Passive fragrance device and methods of use thereof

Abstract

A passive fragrance refill with a cylindrical wick and methods of use thereof are provided. The passive fragrance refill is made from a single recyclable material. This enables quick and efficient recycling of the passive fragrance refill. The passive fragrance refill includes a cage assembly, a vial with the top and bottom ends sealed, a wick and an activation cup. The wick is cylindrical in shape, encircles the vial, and runs substantially along the entire length of a vial that holds the fragrant material. Upon activation of the passive fragrance refill, the wick absorbs the fragrant material and presents a large surface area for the fragrant material to diffuse. The passive fragrance refill includes a cage that surrounds the vial. The cage includes one or more ribs that extend outward from the cage. The ribs prevent the passive fragrance refill from rolling when placed on a planar surface.

Description

PASSIVE FRAGRANCE DEVICE AND METHODS OF USE THEREOFCROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 63 / 759,505, filed February 17, 2025, U.S. Application No. 63 / 674,932, filed on July 24, 2024, and U.S. Application No. 63 / 717,198, filed on November 6, 2024, each of which is incorporated in its entirety herein.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to fragrance devices, and more specifically to a passive fragrance device that has a cylindrical wick and the entire passive fragrance device including the wick is manufactured using a single material to enhance the recyclability of the passive fragrance device.BACKGROUND

[0003] Passive fragrance devices, like many other consumer products, face challenges when it comes to recyclability. The beauty and fragrance industry is undergoing a shift towards sustainable packaging. Recyclability, re-usables, and refillables are becoming more expected. However, achieving mass compliance for recycling is a significant challenge. The fragrance industry is innovating to become more sustainable. For example, upcycling discarded materials from other industries for use in fragrances, using planetfriendly extraction methods, etc.

[0004] Conventional passive fragrance devices are not fully recyclable. In particular, the wicks used in conventional passive fragrance devices are typically made of non- recyclable material like synthetic fibers. This presents a barrier to recycling the entire passive fragrance device. In some instances, the passive fragrance device may have to be dismantled in order to separate the wick and then recycle the remaining components of the device separately.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a passive fragrance device installed in a holder in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the fragrance refill assembly in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0007] FIG. 3A illustrates a partial fragrance refill assembly in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 3B illustrates a bottom view of the partial fragrance refill assembly in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 3C illustrates a top view of the partial fragrance assembly in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of the vial in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 4B illustrates a front view of the vial in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 4C illustrates a bottom view of the vial in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 4D illustrates a top view of the vial in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 5A illustrates a perspective view of the activation cup in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 5B illustrates a front view of the activation cup in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5C illustrates a top view of the activation cup in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 5D illustrates a bottom view of the activation cup in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 6A illustrates the relative positions of the cage and the activation cup in an inactivated state of the fragrance refdl in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 6B illustrates the relative positions of the cage and the activation cup in an of the fragrance refill during an intermediate state of activation in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0020] FTG. 6C illustrates the relative positions of the cage and the activation cup of the fragrance refill in an activated state in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-section of a fragrance refill in an inactivated state in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-section of the fragrance refill in an activated state in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 9 illustrates various cross-sectional views of a fragrance refill assembly in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 10 illustrates various side and exploded views of a fragrance refill assembly in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 11 illustrates a passive fragrance refill in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 12 illustrates an exploded view of the passive fragrance refill in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate two different side views of the passive fragrance refill in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIGS. 13C and 13D illustrate the top and bottom view, respectively, of the passive fragrance refill in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIGS. 14A-14C illustrate various view s of the cage in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

[0030] The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict example embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the disclosure and shall not be deemed to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. The use of the same reference numerals indicates similar, but not necessarily the same or identical components. Different reference numerals may be used to identify similar components. Various embodiments may utilize elements or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The use of singular terminology' to describe a component or element may. depending on the context, encompass a plural number of such components or elements and vice versa.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The passive fragrance device described herein advantageously can be fully recycled without the need for dismantling the device. The present disclosure includes nonlimiting embodiments of the passive fragrance device in which the majority of the individual components of the passive fragrance device are made from the same material. The embodiments are described in detail herein to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the fully recyclable fragrance refill device, although it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Reference is made herein to the accompanying drawings illustrating some embodiments of the disclosure, in which use of the same reference numerals indicates similar or identical items. Throughout the disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.

[0032] The meanings of the terms used herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art or will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.

