Folded or multi-layered paper air freshener

This application is a non-provisional patent application to the provisional filed under Ser. No. 62/707,188, which was filed on Oct. 24, 2017.

Paper air fresheners are made of paper of various thicknesses, and are decorated by printing by various methods, and then have a string or hook for suspension, and are packaged, into their final form for marketing. This invention generally includes a series of paper laminates, or paper stock, saturated with a fragrance, which when the folds or layers are opened, a fresh layer of fragrance is released, for prolonged application of the air freshener.

Paper air fresheners have been in use for many decades. Generally, you can see them suspended from the rear view mirror of an automobile, or applied at other vicinities, for use for refreshing the ambient air of the proximate space. There are many patents upon this type of concept, in the prior art.

Many of these prior art paper fresheners are made of paper, of various thicknesses, and are decorated by printing either by lithographic, offset, flexography, or silkscreen. They are scented with fragrance materials, they are cut, strung, and are packaged into their final form.

Usually, paper air fresheners are less expensive to make than other air freshening devices, and their effectiveness in scenting a small space is tied to various factors including the amount, composition, and endurance of the fragrance materials utilized. Also, the thickness, porosity, chemical nature, absorption characteristics of the paper carrier used, and finally, the surface area, as the surface areas where the fragrance materials are released to the air, are the characteristics of paper air fresheners.

Most paper air fresheners release their fragrance in the first few days at a high rate, and then loose power and effectiveness as the fragrance materials evaporate into the ambient air.

Papers that release slowly also tend to be more dense, and absorb more slowly, and take less of a fragrance load overall. They often print better, however, as they have smoother surfaces, they are generally less effective as small space air fresheners.

Papers that release more readily are more absorbent and can take more of the fragrance load overall. But, they often print worse as the surface is more open and rough, of texture. They are generally more effective as a small space air freshener.

This invention contemplates a folded paper air freshener, that would be more effective, and longer lasting, when prepared for application, and utilized for adding fragrance to a surrounding vicinity, whether it be within a room, a vehicle, or any other related space.

There is a balance to be found and compromise to be made, therefore, where aspects of printability, fragrance load, and release profiles intersect and constrain each other, and this is what is being addressed by this current invention.

This invention uses the features and characteristics of various different substrates, and combines them into a multi-layer carrier (“MLC”). Generally, it includes one or more plys of paper that are laminated or tacked or secured together to form the paper air freshener of this invention.

The invention further provides an additional layering as this new MLC material is folded on itself either once, twice, three or more times, thus creating barriers to the outside surface upon which fragrance releases to the air.

The invention further provides a very absorptive substrate layer, that can receive a high fragrance load.

The invention further provides a smooth printable graphic layer, which is important for the commercial aspects of the application of the invention in a marketing sense.

The invention further provides a tie layer that acts as a membrane or barrier to reduce the rate of migration of the fragrance materials from the absorptive layer, to the outside graphic layer, where it evaporates into the atmosphere.

These and other objects of this may become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein, and upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the air freshener front, that includes a printed layer, an optional printed layer, a further optional printed layer, and the printed layer as noted. Thus, this would be a four layer paper air freshener;

FIG. 2 discloses the back of the air freshener, which is not decorated or printed, as can be noted;

FIG. 3 provides a side view of the substrate, and the various layers that make up the paper or other synthetic layers of the air freshener;

FIG. 4 discloses a folded air freshener, in this instance, comprising a four panel air freshener, after it is folded into its usable configuration;

FIG. 5 shows the fragrance migration directions, through the folded layers, as the fragrance is disseminated into the ambient air;

FIG. 6 discloses the folded attachment and the various options or other components that may be added to the air freshener, such as an upper aperture for holding a cord or for T-hook, a lateral slot for holding the layers together, and a bottom grommet, and the sonic or adhesive seals that hold the layers together; and

FIG. 7 shows a pair of paper panels “a” and “b”, which may be partially laminated together, after being saturated with a fragrance, to function as a multi-layered paper air freshener for this invention. FIG. 7 a shows how the substrate “a” and the substrate “b” appear in cross-section, and a seal layer forming a well is disposed intermediate the layers “a” and “b”. FIG. 7 b shows how the substrate “a” may be folded, along one edge, forming a well within its seal intermediate layer.

As can be noted in the drawings, and in particular FIG. 1 , the top material “a” of FIG. 1 , and FIG. 4 , are smoothly calendared, printable paper, such as sixty pound, more or less, text stock. The paper may be clay coated, or uncoated, but the uncoated is the preferred embodiment, since it may absorb the fragrance material more readily.

