means for securing said other end of said tube to said housing References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,503,326 Lane July 29, 1924 2,108,196 Davies Feb. 15, 1938 2,219,051 Norby Oct. 22, 1940 2,240,813 Steenbergen May 6, 1941 2,686,652 Carlson et a1 Aug. 17, 1954

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