Gas and liquid contact apparatus – Fluid distribution – Pumping
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-08
2002-06-18
Hopkins, Robert A. (Department: 1724)
Gas and liquid contact apparatus
Fluid distribution
Pumping
C261S030000, C261S104000, C261SDIG008, C261SDIG008, C422S124000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06406004
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of imparting a predetermined odor impression to a person by means of a perfume preparation. It also relates to an apparatus for imparting a certain odor impression to a person by means of a perfume preparation.
2. Prior Art
Current methods of making an olfactory impression attempt to fill an entire @ room with perfume. This has the consequence that a change in the type of odor is scarcely possible since a concentration of perfume is present in the room and because of that concentration unpleasant mixed odors would be produced. Thus it is not possible to provide an individual person with a pleasant olfactory sensation, without also exposing other persons in the room to this odor. Indeed DE 38 43 871 describes a method for providing a predetermined odor impression for only one individual person, which has the disadvantage that a perfume preparation is arranged in the nose region of the person by means of a clip.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of imparting a predetermined odor impression to an individual of the above-described kind that does not have the above-described disadvantage.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for imparting a predetermined odor impression to an individual of the above-described kind that does not have the above-described disadvantage.
The method according to the invention for providing a certain odor impression to a person includes passing an air stream over and/or through a perfume preparation to form a perfumed air stream and directing the perfumed air stream at least approximately to a region from which air is drawn in through the nose of the person.
In a preferred embodiment of the method the air stream is at least approximately at room temperature. Because of this preferred feature a change in the odor impression due to heating the perfumed air stream is prevented.
The apparatus according to the invention for providing a certain odor impression to a person comprises
means for producing at least one air stream;
means for holding a perfume preparation in the at least one air stream to form at least one perfumed air stream; and
means for directing the at least one perfumed air stream at least approximately toward a region from which air is drawn through the nose of the person.
The means for producing the at least one air stream preferably comprises at least one electric blower. The air stream is produced and directed in a simple manner because of this preferred feature.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises a single compact unit including the means for producing an air stream and the means for holding the perfume preparation in the air stream to form a perfumed air stream. The means for producing the air stream in this embodiment advantageously includes an air intake, a rotatable impeller or fan with a drive means and an airflow straightener for forming the airflow produced by the rotating impeller or fan to make the air stream.
The apparatus for providing a certain odor impression to a person also is connected with a unit for treating the hair on the scalp.
The compact unit of the preferred embodiment is also advantageously provided with a holder for the perfume preparation that is formed so that the air stream passes through and/or around the perfume preparation.
The perfume preparation advantageously is formed as a card (economical punched part), which provides simple handling and cost advantages.
In another preferred embodiment the perfume preparation comprises an absorptive material. A largely uniform dispensing of the perfume contained in the perfume preparation is possible because of a capillary effect in the absorptive material.
A card comprising an absorptive material, insertable according to choice, provides a very economical perfume preparation in which perfume is absorbed at least by a part of the absorptive material. When the card is provided with a perfume protecting sheath or jacket, the perfume in the perfume preparation can be advantageously conserved for later use.
In a preferred embodiment in which the absorptive material of the perfume preparation is cylindrical, the absorptive material may be covered with a sheathing jacket or cap. This provides a suitable means of testing the perfume for its odor.
An arbitrary selection of individual odor impressions is possible by means of a system with different types of perfume.
In a preferred embodiment the perfume preparation is combined with its holder or holding means to form a disposable part, in order to provide freedom from germ contamination.
The cards used as the perfume preparation are provided with information regarding the type of perfume contained in them, for example by means of at least one colored area or region, at least one symbol and/or a written description.
In another preferred embodiment the apparatus is provided with an air stream forming attachment for preparation of the air stream so that because of a fine swirling and braking of the air flow ideal conditions for detecting an odor by the nose are present and a very small concentration of perfume is sufficient. Because of the very small perfume concentration no substantial inhalation of the perfume occurs, but the threshold for stimulating the olfactory organ is exceeded.
Alternatively the air stream can be produced by compressed air or vapor or steam instead of a blower.
The apparatus can be controlled by means of a programmed controller according to various requirements, for example according to the parameters time, airflow intensity and choice of odor impression.
The apparatus can also be provided with means for regulating the airflow forming the air stream in a preferred embodiment. For example, the blower may be provided with a rotation speed-adjusting device to control the airflow.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention the perfume preparation may be combined with a perfume container so that it is unnecessary to replace a spent perfume preparation.
The perfume preparation may advantageously also be formed as an absorptive airflow diffuser and/or airflow forming attachment.
The invention provides the following advantages:
The perfume is activated and released cold at room temperature, not by heat (and because of that the olfactory impression is not changed by heat).
The perfume is released by a natural evaporation from alcohol in a reproducible amount and performs as desired.
The perfume is metered in a controlled manner to the nose so that field of view of the person exposed is not limited or so that the skin is not irritated by contact with the perfume.
The air breathed by the person is charged with the perfume so that the person can move freely and also breath freely, i.e. the person need not breath through an air filter or the like. No overdosing of the perfume occurs during a deep breath because of individual adjustment of the perfume concentration.
Because the lowest concentration of the perfume is guided to the person to be exposed to the perfume no odor impressions or the like are conveyed to other persons in the same room as the person to be exposed, i.e. the effect is exclusively limited to the targeted person, in order to avoid an effect on others.
In a preferred embodiment with a swirl screen the airflow is formed so that because of a fine swirling and braking of the air flow ideal conditions for detecting an odor by the nose are present and a very small concentration of perfume is sufficient. Because of the very small perfume concentration no substantial inhalation of the perfume occurs, but the threshold for stimulating the olfactory organ is exceeded.
The perfume provided to the vicinity of the nose can be arbitrarily turned on and off, so that a desensitization of the sense of smell can be prevented.
The type of perfume is arbitrarily changeable without resulting in mixed odors as a side effect.
The apparatus can be provided as an attachment or as an ancillary device in a
Hopkins Robert A.
Striker Michael J.
Wella Aktiengesellschaft
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