EP0102891B1 - Holder for cleaning and/or coloring products to be hooked at the rim of a toilet bowl - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/FR83/00169 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 20, 1984 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 20, 1984 PCT Filed Aug. 17, 1983 PCT Pub. No. WO84/00990 PCT Pub. Date Mar. 15, 1984.A holder comprising a sealed container provided to receive a water-soluble active, solid composition and to protect it against the direct erosion by water susceptible to penetrate in the container. The holder including a basin having a predetermined volume arranged at the upper portion of said container and having at least one hole in the bottom thereof, a discharge device for discharging in a water closet (WC) bowl and consisting of two siphon-type systems and of an appropriate hooking system to hook the holder under an edge of a WC bowl.

Description

The present invention relates to a support device for dispersible or water-soluble products for forming a concentrated aqueous composition for the treatment of WC bowls.

At the present time, a large number of devices are known which are intended to receive dispersible or water-soluble products with a view to keeping the toilet bowls in a clean state and / or for the disinfection or deodorization of these last.

In a certain number of cases, the products used for this purpose contain compounds and / or dyes soluble in water (generally blue or green), intended to act on and / or to color the water remaining in the bowl. after each flushing operation.

These known devices can be classified into two main categories, depending on whether the product or composition used, which is generally in the form of a block, is immersed in water between two flushing operations or, on the contrary , is in the open air, therefore emerged between these maneuvers.

We will quickly recall hereinafter and very schematically, with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, the principles according to which these known devices are designed.

• 1) Ceux (voir figure 1) constitués par un simple récipient généralement ajouré ou panier 1 destiné à contenir le bloc de la composition considérée et muni d'une anse ou de tout dispositif d'accrochage 2 sur le bord d'une cuvette de W. C.;
• 2) Ceux (voir figure 2) comportant également un récipient 1 divisé en deux compartiments, le premier 1a destiné à contenir la composition ou le bloc considéré et le second 1 b muni d'un dispositif faisant office de siphon 1c, le tout étant susceptible d'être suspendu ou accroché sous le rebord d'une cuvette de W.C. par l'intermédiaire de son dispositif d'accrochage 2 (voir le brevet allemand POTRAFKE no 1 930 773 et le brevet français ROUSSEY no 1 117 332);
• 3) Ceux (voir figure 3) comportant le réceptacle 1 contenant le bloc de la composition considérée 1a, ledit réceptacle 1 étant pourvu d'un dispositif 1c faisant office de siphon.

In the category of submerged blocks, there are:

• 1) Those (see FIG. 1) constituted by a simple generally perforated container or basket 1 intended to contain the block of the composition considered and provided with a handle or any attachment device 2 on the edge of a toilet bowl ;
• 2) Those (see FIG. 2) also comprising a container 1 divided into two compartments, the first 1a intended to contain the composition or the block considered and the second 1b provided with a device acting as a siphon 1c, the whole being susceptible to be suspended or hung under the rim of a toilet bowl by means of its hanging device 2 (see German patent POTRAFKE no 1,930,773 and French patent ROUSSEY no 1,117,332);
• 3) Those (see Figure 3) comprising the receptacle 1 containing the block of the composition considered 1a, said receptacle 1 being provided with a device 1c acting as a siphon.

The assembly is provided with its attachment device 2 on the rim of the toilet bowl (see French patent application L'OREAL no 8109221 and British patent BRAIN no 379 553).

• 1) Ceux (voir figure 4) constitués d'un bloc 1a avec son dispositif-support ou panier 3 directement relié au dispositif d'accrochage 2 (voir brevet français RECKITT no 2 170 341). et
• 2) Ceux (voir figure 5) comportant une chambre dite de rétention 1 munie d'une grille-support 3 pour la composition considérée 1 et, au-dessous de ladite grille, un dispositif faisant office de siphon 1c, le tout étant bien entendu muni du dispositif d'accrochage 2 (voir par exemple le brevet français GLOBOL no 2 424 374).

