GB2521929A

GB2521929A - Fragrance diffusing unit for a vehicle and method for operating a fragrance diffusing unit for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2521929A
Application number: GB1420691.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kedar Jog; Maxine Santan Correia
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2014-11-21
Filing date: 2014-11-21
Publication date: 2015-07-08
Also published as: GB201420691D0

Abstract

A fragrance diffusing unit 1 for a vehicle, comprising two or more containers 2 for fragrances, the containers each comprising a respective container spout 9, a rotatable doser element 4 for a selective fluidic coupling of one of the containers to an environment of the fragrance diffusing unit via the respective container spout, where the container spouts can be closed and/or opened by rotating the doser element and the containers are arranged on a circle around the doser element. The doser element may comprise a disc 5 with a notch 7 which rotates to open each spout. The diffusing unit may comprise an air shaft and ventilator to direct air towards the container spouts. A second embodiment describes a method for operating a fragrance diffusion unit comprising two or more containers and a doser element, where the method includes; receiving a signal from the locking system of the vehicle which then controls an electric motor to move the doser element to select one of the containers.

Description

Fragrance Diffusing Unit for a Vehicle and Method for Operating a Fragrance Diffusing Unit for a Vehicle The invention relates to a fragrance diffusing unit for a vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1. It furthermore relates to a method for operating a fragrance diffusing unit.

Fragrance diffusing units or fragrance diffusers are getting more and more common in vehicles.

For example, the US 8196902 Bi describes methods and apparatuses for providing multiple air fragrances in a vehicle. Such fragrance systems for use in a vehicle include an air fragrance block having a plurality of cartridges for storing a plurality of fragrances as well as a respective control unit that is coupled to the air fragrance block. The control unit controls a selection of one fragrance to be distributed or dispensed within an interior of the vehicle. The control unit also controls an intensity of the selected fragrance to be distributed within the interior of the vehicle.

The CN 202724304 U describes a hanging perfume bottle for an automobile, which comprises a hanging rope, a top cover and a perfume frame. Herein, the hanging rope is connected with the top cover. A base plate holds perfume bottles beneath the top cover.

The top cover features one hole and is in close contact with the perfume bottles. The perfume bottles can be rotated about an axis perpendicular to the top plate so that the hole in the top plate can be adjusted to be just above one of the perfume bottles. As a consequence, the perfume within the perfume bottle beneath the hole of the top cover is diffused into an environment of the hanging perfume bottle.

The CN 202682417 U describes a double aroma volatilizer for an air outlet of an automobile. There, a perfume bottle component comprises a perfume bottle and two volatilizing core bars, and the perfume bottle with two aromas can be configured so that different aromas can be chosen to be dispersed in the environment of the volatilizer according to current demands.

It is an object of the present invention to enhance the flexibility of a fragrance diffusing unit for a vehicle.

According to the invention, there is provided a fragrance diffusing unit for a vehicle according to independent claim 1.

Furthermore, there is provided a method for operating a fragrance diffusing unit for a vehicle according to independent claim 6.

Further advantages and embodiments are set out according to the dependent claims, the

detailed description and the figures.

The inventive fragrance diffusing unit for a vehicle comprises two or more containers and a rotatable doser element. The two or more containers are configured for two or more respective fragrances, and each container comprises a respective container spout or outlet. The rotatable doser element is configured for establishing and/or interrupting a selective fluidic coupling of one of the containers to an environment of the fragrance diffusing unit via the respective container spout. Herein, the container spouts can be closed and/or opened by rotating the doser element. So, by rotating the doser element, any one of the containers can be fluidically coupled to the environment of the fragrance diffusing unit. In order to make the fragrance diffusing unit more flexible, the containers are arranged on a circle around the doser element. Here, the container spouts may be oriented towards a rotating axis of the doser element, about which the doser element is rotated for closing and/or opening the container spouts. The containers and the doser element may essentially be arranged on one plane. This gives the advantage that the fragrance diffusing unit may be made flat, and hence be placed in various positions inside the vehicle. Furthermore, the number of containers can be varied freely and the shape of the fragrance diffusing unit can be adapted to the technical conditions, in particular the shape of the available space at hand.

