United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 4,938,416

Bertrand et al. 45 Date of Patent: Jul. 3, 1990

(54) METHOD OF DELVERNGA 4,250,165 2/1981 Foley .................................... 424/76
WATER-BASED ROOMI AR FRESHENER 4,264,478 4/1981 Seldner .. ... 252/522
4,803,195 2/1989 Holzner .................................. 52/4
75 Inventors: Jerome C. Bertrand, Woodside,
Calif.; Robert Pirolo, Tacoma, Wash. Primary Examiner-Andres Kashnikow
Assistant Examiner-Karen B. Merritt
73) Assignee: Consoldiated Ceramic Products, Inc., Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wood, Herron & Evans
Blanchester, Ohio (57) ABSTRACT
(21) Appl. No.: 352,563
A method of delivering a water-based room air fresh
22 Filed: May 16, 1989 ener is disclosed that provides a hand held pump
51 Int, C. .............................................. B05B 9/043 sprayer to deliver a minute amount of atomized parti
(52) 88 888 88 a 8 239/1; 239/333 cles into the room atmosphere for immediate detection
(58 Field of Search ................... 239/1,333,331, 329; by the olfactory senses. The water-based disprsions
222/383 include about 88% to about 99% by weight water,
about 0.1% to about 5% by weight fragrance oil, about
56 References Cited 0.1% to about 5% by weight surfactant, and about 0.1%
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS to about 2% by weight preservative, with the dispere
Re. 283,366 3/1975 Pechstein ............................ 239/333 sions preserved against microbial attack and free from
2,422,145 6/1947 Taylor ................................... 99/40 volatile propellants.
4,051,983 10/1977 Anderson ............................ 222/321
4,184,985 1/1980 Scheuermann et al. ............ 252/522 14 Claims, No Drawings
 4,938,416
1. 2
room. Upon the delivery of such a minute amount,
METHOD OF DELVERING AWATER-BASED employing the water-based fragrance compositions of
ROOMAR FRESHENER this invention, the fragrance tends to immediately blos
som. The exact reasoning for this effect is unknown, but
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 it is theorized that the atomization of the water-based
A variety of air treating or air freshener products fragrance liquid tends to disrupt the oil and water pha
have been developed for commercialization. Among ses such that the fragrance oil is released into the atmo
those that are being marketed include the liquid-wick sphere for detection by the olfactory senses. There is a
products, solid air-treating agents and aerosols. With slight delay on the order of several seconds for the
liquid-wick and solid air-treating products, the volatile 10 olfactory senses to detect the fragrance. For instance, if
fragrance slowly vaporizes when the liquid-wick or one were in the room after such a minor amount of
solid is exposed to air. In the case of aerosols, chloro fragrance solution is atomized, even if one were within
fluorocarbons, short-chain hydrocarbons, short-chain 15-feet of such an atomization, the olfactory senses
alcohols, and carbon dioxide are employed as solvents pick up the blossoming effect of the fragrance within
and/or propellants to spray the fragrance into the atmo 15 seconds. No propellants are involved in this technique.
sphere. A number of problems are associated with each Surprisingly, mechanical atomization of the water
of these products. First, with respect to liquid-wick or based fragrance dispersions in such minute amounts
solid air-treating products, the rate of release of the provide a long lasting fragrance effect in the room at
active ingredients is not uniform and usually diminishes 20
mosphere for up to several hours.
with time. Furthermore, these products do not last very The results of this invention, when contrasted with
long due to the rapid evaporation of volatile fragrance the prior art air fresheners currently available, are very
components. Aerosol compositions have proved detri advantageous. As mentioned, with the elimination of
mental to the ozone/oxygen balance in the Earth's any volatile solvents, any detrimental effects attributa
upper atmosphere. Accordingly, while the sale of air ble to such solvents of the chlorofluorocarbon or short
fresheners has expanded substantially, there is a need for 25
chain alcohol or short-chain hydrocarbon type are elim
improved products where lasting fragrance levels may inated. Accordingly, there is no negative impact caused
be produced economically. Furthermore, there is the by the water-based fragrance upon the ozone/oxygen
need to eliminate products that provide undesirable balance in the Earth's upper atmosphere; and the pump
components such as propellants that are detrimental to spray delivery of this invention requires no carbon diox
the Earth's atmosphere or are otherwise ecologically 30
unsafe.
ide pressurization or flammable propellant. Rather,
water-based fragrance dispersions when sprayed into
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION the air provide brilliantly fresh and pleasant fragrance
effects.
