EP2454159B1

EP2454159B1 - Single-dose device for dispensing adhesive fluid substances, particularly for the application of hygienising substances on bathroom fixtures and the like

Info

Publication number: EP2454159B1
Application number: EP10730513.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antonio Fontana
Original assignee: Bolton Manitoba SpA
Current assignee: Bolton Manitoba SpA
Priority date: 2009-07-17
Filing date: 2010-06-21
Publication date: 2016-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 2030-06-21
Also published as: ITMO20090184A1; ES2566619T3; IT1399377B1; HRP20160335T1; PL2454159T3; WO2011007222A1; SI2454159T1; EP2454159A1

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a single-dose device for dispensing adhesive fluid substances, particularly for the application of hygienising substances on bathroom fixtures and the like.

Background Art

It is known that to sanitize, disinfect and/or perfume the internal surfaces of toilets, special devices are habitually used which allow hanging inside the WC a cleaning agent that dissolves gradually every time it is invested by the flushing water.
Habitually, traditional cleaning agents come in the form of a rigid cake of soap located inside a cage to be hung on the edge of the WC.
Such devices, however, have numerous drawbacks including the fact that they can be dislodged too easily from the edge of the WC and can accidentally end up in an incorrect position, e.g., in a point of the WC where the cleaning agent is not invested by the flow of water and therefore becomes totally ineffective.
In this case, the cages have to be repositioned by hand in a way not at all hygienic.
Another drawback consists in the fact that the meshes of the cage, however large, do not allow the water flush to completely cover the rigid cake of soap, with the result that a part of the cleaning agent is not in fact used.
Conversely, the risk of using cages with meshes which are too large is that the rigid cake of soap, being consumed and reduced in volume, at a certain point escapes from the cage and is lost down the drain, with consequent waste of a still-usable part of the cleaning agent.
Alternatively to the previously-described devices, particular hygienising substances are known in the form of adhesive gel that can be applied directly on the internal surface of the WCs.
Such substances can be applied by means of a corresponding applicator directly on the internal surface of the WCs, to which these hygienising substances adhere perfectly.
The substances also remain on the internal surfaces of the WCs after being invested by the flushing water, and are usually completely removed only after a large number of flushes.
These substances, furthermore, are suitable for also being applied to the surfaces of urinals, toilets, industrial washbasins, showers, bath tubs, dishwashers and the like.
A substance of this type is described and illustrated in patent US 6,667,286 .
To dispense and correctly apply such substances, different types of applicators are known: e.g., the documents WO 03/043906 and WO 2004/043825 refer to specific syringe-shaped applicators which allow successfully applying the adhesive substances in the form of gel but which, nevertheless, have a number of drawbacks.
Some users in fact find it hard to decide when to stop the dispensing of the substances and, for example, continue to press on the syringe piston and apply the hygienising substances on the entire circumference of the toilet WC. This results in the use of too much hygienising substance and the need to have to inconveniently recharge the dispensers.
Other users on the other hand fail to apply enough hygienising substance, thereby reducing its efficiency.
From document WO 2007/008531 an applicator device is known that overcomes the above drawbacks by means of a syringe with a piston sliding inside a cylindrical body, a toothed system being placed between the piston and cylindrical body that allows discerning the forward movement of the piston and therefore dispensing preset doses of hygienising substance.
This dispensing device also has a number of drawbacks however, such as, e.g., the fact that the presence of the toothed system considerably complicates the shape of the device, to manufacture which, therefore, considerably complex and costly moulds are needed with consequent increase in packaging costs which, inevitably, affect the retail price, with the risk of making the products less appealing for consumers.
Nor should the fact be ignored that such devices are specifically designed to dispense several doses and, therefore, after the application of the first dose, they are again closed by means of caps or other closing systems.
Such systems, however, cannot always guarantee the perfect preservation of the hygienising substances that remain inside the device, with the risk of losing their hygienising, disinfecting and/or perfuming power before they are actually applied.
Other kinds of dispensers are disclosed in the patent documents US 5,312,019 , US 4,146,154 , DE 195 27 947 and US 2007/007302 . Document US 2004/0037613 shows the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a single-dose device for dispensing adhesive fluid substances, particularly for the application of hygienising substances on bathroom fixtures and the like, which allows applying a fluid substance on a surface to hygienise, disinfect and/or perfume in a practical, easy and functional way and in perfectly hygienic conditions for the user.
A further object of the present invention consists in providing a device that allows dispensing preset quantities of fluid substance, without the risk of overdoses or underdoses.
Another object of the invention consists in providing a device that can be manufactured in a very simple way and with low costs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a single-dose device for dispensing adhesive fluid substances, particularly for the application of hygienising substances on bathroom fixtures and the like which allows overcoming the mentioned drawbacks of the state of the art within the ambit of a simple, rational, easy and effective to use solution.
The above objects are all achieved by the present single-dose device for dispensing adhesive fluid substances, particularly for the application of hygienising substances on bathroom fixtures and the like, according to claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of some preferred, but not sole, embodiment of a single-dose device for dispensing adhesive fluid substances, particularly for the application of hygienising substances on bathroom fixtures and the like, illustrated purely as an example but not limited to the annexed drawings in which:

