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Patent Abstract
A salt sculpture air freshener is formed of a sodium chloride material,
such as halite, formed into a sculpted shape and having a coated
material thereover. It is mounted to a base having an electrical
heater, such as an electric lamp, mounted therein for heating the
coated salt material. The salt material may have a light tunnel
therethrough for passing the heat and light from the electric heater
so that the coated material is heated to reduce airborne microbiological
agents adjacent thereto and to freshen the air therearound. The
process of making an air freshener includes forming the salt material
into a sculpted shape, selecting and coating the formed salt material
with a coating material having bactericidal properties, mounting
the coated salt material to a base having a heater therein, and
heating the salt material to reduce airborne microbiological agents
adjacent thereto and to freshen the air therearound.
Patent Claims
I claim:
1. A process of making an air freshener and purifier comprising
the steps of: forming a sodium chloride material into a sculpted
shape; selecting a coating material for said formed sodium chloride
material; coating said formed sodium chloride material with said
predetermined coating material; selecting a base for mounting said
sodium chloride material thereon; mounting said formed sodium chloride
material to said selected base; and heating said formed sodium chloride
material to thereby reduce airborne microbiological agents adjacent
said formed, coated and heated sodium chloride material.
2. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
1 in which the step of coating said formed sodium chloride material
includes coating said formed sodium chloride material with a citrus
extract.
3. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
1 in which the step of forming a sodium chloride material includes
forming a sodium chloride material into a sculpted block of crystalline
halite.
4. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
3 in which the step of selecting a base includes selecting a base
having a trough formed therein around the area for mounting said
formed sodium chloride material.
5. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
1 in which the step of forming a sodium chloride material includes
forming a sodium chloride material into a sculpted shape having
a light tunnel extending thereinto.
6. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
5 including the step of mounting an electric heater in said base.
7. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
5 including the step of mounting an electric lamp in said base.
8. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
7 including the step of mounting a transparent member to said formed
sodium chloride material located above said light tunnel and lighted
by said electric lamp in said base directing light through said
light tunnel.
9. A sodium chloride air freshener comprising: a sodium chloride
material formed into a sculpted shape and having a coating material
thereover; a base having said coated sodium chloride material mounted
thereon; and an electrical heater mounted to said base for heating
said coated sodium chloride material whereby a coated sodium chloride
material can be heated to reduce airborne microbiological agents
adjacent thereto and freshen the air therearound.
10. A sodium chloride air freshener in accordance with claim 9
in which sodium chlorine material coating is a citrus extract.
11. A sodium chloride air freshener in accordance with claim 9
in which said sodium chloride material is a decorative block of
crystalline halite.
12. A sodium chloride air freshener in accordance with claim 11
in which said base has a trough formed therein around the area for
mounting said sodium chloride material.
13. A sodium chloride air freshener in accordance with claim 9
in which said sodium chloride material has a light tunnel extending
thereinto above said base.
14. A sodium chloride air freshener in accordance with claim 13
in which said electric heater is an electric lamp mounted in said
base.
15. A sodium chloride air freshener in accordance with claim 15
in which a transparent member is attached to sodium chloride material
above said light tunnel in said sodium chloride material, whereby
said transparent material is lighted by said electric lamp in said
base directing light through said light tunnel.
16. A process of making an air freshener comprising the steps of:
mixing a dry mixture of cement and at least forty percent by volume
of sodium chloride; forming a silver colloid solution; forming a
slurry with said dry mixture of cement and sodium chloride and said
liquid silver colloid solution; selecting a mold form; positioning
a heating element in said mold form; pouring said slurry into said
selected mold form; and curing said slurry in said mold to form
a molded object, having a heating element therein whereby a molded
object is formed which when heated enhances the adjacent air.
17. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
16 in which the step of selecting a mold includes selecting a mold
form having a trough therein for holding a liquid therein.
18. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
17 including the step of mixing a liquid mixture having a citrus
extract, glycerine, propylene glycol and water therein and mixing
the liquid mixture with said silver colloid solution and with said
dry mix of cement and sodium chloride.
19. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
17 including the step of partially filling said molded form trough
with a silver colloid solution having a citrus extract therein.
20. A process of making an air freshener in accordance with claim
17 including the step of mounting said molded form in an air conditioning
system air handler positioned for the flow of air thereover when
said air conditioning system is activated.