This invention is directed to a method of delivering a In another aspect of this invention, it has been found
water-based room air freshener that overcomes the 35
problems associated with currently available products. that very low levels of fragrance oils in a predominantly
In particular, this invention is directed to a method of water-based composition provide the desired results.
delivering a water-based room air freshener by intro More specifically, fragrance levels on the order of
ducing into the air a measured minute amount of atom 0.1-0.5% by weight in 96-97.5% water provide the
ized particles such that a fragrance oil is atomized and 40 desired effect. This indeed is surprising especially when
released into the air for immediate detection by the only about 0.1-0.2 cc of liquid may be atomized in the
olfactory senses. room. More generally, compositions of this invention
The water-based composition suitable for use in this on a percent by weight basis comprise about 88-99%
invention is a liquid dispersion, emulsion or solution of water, about 0.1-5% fragrance oil, about 0.1-5% sur
a fragrance oil and surfactant in water. The dispersion is 45 factant and, optionally when needed, 0.1-2% preserva
preserved against microbial attack and potential deteri tive. More preferable ranges include about 96-97.5%
oration and malodor development by a proper formula water, about 0.1-2% fragrance oil, about 0.1-2% sur
tion of ingredients. Importantly, the water-based fra factant and, optionally, about 0.1-2% preservative.
grance dispersions of this invention are free from vola Only a measured minute amount of atomized water
tile propellants/solvents of the chlorofluorocarbon, 50 based fragrance liquid of about 0.1 to 0.2 cc needs to be
short-chain hydrocarbon, short-chain alcohol or carbon dispensed into the atmosphere of an ordinary room size
dioxide type. These dispersions are delivered by a pump of 10X 15 feet to about 20X20 feet. Of course, when
sprayer having a liquid container that is adapted to desired or in larger rooms, it may be necessary to pump
deliver a measured minute amount of atomized particles more than one stroke of atomized fragrance liquid into
of the liquid dispersion into a room upon manual activa 55 various parts of the room to freshen the air.
tion of the pump. The pump usually has a piston that is In contrast to the liquid-wick or solid type air fresh
activated by the index finger of a hand and upon activa eners that do not last very long and lack uniform aro
tion the measured minute amount of atomized particles matic release, the water-based fragrance atomization of
of the water-based fragrance liquid is dispensed into the this invention provides for long lasting effects of up to
2. several hours in a room with delivery of only such a
It has been found quite surprisingly that water-based minute amount of about 0.15 cc of liquid. Therefore,
fragrance compositions may be formulated, maintained one may achieve months of air freshening from an
and delivered in a measured atomized state to provide equivalent weight amount of atomized liquid as com
an immediate blossoming effect of fragrance that may pared to the liquid or solid type air fresheners currently
be detected by the olfactory senses. This has been dra 65 available which frequently last for no more than several
matically demonstrated by employing a pump sprayer days. This is a significant value attributable to the
that is adapted to deliver a minute amount of liquid on method of delivery according to the principles of this
the order of about 0.1 to 0.2 cc into the atmosphere of a invention. The water-based systems are ecologically
 4,938,416 4.
