CA1263341A - Automatic dispensers for metering liquid soluble or suspendible materials - Google Patents
Automatic dispensers for metering liquid soluble or suspendible materialsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1263341A CA1263341A CA000518156A CA518156A CA1263341A CA 1263341 A CA1263341 A CA 1263341A CA 000518156 A CA000518156 A CA 000518156A CA 518156 A CA518156 A CA 518156A CA 1263341 A CA1263341 A CA 1263341A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- container
- liquid
- axis
- buoyancy
- dispenser according
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
- E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
- E03D9/00—Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories ; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells
- E03D9/02—Devices adding a disinfecting, deodorising, or cleaning agent to the water while flushing
- E03D9/03—Devices adding a disinfecting, deodorising, or cleaning agent to the water while flushing consisting of a separate container with an outlet through which the agent is introduced into the flushing water, e.g. by suction ; Devices for agents in direct contact with flushing water
- E03D9/033—Devices placed inside or dispensing into the cistern
- E03D9/037—Active dispensers, i.e. comprising a moving dosing element
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
- E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
- E03D9/00—Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories ; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells
- E03D9/02—Devices adding a disinfecting, deodorising, or cleaning agent to the water while flushing
- E03D2009/024—Devices adding a disinfecting, deodorising, or cleaning agent to the water while flushing using a solid substance
Abstract
D.N. 7-5252A
AUTOMATIC DISPENSERS FOR METERING LIQUID
SOLUBLE OR SUSPENDIBLE MATERIALS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Dispensers for automatically metering liquid soluble or liquid suspendible materials into a liquid environment on an automatic basis dependent upon rise and fall of the level of the liquid into which the materials are to be added.
AUTOMATIC DISPENSERS FOR METERING LIQUID
SOLUBLE OR SUSPENDIBLE MATERIALS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Dispensers for automatically metering liquid soluble or liquid suspendible materials into a liquid environment on an automatic basis dependent upon rise and fall of the level of the liquid into which the materials are to be added.
Description
~ 26334~
D.N. 7-5252A
AUTOMATIC DISPENSERS FOR METERING LIQUID
SOLUBLE OR SUSPENDIBLE MATERIALS
**********************************
BACKGROUND
. .
This invention relates to the field of dispensers used in metering materials, which are liquid soluble or suspendible, into a liquid environment. It particularly relates to such dispensers adapted for dispensing water 5 soluble or wa~er suspendible materials into an aqueous environment. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to dispensers for automatically metering mate-rials, such as water soluble or water suspendible deter-gents, bleaches, bactericides or dyes, into tsilet tanks during each flushing cycle of the toilet. The dispensers provided by the present invention are of simple, inexpen-sive construction, having no internal moving mechanical parts, and they depend for their dispensing action only on their unique construction and inherent buoyancy.
INFO~IATION DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
There have been numerous approaches described in the prior art to the problem of automatically metering mate-rials, such as detergents, bactericides, bleaches or dyes, into toilet tanks or cisterns. These approaches range from the simple dissolution of a solid block of the desired material directly immersed in the tank or toilet bowl water to generally complex systems which provide siphoning of an aqueous solution of the desired ingredients from a dis-penser into the tank water with each complete flushing cycle. One possible approach to the problem, the reliance on the principle of buoyancy of the dispenser itself to ~4~
D.N, 7-525.
3~
provide automatic dispensing of materials has heretofore received little attention. To the extent this approach has been previo~sl~ explored at all, the dispensers of the buoyancy type provided by the prior art have certain draw-backs including, among others, a complexity of design andconstruction which limit the usefulness of the prior art dispensers in modern cisterns and make them commercially unattractive for use.
Thus Shipp and Lund U.S. Patent 915,629 discloses a toilet tank dispenser having a buoyant float which, on movement up and down with each flushing cycle, turns a dispensing drum via a ratchet mechanism. The drum has a dispensing opening covered by a valve which opens and closes once witl each complete revolution of the drum allowing solid disinfectant material contained within the drum to fall by gravity into the tank.
Dunkley U.S. Patent 1,002,974 discloses a disinfec-tant distributing devize for use in "cisterns" which is based on the up and down movement of a buoyant float. The dispenser has a two compartment receptacle, the compartments being separated from one another by a wall extending par-tially to the bottom of the receptacle and providing com-munication between the two compartments. One compartment is filled with the sc~id disinfectant, potassium perman-ganate, and the receptacle is hung from a side wall of thecistern. A float, pivotally mounted to the front wall of the receptazle, is fitted with a ladle which alternately fills with water when the water level in the cistern is lowered and then empties a ladle full of water into the disinfectant containincJ compartment of the receptacle when th~A water level is raised. The emptyiny of the ladle ~ ?j~ D.N. 7-525 causes the contents of the receptacle to overflow from a spout fitted to an outside wall of the second compartment, the volume of solution dispensed with each cycle corres-ponding to the volume contained by the ladle.
Amann U.S. Patent 1,365,~42 cliscloses a disinfec-tant dispensing device which is designed to be hun~ within the water tank of toilets or urinals for dispensing a liquid type disinfectant. The device consists of a cylin-drical tank-type reservoir rotatable about its central axis, fitted diametrically with a pipe within one end wall of the reservoir. One end of the pipe opens within the reservoir, and the other opens outside the reservoir and is directed to a cup affixed to the end wall of the reservoir near the rim thereof. Liquid flows from the cylinder down the pipe into the cup until the liquid level in the cup seals the end of the pipe. A float is attached to the reservoir via a chain and serves to rotate the reservoir about its axis, first in one direction and then in the other, during a flushing cycle of the toilet. Thus as the water flows out of the toilet tank and the cylinder is rotated, the liquid in the cup runs out into the tank.
Dolan U.S. Patent 4,370,7~3 discloses a dispenser for mounting inside a toilet tank and intended to dispense bleach, dye and detergent into the tank. The dispenser is pivotally suspended at one end from a mounting bracket and is equipped with two compartments, 1~ and 20, one adapted for holding and dispensing a source of bleach, such as calcium hypochlorite, the other for holding and dispensing a dye and a detc-rgent, and each compartment is equipped with a buoyancy chamber. When the toilet tank is filled D.N. 7-5252A
with water, the buoyancy chambers cause the dispenser to tip upward about its pivot allo~ing water to enter both compartments through holes in the end walls thereof.