21. An air freshener comprising: a cured cement and sodium chloride
object having at least forty percent salt therein formed into a
shape having a trough therein; an electrical heater formed in said
cured cement and sodium chloride object for heating said object;
and a silver colloid solution placed in said cement and sodium chloride
object trough whereby an object can be heated to reduce airborne
microbiological agents adjacent thereto and freshen the air therearound.
22. An air freshener in accordance with claim 21 in which said
silver colloid solution contains a citrus extract therein.
23. An air freshener in accordance with claim 21 in which said
cured cement and sodium chloride object has colloidal silver dispersed
therein.
24. An air freshener in accordance with claim 21 in which said
cured cement and sodium chloride object has a citrus extract dispersed
therein.
25. An air freshener in accordance with claim 21 in which said
cured cement and sodium chloride object is mounted to an air conditioning
system positioned for air to flow thereby.
26. An air freshener in accordance with claim 25 in which said
cured cement and sodium chloride object is mounted to an air conditioning
system having a container thereon for refilling said trough.
27. An air freshener in accordance with claim 26 in which said
cured cement and sodium chloride object heating element is connected
to said air conditioning system electrical circuit to thereby actuated
said heating element when said air conditioning unit is actuated.
Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method
of making an air freshener and to an air freshener made of a coated
pre-cast or sculpted salt (NACL) material.
[0002] Halite is a colorless or white material made up predominately
of sodium chloride (NACL) which occurs in cubic crystals and is
found in dried lake beds and arid climates and which is used as
common table salt. Halite is sometimes called rock salt and has
been mined in the historic minds in Poland. Translucent halite,
as found in Poland, may have impurities therein which form various
colors including orange, rose, and red built into the mineral structures
of the crystals by the high concentration of natural trace elements,
such as hematite, manganese, iodine, copper, iron and zinc. Halite
has been mined in Poland for several hundred years and the mines
are among the oldest mines in the world. The salts extracted from
the mines have been sold worldwide as healing salts and many metaphysical
properties have been claimed for the salt. It has been shown that
when halite is heated, negative ions are produced within an enclosed
room and in the area surrounding the heated halite crystal. It has
also been shown that an ion atmosphere will reduce dust and the
bacterial count in the air. Halite crystals have been used in the
past for various types of salt sculptures and have also been used
as lighted sculptures.
[0003] The present invention is directed towards an improvement
in salt sculptures made of a crystalline halite which has been coated
with a predetermined coating material to form a decorative sculpture
which, when heated with an electric lamp or other heater, will reduce
airborne microbiological agents in the room where the precast salt
composite sculpture is being heated and freshens the air in a room.
[0004] Prior art air fresheners can be seen in the Gyulay Pat.,
No. 4,647,428, for a room air freshener which is in the form of
a porous ceramic ring in combination with an upright positioned
light bulb. The ring has a premeasuring cavity so that a fragrance
generating liquid filling the cavity will be completely absorbed
by the ceramic ring. The liquid will be vaporized when the ring
is placed on a light bulb. The Spector Pat., No. 4,346,059, teaches
an aroma generating lamp structure which has an electric bulb mounted
on a base and enclosed by a shell which is partially translucent.
The base has a bottle filled with a liquid scent mounted thereto
and allows the liquid to be sprayed onto an absorbent pad where
it is vaporized by the heat of the light bulb. The Cloud Pat., No.
2,757,278, combines an ozone lamp and vaporizer for producing ozone
and vaporizing a chemical, such as triethylene glycol, for the control
of odor, germs, and bacteria and in the vaporization of chemicals,
such as hexachloride, for the control of insects. The Hasegawa et
al. Pat., No. 5,290,546, shows a cordless thermal vaporizer of a
liquid in which the body of the vaporizer has a heater for heating
a wick for drawing up a chemical solution from a bottle. The vaporizer
attaches directly to an electrical outlet. The Hoyt et al. Pat.,
No. 5,014,913, teaches an air freshening device which has an air
freshener fluid container having a wick and has an outer closure
support for the container using a pair of adjustable closure half
shells. The Feit Pat., No. 4,285,905, shows a method and article
for dispersing a volatile compound in an environment. The Pozzo
Pat., No. 5,069,877, is an article for diffusing volatile substances,
such as perfume. In the prior patent to Gebauer et al., No. 4,842,853,
a solid contains a fragrance substance and/or disinfectant and at
least one sublimable substance. When the solid is exposed to the
environment, it releases a fragrance substance to act as a disinfectant.
