SCENT DISPERSING MAT APPARATUS

Scent Dispersing Mat Apparatus



Scent Dispersing Mat Apparatus

Introduction

A low cost, easy to manufacture scent-dispersing mat apparatus has a flexible closed cell foam mat containing a plurality of blind holes extending from its upper surface. These blind holes are partially filled with a fragrant liquid scent, creating air spaces thereabove. The upper surface of the flexible closed cell foam mat is sealed with a polymeric sheet that entraps the air spaces in the blind holes, causing entrapped air to become saturated with fragrant scent vapor. The polymeric sheet is perforated by one or more fine needles at the blind hole locations. The perforations permit escape of fragrant scent-saturated air to the ambient when pressure is applied to the top surface of the mat. Upon release of pressure, the foam mat and the blind holes recover their shape; the entrapped air pressure decreases, drawing fresh ambient air into the entrapped air spaces.

Discussion

The present invention relates to a low cost easy to manufacture mat apparatus for dispersing scent; and more particularly to an apparatus capable of housing a scented vaporizable liquid for dispersion of volatilized scent when the apparatus receives a force or is compressed.

Description of the Prior Art

Many patents address issues related to the dispersion of scent into a room, and in particular to the dispersion of scent by way of a scent dispersing apparatus in the form of a mat. The volatile fragrant oils in most of these patents require a heating element to evaporate the fragrance. In many cases, a blower is needed to disperse the scent into the room.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,444 to Brown discloses an intermittent time controlled vapor-dispensing device. This device has an open top container holding a quantity of a volatile paste-like material within the interior of the container, which material is intermittently dispensed in vapor form to the ambient atmosphere. An electric circuit controlled motor is intermittently energized at predetermined time intervals to rotate a fan in the device for specific time periods to direct currents of air onto the exposed surface of the paste. This transforms the paste into vapor that is discharged outwardly from the container. A portion of the device is defined by apertured walls that surround the container, with the apertures of sufficiently small size so that the container in the device is substantially concealed. The apertures serve several functions, including permitting air to flow into the interior of the device through a first portion, and discharging vapors through a second portion of the apertures. As the fan operates, the vapor from the paste material configures into a number of small streams and discharges outwardly through the second portion of the apertures, and disperses into the ambient atmosphere. In order to vaporize and disperse the paste, an electrical current is passed through a heater and the fan must be driven. The vapor-dispensing device disclosed by the patent is not a mat. Furthermore, the dispensing device requires electrical connection for heating and driving a fan in order to ...