ES2268642T3 - LIQUID ACTIVE SUBSTANCE DISTRIBUTOR FOR TOILET CUP. - Google Patents

Abstract

Distributor of liquid active substance for a toilet bowl, intended to be housed in the toilet bowl, comprising: to contain the active substance (R) in a liquid state, a bottle (11) having an outlet (12) for the active substance (R) and support means (20), separated from the bottle (11), to support said bottle (11) in an inverted position, its mouth (12) facing down in a position subject to the action of the discharge water flow, comprising the support means (20): to contain the active substance, a reservoir (21) arranged in a position subject to the action of the discharge water flow and arranged to receive the mouth (12) of the bottle, at least one step of descent (35) of the active substance that allows the active substance to descend in a dosed manner into the container reservoir (21), at least one ventilation passage (31) which, when used, connect the internal camera of the bot it (11) with the ambient air, said container container (21) delimiting a volume to contain an amount of active substance that closes said step of lowering the active substance (35), discharging means of collection to the outside of the tank (21) symphonic (40) presenting an inlet (42 '') that sucks the liquid from the container tank at a level (L2) below the level of the lower outlet section (P1) of the mouth (12) of the bottle and an activation level above the level of said lower section (P1), said container reservoir (21) being enclosed within a collecting zone (50) arranged to temporarily hold the discharge water until reaching a level that activates the action of the collection means and then the water is released in the toilet bowl.

Description

Liquid active substance distributor for toilet bowl

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a distributor of liquid active substance intended to stay in the toilet bowl, and of the type comprising:

a bottle intended to contain the substance active in a liquid state, and which has a mouth of exit, and

support means, separated from the bottle, intended to support said bottle in an inverted position, with its mouth facing down, in a position subject to the discharge water flow action,

comprising the support means:

a container container of the active substance provided in a position subject to the action of the water flow of unloading and ready to receive the mouth of the bottle,

a closing element intended to close the mouth Of the bottle,

at least one step down for the active substance, which allows said active substance to descend dosed and enter the container tank, at least a ventilation step that, when used, associates the camera internal of the bottle with the ambient air,

said container container defining a volume to contain an amount of active substance that closes said step of decrease of the active substance.

Prior art

A distributor that presents the characteristics described is illustrated in international patent application No. WO 0348466 (this document is included in the terms of the Article 54 (3) CPE).

The liquid substance contained in the bottle descends through said descent step and accumulates in the container tank until reaching or almost reaching (without exceeding) the maximum level, thereby closing the step of descent to the substance active With an active substance that has a viscosity what high enough and with enough ventilation reduced, the active substance does not leave said descent step.

At this time, since his mouth is closed Hermetically, an environment is formed under vacuum at the top of the internal chamber of the bottle, which in combination with the external atmospheric pressure and the weight of the substance it contains the bottle reaches a static equilibrium, in which the substance It doesn't come out of the bottle.

When the discharge is activated, the discharge water penetrates the container tank and carries with it in small quantities a part of the active substance contained in said tank, in order to dilute it and release its deodorant / cleaning / cooling action.
tea / disinfectant

It has been experimentally observed that when a part of the active substance is carried, said action, probably together with the turbulence generated by the action of the discharge, makes a small amount of ventilation air between in the bottle through the ventilation passage. This changes the balance between the pressure in the bottle and the external pressure of such that a dosed decrease of an amount of the active substance, with the subsequent restoration of the level of container deposit

A problem that persists in the distributor is that only a small amount of water remains discharge at the top of the container tank to replace the part of the active substance R that has been carried; then said water that remains at the top of the tank is dragged, together with the ventilation air, towards the inside the bottle where the pressure is lower than the Exterior; with the result that as the amount increases of downloads made by the user, the active substance is diluted progressively, until its percentage is excessively reduced compared to water, to the point where the action positive of the active substance progressively reduces in its intensity unacceptably. This problem is avoided by provide, in the container tank, at least one opening drainage with a step size calibrated so that it allows the passage of water but prevents the passage of the active substance.

However, such a solution does not always result effective because its success depends on different values physical-chemical substance, temperature environment, precise construction dimensions, and shape Geometric toilet bowl, all of which are factors hard to control

Document DE 19901457 discloses a distributor of active substance in liquid state for the cup of the toilet, in which a gel substance contained in a first chamber is diluted with discharge water in a second chamber, adjacent to the first. This substance is then released. active in the cup, passing through a siphon provided in the lower base from the distributor.

