WO2003072152A1

WO2003072152A1 - Bracket for volatile actives chemical dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2003072152A1
Application number: PCT/US2003/005284
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rolf-Christian Wentz
Original assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
Priority date: 2002-02-22
Filing date: 2003-02-21
Publication date: 2003-09-04
Also published as: AU2003216357A1

Abstract

A bracket (2) for holding a removably mounted volatile actives chemical dispenser is disclosed. The bracket allows the actives dispenser to be temporarily moved to a point of use and returned to its original location.

Description

BRACKET FOR VOLATILE ACTIVES CHEMICAL DISPENSER

BACKGROUND

[0001] Dispensers of volatile active chemical products are routinely used in and about the home. Many of these dispensers allow the application of such actives as air fresheners, insect control additives, santization chemicals, odor elimination chemicals, and the like. These dispensers may be used in one primary area of the home, for instance, air fresheners may be utilized in the bathroom or kitchen where odors may be present. Or may be utilized in more than one location. A common commercially available volatile actives chemical dispenser for this purpose consists of a replaceable aerosol container holding the active placed within a plastic dispenser module which may be affixed to a mounting surface such as a wall, the inside of a cabinet, or the like. The plastic dispenser is advantageously fastened or placed on the mounting surface, generally a vertical wall surface, where it may be conveniently applied when necessary.

[0002] The dispenser is accordingly fastened to the mounting surface by an adhesive, or other fastener means which semi-permanently places the dispenser in a desired position. Because the dispenser is fastened to the mounting surface however, it is difficult, if not impossible to conveniently move the dispenser from one location to another where an appropriate use for the volatile active chemical material may exist. For instance, an aerosol air freshener in a bathroom may be advantageously used on a temporary basis in a kitchen, bedroom, or other living area of a residence. Likewise, an insecticide material may also be advantageously used in more than one household location.

[0003] Because of the convenience of packaging of this type, the dispenser often being of the type having an upward spray when mounted on a vertical surface, and the fact that these holders are semi-permanently attached to the vertical surface, it would be an advance to the art if the dispenser could be removed from the wall for temporary usage in an other location without damaging the dispenser, or the mounting surface to which the dispenser is semi-permanently attached.

[0004] It would be a further advance to the art if the volatile actives chemical dispenser was removable from the mounting surface without moving the base unit attached to the wall so that the dispenser could be conveniently reattached to the mounting surface.

[0005] It would be a still further advance to the art if the dispenser could be removed from the vertical surface to which it was attached, used in another area, and replaced on the mounting surface without causing damage to the mounting surface, or the need to remount the dispenser. Further objects will appear hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Fig. 1 shows a front perspective view of the mounting bracket of the invention and a conventional commercial air freshener dispenser contained in such bracket. Fig. 1 A shows a front perspective view of the mounting bracket of the invention.

[0007] Fig. 2 shows a front view of the mounting bracket of the invention.

[0008] Fig. 3 shows a right side view of the mounting bracket of the invention, the left side view being a mirror image thereof.

[0009] Fig. 4 shows a top view of the bracket of the invention.

[0010] Fig. 5 shows a bottom view of the bracket of the invention.

[0011] Fig. 6 shows a back view of the bracket of the invention.

[0012] Fig. 7 shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the bracket of this invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a front perspective view of the mounting bracket of the invention generally designated as 2 having seated therein a commercially available aerosol air freshener dispensing unit designated as 100. Bracket 2 has front surface 4, a top 6, bottom 8, back 10, and sides 12. The back 10 of said bracket having means for attachment to a mounting surface, preferably a vertical mounting surface. The front surface 4 of bracket is adapted to receive and hold the volatile chemical dispenser 100.

[0014] The bottom 8 and sides 12 of the bracket in this embodiment form a pocket for the placement of the dispenser. As seen bracket 2 is designed to removably engage and support the bottom of the dispenser 100 and the sides 12 of the bracket engage and align the sides of said dispenser 100 when the dispenser is present in the bracket. The bracket may also have male attachment mechanism 14 that engages a corresponding female mechanism on dispenser 100. Alternatively, the dispenser 100 may be removably attached to bracket 2 by means of a hook/loop fastening system such as Velcro™, or a key lock mechanism to hold dispenser in place. As seen in alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 7, the dispenser may be secured to the bracket 2 by means of channels contained in the sides of bracket 2 which engage channel engaging means built into the dispenser so that dispenser slides in to bracket 2 from the top, and is secured in place without the need for any additional fastener material. In the alternative embodiment the dispenser may have male channels engaging female channel depressions on the bracket, or the bracket may have male channels engaging female channel depressions on the dispenser.

[0015] My invention relates therefore to a bracket adapted to receive a portable volatile actives chemical dispenser, the bracket comprising a top, a bottom, a back, and sides, the back of said bracket having means for attachment to a vertical surface, the front surface being adapted to receive the volatile chemical dispenser, the bottom and sides of the bracket forming a pocket for the placement of the dispenser, whereby the bottom of said bracket removably supports the bottom of the dispenser and the sides of the bracket support the sides of said dispenser when the dispenser is present in the bracket. In an alternative embodiment, the bottom of the bracket may engage the dispenser in a particular manner to hold the dispenser in place, and the sides 12 of bracket may engage and align the dispenser to more securely hold the dispenser in place.