In a preferred embodiment, the doser element comprises a disc with a notch at an outer edge of the disc. Furthermore, the outer edge of the doser element is arranged in mechanical contact with at least one of the container spouts. So the outer edge of the doser element may close at least one of the container spouts. By rotating the doser element, the notch at the outer edge may move into the place of another part of the outer edge that has closed a specific container spout until that moment. As the outer edge of the disc in the area of the notch is closer to the centre of the disc, and thus further away from the container spout than the regular outer edge of the disc, the specific container spout is not closed by the doser element any more. The doser element may be rotated by hand of a user or automatically. This gives the advantage of a simple and reliable mechanical setup with few moving parts.

The notch may be only a small part of the disc, that is, a fraction of the distance of two neighbouring container spouts along the outer edge of the disc. This gives the advantage that the doser element may be rotated into a position where the outer edge of the doser element is arranged in mechanical contact with all of the container spouts, so that the fluidic coupling is interrupted completely and no fragrance is diffused at all. Hence, fragrance can be saved when not needed.

In another embodiment, the diffusing unit comprises an electric motor. Furthermore, the electric motor is mechanically coupled to the doser element in order to move or rotate the doser element so that a fluidic coupling of one of the containers to the environment of the fragrance diffusing unit is established or interrupted. This gives the advantage that the fragrance that is diffused by the fragrance diffusing unit can be adjusted automatically.

For instance, the fragrance diffusing unit may be coupled to air conditioning system of the vehicle. The fragrance diffusing unit may then be placed almost anywhere in the vehicle and controlled electrically, which further enhances a flexibility of the system.

In another preferred embodiment, the fragrance diffusing unit comprises an air shaft to supply an air stream to the doser element and at least one of the container spouts.

Furthermore, the fragrance diffusing unit comprises a ventilator that is arranged in the air shaft to propagate air through the air shaft towards or from the doser element and the at least one container spout. This gives the advantage that a fragrance from the open container spout is distributed in an environment of the diffusing unit faster than without the ventilator. Also, the fragrance diffusing unit may be placed further away from an interior of the vehicle an, thus, can be placed flexibly in the vehicle.

In the case an electric motor is mechanically coupled to the doser element, the fragrance diffusing unit may further comprise a control unit, and the control unit may be configured to control the electric motor in response to a predetermined signal. In response to the predetermined signal, the electric motor may rotate or move the doser element. In particular, the control unit may control the electric motor and move or rotate the doser element in response to a signal of a locking system of the vehicle. This gives the advantage that the electric motor can be programmed or controlled by a remote control. It is particularly useful to activate the fragrance diffusing unit in response to signal of a locking signal of a vehicle. That means, to rotate the doser element in response of a signal of a locking system of a vehicle, so that the fragrance diffusing unit may start dispensing a fragrance, e.g. while a person is not yet, but expected to be inside the car.

For example, a person may approach a car and unlock it, which will at the same time activate the fragrance diffusing unit. When the person opens the car door, the fragrance is already set and the person is welcomed in his car by a fragrance that he or she likes.

Here, the signal of the locking system of the vehicle may also determine which container spout or spouts shall be closed and/or opened. So the welcome fragrance can be individualized depending on, for instance, a car key used with the locking system. This gives the advantage that, for example, the same car welcomes different drivers with different fragrances.

The inventive method for operating a fragrance diffusing unit for a vehicle relates to a fragrance diffusing unit comprising two or more containers for two or more respective fragrances and a doser element for a selective fluidic coupling of one of the containers to an environment of the fragrance diffusing unit. It comprises several steps: first, receiving a signal of a locking system of the vehicle by a control unit of the fragrance diffusing unit, where the control unit controls an electric motor mechanically coupled to a doser element of the fragrance diffusing unit in order to move the doser element. Then, it comprises the step of moving the doser element so that a fluidic coupling of one of two or more containers for two or more respective fragrances to the environment of the fragrance diffusing unit is established.

Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the method correspond to advantages and advantageous embodiments of the fragrance diffusing unit.

By considering the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the teachings of the present invention can be readily understood, and at least some additional specific details will appear.