figures 1 is an axonometric and exploded view of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention;
figure 2 is a section and exploded view of the device of figure 1 in the opening phase;
figure 3 is a section view of the device of figure 1 in the dispensing phase;
figure 4 is a section view of the device of figure 1 at the end of the dispensing phase;
figure 5 is an axonometric view of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention;
figure 6 is a section view of the device of figure 5 in closed configuration;
figure 7 is a section view of the device of figure 5 in end-of-dispensing configuration;
figure 8 is an axonometric view of a third embodiment of the device according to the invention;
figure 9 is a section view of the device of figure 8 in closed configuration;
figures 10 is a section view of the device of figure 8 in end-of-dispensing configuration.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to the embodiment shown in figures from 1 to 4, globally indicated by 1 is a single-dose device for dispensing adhesive fluid substances, particularly for the application of hygienising substances on bathroom fixtures and the like.
In this respect, it is specified that in the present treatise, by fluid substances is preferably meant viscous products, e.g., in paste or gel state, but alternative solutions cannot be ruled out wherein the fluid substance is a liquid or powdered product, in particular very fine powders with great flowability.
The fluid substances according to the present invention must in any case have self-adhesive properties to allow them to stick to a surfaces 2 which, e.g., consists in the inner surface to be hygienised, disinfected and/or perfumed of a WC, but alternative uses cannot be ruled out on urinals, toilets, industrial washbasins, showers, bath tubs, dishwashers or other types of surfaces.
The device 1 comprises a hollow bellows body 3 which is suitable for containing a dose of adhesive fluid substance 4 and which has a dispensing opening 5 for the application of the adhesive fluid substance 4 on the surface 2. The hollow bellows body 3 comprises a tubular wall foldable onto itself and having a first axial end 3a in which is obtained the dispensing opening 5 and a second axial end 3b opposite the first axial end 3a.
Usefully, the hollow bellows body 3 is obtained by injection moulding of plastic material, with the first axial end 3a open, so as to define the dispensing opening 5, while the second axial end 3b is made closed.
With the first axial end 3a are associated closing means 6, of the removable type, suitable for closing the dispensing opening 5 until the time of use of the adhesive fluid substance 4.
The closing means 6 comprise a cap 7, which can be interlocked around the first axial end 3a of the hollow bellows body 3 in correspondence to the dispensing opening 5, and a dividing wall 8, that can be torn off from the cap 7.
The cap 7 and the dividing wall 8, in particular, are made in a single body by injection moulding of the plastic material so that they remain joined together along a joining line 9 with weakened section and which is easy to tear off.
To make separating them easter, the dividing wall 8 is associated with a gripping tab 10 which allows the user to grip it.
Once the cap 7 has been fitted on the hollow bellows body 3, the dividing wall 8 is substantially coinciding with the dispensing opening 5.
On the cap 7 can be associated a spacer element 11 suitable for keeping the dispensing opening 5 at a distance from the surface 2 during the application of the adhesive fluid substance 4.
The spacer element 11 is substantially lobe shaped and has a concave inner face terminating in a circular edge 12 suitable for coming into contact with the surface 2.
At the centre of the lobe 11a hole 13 is obtained suitable for being substantially arranged coinciding with the dispensing opening 5 for the transit of the adhesive fluid substance 4 coming from the hollow bellows body 3.
To allow joining the cap 7 to the spacer element 11, on the outer surface of the cap 7, a threaded portion 14 is obtained for screwing up to a corresponding nut screw 15 obtained along the edge of the hole 13 of the spacer element 11.
The device 1 comprises gripping means 16 suitable for allowing a user to grip the spacer element 11 with his/her fingers 17; such gripping means 16 consist, e.g., in an annular pad that can be placed underneath the lobe 11.
The spacer element 11 and the gripping means 16 are made in a single monolithic body, e.g. by injection moulding of plastic material.
The device 1 shown in the figures from 1 to 4 can be distributed on the market in packs containing a series of hollow bellows bodies 3, packed and closed by means of the corresponding closing means 6, and a series of the same number of spacer elements 11, to be screwed up to the caps 7 before use.
Alternatively, a pack of devices 1 could contain a series of hollow bellows bodies 3 and just one spacer element 11 to be used again from time to time with the various hollow bellows bodies 3.