However, after both compartments 18 and 20 are filled, the water is maintained out of contact with the bleach, dye and detergent by an inclined wall 40 and a connecting wall 44.
Thus during the quie~cent period, that is in the period between flushings, the bleach, dye and detergent are iso-lated from the water in the tanlc. ~hen the toilet is flushed, the dispenser tips downward about its pivot allow-ing the water to flow around the bleach, dye and detergent, and to leach a small amount of those materials from their compartments, before flowing out of holes in the opposite end walls of the dispenser.
It will thus be seen that the dispensers provided by the prior art are structurally complex, and in some instances would be expensive to manufacture.
BP~IEF DESCr~IPTION OF THE INVENTION
In contrast to the dispensers disclosed by the prior art, with the e~cep~ion of the mounting braclcet used to suspend them, the dispensers provided by the present invention are essentially one piece units that are simple and inexpensive to produce. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an essentially unitary dispenser for automatically metering liquid soluble or liquid suspen-dible solid materials into any liquid environment in re-sponse to a rise and fall in the level of the liquid which comprises a buoyant containef adapted for holding the material to be dispensed, said container being adapted for pivotal ~a.'z~ 3~
D.N. 7-5252A
mounting on an axis which is offse~ from the axis of the center of buoyancy OL said container by an amount from greater than 0~ up to ahout 200% of tne distance, as measured alony a line thrcugh the pivot axis, between said center of buoyancy axis and the outer perimeter of said container. The container is provided with one or more openings, which may be of any shape, such as round, square, rectangular or elongated, in a wall thereof, the opening(s) being generally located below the center of buoyancy of the container.
In a preferred embodiment~ the dispenser comprises an essentially closed, hollow, buoyant container having a compartment for holding the material to be dispensed.
The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view partly cut away of a toilet tank or cistern, partially filled with water, show-ing a typical use of one form of a dispenser of the inven-tion.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the dispenser of Fig. 1illustrating the dispenser first as it would appear when water in the tank is rising and just prior to initiation of the filling portion of the filling and dispensing sequence of the dispenser and, in phantom, the position of the dis-penser at the end of its filling sequer.ce when the level of the water has risen to its normal height.
Fig. 3A is a sectional view on line III--III of Fig.
illustrating the dispenser at the same portion of the filling and dispensing sequence shown in Fig. 2.
D.l~. 7-5252 3~
Fig. 3B is a sectionai ~iew similar to Fig. 3A
illustrating the dispenser as it would appear during the filling and the dispensing portions of its filling and dis-pensing sequence.
Fig. 3C is a sectional view, similar to Figs.
3A and 3B, illustrating the dispenser in a non-dispensing mode as the dispenser would appear during the quiescent period of a flushing cycle.
Fig. 3D is a sectional view, similar to Figs. 3A, 3B
and 3C, illustrating the dispenser in a non-dispensing mode as the dispenser would appear when the level of the water in the tan~ is below the dispenser and out of contact therewith.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged encl view on line IV-IV of Fig. 2 illustrating the relationship between the pivot axis of the dispenser and the a~is of its center of buoyancy.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged, exploded partial front view illustrating one means for adjustably mounting the dis-pensers of the invention on a mounting strap.
~F~TAILED DESCRIPTION OF TH~ INVENTION
_.___ _ _ _ ___ _ Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a dispenser ofthe invention, represented by general reference numeral 10, is disposed in a toilet tank or cistern ]1 in wllich changes in tl,e level of weter 12 with each flushin~ cycle cause the dispenser to move between a non-dispensing and a dispensing mode as a consequenc. of the changes in wafer level. As the water level in the tank rises during a flushing cycle, the dispenser rotates be~ween a full down pGsition, shown in full in Fig. 2, to a full up position, sho~n in phantom in Fig. 2, the upward rotation, indicated by arrow "a", being caused by rise in the water level, indicated by arrow "b". The cdispenser comprises a buoyant container 13 pivot-ally suspended from a ~enerally U-shaped mounting bracket l4 which is affixed to a pair of mounting straps 15.
As indicated in Fig. 4, the container, represented throughout the drawinys herein as being cylindrical in shape, is pivotally suspended from mounting bracket 14 about its pivot axis, represented by "~", which is located - above the axis of the center of gravityl corresponding to its center of buoyancy, represented by "B". It is essen-tial in the operatioll of the present dispenser that the pivot axis A be offset from the center of buoyancy axis B
in order for the dispenser to alternately pivot between the dispensing and non-dispensing modes in response to the f~lling and rising ]evel of water during a flush and refill cycle, respectively, of the toilet, a process which will be described below. In the various figures used herein to illustrate the invention, the amount that pivot axis A is offset from the center of buoyancy axis B as Tneasured along a line through the pivot axis, corresponding to distance A-B in Fig. 4, is depic~ed as about 50% oE the radius of the cylinder, i.e. 50% of the distance between the center of buoyancy and the outer perimeter of the cylinder, an amount of offset found to be advantageous for the particular con-figu.ation of buoyant container here specific~lly depict-ecl. Ilowever, it i5 to be understood that the amount of offset shown is only a particularly preferr2d one and that any amount of offset bet~een the two axes, from greater D N. 7-5252 ~iLZ~3~ ,L
tilan 0~ to about 200%, that will permit the dispenser to function in the desired manner is considered to be within the amhlt of the invention. A preferred amount of offset is from greater than o% up to l00~ of ~he distance between the center of buoyancy and the outer perimeter of the con-tainer. When the amount of offset is greater than 100~, then arms on both ends of the container, and extending beyond the outer perimeter of the container, must, of course, be provided.