An objective of the present invention is, therefore, in improving distributors of the mentioned type previously in such a way that said problem of the dissolution of the active substance contained in the bottle by An effective and reliable solution.

Exhibition of the invention

These and other objectives are achieved through the invention as defined in the claims.

A description is provided below. detailed of the invention, with the help of the attached figures, which illustrate an embodiment thereof by way of example no limitative.

Figure 1 represents a cross section of a first embodiment of the distributor of the invention according to the vertical plane of symmetry I-I of the Figure 2;

Figure 2 represents a plan view upper of the support means of Figure 1;

Figure 3 represents a section of the plane III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 3A represents an enlarged detail of Figure 3;

Figure 4 represents a perspective view of the support means of Figure 1, without the bottle;

Figure 5 represents a view similar to the Figure 3A, and illustrates a second embodiment of the means of collection;

Referring to the first form of embodiment, illustrated in Figures 1-4, the distributor of the invention (generally indicated by reference numerical 10) comprises a bottle 11 intended to contain, in its internal chamber, an active substance R of known type in state liquid (more or less viscous), capable of cleaning and / or deodorizing and / or cool with air and / or disinfect, and provided with an outlet 12 for the active substance R.

Also the distributor 10 comprises some support means 20 provided with common coupling means 28, in the form of an elongated and hooked element of material elastically flexible, by which it snaps into the flange top 8 of cup 7 of a toilet, and they are able to withstand said bottle 11 in an inverted position being its vertical axis or almost vertical and facing down its mouth 12, in a position subject to the action of the discharge water flow.

Bottle 11 is independent of the means of support 20 but is associated with them to be arranged in the cup of the toilet.

The distributor 10 as a whole, including the bottle 11, is intended to stay in toilet bowl 7 against its inner surface 71, under its upper flange 8 and exposed to the action of the discharge water flow. Usually, the water flow leaves or around the flange 8 coming from holes made in its lower part, or from a central rear mouth of the cup and is forced to flow in a tangential direction on the inner surface 71, below the flange 8.

The support means 20 comprise, for contain the active substance, a reservoir 21 being oriented its concavity up, in a position subject to the action of the discharge water flow and ready to receive the mouth 12 of the bottle, and further comprise a closure element 30 provided in said container container 21 to close the mouth of the bottle eleven.

Said container tank 21 comprises a wall of lower base 25 having an upper surface, in which the active substance accumulates, and a side wall substantially vertical 22, which extends upward from the bottom wall 25 and print a round angle around the mouth 12 of the bottle to define a volume intended to contain a quantity of substance. The inner diameter of the side wall 22 is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the outlet 12, so that said mouth may be contained in the side wall 22 at a reduced distance from it.

Preferably, said closure element 30 is in the form of an upwardly oriented part of the pipe, and that it is substantially cylindrical or slightly conical and coaxial with the bottle 11, its lower end being attached to the wall of base 25 and being closed by it. The pipe part 30 it has an upper end 30 'that protrudes upward beyond from the outlet 12 of the bottle when in association with the support means 20, the outlet 12 having a relation geometric with the pipe part 30 so that its surface inside tightly comprises the lateral surface of said pipe part 30.

In the illustrated embodiment, a step 35 is associated with said closure element 30, which allows the decrease of the active substance R from the internal chamber of the bottle 11 to container container 21, the amount of active substance collected by said deposit enough to close said descent step 35.

Said descent step 35 for the substance active is defined by a calibrated vertical step formed by a channel provided in the cross section of the lateral surface outside of the pipe part 30, starting from a point in the inside the chamber of the bottle 11 and finishing under the mouth of outlet 12 of said bottle 11; extending said step 35 by the entire height of the pipe part 30.

The distributor comprises at least one step of ventilation 31 which, in use, connects the internal chamber of the 11 bottle with ambient air. Preferably said step of ventilation is independent of the lowering passage 35 for the active substance R.

In the illustrated embodiment, the step of ventilation 31 is defined by a calibrated vertical passage formed by an arched channel provided in the cross section of the outer lateral surface of the pipe part 30, starting from one point below the outlet mouth 12 of the bottle and ending in the interior of the chamber of said bottle 11; spreading said step 31 over the entire height of the pipe part 30.

Deposit 21 is arranged to contain a determined maximum level of liquid (indicated with reference L1 in Figure 3A), and to contain the outlet mouth 12 of the bottle 11, its lower end outlet section being arranged (indicated with reference P1 in Figure 3A) below the level maximum of liquid L1.

