EP0338825A1 - Improved dispensing device - Google Patents

Improved dispensing device Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0338825A1
EP0338825A1 EP89303921A EP89303921A EP0338825A1 EP 0338825 A1 EP0338825 A1 EP 0338825A1 EP 89303921 A EP89303921 A EP 89303921A EP 89303921 A EP89303921 A EP 89303921A EP 0338825 A1 EP0338825 A1 EP 0338825A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pump
tube
fluent material
volume
chamber
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.)
Ceased
Application number
EP89303921A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Roberto Giovanni Fraquelli
Geoffrey Farrell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Wellcome Foundation Ltd
Original Assignee
Wellcome Foundation Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Wellcome Foundation Ltd filed Critical Wellcome Foundation Ltd
Publication of EP0338825A1 publication Critical patent/EP0338825A1/en
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • 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
    • E03D9/031—Devices connected to or dispensing into the flushing pipe
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B43/00—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members
    • F04B43/12—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having peristaltic action
    • F04B43/1215—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having peristaltic action having no backing plate (deforming of the tube only by rollers)

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an improved dispensing device of the kind intended to add a volume of a first fluent material to a flowing stream of a second fluent material.
  • the invention has particular, but not exclusive, application to the addition of a small volume of liquid to the flush water of a water closet or urinal basin.
  • the volume of additive drawn into the flush water stream is variable and the variation in volume is particularly marked if the delay between successive flushes is not a fixed period of time.
  • This invention relates to an improved dispensing device in which a substantially constant volume of a first fluent material is dispensed into a much greater volume of a second fluent material, the volume of first fluent material being determined by means of a peristaltic pump.
  • the pump comprises a loop of flexible tubing made to extend substantially chordally between a plurality of tube-supporting members uniformly spaced apart around a center of rotation of the pump.
  • n such members (which can be rollers) mounted one on each of "n” radially-extending arms of a rotatable spider ("n” being a small integer greater than 2).
  • Means would be provided to rotate the tube-supporting members relative to the tubing and an electric motor is preferred.
  • Means can also be provided to determine the total angular rotation of the tube-supporting members about a centre of rotation within the loop in each dispensing operation.
  • the peristaltic pump is conveniently driven by an electric motor (e.g. battery powered).
  • the timing of a dispensing operation can be by means of noting the passage of a pre-set period (e.g. using a conventional timing mechanism) but conveniently involves counting the passage of the tube-supporting members past a reference point (e.g. located within the loop).
  • An accurately pre-determined volume of the first fluent material is expelled from the tubing by the peris­taltic action of the moving tube-supporting members isolat­ ing "slugs" of fluent material within the bore of the tubing of each generally chordal “run” and advancing the required number of those "slugs" out of a downstream end of the tubing.
  • This volume can be dispensed into a mixing chamber to be diluted by the second fluent material, fed directly into a reservoir of the second fluent material (e.g. into the flush cistern of a WC system) or metered into a flowing stream of the second fluent material (e.g. into the flush pipe of a urinal basin or set of urinal basins).
  • Initiation of a pumping cycle can be by a range of different mechanisms such as a float switch (actuated by the second fluent material), a pressure switch, a timing device, a proximity sensor or a photoelectric cell.
  • a float switch actuated by the second fluent material
  • a pressure switch actuated by the second fluent material
  • a timing device actuated by the second fluent material
  • a proximity sensor actuated by the second fluent material
  • a water closet cistern 10 is linked to an array of urinal basins 11 by a flush pipe 12.
  • the cistern 10 is filled at a constant rate with water from a valve-controlled inlet 13 and, by an automatic syphoning action, periodically empties flushing water through the basins 11.
  • a spur pipe 14 connects the flush pipe 12 to a prior art additive dispensing device 15.
  • the device 15 contains a mixing chamber 16 in which is located an in­verted bottle 17 of additive liquid (e.g. a disinfectant and/or perfume and/or dye and/or basin descaling composi­tion) closed by a porous plug 18.
  • a closure valve 19 for the spur pipe 14 is connected to a float 20 within the chamber 16.
  • the hydraulic pressure in the pipe 12 drops and eventually falls to a level at which the valve 19 can open to allow the chamber 16 to empty via the spur pipe 14 discharging the solution of additive into the basins as part of the final flush stream.
  • FIG. 2 shows a practical embodiment of the prior art device 15 shown in Figure 1 and the same reference numerals have been used, here convenient, in the two Figures.