In determining the amount of offset of the pivot axis from the center of buoyancy axis, it is intended that the distance be calculated with reference to a cross-sectional plane, such as depicted in Fig. 4, which is nor-mal to the pivot and center of buoyancy axes. In the prac-tice of the present invention, the pivot axis can be offset from the center of buoyancy axis by any distance from greater than 0~ up to 200% of the distance, as measured along a line extending through the pivot axis, between the center of buoyancy axis and the outer perimeter of the container as viewed in the aforementioned cross sectional plane.
The method of operation of the dispensers is best seen with reference to Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D. As shown in Fig. 3A, container 13, which contains material, represented by numeral l9, to be dissolved or suspended in the water of the tank, has an opening 16 in the side of the container.
The opening is shown in the drawing as being yenerally positioned diame~rically aligned with the pivot axis A.
It should be understood, however, that such diametrical positioning is not essential to the operation of the D.N. 7-5252 device, because as will be seen from the description which follows, the partial filling and emptying of the dispenser with water, which is essential to the funct;oning thereof, can occur when the opening is offset from a diametrical alignment with the pivot axis.
The dispenser i~ depicted in Fig. 3A as it would appear while the water 12 in the tank is rising and has reached the level shown in the drawing. At that level, and with that orientation of the dispenser, water from the tank cannot enter the dispenser through the opening because of the resistance of air within the dispenser. However, as the water in the tank continues to rise, the container will rotate about pivot axis A until the opening is even with the surface of the water as depicted in Fig. 3s. At lS that point, water will begin to flow into the dispenser, and the flow will continue, as the dipenser pivots upward with continuing rise in the level of the wa-ter, so long as the opening is even with the surface of the water. How-ever, as the water continues to rise to its maximum level, the dispenser pivots to the point depicted in Fig. 3C wherethe opening is above the surface of the water, and at that point the flow of ~"ater intc, the tank is shut off by con-ventional valve means.
The water 12a which has thus entered the container dissolves a small amount of the container contents to be dispensed with the next flushing of the toilet. When the toilet is then flushed, the level of the water in the tank falls, and the container will pivot downwards until the opening is once ag~in in the general posit;on depicted in D.N. 7-5252 - ~L2~33~
Fig. 3B, where the water in the container 12a then flows out into the tank. The outflow will continue until the dispenser pivots downwards to the point where the opening becomes covered by the water within the dispenser, at which point a small residual amount of water, as depicted in Figs. 3A and 3D, may be held within the dispenser by the balance hetween the air pressure within and outside the dispenser. On automatic refilling of the tank, the filling and rotating of the container recycles as described above.
From this description it will be seen that the dispensers of the invention operate automatically, dispensing and fil-lin~ with each complete flushing and refilling cycle of the toilet.
It is intended that the term "center of buoyancy",as used in this specification, be understoo~ to refer to that center as it would exist in use conditions of the dispen-sers, and preferab]y the center should not change its loca-tion to any substantial degree as the dispenser contents are consumed with repeated use of the dispenser. That objective can be achieved by proper choice of the physical form and the placement of the dispenser contents. Thus the invention contemplates the use, for example, of pellets or tablets of the material to be dispensed which can either be placed loose within the dispenser or within a movable "cage" structure within the dispenser and permitted to move about within the dispenser under the in~luence of gravity as the dispenser rotates through the dispensing and non-dispensing modes. Alternatively, and preferably, the material to be dispensed, for example in tablet, pellet or molded cal~e form, can be affixed to the inner wall of the D.N. 7-5252 34~
dispenser in such a location that water entering the dis-penser can make contact with the material and leach some of it out for the next dispensing part of the sequence. For such use, the material can be essentially fixed in position within the dispenser, for example by bonding to the inner wall or by encasement within a perforated "cage" structure integral with the inner wall. When the position of the material to be dispensed is fixed within tl~e dispenser, it is particularly preferred that it be so positioned that it only co~es in contact with the water inside the dispenser during the dispensing and filling portion or the sequence but does not come ln contact with the water when the dis-penser is oriented in its non-dispensing mode. Such pre-ferred positioning of the container of the dispenser con-tents is represented by reference numeral 19 in each of Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D, representing a mass of material to be dispensed. By so-positioning the dispenser contents, the rate of dissolution or suspension can be minimized, thus prolonging the useful lifetime of the dispenser con-tents.
In accordance with the foregoing description, the dispensers of the invention are positioned within the liquid with which they are used at such a height that the container opening 16 is above the surface of the liquid when the liquid has reached its highest level. ~lowever, it will be appreciated that the dispensers can also be mounted at such level that they are entirely submerged heneath the liquid during a quiescent period. In fact, when the dis-pensers are used in a toilet tank, such mounting is a pre-ferred one when, in order to insure that ar effective D.N. 7-5252 ~.?.,~
an~o~nt of the dispenser contents will be retained in the toilet after flushing, it is desired to provide for empty-ing of the dispenser contents into the last portion of the flush water.
That ob~ective can be readily achieved with the present dispensers by mounting them near the bottom of the cistern and locating the pivot axis, the center of buoyancy axis and opening 16 so that, when the dispenser is fully submerged, the dispenser openin~ will be oriented at the top of the inverted dispenser. The dispensers, when so designed and mounted, will fill and empty in the same man-ner described before except that ingress of water into the container will stop wherl the hydrostatic pressure on the outside of the container balances the air pressure inside.
Because of th~ir positioning near the bottom of the tank, the dispensers will not begin to empty until ~,ost of the water has flowed from the tank.
It will also be evident from the foregoing descrip-tion that, when multiple openings 16 are used in the con-tainer 13, they must be axially aligned with one another and parallel to the pivot axis of the container. Other-wise, as will ~e seen with reference to Figs. 3A and 4, any second or greater number of openings offset upward in the direction of the center of buoyancy and the pivot point axes ~ill act as an air escape or intake port and will thus allow a greater volume of water to enter the container dur-in~ the filling sequ2rlce with consequent diminution in the distance hetween the pivot point and the buoyancy point axes. l'he distance between these axes can tt,us be main-tained essentially constant, and the b~oyant e~fect opti-mized, by axial alignment o~ the openings as described~
D.N. 7-5252 3~
In using the dispensers of the invention, they are removably hung or affixed to the inside wall of the tank, with which they are used~ at a predetermined height relative to the normal water level in the tank so that they will function properly during a complete filling and emptying cycle of the tank. For purposes of illustration, such use has been described with reference to tollet tanks or cis-terns where it may be desired to add, for examplel bleach-ing agents, dyes, bac~ericides, etc. to the cistern water.