The upper end edge of the side wall 22 determines the maximum level L1 of the liquid that accumulates in the tank twenty-one.

The side wall 22 has a number of wall extensions 22b in the form of projections, which protrude up beyond the upper edge of the wall 22 to define support means for the body 13 of the bottle 11 in order of positioning the mouth 12 of the bottle in a geometric relationship predetermined and accurate with pipe part 30 and reservoir 21. Bottle 11 has a projection 13 ', from which it protrudes a cylindrical neck 14 presenting at its end the mouth 12. The Highlights formed by extensions 22b surround mouth 12 and the neck 14 of bottle 11 when it is in position inverted, to provide support and receive the 13 'overhang in their upper end edges; when it is in that position the mouth 12 is inserted in the tank 21, its lower output section P1 at a level lower than the maximum level L1.

In greater detail, the mouth 12 comprises a annular element 12a rigidly fixed to the end of neck 14, at which is connected a circular disk 12b to hermetically close the port of passage for the active substance R.

The lower end surface of the element 12a delimits the passage section of the lower end P1. Bliss section P1 is at a reduced distance from the upper edge of the side wall 22 of the tank 21, so that a narrow passage (indicated with F) for discharge water in direction of the concavity of the reservoir 21.

Specifically, the pipe part 30 is inclined cut to produce an upper point that protrudes upward at a distance that penetrates the mouth 12 of the bottle when said bottle is placed in its position of use.

In order to arrange the bottle 11 in its position of use, is entered and pushed down manually to make the pipe part 30 penetrate it so that the tube point separate or remove by tearing the circular disc 12b of the annular element 12a, to allow the active substance R in the bottle 11 descends through the outlet 12. support means 20 together with the bottle 11 coupled thereto way, they are then placed in the toilet bowl of such so that the base wall 25 is substantially horizontal or almost horizontal, and the discharge water supplied to the cup of the Toilet hits the area where the tank 21 is located.

According to the invention, means of symphonic pickup 40 comprising an input that attracts the liquid from container container 21 at a level L2 lower than the bottom outlet section P1 of the mouth of the bottle, and discharge out of the tank 21.

The collection means 40 comprise a vertical conduit 41 that is attached to the base wall 25 and the crosses, defining its lower section the output of the means of catchment. A plug is arranged above the vertical duct 41 42 with its concavity facing down to cover the mouth upper 41 'of the duct 41, and its lower edge being arranged 42 'at a level lower than the upper mouth 41' of the duct 41. Said bottom edge 42 'delimits the trap inlet mouth and is provided at said level L2 which is less than level P1.

The upper mouth 41 'of the duct 41 delimits, instead, the activation level, that is, the minimum level of that the liquid must exceed to activate the action of the siphon; bliss mouth 41 'is arranged at a level greater than that of the section lower P1 of the mouth 41 'and also greater than the level L1.

In the plan view, the side wall 22 is extends as a closed ring that passes partially around the pipe part 30 at a distance from it and passes partially around the collection means 40 at a distance thereof, to enclose both in container container 21.

Said container tank 21 is enclosed in a collecting zone 50 arranged to temporarily hold water of discharge until it reaches such a level that activates the means of uptake 40, and then release the water in the cup of the toilet.

Said collecting zone comprises a platform horizontal 51, which, in practice, consists of a extension of the base wall 25 and surrounds the collection surface of the tank 21, the platform being attached to a wall substantially vertical side 52 surrounding platform 51 in its assembly and reservoir 21, at a distance from the side wall 22 of the same; the wall 52 is provided with a number of openings wide 53 for the passage of water, said openings reaching the platform level 51.

The active substance (liquid) R contained in the bottle 11 descends through mouth 12 (open) and fills the closed interior space of the pipe part 30; said substance flows outwardly only through step 35, from the which descends to the tank 21 where it accumulates until it reaches the level of section P1, but not exceeding the maximum level L1.

When using an active substance R that presents a suitable viscosity (for example a weight of 1000-3000x102), it has been found that if provides for a ventilation passage 31 sufficiently reduced, the active substance R does not descend by step 31.

At this point, since mouth 12 is closed tightly, a vacuum environment is formed at the top D of the internal chamber of the bottle 11 above the level of the active substance R, which together with the ambient pressure outside and the weight of the substance contained in the bottle, reaches a static equilibrium, without the substance R leaving the bottle eleven.

When the discharge is activated, the water from discharge runs through tank 21 and carries a small amount of substance R contained in said reservoir 21, for dilute it and release its action deodorant / cleanser / refreshing / disinfectant in cup 7.

