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An air freshener is configured to be carried by a power outlet of an automobile. The air freshener includes a scent capsule disposed in a housing. A heat source is disposed in the housing adjacent and opposing a permeable membrane of the scent capsule. The heat source is configured to heat the fragr

An air freshener is configured to be carried by a power outlet of an automobile. The air freshener includes a scent capsule disposed in a housing. A heat source is disposed in the housing adjacent and opposing a permeable membrane of the scent capsule. The heat source is configured to heat the fragrant material in the scent capsule and accelerate permeation of the fragrant material through the permeable membrane of the sent capsule. A hatch is pivotally coupled to the housing and substantially contained within a hatch cavity with an outer surface that is substantially flush with an exterior of the housing in a closed position. The hatch can include a capsule cavity therein, carrying the scent capsule, and facing an interior of the housing in the closed position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An air freshener device configured to be carried by a cigarette lighter style power outlet of an automobile having a bottom terminal and at least one lateral terminal, the device comprising: a) a housing with a stem and a head with a cavity therein, the stem sized and shaped to be inserted into t

1. An air freshener device configured to be carried by a cigarette lighter style power outlet of an automobile having a bottom terminal and at least one lateral terminal, the device comprising: a) a housing with a stem and a head with a cavity therein, the stem sized and shaped to be inserted into the cigarette lighter style power outlet of the automobile, and the stem having a bottom tip terminal and at least one lateral terminal corresponding to the bottom terminal and the at least one lateral terminal of the cigarette lighter style power outlet;b) a scent capsule disposed in the housing and having a chamber containing a fragrant material and having a permeable membrane through which a fragrance of the fragrant material can permeate over time; andc) a heat source disposed in the housing adjacent and opposing the permeable membrane of the scent capsule capable of being powered by the power outlet of the automobile to heat the fragrant material in the scent capsule and accelerate permeation of the fragrant material through the permeable membrane of the sent capsule. 2. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a heat plate; anda gap between the heating plate and the permeable membrane of the scent capsule. 3. A device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of grooves in the heat plate; anda plurality of resistors disposed in the grooves. 4. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a) a hatch cavity in the head of the housing;b) a hatch pivotally coupled to the housing and substantially contained within the hatch cavity with an outer surface that is substantially flush with an exterior of the housing in a closed position, and with a capsule cavity therein facing an interior of the housing in the closed position; andc) the scent capsule removably disposed in the capsule cavity of the hatch and carried by the hatch as the hatch pivots, the permeable membrane facing the interior of the cavity in the closed position. 5. A device in accordance with claim 4, further comprising: a) the chamber of the scent capsule being at least light translucent;b) an exterior window in the outer surface of the hatch;c) an interior window in the hatch facing an interior of the cavity in the closed position; andd) a light disposed in the housing adjacent the interior window of the hatch when the hatch is in the closed position configured to illuminate the scent material in the scent capsule so that the scent material is visible through the exterior window of the hatch. 6. A device in accordance with claim 4, further comprising: an exterior window in the outer surface of the hatch;an aperture in the exterior window; andthe chamber of the scent capsule including a dome portion extending at least to the aperture. 7. A device in accordance with claim 4, further comprising: a) opposite flanges on opposite sides of the chamber of the scent capsule; andb) opposite flanges on opposite sides of the hatch engaging and retaining the opposite flanges of the scent capsule in the capsule cavity of the hatch. 8. A device in accordance with claim 4, further comprising: a) a hinge between the hatch and the housing about which the hatch pivots between open and closed positions;b) a finger carried by the hatch opposite the hinge and being displaceable to unlock the hatch;c) a lock flange on a distal free end of the finger and releasably engaging the housing; andd) a retention flange on the distal free end of the finger opposite the lock flange to releasably engage the scent capsule. 9. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stem is circular. 10. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the head is bulbous; and further comprising: a) a hatch coupled to the housing and displaceable with respect to the housing; andb) the hatch forming part of the bulbous head. 11. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a) a hatch coupled to the housing and displaceable with respect to the housing, the hatch having a capsule cavity therein facing an interior of the housing; andb) the scent capsule removably disposed in the capsule cavity of the hatch. 12. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a) a hatch coupled to the housing and displaceable with respect to the housing,b) an exterior window in an outer surface of the hatch; andc) the scent capsule having a dome that is at least translucent so that the fragrant material is visible through the dome and the exterior window of the hatch. 