The tie-layer, as noted at “b” in FIG. 4 , can be any adhesively mounted permeable polymer film. Polyethylene is the preferred embodiment. Alternatively, PE or other polymers can also be extruded to create a tie-layer between the layers “a” and “c”.

The bottom material, as at “c” in FIG. 4 , should be an absorbent material. This can be a synthetic non-woven, flocking, design for optimal fragrance loading, and inert and is resistant to fragrance materials.

Once the multi-layer substrate, “MLC” is printed, scented, converted to size, it can be folded upon itself to create a multi-layer air freshener. FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , and FIG. 5 , show the example of a four-panel folded air freshener. FIG. 5 also shows how the fragrance is embedded in layer “c” and must pass through the permeable tie-layer barrier “b” before it can evaporate off of the large paper substrate area “a”. The choice of the tie-layer will determine the rate of migration, as any permeable tie-layer will allow permeation to various degrees and rates of migration. The choice of absorbent layer “c” will determine the amount of fragrance load that is possible for usage. The thicker the layer, the more fragrance that can be loaded therein, as can be understood.

The folded air freshener can be held together in various fashions, by way of example, as shown in FIG. 6 . The folded paper or other material freshener can have a shrink band applied around its body, after folding, for the formed air fresher. A hole as punched and stringing can be applied to the top, as noted. A hole punching and placing of a hook or clip, may be applied to the top of the freshener, for use for suspension. Also, a sonic high frequency sealing and securing of the layers together, can be applied. A mechanical attaching of the folded layers together, with staples, grommets, clips, and other attachment devices, can be utilized. In addition, an adhesive sealing may be applied, or spot applied, where noted. Finally, creating a tab on panel 1, or the back panel, and various slots applied upon the panels 2, 3, or 4, can allow the various panels to be locked together, by inserting the tab through the various aligned slots.

Various common secondary packaging options may also include flow wrapping, header card attachments, for peg board at retail, cartons, and other type displays, to which the fresheners may be applied.

Additional options include the perforating of the folds of the MLS so that the MLS levels can be separated and removed by users, overtime, to access inner layers that may carry more fragrance materials, for further dissemination, as can be noted in FIG. 6 . Furthermore, using micro-encapsulated fragrances on absorbent substrate layers, as “c”, so that upon separating of the MLS folded layers, the fragrance is released in time through the micro-encapsulated breakage, when the folded adjacent layers are unfolded, as can be understood. Furthermore, creating a two-panel, four, six, eight-panel, or multipanel versions of this invention, are readily comprehended for application of the subject matter of this invention.

FIG. 7 shows a pair of layers “a” and “b”, made of paper, and which may be saturated with a fragrance upon their interior surfaces. The external surfaces of the layers “a” and “b” may be capable of accepting print material, for display or advertising purposes. These layers “a” and “b” may be laminated together, and held in position by means of a seal layer, as noted at “s” in FIG. 7 a . In addition, the seal layer and the bottom layer “b” may be embossed to form a well d, and into which fragrant material “fm” may locate to have further supply of the fragrant material to the freshener, in preparation for its usage. And, while the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 7 a show how the paper sampler may be laminated together, and may be sealed around their periphery, or sealed at other locations, such as the spot seals as previously reviewed, in their laminated form the paper air freshener may be suspended for usage and application. When it is desired to enhance the flow of fragrance material and its aroma from the sampler, the laminates may be partially or fully separated, to allow for the outflow of the fragrance material from it.

Or, as can be noted in FIG. 7 b , one of the laminated layers, such as the layer “a”, may be folded over, forming its fragrance material holding debossed well, as previously noted at d, and the seal layer, which may be formed of polyethylene, or any other related firm material, that is impervious to liquid migration, may be formed therein, and have seals supplied at “s 2 ”, as noted, so as to seal in its fragrance material within the folded fly “a”, as can be noted. And, when partial or full separation occurs, the fragrant material may disseminate its aroma into the ambient air, to provide for effective usage of the sampler, during application. Obviously, the seals “s 2 ” can be placed at any location along the film material, to provide for even partial migration of fragrance from the paper air freshener, during its usage and application.

Other variations upon this invention may be entertained by those skilled in the art, upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiments, in view of the drawings. These disclosures, and the depiction of the invention in the drawings, are primarily set forth for illustrative purposes only. Such variations, if within the spirit of this invention, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of any claims to patent protection issuing herein.