[0033] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a passive fragrance device that includes a vial having a cylindrical shape and a vial cover coupled to a top end of the vial. The passive fragrance device also includes a vial cap coupled to a bottom end of the vial, a wick disposed along a periphery of the vial, and an activation cup coupled to a bottom end of the cage. In an embodiment, the activation cup includes an activation mechanism and an annular barrier. The wick of this passive fragrance device runs substantially along an entire length of the vial. The vial, the vial cover, the vial cap, the wick, and the activation cup of this passive fragrance device are all made of a same recyclable material that includes a polyolefin based-material. Further, the passive fragrance device can be placed in an inactivated state or an activated state. In the inactivated state, a bottom surface of the wick is separated from a floor surface of the activation cup and a top surface of the wick is in contact with a portion of the vial. In the activated state, the bottom surface of the w ick is in contact with the floor surface of the activation cup and the top surface of the wick is in contact with a portion of the vial and at least a portion of the activation mechanism is disposed within the vial.

[0034] Other embodiments of the present disclosure provide a passive fragrance device that includes a vial that contains a fragrant material and a w ick that encircles thevial and runs substantially along a length of the vial. There is a membrane that is coupled to the vial and an activation cup is coupled to a bottom end of the vial. The vial and the wick are configured to rotate around a vertical axis and the activation cup is non-rotatable around the vertical axis. The vial, the w ick, the membrane, and the activation cup are all made from a same material that is a polyolefin-based material. The passive fragrance device is configured to be placed in a first state and a second state. In the first state, a top end of the wick is physically connected to a portion of the vial, an activation mechanism of the activation cup is separated from the membrane by a first distance, and a bottom end of the wick is separated from a floor surface of the activation cup by a second distance. In the second state, the top end of the wick is physically connected to the portion of the vial, a portion of the activation mechanism is located within the vial, and the bottom end of the wick is in physical contact with the floor surface of the activation cup. In an embodiment, the wick has a cylindrical shape and a first diameter of the wick at a top end of the wick is larger than a second diameter at a bottom end of the wick. In some embodiments, the wick may be flat / planar.

[0035] In yet another embodiment, a passive fragrance device is provided that includes a vial having a top end and an opposing bottom end and including a fragrant material, a cover coupled to the top end, a cap coupled to the bottom end, a cage surrounding the vial, and a wick disposed between an outer surface of the vial and the cage, wherein the wick runs along the entire length of the vial. The cap may also have a membrane coupled to it. The vial, the cover, the cap. the cage, the membrane, and the wick of the passive fragrance device are all made from the same polyolefin-based material. The passive fragrance device may further include an activation cup that is coupled to bottom end of the cage. The activation cup may include a barrier that is configured to hold a portion of the fragrant material within its boundary'. In an embodiment, the passive fragrance device can be placed in a first state and a second state. In the first state, the membrane may be in a pierced condition and a portion of the fragrant material may be disposed outside the vial. In addition, a portion of the wick is in contact with the fragrant material. The passive fragrance device may further include an activation cup that includes an activation mechanism. Further, in the first state, a portion of the activation mechanism may be disposed within the vial.

[0036] The present disclosure provides details on an exemplary passive fragrance device, but one skilled in the art will realize that other types of passive fragrance devices may also be manufactured using the systems and methods provided in this disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a passive fragrance device 100 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The passive fragrance device 100 includes a passive fragrance refill 102 and a holder 104. The holder 104 may be placed on a flat surface or mounted to a wall or another object. The passive fragrance refill 102 includes a fragrant material and is removably coupleable to the holder 104. Upon activation, the passive fragrance refill 102 sen es to diffuse the fragrant material into surrounding environment over a period of time. The passive fragrance device 100 operates without the need for electricity or batteries. It works by utilizing the natural airflow or ambient conditions in a room to disperse a pleasant scent. The passive fragrance device 100 includes a fragrant material, such as oil or gel pack that slowly evaporates into the air. As the fragrant material evaporates, the scent molecules are carried into the room by the natural movement of air. This process is continuous and passive. The rate of evaporation, and therefore the intensity of the scent, can often be controlled by adjusting the opening of the device. This allows for customization of the fragrance level to personal preference or the size of the room.

