Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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AIR TREATMENT DEVICE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial
No.
60/622,833, filed October 28, 2004, U.S. Utility Patent Application Serial No.
11/045,720,
filed January 26, 2005 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No.
60/622,447, filed
March 16, 2205, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to air treatment devices, and more
particularly, to air treatment devices for use with refuse or non-refuse
containers and
receptacles.
2. Background of the Related Art
Containers and receptacles of various shapes, sizes and configurations are
utilized in
kitchens, garages, bathrooms, nurseries, workrooms, professional offices,
hotels, resorts,
health clubs, health care facilities, theaters, amusement parks, garbage
collection areas and
the like. Odors and germs gather in these containers and receptacles depending
upon the
waste or matter contained therein. Additionally, odors emanating from such
containers and
receptacles oftentimes attract insects or rodents.
Devices disseminating various kinds of air treating materials, such as air
freshening,
odor absorbing, disinfectant, insecticidal and pesticide materials have been
developed to
solve these problems. Common solid air treatment devices include, but are not
limited to, (i)
disks, domes, dishes or other dispensers which hold air treating blocks or
cakes; (ii) disks,
domes, dishes or other dispensers which hold gel material which, when it dries
or shrinks,
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releases a vaporized air-treating composition into the air, (iii) disks,
domes, dishes or other
dispensers which hold paperboard coated with a vaporizable composition, (iv)
disks, domes,
dishes or other dispensers which hold scented disks, and (v) disks, domes,
dishes, bags or
other dispensers which hold liquid solutions, and the like. Coinmon
deodorizing, odor
absorbing, disinfecting, antibacterial or insecticidal or pesticide solid air
treating materials
include, but are not limited to, blocks or cakes, gels, paperboard, scented
disks, bags or
other means for holding liquid solutions, and the like.
Most solid air treatment devices have inferior construction in that they only
hold one
particular size, shape or configuration of a solid air treating material and
do not permit
users to purchase a variety of solid air treating material to be used in that
same air treatment
device. Also, most solid air treatment devices, after a period of time, result
in dried or
shrunken material that remains within the air treatment device. Most dried or
shrunken
solid air treating material shakes, rattles or rolls when the solid air
treatment device is
moved or affixed to a surface which moves or is moved. Moreover, most solid
air treatment
devices do not affix very well or are too heavy to be mounted on the underside
of a refuse or
non-refuse container's or receptacle's lid or cover. The currently available
devices do not
provide for sufficient air-flow to maximize the effectiveness of the solid air
treating
material. Additionally, current solid air treatment devices generally fail to
notify the user as
to when the effectiveness of a solid air treating material is no longer
effective.
Thus, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an air treatment
device
including a solid air treating material dispenser that is configured with a
universal, flexible
holder mechanism that is constantly under tension, which may be configured
onto the
underside of any sized or shaped lid or cover of any sized or shaped refuse or
non-refuse
container or receptacle, and that is able to hold any size, shape or
configuration of solid air
treating material.
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It is another object of the present disclosure to provide an improved air
treatment
device that keeps any sized or shaped solid air treating material securely
placed when
installed onto the underside of a refuse or non-refuse container's or
receptacle's lid or cover,
even upon the eventual drying or shrinking of the air treating material.
It is another object of the present disclosure to have multiple means of
affixing the
air treatment device to the underside of a refuse or non-refuse container's or
receptacles lid
or cover.
It is another object of the present disclosure to have multiple large
perforations to
enable increased air-flow through the air treatinent device.
It is another object of the present disclosure to be made of plastic, rubber,
metal,
steel, wood or any other material.
It is another object of the present disclosure to have a device for indicating
the
depletion of the air treating material contained within the air treatment
device.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention shall become apparent
from
the accompanying description and drawings.
SUMMARY
Accordingly, air treatment devices for use with refuse or non-refuse
containers or
receptacles are disclosed. The air treatment devices include a cover member
and housing
member for housing an air treating material. The housing and the cover member
include an
air treating material therebetween. The housing is rotatably and removably or
pivotally
hinged, clasped, retained or otherwise coupled to the cover member and is
deformable with
respect to the cover. The housing, which is constantly under tension, is
biased toward or
against the air treating material so as to provide continuous contact of the
air treating
material and the housing as the air treating material shrinks or evaporates
over time. The
housing and the cover component include retaining devices for removably,
pivotally,
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claspedly, retainingly or othewisedly coupling one to another. The air
treatment device
further includes an indicator device for indicating a period of time. The
indicator device
may be coupled or removably coupled to the cover component of the air
treatment device.