The dispensers however are not limited to such use, and in fact they may be used in any system having a controllablyvariable liquid level in an environment to which it is desired to automatically add materials in response to the rise and fall of the liquid level.
For whatever purpose the dispensers of the invention are to be used, it may be desirable to mount Lhe dispenser to the inner wall of a tank in such way that the height of the dispenser relative to the normal liquid leve~ in the tank can be adjusted up or down as necessary for more e~fective use in a particular application. One such adjus-table mounting means is illustrated in the drawings herein and in particular in Fig. 5. As depicted in the drawings, mounting strap 15, suspended from the tank rim, is fitted with a plurality of pegs 17 having enlarged heads, and mounting bracket 1~ has mounting holes 1~ at both ends of the bracket, the holes, in the general shape of a keyhole, having a circular portion and a slotted portion. The enlarged heads of pegs 17 are sized so they will pass through the circular portion of the mounting hGles but not through thc slotte3 portion. The hracket is thus secured D.N. 7-525~
3341 ~
to the strap by engaging the round portion of the hole at both ends of the hracket with an appropriate pair of pegs on the two straps and then pulling downward on the bracket to engage the pegs within the slotted portion of the holes.
The method of adjustably mounting the dispensers just described is one method of accGmplishing the stated pur-pose. However the means by which such mounting is effected is not a critical feature of the invention, and other means well known in the art and familiar to the skilled worker would be equally effective.
The means for pivotaL mounting of the dispenser on a mounting bracket as described above can co~prise short cylindrical extensions 20 molded into the end walls of the buoyant container which fit within holes in mounting bracket 14~ Any conventional means for pivotal mounting of the container to the brackets, however, would serve the purpose as well. Such conventional means include, for example and without limitation, a rod passing through the container for engagement with holes in the brackets or cylindrica] pegs molded into the brackets for engagement with sockets molded in the end walls uf the container.
Moreover, although the invention has been described herein with reference to containers which are circular in transverse cross section, the particular cross-sectional shape is likewise not a critical feature of the invention.
On the contrary, it is only necessary that the container be buoyant and of such construction and shape that, when sus-pended on an axis offset Erom the axis of its center o~
D.N. 7-525~
~Z~
buoy~ncy, it can pivot about the former axis to cut off the flow of liquid into the container and to then discharge its contents into the liquid as the level of the latter falls.
Thus in addition to containers of circular transverse cross section, those which are elliptical or polygonal in cross section, including trianyular, square, rectangùlar, etc.
cross sections, would serve the purpose of the invention as well and are considered to be within the a~ibit thereof.
It is believed evident from the foregoing that tlle dispensers of the invention are characterized by simplicity of construction and operaticn and would be economical to make and useO They can be so constructed that~ if desired, the container 13 can be opened, for example by removal of an end wall, and refilled with a material to be dispensed, or alternatively they may be constructed for one-time use. In either case, they can be fabricated of inexpensive and readily worked materials such as plastics, for e~ample polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene and the like.
Having thus described the invention and the advan-tages thereof, it is considered that the invention is to be broadly construed and limited only by the character of the following claims.
D.N. 7-5252A
AUTOMATIC DISPENSERS FOR METERING LIQUID
SOLUBLE OR SUSPENDIBLE MATERIALS
**********************************
BACKGROUND
. .
This invention relates to the field of dispensers used in metering materials, which are liquid soluble or suspendible, into a liquid environment. It particularly relates to such dispensers adapted for dispensing water 5 soluble or wa~er suspendible materials into an aqueous environment. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to dispensers for automatically metering mate-rials, such as water soluble or water suspendible deter-gents, bleaches, bactericides or dyes, into tsilet tanks during each flushing cycle of the toilet. The dispensers provided by the present invention are of simple, inexpen-sive construction, having no internal moving mechanical parts, and they depend for their dispensing action only on their unique construction and inherent buoyancy.
INFO~IATION DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
There have been numerous approaches described in the prior art to the problem of automatically metering mate-rials, such as detergents, bactericides, bleaches or dyes, into toilet tanks or cisterns. These approaches range from the simple dissolution of a solid block of the desired material directly immersed in the tank or toilet bowl water to generally complex systems which provide siphoning of an aqueous solution of the desired ingredients from a dis-penser into the tank water with each complete flushing cycle. One possible approach to the problem, the reliance on the principle of buoyancy of the dispenser itself to ~4~
D.N, 7-525.
3~
provide automatic dispensing of materials has heretofore received little attention. To the extent this approach has been previo~sl~ explored at all, the dispensers of the buoyancy type provided by the prior art have certain draw-backs including, among others, a complexity of design andconstruction which limit the usefulness of the prior art dispensers in modern cisterns and make them commercially unattractive for use.
Thus Shipp and Lund U.S. Patent 915,629 discloses a toilet tank dispenser having a buoyant float which, on movement up and down with each flushing cycle, turns a dispensing drum via a ratchet mechanism. The drum has a dispensing opening covered by a valve which opens and closes once witl each complete revolution of the drum allowing solid disinfectant material contained within the drum to fall by gravity into the tank.
Dunkley U.S. Patent 1,002,974 discloses a disinfec-tant distributing devize for use in "cisterns" which is based on the up and down movement of a buoyant float. The dispenser has a two compartment receptacle, the compartments being separated from one another by a wall extending par-tially to the bottom of the receptacle and providing com-munication between the two compartments. One compartment is filled with the sc~id disinfectant, potassium perman-ganate, and the receptacle is hung from a side wall of thecistern. A float, pivotally mounted to the front wall of the receptazle, is fitted with a ladle which alternately fills with water when the water level in the cistern is lowered and then empties a ladle full of water into the disinfectant containincJ compartment of the receptacle when th~A water level is raised. The emptyiny of the ladle ~ ?j~ D.N. 7-525 causes the contents of the receptacle to overflow from a spout fitted to an outside wall of the second compartment, the volume of solution dispensed with each cycle corres-ponding to the volume contained by the ladle.