[0038] The passive fragrance refill 102 is often a consumable item. Over time, the fragrant material dissipates into the environment and after the fragrant material is completely consumed, the passive fragrance refill 102 may need to be replaced. Conventional fragrance refill is made from several different materials such as plastic, metal, cotton, wood, natural and synthetic fiber blends, linen, or silk. This makes recycling of the fragrance refill complicated as some of these materials may not be recyclable at all and / or the fragrance refill may need to be dismantled and the individual components of the fragrance refill may need to be recycled separately. This often results in the fragrance refill being simply tossed in the regular garbage or being diverted to landfill upon arrival at a recycling facility. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a fragrance refill, e.g., passive fragrance refill 102, which is made from a single recyclable material. The passive fragrance refill 102 does not need to be disassembled or otherwise broken down prior to recycling. Since the entire passive fragrance refill 102 is made from the same recyclable material, it can be wholly recycled as a single unit. This makes it easy for a consumer to quickly and efficiently recycle the passive fragrance refill 102. The passive fragrance refill102 is made from a single family of material that includes polyolefin material. For example, the passive fragrance refill 102 can be manufactured using polypropylene, polyethylene, Low density polyethylene (LDPE), or High density polyethylene (HDPE) materials. In other embodiments, the passive fragrance refill 102 can be manufactured using Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) materials to enable recyclability.

[0039] In one embodiment, the polyolefin material used to manufacture the passive fragrance refill 102 may have the following properties.• Melting point = 120 to 170 °C• Insoluble in water• Specific Gravity7= 0.9 to 0.95 g / cc

[0040] FIG. 2. Illustrates an exploded view of the passive fragrance refill 102 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The passive fragrance refill 102 may include a vial 106 and vial cover 116. The vial 106 holds the fragrant material and vial cover 116 is located at a top end of the vial 106. The vial cover 116 helps to seal the vial 106 such that the fragrant material does not leak from the top of the vial 106. The passive fragrance refill 102 also includes a vial cap 108 that is located at a bottom end of the vial 106. The vial cap 108 seals the bottom end of the vial 106. The vial cap 108 includes a membrane (not shown) that helps to ensure that the fragrant material is contained within the vial 106 after the vial 106 is filled w ith the fragrant material, sealed and transported. The membrane within the vial cap 108 gets pierced during activation of the passive fragrance refill 102 thereby providing a fluid path for the fragrant material to flow out of the vial 106.

[0041] The passive fragrance refill 102 also includes a wick 110. The wick 110 is formed to be cylindrical in structure and is located over the outer periphery of the vial 106. In an embodiment, the wick 110 completely encircles the vial 106 and extends from the top end of the vial 106 to the bottom end of the vial 106. The wick 1 10 has a porous structure and in one embodiment, a diameter of the wick 110 at first end of the wack is larger than a diameter of the wick 110 at an opposing send end. In one embodiment, the first end of the wick 110 is closer to the top end of the vial 106 and the second end of the wick 110 is closer to the bottom end of the vial 106. In an embodiment, the wick 110 may be manufactured using a polyolefin material described above.

[0042] The passive fragrance refill 102 further includes a cage 112 that provides a housing for the vial 106 and the wick 110. The cage 112 provides structural rigidity andmechanical strength to the passive fragrance refill 102. The cage 1 12 is designed with additional features (not shown) that enable it to mate with the holder 104. The vial 106 and the wick 110 are located within the cage 112. The passive fragrance refill 102 further includes an activation cup 114. The activation cup 114 is designed to accept a portion of the cage 112. The fragrance refill 102 can be placed in two different states. In the inactivated state, the cage 112 and the activation cup 114 are in a first orientation with respect to each other. In the activated state, the cage 112 and the activation cup 114 are in a second orientation with respect to each other. In one embodiment, the first orientation is less than 90 degrees apart from the second orientation. The details of the inactivated and the activated states are provide below'. The passive fragrance refill 102 is shipped as a single unit and a consumer can then mate the passive fragrance refill 102 with the holder 104. The used fragrance refill can be recycled as a single unit, as explained above.

[0043] FIG. 3A illustrates a partial fragrance refill assembly 200 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The partial fragrance assembly 200 includes the vial 106, the vial cover 116, the cage 112 and the wick 110. The cage 112 includes one more tabs 202 extending from the bottom portion of the cage 112. Each pair of adjacent tabs 202 is separated by a valley region 204. Thus, there are one or more valley regions 204, each valley region being immediately adjacent to a tab 202. The cage 112 further includes a locking mechanism 206 located at the bottom end of the cage 112. The locking mechanism 206 includes one or more features 208 that mate with one or more corresponding features of the activation cup 114 in order to secure the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 into the activation cup 114. The one or more features 208 may be protrusions that are disposed along the periphery of the locking mechanism 206. In other embodiments, other features such as divots, pins, etc. may also be used in the locking mechanism 206.

