Methods, compositions and articles for olfactory-active substances

Abstract

The present invention is directed to methods, compositions and articles comprising olfactory-active compositions. An article of the present invention comprises a structural component and an olfactory-active composition. The article may control the release, release rate or absorption of the olfactory-active composition. The article may be of various shapes and sizes. A method of use of an article comprises providing fragrance to an environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A scented article, comprising, at least one olfactory-active composition, a structural component comprising an absorbent matrix material, and a coating composition covering a portion of the structural component, wherein at least one olfactory-active composition is releasably retained in the absorbent matrix material. 
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent matrix material is a pulp composition. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent matrix material is a sheet of porous paper wound about a central axis to form a multilayered paper rod. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the wound paper forms a chamber through the central axis of the rod that is hollow and open at both ends. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the chamber formed along the central axis of the rod is fled with a gel or liquid. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbent matrix material has a void volume of about 1.0% to about 99% of the total volume of the structural component 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the gel or liquid comprises at least one olfactory-active composition. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the coating covers more than 50% of the structural component. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the coating covers substantially all of the structural component. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition comprises a wax, soy wax, paraffin, bees wax, polyethylene wax, microcrystalline wax, waxes that soften or melt at a temperature greater than about 150 F, acrylates, polylactide, polyglycolide or polycaprolactone, or a polyester copolymer selected from poly(lactide/glycolide) acid (PLGA) or poly(lactid-co-.epsilon.-caprolactone) (PLCL), alkyl- or alkoxyalkyl-2-cyanoacrylates such as n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate or 2-methoxybutyl-2-cyanoacrylate, crosslinked cyanoacrylate, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, lactic-glycolic acid copolymers, polycaprolactone, lactic acid-caprolactone copolymers, poly-3-hydroxybutyric acid, polyorthoesters, polyalkyl acrylates, copolymers of alkylacrylate and vinyl acetate, polyalkyl methacrylates, and copolymers of alkyl methacrylates and butadiene; and plasticizers such as dioctyl phthalate, dimethyl sebacate, trethyl phosphate, tri (2-ethylhexy) phosphate, tri(p-cresyl)phosphate, glyceryl triacetate, glyceryl tributyrate, diethyl sebacate, dioctyl adipate, isopropyl myristate, butyl stearate, lauric acid, dibutyl phthalate, trioctyl trimellitate, and dioctyl glutarate, Krylon® Triple-Thick crystal clear glaze. 
     
     
         11 . A method for making a scented article, comprising,
 a) adding at least one liquid olfactory-active composition and at least one matrix material or at least one structural component, to a closed container, and in no particular order,   b) applying a vacuum to the closed container and maintaining the vacuum for a period of time before releasing the vacuum; and   c) pressurizing the closed container and maintaining the pressure for a period of time before releasing the pressure.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein steps b) and c) are repeated at least once. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein applying a vacuum comprises a vacuum from about 0.001 mm Hg to about 700 mm Hg. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein pressurizing the closed container comprises a pressure from about 10 psi to about 40 psi. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the period of time for the vacuum or the pressure is from 1 minute to 10 hours. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the olfactory-active composition comprises at least one of a fragrance, repellant, odor eliminating compound, aromatherapy compound, natural oil, water-based scent, odor neutralizing compound, or cyclodextrin. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a sufficient amount of an olfactory-active composition comprises an amount that covers substantially all of the at least one structural component. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising
 d) removing the at least one matrix material or at least one structural component from the closed container.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the structural component comprises a sheet of absorbent paper wound about a central axis to form a multilayered paper rod. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the olfactory-active composition that is absorbed by the structural component is from 2 to 200 mL. 
     
     
         21 . A method for making a scented article, comprising,
 a) adding at least one liquid olfactory-active composition and at least one matrix material or at least one structural component to a closed container, and optionally,   b) applying a vacuum to the closed container and maintaining the vacuum for a period of time before releasing the vacuum; or   c) pressurizing the closed container and maintaining a pressure for a period of time before releasing the pressure.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step h) or step c) is repeated at least once. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein both steps b) and c) am repeated at least once. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a vacuum is applied. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a pressure is applied. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a vacuum and a pressure are applied. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein applying a vacuum comprises a vacuum from about 0.001 mm Hg to about 700 mm Hg. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein pressurizing the closed container comprises a pressure from about 10 to about 40 psi. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the period of time for the vacuum or the pressure is from 1 minute to 10 hours. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the olfactory-active composition comprises at least one of a fragrance, repellant, odor eliminating compound, aromatherapy compound, natural oil, water-based scent, odor neutralizing compound, or cyclodextrin. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a sufficient amount of an olfactory-active composition comprises an amount that covers substantially all of the at least one structural component. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising
 f) removing the at least one matrix material or at least one structural component from the closed container.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the structural component comprises a sheet of absorbent paper wound about a central axis to form a multilayered paper rod. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the portion of the olfactory-active composition that is absorbed by the structural component is from 2 to 200 mL. 
     
     
         35 . A scented article, comprising, at least one olfactory-active composition, a structural component comprising a matrix material of extruded or molded pulp composition, wherein the at least one olfactory-active composition is releasably retained in the absorbent material. 
     
     
         36 . The article of  claim 35 , further comprising a coating covering a portion of the structural component. 
     
     
         37 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein the pulp composition further comprises nanofibers. 
     
     
         38 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein the pulp composition is extruded. 
     
     
         39 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein the pulp composition is molded. 
     
     
         40 . The article of  claim 35 , wherein the pulp composition further comprises additives.