In the category called emerged blocks, we will distinguish:

• 1) Those (see Figure 4) consisting of a block 1a with its support device or basket 3 directly connected to the attachment device 2 (see French patent RECKITT No. 2,170,341). and
• 2) Those (see FIG. 5) comprising a so-called retention chamber 1 provided with a support grid 3 for the composition considered 1 and, below said grid, a device acting as a siphon 1c, the whole being of course fitted with the attachment device 2 (see for example French patent GLOBOL no. 2 424 374).

These devices have a number of major drawbacks, namely:

A) For submerged blocks:

One of the main functions of the blocks that are hung on the edge of the toilet bowls is to contribute to the deodorization and disinfection of the toilet bowls This function can be carried out in two ways, separately or simultaneously, namely, by transfer a certain amount of the active product in the water remaining in the bowl, or by evaporation of this active product from the block of the composition considered.

It will easily be understood that when such a block is immersed in water, this evaporation is made almost impossible and, therefore, deodorization and / or disinfection is found to be, in this case, very poor.

A second drawback of immersed blocks appears in the case of blocks of coloring compositions: it is indeed found, in this case, that each time the flush is actuated and that after the rinsing water has past the support housing in which the coloring block is located, there is an accumulation of colored drops and the flow of these along the wall of the toilet bowl This dripping is more or less intense depending on the ability erosion of the coloring block. Furthermore, the drops formed have a concentration, over time, of increasing color. As a result, it forms, along the side wall of the toilet bowl and below the coloring block, an unattractive colored streak or trace which is all the more difficult to remove as the drainage lasted longer. We have tried to remedy these drawbacks by providing the enclosure containing the active composition block with a siphon, as in the case of the L'OREAL patent application mentioned above, or by providing a separate retention chamber. also provided with a siphon device, as in the case of the POTRAFKE patent cited above.

In addition, although in this patent, there is described a device of the type comprising (a) an enclosure designed for housing at least one block of solid product and for maintaining the latter at least partially in contact with a predetermined volume of said concentrated composition as well as a bell and siphon device for deferred evacuation, and (b) a cover for said enclosure comprising calibrated orifices and intended to protect said solid products against their direct erosion by the flow of flushes from the WC bowl while allowing the admission of a limited quantity of water intended for the dilution of said concentrated composition, said cover, adapted on said enclosure for housing said block of solid treatment product, having a bowl shape having in the background at least one orifice and intended to collect a function of the flushing water flow, fraction admitted by said orifice. Such an arrangement does not prevent either the obturation of the siphon by entrainment of particles coming from the disintegration of the product block, or the functioning of the siphon in such a way that it affects the lower layers of the liquid to be evacuated, n ' thus not ensuring a uniform concentration of the composition provided by each flushing operation.

In addition, if the devices known and recalled above make it possible to partially solve the problem posed by the formation of dye streaks on the walls of the toilet bowl, they are not satisfactory in all cases. Indeed, the diversity of the forms, the plurality of profiles of the edges of the WC bowls, the variability of the flow rates and the powers of the water admitted into a bowl at the time of each flush, are such that, in use, these devices take defective positions often linked to the difficulty of maintaining their horizontality, which prevents correct operation. Overflows and drips of concentrated solutions of active product take place and contribute to the formation of spots on the wall of the toilet bowls, especially when the blocks of active compositions used are particularly intended for coloring water. We could, if need be, totally or partially remedy this drawback by, for example, considerably increasing the volume of the retention chambers without increasing the amount of active product. Such a solution is however in practice impracticable, insofar as the volume available in the toilet bowl for the use of this type of product is necessarily limited; are added obvious reasons of esthetics and technical reasons touching on a normal operation related to the level of water remaining in the basin of W.C. and necessary to the priming of the siphon of this one.