[0044] FIG. 3B illustrates a bottom view of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The partial fragrance refill assembly also includes the vial cap 108 disposed at a bottom end of the vial 106. The vial cap includes a membrane that helps to secure the fragrant material inside the vial 106 during shipping and in the inactivated state of the passive fragrance refill 102. FIG. 3C illustrates a top view of the partial fragrance assembly 200 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. FIG. 3C shows the vial 106 and the vial cover 116. The vial cover 116 has a first diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the top end of thevial 106 such that the vial cover sits flush with a top surface of the vial 106. In some embodiments, there may be a sealant material disposed between the vial cover 116 and the vial 106.

[0045] FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of the vial 106 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The vial 106 includes a lip region 402 located at the top end of the vial 106. The lip region includes the upper surface 210 that is flush with the vial cover 116 after completion of manufacturing of the passive fragrance refill 102. The lip region 402 may include one or more openings 408 along a side surface of the lip region 402. In an embodiment, the side surface of the hp region 402 is orthogonal to the upper surface 210. The one or more openings 408 may engage with corresponding features on the cage 112 to secure the vial 106 to the cage 112. A cylindrical body portion 404 extends between the lip region 402 and a second end 406 of the vial 106. The cylindrical body portion 404 defines a chamber within which the fragrant material is placed. In an embodiment, a first diameter of the cylindrical body portion 404 at one end is larger than a second diameter of the cylindrical body portion 404 at an opposing second end giving the vial 106 a tapered cylindrical shape. This shape helps to restrict the flow of the fragrant material from the vial to the activation cup 114. The shape can be adjusted to control the amount of fragrant material that can flow into the activation cup 114. The vial cap 108 is located at the second end 406 of the vial 106.

[0046] FIG. 4B illustrates a front view of the vial 106 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The vial 106 does not have a continuous curve from the top end the bottom end. The vial 106 includes first intermediate region 410 and a second intermediate region 412 that are disposed between the lip region 402 and the second end 406. In an embodiment, a diameter of the first intermediate region 410 is less than a diameter of the lip region 402 and the diameter of the second intermediate region 412 is less than the diameter of the first intermediate region 410. In another embodiment, the diameter of the vial cap 108 is less than the diameter of the second intermediate region 412.

[0047] FIG. 4C illustrates a bottom view of the vial 106 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. As can be seen, the vial cap 108 includes a membrane or a mesh 414. The membrane 414 can be made using any recyclable material (or made from the same material as the rest of the fragrance refill 102) that is impermeable to liquid and can be pierced using a moderate amount of force. In its un-pierced state, themembrane 414 serves to contain the fragrant material within the vial 106. FIG. 4D illustrates a top view of the vial 106 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the cylindrical body portion 404 defines a chamber 416 in which the fragrant material is held. Upon activation of the fragrance refill, the fragrant material flows out of the vial 106 via one or more openings in the membrane 414.

[0048] FIG. 5 A illustrates a perspective view of the activation cup 114 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The activation cup 114 is made of the same material as the rest of the passive fragrance refill 102. In an embodiment, the activation cup 114 is circular in shape, although this not needed. The activation cup 114 can be of any other suitable shape and size as long as it can perform the functions described below. The activation cup 114 has a body portion 502 that defines the height of the activation cup 114. The body portion 502 has a top end and an opposing bottom end. The top end of the activation cup 114 is characterized by tab sections 504 and valley sections 506. The tab sections 504 and the valley sections 506 are arranged in a circular pattern and there is one valley section 506 in between two immediately adjacent tab sections 504 and vice versa. Each valley section 506 forms a recessed area that can accept a corresponding tab 202 of the cage 112 of the passive fragrance refill 102.

[0049] The interior portion of each tab section 504 includes one or more features 508 that are used to secure the cage 112 once the partial fragrance assembly 200 is mated with the activation cup 114. The features 508 may be in the form of protrusions, pins, divots, or the like. The body portion 502 defines a recessed region having a depth. The recessed region has a floor surface 512 that is configured to hold a small portion of the fragrant material once the passive fragrance refill 102 is activated. A fragrance material barrier 510 is arranged along an outer edge of the floor surface 512. In an embodiment the fragrance material barrier 510 may be annular in shape and has a height of between 1 mm and 20 mm. In operation, the fragrance material barrier 510 helps to ensure the fragrant material is contained within the boundary defined by the fragrance material barrier 510 and prevents leaking of the fragrant material through the activation cup 114. In addition, the fragrance material barrier 510 also helps to secure the wick 110 within the activation cup 114 and is in contact with the fragrant material.

