EP3133217A1 - Wc dispensing container - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a holding device (1) for holding active substance molded articles (2) in a toilet bowl (3) and to a WC active substance dispensing device (20) having such a holding device (1) and active substance molded articles (2). The holding device (1) has a suspension device (4) for attaching the holding device (1) to an edge of the toilet bowl (3), and at least three basket chambers (5, 6) each for receiving an active ingredient molded article (2). The basket chambers (5, 6) are arranged side by side in a longitudinal direction, so that they are positioned side by side substantially below along the lower edge of the edge of the toilet bowl (3) in the manner of a straight chain. They each have a downwardly facing floor (7), a front wall (8) which faces away from the nearest wall of the toilet bowl (3) and which has viewing openings (9), a ceiling wall (10) pointing in the direction of the suspension device (4) ) which extends from the front wall (8) to the rear only to a central region above the bottom (7), and a front wall (8) facing away from the rear wall (11), which at least at a central Körbchenkammer ( 5) extends from the bottom (7) upwards to the ceiling wall (10) only into a central region of the front wall (8), so that in each case a cutout (12) remains as a water inlet in a rear upper region of the basket chambers (6), which extends from the trailing edge of the ceiling wall (10) to the upper edge of the rear wall (11). In this case, two in the chain outside arranged basket chambers (6) each on its outer sides of the bottom (7), the top wall (10), the front wall (8) and the rear wall (11) connecting outer side walls (13), which also extend in the area laterally of the water inlet as a side splash guard.

Description

The present invention relates to a holding device and a WC-drug delivery device for mounting in a toilet bowl.

Such holding devices, also known as "toilet bowls", are used to hold chemical compositions which are usually released during a rinsing process at least partially into the rinsing water of the toilet bowl. Such compositions are referred to hereinafter as "active ingredients". These active ingredients can represent a cleaning agent, but on the other hand also contain other chemical compositions, in particular fragrance compositions that are less in the rinse water, but rather (often preferably exclusively) to the ambient air of the toilet bowl, ie in a toilet room to be discharged. As a rule, the cleaning agent is dispensed into the rinsing water on demand, ie in a rinsing process, while fragrance of a fragrance unit is also continuously released into the ambient air. For this reason, cleaning and fragrance agents are kept in separate chambers in some embodiments known from practice. Examples of this show the WO 2006/013322 A1 or the WO 2015/048657 A1 , However, variants are also known in practice which combine cleaning and fragrancing agents in one composition, ie in an active substance molding in a chamber.

Thus, a device is known which comprises a front shell and a rear shell, which can be connected to one another and hung together by means of a suspension device in the edge of a toilet bowl. The interior of the holding device is subdivided into a plurality of separate receiving areas, namely into a first receiving area for receiving a cleaning agent unit, a second receiving area for receiving a fragrance unit and a third receiving area, again for receiving a cleaning agent unit. This division into contiguous receiving areas is realized by folding the front shell and the rear shell together, wherein in each case complementarily arranged webs in the front and the rear shell provide for a subdivision into the three receiving areas.

Currently known holding devices, as in the DE 10 2008 037 723 A1 or the US 2015/0167282 A1 , provide various round, for example, spherical or cylindrically symmetric forms for the active ingredient contained. These pressed molded bodies have the advantage that they are largely uniformly washed around from all sides and so the original shape is essentially preserved. Since this effect occurs only in spherical or cylindrically symmetrical forms, the geometric design freedom of these active ingredient tablets is severely limited. Another disadvantage is that round and in particular spherical body are more expensive to manufacture. However, angular geometries of the active ingredient tablets quickly lose their initial shape, since their surface is not uniformly washed around.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a holding device and a WC drug delivery device for polygonal active ingredient tablets and to maintain their shape during rinsing longer.

This object is achieved on the one hand by a holding device according to claim 1 and a WC active ingredient dispensing device according to claim 10.

