Disposable air freshener including gel or polymer fragrance support

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a fragrance distribution device comprising an electrical resistor, a plug or other power source, and a fragrance in a polymer or thermoplastic carrier. The polymer or thermoplastic carrier may include, for example, metal inclusions, which may be powdered metal. These metal inclusions are believed to enhance heat distribution throughout the carrier, thus allowing a more uniform and reliable release of fragrance.

1 . A fragrance distribution device, comprising:
 a housing;   a resistor connected to said housing and capable of generating heat to be transferred to said housing;   a fragrance support contained within said housing, said fragrance support comprising a fragrance support material, and at least one fragrance incorporated within the fragrance support material; and   wherein at least a portion of the fragrance support is placed in contact with the resistor;   wherein the at least one fragrance is incorporated within the fragrance support material prior to the fragrance support being placed within the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 1 , wherein said fragrance support material is selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA); ethyl vinyl alcohol, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polystyrene, acrylic polymers, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, nylons, and mixtures and copolymers of the foregoing. 
     
     
         3 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 2 , wherein said fragrance support material is EVA. 
     
     
         4 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 1 , wherein the fragrance support further comprises a plurality of metal inclusions distributed throughout the fragrance support material. 
     
     
         5 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 4 , wherein the resistor extends at least partially into the fragrance support. 
     
     
         6 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 5 , wherein said metal inclusions are selected from the group consisting of aluminum, nickel, gold, silver, copper, platinum, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 1 , wherein the resistor extends at least partially into the fragrance support. 
     
     
         8 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 7 , wherein a hemi-cylindrical aperture is defined in a surface of the fragrance support and the resistor is sized and configured to fit into the hemi-cylindrical aperture. 
     
     
         9 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of fragrance support is sized and configured to contact the resistor such that the fragrance support does not overlap the resistor. 
     
     
         10 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 9 , wherein the resistor comprises a lip support that contacts the fragrance support and holds the fragrance support in place and provides heat to the fragrance support where the lip support contacts the fragrance support. 
     
     
         11 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 1 , wherein said fragrance is selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol, ethyl maltol, furaneol, 1-hexanol, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, menthol, benzaldehyde, hexanal, cinnamaldehyde, citral, cis-3-hexenal, furfural, neral, vanillin, ethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl decanoate, spice oil, flower oil, fruit oil, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, hexyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, methyl butanoate, methyl salicylate, pentyl butanoate, pentyl pentanoate, sotolon, strawberry aldehyde, fructone, anethole, anisole, eugenol, dihydrojasmone, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, 6-acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine, gamma-decalactone, gamma-nonalactone, delta-octalactone, jasmine lactone, massoia lactone, camphor, citronellol, linalool, nerol, nerolidol, alpha-terpineol, thujone, and thymol. 
     
     
         12 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 1 , wherein the fragrance comprises an antioxidant between 0.2 to 0.5% of a weight of the fragrance support. 
     
     
         13 . A fragrance support comprising a fragrance support material, at least one fragrance, and a plurality of metal inclusions distributed throughout the fragrance support material. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A fragrance distribution device, comprising:
 a housing;   a resistor connected to said housing and capable of generating heat to be transferred to said housing; and   a fragrance support comprising a fragrance support material and at least one fragrance, wherein said fragrance support has the shape of one-half of a ribbed disk.   
     
     
         16 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 15 , wherein said fragrance support material is selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA); ethyl vinyl alcohol, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polystyrene, acrylic polymers, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, nylons, and mixtures and copolymers of the foregoing. 
     
     
         17 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 16 , wherein said fragrance support material is EVA. 
     
     
         18 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 15 , wherein said fragrance is selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol, ethyl maltol, furaneol, 1-hexanol, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, menthol, benzaldehyde, hexanal, cinnamaldehyde, citral, cis-3-hexenal, furfural, neral, vanillin, ethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl decanoate, spice oil, flower oil, fruit oil, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, hexyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, methyl butanoate, methyl salicylate, pentyl butanoate, pentyl pentanoate, sotolon, strawberry aldehyde, fructone, anethole, anisole, eugenol, dihydrojasmone, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, 6-acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine, gamma-decalactone, gamma-nonalactone, delta-octalactone, jasmine lactone, massoia lactone, camphor, citronellol, linalool, nerol, nerolidol, alpha-terpineol, thujone, and thymol. 
     
     
         19 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 1 , wherein the fragrance support has the shape of one-half of a ribbed disk. 
     
     
         20 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs of the fragrance support define apertures extending through the fragrance support from an outside surface of the fragrance support to an inside surface of the fragrance support that contacts the resistor. 
     
     
         21 . The fragrance distribution device of  claim 6 , wherein said metal inclusions are aluminum.