[0050] The floor surface 512 also includes an activation mechanism 514 that is located at the center of the floor surface 512. The activation mechanism 514 includes a post that has a castellated top surface defining one or more edges. The one or more edges are usedto pierce the membrane 414 of the vial 106. FIG. 5B illustrates a front view of the activation cup 114 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. As illustrated, a height of each of the tab sections 504 is approximately equal to a depth of each of the valley sections 506. In other embodiments, the tab sections 504 and the valley sections 506 may have different heights and depths and they may not be approximately equal to each other. In an embodiment, the activation cup 114 is manufactured using an injection molding technique and there is no material break between the body portion 502 and the tab sections 504. FIG. 5C illustrates a top view of the activation cup 114 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the activation mechanism 514 has a castellated top surface that defines one or more edges 518 along the periphery of the activation mechanism 514. The activation mechanism 514 also includes one or more grooves 520 that are interposed between two adjacent edges 518. The height of the activation mechanism 514 can be adjusted based on the overall dimensions of the passive fragrance refill 102. FIG. 5D illustrates a bottom view of the activation cup 114 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The activation cup 114 has a bottom surface 516 that is designed to rest on a corresponding surface of the holder 104 of FIG. 1. The bottom surface 516 is planar and may include one or more features 522 that provide mechanical rigidity to the activation cup 114 and may help in securing the activation cup within the holder 104.

[0051] The passive fragrance refill 102 is placed in an inactivated state after the manufacturing process is completed. The passive fragrance refill 102 is packaged and transported in this inactivated state. Once the end user receives the passive fragrance refill 102, the end user may activate the passive fragrance refill 102 prior to placing it in a corresponding holder, e.g., the holder 104 of FIG. 1. FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate the activation process for a fragrance refill in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. In the inactivated state illustrated in FIG. 6A, the tab portions 202 of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 are in contact with the corresponding tab sections 504 of the activation cup 114 and the valley regions 204 of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 are in aligned with the corresponding valley sections 506 of the activation cup 114. In this inactivated state, the membrane 414 of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 is intact and the fragrant material is held within the vial 106 of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200. The partial fragrance refill assembly 200 and the activation cup 114 are sold and shipped as a single unit, e.g., the passive fragrance refill 102, and the end user cannotseparate the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 and the activation cup assembly. In addition, the entire passive fragrance refill 102 is replaced with a new one. The end user may not replace the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 and / or the activation cup 114 separately.

[0052] When an existing fragrance refill assembly 102 needs to be replaced, an end user may unpack the fragrance refill assembly 102 and twist or rotate the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 along the axis ‘A’ while firmly holding the activation cup 114. Thus, the activation cup 114 is prevented from rotating around the axis ‘A’ and only the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 is rotated. FIG. 6B illustrates an intermediate step in the activation process for the passive fragrance refill 102. In this intermediate state, the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 is rotated such that the one or more tab sections 202 of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 are now aligned with the one or more valley sections 506 of the activation cup 114 and the one or more valley regions 204 of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 are aligned with the one or more tab sections 504 of the activation cup 114. In this intermediate step too, the membrane 414 of the vial 106 is still intact and not yet pierced.

[0053] The next step in the activation process is illustrated in FIG. 6C. In this step, the end user may press down upon the partial fragrance refill assembly 200. Once pressed down, each of the one or more tab regions 202 of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 is now' in contact w ith a surface of a corresponding valley section of the one or more valley sections 506 of the activation cup 114. In addition, each tab section of the one or more tab sections 504 of the activation cup 114 is in contact with a surface of a corresponding valley region of the one or more valley regions 204 of the partial fragrance refill assembly 200. The passive fragrance refill 102 is now' in an activated state. As the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 is being pressed down, the activation mechanism 514 of the activation cup 114 engages with and pierces the membrane 414 of the vial 106 and causes a small amount of the fragrant material to be dispensed into the activation cup 114.

[0054] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-section of a passive fragrance refill 102 in an inactivated state in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The lip region 402 of the vial 106 includes a groove 702 that is disposed along an underside of the lip region 402. The groove 702 runs along the entire circumference of the lip region 402. The cage 112 also includes a plurality of horizontal members 704 that define the annular shape of the cage 112. The plurality of horizontal members run along a substantial length of thecage and are spaced apart from each other by a distance. A top surface of the wick 1 10 is in contact with a surface of the groove 702 along the entire circular length of the groove 702. The plurality of horizontal members 704 are arranged such that an outer surface of the wick 110 is facing the inner surface of the plurality of transverse members 702. Thus, the wick 110 is held in place by the groove 702 and the plurality of horizontal members 704. This arrangement prevents or at least severely limits the lateral movement of the wick 110.