[0016] The volatile chemical dispenser may contain an aerosol container or other volatile actives mechanism such as a gel which releases the active. The dispenser may be designed to be both of a decorative and functional character, and, when the volatile actives chemical is contained in an aerosol, may have an aerosol release button or feature, and may additionally incorporate an aerosol nozzle or cap within the dispenser. The dispenser for the aerosol may be designed to provide certain esthetic features, and different dispensers may be designed to be fit within the same bracket. The bracket itself may be designed with features that compliment the dispenser from an esthetic perspective. The dispenser when the volatile active is contained in an aerosol will have means for actuating the aerosol dispensing valve in the aerosol container placed within the dispenser, said holder having a bottom surface having means for engaging and supporting the bottom of the holder in a manner to enable the bracket to accept a unique dispenser. The bracket may be designed to accept a unique dispenser, thus helping to avoid the possibility that a dispenser containing an inappropriate active chemical may be used. Or, may be designed to fit in a particular manner so that only a dispenser from the same manufacturer may be placed in the bracket. In this mode, the bracket and the dispenser will have a key lock mechanism so that they fit together, thus allowing the dispenser to fit into a uniquely shaped area on the bracket.

[0017] Fig. 2 shows the bracket 2 without a volatile dispensing device seated therein. As seen bracket 2 may be conveniently designed to engage and hold a volatile dispensing device, preferably a holder for an aerosol in a secure, yet, easily removable manner. The means in which the dispenser 100 is held within the bracket 2 is unimportant so long as the dispenser may be readily removed, used for its intended purpose at a different location, and returned for re-use at the location where the bracket 2 is semi- permanently attached. Referring to Fig. 3 which shows sides 12 of bracket 2, sides 12 are designed to engage and align dispenser 100 and to prevent dispenser 100 from having horizontal movement when placed in the bracket. The design of sides 12 is such that they may engage the exterior of dispenser 100 without undo friction so that dispenser may be moved in and out of bracket 2 without undo effort. Sides 12 may be designed in conjunction with dispenser 100 so that sides 12 fit into depressions made in the sides of dispenser 100, making for a more sleek, streamlined design.

[0018] Alternatively sides 12 may have built in ridges or guides 24 as shown on

Fig. 7 which can mate onto corresponding depressions or rails on dispenser. These features may be built into the dispenser to align and hold dispenser onto bracket. Bottom 8 of bracket 2 may be extended to provide a support for dispenser 100 as shown in Fig. 1, or, if so designed, bottom 8 may not need to provide support and may not have to be extended outward if dispenser 100 is held in place by a mechanism involving sides 12 such as those described above. Bottom 8 may in conjunction with dispenser 100 be designed with a key/lock mechanism so as to provide a unique combination and prevent the insertion of a dispenser not designed for bracket 2. Such key lock mechanism may be designed for instance with a protrusion of a given shape extending upward engaging a corresponding female shape built into dispenser 100, or, bottom base 8 may be designed with a female shape adapted to receive a male channel or other shape built into the bottom of dispenser 100.

[0019] Bracket back 10 may be removably or semi-permanently attached to a surface such as a wall by any number of means. In one embodiment of the invention, bracket 2 may be attached to a wall so that back is supported on the wall by inserting a screw or nail through front surface 4 of bracket 2, through back 10 and securing the screw or nail into the mounting surface. Alternatively, back 10 of bracket 2 may have affixed thereto a removable adhesive which when applied to the mounting surface will adhere bracket 2 in a manner to adequately support the combined weight of dispenser 100 and the bracket. Adhesive materials capable of adhering to the back 10 of bracket and mounting surface will be well known to those skilled in the art of adhesive selection. Alternatively, a hook/loop fastening device such as Velcro™ in which either the hook or the loop portion is attached to the mounting surface with the other portion attached to back 10 of bracket 2 will often provide appropriate attachment means for the dispenser onto the mounting surface. While bracket 2 in use will require attachment to a mounting surface, it is not within the scope of the subject invention to specify exact attachment means since such attachment means will vary depending upon the weight of the dispenser being attached to the bracket, the size of the bracket, and the mounting surface to which the bracket is to be attached.

[0020] The dispenser 100 of the instant invention may hold any number of active materials or active dispensing devices such as an aerosols as in the preferred embodiment of the invention, or alternatively the dispenser may contain any number of other devices designed for the dispensing of volatile materials such as convention gel air fresheners which volatilize a fragrance, aerosol insect control dispensers which dispense insecticides or insect repellents. Alternatively, the bracket 2 may hold a dispenser which contains a conventional spray bottle containing an air freshening agent, insecticide, santization agent, deodorizing chemical, or the like. It is also possible to use multiple brackets with one dispenser, and such use is within the purview and scope of the instant invention.

Claims

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A bracket adapted to receive a volatile actives chemical dispenser, the bracket comprising a top, a bottom, a back, and sides, said bracket having means for attachment to a mounting surface, the front surface in combination with the sides and bottom being adapted to receive a removable volatile chemical dispenser.

2. The bracket of claim 1 wherein, the bottom and sides of the bracket form a pocket for the placement of the dispenser, whereby the bottom of said bracket removably engages and supports the bottom of the dispenser and the sides of the bracket engage and align the sides of said dispenser.

3. The bracket of claim 1 wherein the volatile actives chemical dispenser holds an aerosol container.

4. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the bracket has a bottom surface having means for engaging and supporting the bottom of the dispenser in a manner to enable the bracket to accept a unique dispenser.

5. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the volatile actives chemical is selected from the group consisting of fragrances, sanitizing agents, odor control agents and insect control and repellent chemicals.

6. The bracket of claim 5 wherein the volatile actives chemical is a fragrance.

7. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the means for attachment to a mounting surface is selected from the group consisting of adhesives and hook and loop fastening devices.

8. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the means for attachment to a mounting surface is a fastener selected from the group consisting of screws and nails.

9. The bracket of claim 3 in combination with a volatile actives chemical aerosol dispenser.

10. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the bracket is of a complimentary color to the dispenser.

11. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the bracket is of a complimentary esthetic design to the dispenser.