Amann U.S. Patent 1,365,~42 cliscloses a disinfec-tant dispensing device which is designed to be hun~ within the water tank of toilets or urinals for dispensing a liquid type disinfectant. The device consists of a cylin-drical tank-type reservoir rotatable about its central axis, fitted diametrically with a pipe within one end wall of the reservoir. One end of the pipe opens within the reservoir, and the other opens outside the reservoir and is directed to a cup affixed to the end wall of the reservoir near the rim thereof. Liquid flows from the cylinder down the pipe into the cup until the liquid level in the cup seals the end of the pipe. A float is attached to the reservoir via a chain and serves to rotate the reservoir about its axis, first in one direction and then in the other, during a flushing cycle of the toilet. Thus as the water flows out of the toilet tank and the cylinder is rotated, the liquid in the cup runs out into the tank.
Dolan U.S. Patent 4,370,7~3 discloses a dispenser for mounting inside a toilet tank and intended to dispense bleach, dye and detergent into the tank. The dispenser is pivotally suspended at one end from a mounting bracket and is equipped with two compartments, 1~ and 20, one adapted for holding and dispensing a source of bleach, such as calcium hypochlorite, the other for holding and dispensing a dye and a detc-rgent, and each compartment is equipped with a buoyancy chamber. When the toilet tank is filled D.N. 7-5252A
with water, the buoyancy chambers cause the dispenser to tip upward about its pivot allo~ing water to enter both compartments through holes in the end walls thereof.
However, after both compartments 18 and 20 are filled, the water is maintained out of contact with the bleach, dye and detergent by an inclined wall 40 and a connecting wall 44.
Thus during the quie~cent period, that is in the period between flushings, the bleach, dye and detergent are iso-lated from the water in the tanlc. ~hen the toilet is flushed, the dispenser tips downward about its pivot allow-ing the water to flow around the bleach, dye and detergent, and to leach a small amount of those materials from their compartments, before flowing out of holes in the opposite end walls of the dispenser.
It will thus be seen that the dispensers provided by the prior art are structurally complex, and in some instances would be expensive to manufacture.
BP~IEF DESCr~IPTION OF THE INVENTION
In contrast to the dispensers disclosed by the prior art, with the e~cep~ion of the mounting braclcet used to suspend them, the dispensers provided by the present invention are essentially one piece units that are simple and inexpensive to produce. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an essentially unitary dispenser for automatically metering liquid soluble or liquid suspen-dible solid materials into any liquid environment in re-sponse to a rise and fall in the level of the liquid which comprises a buoyant containef adapted for holding the material to be dispensed, said container being adapted for pivotal ~a.'z~ 3~
D.N. 7-5252A
mounting on an axis which is offse~ from the axis of the center of buoyancy OL said container by an amount from greater than 0~ up to ahout 200% of tne distance, as measured alony a line thrcugh the pivot axis, between said center of buoyancy axis and the outer perimeter of said container. The container is provided with one or more openings, which may be of any shape, such as round, square, rectangular or elongated, in a wall thereof, the opening(s) being generally located below the center of buoyancy of the container.
In a preferred embodiment~ the dispenser comprises an essentially closed, hollow, buoyant container having a compartment for holding the material to be dispensed.
The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view partly cut away of a toilet tank or cistern, partially filled with water, show-ing a typical use of one form of a dispenser of the inven-tion.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the dispenser of Fig. 1illustrating the dispenser first as it would appear when water in the tank is rising and just prior to initiation of the filling portion of the filling and dispensing sequence of the dispenser and, in phantom, the position of the dis-penser at the end of its filling sequer.ce when the level of the water has risen to its normal height.
Fig. 3A is a sectional view on line III--III of Fig.
illustrating the dispenser at the same portion of the filling and dispensing sequence shown in Fig. 2.
D.l~. 7-5252 3~
Fig. 3B is a sectionai ~iew similar to Fig. 3A
illustrating the dispenser as it would appear during the filling and the dispensing portions of its filling and dis-pensing sequence.
Fig. 3C is a sectional view, similar to Figs.
3A and 3B, illustrating the dispenser in a non-dispensing mode as the dispenser would appear during the quiescent period of a flushing cycle.
Fig. 3D is a sectional view, similar to Figs. 3A, 3B
and 3C, illustrating the dispenser in a non-dispensing mode as the dispenser would appear when the level of the water in the tan~ is below the dispenser and out of contact therewith.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged encl view on line IV-IV of Fig. 2 illustrating the relationship between the pivot axis of the dispenser and the a~is of its center of buoyancy.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged, exploded partial front view illustrating one means for adjustably mounting the dis-pensers of the invention on a mounting strap.
~F~TAILED DESCRIPTION OF TH~ INVENTION
_.___ _ _ _ ___ _ Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a dispenser ofthe invention, represented by general reference numeral 10, is disposed in a toilet tank or cistern ]1 in wllich changes in tl,e level of weter 12 with each flushin~ cycle cause the dispenser to move between a non-dispensing and a dispensing mode as a consequenc. of the changes in wafer level. As the water level in the tank rises during a flushing cycle, the dispenser rotates be~ween a full down pGsition, shown in full in Fig. 2, to a full up position, sho~n in phantom in Fig. 2, the upward rotation, indicated by arrow "a", being caused by rise in the water level, indicated by arrow "b". The cdispenser comprises a buoyant container 13 pivot-ally suspended from a ~enerally U-shaped mounting bracket l4 which is affixed to a pair of mounting straps 15.