13. An air freshener device configured to be carried by a power outlet of an automobile, the device comprising: a) a housing with a stem and a head with a cavity therein, the stem sized and shaped to be inserted into the power outlet of the automobile;b) a hatch cavity in the head of the housing;c) a hatch pivotally coupled to the housing and substantially contained within the hatch cavity with an outer surface that is substantially flush with an exterior of the housing in a closed position, and with a capsule cavity therein facing an interior of the housing in the closed position; andd) a scent capsule removably disposed in the capsule cavity of the hatch and carried by the hatch as the hatch pivots, the scent capsule having a chamber containing a fragrant material and having a permeable membrane through which a fragrance of the fragrant material can permeate over time, the permeable membrane facing the interior of the cavity in the closed position. 14. A device in accordance with claim 13, further comprising: a) the chamber of the scent capsule being at least light translucent;b) an exterior window in the outer surface of the hatch;c) an interior window in the hatch facing an interior of the cavity in the closed position; andd) a light disposed in the housing adjacent the interior window of the hatch when the hatch is in the closed position configured to illuminate the scent material in the scent capsule so that the scent material is visible through the exterior window of the hatch. 15. A device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the exterior window of the hatch includes an aperture; and wherein the chamber of the scent capsule includes a dome portion extending at least to the aperture. 16. A device in accordance with claim 13, further comprising: a) opposite flanges on opposite sides of the chamber of the scent capsule; andb) opposite flanges on opposite sides of the hatch engaging and retaining the opposite flanges of the scent capsule in the capsule cavity of the hatch. 17. A device in accordance with claim 13, further comprising: a) a hinge between the hatch and the housing about which the hatch pivots between open and closed positions;b) a finger carried by the hatch opposite the hinge and being displaceable to unlock the hatch;c) a lock flange on a distal free end of the finger and releasably engaging the housing; andd) a retention flange on the distal free end of the finger opposite the lock flange to releasably engage the scent capsule. 18. A device in accordance with claim 13, further comprising: a heat source disposed in the housing adjacent and opposing the permeable membrane of the scent capsule capable of being powered by the power outlet of the automobile to heat the fragrant material in the scent capsule and accelerate permeation of the fragrant material through the permeable membrane of the sent capsule. 19. A device in accordance with claim 18, further comprising: a heat plate; anda gap between the heating plate and the permeable membrane of the scent capsule. 20. A device in accordance with claim 19, further comprising: a plurality of grooves in the heat plate; anda plurality of resistors disposed in the grooves. 21. An air freshener device configured to be carried by a power outlet of an automobile, the device comprising: a) a housing with a stem and a head with a cavity therein, the stem sized and shaped to be inserted into the power outlet of the automobile;b) a hatch cavity in the head of the housing;c) a hatch pivotally coupled to the housing and substantially contained within the hatch cavity with an outer surface that is substantially flush with an exterior of the housing in a closed position, and with a capsule cavity therein facing an interior of the housing in the closed position;d) an exterior window in the outer surface of the hatch;e) an interior window in the hatch facing an interior of the cavity in the closed position;f) a scent capsule removably disposed in the capsule cavity of the hatch and carried by the hatch as the hatch pivots, the scent capsule having a chamber containing a fragrant material and having a permeable membrane through which a fragrance of the fragrant material can permeate over time, the permeable membrane facing the interior of the cavity in the closed position, the chamber being at least light translucent;g) a heat plate disposed in the housing adjacent the hatch cavity and opposing the permeable membrane of the scent capsule when the hatch is in the closed position configured to heat the fragrant material in the scent capsule and accelerate permeation of the fragrant material through the permeable membrane of the sent capsule;h) a light disposed in the housing adjacent the interior window of the hatch when the hatch is in the closed position configured to illuminate the scent material in the scent capsule so that the scent material is visible through the exterior window of the hatch; andi) an inlet vent in the housing adjacent the heat plate, an outlet vent in the housing configured to allow release of the fragrant material from the housing, and an air flow path defined therebetween. 22. A device in accordance with claim 21, wherein the hatch spans a width of the head of the housing. 23. A device in accordance with claim 21, wherein the exterior window of the hatch includes an aperture; and wherein the chamber of the scent capsule includes a dome portion extending at least to the aperture. 24. A device in accordance with claim 21, further comprising: a gap between the heating plate and the permeable membrane of the scent capsule. 25. A device in accordance with claim 24, further comprising: a plurality of grooves in the heat plate; anda plurality of resistors disposed in the grooves.