[0055] In the inactivated state illustrated in FIG. 7. a bottom surface of the wick 110 is separated from the floor surface 512 of the activation cup by a first distance. In addition, the activation mechanism 514 of the activation cup 114 is not in contact with the membrane 414 of the vial cap 108 and is also separated from the vial cap 108 by a second distance. In an embodiment, the first distance may be same as the second distance. When the passive fragrance refill 102 is activated, the end user may push down on the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 when the passive fragrance refill 102 is placed in the intermediate state, e.g., as in FIG. 6B.

[0056] FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-section of a passive fragrance refill 102 in an activated state in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. During activation, the partial fragrance refill assembly 200 travels in a vertical direction downwards by a distance. This causes the activation mechanism 514 to pierce or punch- through the membrane 414 thereby releasing the fragrant material stored in the vial 106. As a result, a small portion of the fragrant material flows out of the vial 106 and into the activation cup 1 14. In addition, the vertical downwards movement causes the wick 110 to also move and the bottom portion of the wick 1 10 comes in contact with the floor surface 512 of the activation cup. In this activated state, wick 110 is prevented from moving in a lateral direction by the fragrance material barrier 510. Thus, the wick 110 is now' prevented or at least severely limited from moving in a lateral direction by the groove 702 and the fragrance material barrier 510. The fragrance material barrier 510 also ensures that the fragrant material released from the vial 106 is also contained within the boundary of the fragrance material barrier 510. Since the wick 110 is now' in contact with the fragrant material, it may absorb the fragrant material. In an embodiment, the wick 110 spans almost the entire length and circumference of the vial 106 and as a result it presents a large surface area for absorbing and diffusing the fragrant material. In the activated state, at least a portion of the activation mechanism 514 is disposed w ithin the vial 106.

[0057] The passive fragrance refill 102 as described in this disclosure has several advantages over conventional fragrance refills. First, since all the components of the passive fragrance refill 102 are made from the same recyclable material, the entire passive fragrance refill 102 can be recycled as a single unit without the need for any disassembly. Second, the design of the wick 110 presents a large surface area for the fragrant material to be diffused thereby increasing the efficiency and life-span of the passive fragrance refill 102. The passive fragrance refill 102 disclosed in the various embodiments above may last twice more than the current conventional fragrance wicks.

[0058] FIG. 9 illustrates various cross-sectional views of a fragrance refill assembly- 600 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. A cross-sectional view of an activated state 602 and unactivated state 604 is depicted in FIG. 9. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the fragrance refill assembly 600 may include a bottom cap 620 that is secured or otherwise coupled to a container body of a vial. In some instances, the bottom cap 620 may be a single uniform component that is integrated into the container body of the vial. The bottom cap 620 may be formed of various materials, and may be formed of a different material than the wick or other components of the assembly 600. For example, the bottom cap 620 may be formed of ethylene vinyl alcohol (EV OH) or another thermoplastic copolymer. As depicted in partial cross-sectional views 602, 604, the assembly may include one or more angled ribs 622 (e.g., angled at between 20 degrees to about 65 degrees, such as 45 degrees relative to vertical axis, etc.) disposed about the bottom cap 620. where the ribs 622 may prevent leakage from the vial. To activate the assembly 600, the lower portion 610 of the assembly 600 may be rotated and moved upwards to engage the vial and facilitate fragrance delivery.

[0059] FIG. 10 illustrates various side and exploded views of a fragrance refill assembly 700 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. In FIG. 10, the fragrance refill assembly 700 may include two teeth to engage a lower portion 710 and upper portion 760 of the housing of the fragrance refill assembly 700. To activate the fragrance refill assembly 700, a twist movement to lock in and push up the lower portion 710 relative to the upper portion 760 may be used. As the lower portion 710 is moved upwards, a vial 750 may be punctured and the fragrance refill assembly 700 may be activated. The fragrance refill assembly 700 is depicted in an unrotated front view and a partially rotated front view 702. A vial housing 740 is depicted in exploded view 704 and isolated view 706. The vial housing 740 may include a bottom cap 750 and an upper cap730. The vial housing 740 may receive the vial 750 as depicted in exploded view 708. As the lower portion 710 is rotated, the vial 750 may be punctured and the fragrance refill assembly 700 may be activated.

