Vehicle interior deodorizer
The vehicle interior deodorizer may comprise a deodorizing device for deodorizing the interior of a vehicle and a method of using the deodorizing device. During a treatment cycle, the deodorizing device may release a chemical tablet into a cup holding water after an evacuation interval. The chemical tablet may dissolve in the water, creating a deodorizing solution. A bubbler mechanism may de-gas the deodorizing solution and may force deodorizing gas out of the deodorizing device such that the deodorizing gas may saturate the interior of the vehicle during a treatment interval. The bubbler mechanism may quiesce during a dissipation interval such that the deodorizing gas may abate. The vehicle may be opened and aired out to complete the treatment cycle.
1. A deodorizing device comprising
a cup, a lid, a tablet release mechanism, a bubbler mechanism, operator controls, and a controller;
where the cup is operable to hold water;
where the lid detachably couples to the cup;
where the tablet release mechanism within the lid is operable to retain a chemical tablet and to drop the chemical tablet into the cup after a pre-configured time interval;
where when dropped, the chemical tablet dissolves in the water to form a deodorizing solution;
where the bubbler mechanism is operable to form deodorizing gas by aerating the deodorizing solution;
where the bubbler mechanism forces the deodorizing gas out of the cup;
where the operator controls comprise a start/stop button to start and stop a treatment cycle and one or more light indicators to display an operational state and device status;
where the controller is adapted to interact with a user via the operator controls and to control the sequencing and timing of the tablet release mechanism and the bubbler mechanism.
2. The deodorizing device according to claim 1
where the cup is configured to fit in a cup holder of a vehicle;
where the deodorizing gas deodorizes the interior of the vehicle.
3. The deodorizing device according to claim 1
where the tablet release mechanism comprises a tablet door, a servomotor, a tablet chamber, and a tablet sensor;
where the tablet door is moveable, by the servomotor, between a retain tablet position and a release tablet position;
where the servomotor is controlled by the controller;
where the chemical tablet is retained within the tablet chamber by the tablet door when the tablet door is in the retain tablet position;
where the chemical tablet is released to fall from the tablet chamber into the cup when the tablet door is moved to the release tablet position;
where the tablet sensor reports the presence of the chemical tablet within the tablet chamber to the controller.
4. The deodorizing device according to claim 1
where the bubbler mechanism comprises an air pump and an air bubbler;
where the air pump is operable to pump air from an air intake to the air bubbler when energized;
where operation of the air pump is controlled by the controller;
where the air bubbler diffuses the air into the deodorizing solution to aerate the deodorizing solution;
where aerating the deodorizing solution releases the deodorizing gas from the deodorizing solution;
where aerating the deodorizing solution increases air pressure within the cup and forces the deodorizing gas out of the cup.
5. The deodorizing device according to claim 1
where said one or more light indicators comprise a plurality of indicators arranged in a horizontal ring encircling the lid;
where an individual indicator selected from the plurality of indicators is a multicolor LED;
where the on/off state, color, and brightness of the individual indicator is controlled by the controller;
where the plurality of indicators are individually addressable by the controller.
6. The deodorizing device according to claim 5
where the controller sequentially activates and deactivates the plurality of indicators to create a chase light effect where one or more of the individual indicators appear to spin around the light ring.
7. The deodorizing device according to claim 1
where the device is powered by one or more batteries.