According to the invention, the holding device, the so-called toilet bowl, serves as a holder for active ingredient tablets. These are preferably designed in the form of polygonal blocks of active substance and are therefore referred to below as such, without limiting the generality to this special shaped body. Polygonal is generally polygonal. Thus, explicitly no spherical or cylindrical shapes are included, but in contrast forms such as pyramids, rhombohedron, cuboid and / or cubes. The holding device thus absorbs the drug blocks in designated areas. It is hung with a hanger on one edge of a toilet bowl. The suspension device thus keeps it in position during any rinsing operations. For holding the blocks of active substance, the holding device comprises at least three cup chambers, that is, at least one middle and two outer. The term "cup chamber" describes a small chamber, ie a cavity enclosed by outer walls, with openings distributed in a basket over the surface. In the following, the terms "cup chamber" and "chamber" are used interchangeably. When flushing these chambers, a portion of a drug contained in the drug blocks active ingredient and / or fragrance is dissolved and released in the toilet bowl for cleaning purposes or in the surrounding space for air freshening each rinse.

The basket chambers are arranged side by side in a longitudinal direction in the manner of a substantially rectilinear chain. A cup chamber is thus lined up in a chain between the adjacent cup chambers and the centers of the Chambers are essentially only shifted in the longitudinal direction. Here, "essentially" here means that they optionally have at most a slight curvature, but preferably form a straight line. The longitudinal direction is thus defined as an axis through the center points of the basket chambers and is perpendicular to the suspension device. In a state of the holding device suspended as intended in the toilet bowl, the cup chambers are positioned over the suspension device below along the lower edge of the rim of the toilet bowl. They form almost a bowstring to the toilet bowl. By "lower edge" here is meant the projection inside the toilet bowl, from which the flushing water emerges, in contrast to the upper edge, on which the toilet seat rests. Through this positioning, the cup chambers are advantageously flowed through during rinsing mainly from behind.

The basket chambers each have a hinged in the toilet bowl in the intended state of the holding device downwardly facing bottom. Furthermore, they each have a front wall which faces away from the nearest wall of the toilet bowl in the state of the holding device suspended as intended in the toilet bowl and which has viewing apertures. These are used to control the consumption level of the drug blocks. The user can thus visually determine through these openings how much active substance is still present. In addition, the cup chambers comprise a facing in the direction of the suspension ceiling wall, which extends from the front wall to the rear only to a central region above the floor and facing away from the front wall, thus facing the nearest wall of the toilet bowl, rear wall. This is preferably designed with water outlet. It extends at least in a central cup chamber from the bottom upwards to the ceiling wall out only in a central region of the height of the front wall. This leaves a back upper area, i. H. the edge region, the cup chambers each have a cutout as a water inlet, which extends from the trailing edge of the ceiling wall to the upper edge of the rear wall.

Two in the chain outside arranged basket chambers each have on their outer sides outer side walls. These connect on just the sides that do not point to the central basket, the bottom, the ceiling wall, the front wall and the rear wall and also extend in the area laterally of the water inlet as a side splash guard. Unlike the embodiments known from practice, is this reduces the water input on the outer sides. The basket chambers are thus essentially enclosed on all sides by walls. An exception to this is the cut-out area of the imaginary top edge where the water inlet is located.

A WC active substance delivery device according to the invention comprises a holding device according to the invention and, arranged therein, a number of active substance shaped bodies. In this case, there is ever a drug block in a cup chamber, as already stated above. When flushed, the bulk of the water flows through the water inlet into the cup chamber. There she is led past the drug block, and dissolves its active ingredients over time, especially from the back. As a result, the front visible side is retained longer, which improves the visual impression. In contrast to the toilet bowls known from practice, however, according to the invention, the outer sides are further pulled up to reduce the water flowing in from there and designed as a splash guard. Otherwise, especially at the outer sides of the WC active agent delivery device, a greater flow of water occurs, ie. H. also to a larger removal of the drug block. For here the holding device, as described above, borders on the edge of the toilet bowl, like a bowstring. In addition, the rinse water in the toilet bowl is usually added centrally from behind and then flows horizontally along the edge along, so that the water surge mainly meets laterally on the basket. By reducing this above-average water input, the outer active ingredient blocks are more uniformly flowed and consumed, so that in particular the form visible from the front is retained longer. Above all, this has the advantage, in addition to optical advantages, that the drug blocks are completely coincidentally completely worn out and thus can be used more efficiently. Because so the consumer can advantageously conveniently exchange the entire holding device, without having to wait long, possibly all drug residues are solved.

