AirFromThere - Exotic air system

Abstract

According to the invention air is trapped at an origin location in a container, and the container is sealed to hermetically confine the trapped air therein. The container is then provided with literature identifying the origin location at which the air was trapped and giving other information regarding this origin location. Then the container with the literature is shipped to a destination location distant from the origin location. Finally the container is opened and the trapped air is consumed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an exotic-air system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is generally believed that certain locations have a therapeutic effect because of some indigenous characteristic. Some say that the air from a particular place has special value, for instance because of its purity, dryness, or a special odor associated with the place.

Whereas such therapeutic value might be based only on a perception rooted in nostalgia, it is hard to say that a perception alone has no therapeutic value. For instance, millions of gallons of bottled water are sold annually to persons believing that water from somewhere else is better than water from the tap, regardless of any scientific proof to the contrary.

Furthermore there is an interest in being able to experience remote locations without having to go there. It is possible to see and hear the sites from, for example, the top of Mt. Everest, but beyond that there are no opportunities for further experiences, for instance scent.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an exotic-air system.

Another object is to provide a system that allows a person to experience a remote location, for example by scent, without having to go there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention air is trapped at an origin location in a container, and the container is sealed to hermetically confine the trapped air therein. The container is then provided with literature identifying the origin location at which the air was trapped and giving other information regarding this origin location. Then the container is shipped with the literature to a destination location remote from the origin location. Finally the container is opened and the trapped air is consumed, for instance by being breathed by the user.

In this manner it is possible to provide a person with air from a location of some therapeutic significance to the user.

According to the invention the air is trapped under superatmospheric pressure. It can be released through a closable valve so that the container can be used many times until it is empty.

Furthermore according to the invention the container and the literature are packaged together prior to shipping. A tamper-indicating seal can also be provided on the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the first step of the marketing system/method of this invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are similar views of second and third steps of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of another system for carrying out the invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

As seen in FIG. 1 a container 10 with a cover or cap 11 is opened at a predetermined location so that as shown by the arrows 12 local air can enter the container 10. This is done in such a manner that substantially only the local air is in the bottle, either by purging the bottle with the local air, or even by pressurizing the air and filling the container 10 with pressurized air.

Then as seen in FIG. 2, the container 10 is closed by screwing on the cap 11 to hermetically confine and seal in the capture air, which as mentioned above may be under superatmospheric pressure. The container 10 is then supplied with literature 13 carrying written matter 14 describing the origins of the air in the container 10. Here this is done by constituting the literature 13 as a label carrying the written matter 14 and affixed to the container 10. The container 10 and literature 13 are then put in a package shown schematically at 15, here a carton, and shipped out.

At the other end, far from where the air captured as shown in FIG. 1, the user removes the packaging 15, takes off the cover 11, and allows draws out the air as shown by arrows 16, so that it can be breathed or otherwise consumed.

The air can be collected as shown in FIG. 4 by flying a hot-air balloon 18 or other aircraft carrying a tank 19 under vacuum 19 provided with a remote-control valve 20 over a location 21 such as the North Pole or Paris, France, and opening the valve 20 at the appropriate time so the local air fills the tank 19. The air is then transferred from the tank 19 to suitable labeled containers as shown in FIGS. 1-3 for sale.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of sequentially:

trapping air at an origin location in a container;

sealing the container and thereby hermetically confining the trapped air therein;

providing the container with literature identifying the origin location at which the air was trapped and giving other information regarding this origin location;

shipping the container with the literature to a destination location distant from the origin location; and

opening the container and consuming the trapped air.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the air is trapped under superatmospheric pressure.

3. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

packaging the container and the literature together prior to shipping.

4. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step after sealing the container and before shipping the container of:

applying to the container a seal that indicates tampering or impairing of the hermetic seal of the container.