Controlling airborne matter
An apparatus for fragrancing an air space can include a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field, and a fragrance delivery system configured to release fragrant particles into an air space such that at least some of the fragrant particles enter the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator.
1. An apparatus for fragrancing an air space comprising:
a magnetic field generator that includes a conductive coil and is configured to generate a magnetic field; and
a fragrance delivery system configured to release fragrant particles into an air space such that at least some of the fragrant particles enter the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator,
wherein the magnetic field generator also is configured to influence fragrant particles entering the magnetic field via the magnetic field upon completion of the release of the fragrant particles into the air space.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a voltage source having a positive terminal and a negative terminal wherein the positive terminal of the voltage source is connected to a first terminal of the conductive coil and the negative terminal of the voltage source is connected to a second terminal of the conductive coil such that an electric current flows through the conductive coil between the first terminal and the second terminal thereby generating the magnetic field.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the magnetic field generator further includes a core, and
the conductive coil is wound around the core.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the core is formed from a conductive material.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the core is formed from a non-conductive material.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
the core includes a first leg and a second leg that is mechanically coupled to the first leg,
at least one winding of the conductive coil is wound around the first leg of the core, and
at least one winding of the conductive coil is wound around the second leg of the core.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:
the first leg of the core and the second leg of the core are formed from a contiguous piece of material,
the core includes a dividing post that bisects the contiguous piece of material thereby defining the first and second legs of the core,
the conductive coil is formed from a wire, the wire having a first end and a second end, and
from the perspective of the first end of the wire, the wire is wound around the first leg of the core before the wire is wound around the second leg of the core, with windings around the first leg of the core beginning adjacent to the dividing post and extending generally outwardly along the first leg of the core away from the dividing post and the second leg of the core before returning inwardly along the first leg of the core towards the dividing post and the second leg of the core and windings around the second leg of the core beginning adjacent to the dividing post and extending generally outwardly along the second leg of the core away from the dividing post and the first leg of the core before returning inwardly along the second leg of the core towards the dividing post and the first leg of the core.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a voltage source having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein:
the first end of the wire is electrically coupled to the negative terminal of the voltage source, and
the second end of the wire is electrically coupled to the positive terminal of the voltage source.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a number of windings around the first leg of the core is equal to a number of windings around the second leg of the core.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a number of windings around the second leg of the core is not equal to a number of windings around the first leg of the core.
11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:
the first leg of the core is disposed at a fixed angle relative to the second leg of the core, and
the fixed angle at which the first leg of the core is disposed relative to the second leg of the core is other than 180°.
12. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mechanical coupling between the first leg of the core and the second leg of the core enables an angle at which the first leg of the core is disposed relative to the second leg of the core to be changed, thereby enabling the properties of the magnetic field to be changed by changing the angle at which the first leg of the core is disposed relative to the second leg of the core.
13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a length of the first leg of the core is substantially the same as a length of the second leg of the core.
14. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein a length of the first leg of the core is different than a length of the second leg of the core.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a housing, wherein both the magnetic field generator and the fragrance delivery system are at least partially incorporated within the housing.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein an opening is defined within the housing exposing at least a portion of the magnetic field generator to an exterior of the housing.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the magnetic field generator includes a conductive coil, at least a portion of which is incorporated within the housing.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein:
the magnetic field generator further includes a core, at least a portion of which is incorporated within the housing, and
the conductive coil is wound around the core.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the housing is configured to receive a voltage source.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a voltage source received within the housing, the voltage source having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein the positive terminal of the voltage source is connected to a first terminal of the conductive coil and the negative terminal of the voltage source is connected to a second terminal of the conductive coil such that an electric current flows through the conductive coil between the first terminal and the second terminal thereby generating the magnetic field.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a voltage source having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein:
the fragrance delivery system includes a conductor for supplying an electrical bias to fragrant particles to be released by the fragrance delivery system, and
a first terminal of the conductor is electrically coupled to the negative terminal of the voltage source and a second terminal of the conductor provides an electrical bias to at least some of the fragrant particles to be released by the fragrance delivery system.
22. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an additional magnetic field generator that is configured to generate another magnetic field, that is physically distinct from the magnetic field generator, and that is located adjacent to the magnetic field generator, wherein:
the magnetic field generator and the other magnetic field generator are configured such that the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator and the other magnetic field generated by the other magnetic field generator are additive and combine to form a unique magnetic field, and
at least some of the released fragrant particles enter the unique magnetic field.
23. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising multiple additional magnetic field generators, each of which is configured to generate an additional magnetic field, is physically distinct from the magnetic field generator and other of the multiple additional magnetic field generators, and is displaced from other of the multiple additional magnetic field generators, wherein:
the magnetic field generator and the multiple additional magnetic field generators are configured to generate magnetic fields that are oriented such that at least some of the fragrant particles released into the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator are transferred to each of the additional magnetic fields.
24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field generator and the fragrance delivery system are not physically connected.
25. An apparatus for fragrancing an air space comprising:
a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field; and
a fragrance delivery system configured to release fragrant particles into an air space such that at least some of the fragrant particles enter the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator, wherein:
the magnetic field generator includes a core and a conductive coil wound around the core,
the core includes a first leg and a second leg that is mechanically coupled to the first leg,
at least one winding of the conductive coil is wound around the first leg of the core, and
at least one winding of the conductive coil is wound around the second leg of the core.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein:
the first leg of the core and the second leg of the core are formed from a contiguous piece of material,
the core includes a dividing post that bisects the contiguous piece of material thereby defining the first and second legs of the core,
the conductive coil is formed from a wire, the wire having a first end and a second end, and
from the perspective of the first end of the wire, the wire is wound around the first leg of the core before the wire is wound around the second leg of the core, with windings around the first leg of the core beginning adjacent to the dividing post and extending generally outwardly along the first leg of the core away from the dividing post and the second leg of the core before returning inwardly along the first leg of the core towards the dividing post and the second leg of the core and windings around the second leg of the core beginning adjacent to the dividing post and extending generally outwardly along the second leg of the core away from the dividing post and the first leg of the core before returning inwardly along the second leg of the core towards the dividing post and the first leg of the core.
27. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising a voltage source having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein:
the first end of the wire is electrically coupled to the negative terminal of the voltage source, and
the second end of the wire is electrically coupled to the positive terminal of the voltage source.
28. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein a number of windings around the first leg of the core is equal to a number of windings around the second leg of the core.
29. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein a number of windings around the second leg of the core is not equal to a number of windings around the first leg of the core.
30. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein:
the first leg of the core is disposed at a fixed angle relative to the second leg of the core, and
the fixed angle at which the first leg of the core is disposed relative to the second leg of the core is other than 180°.
31. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the mechanical coupling between the first leg of the core and the second leg of the core enables an angle at which the first leg of the core is disposed relative to the second leg of the core to be changed, thereby enabling the properties of the magnetic field to be changed by changing the angle at which the first leg of the core is disposed relative to the second leg of the core.
32. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein a length of the first leg of the core is substantially the same as a length of the second leg of the core.
33. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein a length of the first leg of the core is different than a length of the second leg of the core.
34. An apparatus for fragrancing an air space comprising:
a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field;
a fragrance delivery system configured to release fragrant particles into an air space such that at least some of the fragrant particles enter the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator; and
a voltage source having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, wherein:
the fragrance delivery system includes a conductor for supplying an electrical bias to fragrant particles to be released by the fragrance delivery system, and
a first terminal of the conductor is electrically coupled to the negative terminal of the voltage source and a second terminal of the conductor provides an electrical bias to at least some of the fragrant particles to be released by the fragrance delivery system.
35. An apparatus for fragrancing an air space comprising:
a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field;
a fragrance delivery system configured to release fragrant particles into an air space such that at least some of the fragrant particles enter the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator; and
an additional magnetic field generator that is configured to generate another magnetic field, that is physically distinct from the magnetic field generator, and that is located adjacent to the magnetic field generator, wherein:
the magnetic field generator and the other magnetic field generator are configured such that the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator and the other magnetic field generated by the other magnetic field generator are additive and combine to form a unique magnetic field, and
at least some of the released fragrant particles enter the unique magnetic field.
36. An apparatus for fragrancing an air space comprising:
a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field;
a fragrance delivery system configured to release fragrant particles into an air space such that at least some of the fragrant particles enter the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator; and
multiple additional magnetic field generators, each of which is configured to generate an additional magnetic field, is physically distinct from the magnetic field generator and other of the multiple additional magnetic field generators, and is displaced from other of the multiple additional magnetic field generators, wherein:
the magnetic field generator and the multiple additional magnetic field generators are configured to generate magnetic fields that are oriented such that at least some of the fragrant particles released into the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator are transferred to each of the additional magnetic fields.