Further particularly advantageous refinements and developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description, wherein the claims of a particular category can also be developed according to the dependent claims of another category and features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the basket chambers are formed as a single basket with two connecting the rear wall and the front wall side walls. That means they each have their own walls and are separated from the neighboring baskets. This separation thus takes place by means of an actual distance between adjacent cup chambers and not just like a single large cup through a dividing wall. The cup chambers as well as the drug blocks can basically have different shapes and sizes; however, preferred are uniform geometries and dimensions. Because this advantageously simplifies the manufacturing process.

According to the invention, adjacent individual baskets are preferably connected to each other by a web. The webs are preferably arranged in the region of a mean height of the chambers and separate the individual cup chambers from each other.

In a further embodiment of a holding device according to the invention, the outer side walls of the outside arranged Körbchenkammern also extend in the area laterally beyond the water inlet on the rear wall to the ceiling wall and back beyond the ceiling wall to the rear wall. This further limits the lateral entry of water while maintaining the given basket height and thus promotes a uniform removal rate on the sides of the active substance block. The rate of removal refers to the rate at which the block of active substance is released and washed away - that is, removed.

Preferably, a holding device according to the invention has at least four in a chain side by side arranged basket chambers, as described above.

The preferred length of a holding device according to the invention in the longitudinal direction is at least 9 cm, more preferably at least 12 cm. As a result, a wide area of the toilet bowl can be supplied with active substance.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the basket chambers are each formed as two half-shells. All chambers are thus divided substantially centrally in a vertical and longitudinal cutting plane. Preferably, the webs are divided into two parts at this center plane and connect each other in the longitudinal direction adjacent half shells. The half shells are about a film hinge in the range connected to the ground. By this design, it is possible to create the entire holding device in one piece in an injection molding process. In a further production step, the half-shells on the one hand of the cutting plane can then be filled with the active substance blocks and, with the aid of the film hinge, simply be folded together with the half-shells on the other hand of the cutting plane.

The rear wall of a further example of a holding device according to the invention extends in all central cup chambers from the bottom upwards to the ceiling wall only into a central region of the front wall. In other words, the rear wall is substantially parallel to the front wall and about half as high as this - preferably 45 to 70%, most preferably 55 to 65%, of the height of the front. As a result, the removal rate for the drug blocks can be further aligned.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the rear wall of the outer Körbchenkammern extends on a side facing the central Körkchenkammern side from the bottom upwards to the ceiling wall only up to a central region of the front wall. Starting from there and rising towards the outside, it continues to extend approximately to, preferably exactly, to the height of the outer side wall. In other words, this rear wall is parallel to the front wall and begins on the inside in about half as high as the front wall, so preferably as high as in the inner cup chambers, d. H. preferably 45 to 70%, most preferably 55 to 65%, of the height of the front. Then, however, their edge is led up to the area of the upper edge of the side wall, so that the rear wall and side wall preferably complete plan. This embodiment additionally reduces the water flow in the outer regions, which in turn further adapts the removal rate between the outer and inner side in the outer active substance blocks.

• Figur 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer WC-Wirkstoffabgabevorrichtung mit einem Ausführungsbeispiel einer Haltevorrichtung und darin angeordneten Wirkstoffblöcken,
• Figur 2 eine Rückansicht der Haltevorrichtung aus Figur 1,
• Figur 3 eine Frontalansicht der Haltevorrichtung aus Figur 1 und
• Figur 4 eine Draufsicht auf die Haltevorrichtung aus Figur 1 mit schematisch angedeutetem Teil eines Toilettenschüsselrands.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures with reference to embodiments. The same components are provided with identical reference numerals in the various figures. The figures are usually not to scale. Show it:

• FIG. 1 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a WC active substance dispensing device with an exemplary embodiment of a holding device and active substance blocks arranged therein.
• FIG. 2 a rear view of the holding device FIG. 1 .
• FIG. 3 a frontal view of the holding device FIG. 1 and
• FIG. 4 a plan view of the holding device FIG. 1 with schematically indicated part of a toilet bowl rim.

The figures will be described jointly below, since they all essentially only show several views of an exemplary embodiment of a holding device 1 according to the invention. This comprises here a suspension device 4 and four lined up in the manner of a linear chain single basket 5, 6 in the form of individual baskets. Two individual baskets are located at the ends of the chain and form the outer individual baskets 6. The other two are arranged between the latter and are thus referred to as inner Einzelkörbchen 5. The suspension device 4 is designed here as a bendable bracket, which can be clamped to a toilet bowl 3. It is fastened via a connecting element to the two middle individual baskets 5.

