WO2018060989A1 - Air freshener and related methods thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An air freshener includes a body member that includes a cutout section and a flexible strip. The flexible strip extends along a portion of the cutout section and includes an end portion that is positionable proximate to a base portion of the cutout section. The flexible strip is moveable between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the flexible strip is substantially flat within the cutout section. In the second state, the flexible strip extends outwardly from the body member. A vial contains a volume of fragrant fluid. The cutout section accommodates the vial by moving the flexible strip to the second state and inserting the end portion of the flexible strip into an opening of the vial, and moving the flexible strip back to the first state and resting a base portion of the vial on the base portion of the cutout section.

Description

Air Freshener and Related Methods Thereof CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from US Provisional Patent Application No.

62/401,202, filed September 29, 2016, whose disclosure is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to air fresheners. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many available devices and articles which can be used for providing scent and fragrance to open and closed environments, such as, for example, the interior of a vehicle. Such devices and articles are generally referred to as air fresheners, as they provide refreshing scents and fragrances to the surrounding environment, and may include electronic or mechanical components for actively distributing the scent to the environment. Typical air fresheners which lack electronic or mechanical components often rely on prefabricated components having scents and fragrances infused during the manufacturing process. The compounds used to generate the scents and fragrances are typically synthetic compounds, which have an unnatural scent. Moreover, air fresheners based on such synthetic compounds may initially have a strong scent, but the scent and quality of the scent tend to diminish rapidly over time, reducing the efficacy and lasting effect of such air fresheners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an air freshener, a method of for providing fragrance, and a method for producing an air freshener. According to the teachings of an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an air freshener. The air freshener comprises: a body member including a cutout section and a flexible strip extending along a portion of the cutout section, the flexible strip including an end portion positionable proximate to a base portion of the cutout section, and the cutout section being configured to accommodate a vial containing a volume of fluid by inserting the end portion of the flexible strip into an opening of the vial and resting a base portion of the vial on the base portion of the cutout section.

Optionally, the air freshener further comprises: the vial containing the volume of fluid.

Optionally, the volume of fluid includes an essential oil compound.

Optionally, the cutout section extends longitudinally along a portion of the body member.

Optionally, the flexible strip extends longitudinally along the cutout section. Optionally, the cutout section is substantially centered about a longitudinal axis of the body member.

Optionally, the body member is substantially flat.

Optionally, the flexible strip is operative to absorb a portion of the volume of fluid and diffuse the absorbed portion to the body member.

Optionally, the body member is operative to emit a fragrance to the environment surrounding the air freshener from the absorbed portion of the volume of fluid.

Optionally, the body member is constructed from a porous material, and wherein the porous material is operative to absorb a portion of the volume of fluid diffused from the flexible strip.

Optionally, the flexible strip is moveable between a first state in which the flexible strip is substantially flat within the cutout section, and a second state in which the flexible strip is extended outwardly from a surface of the body member.

Optionally, the air freshener further comprises: an attachment member for hanging the body member from a structure, the attachment member including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to a portion of the body member, and the second portion operative to attach to the structure. There is also provided according to an embodiment of the teachings of the present invention an air freshener. The air freshener comprises: a substantially flat body member including a front surface, a rear surface, and a flexible strip moveable between a first state in which the flexible strip is substantially flush with the front and rear surfaces, and a second state in which the flexible strip is extended outwardly from at least one of the front and rear surfaces, such that, when in the second state the flexible strip is insertable into a vial containing a volume of fluid by inserting an end portion of the flexible strip into an opening of the vial.

There is also provided according to an embodiment of the teachings of the present invention a method of providing a fragrance. The method comprises: providing an air freshener comprising a body member including a cutout section and a flexible strip extending along a portion of the cutout section, the flexible strip including an end portion positionable proximate to a base portion of the cutout section; providing a vial containing a volume of fragrant fluid; and inserting the end portion of the flexible strip into an opening of the vial and resting a base portion of the vial on the base portion of the cutout section.

Optionally, the method further comprises: hanging the air freshener in a closed space.

Optionally, the closed space is an interior of a vehicle.