B) For the emerged blocks:

When these devices do not have a retention chamber, they are obviously completely inadequate for receiving colored blocks. When they are provided with a retention chamber situated below the volume containing the active composition block and separated from the latter by a grid supporting such a block, such as for example the device described in the GLOBOL patent mentioned above above, these devices also have major drawbacks: in fact there inevitably occurs a mechanical erosion of the blocks of active composition which are more or less well protected against the action of the influx of water at the time of hunting action. This erosion leads to the formation of solid particles capable of completely or partially obstructing the grate and / or water evacuation systems of the devices in question, thus rendering them partially or even completely inoperative.

The other drawbacks result from the fact that these emerging devices do not make it possible to obtain constant wear rates and therefore constant dosages of active product in the water of the toilet bowls, these rates being necessarily dependent, not only on the type of bowl and toilet flush but also the position taken by these devices in the bowl. They therefore do not ensure rational use of the active products used.

However, the present invention overcomes all these drawbacks and aims at an improved support device for active products, intended to be hung under the rim of a toilet bowl, allowing the amount of a solid active product soluble or emulsifiable in the water remaining at the bottom of the bowl after the action of a flush.

• - une enceinte conçue pour le logement d'au moins un bloc et pour contenir un volume prédéterminé d'un concentré aqueux de produit(s) de traitement, volume avec lequel ledit bloc se trouvera au moins partiellement en contact,
• - un dispositif de protection dudit bloc contre son érosion directe par le flux des chasses de la cuvette de W.C.;
• - un moyen pour admettre dans ladite enceinte un volume prédéterminé d'eau de chasse destiné à diluer ledit concentré aqueux de produit(s) de traitement, l'excédent de cette eau de chasse étant envoyé directement dans ladite cuvette de W.C., et,
• - un dispositif d'évacuation à action différée pour envoyer directement dans la cuvette de W.C. un volume prédéterminé du milieu liquide ainsi péalablement dilué.

The device according to the invention is essentially characterized in that it comprises:

• - an enclosure designed to house at least one block and to contain a predetermined volume of an aqueous concentrate of treatment product (s), volume with which said block will be at least partially in contact,
• - a device for protecting said block against its direct erosion by the flow of flushes from the toilet bowl;
• a means for admitting into said enclosure a predetermined volume of flushing water intended to dilute said aqueous concentrate of treatment product (s), the excess of this flushing water being sent directly into said toilet bowl, and,
• - a delayed action evacuation device to send directly into the toilet bowl a predetermined volume of the liquid medium thus diluted.

• - la figure 6 étant une vue en perspective d'un exemple de réalisation du dispositif selon l'invention;
• - la figure 7 étant une vue en élévation-coupe longitudinale d'un tel dispositif;
• - la figure 8 étant une vue en élévation-coupe transversale; et
• - la figure 9 étant une vue correspondant à la figure 8 mais suivant une variante de réalisation.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9 of the appended drawings:

• - Figure 6 being a perspective view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention;
• - Figure 7 being a longitudinal sectional elevation view of such a device;
• - Figure 8 being a cross-sectional elevation view; and
• - Figure 9 being a view corresponding to Figure 8 but according to an alternative embodiment.

Referring to these figures, the improved support device according to the invention comprises a sealed reservoir 1 intended to receive an active composition which is water-soluble or emulsifiable in water, of any known type, with disinfecting and / or deodorant action and / or coloring 1a.

Such a composition is most often in the form of a solid block.

In a variant illustrated in FIG. 8, this reservoir 1 constitutes a single cavity in which this block 1a is directly housed. According to another variant, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the tank 1 is divided into two compartments A and B by a watertight partition C in square shape forming a bell and whose vertical skirt D is located at a certain distance d from the bottom book see 1 to allow the free circulation of the water of dissolution as will be seen below during the description of the operation of the device.

Inside the reservoir 1 are produced two opposite tubes 7-7a, arranged along the longitudinal axis of this reservoir and advantageously in the vicinity of the side walls orthogonal to this axis. The lower end of each tube opens out from the bottom of the tank 1 outside of it to form a discharge orifice while each of their upper end is capped with a bell 8-8a provided on the lower face a cover 9 of concave shape and having raised edges (such as 9a) to form a cavity or second reservoir 10 of given volume and the bottom of which comprises at least one or more calibrated orifices such as 11. The tubing combination 7- bell 8 thus makes a siphon.