[0060] FIG. 11 illustrates a passive fragrance refill 800 and FIG. 12 illustrates an exploded view of the passive fragrance refill 800 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The passive fragrance refill can be combined with the holder 104 illustrated in FIG. 1. The following description is provided with reference to both the FIGS. 11 and 12. The passive fragrance refill 800 may include a vial 802 and vial cover 804. The vial 802 holds the fragrant material and vial cover 804 is located at a top end of the vial 802. The vial cover 804 helps to seal the vial 802 such that the fragrant material does not leak from the top of the vial 802. The passive fragrance refill 800 also includes a vial cap 812 that is located at a bottom end of the vial 802. The vial cap 812 seals the bottom end of the vial 802. The vial cap 812 includes a membrane (not shown) that helps to ensure that the fragrant material is contained within the vial 802 after the vial 802 is filled with the fragrant material, sealed and transported. The membrane within the vial cap 812 gets pierced during activation of the passive fragrance refill 800 thereby providing a fluid path for the fragrant material to flow out of the vial 802.

[0061] The passive fragrance refill 800 also includes a wick 808. The wick 808 is formed to be cylindrical in structure and is located over the outer periphery of the vial 802. In an embodiment, the wick 808 completely encircles the vial 802 and extends from the top end of the vial 802 to the bottom end of the vial 802. The wick 808 has a porous structure and in one embodiment, a diameter of the wick 808 at first end of the wick is larger than a diameter of the wick 808 at an opposing send end. In one embodiment, the first end of the wick 808 is closer to the top end of the vial 802 and the second end of the wick 808 is closer to the bottom end of the vial 808. In an embodiment, the wick 808 may be manufactured using a polyolefin material described above.

[0062] The passive fragrance refill 800 further includes a cage 806 that provides a housing for the vial 802 and the wick 808. The cage 806 provides structural rigidity and mechanical strength to the passive fragrance refill 800. The cage 806 is designed with additional features (not shown) that enable it to mate with the holder 104. The vial 802 and the wick 808 are located within the cage 806. The details of the cage 806 are provided below with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. The passive fragrance refill 800 further includes an activation cup 810. The activation cup 810 is designed to accept a portion of the cage806. The fragrance refill 800 can be placed in two different states. In the inactivated state, the cage 806 and the activation cup 810 are in a first orientation with respect to each other. In the activated state, the cage 806 and the activation cup 810 are in a second orientation with respect to each other.

[0063] FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate two different side views of the passive fragrance refill 800 and FIGS. 13C and 13D illustrate the top and bottom view, respectively, of the passive fragrance refill 800 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. The cage 806 may include a plurality of structures 902 that are arranged from a top of the cage 806 to the bottom of the cage 806. Each structure 902 may be concentrically placed with respect to the rest of the structures 902. Each structure 902 may encircle the vial 808 throughout the length the of vial 802. Each structure 902 may have a different diameter compared to the rest of the structures 902. For example, a first structure 902 that is located near the top of the vial 802 may have a larger diameter than a second structure 902 located near the bottom of the vial 802. The size of each structure 902 may depend on the size and shape of the vial 802. Each structure 902 may have a curved section and a flat or planar section. The flat / planar section of each structure 902 may be characterized by one or more ribs 904 that protrude out of the structure 902, as illustrated in FIG. 13B. The ribs 904 may provide extra surface area for the passive fragrance refill 800 and prevent rolling of the passive fragrance refill 800 when it is placed on a moving planar or flat surface, such as a conveyer belt. When viewed from top of the passive fragrance refill, the cage 806 appears as rectangular shape due to the presence of the ribs 904, as illustrated in FIG. 13C.

