Bathroom Freshening Device

Abstract

A bathroom freshening device includes a container that stores an odor-mitigating agent therein; a motion sensor that senses motion, and, when motion is detected, transmits a signal indicating the motion; and an actuator that removes a predetermined amount of the odor-mitigating agent from the container. Preferably, the actuator includes a pump capable of delivering a portion of the odor-mitigating agent removed from the container through an outlet and via a conduit to a toilet bowl or the interior of a urinal. Preferably, the device is situated remotely (e.g., mounted on a wall) and the conduit is a plastic tube that extends from the device to the toilet bowl or urinal. Preferably, the bathroom freshening device further includes a timer that prevents the actuator from operating during a predetermined time period (e.g., three minutes) since the last actuation.

1 . A bathroom freshening device, comprising:
 a container that stores an odor-mitigating agent therein;   a motion sensor that senses motion within a bathroom and, when the motion is detected, transmits a signal indicating the motion; and   an actuator that removes a predetermined amount of the odor-mitigating agent from the container.   
     
     
         2 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a pump capable of delivering a portion of the odor-mitigating agent through an outlet and via a conduit to a bathroom fixture. 
     
     
         3 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 2 , wherein the bathroom fixture is a toilet. 
     
     
         4 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 3 , wherein the conduit is extendable to the bowl of the toilet. 
     
     
         5 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 2 , wherein the bathroom fixture is a urinal. 
     
     
         6 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 2 , wherein the device is situated remotely from the bathroom fixture. 
     
     
         7 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 2 , wherein the conduit is a plastic tube. 
     
     
         8 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 1 , wherein the motion sensor is a passive infrared sensor (PIR sensor). 
     
     
         9 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 1 , further comprising a timer that prevents the actuator from operating during a predetermined interval, the predetermined interval based on a predetermined length of time since last actuation. 
     
     
         10 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined length of time is a programmed value. 
     
     
         11 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined length of time is about three minutes. 
     
     
         12 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 1 , wherein the odor-mitigating agent is a liquid. 
     
     
         13 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 12 , wherein the liquid is an oil-based liquid. 
     
     
         14 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 1 , wherein the container is capable of storing at least about 0.5 liters of the odor-mitigating agent. 
     
     
         15 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 1 , further including a power supply. 
     
     
         16 . The bathroom freshening device of  claim 15 , wherein the power supply includes a plurality of 9-volt batteries. 
     
     
         17 . A system for sanitizing a bathroom fixture, comprising:
 a bathroom freshening device including a container that stores an odor-mitigating agent therein, a motion sensor that senses motion of a person within a bathroom, and, when the motion is detected, transmits a signal to an actuator, the actuator capable of removing a predetermined amount of the odor-mitigating agent from the container, responsive to the reception of the signal; and   a tube connectable to the bathroom freshening device on one end and to the bathroom fixture on the other end, the tube, capable of carrying a portion of the cleansing agent removed from the container to the bathroom fixture, so as to sanitize the bathroom fixture.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the bathroom freshening devise is mountable on a surface remote from the bathroom fixture and the tube is connectable to a toilet bowl. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a timer that prevents the actuator from operating during a predetermined interval. 
     
     
         20 . In a toilet, the improvement comprising:
 a freshening device, integral to the toilet, including a container that stores a odor-mitigating agent therein, a motion sensor that senses motion, and, when the motion is detected, transmits a signal to an actuator, the actuator capable of removing a predetermined amount of the cleansing agent from the container, responsive to the reception of the signal; and   a conduit capable of carrying a portion of the odor-mitigating agent to the bowl of the toilet.