There is also provided according to an embodiment of the teachings of the present invention a method of producing an air freshener. The method comprises: providing a flexible porous body, the flexible porous body operative to absorb a volume of fragrant fluid into portions of the flexible porous body and diffuse the absorbed fragrant fluid to other portions of the flexible porous body; and cutting out a section from the center of the porous body to form a cutout section and a flexible strip that extends along the cutout section.

Optionally, the method further comprises: deploying the volume of fragrant fluid in a vial, the cutout section, the flexible strip and the vial being correspondingly configured to accommodate insertion of the flexible strip into the vial.

Optionally, the method further comprises: printing a figure depicting vegetation on the flexible porous body, the vegetation corresponding to a fragrance of the volume of fragrant fluid. Optionally, the method further comprises: modifying the shape of the flexible porous body corresponding to a fragrance of the volume of fragrant fluid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the present invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

Attention is now directed to the drawings, where like reference numerals or characters indicate corresponding or like components. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a schematic representation of an air freshener, constructed and operative according to an embodiment of the invention, with a cutout section and a flexible strip for accommodating a vial containing a volume of fragrant fluid;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a schematic representation of the air freshener, with the flexible strip being shown in a flexed state;

FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 2, with the flexible strip being shown inserted into a vial containing a volume of fragrant fluid;

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a schematic representation of the air freshener, with the flexible strip being shown in an unflexed state and inserted into a vial containing a volume of fragrant fluid;

FIG. 5 is a front view corresponding to FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating a schematic representation of a vial containing a volume of fragrant fluid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is an air freshener, a method of for providing fragrance, and a method for producing an air freshener.

The principles and operation of the air freshener and related methods according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and accompanying description. The present invention is applicable to various open and closed environments and spaces in which the presence of fragrances and scents is desired, and is of particular value when such closed environments and spaces are confined to the interior of a vehicle. The present invention is also suited for use with fragrances based on various formulations and compositions, and is of particular value when applied to fragrances based on essential oil compositions that include an etheric oil compound.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although materials and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, exemplary materials and/or methods are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including all definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components and/or methods set forth in the following description and/or illustrated in the drawings and/or the examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Initially, throughout this document, references are made to directions such as, for example, top and bottom, upper and lower, left and right, front and rear, and the like. These directional references are exemplary only to illustrate the invention and embodiments thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-6 show various views illustrating a schematic representation of an air freshener and corresponding components, generally designated 1, constructed and operative according to an embodiment of the invention. The air freshener 1 includes a body member 10 having a generally U-shaped cutout section 20 and a flexible strip 30. The body member 10 is a generally flat article or substrate having a front surface 16 and a rear surface 18. The surfaces 16, 18 are porous or microporous surfaces, having pores 13 or empty spaces which allow external matter, such as, liquid, air or particles, to penetrate the body member 10 beyond the surfaces 16, 18. As will be described in subsequent sections of the present disclosure, the porous characteristics of the body member 10 are particularly suited to allow absorption of such outside matter into portions of the body member 10, and to allow subsequent diffusion of the absorbed matter into other portions of the body member 10, and to emit fragrance of the absorbed matter to the environment surrounding the body member 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, only a sample of the pores 13 are shown. Although for clarity of illustration only a sample of the pores 13 are shown, it should be understood that the pores 13 are pervasive on the surfaces 16, 18, and the illustration.

The body member 10 may be constructed from any suitably porous semi-rigid material that can accommodate small degrees of flexure. Such materials include, but are not limited to, card, cardboard, paper, paperboard, carton, fiberboard, and combination thereof. In manufacturing the body member 10, multiple layers of the material may be pressed together, using lamination techniques, to form a composite material, thereby improving the strength and stability of the body member 10. The body member 10 preferably has a thickness in a range between approximately 0.1 millimeters (mm) and 1 centimeters (cm), and most preferably of approximately 2 mm. The body member 10 is preferably lightweight, weighing no more than approximately 200 grams, and is preferably of small hand-held size and shape, for example, rectangular with length and width dimensions of 7 cm by 11 cm.

