GB2194440A

GB2194440A - Air fresheners

Info

Publication number: GB2194440A
Application number: GB08718909A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Bird
Original assignee: Caligen Foam Ltd
Current assignee: Caligen Foam Ltd
Priority date: 1986-09-02
Filing date: 1987-08-10
Publication date: 1988-03-09
Also published as: GB8718909D0; GB8621185D0

Abstract

An air purifying and/or freshening product comprises a sealed container in the form of a bag or sachet 5 formed from synthetic foamed plastics material within which is contained an air purifying and/or freshening agent 8 preferably in a particulate form and formed from a material which slowly vaporizes on contact with air permeating through the container to release air freshening vapour to the surrounding air over an extended period of time in controlled quantities. The product may be used in a method of deodorizing or freshening vacuum cleaner bags by inserting the product into each bag as it is brought into use and discarding the product with the bag when the bag is replaced. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Air purifying and freshening products This invention relates to air purifying and air freshening products incorporating active constituents contained within a permeable container permitting passage of air into contact with the constituents and/or release of vapour from the constituents to the surrounding atmosphere.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and effective air purifying and/or freshening product of this kind.

According to the invention there is provided an air purifying and/or freshening product comprising a sealed container formed from synthetic foamed plastics material and an air purifying and/or freshening agent contained within the container whereby contact between said agent and the surrounding atmosphere may take place by permeation through the foamed plastics material of the container.

In one embodiment of the invention the agent comprises an air freshening agent in solid form which slowly vapourises on contact with air permeating through the container thereby releasing air freshening vapour to the surrounding air in controlled quantities over an extended period of time.

Preferably the container is in the form of a bag or sachet. The foamed plastics material is preferably polyurethane foam.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of an air purifying and/or air freshening product according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the product on the line Il-Il in fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the product comprises a sachet 5 of foamed plastics material such as polyurethane foam which is sealed around its peripheral edges 6 to form a cavity 7 within which is enclosed an air freshening agent. The agent may be in solid or particulate form and comprises a material which slowly vapourises on contact with air permeating through the sachet into contact with the agent. An example of such an agent is vermiculite impregnated with a liquid fragrance. Alternatively the agent may be in the form of a wax. Where the agent is in particulate form the particle size must be selected relative to the cell size of the foam from which the sachet is formed to ensure that the agent cannot pass through the sachet in its particulate state.

In use of the product it is placed in a room or other location where it is desired to produce an air freshening effect. Air contained within the room permeates through the foamed plastics material of the sachet into contact with the air freshening agent. This causes the latter to vapourise slowly and release the vapour to the surrounding atmosphere by permeation through the walls of the sachet in the opposite direction. The product therefore releases air freshening or deodorising vapour to the surrounding atmosphere automatically over a controlled period of time. The product may be located in any inconspicuous location and is both small and inexpensive, not requiring any surrounding solid casing rendering it larger and more conspicuous.

An alternative use is in relation to deodorising or freshening of vacuum cleaner bags. For this purpose s product of the kind described is placed in each new vacuum cleaner bag as it is brought into use. The flow of air through the vacuum cleaner during use and while standing out of use brings about controlled release of the air freshening agent thereby countering any unpleasant odours emitted from the dust and other material accumulated in the bag. Each air freshening product is discarded with the full vacuum cleaner bag and a fresh product inserted in each new bag as it is brought into use. The product may alternatively be used in waste bins in kitchens or other locations.

In manufacture of the product upper and lower rolls of foamed plastics material are brought together and heat sealed along their parallel edges to form a tube or a plurality of side by side tubes depending on the width of the foamed plastics material. The tubes are then heat sealed along one end and air freshening agent in powdered or granular form is then introduced from the open end of the or each tube. Transverse heat seals are then applied to form the tube or tubes into a plurality of pockets sealed around all four edges and each containing air freshening agent. The assembly is then cut along the heat seal lines to form individual sachets.

By virtue of the sachet form of the product it is readily handleable and inconspicuous in use and may also be produced easily and inexpensively. Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention.

For example the size, thickness and porosity of the foamed plastics material may be varied to meet different requirements and foamed plastics materials other than polyurethane foam may be employed. The density of the foam may also vary dependant on requirements but will generally be in the region of 13 to 30kg per cubic metre. Alternative air freshening or air purifying agents may also be employed.

1. An air purifying and/or freshening product comprising a sealed container formed from synthetic foamed plastics material and an air purifying and/or freshening agent contained within the container.

