IP Library Granted Patent US 8,251,299
Granted Patent B1
US 8,251,299 · App. 12/916,038 · Granted Aug 28, 2012

Screw top air freshener

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,251,299
App. No.
12/916,038
Granted
Aug 28, 2012
Kind
B1
Abstract

An air freshener has a fragrant gel material in a container with a double-wall including an inner wall and an outer wall with an annular gap. A cap was a sleeve extending into the annular gap. An opening is disposed in the sleeve. The cap is movable axially with respect to the container between a raised position in which the opening in the sleeve is exposed at least partially above the double-wall to release fragrance, and a closed position in which the opening in the sleeve is disposed in the annular gap to resist release of fragrance.

Claims (50)

1. An air freshener device, comprising:

a) a container containing a fragrant gel material from which a fragrance permeates over time;

b) the container having a cylindrical-shaped perimeter with a double-wall including an inner wall and an outer wall, and defining an annular gap between the double-wall;

c) the container having a bottom wall with the bottom wall and inner wall defining a reservoir containing the fragrant gel material;

d) a screw thread formed on an exterior surface of the inner wall;

e) a cap secured to the container and covering the reservoir;

f) a cylindrical sleeve extending from the cap into the annular gap between the double-wall;

g) a plurality of apertures in the cylindrical sleeve; and

h) a screw thread formed on an interior surface of the sleeve and engaging the screw thread on the exterior surface of the inner wall such that rotation of the cap moves the cap axially with respect to the container including a raised position in which the plurality of apertures in the cylindrical sleeve are exposed to release fragrance, and a closed position in which the plurality of apertures in the cylindrical sleeve are disposed in the annular gap to resist release of fragrance.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:

a) a release liner releasably coupled to a top rim of at the inner wall; and

b) the cap and cylindrical sleeve being removable from and replaceable with the container.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cap has an upper rim with an array of protrusions circumscribing the upper rim; wherein the bottom wall has a bottom rim with an array of indentations circumscribing the bottom rim matching the array of protrusions of the upper rim so that the bottom rim mates with an upper rim of another air freshener device stacked thereon.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the outer wall includes a different material than the inner wall.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the inner wall is formed of at least a translucent material that resists reacting with the fragrant material; and wherein the outer wall is formed of a transparent material that is reactable with the fragrant material.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the container has a bottom annular lip protruding laterally from a bottom of the inner wall; and wherein the outer wall is an annular band with a bottom rim secured to the bottom annular lip.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the bottom annular lip has an array of protrusions circumscribing the bottom annular lip of the inner wall; and wherein the bottom rim of the outer wall has an array of indentations circumscribing the bottom rim and mating with the array of protrusions of the bottom annular lip.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cap has an annular rim that abuts an upper rim of the outer wall in the closed position; and wherein an outer perimeter of the cap is substantially flush with an outer perimeter of the outer wall of the container.

9. An air freshener device, comprising:

a) a container containing a fragrant gel material from which a fragrance permeates over time;

b) the container having a double-wall including an inner wall and an outer wall, and defining an annular gap between the double-wall;

c) the container having a bottom wall with the bottom wall and inner wall defining a reservoir containing the fragrant gel material;

d) a cap carried by the container and covering the reservoir;

e) a sleeve extending from the cap into the annular gap between the double-wall;

f) at least one opening in the sleeve; and

g) the cap movable axially with respect to the container between a raised position in which the at least one opening in the sleeve is exposed at least partially above the double-wall to release fragrance, and a closed position in which the at least one opening in the sleeve is disposed in the annular gap to resist release of fragrance.

10. A device in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising:

a) a release liner releasably coupled to a top rim of the inner wall; and

b) the cap and sleeve being removable from and replaceable with the container.

11. A device in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the cap has an upper rim with an array of protrusions circumscribing the upper rim; wherein the bottom wall has a bottom rim with an array of indentations circumscribing the bottom rim matching the array of protrusions of the upper rim so that the bottom rim mates with an upper rim of another air freshener device stacked thereon.

12. A device in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the outer wall includes a different material than the inner wall.

13. A device in accordance with claim 12 wherein the inner wall is formed of at least a translucent material that resists reacting with the fragrant material; and wherein the outer wall is formed of a transparent material that is reactable with the fragrant material.

14. A device in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the container has a bottom annular lip protruding laterally from a bottom of the inner wall; and wherein the outer wall is an annular band with a bottom rim secured to the bottom annular lip.

15. A device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the bottom annular lip has an array of protrusions circumscribing the bottom annular lip; and wherein the bottom rim of the outer wall has an array of indentations circumscribing the bottom rim and mating with the array of protrusions of the bottom annular lip.

16. A device in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the cap has an annular rim that abuts an upper rim of the outer wall in the closed position; and wherein an outer perimeter of the cap is substantially flush with an outer perimeter of the outer wall of the container.

17. An air freshener device, comprising:

a) a container containing a fragrant material from which a fragrance permeates over time;

b) the container having a double-wall including an inner wall and an outer wall, and defining a gap between the double-wall;

c) the container having a bottom wall with the bottom wall and inner wall defining a reservoir containing the fragrant material;

d) the inner wall is formed of a material that is at least translucent and that resists reacting with the fragrant material;

e) the outer wall is formed of a transparent material that is reactable with the fragrant material but separated from the fragrant material by the inner wall;

f) a cap carried by the container and covering the reservoir;

g) a sleeve extending from the cap into the gap between the double-wall;

h) at least one opening in the sleeve; and

i) the cap movable axially with respect to the container between a raised position in which the at least one opening in the sleeve is exposed at least partially above the double-wall to release fragrance, and a closed position in which the at least one opening in the sleeve is disposed in the annular gap to resist release of fragrance.

18. A device in accordance with claim 17 further comprising:

a) a release liner releasably coupled to a top rim of the inner wall; and

b) the cap and cylindrical sleeve being removable from and replaceable with the container.

19. A device in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the cap has an upper rim with an array of protrusions circumscribing the upper rim; wherein the bottom wall has a bottom rim with an array of indentations circumscribing the bottom rim matching the array of protrusions of the upper rim so that the bottom rim mates with an upper rim of another air freshener device stacked thereon.

20. A device in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the container has a bottom annular lip protruding laterally from a bottom of the inner wall; wherein the outer wall is an annular band with a bottom rim secured to the bottom annular lip; wherein the bottom annular lip has an array of protrusions circumscribing the bottom annular lip; and wherein the bottom rim of the outer wall has an array of indentations circumscribing the bottom rim mating with the array of protrusions of the bottom annular lip.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2022
From: ENERGIZER BRANDS II LLC
To: ENERGIZER GROUP LIMITED
Reel/Frame 060457/0414 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 30, 2020
From: ENERGIZER BRANDS, LLC; ENERGIZER AUTO, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 054875/0651 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 8, 2019
From: ENERGIZER HOLDINGS, INC.; AMERICAN COVERS, LLC; ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS, LLC; CALIFORNIA SCENTS, LLC; ENERGIZER BRANDS, LLC; ENERGIZER MANUFACTURING, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 048029/0246 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2017
From: AMERICAN COVERS, LLC
To: ENERGIZER BRANDS II, LLC
Reel/Frame 042446/0732 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 25, 2017
From: AMERICAN COVERS, INC.
To: AMERICAN COVERS, LLC
Reel/Frame 042327/0384 →