The cutout section 20 functions as a window, aperture, slot or the like in the body member 10, that extends through the body member 10 from the front surface 16 to the rear surface 18. The cutout section 20 may be formed during, or subsequent to, the manufacturing process of the body member 10 using mechanical cutting machinery. The cutout section 20 preferably extends longitudinally along a portion of the body member 10, bounded by an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14 of the body member 10. Preferably, the cutout section 20 is centered about the central longitudinal axis 19 of the body member. The cutout section 20 includes a bottom base portion 22. In the non- limiting illustration of the cutout section 20 in FIG. 1, the bottom base portion 22 is proximate to the lower portion 14 of the body member 10.

The flexible strip 30 extends along a majority portion of the cutout section 20. In the non-limiting illustration of the flexible strip 30 and the cutout section 20 in FIG. 1, the flexible strip 30 extends longitudinally along the cutout section 20. The flexible strip 30 is generated (i.e., formed) as a consequence of the formation of the cutout section 20. More specifically, the cutout section 20 is formed by removal of portions of the body member 10, which results in the formation of the flexible strip 30 as a byproduct thereof. Accordingly, the flexible strip 30 and the body member 10 are integrally formed, and the flexible strip 30 and the cutout section 20 are correspondingly configured components. The flexible strip 30 includes an end portion 32 that is located proximate to the bottom base portion 22. The portion of the flexible strip 30 that is integrally formed with the base member 10 is located proximate to a top portion 24 of the cutout section 20.

The flexible strip 30 is moveable between two states, namely a first state (FIGS. 1 and 5) in which the flexible strip 30 is unflexed and remains flat within the cutout section 20 (i.e., the flexible strip 30 is flush with the surfaces 16, 18), and a second state (FIGS. 2 and 3) in which the flexible strip 30 (including the end portion 32) is extended outwardly away from one of the surfaces 16, 18, such that an angle is formed between flexible strip 30 and the one of the surfaces 16, 18. Movement of the flexible strip 30 between the two states is effected by the application of pressure, by a user, to the surface of the flexible strip 30. The flexible strip 30 may be resiliently biased, such that when a user releases pressure, the flexible strip naturally returns to the first state from the second state.

The cutout section 20 and the flexible strip 30 are dimensioned to allow insertion of a majority portion of the flexible strip 30 into a vial 50 that contains a volume of fluid 54, preferably fragrant fluid, and to position the vial 50 in the cutout section 20 while the flexible strip 30 is inserted in the vial 50. The flexible strip 30 functions as a wick, tab, rod, bayonet type applicator or like, that is configured to be inserted the vial 50 and absorb all (or the majority) of the volume of fluid 54 from the vial 50 and subsequently transfer all or part of the absorbed fluid to the surfaces 16, 18 and remaining portions of the body member 10 by diffusion.

The following paragraphs describe the deployment of the vial 50 in the air freshener 1, via insertion of the flexible strip 20 into the vial 50, the positioning of the vial 50 in the cutout section 20, and the emission of fragrance from the air freshener 1. Initially, the flexible strip 30 is in the first state, and an opening 52 of the vial 50, as shown for example in FIG. 6, is sealed by a cap or seal 58, thereby preventing the volume of fluid 54 from escaping through the opening 52. The vial 50 may be constructed form plastic, glass, or any suitable material for retaining the volume of fluid 54 therein. The vial 50 can preferably retain a volume in a range between approximately 0.5 milliliters (mL) and 10 mL, and most preferably of approximately 2 mL.

To deploy the vial 50 and emit fragrance from the body member 10, the cap 58 is removed, and the flexible strip 30 is extended outwardly away from one of the surfaces 16, 18 (i.e., moved from the first state to the second state). In the non- limiting illustration of the flexed and extended flexible strip 30 in FIG. 2, the flexible strip 30 is extended outward away from the front surface 16.

The end portion 32 of the flexible strip 30 is then inserted into the vial 50, via the opening 52, and fed through the vial 50 until nearing or reaching a bottom base portion 56 of the vial 50. As a result, a majority portion of the flexible strip 30 is inserted in the vial 50, and by consequence, is also submerged in the volume of fluid 54, as shown in FIG. 3.