The same discharge water fills provisionally the collecting zone 50 and also the plug 42, for firing of in this way the action of the collection means 40, and then comes out quickly through the openings 53 that have a adequate dimension to allow rapid water drainage; without However, a small amount of water remains in the part upper tank 21 to replace the substance part activates R that has been removed by washing by the action of the chain. Said water located in the upper part of the tank 21 is sucked quickly through the action of the collection means, activated by the discharge water, which ceases when the level of reservoir liquid 21 falls to level L2.

In this way, two effects are achieved relevant. The first effect is that the top layer of liquid, composed mainly of water, is removed from the deposit 21, and the lower layer consisting substantially entirely in the active substance; in this way the risk of the water from the top layer is dragged into the interior of the bottle through the vacuum present in it, which would dilute each again the active substance inside the bottle during the use, up to a value that would no longer provide an action acceptable.

The input level L2 of the trap is set at a distance from the level of the lower section P2 of the mouth of such that a large part of the upper liquid layer, formed mainly by water, it is removed from reservoir 21, leaving in the same the liquid formed essentially by the substance active

The second effect is that being set the L2 level slightly below the section lower P1 of the mouth, when the liquid in the tank 21 reaches said level, the ventilation passage 31 is released provisionally so that a small amount of air from ventilation enters bottle 11 through step 31 and reaches the top D of the bottle chamber 11. This changes the balance between the pressure in the bottle and the pressure outside of the tank 21, which produces a calibrated descent of the active substance R until inside the tank 21 until, at exceed the level P1 of the mouth 12, close the step of descent 35 for the substance as the ventilation passage 31, with the resulting restoration of the level of the deposit 21. In this regard, the difference between the input level of the L2 trap and the level of the lower section P2 of the mouth determines the amount of active substance that bottle 11 dispenses to tank 21, and that therefore it can be properly calibrated by this purpose

Still another advantage of the present invention it consists in that since the collection means 40 extract the layer upper liquid of the tank 21, said layer is prevented from following dripping from tank 21 and then into the toilet bowl a once the discharge water flow has stopped, as is the case with distributors of the known type; said drip action It is a problem particularly when the active liquid It has an intense color and drips on the inner surface of the cup, making it dirty leaving some unpleasant marks.

In the embodiment illustrated in the Figure 3A, the plug 42 consists of a constructed part independently of the support means M and has a number of radial fins 43 provided inside the cap without preventing passage of water, and by means of which said plug is fixed to the upper end of duct 41 thanks to forcing assembly of the inner edge of the fins 43 on said end higher.

In the embodiment illustrated in the Figure 5, the plug 42 consists of a piece formed as a single piece with bottle 11, to which it is attached by a band vertical 44, and it goes on to connect properly with the conduit 41, to define a collection means 40, when the bottle 11 it is arranged in its position of use with respect to the means of support 20.

They can be introduced in the present invention numerous modifications of a practical nature and application, but without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (2)

1. Distributor of liquid active substance for a toilet bowl, destined to stay in the toilet bowl toilet, comprising: to contain the active substance (R) in state liquid, a bottle (11) that has an outlet (12) for the active substance (R) and support means (20), separated from the bottle (11), to support said bottle (11) in position inverted, your mouth (12) facing down in a position subject to the action of the discharge water flow, comprising the support means (20): to contain the active substance, a deposit (21) arranged in a position subject to the flow action of the discharge water and ready to receive the mouth (12) of the bottle, at least one step of descent (35) of the active substance that allows the active substance to descend from Dosed way inside the container tank (21), at least one ventilation passage (31) that, when used, connect the internal chamber of the bottle (11) with the ambient air, delimiting said container deposit (21) a volume to contain an amount of active substance that closes said step of lowering the active substance (35), discharging the outside the tank (21) symphonic collection means (40) presenting an inlet (42 ') that sucks the liquid from the container tank at a level (L2) below the level of the lower outlet section (P1) of the mouth (12) of the bottle and a activation level above the level of said lower section (P1), said container container being enclosed (21) within a collecting zone (50) arranged to retain temporarily discharge water until it reaches a level that activates the action of the capture media and then the Water in the toilet bowl. 2. Distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a stopper (42) with its concavity facing down to cover the upper mouth (41 ') of a conduit (41) that crosses the base wall (25) of the container tank ( 21), delimiting said upper mouth (41 ') the level of activation of the collection means (40).