The individual baskets 5, 6 are substantially cuboid and thus have 6 side surfaces. All side surfaces are here designed as flat walls, which have only slight rounding in edge areas. In an alternative embodiment, however, they can also be made slightly curved, for example. The walls enclose a likewise cuboidal cavity. To define the orientation of the walls is in particular on FIG. 4 referenced; because here is an example of a proper operation of toilet bowl 3 and holding device 1 is shown. In each case a ceiling wall 10 has in the direction of the suspension 4. Your opposite is ever a floor 7. Depending on a rear wall 11 points in the direction of the toilet bowl 3. Your opposite there is a front wall 8. The remaining walls are side walls 13, 14, wherein the holding device 1 is closed by the outer side walls 14 to the sides as a unit.

The front wall 8 has a square surface which has propeller-shaped viewing apertures 9. However, these openings can be designed in any other form. Crucial is only that can be controlled through the viewing openings of the consumption of the active ingredient. The top wall 10 extends from the front wall 8 in the direction of the rear wall 11 only approximately to the middle of the individual baskets 5, 6 above the bottom 7. The rear wall 11 is sufficient in the inner single basket 5 from the bottom 7 upwards to the ceiling wall 10 out only slightly above the height of the center of the front wall 8, z. B. in about 60% of the height. Here it has vertical strips as water outlet openings 21. But equally well, other forms are possible. The rear walls of the outer individual baskets 6 start on the insides just as in the inner individual baskets 5 slightly above the height of the center of the basket. However, here the rear wall 11 is guided from the inside to the outside in an arc up to the height of the ceiling wall 10. The inner side walls 14 extend in the front half of the individual baskets 5, 6 over their entire height. Towards the rear half, there is a step in the inner side walls 14, so that here they only have slightly more than half the height and thus connect flush to the rear wall 11. This stage does not have the outer side walls 13, they extend completely over the entire height of the outer individual basket 6, so that they also connect flush to the raised rear walls of the outer Einzelkörbchen 6. As a result of this shape of the individual baskets 5, 6, in each case a cutout 12 results in the rear upper region, which serves as a large-scale water inlet. This is larger in the inner single basket 5 and experiences in the outer single basket 6 by the raised rear wall 11 a reduction.

As described above, the individual baskets 5, 6 are arranged in the manner of a linear chain. That is, their centers are on a straight line defining a longitudinal direction LR. Along this chain adjacent individual baskets 5, 6 are connected by webs 15, which are arranged both vertically and in the direction of the front wall 8 to the rear wall 11 centrally with respect to the inner side walls 14 of the Einzelkörbchen 5, 6. The entire exemplary embodiment has a mirror symmetry to a center plane. In this case, this center plane denotes a plane running centrally through the device, which plane is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction LR. The extension of the device in the longitudinal direction LR is slightly more than 12 cm.

The individual baskets 5, 6 are additionally designed as half-shells and divided into two parts at a sectional plane in the front half-shell 16 and the rear half-shell 17. In this case, the cutting plane extends perpendicular to the direction from front wall 8 to rear wall 11 and in the middle of the individual basket 5, 6. The webs 15 are also halved by the cutting plane, so that each web half further adjacent single baskets 5, 6 in the longitudinal direction LR together. The resulting from front half shell 16 and rear half shell 17 pairs are hingedly connected in the region of the bottom 7 via a film hinge 18. In the closed position, they are secured by locking pins 19 which in the area the webs engage in corresponding detent openings. Alternatively, for example, expansion rivets or snaps can be used as a fixture. In this case, all locking pins can be located on one side, but the pins and openings can also be arranged, for example, alternately. An advantage of this design is that it can be manufactured in one piece in an injection molding process. After injection molding, an active substance shaped body 2 can simply be inserted in the production per single basket 5, 6. The half-shells are then folded up and closed over the locks.