The above assembly is provided with an attachment system of any suitable known type allowing it to be fixed and maintained under the rim of a toilet bowl. Such a system can advantageously consist, for example, of one or more several handles such as 12.

• le dispositif étant monté sous le rebord d'une cuvette de W. C., le réservoir 1 comportant sa composition solide 1a contient après quelques premières manoeuvres de chasse d'eau, une réserve de solution concentrée de produits actifs R dont le niveau supérieur 5 affleure sensiblement le bord inférieur de la jupe des cloches 8-8a. Lors d'un afflux d'eau par suite de l'action d'une chasse, le second réservoir 10 se remplit d'un certain volume correspondant, l'excès se déversant directement dans la cuvette de W.C. par débordement sans entrer en contact avec le bloc ou la solution de produit actif se trouvant dans le réservoir 1. On évite déjà ainsi toute tache ou traînée pouvant provenir du balayage d'un bloc colorant par le courant d'eau d'une chasse. Lorsque ce réservoir 10 se vide grâce à l'orifice ou aux orifices tels que 11, le niveau supérieur de la solution R monte de la hauteur h et le volume d'eau ainsi ajouté correspond à celui du volume de la cavité 10. Ce volume ainsi connu sert à diluer, de façon également connue et égale, d'une chasse à l'autre, la solution concentrée R. Il constitue aussi le volume d'amorçage des systèmes de siphon constitués par les tubulures 7-7a et leurs cloches 8-8a. Ces systèmes de siphons constituent des moyens d'évacuation à action différée. En effet, comme cela est bien connu, un siphon ne joue son rôle que lorsqu'il est amorcé. Entre le moment où l'eau de chasse est admise et le moment où le siphon assure l'évacuation, il faut attendre l'amorçage de ce siphon. D'où un certain délai qui s'écoule pour l'évacuation. Mais une fois amorcés, les systèmes de siphon assurent le passage d'une solution de produit(s) actif(s) ayant un taux de dilution donné et qui se déverse par les tubulures 7-7a directement dans la cuvette de W.C. jusqu'au moment où le niveau du liquide dans le réservoir 1 retombe au niveau S qui correspond au désamorçage des siphons. Dans ce cas également, aucun égouttage intempestif ne peut se produire au cours d'une période de non utilisation de la chasse d'eau. Par ailleurs, du fait même de la position et de la localisation des systèmes de siphon, il en résulte que dans des conditions de non horizontalité de l'ensemble du dispositif selon l'invention, au moins un des deux siphons peut fonctionner, évitant ainsi des débordements de la solution concentrée R de produit(s) actif(s) directement dans la cuvette de W.C. et les taches ou traînées éventuelles de colorant qui seraient liées à de tels débordements.

The operation of the device described above is as follows:

• the device being mounted under the rim of a toilet bowl, the tank 1 comprising its solid composition 1a contains, after a few first flushing operations, a reserve of concentrated solution of active products R whose upper level 5 is substantially flush with the lower edge of the skirt of bells 8-8a. During an influx of water as a result of the flushing action, the second tank 10 fills with a certain corresponding volume, the excess pouring directly into the toilet bowl by overflowing without coming into contact with the block or the solution of active product being in the reservoir 1. This already prevents any stain or streak which may come from the sweeping of a coloring block by the flow of water from a flush. When this reservoir 10 empties through the orifice or orifices such as 11, the upper level of the solution R rises by the height h and the volume of water thus added corresponds to that of the volume of the cavity 10. This volume thus known serves to dilute, in a manner that is also known and equal, from one flush to the next, the concentrated solution R. It also constitutes the priming volume of the siphon systems constituted by the pipes 7-7a and their bells 8 -8a. These siphon systems constitute means of delayed action evacuation. As is well known, a siphon only plays its role when it is primed. Between the moment when the flushing water is admitted and the moment when the siphon ensures the evacuation, it is necessary to wait for the priming of this siphon. Hence a certain time elapsed for evacuation. But once started, the siphon systems ensure the passage of a solution of active product (s) having a given dilution rate and which pours through the pipes 7-7a directly into the toilet bowl to when the level of the liquid in the reservoir 1 drops to the level S which corresponds to the defusing of the siphons. In this case also, no untimely drainage can occur during a period of non-use of the flush. Furthermore, by the very fact of the position and location of the siphon systems, it follows that under conditions of non-horizontality of the entire device according to the invention, at least one of the two siphons can operate, thus avoiding overflows of the concentrated solution R of active product (s) directly into the toilet bowl and possible stains or streaks of dye which would be linked to such overflows.

