Gel air freshener
Described is a substantially rigid aqueous clear gel matrix air freshener article having included therein one or more gel matrix icons, the dimensions of which, on use of the article, decrease in proportion to the dimensions of the body of the air freshener article in which the icons are suspended and imbedded.
The article contains water; gel matrix material which can be a hydrolyzed protein gel material such as gelatin or a polysaccharide gel material such as gellan gum; a system-compatible air freshener fragrance composition contained in one or more of the icons and/or contained in the gel matrix air freshener body; and a surfactant contained in the body.
This invention relates to substantially rigid, clear gel matrix air freshener articles having included therein one or more gel matrix icons, the dimensions of which decrease in proportion to the dimensions of the body of the air freshener article, in which the icons are imbedded, on use thereof, as a result of water and fragrance emission therefrom into the environment surrounding the articles.
The prior art does disclose substantially rigid clear aqueous and non-aqueous polymeric air freshener articles which contain visibly detectable icons, for example, icons which are botanicals, all hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety. However, such prior art aqueous and non-aqueous polymeric icon-containing air freshener articles do not have the unexpected and non-obvious advantages that the aqueous gel matrix icon-containing articles of our invention have. Indeed, the prior art does not specifically or implicitly teach the advantages of icon construction from gel matrix materials and use of such icons in conjunction with substantially rigid clear gel matrix aqueous air freshener articles.
The substantially rigid gel matrix air freshener articles contemplated by our invention, prior to use, are intended to be fully enclosed by an air tight packaging material whereby water molecules and fragrance composition molecules that are contained in the gel matrix icons and in the gel matrix air freshener body can not be transported outwardly from the article of our invention to the environment surrounding the article. On removal of such air tight packaging material from around the gel-matrix air freshener article of our invention, removing the gel matrix air freshener article of our invention from the surrounding air tight packaging material, the gel matrix air freshener article of our invention is, at that point in time, “in use” in accordance with the practice of our invention.
The air freshener article of our invention may, as an alternative to the gel matrix material which is a polysaccharide, contain in the gel matrix air freshener body and/or in the gel matrix icon a hydrolyzed protein gel matrix material composed of gelatin having an isoelectric point of from about 4 up to about 7, a type `B` gelatin.
The purpose of the presence, in the gel matrix air freshener body and/or icon, of the non-gelling hydrocolloid is as a processing aid for gelling; that is, preventing syneresis and improving clarity in the gel matrix on use of the gel matrix air freshener article of our invention.
As stated herein, an air freshener fragrance composition is included in either the gel matrix air freshener body or in at least one gel matrix icon or in both the gel matrix air freshener body and in at least one gel matrix icon. Where such air freshener fragrance is used, it is used in an amount of between about 0.1% and about 20% by weight of the composition, preferably in an amount between about 1% and about 10% by weight, most preferably in an amount of about 5% by weight.
In the gel matrix air freshener article of our invention, when at least one of the gel matrix icons contained in the gel matrix air freshener body contains an air freshening fragrance composition prior to use of the article, the icon containing the air freshener fragrance composition may also contain a surfactant having a hydrophile/lipophile balance of less than about 10.
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