As indicated in Fig. 4, the container, represented throughout the drawinys herein as being cylindrical in shape, is pivotally suspended from mounting bracket 14 about its pivot axis, represented by "~", which is located - above the axis of the center of gravityl corresponding to its center of buoyancy, represented by "B". It is essen-tial in the operatioll of the present dispenser that the pivot axis A be offset from the center of buoyancy axis B
in order for the dispenser to alternately pivot between the dispensing and non-dispensing modes in response to the f~lling and rising ]evel of water during a flush and refill cycle, respectively, of the toilet, a process which will be described below. In the various figures used herein to illustrate the invention, the amount that pivot axis A is offset from the center of buoyancy axis B as Tneasured along a line through the pivot axis, corresponding to distance A-B in Fig. 4, is depic~ed as about 50% oE the radius of the cylinder, i.e. 50% of the distance between the center of buoyancy and the outer perimeter of the cylinder, an amount of offset found to be advantageous for the particular con-figu.ation of buoyant container here specific~lly depict-ecl. Ilowever, it i5 to be understood that the amount of offset shown is only a particularly preferr2d one and that any amount of offset bet~een the two axes, from greater D N. 7-5252 ~iLZ~3~ ,L
tilan 0~ to about 200%, that will permit the dispenser to function in the desired manner is considered to be within the amhlt of the invention. A preferred amount of offset is from greater than o% up to l00~ of ~he distance between the center of buoyancy and the outer perimeter of the con-tainer. When the amount of offset is greater than 100~, then arms on both ends of the container, and extending beyond the outer perimeter of the container, must, of course, be provided.
In determining the amount of offset of the pivot axis from the center of buoyancy axis, it is intended that the distance be calculated with reference to a cross-sectional plane, such as depicted in Fig. 4, which is nor-mal to the pivot and center of buoyancy axes. In the prac-tice of the present invention, the pivot axis can be offset from the center of buoyancy axis by any distance from greater than 0~ up to 200% of the distance, as measured along a line extending through the pivot axis, between the center of buoyancy axis and the outer perimeter of the container as viewed in the aforementioned cross sectional plane.
The method of operation of the dispensers is best seen with reference to Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D. As shown in Fig. 3A, container 13, which contains material, represented by numeral l9, to be dissolved or suspended in the water of the tank, has an opening 16 in the side of the container.
The opening is shown in the drawing as being yenerally positioned diame~rically aligned with the pivot axis A.
It should be understood, however, that such diametrical positioning is not essential to the operation of the D.N. 7-5252 device, because as will be seen from the description which follows, the partial filling and emptying of the dispenser with water, which is essential to the funct;oning thereof, can occur when the opening is offset from a diametrical alignment with the pivot axis.
The dispenser i~ depicted in Fig. 3A as it would appear while the water 12 in the tank is rising and has reached the level shown in the drawing. At that level, and with that orientation of the dispenser, water from the tank cannot enter the dispenser through the opening because of the resistance of air within the dispenser. However, as the water in the tank continues to rise, the container will rotate about pivot axis A until the opening is even with the surface of the water as depicted in Fig. 3s. At lS that point, water will begin to flow into the dispenser, and the flow will continue, as the dipenser pivots upward with continuing rise in the level of the wa-ter, so long as the opening is even with the surface of the water. How-ever, as the water continues to rise to its maximum level, the dispenser pivots to the point depicted in Fig. 3C wherethe opening is above the surface of the water, and at that point the flow of ~"ater intc, the tank is shut off by con-ventional valve means.
The water 12a which has thus entered the container dissolves a small amount of the container contents to be dispensed with the next flushing of the toilet. When the toilet is then flushed, the level of the water in the tank falls, and the container will pivot downwards until the opening is once ag~in in the general posit;on depicted in D.N. 7-5252 - ~L2~33~
Fig. 3B, where the water in the container 12a then flows out into the tank. The outflow will continue until the dispenser pivots downwards to the point where the opening becomes covered by the water within the dispenser, at which point a small residual amount of water, as depicted in Figs. 3A and 3D, may be held within the dispenser by the balance hetween the air pressure within and outside the dispenser. On automatic refilling of the tank, the filling and rotating of the container recycles as described above.
From this description it will be seen that the dispensers of the invention operate automatically, dispensing and fil-lin~ with each complete flushing and refilling cycle of the toilet.
It is intended that the term "center of buoyancy",as used in this specification, be understoo~ to refer to that center as it would exist in use conditions of the dispen-sers, and preferab]y the center should not change its loca-tion to any substantial degree as the dispenser contents are consumed with repeated use of the dispenser. That objective can be achieved by proper choice of the physical form and the placement of the dispenser contents. Thus the invention contemplates the use, for example, of pellets or tablets of the material to be dispensed which can either be placed loose within the dispenser or within a movable "cage" structure within the dispenser and permitted to move about within the dispenser under the in~luence of gravity as the dispenser rotates through the dispensing and non-dispensing modes. Alternatively, and preferably, the material to be dispensed, for example in tablet, pellet or molded cal~e form, can be affixed to the inner wall of the D.N. 7-5252 34~
dispenser in such a location that water entering the dis-penser can make contact with the material and leach some of it out for the next dispensing part of the sequence. For such use, the material can be essentially fixed in position within the dispenser, for example by bonding to the inner wall or by encasement within a perforated "cage" structure integral with the inner wall. When the position of the material to be dispensed is fixed within tl~e dispenser, it is particularly preferred that it be so positioned that it only co~es in contact with the water inside the dispenser during the dispensing and filling portion or the sequence but does not come ln contact with the water when the dis-penser is oriented in its non-dispensing mode. Such pre-ferred positioning of the container of the dispenser con-tents is represented by reference numeral 19 in each of Figs. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D, representing a mass of material to be dispensed. By so-positioning the dispenser contents, the rate of dissolution or suspension can be minimized, thus prolonging the useful lifetime of the dispenser con-tents.
In accordance with the foregoing description, the dispensers of the invention are positioned within the liquid with which they are used at such a height that the container opening 16 is above the surface of the liquid when the liquid has reached its highest level. ~lowever, it will be appreciated that the dispensers can also be mounted at such level that they are entirely submerged heneath the liquid during a quiescent period. In fact, when the dis-pensers are used in a toilet tank, such mounting is a pre-ferred one when, in order to insure that ar effective D.N. 7-5252 ~.?.,~
an~o~nt of the dispenser contents will be retained in the toilet after flushing, it is desired to provide for empty-ing of the dispenser contents into the last portion of the flush water.