  • the device 15 of Figure 2 also includes a receptacle 25 behind a slotted cover 26 and an air freshener filter (not shown) can be located in the receptacle 25 so that air expelled from the casing 24 (that defines in its lower part, the chamber 16) by the ingress of flush water will have to permeate through the filter and carry a vaporous composi­tion (e.g. a perfume or deodorant) into the ambient air.
  • a vaporous composi­tion e.g. a perfume or deodorant
  • Figure 3 shows a first embodiment of device according to this invention in a dismantled condition for ease of understanding.
  • the device of Figure 3 is intended to be used with a cistern-controlled flushing arrangement of the kind shown in Figure 1 and is thus connected to a flush pipe 12 via a spur pipe 14.
  • the spur pipe 14 is connected to a diffusion chamber 30 which, like the chamber 16, fills with flush water during the initial stage of a flushing operation.
  • a float-operated switch 31 e.g. a microswitch or a magnetic red switch
  • Power for the motor 32 is drawn from a battery 37 (e.g.
  • the device is completed with a back plate 39 and a front cover 40.
  • the front cover is locked to the back plate 39 by a locking mechanism 41 engaging a flap 42 on the back plate.
  • the reservoir 34 can be filled via a retractable tube 43 through the hole 44 in the cover provided for the locking mechanism.
  • the device of Figure 4 is identical to that of Figure 3 apart from having a larger volume reservoir 34.
  • the device of Figure 5 does not require an adjacent cistern, control of the flow of flush water to an outlet pipe 45 being by a solenoid valve 46 connected to a water supply pipe passing through a hole 47 in the back plate 39.
  • the motor 32 is energised from battery 37 to operate the pump 33 the required number of turns to dispense the desired volume of additive from the reservoir 34 into a chamber 50.
  • the chamber 50 shown in Figure 5 differs from that shown at 30 in Figures 3 and 4 in that no float valve is required but still serves to provide a region where mixing of water and additive can occur.
  • the water valve 46 may be triggered by the presence of someone at the adjacent WC basin and this control (and pump timing) can be effected in an electronic unit 51 coupled to a sensor 52 which operates through a hole 53 in the base plate and a cut-out 54 in the cover 40.
  • Figure 6 is a flush cistern version which has a remote float switch 55 locatable in a cistern (not shown).
  • the outlet pipe 36 can pass to the cistern or its down pipe 12 and a pre-set volume of additive from the reservoir 34 is fed to the flush water each time the float switch 55 is actuated (normally towards the end of a cistern filling operation).
  • FIG. 7 shows the diffusion chamber of the devices of Figures 3 and 4 in greater detail.
  • a frusto-conical valve 56 carried by a tube 57 is raised by a float 58 when water floods into the chamber from the spur pipe 14.
  • the valve 56 engages a seat 59 when the tube 57 is fully lifted, preventing water spilling out of the open top of a float chamber 60.
  • the pipe 36 connects to the top of the tube 57 and the valve 56 is drilled to allow additive to flow down into the chamber 30 when the pump 33 is operat­ing.
  • the tube 36 can be inserted into a recess 30a shown in the wall of the chamber 30 so that movement of the valve 56 is not impeded by the tube 36.
  • FIG 8 shows one variant of the pump 33.
  • a pump head 61 comprises a pair of discs 62, 63 rotated by the motor 32 and a gear train 64. Between the discs 62, 63 are three rollers 65 spaced at 120° intervals around the axis of rotation 66 of the discs 62, 63 and at equal distances from the axis 66.
  • the flexible tube 33a (not shown in Figure 8 but shown in Figure 10) is distorted by the pump head 61 as it rotates to peristaltically pump additive from the reservoir.
  • a cam-operated microswitch 67 is used in the Figure 8 embodiment to control pump rotation.
  • Figure 10 shows a preferred form of pump 33.
  • the discs 62, 63 are replaced by spiders 62a, 63a and the number of rotations of the spiders is counted by an opto switch 68 which counts the passages of the rollers 65 past it.
  • the small insert in Figure 10 shows a "slug” or pocket of liquid 69 trapped in the tube 33a by two adjacent rollers 35, the arrows indicating how these "slugs" pro­gress along the pump tube 33a as the spiders rotate.
  • Figure 9 shows a modified form of diffusion chamber.
  • a float switch 55 is included in a side chamber 60a of the float chamber 60.
  • the outlet pipe 36 leads into the chamber 60 (located in a wall recess 70).
  • a deflector plate 71 deflects air and water flowing up and down through the valve seat 59.
  • the spur pipe 14 connects into a socket 71 and the impedance to flow from the chamber 60 to the pipe 14 is controlled by an adjustable base cap 72 which can be screwed up into the chamber 30 to effectively reduce te size of a flow opening 73 when the water pressure is increased above a preferred maximum value.
  • the valve 56 can locate in the cap 72 when the float 58 is not lifting it into engagement with the seat 59.
  • a magnet could be located on the float 58 and used to actuate an adjacent reed switch (not shown) in circuit with the motor of the peristaltic pump 33.
  • the devices illustrated at least in Figures 3 and 4 can include an air-freshening feature of the kind shown in Figure 2.
  • the air for operating this can be taken from the chamber 30.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
  • Bidet-Like Cleaning Device And Other Flush Toilet Accessories (AREA)
EP89303921A 1988-04-21 1989-04-20 Improved dispensing device Ceased EP0338825A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8809470 1988-04-21
GB888809470A GB8809470D0 (en) 1988-04-21 1988-04-21 Improved dispensing device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0338825A1 true EP0338825A1 (en) 1989-10-25