Additionally, an air treatment system including a housing, which is constantly
under
tension, for securing an air treating material and a retaining device for
removably, pivotally,
claspedly, retainingly integradedly or otherwisedly coupling the housing to a
refuse or non-
refuse container or receptacle by hinges, clasps, retention means or otherwise
is provided.
The housing is removably pivotally, claspedly, retainingly or otherwisedly
coupled to a
cover portion of the refuse or non refuse container or receptacle by hinges,
clasps, retention
means or otherwise. The housing includes a biased portion, which is constantly
under
tension, for securely retaining the air treating material, wherein the biased
portion retains a
constant bias against the air treating material. The air treatment system
fu.rther includes an
indicating device for indicating a time frame and a plurality of through holes
for allowing
air to contact the air treating material.
Moreover, an air treatment device including a removably pivotally, claspedly,
retainingly or otherwisedly mountable basket and cover coupled to the basket
is provided by
hinges clasps, retention means or otherwise. The basket is deforinable and
under tension
with respect to the cover and is biased toward the cover. The cover and basket
include
respective coupling members, such as flanges, screw threads, rails, detents,
projections,
tangs, living hinges, spring biased hinges and the like. The air treatment
device further
includes an attachment device for attaching the cover to a refuse or non-
refuse container or
receptacle. The attachment device may include hook and loop fasteners,
fastening clips,
tape, adhesive, magnets, suction cups, screws, nails, other hardware and the
like.
Objects and advantages of the present disclosure are set forth in part herein
and in
part will be obvious therefrom, or may be learned by practice of the present
disclosure
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which is realized and attained by the instrumentalities and combinations
pointed out in the
appended claims for the devices and methods of the present disclosure
consisting of its
constituent parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, steps and
improvements
herein shown and described.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects and features of the present disclosure are set forth with
particularity in
the appended claims. The present disclosure, as to its organization and manner
of operation,
together with further objectives and advantages may be understood by reference
to the
following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an air treatment device in combination with a
receptacle
in accordance with the present disclosure;
FIGURES 2A, 2B and 2C are plan views of the air treatment device of FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 2D is an enlarged view of FIGURE 2A depicting a portion of the air
treatment device and freshness indicator in accordance with the present
disclosure;
FIGURE 2E is an enlarged view of the underside of figure 2D in accordance with
the present disclosure.
FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of an air treatment device in accordance with the
present disclosure;
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of an air treatment device in accordance with
the
present disclosure;
FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a retention ring of the air treatment device
in
accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIGURE 6A is a perspective view of a retaining device of the air treatment
device in
accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIGURE 6B is a side view of the retaining device of FIGURE 6A;
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FIGURE 6C is a side view of the retaining device of FIGURE 6A in a retaining
position with an original size of air treating material;
FIGURE 6D is a side view of the retaining device of FIGURE 6A in a retaining
position with a dried, shrunken or partially evaporated air treating material.
FIGURES 7A, 7B and 7C are plan views of an alternate embodiment of an air
treatment device in accordance with the present disclosure;
FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of the air treatment device of FIGURES 7A, 7B and
7C;
FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the air treatment device of FIGURES 7A, 7B
and 7C;
FIGURE l0A is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the air
treatment
device in accordance with the present disclosure, showing a hinged retaining
device in an
open extended position;
FIGURE lOB is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the air
treatment
device in accordance with the present disclosure, showing a hinged retaining
device in a
closed position;
FIGURE 10C is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the air
treatment
device in accordance with the present disclosure, showing a hinged retaining
device in an
open extended position; and
FIGURE lOD is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the air
treatment
device in accordance with the present disclosure, showing a hinged retaining
device in a
closed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
The exemplary embodiments of the air treatment devices disclosed are discussed
in
terms of air treatment devices for use with receptacles and containers
including, for
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example, refuse or non-refuse receptacles and containers. The presently
disclosed air
treatment devices are contemplated for use as an integral cover or non-
integral lid portion of
a container or receptacle as well as a portable or stand alone unit for
incorporation with a
container or receptacle. It is contemplated that the air treatment device of
the present
disclosure may be employed with, for example, trash barrels as part of a trash
barrel lid or
cover or a separate unit for attachment to the underside of a trash barrel
lid.
