This invention relates to fragrance containers and is particularly applicable to a fragrance container to be held in the hand and openable by the thumb of either hand to release fragrance to atmosphere.

The invention provides a fragrance container comprising a flat form hollow capsule to be held in the palm of a hand, the capsule having an internal cavity in which a fragrance containing wick is located and slidable shutter in one wall of the capsule for operation by the thumb of a hand holding the capsule to open the capsule and thereby to release fragrance from the cavity to the adjacent atmosphere.

In one arrangement according to the invention the fragrance containing wick may lie in a part only of the cavity, the remainder of the cavity being open to receive fragrance vapour from the wick and which part is opened to atmosphere by opening of the slidable shutter to release the vapour to atmosphere. More specifically a plate may extend across the capsule behind the slidable shutter and having a multiplicity of apertures therein in the part exposed when the shutter is opened to release vapour to atmosphere.

The following is a description of a specific embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a fragrance container according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a section through the line 2-2 on Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an under plan view of the fragrance container;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 on

Figure 3 ;

Figure 5 is a detailed view of a slidable shutter for the container;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 on Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the components of the container; and

Figures 8 to 14 illustrate the components of a further similar construction. Referring to the drawings, there is shown a fragrance container in the form of a flat moulded capsule 10 dimension to be held in the palm of a hand. The capsule is a generally elongate form having one square end 11 and one semi-circular or D-shaped end 12. The capsule is formed from top and bottom mouldings 13, 14 from a plastics such as polypropylene.

The bottom moulding comprises a perimeter flange 15 connected by an intermediate step 16 to a central recess 17 which forms a cavity within the capsule. The top moulding 13 has a corresponding perimeter flange 18 having a raised wall 19 corresponding in shape and dimensions to the step 16. The wall 19 has an elongate aperture 20 extending part way along the wall and being semi-circular or D-shaped at one end to match the adjacent end of the top moulding 13.

The cavity 17 in the bottom moulding 14 contains a piece of wick material 21 soaked in a fragrance, the wick being retained in position by a retainer plate 22 corresponding in profile to the step 16 in the bottom moulding to sit on the step.

The plate 22 has a plain section which overlies the fragrance wick 21 and a section extending under the aperture 20 in the top moulding formed with a multiplicity of spaced perforations 23. The plate defines with the perforated section a cavity which can

fill with fragrance vapour from the wick 21 and which can be released from the cavity as described below.

A shutter 24 is slidably mounted between the plate 22 and the raised wall 19 of the top moulding, the shutter having a peripheral portion 25 which underlies the wall 19 and a raised integral moulded button 26 which projects through the aperture 20 and is formed with surface grooves 27 to provide a grip on the button. The shutter is slidable along the aperture to open and close the aperture. The shutter, in the open position, reveals the perforated section of the plate 22 through which fragrance can then escape to atmosphere from the cavity below the plate. The top and bottom mouldings of the capsule are secured together around their respective mating peripheral flanges 15, 18 14 by means of ultrasonic welding to form a sealed joint between the mouldings. Polypropylene is chosen for the moulded plastic components of the capsule to resist attack by the chemical constituents of the fragrance.

It will of course be appreciated that the external shaping of the capsule is optional as is the manner in which the shutter is formed and located to open and close the capsule. For example the shutter could have a rotary rather than a linear sliding action to open and close the aperture in the capsule. Referring now to Figures 8 to 14, there is shown a modified form of the capsule and like parts have been allotted the same reference numerals. As in the previously described embodiment, the capsule is formed from polypropylene moulded components and the main difference lies in the shaping of the perimeters of the top and bottom mouldings 13, 14 to inter-engage with each other. Figures 8 and 9 show the top moulding of the capsule 10 and it will be seen that

the moulding has an integral encircling peripheral skirt 30 and a somewhat shallower downwardly projecting inner flange 31 spaced inside the skirt 30 to form a tapering socket 32. The lower inner edge of the skirt 30 is formed with an inwardly extending rib 33 which is broken at spaced locations around the skirt as can be seen in Figure 9. The bottom moulding 14 of the capsule is dimensioned to fit within the skirt in the top moulding and has an upstanding peripheral flange 34 to engage in the recess 32 in the periphery of the top moulding between the skirt 30 and flange 31. The rib 33 snaps around the underside of the lower moulding to retain the lower moulding in the top moulding. The mouldings may be welded together at the joint between their respective peripheries to provide a unitary construction.

Figure 12 of the drawings shows the perforated plate 2 located within the capsule with the perforated section extending over the portion of the plate exposed within the aperture 20 in the top moulding. Figures 13 and 14 of the drawings show the shutter 24 for opening and closing the aperture 20 in the top moulding. The peripheral portion 25 of the shutter has, at its rounded end an upstanding integral ridge 35 which snaps under a corresponding down turned ledge 36 encircling the aperture 20 in the top moulding when the shutter is in the closed position to retain the shutter closed. The arrangement is otherwise as described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. It will of course be understood that many modifications may be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the capsule may be formed from pressed metal components such as a tarnish resistant copper or stainless steel.