[0005] The aim of the present invention is produce a decorative
halite sculpture which when heated, such as by an electric lamp,
lights the sculpture and freshens the surrounding air and reduces
airborne microbiological agents. The coated halite material can
be recoated after a period of use and the supporting base for the
sculpture can have an additional trough for vaporizing additional
disinfectant chemicals. It is also an aim to produce a solid cast
cementuous object which can be used in freshening and purifying
the air.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A salt sculpture air freshener is formed of a sodium chloride
or salt composite material, such as by precasting or molding, having
a coating material thereover. It is mounted to a base having an
electrical heater, such as an electric lamp, mounted therein for
heating the coated salt material. The salt material may have a light
tunnel therethrough for passing the heat and light energy from the
electric heater so that the coated material is heated to reduce
airborne microbiological agents adjacent thereto and to freshen
and purify the air therearound. The process of making an air freshener
includes forming the salt material into a sculpted shape, selecting
and coating the formed salt material with a coating material having
bactericidal properties, mounting the coated salt material to a
base having a heater therein, and heating the salt material to reduce
airborne microbiological agents adjacent thereto and to freshen
the air therearound.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention
will be apparent from the written description and the drawings in
which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a decorative sculpture air
freshener and purifier in accordance with the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a
decorative sculpture in accordance with the present invention; and
[0010] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a process for making an air
freshener; and
[0011] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective of an air conditioning system
having an air freshener and purifier in accordance with the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, an exploded view of
the decorative sculptured air freshener 10 has a sculpture 11 formed
of a salt (sodium chloride) material, such as halite or a salt composite
material. The salt sculpture 11 has a bore 12 extending from the
bottom 13 thereof up to a point 14 just below the head 15 of the
figure. The head 15 of the sculpture 11 has a glass or plastic halo
16 mounted thereto. The bore 12 is for the passage of heat and light
energy therethrough for both heating and lighting the sculpture
11 and also lighting the halo 16 from a lamp in the base. A base
17 has a bore 18 extending therethrough and has a trough 20 formed
into the top portion 21 thereof and aligned so that the sculpture
11 mounts to the base 17 inside of the surrounding trough 20. The
base has a bottom 22 for setting on a surface and has an electric
lamp 23 mounted in the opening 18. It will, of course, be clear
that the lamp can be mounted beneath the base 17 and can also include
other types of heaters, such as an electrical resistance heating
wire. An electrical conductor 24 is connected through the base to
the electric lamp 23 base 24 and is used to power the electric light
23 which acts as both the heater and light source for lighting the
salt sculpture 11 and the glass or plastic halo 16. The salt sculpture
11 is coated with a disinfectant, such as M22, a disinfectant chemical
sold by Cape Kennedy Plastics, Inc. Chemical Division, Mims, Fla.
and derived from citrus which has been found to act as a microbiologicalcide.
[0013] In operation, the salt sculpture, which has been coated
and mounted on the base 17, has the heater 23 actuated to heat the
sculpture as well as the base and trough 20 which may include an
additional source of M22 vapor. The halite or salt composite produces
negative ions in the air while also vaporizing a disinfectant which
combined actions produce a reduction of the microbiological agents
in the air including both bacteria and fungi which are airborne
in dust or the like while cleaning and deodorizing the air surrounding
the sculpture 11 and in the room where the statute has been placed.
It should be understood that the sculpture 11 can be a precast or
molded sculpture of a salt composite material which composite can
be sodium chloride having copper, iron, magnesium and a disinfectant
chemical mixed therewith.
[0014] Turning now to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of an air freshener
and purifier 30 is illustrated having a sculptured salt composite
material 31 in the shape of an angel having a hollowed out chamber
32 open in the bottom end 33. The angel includes a reservoir 34
having an opening 35 for the addition of a disinfectant or deodorizing
chemical, such as M22. The salt sculpture 31 is also coated with
the M22 and is mounted to the base 36 having a trough 37 and a bore
38 extending therethrough. The salt sculpture 31 thus may be coated
with a coating material which is also supported in a reservoir 34
and which may have the coating material placed in the trough 37.