Family

ID=10635602

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89303921A Ceased EP0338825A1 (en) 1988-04-21 1989-04-20 Improved dispensing device

Country Status (10)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0338825A1 (no)
JP (1) JPH0227031A (no)
KR (1) KR900016558A (no)
AU (1) AU3323089A (no)
DK (1) DK193989A (no)
FI (1) FI891885A (no)
GB (1) GB8809470D0 (no)
NO (1) NO891628L (no)
PT (1) PT90331A (no)
ZA (1) ZA892919B (no)

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2655325A1 (fr) * 1989-12-01 1991-06-07 Vernier Pierre Doseur automatique et hydraulique de liquide.
US5251340A (en) * 1992-03-09 1993-10-12 Su Land Liao Flush toilet with an automatic sterilizing device
EP0579581A1 (en) * 1992-07-14 1994-01-19 Gianpietro Lenzetti Electronic assembly for controllably delivering disinfectant liquids and the like in sanitary apparatus in general
US5377363A (en) * 1994-03-09 1995-01-03 Shieh; Snoopy Automatic lavatory detergent and perfume dispenser
EP0719234A1 (en) * 1993-10-04 1996-07-03 Technical Concepts, L.P. Apparatus and method for controllably dispensing drops of liquid
US5584079A (en) * 1994-08-01 1996-12-17 Wong; Sek M. G. Programmable dispenser
US5680879A (en) * 1994-09-12 1997-10-28 Technical Concepts, Inc. Automatic flush valve actuation apparatus for replacing manual flush handles
EP1055782A1 (de) * 1999-05-27 2000-11-29 Cws International Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Einführen von Reinigungs- und/oder Desinfektionsmittel in sanitären Anlagen
ES2153246A1 (es) * 1997-05-21 2001-02-16 Villar Galende Carlos Aparato dosificador de liquido en gotas para inodoros y similares.
AT411177B (de) * 2001-06-22 2003-10-27 Peter Christoph Dosiereinrichtung zum dosieren von reinigungs- oder desinfektionsmittel in die wc-schüssel
EP1780343A2 (de) 2005-10-27 2007-05-02 VIEGA GmbH & Co. KG. Sanitärspüleinrichtung mit einer Vorrichtung zum Zuführen von Reinigungsmitteln und/oder Duftstoffen
WO2009154743A2 (en) * 2008-06-20 2009-12-23 S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Toilet bowl cleaning and/or deodorizing device
EP2152978A2 (en) * 2007-05-30 2010-02-17 Yocheved Shasho A toilet disinfectant dispensing system and method therefor

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4776335B2 (ja) * 2005-10-26 2011-09-21 共立製薬株式会社 水洗便器用薬液供給装置及び水洗便器用薬液供給方法
CN103352504A (zh) * 2013-07-22 2013-10-16 庄景阳 智能马桶清洁剂混合控制装置