The vial 50 and the flexible strip 30 are then moved together, with the flexible strip 30 inserted in the vial 50, until the flexible strip 30 returns to the unflexed state and the vial 50 is positioned in the cutout section 20, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The bottom base portion 56 of the vial 50 rests on the bottom base portion 22 of the cutout section 20. According to certain embodiments, the bottom base portions 56, 22 form a direct abutment. The combination of the insertion of the flexible strip 30 in the vial 50, and the resting of the bottom base portion 56 on the bottom base portion 22, provides stability to the vial 50 when positioned in the cutout section 20.

According to certain embodiments, the bottom base portion 22 may be slightly curved, either convex or concave. According to certain embodiments, the bottom base portion 22 and the bottom base portion 56 may be correspondingly curved. For example, the bottom base portion 22 may be convex curved and the bottom base portion 56 may be concave curved, or the bottom base portion 22 may be concave curved and the bottom base portion 56 may be convex curved.

The width of the cutout section 20, defined by the distance between right and left sides 26, and the width of the vial 50, defined by the distance between right and left sides 57, may be approximately equal, allowing corresponding pairs of the sides 26, 57 to form a direct abutment as well, further increasing the stability to the vial 50 when positioned in the cutout section 20.

Once the flexible strip 30 is inserted in the vial 50, the fluid contained inside the vial 50 is absorbed by the flexible strip 30, as enabled by the porous characteristics of the flexible strip 30. In turn, the flexible strip 30 distributes (i.e., diffuses) the absorbed fluid to the body member 10, such that the fluid spreads across the body member 10. The body member 10 absorbs the distributed fluid, as enabled by the porous characteristics of the body member 10, and in turn emits or distributes the fragrance of the fluid to the environment.

Preferably, the physical characteristics of the volume of fluid 54, in combination with the dimensions of the cutout section 20, the flexible strip 30 and the opening 52, allow the orientation of the air freshener 1 to be manipulated (e.g., inverted, rotated, flipped, etc.) without any portions of the contents of the vial 50 from spilling out from the vial 50. For example, while the flexible strip 30 is inserted into the vial 50, and the vial 50 is positioned in the cutout section 20, the body member 10 may be inverted, with respect to the upper portion 12 and the lower portion 14, without allowing the contents of the vial 50 to spill.

In practice, the fluid takes approximately one hour to be absorbed into the body member 10 from the vial, but may vary depending on the amount of liquid and the thickness of the flexible strip 30. The fragrance from the fluid lasts on the order of a few days, typically approximately four days, but may vary depending on environmental features, such as, for example, environment temperature, humidity, and the like. Once the fragrance of the fluid has considerably diminished or dissipated from the body member 10, the flexible strip 30 may be removed from the vial 50 and inserted into a new vial of fragrant fluid. Alternatively, a new air freshener 1 and vial 50 may be used to produce a fresh fragrance.

As mentioned above, embodiments of the present disclosure are of a particular value when applied to closed environments and spaces that are located within the interior of a vehicle. As such, according to certain embodiments, the air freshener 1 is outfitted with components for facilitating the hanging and/or attachment of the air freshener 1 to a structure, such as, for example, the rearview mirror of a vehicle. In such embodiments, the body member 10 includes an aperture 15 located near the upper portion 12. An attachment member 40 attaches the body member 10 to the desired structure via two attachment portions, namely a first portion 42 and a second portion 44. In a non-limiting implementation, the attachment member 40 is implemented as piece of string or an elastic band, with the first portion 42 being a first end of the string or elastic band threaded through the aperture 15 and tied off, and the second portion 44 being a second end of the string or elastic band tied to the structure (e.g., the rearview mirror).

As mentioned above, embodiments of the present disclosure are of particular value when essential oil compounds are used as part or all of the volume of fragrant fluid 54. Essential oils are volatile and liquid aroma compounds extracted from natural sources, such as vegetation. Within the context of this document, the term vegetation generally refers to plants, trees, shrubs, bushes, brush, herbs, flowers, fruit, flora, and the like.

Essential oils are not necessarily oils in the strict sense, but often share with oils characteristics of poor solubility in water. Essential oils often have an odor, and are therefore commonly used in food flavorings and fragrances (e.g., perfumes, colognes, etc.) using fragrance extraction techniques, such as, for example, distillation, cold pressing, and solvent extraction. Essential oils are distinguished from aroma oils, which are essential oils diluted in an oily solvent, such as, grapeseed oil. Typically, essential oils are a highly complex mixture of tens or hundreds of individual aroma compounds, resulting in a long-lasting scent effect.