A lamp or other electrical heating source may be placed in the base
or under the base for producing heat for generating ions from the
salt material as well as vaporizing the disinfectant liquid placed
in the reservoir 34, the trough 37, and coating the salt sculpture
31.
[0015] The method of making and using the air freshener and purifier,
as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes forming a halite or other
salt material, formed principally of sodium chloride, into a precast
or sculpted shape 11 or 31 and selecting a coating material, such
as M22, for coating the salt sculpture 11 or 31 and for adding to
the base troughs 20 or 37 and to the reservoir 34 and attaching
the salt sculpture forms 11 and 31 to the base 17 or 36. The base
includes the mounting of an electrical or other heater thereto,
such as the electric lamp 23, which is positioned to light and heat
the salt sculpture 11 and 31 to produce negative ions in the air
as well as to vaporize the coating chemicals. A glass or plastic
halo 16 may be placed on the salt sculpture 11 to enhance the lighted
image.
[0016] Turning to FIG. 3, a flow diagram 39 of an alternate process
for making an air freshener is illustrated. A dry cement is mixed
with sodium chloride (NACL) or salt as a first step 40 in the process.
The mixture includes 40% or more by volume of table sodium chloride
to form a dry composite mix of salt and cement. A liquid is formed
at 41 which includes the use of a citrus extract, glycerin, propylene
glycol, and may have water and other inert materials added to the
liquid mix. A second liquid of colloidal silver is formed at 42.
To prepare the colloidal silver, distilled water is heated to boiling
in a glass container and silver wires are immersed in the water.
An electric source is attached to the silver wires for 20 minutes
to produce from 3-5 parts per million of silver in the solution.
The colloidal silver solution may have other minerals added at 43
including copper and iron which, when added to the colloidal silver
solution, enhances the production of negative ions. The dry mix
from step 41 and the liquid mix formed in steps 41, 42, and 43 are
mixed together at 44 to form a cement composite slurry. A mold is
selected at 45 which has had a resistance heating element or wire
placed within the mold and protruding therefrom. The slurry is poured
at 46 into the selected mold having the heater element therein and
is cured at 47 to form a molded object, such as a sculpture of FIGS.
1 and 2, or the base of the sculptures formed with a trough therein
to hold the liquid. In the case of a mold trough, the liquid mixture
of step 41 can be added to the trough at 48 or the sculpture can
be coated with the liquid mixture. A heating element formed in the
cured object can be connected to an electrical source and actuated
at 50 to heat the formed object and also to heat the liquid added
thereto. Once heated, the form and the liquid create negative ions
within the surrounding atmosphere which, in combination with the
liquid vapor, freshens the surrounding air and reduces airborne
microbiological agents.
[0017] Turning to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the present invention
is shown installed in an air conditioner unit 51 which has the formed
object of the process of FIG. 3 in the nature of a solid trough
52 placed on a base 53 of the air conditioning unit 51. The air
conditioning unit 51 also has a grill and filter 54 placed in front
of the mounted trough 52. The cement and sodium chloride (salt)
trough 52 has a heating element electric wires 55 extending therefrom
and connected to the same source as the fan motor 56 which drives
a fan 57 so that any time the fan is actuated in the air conditioner
51, the heating elements within the trough 52 are actuated. A container
58 for the liquid mix from steps 41, 42, and 43 has a filler cap
60 therein and a tube 61 leading therefrom into the trough basin
62. A timer 63 actuates a valve 64 to release additional liquid
into the trough 62 as needed. When the air conditioner 51 is being
operated, the fan 57 is cycled on to blow air over the cooling coils
and over the cement salt container 52 and over the liquid in the
trough 62. This creates an ionized atmosphere and reduces microbiological
agents in the air. The heating elements 65 can be seen on the edge
of the form 52 and can be a sealed corrosive resistant chromolox
heating element or wire. The liquid being fed into the trough 62
can be a mixture of water, citrus extract, colloidal silver, and
iron mixed in accordance with the process of FIG. 3.
[0018] It should be clear at this time that the method and apparatus
for using an air freshener and purifier and especially to an air
freshener which reduces airborne microbiological agents while producing
a decorative and aesthetically pleasing desk sculpture has been
provided. In addition, it will be clear that a process of making
an air freshener and purifier in a solid cementuous object has been
provided which can be operated in an air conditioning system. However,
the present invention is not to be considered limited to the forms
shown which are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
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