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB521368A (en) * 1938-11-16 1940-05-20 Claude Railton Improved method and device for dosing flushing systems
FR1561583A (no) * 1967-03-31 1969-03-28
DE1915100A1 (de) * 1969-03-25 1970-12-03 Wade Internat Gmbh Injektionsvorrichtung
GB2106993A (en) * 1981-09-25 1983-04-20 Pfrimmer Pharma Apparatus for enteral administration of nutriment

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB521368A (en) * 1938-11-16 1940-05-20 Claude Railton Improved method and device for dosing flushing systems
FR1561583A (no) * 1967-03-31 1969-03-28
DE1915100A1 (de) * 1969-03-25 1970-12-03 Wade Internat Gmbh Injektionsvorrichtung
GB2106993A (en) * 1981-09-25 1983-04-20 Pfrimmer Pharma Apparatus for enteral administration of nutriment

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2655325A1 (fr) * 1989-12-01 1991-06-07 Vernier Pierre Doseur automatique et hydraulique de liquide.
US5251340A (en) * 1992-03-09 1993-10-12 Su Land Liao Flush toilet with an automatic sterilizing device
EP0579581A1 (en) * 1992-07-14 1994-01-19 Gianpietro Lenzetti Electronic assembly for controllably delivering disinfectant liquids and the like in sanitary apparatus in general
EP0719234A1 (en) * 1993-10-04 1996-07-03 Technical Concepts, L.P. Apparatus and method for controllably dispensing drops of liquid
EP0719234A4 (en) * 1993-10-04 1998-04-29 Tech Concepts Lp APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REGULATED DELIVERY OF LIQUID DROPS
US5377363A (en) * 1994-03-09 1995-01-03 Shieh; Snoopy Automatic lavatory detergent and perfume dispenser
US5584079A (en) * 1994-08-01 1996-12-17 Wong; Sek M. G. Programmable dispenser
US5680879A (en) * 1994-09-12 1997-10-28 Technical Concepts, Inc. Automatic flush valve actuation apparatus for replacing manual flush handles
ES2153246A1 (es) * 1997-05-21 2001-02-16 Villar Galende Carlos Aparato dosificador de liquido en gotas para inodoros y similares.
EP1055782A1 (de) * 1999-05-27 2000-11-29 Cws International Ag Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Einführen von Reinigungs- und/oder Desinfektionsmittel in sanitären Anlagen
WO2000073597A1 (de) * 1999-05-27 2000-12-07 Hts International Trading Ag Verfahren und vorrichtung zum einführen von reinigungs- und/oder desinfektionsmittel in sanitären anlagen
US6588026B2 (en) 1999-05-27 2003-07-08 Hts International Trading Ag Method of, and apparatus for, introducing a cleaning agent and/or disinfectant into sanitary facilities
AT411177B (de) * 2001-06-22 2003-10-27 Peter Christoph Dosiereinrichtung zum dosieren von reinigungs- oder desinfektionsmittel in die wc-schüssel
EP1780343A2 (de) 2005-10-27 2007-05-02 VIEGA GmbH & Co. KG. Sanitärspüleinrichtung mit einer Vorrichtung zum Zuführen von Reinigungsmitteln und/oder Duftstoffen
EP1780343A3 (de) * 2005-10-27 2009-03-18 VIEGA GmbH & Co. KG. Sanitärspüleinrichtung mit einer Vorrichtung zum Zuführen von Reinigungsmitteln und/oder Duftstoffen
EP2152978A2 (en) * 2007-05-30 2010-02-17 Yocheved Shasho A toilet disinfectant dispensing system and method therefor
EP2152978A4 (en) * 2007-05-30 2012-05-16 Yocheved Shasho DISPENSER SYSTEM FOR TOILET DISINFECTANTS AND METHOD THEREFOR
WO2009154743A2 (en) * 2008-06-20 2009-12-23 S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Toilet bowl cleaning and/or deodorizing device
WO2009154743A3 (en) * 2008-06-20 2010-08-05 S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Toilet bowl cleaning and/or deodorizing device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FI891885A0 (fi) 1989-04-20
NO891628D0 (no) 1989-04-20
ZA892919B (en) 1990-12-28
GB8809470D0 (en) 1988-05-25
JPH0227031A (ja) 1990-01-29
AU3323089A (en) 1989-10-26
PT90331A (pt) 1989-11-10
DK193989A (da) 1989-10-22
KR900016558A (ko) 1990-11-13
FI891885A (fi) 1989-10-22
NO891628L (no) 1989-10-23
DK193989D0 (da) 1989-04-20

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