Types of essential oils used as part or all of the volume of fragrant fluid 54 may include at least one of the following compounds: Agar oil or oodh, Angelica root oil, Anise oil from the Pimpinella anisum plant, Asafoetida oil, Balsam of Peru (also known as Myroxylon), Basil oil, Bay oil, Bergamot oil, Birch oil, Camphor oil, Cannabis flower oil, Calamondin oil or Calamansi oil (which is derived from a citrus tree in the Philippines extracted via cold press or steam distillation), Caraway oil, Cardamom seed oil, Carrot seed oil, Cedar oil (or Cedarwood oil), Chamomile oil, Calamus oil, Cinnamon oil, Cistus oil, Citron oil, Citronella oil, Clary sage oil, Clove oil, Coffee oil, Coriander oil, Costmary oil, Costus root oil, Cranberry seed oil, Cubeb oil, Cumin oil or Black seed oil, Cypress oil, Cypriol oil, Curry leaf oil, Davana oil from the Artemisia pallens plant, Dill oil, Elecampane oil, Eucalyptus oil, Fennel seed oil, Fenugreek oil, Fir oil, Frankincense oil, Galangal oil, Galbanum oil, Geranium oil (also known as Geranol), Ginger oil, Goldenrod oil, Grapefruit oil (extracted from the peel of the grapefruit), Henna oil, Helichrysum oil, Hickory nut oil, Horseradish oil, Hyssop, Idaho-grown Tansy, Jasmine oil, Juniper berry oil, Laurus Nobilis (bay leaf), Lavender oil, Ledum, Lemon oil, Lemongrass oil, Litsea cubeba oil, Linaloe, Mandarin, Marjoram, Melaleuca, Melissa oil, Mentha arvensis oil, Mint oil, Moringa oil, Mountain savory, Mugwort oil, Mustard oil, Myrrh oil, Myrtle, Neem oil or Neem Tree oil, Neroli, Nutmeg oil, Orange oil, Oregano oil, Palo Santo, Parsley oil, Patchouli oil, Perilla oil, Pennyroyal oil, Peppermint oil, Petitgrain, Pine oil, Ravensara, Red cedar, Roman chamomile, Rose oil, Rosehip oil, Rosemary oil, Rosewood oil, Sage oil, Sandalwood oil, Sassafras oil, Savory oil, Schisandra oil, Spearmint oil, Spikenard, Spruce, Star anise oil, Tangerine, Tarragon oil, Tea tree oil, Thyme oil, Tsuga, Turmeric, Valerian Vetiver oil, Western red cedar, Wintergreen, Yarrow oil, Ylang-ylang, Zedoary, and any mixture thereof.

According to certain embodiments, the essential oil formulation used as the volume of fragrant fluid 54 may include two compounds, namely a first compound of etheric oil and a second compound, such as, for example grapefruit oil. In such embodiments, the essential oil formulation includes approximately between 50% - 99.9% of the first compound per total volume of the essential oil formulation, and approximately between 0.1% - 50% of the second compound per total volume of the essential oil formulation.

The body member 10 and the fragrance of the volume of fragrant fluid 54 may be predesigned to cooperatively match, such that the visual design and shape of the body member 10 corresponds to the fragrance of the corresponding fluid 54. For example, the shape of the body member 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 is that of an evergreen tree (e.g., pine, fir, cedar, etc.), and therefore may be matched with an essential oil formulation based on, for example, fir oil, pine oil or red cedar. Similarly, for example, if an essential formulation using lemon oil is used, the body member 10 may be cut (during manufacturing) to resemble a lemon tree and/or lemon fruits.

Furthermore, the surfaces 16, 18 of the body member 10 may be imprinted with a visual design or image that corresponds to the shape of the body member 10 and the corresponding fragrance of the volume of fragrant fluid 54. For example, in the above examples of the evergreen tree, the surfaces 16, 18 may be imprinted with a picture or image of an evergreen tree.