Herein: Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a fragrance diffusing unit in a first state; and Fig. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of Fig. 1 in a second state.

In the Figs., identical elements or elements with identical functions are designated with identical reference signs.

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a fragrance diffusing unit. The fragrance diffusing unit 1 comprises several, in the present example three, containers 2 that are held in place by respective holders 3 here. The fragrance diffusing unit 1 further comprises a rotatable doser element 4 that is rotatable about an axis A. The containers 2 are arranged on a circle around the doser element 4 in an x-y-plane with the axis A as centre of the circle.

The rotatable doser element 4 comprises a disc 5 with an outer edge 6, which limits the disc 5 in the x-y-plane. Nevertheless, the edge 6 may slightly extend in the z-direction as well. The disc 5 has a notch 7 where the outer edge 6 reduces its distance from the axis A. The doser element 4 further comprises a wheel 8 at the centre of the disc 5 that can be used to rotate the disc 5. This rotating can be done manually or by an electric motor.

In the state of the fragrance diffusing unit 1 shown in Fig. 1, the notch 7 is located in between to neighbouring containers 2. As a consequence, the outer edge 6 of the disc 5 presses against container spouts 9 (Fig. 2), which are not shown in Fig. 1, and closes all containers 2 in this example.

Fig. 2 shows the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 1 in another state. Here, the fragrance diffusing unit 1 differs in its state from the state shown in Fig. 1 in that the doser element 4, that is the disc 5, is rotated about axis A. So, the notch 7 is located at a container spout 9 of one of the containers 2 in the shown example. Hence, the outer edge 6 of the disc 5 does not close the container spout 9 and fragrance of the respective container 2 may be dispersed.

List of reference signs 1 fragrance diffusing unit 2 container 3 holder 4 doser element disc 6 outer edge 7 notch 8 wheel 9 container spout A axis

Claims

Claims A fragrance diffusing unit (1) for a vehicle, comprising -two or more containers (2) for two or more respective fragrances, the containers (2) each comprising a respective container spout (9), -a rotatable doser element (4) for a selective fluidic coupling of one of the containers (2) to an environment of the fragrance diffusing unit (1) via the respective container spout (9), where the container spouts (9) can be closed and/or opened by rotating the doser element (4), characterized in that -the containers (2) are arranged on a circle around the doser element (4).
2. The fragrance diffusing unit (1) of claim 1, characterized in that -the doser element (4) comprises a disc (5) with a notch (7) at an outer edge (6) and -the outer edge (6) of the doser element (4) is arranged in mechanical contact with at least one of the container spouts (9).
3. The fragrance diffusing unit (1) according to any one of the precedent claims, characterized in that -the diffusing unit (1) comprises an electric motor, and -the electric motor is mechanically coupled to the doser element (4) in order to move, in particular rotate, the doser element (4).
4. The fragrance diffusing unit (1) according to any one of the precedent claims, characterized in thatS-the diffusing unit (1) comprises an air shaft to supply an air stream to the doser element (4) and at least one of the container spouts (9), and -the diffusing unit (1) comprises a ventilator that is arranged in the air shaft to propagate air through the air shaft towards or from the doser element (4) and the at least one container spout (9).
5. The fragrance diffusing unit (1) of claim 3, characterized in that -the fragrance diffusing unit (1) comprises a control unit, and -the control unit is configured to control the electric motor to rotate the doser element (4) in response to an predetermined signal, in particular in response to a signal of a locking system of the vehicle.
6. A method for operating a fragrance diffusion unit (1) for a vehicle, the fragrance diffusion unit (1) comprising -two or more containers (2) for two or more respective fragrances and -a doser element (4) for a selective fluidic coupling of one of the containers (2) to an environment of the fragrance diffusing unit (1), the method comprising the steps: -receiving a signal of a locking system of the vehicle by a control unit of the fragrance diffusion unit (1), where the control unit controls an electric motor mechanically coupled to the doser element (4) in order to move the doser element (4); -moving the doser element (4) so that a fluidic coupling of one of the containers (2) to the environment of the fragrance diffusing unit (1) is established.