3
safe in contrast to the currently available aerosols that 2,422,145; 4,184,985; 4,250,165; 4,264,478 and 4,803,195,
are based upon flammable alcohols or other hydrocar and these patents are incorporated herein by reference.
bon propellants. The surfactant component of the water-based fra
The above enumerated advantages and other advan grance compositions of this invention is preferably of
tages will be understood with reference to the further the nonionic type and includes particularly polyoxyeth
detailed description hereinafter ylene phenols or fatty acid esters. In particular, surfac
tants such as nonylphenol polyoxyethylene (100) manu
DETALED DESCRIPTION factured by Rohm & Haas under the mark TRITON
The water-based fragrance dispersions of this inven X-100 or polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate
tion contain almost all water as indicated above on the O manufactured by ICI under the mark TWEEN 20 are
order of about 88-99% by weight, preferably about examples of suitable nonionic surfactants. Other non
96-97.5%. The fragrance oil containing compositions ionic surfactants or emulsifying agents are well known
are those that are well known and formulated by skilled in the art and, again with reference to the above identi
perfumers/fragrance chemists. These fragrance oil fied patents that are incorporated herein by reference,
compositions are usually well balanced, complex mix 15 any of such surfactants may be employed to formulate
tures. Thus, the term "fragrance oil' is used in this the water-based fragrance liquid solutions, emulsions or
description and in the claims to define a fragrance oil or more generically dispersions of this invention. The
essence that is solubilized, emulsified, or otherwise dis amount of the surfactant is usually about the same as the
persed throughout the water matrix usually by a surfac fragrance oil composition, i.e., namely on the order of
tant or similar compatibilizing compound. The fra about 0.1 to about 5% by weight, most preferably about
grance oil usually is oleophilic and needs an assist for 0.1 to about 2% by weight to compatibilize the water
compatibilization by emulsification, dispersion or solu and oil phase into a stable dispersion. Certain surfac
bilization in water. Accordingly, all conventional fra tants also provide a biologically stabilizing or preserva
grances that are constituted by volatile or odorous 25 tive effect. However, other preservatives or additives
agents, including essential oils and aroma chemicals that may be included in the composition to prevent the com
are known to those skilled in the perfumery and fra position from deterioration either by bacteriological or
grance arts may be employed under the term "fragrance related means. A preferred preservative is phenoxyetha
oil' herein. They usually comprise one or more natural nol. Other preservatives along with other additives may
materials or synthetic aroma chemicals or mixtures of 30 be employed in the water-based fragrance compositions
the two. Some examples of natural fragrances are ci of this invention as such are disclosed in the above
tronellol, hydroxy-citronellol, rhodinol, eugenol, gera identified patents and such disclosures are incorporated
niol, rose oil, heliotropine, peru balsam, ylang-ylang oil, herein by reference.
isoeugenol, bergamot, coumarin, musk, and all or any of The pump sprayer that is suitable for use in accor
the "synthetic" counterparts of the foregoing, and 35 dance with the principles of this invention is disclosed is
aroma chemicals of which there is no counterpart in U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 28,366 and U.S. Pat. No.
nature. These materials are generally used in combina 4,051,983. It has been found that a pump sprayer of the
tion to achieve the desired fragrance and odor coun type disclosed in these patents having a liquid container
teractant effect. Other fragrance enhancers in trace may be adapted to deliver a measured minute amount of
amounts may be employed such as selected alcohols, 40 atomized particles of the water-based fragrance disper
esters, ketones, aldehydes, acids, terpenes, ethers and sions of this invention. Water-based fragrance oil dis
other materials of a highly complex nature, to name a persions containing surfactant, free from volatile pro
few. These trace materials function only as odorants pellants, may be dispensed from such a pump sprayer by
and not as propellants because they are only present in manually activating the pump to deliver a measured
such trace amounts. Essential oils (volatile oils) are 45 minute amount of atomized particles of the fragrance
found in plants and are usually defined as more or less liquid for freshening the air. Upon atomization of the
volatile materials isolated by a physical process. Flower water-based fragrance liquid, there is a release of the
oils, and oleo-based resins are usually only partially fragrance into the air, thereby freshening the room with
volatile and therefore only partly contain essential oils. the aroma of the fragrance. Such an aroma is rather
Animal secretions and extracts of this general class of 50 immediately detected by the olfactory senses. The
essential oils are either derived, for instance, from above pump sprayer is capable of delivering atomized
glands of the male musk deer (natural musk), or by particles where 97% by particle count are in the range
other accumulated materials in the animals that are not of about 1 to 10 microns and this amounts to about 3%
classified as a gland secretion. Macrocyclic musks can by weight of the total liquid that is delivered by a single
also be chemically synthesized. Compounds like macro 55 stroke of the pump. The 97% by weight balance of
cyclic ketones or lactones that may also include indans particles that are atomized are greater than about 10
and tetralins, derivatives of hydrindacene, isochroman, microns. Importantly, measured minute amounts on the
naphthidan, and coumarin. Of course, low volatility order of about 0.1 to about 0.5 cc, preferably about 0.1
solvents may be employed to assist in the formation of a to about 0.2 cc, are delivered using such a pump spray.