It will therefore be noted that the device according to the invention makes it possible at the same time to deliver, after each flushing action, a determined quantity of active substance, whatever the conditions inherent to the mechanical force of the flushing water and / or at the position of the device on the wall of the toilet bowl and to avoid any spillage or dripping of solutions concentrated in active products between flushes on said wall of the toilet bowl

To ensure the delivery of an even more practically constant quantity of substance throughout the duration of the active composition block in use, the reservoir 1 comprises a chamber A solely intended to receive said active composition, as illustrated in a variant on the FIG. 9. This chamber is produced by the walls CD forming a bell and it is only in communication with chamber B through its lower part. This arrangement thus makes it possible to regulate the contact surface between the water and the active composition throughout its lifetime, while keeping the volume of the concentrated solution constant as well as its dilution rate by the influx of water d '' a flush, the dissolution of the active product and the disappearance of a certain volume of solid composition not affecting the volume of said concentrated solution due to the very presence of the partition D, except, of course when the block 1a is occupied, substantially at the end of use, the volume located below the skirt D. The variant illustrated in FIG. 8 does not allow such constant volume maintenance due to the variation of this latter volume function solid composition completely submerged which disappears as it dissolves.

It should also be noted that the device which has just been described can advantageously be associated with a separate chamber E provided with suitable openings such as the slots F, this chamber being intended to receive a (non-soluble) substrate impregnated with material. (s) volatile (s) or a solid active composition (not soluble) for the treatment of ambient air.

Claims (7)

1. Carrier device for solid products capable of being dispersed or dissolved in water to form a concentrated aqueous composition for the treatment of toilet bowls, device of the type comprising:

(a) an enclosure (1) designed for housing at least one block of a solid product and for keeping the latter at least partially in contact with a predetermined volume of the said concentrated composition as well as a bell (8, 8a) and siphon (7, 7a) device for a delayed emptying, and

(b) a lid (9) for the said enclosure (1) comprising calibrated orifices (11) and intended to protect the said solid products against their direct erosion by the flow of the flushes of the toilet bowl, while permitting the entry of a limited quantity of water intended to dilute the said concentrated composition, the said lid (9) adapted onto the said enclosure (1) for housing the said block of a solid treatment product (1a) being in the shape of a dish (10) having at least one orifice (11) in its bottom and intended to collect a fraction of the flow of flush water, a fraction allowed to enter through the said orifice, the device being characterized in that the skirt of the bell (8, 8a) of the said siphon (7, 7a) device is of relatively low height so as to permit the uppermost layers of the treatment liquid which is then dilute to be drawn off and that at least one such siphon device empties the dilute treatment composition into the water of the toilet bowl.

2. Carrier device according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two siphon systems (8-8a, 7-7a) produced at two opposite points in the direction of the lengthwise axis of the said enclosure.

3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said enclosure comprises a vertical partition (D) dividing it into two compartments (A-B) which are mutually connected by a passage for fluid.

4. Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the said dividing partition is made integral with the lid.

5. Device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the said vertical partition is made integral with a horizontal partition (C) closing one of the two compartments, the compartment thus closed in its top part being used for housing the said block.

6. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the skirts (8, 8a) of the bell or bells of the syphon systems are integral with the lid (9).

7. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it additionally comprises a separate chamber (E) equipped with appropriate openings (F) and intended to receive a substance with a view to the treatment of the surrounding air.

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