In the discussion that follows, the term trash barrel refers to any type of
refuse or
non-refuse container or receptacle that is used to collect, store or house
waste, trash, food or
any other matter and the term cover refers to a cover or lid portion that is
used to shield or
cover the top open portion of a trash barrel. As used herein, the term "top"
generally refers
to a portion of the trash barrel or cover that faces or is directed upward
(e.g., upward toward
the ceiling), while the term "bottom" generally refers to a portion of the
trash barrel or cover
that faces or is directed downward (e.g., downward toward the floor).
The following discussion includes a description of an air treatment device
used as a
trash barrel cover and separate air treatment device for use with a cover or
trash barrel.
Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the
disclosure,
which are illustrated in the accompanying Figures.
Turning now to the Figures, wherein like components are designated by like
reference numerals throughout the several views. Referring to Figure 1, there
is illustrated a
combination air treatment device and refuse receptacle 10 in accordance with
the principles
of the present disclosure. Air treatment device and refuse receptacle 10
includes a trash
barrel 12, for example, a circular trash barrel having a closed bottom end and
open top end
for the receiving of refuse or non-refuse waste, trash or other matter. It is
contemplated
within the present disclosure that trash barrel 12 may include any typical
trash barrel for use
in home, office or industrial uses and may be of any size, shape or
configuration as is well
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known. An air treatment device 14 may act as a cover for trash barrel 12 or as
a separate
attachment member to a cover of a trash barrel 12. Whether acting as a cover
of a trash
barrel or as an attachment to a cover for a trash barrel, it is contemplated
within the present
disclosure that the air treatment device 14 may include any size, shape or
configuration that
can be employed to cover a trash barrel 12 or attach to a cover of a trash
barrel.
With reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B and 2C, the air treatment device 14 includes
a top
18, bottom 16 and sidewall 20 portion and may be configured as a separate
stand alone,
hinged or like member that fits onto or over the open end of trash barrel 12.
Top portion 18
of the air treatment device 14 may include an air freshness indicator means 22
(as described
below) for use by a consumer in determining a period of freshness or time. As
will be
discussed in detail below, bottom portion 16 is designed to incorporate the
air treatment
device in accordance of the present disclosure.
The air treatment device 14 may be forined of any size, shape or configuration
(e.g.,
oval, circular, square, rectangular, diamond, octagonal or the like) and be
manufactured
from any suitable material including, for instance, plastic, rubber, metal,
steel, wood or the
like. The retaining device 44 is constantly under tension and preferably
perforated with
multiple openings in any size, shape or configuration (e.g., tear drops,
rectangles, ovals,
circles, squares, diamonds, octagons, zig zag patterns or the like) for
allowing appropriate
air flow to contact air treating material 60. The air treating material 60 may
include an air
deodorizer component, an air freshener component, an odor absorbing component
which
may consist of carbon, carbon crystals or other chemicals as is known in the
art of odor
absorbing materials, a disinfectant component, an insecticidal component, a
pesticide
component, an antibacterial component or the like as is known in the air
treating material
art, with or without fragrance, of any size, shape, or configuration (e.g.,
oval, circular,
square, rectangular, diamond, octagonal, or the like) that is capable of being
housed
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between the bottom portion 16 and the retaining member 44. Moreover, air
treating
material 60 may be formed as a solid, for example a block, cake, gel,
paperboard scented
disk or otherwise as is known in the air treating material art, or liquid, for
example, a liquid
air treating material that is housed by a container or bag as is known in the
air treating
material art. Any portion of air treatment device 14 including the top 18,
bottom 16 and
sidewall 20 may include perforations for allowing air flow.
Now referring to FIG. 3, air treatment device 14 is shown in an upside down
exploded fashion depicting various portions thereof. More particularly, bottom
portion 16
of the air treatment device 14 is bounded by sidewall 20. Sidewall 20 is
designed to fit over
or onto a rim portion (not shown) of trash barrel 12. Bottom portion 16 of the
air treatment
device 14 includes a flange or retaining member 30 integrally formed thereon.
Flange 30
may include retaining ridge or screw thread 32 that is configured for
attachment to a
retention ring 36. As best seen in FIG. 5, retention ring 36 includes flange
or screw thread
38 for cooperative attachment to retaining ridge or screw thread 32 of flange
30 within
bottom portion 16 of the air treatment device 14. Alternatively, and as best
shown in FIG.