balanced fragrance oil as that term is used herein and 60
Of course, greater amounts may be delivered per stroke
including such solvents as dipropylene glycol and ben if desired, but large amounts are not considered neces
sary.
zyl benzoate. It will therefore be understood in accor The following are operating examples illustrate the
dance with the teachings of this invention that there are invention employing the pump sprayer just described
many fragrance oils that may be formulated into the with a composition that falls within the following gen
desired water-based fragrance oil and delivered in ac 65
eral formula on a percent by weight basis:
cordance with the principles of this invention. Exam
ples of fragrance oils or compositions that may be de
rived from the patent art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. Water 96-97.5%
 4,938,416
6
-continued other flammable propellants such as volatile hydrocar
bons or the chlorofluorocarbons that are detrimental to
Surfactant 0.5-2%
Fragrance Oil 0.5% the ozone/oxygen balance in the Earth's atmosphere.
Preservative 1.5% The compositions above are solubilized or emulsified in
5 water using the low-odor surfactant and are preserved
In the above general formula, the surfactants em against bacteria, yeast or fungus attack by the phenoxy
ployed include nonylphenol polyoxyethylene (100), ethanol preservative. Furthermore, the pump sprayer
requires no carbon dioxide pressurization. It is simply
identified above as TRITON X-100 and polyoxyethyl actuated by finger pressure exerted by the mechanical
ene (20) sorbitan monooleate identified above as O
TWEEN 20. The preservative employed is phenoxy pump.
ethanol. Using these identified surfactants and preserva Having described the invention and examples of wa
tive, the following fragrance oils were formulated in the ter-based fragrance liquids that may be delivered ac
above general formula and atomized: cording to the method of this invention, and a suitable
15
pump sprayer, it will be understood that variations in
CUSTOMESSENCE
formula, components and methods of delivery may be
FRAGRANCE OIL CONTRONO. made all within the scope of this invention.
What is claimed is:
Ozone Air CE-6039
Ozone Fresh CE-6040 1. A method of delivering a water-based room air
Forest Fresh CE-6041 20 freshener comprising
Springtime
Ozone Fresh
CE-6042
CE-6170
providing a pump sprayer having a liquid container
Fresh & Clean CE-6171 adapted to deliver a minute amount of atomized
Fresh & Lite CE-6172 particles of said liquid into the room atmosphere
Peach CE-5626 upon manually activating the pump,
Obsession type CE-6216 providing in said sprayer container a liquid compris
Obsession (Women's) type CE-6217 25
Powder Fresh CE-6218 ing a water-based dispersion of a fragrance oil and
Giorgio type CE-6405 surfactant, said dispersion preserved against micro
Poison type CE-6406 bial attack and free from volatile propellant, and
Oscar type CE-6407 manually activating said pump to deliver a minute
White Linen type CE-6408
Rose CE-6446 30 amount of atomized particles of said liquid into the
Citrus Bouquet
Evergreen
CE-6447
CE-6448
room air, said fragrance oil being released upon
Apple Pie CE-6449 said atomization for immediate detection by the
Powder Puff CE-6450 olfactory senses.
Peach
Floral Bouquet
CE-645
CE-6452 35
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid com
Fresh Unisex CE-7106 prises about 88 to about 99% by weight of water, about
Nature Fresh CE-707 0.1 to about 0.5% by weight fragrance oil and a surfac
Forest Edge CE-7108 tant in an effective amount to compatibilize said water
Anais-Anais type CE-7025 and oil phases into a stable dispersion.