In this case, the device 1 is usefully equipped with a protective cover 18 which allows preserving the spacer element 11 between one use and another, is associable in a removable way with the edge 12 of the lobe 11 and has a gripping flap 19 to make removing the edge 12 easier.
The device 1 shown in the figures from 1 to 4 operates as follows.
Before applying on the surface 2, the user removes the dividing wall 8 from the cap 7 by levering on the gripping tab 10 and, if present, removes the protective cover 18 too from the spacer element 11.
Afterwards, the user screws the hollow bellows body 3 into the hole 13 of the spacer element 11 and brings the edge 12 of the lobe 11 into contact with the surface 2.
Holding the spacer element 11 with the fingers 17 in correspondence to the gripping means 16, finally, presses the base of the hollow bellows body 3 pushing the adhesive fluid substance 4 so it exits from the dispensing opening 5 which thus comes into contact with the surface 2 (figure 3).
Once the device has been moved away from the surface 2, the adhesive fluid substance 4 remains attached to the surface 2 to perform its hygienising, disinfecting and/or perfuming task.
With particular reference to the embodiment of the figures from 5 to 7, the device 1 comprises a hollow bellows body 3 completely identical to that shown in the previous illustrations.
Such embodiment differs from the previous one inasmuch as the spacer element 11 and the closing means 6 are made in a single monolithic body together with the gripping means 16.
The centre of the spacer element 11, in fact, is shaped to be interlocked directly onto the first axial end 3a of the hollow bellows body 3 while the closing means 6 comprise a dividing wall 8 substantially coinciding with the dispensing opening 5 and removable by tearing off from the spacer element 11.
For this purpose, the dividing wall 8 and the spacer element 11 are joined by means of a joining line 9 with weakened section which is easy to tear off.
To facilitate the tearing of the joining line 9, the dividing wall 8 is associated with a gripping pin 20 that extends substantially coaxial to the hollow bellows body 3 and which allows the user to grip the dividing wall 8 and remove it.
In this embodiment, furthermore, the gripping means 16 are composed no longer of an annular pad but of a pair of fins arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the lobe 11.
The device shown in the figures from 5 to 7 operates as follows.
During the manufacturing and packing phase the hollow bellows body 3 is meant to be filled with the adhesive fluid substance 4 and therefore joined to the spacer element 11 to close the dispensing opening 5 thereof.
The device 1 thus assembled is ready to be distributed on the market.
To use it, it is enough to remove the dividing wall 8 by levering on the gripping pin 20 and to apply the adhesive fluid substance 4 on the surface 2 as shown in the figures 3 and 4.
Referring to the embodiment shown in the figures from 8 to 10, the device 1 has closing means 6 and gripping means 16 substantially similar to those shown in the figures from 5 to 7.
This embodiment features the spacer element 11 and the hollow bellows body 3 made in a single monolithic body together with the closing means 6 and gripping means 16.
The second axial end 3b of the hollow bellows body 3 is made open to allow the filling thereof with the adhesive fluid substance 4 and can be closed interlocked by means of a closing bottom 21.
The closing bottom 21 is shaped to define a protuberance 22 that can be placed inside the hollow bellows body 3 and at least partially complementary to the inner face of the hollow bellows body 3 in correspondence to the dispensing opening 5.
This embodiment operates as follows.
The device 1 is manufactured by injection moulding of two separate pieces: one piece is made up of the hollow bellows body 3, spacer element 11, closing means 6 and gripping means 16 made in a single monolithic body, while the other piece consists in the closing bottom 21.
Once the hollow bellows body 3 is filled with the adhesive fluid substance 4 and the second axial end 3b is closed with the closing bottom 21, the device 1 is ready to be distributed on the market.
To apply the adhesive fluid substance 4, the user removes the dividing wall 8 and presses the closing bottom 21 to crush the hollow bellows body 3 and dispense the product.
In this phase, the particular shape of the closing bottom 21 allows the protuberance 22 to occupy almost all the space inside the hollow bellows body 3 in the end-of-dispensing configuration, allowing the dispensing of the substantial totality of the adhesive fluid substance 4 contained in the device 1.
It has in fact been ascertained how the described invention achieves the set objects.
In particular, the fact is underlined that the device according to the invention contains just one dose of adhesive fluid substance, thereby preventing users from incurring in overdoses and/or underdoses.
The particular solution of providing a hollow bellows body also allows obtaining a particularly compact and at the same time functional device that can be manufactured with very limited costs and used in a practical, easy and perfectly hygienic way.