2. A product according to claim 1 wherein

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Air purifying and freshening products This invention relates to air purifying and air freshening products incorporating active constituents contained within a permeable container permitting passage of air into contact with the constituents and/or release of vapour from the constituents to the surrounding atmosphere. It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and effective air purifying and/or freshening product of this kind. According to the invention there is provided an air purifying and/or freshening product comprising a sealed container formed from synthetic foamed plastics material and an air purifying and/or freshening agent contained within the container whereby contact between said agent and the surrounding atmosphere may take place by permeation through the foamed plastics material of the container. In one embodiment of the invention the agent comprises an air freshening agent in solid form which slowly vapourises on contact with air permeating through the container thereby releasing air freshening vapour to the surrounding air in controlled quantities over an extended period of time. Preferably the container is in the form of a bag or sachet. The foamed plastics material is preferably polyurethane foam. Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of an air purifying and/or air freshening product according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the product on the line Il-Il in fig. 1. Referring to the drawings, the product comprises a sachet 5 of foamed plastics material such as polyurethane foam which is sealed around its peripheral edges 6 to form a cavity 7 within which is enclosed an air freshening agent. The agent may be in solid or particulate form and comprises a material which slowly vapourises on contact with air permeating through the sachet into contact with the agent. An example of such an agent is vermiculite impregnated with a liquid fragrance. Alternatively the agent may be in the form of a wax. Where the agent is in particulate form the particle size must be selected relative to the cell size of the foam from which the sachet is formed to ensure that the agent cannot pass through the sachet in its particulate state. In use of the product it is placed in a room or other location where it is desired to produce an air freshening effect. Air contained within the room permeates through the foamed plastics material of the sachet into contact with the air freshening agent. This causes the latter to vapourise slowly and release the vapour to the surrounding atmosphere by permeation through the walls of the sachet in the opposite direction. The product therefore releases air freshening or deodorising vapour to the surrounding atmosphere automatically over a controlled period of time. The product may be located in any inconspicuous location and is both small and inexpensive, not requiring any surrounding solid casing rendering it larger and more conspicuous. An alternative use is in relation to deodorising or freshening of vacuum cleaner bags. For this purpose s product of the kind described is placed in each new vacuum cleaner bag as it is brought into use. The flow of air through the vacuum cleaner during use and while standing out of use brings about controlled release of the air freshening agent thereby countering any unpleasant odours emitted from the dust and other material accumulated in the bag. Each air freshening product is discarded with the full vacuum cleaner bag and a fresh product inserted in each new bag as it is brought into use. The product may alternatively be used in waste bins in kitchens or other locations. In manufacture of the product upper and lower rolls of foamed plastics material are brought together and heat sealed along their parallel edges to form a tube or a plurality of side by side tubes depending on the width of the foamed plastics material. The tubes are then heat sealed along one end and air freshening agent in powdered or granular form is then introduced from the open end of the or each tube. Transverse heat seals are then applied to form the tube or tubes into a plurality of pockets sealed around all four edges and each containing air freshening agent. The assembly is then cut along the heat seal lines to form individual sachets. By virtue of the sachet form of the product it is readily handleable and inconspicuous in use and may also be produced easily and inexpensively. Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example the size, thickness and porosity of the foamed plastics material may be varied to meet different requirements and foamed plastics materials other than polyurethane foam may be employed. The density of the foam may also vary dependant on requirements but will generally be in the region of 13 to 30kg per cubic metre. Alternative air freshening or air purifying agents may also be employed. CLAIMS

2. A product according to claim 1 wherein the container is in the form of a bag or sa chet

3. A product according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said foamed plastics material comprises polyurethane foam.

4. A product according to any preceding claim wherein the density of the foam is from 13 to 30 Kg/m3.

5. A product according to any preceding claim wherein said agent is in solid form and formed from a material which slowly vapourises oncontact with air permeating through the container.

6. A product according to claim 5 wherein said agent comprises a wax.

7. A product according to claim 5 wherein said agent is vermiculite impregnated with a liquid fragrance.

8. A product according to any preceding claim wherein said agent is in particulate form.

9. An air purifying and/or freshening product comprising a sealed sachet formed from foamed plastics material having a density of 13-30 Kg/m3 and containing an air purifying and/or freshening agent in solid or granular form, the agent comprising a material which slowly vapourises on contact with air permeating through the wall ofthe sachet thereby releasing air freshening vapour to the surrounding air by permeation through the walls of the sachet in the opposite direction over an extended period of time in quantities controlled by the structure of the foamed plastics material.

10. An air purifying and/or freshening product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of deodorising or freshening vacuum cleaner bags comprising inserting into each bag as it is brought into use an air purifying and/or freshening product according to any preceding claim and discarding the product with the bag when the bag is replaced.

12. A method of deodorising or freshening vacuum cleaner bags or waste bins substantially as hereinbefore described.

13. A method of producing an air purifying and/or freshening product comprising placing upper and lower sheets of foamed plastics material one upon the other, heat sealing the sheets to one another along parallel line to form one or more tubes, heat sealing th or each tube along one end, introducing an air purifying and/or freshening product from the open end of the or each tube, forming transverse heat seals at intervals along the or each filled tube to form a plurality of sealed pockets each containing said agent, and cutting the tube or tubes along the heat seal lines to separate said pockets and form a plurality of individual sealed sachets.

14. A method of producing an air purifying and/or freshening product substantially as hereinbefore described.

15. An air purifying and/or freshening product produced by the method of claim 13 or 14.

16. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing specification or claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.