That ob~ective can be readily achieved with the present dispensers by mounting them near the bottom of the cistern and locating the pivot axis, the center of buoyancy axis and opening 16 so that, when the dispenser is fully submerged, the dispenser openin~ will be oriented at the top of the inverted dispenser. The dispensers, when so designed and mounted, will fill and empty in the same man-ner described before except that ingress of water into the container will stop wherl the hydrostatic pressure on the outside of the container balances the air pressure inside.
Because of th~ir positioning near the bottom of the tank, the dispensers will not begin to empty until ~,ost of the water has flowed from the tank.
It will also be evident from the foregoing descrip-tion that, when multiple openings 16 are used in the con-tainer 13, they must be axially aligned with one another and parallel to the pivot axis of the container. Other-wise, as will ~e seen with reference to Figs. 3A and 4, any second or greater number of openings offset upward in the direction of the center of buoyancy and the pivot point axes ~ill act as an air escape or intake port and will thus allow a greater volume of water to enter the container dur-in~ the filling sequ2rlce with consequent diminution in the distance hetween the pivot point and the buoyancy point axes. l'he distance between these axes can tt,us be main-tained essentially constant, and the b~oyant e~fect opti-mized, by axial alignment o~ the openings as described~
D.N. 7-5252 3~
In using the dispensers of the invention, they are removably hung or affixed to the inside wall of the tank, with which they are used~ at a predetermined height relative to the normal water level in the tank so that they will function properly during a complete filling and emptying cycle of the tank. For purposes of illustration, such use has been described with reference to tollet tanks or cis-terns where it may be desired to add, for examplel bleach-ing agents, dyes, bac~ericides, etc. to the cistern water.
The dispensers however are not limited to such use, and in fact they may be used in any system having a controllablyvariable liquid level in an environment to which it is desired to automatically add materials in response to the rise and fall of the liquid level.
For whatever purpose the dispensers of the invention are to be used, it may be desirable to mount Lhe dispenser to the inner wall of a tank in such way that the height of the dispenser relative to the normal liquid leve~ in the tank can be adjusted up or down as necessary for more e~fective use in a particular application. One such adjus-table mounting means is illustrated in the drawings herein and in particular in Fig. 5. As depicted in the drawings, mounting strap 15, suspended from the tank rim, is fitted with a plurality of pegs 17 having enlarged heads, and mounting bracket 1~ has mounting holes 1~ at both ends of the bracket, the holes, in the general shape of a keyhole, having a circular portion and a slotted portion. The enlarged heads of pegs 17 are sized so they will pass through the circular portion of the mounting hGles but not through thc slotte3 portion. The hracket is thus secured D.N. 7-525~
3341 ~
to the strap by engaging the round portion of the hole at both ends of the hracket with an appropriate pair of pegs on the two straps and then pulling downward on the bracket to engage the pegs within the slotted portion of the holes.
The method of adjustably mounting the dispensers just described is one method of accGmplishing the stated pur-pose. However the means by which such mounting is effected is not a critical feature of the invention, and other means well known in the art and familiar to the skilled worker would be equally effective.
The means for pivotaL mounting of the dispenser on a mounting bracket as described above can co~prise short cylindrical extensions 20 molded into the end walls of the buoyant container which fit within holes in mounting bracket 14~ Any conventional means for pivotal mounting of the container to the brackets, however, would serve the purpose as well. Such conventional means include, for example and without limitation, a rod passing through the container for engagement with holes in the brackets or cylindrica] pegs molded into the brackets for engagement with sockets molded in the end walls uf the container.
Moreover, although the invention has been described herein with reference to containers which are circular in transverse cross section, the particular cross-sectional shape is likewise not a critical feature of the invention.
On the contrary, it is only necessary that the container be buoyant and of such construction and shape that, when sus-pended on an axis offset Erom the axis of its center o~
D.N. 7-525~
~Z~
buoy~ncy, it can pivot about the former axis to cut off the flow of liquid into the container and to then discharge its contents into the liquid as the level of the latter falls.
Thus in addition to containers of circular transverse cross section, those which are elliptical or polygonal in cross section, including trianyular, square, rectangùlar, etc.
cross sections, would serve the purpose of the invention as well and are considered to be within the a~ibit thereof.
It is believed evident from the foregoing that tlle dispensers of the invention are characterized by simplicity of construction and operaticn and would be economical to make and useO They can be so constructed that~ if desired, the container 13 can be opened, for example by removal of an end wall, and refilled with a material to be dispensed, or alternatively they may be constructed for one-time use. In either case, they can be fabricated of inexpensive and readily worked materials such as plastics, for e~ample polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene and the like.
Having thus described the invention and the advan-tages thereof, it is considered that the invention is to be broadly construed and limited only by the character of the following claims.
Claims (14)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An essentially unitary dispenser for automatically metering liquid soluble or liquid suspendible materials into a liquid environment in response to a rise and fall in the level of the liquid,which comprises a buoyant container adapted for holding the material to be dispensed, said container being adapted for pivotal mounting on an axis which is offset from the axis of the center of buoyancy of said container by an amount from greater than 0% up to about 200% of the distance, as measured along a line through the pivot axis, between said center of buoyancy axis and the outer perimeter of said con-tainer, said container having one or more openings in a wall thereof located below the center of buoyancy of said con-tainer.
2. A dispenser according to Claim 1 wherein said pivot axis is offset from said center of buoyancy axis by an amount from greater than 0% up to 100% of the distance between said center of buoyancy axis and the outer perimeter of said con-tainer.
3. A dispenser according to Claim 2 comprising an essen-tially closed, hollow buoyant container having a compartment adapted for holding said material for dispensing.
4. A dispenser according to Claim 3 wherein said con-tainer is a cylinder having a circular transverse cross section.
5. A dispenser according to Claim 4 wherein said con-tainer has a single opening in said container wall.
6. A dispenser according to Claim 4 wherein said con-tainer has a plurality of openings in said container wall.
7. A dispenser according to Claim 4 or 5 wherein said pivot axis is offset about 50% of the radius of said cylin-drical container from the center of buoyancy thereof.