[0064] FIGS. 14A-14C illustrate various views of the cage 806 in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. As explained above, the cage 806 includes a plurality of structures 902. In addition to containing the wick 808 and the vial 802, the structures 902 also provide mechanical strength to the cage 806. Each structure 902 may include one or more ribs 1004 (e.g., ribs 904 described above). The presence of the one or more ribs 1004 may result in each structure 902 having one or more curved portions 1006 and one or more flat or planar portions 1007 associated with the ribs 1004, as illustrated in FIG. 14A. In some embodiments, the structures 902 can be made fully rectangular without the need for the curved portions 1006. In an embodiment, the ribs 1004 can be placed in pairs along the periphery of the structure 902 with one pair of ribs 1004 being placed on a side that is opposite to a second pair of ribs 1004. In other embodiments, each of the ribs 1004 may be placed at an angle with respect to each other. In some embodiments, the ribs 1004 may beplaced only on one side of the structure 902. FIG. 14A illustrates that every structure 902 includes one or more ribs 1004. However, in some embodiments, not all the structures 902 of the cage 806 may include the ribs 1004. For example, only the structure 902 at the top of the cage 806. or the structure 902 at the bottom of the cage 806 may have the one or more ribs 1004. One skilled in the art will realize that any of the one or more structures 902 of the cage 806 may have one or more ribs 1004 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0065] One or more illustrative embodiments of the disclosure have been described above. The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the scope of this disclosure and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Accordingly, variations, modifications, and equivalents of the embodiments disclosed herein are also within the scope of this disclosure.

[0066] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to a number of embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, or equivalent arrangements not described herein, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A passive fragrance device comprising: a vial having a cylindrical shape; a vial cover coupled to a top end of the vial; a vial cap coupled to a bottom end of the vial; a wick disposed along a periphery of the vial; a cage at least partially surrounding the vial, wherein the cage includes a planar portion and one or more ribs extending outward from the cage; and an activation cup coupled to a bottom end of the cage, wherein the activation cup includes an activation mechanism.

2. The passive fragrance device of claim 1, wherein the wick runs substantially along an entire length of the vial.

3. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the vial, the vial cover, the vial cap, the wick, and the activation cup are all made of commonly recyclable materials or materials that do not impede recyclability.

4. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the recyclable material includes polyolefin based-material or another material that does not impede recyclability.

5. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the passive fragrance device can be placed in an inactivated state or an activated state.

6. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 1-5, wherein in the inactivated state: a bottom surface of the wick is separated from a floor surface of the activation cup; and a top surface of the wick is in contact with a portion of the vial.

7. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 1-6, wherein in the activated state: a bottom surface of the wick is in contact with a floor surface of the activation cup; and a top surface of the wick is in contact with a portion of the vial.

8. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 1-7, further wherein at least a portion of the activation mechanism is disposed within the vial.

9. A passive fragrance device comprising: a vial including a fragrant material; a wick encircling the vial and running substantially along a length of the vial; a membrane coupled to the vial; an activation cup coupled to a bottom end of the vial, wherein the vial and the wick are configured to rotate around a vertical axis and the activation cup is non-rotatable around the vertical axis.

10. The passive fragrance device of claim 9, wherein the vial, the wick, the membrane, and the activation cup are all made of commonly recyclable materials or materials that do not impede recyclability.

11. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 9-10, wherein the material is a polyolefin-based material or another material that does not impede recyclability.

12. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 9-11, wherein the passive fragrance device is configured to be placed in a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state: a top end of the wick is physically connected to a portion of the vial; an activation mechanism of the activation cup is separated from the membrane by a first distance; and a bottom end of the wick is separated from a floor surface of the activation cup by a second distance.

13. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 9-12, wherein in the second state: the top end of the wick is physically connected to the portion of the vial; a portion of the activation mechanism is located within the vial; and the bottom end of the wick is in physical contact with the floor surface of the activation cup.

14. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 9-13, wherein the wick has a cylindrical shape and a first diameter of a top end of the wick is larger than a second diameter of a bottom end of the wick.

15. A passive fragrance device comprising: a vial having a top end and an opposing bottom end and including a fragrant material; a cover coupled to the top end; a cap coupled to the bottom end, the cap including a membrane; a cage surrounding the vial; and a wick disposed between an outer surface of the vial and the cage, wherein the wick runs along the entire length of the vial.

16. The passive fragrance device of claim 15, wherein the vial, the cover, the cap, the cage, and the wick is made of commonly recyclable materials or materials that do not impede recyclability.

17. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 15-16, wherein the material is polyolefin-based or another material that does not impede recyclability.

18. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 15-17, further comprising an activation cup coupled to bottom end of the cage, the activation cup including a barrier configured to hold a portion of the fragrant material within its boundary.

19. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 15-18, wherein the passive fragrance device is configured to be placed in a first state and a second state and wherein in the first state: the membrane is in a pierced condition; a portion of the fragrant material is disposed outside the vial; and a portion of the wick is in contact with the fragrant material.

20. The passive fragrance device of any one of claims 1 -19, further comprising an activation cup that includes an activation mechanism and wherein in the first state, a portion of the activation mechanism is disposed within the vial.

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