The cutting of the body member 10 according to a desired shape, the designing and imprinting of images on the surfaces 16, 18, and the cutting to produce the cutout section 20 and the flexible strip 30, may be performed during manufacturing of the body member 10. In other words, from an end user perspective, the body member 10 is precut to a predesigned shape, and precut to include the cutout section 20. According to certain embodiments, one or more body members 10 and one or more vials 50 are provided together in a packaging as a kit. In a particular arrangement, the kit may include three body members 10 and three corresponding vials 50. Preferably, in the embodiments in which one or more body members 10 and one or more vials 50 are provided together in a packaging as a kit, there is a correspondence between the fragrance of the fluid in the vial 50 and the shape and imprinted image on the body member 10.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

As used herein, the singular form, "a", "an" and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance or illustration". Any embodiment described as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments and/or to exclude the incorporation of features from other embodiments.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An air freshener comprising:

a body member including a cutout section and a flexible strip extending along a portion of the cutout section, the flexible strip including an end portion positionable proximate to a base portion of the cutout section, and the cutout section being configured to accommodate a vial containing a volume of fluid by inserting the end portion of the flexible strip into an opening of the vial and resting a base portion of the vial on the base portion of the cutout section.

2. The air freshener of claim 1, further comprising:

the vial containing the volume of fluid.

3. The air freshener of claim 1, wherein the volume of fluid includes an essential oil compound.

4. The air freshener of claim 1, wherein the cutout section extends longitudinally along a portion of the body member.

5. The air freshener of claim 1, wherein the flexible strip extends longitudinally along the cutout section.

6. The air freshener of claim 1, wherein the cutout section is substantially centered about a longitudinal axis of the body member.

7. The air freshener of claim 1, wherein the body member is substantially flat.

8. The air freshener of claim 1, wherein the flexible strip is operative to absorb a portion of the volume of fluid and diffuse the absorbed portion to the body member.

9. The air freshener of claim 8, wherein the body member is operative to emit a fragrance to the environment surrounding the air freshener from the absorbed portion of the volume of fluid.

10. The air freshener of claim 1, wherein the body member is constructed from a porous material, and wherein the porous material is operative to absorb a portion of the volume of fluid diffused from the flexible strip.

11. The air freshener of claim 1, wherein the flexible strip is moveable between a first state in which the flexible strip is substantially flat within the cutout section, and a second state in which the flexible strip is extended outwardly from a surface of the body member.

12. The air freshener of claim 1, further comprising:

an attachment member for hanging the body member from a structure, the attachment member including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to a portion of the body member, and the second portion operative to attach to the structure.

13. An air freshener comprising:

a substantially flat body member including a front surface, a rear surface, and a flexible strip moveable between a first state in which the flexible strip is substantially flush with the front and rear surfaces, and a second state in which the flexible strip is extended outwardly from at least one of the front and rear surfaces, such that, when in the second state the flexible strip is insertable into a vial containing a volume of fluid by inserting an end portion of the flexible strip into an opening of the vial.

14. A method of providing a fragrance comprising:

providing an air freshener comprising a body member including a cutout section and a flexible strip extending along a portion of the cutout section, the flexible strip including an end portion positionable proximate to a base portion of the cutout section;

providing a vial containing a volume of fragrant fluid; and inserting the end portion of the flexible strip into an opening of the vial and resting a base portion of the vial on the base portion of the cutout section.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

hanging the air freshener in a closed space.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the closed space is an interior of a vehicle.

17. A method of producing an air freshener comprising:

providing a flexible porous body, the flexible porous body operative to absorb a volume of fragrant fluid into portions of the flexible porous body and diffuse the absorbed fragrant fluid to other portions of the flexible porous body; and

cutting out a section from the center of the porous body to form a cutout section and a flexible strip that extends along the cutout section.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

deploying the volume of fragrant fluid in a vial, wherein the cutout section, the flexible strip and the vial being correspondingly configured to accommodate insertion of the flexible strip into the vial.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

printing a figure depicting vegetation on the flexible porous body, the vegetation corresponding to a fragrance of the volume of fragrant fluid.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

modifying the shape of the flexible porous body corresponding to a fragrance of the volume of fragrant fluid.