4, flange 30 may be replaced by retention ring 36 that is integrally molded to
bottom portion
16 of the air treatment device 14. Retention ring 36 includes flange or screw
thread 38 for
cooperative attachment to a retaining ridge or screw thread 50 of a retaining
device or
basket 44 (to be discussed below). Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4, bottom
portion 16 of
the air treatment device 14 includes a center portion 28 for placement of air
treating material
60 (to be discussed below). Center portion 28 includes a plurality of nubs,
nodules or
bumps 34 protruding (in the bottom direction of the trash barrel 12) from the
bottom portion
16. These nubs may be of varying heights, shapes, sizes and configurations and
are
configured for allowing air flow between the air treating material 60 and the
bottom portion
16 of the air treatment device 14.
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With reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 6A and 10B, the basket or retaining device 44
includes
a plurality of arm members 46 connected to center portion 48. Retaining device
44 includes
retaining means 50 in the form of flanges, screw threads, detents hinges,
clasps or the like.
Retaining means 50 may include a hinged component where a portion of the
retaining
device 44 is hingedly connected to the retaining ring 36 or bottom portion 16
of the air
treatment device 14. Retaining means 50 includes receiving surface 52 for
receiving flange
or screw thread 38 of retention ring 36. It is contemplated herein that the
cooperating
elements of retention ring 36 and retaining device 44 may include screw
threads, flanges,
detents, clips or other removably or pivotally or hinged or clasped or
otherwise retained
retaining elements that are configured for the removal or pivoting of the
retaining device 44
from the retention ring 36. Retaining device 44 may be formed as any shaped
housing or
basket having one or more air holes or pathways 62 (e.g., holes, slits, mesh
and the like) for
allowing increased or decreased air flow to the air treating materia160 housed
therein.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and 10A, retaining device 44 is
configured to
be removably or pivotally or hinged or clasped or otherwise mounted to bottom
portion 16
of the air treatment device 14 (via retention ring 36). Retaining device 44 is
configured to
be under continuous tension and to supply a consistent bias in the upward or
downward
direction or against to the air treating material 60 housed between the
retaining device 44
and bottom portion 16 of the air treatment device 14 (FIG. 6C). More
specifically, retaining
device 44 and/or arms 46 and center portion 48 of retaining device 44 are
formed from
materials that allow a measure of tension and flexibility and elastic or
biased contraction in
an upward direction (i.e., toward the bottom portion 16 of the air treatment
device 14) or
downward direction (i.e. toward the bottom portion of trash barrel 12). It is
contemplated
within the scope of the present disclosure that retaining device 44 is
constantly under
tension and may deform, expand or be shaped to accommodate any sized or shaped
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treating material 60. For example, the retaining device may take the shape of
a basket or
flexible housing. Retaining device 44 may include a plurality of the air holes
62 and may
be formed from any material providing elastic or biasing functionality such as
silicone or
rubber based plastics, mesh, netting or other material as is well known in the
art. It is
contemplated that retaining device 44 may further include elastic enhancing
devices such as
springs (e.g., leaf springs), bungee cords, rubber bands and the like as is
well know in the
art located along or as part of arms 46 and/or center portion 48.
In operation and by way of non-limiting example, upon placement of the air
treating
material 60 (e.g., a solid of a particular size, shape, or configuration)
between the bottom
portion 16 and retaining device 44, the retaining device 44 would be under
tension and
biased in an upward direction toward the top portion 18 and thereby
continually secures the
air treating material 60 between the bottom portion 16 and retaining device 44
components.
Upon the gradual evaporation and shrinking of the air treating material 60,
the retaining
device 44 would continue to be under tension and be biased toward the top
portion 18 and
continue to provide a secure fit of the air treating material 60. An
additional non-limiting
operational example is that upon placement of the air treating material 60
(e.g., a solid of a
particular size, shape, or configuration) between the bottom portion 16 and
retaining device
44, the retaining device 44 would be biased in a downward direction, for
example, toward
the bottom of the trash barrel 12 (FIG. 1) and thereby continually secures the
air treating
material 60 between the bottom portion of 16 and retaining device 44
components. Upon
the gradual evaporation and/or shrinking of the air treating material 60, the
retaining device
44 would continue to be under tension and be biased downward, for example,
toward the
bottom of the trash barrel 12 (FIG. 1). As the evaporation and/or shrinking of
the air treating
material progresses, retaining device 44 would remain under tension but
decrease in the
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amount that it is biased toward the downward direction, for example, the
bottom of the trash
barrel 12 (FIG. 1) and return to its original at rest position (FIGS. 4, 6D).