In FIG. 1 The individual baskets 5, 6 each contain one of these active ingredient shaped bodies 2, which is embodied here as a rectangular block of active substance with a square base area. The drug block can contain a combination of perfume and cleaning agent. Likewise, it is also possible to deposit fragrance and detergent separated in different individual baskets. FIG. 1 Overall, an exemplary embodiment of a toilet active ingredient dispensing device 20 according to the invention. In the operating state, it is suspended in a toilet bowl 3, so that it flushes during the rinsing process and thereby the active ingredient blocks contained in the drug is released. Due to the advantageous shape according to the invention, the water flow which is relatively strong in the outer regions of the outer individual cups 6 is reduced. As a result, a more uniform removal rate of the drug blocks is achieved overall, so that their shape is kept as long as possible visually appealing and the drug blocks are completely consumed simultaneously as possible.

It is finally pointed out once again that the devices described in detail above are only exemplary embodiments which can be modified by the person skilled in many different ways without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, it may be favorable for Endverpackungsgründen not to produce the entire holding device in one piece, but for example to produce the suspension separately and to attach later, for example, from the consumer. In addition, the suspension could be provided with a detent, so that it can be adapted to different toilet bowls. Furthermore, the use of the indefinite article "on" or "one" does not exclude that the characteristics in question may also be present multiple times.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

holder

2

Drug moldings

3

toilet bowl

4

suspension

5

inner cup chamber, inner single basket

6

outer cup chamber, outer single basket

7

ground

8th

front wall

9

viewing ports

10

ceiling wall

11

rear wall

12

neckline

13

outer side walls

14

side walls

15

web

16

front half shell

17

rear half shell

18

film hinge

19

lock

20

WC-drug delivery device

21

water outlet

LR

longitudinal direction

Claims (10)

Holding device (1) for holding active substance molded articles (2) in a toilet bowl (3) with a suspension device (4) which is designed to attach the holding device (1) to an edge of the toilet bowl (3) and having at least three cup chambers (3). 5, 6) each for receiving an active ingredient molded article (2),
wherein the cup chambers (5, 6) are arranged side by side in a longitudinal direction so that they are in a state of the holding device (1) hinged in the toilet bowl (3) substantially below the lower edge of the toilet bowl (3) in the manner of a rectilinear one Chain are positioned next to each other,
and wherein the basket chambers (5, 6) respectively - a conditionally in the toilet bowl (3) hinged state of the holding device (1) downwardly facing bottom (7), - A front wall (8), which in the intended purpose in the toilet bowl (3) hinged state of the holding device (1) facing away from the nearest wall of the toilet bowl (3) and which has viewing apertures (9), - A in the direction of the suspension device (4) facing ceiling wall (10) which extends from the front wall (8) from the rear only to a central region above the bottom (7), - A of the front wall (8) facing away from the rear wall (11), which extends at least in a central cup chamber (5) from the bottom (7) upwards to the ceiling wall (10) out only into a central region of the front wall (8) in such a way that in each case a cutout (12) as water inlet, which extends from the trailing edge of the top wall (10) to the top edge of the rear wall (11), remains in a rear upper area of the basket chambers (6), and wherein two in the chain outside arranged basket chambers (6) each at their outer sides of the bottom (7), the top wall (10), the front wall (8) and the rear wall (11) connecting outer side walls (13), which also extend in the area laterally of the water inlet as a side splash guard. Holding device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the basket chambers (5, 6) as a single basket with two the rear wall (11) and the front wall (8) connecting side walls (13, 14) are formed. Holding device (1) according to claim 2, wherein adjacent individual baskets are each interconnected by a web (15). Holding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer side walls (13) of the outer basket chambers (6) also in the region laterally of the water inlet in each case above the rear wall (11) to the ceiling wall (10) and to the rear extend beyond the ceiling wall (10) to the rear wall (11). Holding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims with at least four juxtaposed basket chambers (5, 6). Retaining device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the length in the longitudinal direction (LR) is at least 9 cm, preferably more than 12 cm. Holding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cup chambers (5, 6) are each formed as two half-shells (16,17) which connects a film hinge (18) in the region of the bottom (7). Holding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear wall (11) extends from the bottom (7) upwards to the top wall (10) in all central cup chambers (5) only in a central region of the front wall (8) , Holding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rear wall (11) of the outer cup chambers (6) starting on a the middle cup chambers (5) facing side from the bottom (7) upwards to the top wall (10) out only until extends in a central region of the front wall (8) and the rear wall (11) extending outwardly to approximately the height of the outer side wall (13). Toilet active substance dispensing device (20) with a holding device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9 and a number of active ingredient tablets (2) arranged therein.

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