Claims

Single-dose device (1) for dispensing adhesive fluid substances, particularly for the application of hygienising substances on bathroom fixtures and the like, comprising:
- a hollow bellows body (3) which is suitable for containing just one dose of adhesive fluid substance (4) having self-adhesive properties to allow it to stick to a surface (2), said hollow bellows body (3) having at least a dispensing opening (5) for the application of said adhesive fluid substance (4) on said surface (2), wherein said adhesive fluid substance (4) remains attached to said surface (2),

- removable closing means (6) of said dispensing opening (5),

- at least a spacer element (11) suitable for keeping said dispensing opening (5) at a distance from said surface (2) during the application of said adhesive fluid substance (4), and

- gripping means (16) which are suitable for allowing a user to grip said spacer element (11) with fingers (17),
characterized by the fact that said spacer element (11) is substantially lobe shaped and has an edge (12) suitable for coming into contact with said surface (2), and by the fact that said gripping means (16) comprise at least one between an annular pad and a fin placed underneath said lobe (11) and made up in a single monolithic body with said lobe (11).
Device (1) according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that said at least one between an annular pad (16) and a fin (16) has transversal dimensions which are substantially larger than said hollow bellows body (3).
Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said lobe (11) has a concave inner face.
Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that it comprises at least a protective cover (18) associable with said edge (12) of the lobe (11).
Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said hollow bellows body (3) comprises a tubular wall foldable onto itself and having a first axial end (3 a) in which said dispensing opening (5) is obtained and a second axial end (3b) opposite said first axial end (3a).
Device (1) according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that said second axial end (3b) is made closed.
Device (1) according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that said second axial end (3b) is made open and closable with a closing bottom (21).
Device (1) according to claim 7, characterised by the fact that said closing bottom (21) is shaped to define at least a protuberance (22) that can be placed inside said hollow bellows body (3).
Device (1) according to claim 8, characterised by the fact that said protuberance (22) is at least partially complementary to the inner face of said hollow bellows body (3) in correspondence to said dispensing opening (5).
Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said closing means (6) comprise at least a cap (7) associable with said hollow bellows body (3) in correspondence to said dispensing opening (5).
Device (1) according to claim 10, characterised by the fact that said cap (7) comprises at least a threaded portion (14) for screwing in said spacer element (11).
Device (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterised by the fact that said closing means (6) comprise at least a dividing wall (8) removable by tearing off from said cap (7).
Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said closing means (6) comprise at least a dividing wall (8) removable by tearing off from said spacer element (11).
Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said spacer element (11) and said closing means (6) are made up in a single monolithic body.
Device (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that said spacer element (11) and said hollow bellows body (3) are made up in a single monolithic body.