The air treatment device 14 and specifically biased retaining device 44 is
configured
for keeping an air treating material 60 in place (even upon drying or
shrinking thereof)
when the cover of trash barrel 12, for example, a trash barrel with a built-in
cover,
removable cover, push in cover, built-in foot-pedal activated cover or other
cover as is
known in the art, is lifted or activated. Hence, the air treating material 60
is closely held in
place and does not rattle, shake or move freely during use of the trash barrel
12.
Referring back to FIG. 2D, top portion 18 of air treatment device 14 includes
air
freshness indicator means 22 for use in indicating a measure of time that is
commensurate
with the depletion of the air treating material 60 housed within retaining
device 44. More
particularly, air freshness indicator means 22 includes a plurality of indicia
24, for example,
the flower petals depicted in FIG. 2D, that change in appearance with a
measure of time or
with the use of multiple indicia 24 (as depicted in FIG. 2D) changes in
appearance with
various measures of time. For example, upon initial placement of air freshness
indicator
means 22 upon top portion 18, the indicia 24 may all be identical, that is,
indicate one color
or configuration. Upon some passage of time that is commensurate with a
certain amount
of depletion of the air treating material 60, one or more of the plurality of
indicia 24 will
change, for example, in color or configuration so as to indicate to a consumer
that an
amount of time or an amount of air treating material 60 has been depleted.
Thus, the
consumer will be notified by the indicia 24 that the air treating material 60
needs to be
replaced. The air freshness indicator means 22 may also include a reset or
on/off button 26
that may be used to reset or turn on or off the timing action of the air
freshness indicator
means 22. The air freshness indicator 22 may be of electronic, mechanical or
chemical
means and may be designed in the shape of a flower (e.g., with petals, with a
stem and
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petals, with petals shaped like hearts, ovals or the like) and integrally
molded or attachable
through cooperating attachment means 54 such as, for example, hooks and loop
fasteners,
fastening clips, tape, adhesive, magnets, suction cups, screws, nails, other
hardware and the
like as is known in the art (FIG. 2E) to any location on the exterior of the
air treatment
device 14 or any cover. The air freshness indicator 22 is used to indicate to
the user the
depletion of the air treating material 60, not only as a function of quality
of the air treating
material but also as a function of time.
In an alternate embodiment and as shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 8, 9, 1 OC and
10D,
wherein like reference numerals represent like components of the air treatment
device 14, a
separate or stand alone air treatment device 56 is disclosed. Stand alone air
treatment
device 56 is configured to attach to trash barrels 12 as an after market add
on air treatment
feature. The air treatment device 56 is substantially similar to the air
treatment device 14
discussed herein. The air treatment device 56 further includes a stand alone
housing having
a top 118 portion (similar to a top cover and top portion 18) and bottom
portion 116 (similar
to a bottom cover and bottom portion 16). Similar to air treatment device 14,
bottom
portion 116 includes a retention ring 36 that may either be separate or
integrally molded
with bottom portion 116. Retention ring 36 includes retaining means 50 that
cooperates
with the removable or pivotal or hinged or clasped or otherwise retention of
retaining device
44. The stand alone air treatment device 56 is configured to be attached to
any cover or lid
of a trash barrel 12 via attachment means 54. Air treatment device 56 is
attached to the
cover or lid member through cooperating attachment means 54 such as, for
example, hook
and loop fasteners, fastening clips, tape, adhesive, magnets, suction cups,
screws, nails,
other hardware and the like as is known in the art.
In yet another alternate embodiment and as shown in FIGS. 10A, lOB, 10C and
lOD
is the retaining device 44 which is pivotally coupled to the retention ring 36
via living
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hinges, spring biased hinges and the like as is known in the art for movement
between the
closed position (as depicted in FIGS. 10B and 10D) and the open position (as
depicted in
FIGS. l0A and 10C). A closure tab or detent 57 may be used for locking the
retaining
device 44 in place when the air treating material 60 is enclosed. Closure tab
or detent 57
fits within a respective opening (not shown) of retention ring 36.
It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the
embodiments
disclosed herein. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as
limiting, but
merely as exemplification of the various embodiments. Those skilled in the art
will
envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims
appended hereto.
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