Chanel #5 type CE-7020
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid com
40 prises about 88 to about 99% by weight of water, about
All of the above fragrances have been produced by 0.1 to about 5% fragrance oil and about 0.1 to about 5%
Custom Essence, Inc. of Somerset, N.J. and have been by weight surfactant.
designated by the Custom Essence control number. As 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said liquid further
is well understood in the art, fragrance oils of the above contains a preservative in an amount of about 0.1 to
type have many, perhaps hundreds of chemical compo- 45 about 2% by weight.
nents, and such are contained usually in only trace 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said surfactant is
amounts. The precise formulas of these fragrance oils selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene
are trade secrets of others and such do not form a part fatty acid ester and polyoxyethylene alkylphenol.
of this invention. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein a surfactant is
When aqueous-based fragrance compositions em- 50 polyoxyethylene
ploying the above fragrances were formulated with the polyoxyethylene. sorbitan monooleate or nonylphenol
surfactants and preservative within the range of the 7. The method of claim 4 wherein said preservative is
compositional percents by weight, and such composi phenoxyethanol.
tions were atomized with the above disclosed pump 8. A method of delivering a water-based room air
sprayer, a single pump delivered approximately 0.15 cc, 55 freshener comprising
or within the range of 0.1-2 cc, of atomized particles of providing a hand-held pump sprayer having a liquid
the water-based fragrance liquid whereupon there was container adapted to deliver a minute amount of
released into the air an aroma of the fragrance that was atomized particles of said liquid into the room at
immediately detected by the olfactory senses. A single mosphere upon hand activating the pump,
pump into an average size room provides an aroma 60 providing in said sprayer container a liquid compris
almost immediately detected and long lasting for up to
hours. Spraying such a minute amount surprisingly ing a water-based dispersion of about 88% to about
provides a brilliantly fresh and pleasant fragrance even 99% by weight water, about 0.1% to about 2% by
at the low percentages of fragrance loadings identified weight fragrance oil, about 0.1% to about 2% by
above. It is to be noted that the air freshener composi- 65 weight surfactant, and about 0.1% to about 2% by
tions according to the above examples utilize fragrance weight preservative, said dispersion preserved
oils that are virtually free of any isopropyl or ethyl against microbial attack and free from volatile pro
alcohol or other solubilizing short-chain alcohols, or pellant,
 4,938,416
7 8
hand activating said pump to deliver a measured 14. A method of delivering a water-based room air
minute amount of atomized particles of said liquid freshener comprising
into the room air, said fragrance oil being released providing a hand-held pump sprayer having a liquid
upon said atomization for immediate detection by container adapted to deliver a minute amount of
the olfactory senses. 5 atomized particles of said liquid into the room ate
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the measured
mosphere upon hand activating the pump,
providing in said sprayer container a liquid comprise
amount of atomized particles is on the order of about 0.1 ing a water-based dispersion of about 96% to about
to about 0.5 cc. 97.5% by weight water, about 0.1% to about 0.5%
10. The method of claim 8 wherein the measured O by weight fragrance oil, about 0.1% to about 0.5%
amount of atomized particles is on the order of about 0.1 by weight surfactant selected from the group con
to about 0.2 cc. W sisting of polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester and
11. The method of claim 8 wherein said liquid com polyoxyethylene alkylphenol and about 0.1% to
prises about 96 to about 97.5% by weight of water, about 2% by weight phenoxyethanol, said disper
about 0.1 to about 0.5% fragrance oil and about 0.1 to 15 sion preserved against microbial attack and free
about 0.5% by weight surfactant. from volatile propellant,
12. The method of claim 8 wherein said surfactant is hand activating said pump to deliver a measured
minute amount of about 0.1 to about 0.2 cc of atom
selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene ized particles of said liquid into the room air, said
fatty acid ester and polyoxyethylene alkylphenol. 20 fragrance oil being released upon said atomization
13. The method of claim 12 wherein said preservative for immediate detection bys: the olfactory senses.
is phenoxyethanol. s

35

45

50

55

65