8. A dispenser according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, which is in combination with means for vertically adjustable mounting in a tank.
9. A dispenser according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, which is in combination with means for vertically adjustable mounting in a tank, and wherein said material is a bleach, dye or bacteri-cide.
10. A dispenser according to Claim 4, 5 or 6, which is in combination with means for vertically adjustable mounting in a tank.
11. A dispenser according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein said pivot axis is offset about 50% of the radius of said cylin-drical container from the center of buoyancy thereof and which is in combination with means for vertically adjustable mounting in a tank.
12. A dispenser according to Claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein said compartment for holding said material is fixed on the inside wall of the buoyant container in such a manner that said liquid enters into the compartment and dissolves a small amount of said material in the compartment when the container rotates about the pivotal axis in response to the rise in the level of the liquid, and said liquid containing said material flows out of the container into the liquid environment when the container rotates in response to the fall in the level of the liquid in a direction opposite to that when the level of the liquid is rising.
13. A dispenser according to Claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein said opening or openings are diametrically aligned with the pivotal axis in relation to the axis of the center of buoyancy;
and said compartment for holding said material is fixed on the inside wall of the buoyant container in such a manner that said liquid enters into the compartment and dissolves a small amount of said material in the compartment when the container rotates about the pivotal axis in response to the rise in the level of the liquid, and said liquid containing said material flows out of the container into the liquid environment when the container rotates in response to the fall in the level of the liquid in a direction opposite to that when the level of the liquid is rising.
and said compartment for holding said material is fixed on the inside wall of the buoyant container in such a manner that said liquid enters into the compartment and dissolves a small amount of said material in the compartment when the container rotates about the pivotal axis in response to the rise in the level of the liquid, and said liquid containing said material flows out of the container into the liquid environment when the container rotates in response to the fall in the level of the liquid in a direction opposite to that when the level of the liquid is rising.
14. A dispenser according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein said pivot axis is offset about 50% of the radius of said cylindrical container from the center of buoyancy thereof; said opening or openings are diametrically aligned with the pivotal axis in relation to the axis of the center of buoyancy; and said compartment for holding said material is fixed on the inside wall of the buoyant container in such a manner that said liquid enters into the compartment and dissolves a small amount of said material in the compartment when the container rotates about the pivotal axis in response to the rise in the level of the liquid, and said liquid containing said material flows out of the container into the liquid environment when the container rotates in response to the fall in the level of the liquid in a direction opposite to that when the level of the liquid is rising.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US77645185A | 1985-09-16 | 1985-09-16 | |
| US776,451 | 1985-09-16 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1263341A true CA1263341A (en) | 1989-11-28 |
Family
ID=25107419
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000518156A Expired CA1263341A (en) | 1985-09-16 | 1986-09-15 | Automatic dispensers for metering liquid soluble or suspendible materials |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0215430A3 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU589681B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1263341A (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2002299A6 (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ217285A (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB8527695D0 (en) * | 1985-11-09 | 1985-12-11 | Reckitt & Colmann Prod Ltd | Fluid dispenser |
| CA2095806A1 (en) * | 1992-05-12 | 1993-11-13 | Daniel N. Campau | Liquid dispensing apparatus and method |
| WO1996016235A1 (en) * | 1994-11-23 | 1996-05-30 | Paul Edward Hart | Dispensing apparatus |
| IT1320944B1 (en) * | 2000-02-04 | 2003-12-18 | Falp Srl | DISPENSER FOR DOSING SANITIZING AND / OR DEODORATING LIQUIDS, PARTICULARLY FOR BOXES OF HYGIENIC CUPS. |
| ES1233666Y (en) * | 2019-04-11 | 2019-11-04 | Vidal Miguel Gonzales | Hygienic device for the interior of the tank or toilet tank |
Family Cites Families (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US1365642A (en) * | 1920-09-13 | 1921-01-18 | George B Munn | Disinfecting device |
| GB1140031A (en) * | 1964-11-05 | 1969-01-15 | David Edward Davies | Dispenser for injecting liquid into a flushing or like cistern |
| DE2831010C2 (en) * | 1978-07-14 | 1982-07-22 | Cillichemie Ernst Vogelmann Gmbh & Co, 7100 Heilbronn | A container containing a solid, water-soluble, disinfecting and / or cleaning agent that can be inserted into a flushing water tank for sanitary installations |
| DE7910584U1 (en) * | 1979-04-11 | 1979-10-31 | Kirchner, Peter, Dipl.-Chem. Dr., 6600 Saarbruecken | INDEPENDENT DOSING DEVICE FOR ACTIVE SUBSTANCES |
| US4370763A (en) * | 1981-05-20 | 1983-02-01 | Dolan John E | Automatic dosing dispenser |
| GB8313094D0 (en) * | 1983-05-12 | 1983-06-15 | Wellcome Found | Fluid dispensing device |
| US4514866A (en) * | 1983-06-10 | 1985-05-07 | Pong Richard G S | Buoyant metering dispenser |
| US4512041A (en) * | 1983-10-18 | 1985-04-23 | Tsai Tseng B | Dispensing device |
| US4490861A (en) * | 1984-02-01 | 1985-01-01 | Dolan John E | Rotating toilet bowl dispenser |
| US6104812A (en) * | 1998-01-12 | 2000-08-15 | Juratrade, Limited | Anti-counterfeiting method and apparatus using digital screening |
-
1986
- 1986-08-20 NZ NZ21728586A patent/NZ217285A/en unknown
- 1986-09-09 AU AU62479/86A patent/AU589681B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1986-09-09 EP EP86112475A patent/EP0215430A3/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1986-09-10 ES ES8601745A patent/ES2002299A6/en not_active Expired
- 1986-09-15 CA CA000518156A patent/CA1263341A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU589681B2 (en) | 1989-10-19 |
| EP0215430A2 (en) | 1987-03-25 |
| EP0215430A3 (en) | 1987-10-07 |
| AU6247986A (en) | 1987-03-19 |
| ES2002299A6 (en) | 1988-08-01 |
| NZ217285A (en) | 1989-07-27 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |