GB2125462A

GB2125462A - Toilet bowl cleaning system

Info

Publication number: GB2125462A
Application number: GB08220625A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Whiting
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-07-16
Filing date: 1982-07-16
Publication date: 1984-03-07
Also published as: GB2125462B

Abstract

Bleach or detergent for cleaning a toilet bowl is fed from a wall-mounted or other container 12 via a flexible pipe 13 to a perforated ring 11 fitted around and under the bowl rim, the ring perforations being in its upper wall so that when container 12 is squeezed or otherwise actuated detergent is sprayed onto the underside of the bowl rim. The container may hold an inverted squeezable canister of detergent cooperating with a one-way valve in the container base, and may be provided with finger indentations 22. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in toilet cleaning systems The invention relates to toilet cleaning systems.

The traditional way of cleaning the bowl of a toilet is to apply bleach or some other detergent around the inside wall of the bowl and then to distribute the bleach manually, usually via a scrubbing brush, around the bowl wall. This can be a tiring operation, and is fundamentally unsatisfactory because of the difficulty of cleaning properly around the underside of the rim of the bowl.

Some modern toilet installations incorporate means to dispense bleach or other cleaning agents into the flow of water down the bowl wall when the toilet is flushed. This can have advantages over the traditional manual cleaning system, but it is not cheap; it has to be designed and built into the toilet from the outset; and it still does not overcome the problem of cleaning around the underside of the bowl rim because the bleach is flushed downward rather than up under the rim by the flow of water.

The invention seeks to provide a toilet cleaning system which will more satisfactorily clean the underside of the bowl rim and which can if necessary be built into a toilet from the outset or alternatively fitted as an "add-on" system to an existing and otherwise conventional toilet.

According to the invention, in its broadest aspect, a toilet cleaning system comprises a ring which, in use, fits inside the bowl and around the bowl wall underneath the rim of the bowl; the ring is perforated and its perforations face the underside of the bowl rim when the ring is fitted into place in the bowl; a container for detergent is adapted to fit above the bowl and alongside the existing cistern (in a modern low-level toilet system) and/or on the wall behind or above the bowl; a detergent delivery pipe connects the detergent container to an infeed to the ring; and the container, when squeezed or otherwise actuated, sends detergent through the pipe, around the ring, and out of the perforations in a series of jets directed at the underside of the bowl rim.

One toilet cleaning system embodying the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. It is only an example of forms which the invention might take within its broadest aspect. It is, however, the best way currently known to the applicant of putting the invention into practice.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows the system in diagrammatic perspective; Figures 2 to 5 respectively show the detergent container/dispenser from above, from the front, from the back, and from one side; and Figures 6 and 7 respectively show the container lid viewed from its back edge and its front edge.

In Figure 1, a ring referenced 11 is joined to an outlet in the base of a casing 12 by a length 13 of tubing. The ring 11 and casing 12 are made of plastics material which is relatively rigid, but which can be deformed resiliently to a limited extent. The tubing 13, by comparison, is flexible and is also made of plastics material.

As shown in the cross-section detail to Figure 1, the ring 11 is triangular in cross-section but it could equally well be circular-section or some other suitable section. It is perforated around its circumference, and the succession of perforations illustrated are each formed as a miniature convergent-divergent nozzle thorugh the ring wall. All the perforations are of identical size, and all of them face outwardly from the wall of the ring around the same pitch circle and are spaced identically from one another about that circle.

One respective end of the flexible tube 13 enters the ring via a union which need not be illustrated in detail. It could for example be a snap-on union, as illustrated, or it could be another releasable fitting or even a permanen-tlyheat-welded join between the tube end and the ring entry. Whatever the join used, fluid pumped along the tube 13 will enter and flow around the ring 11 and will, if sufficiently pressurised, be ejected through the perforations in the ring.

The end of the tube 13 which is not joined in the ring 11 is releasably coupled to an outlet in the base of the casing 1 2. As shown in Figure 4, the coupling in this particular embodiment comprises a gland nut 1 5 which makes screwthreaded connection with a union 1 6 which is itself a fluid-tight push-fit in the centre of the plastic disc 1 7 covering the outlet. To achieve a fluid-tight releasable coupling between the tube 13 and the casing outlet is well within the scope of the skilled addressee of this specification, and methods other than those illustrated could be used.

A one-way valve 1 8 is incorporated into the union 1 6. The valve is of proprietary design and be selected from known alternatives by the skilled reader. A plunger 1 8a from the valve protrudes into the casing from the top side of the plastic disc 17, and when the plunger 1 8a is depressed then the one-way valve is opened to admit fluid from the casing 12 to the tube 13. When pressure is taken off the plunger 1 8a, the plunger returns automatically to its illustrated position under spring biasing and shuts the valve.

The casing 12 is basically a four-sided hollow container which, as Figure 2 shows, is trapezoidal when viewed from above. It is so sized as to house a canister of detergent, which is illustrated only in broken line in the drawings and which can be selected from numerous alternative available products. The canister may be circular-cylindrical or rectangular in form, and when in position in the container 1 2 the canister outlet is pierced by the plunger 1 8a to connect the one-way valve 18 with the detergent inside the canister.

The periphery of the canister outlet seats on a vulcanised rubber seal 1 9 on the top side of the plastic disc 17.

The disc 17 is a removable plug-in fit on the under side of the container 12.

The sides and base of the container 12 are formed as a single integral moulding in suitable hygienic plastics material. The top cover which, when the detergent canister is fitted into place, closes off the container 12 is formed separately from the rest of the container. Figures 6 and 7 show its construction. It is essentially a flat plastics lid which has a flanged periphery. The back edge of the cover 21 (i.e. the edge fitting inside the back top periphery of the casing proper) has a series of tabs 21 a projecting from it. These tabs engage corresponding slots 1 2a formed through the back wall of the casing 12. Two similar tabs 21 b project from the front edge of the cover 21 to engage slots 1 2b in the front of the casing 12.

The tabs 21 a are each J-shaped in crosssection. The tabs 21 b are triangular in crosssection with their top edges projecting from the flange along the front edge of the cover 21 and their bottom edges blending into that flange. Thus the tabs 21 a effectively form a hinge with their co-operating slots 1 2a whilst the tabs 21 b form a snap-fit latch with their slots 12b. To open the cover, the front edge of the cover is flexed backwards (i.e. away from the adjacent edge of the casing 12) so that the tabs 21 b can be released from their slots 12b. The cover can then be hinged up about its back edge.

The back wall of the cover incorporates slots 1 2c to hook the cover over screw heads (not shown) projecting from the wall; or to hook it over prongs projecting from a side wall of the cistern itself. The cover back wall is reinforced internally in the areas surrounding the slots 1 2c as indicated in dotted line in Figure 4.

Finger-indentations 22 are recessed into the front of the casing 12. The casing wall is sufficiently flexible that when the indentations 22 are pressed, the canister of detergent is also compressed automatically, causing a squirt of detergent to pass through the one-way valve 1 8 and down the tube 13 into and around the ring 11. When pressure is released from the fingerindentations 22, the detergent canister wall expands again to its normal state and releases pressure from the oneway valve 1 8.

In use, as shown in Figure 11 , the ring 11 is so sized that it sits just underneath the rim of the toilet bowl. The casing 12 is hooked onto the wall adjacent the toilet cistern, or onto prongs projecting from the wall of the cistern itself, and the tube 13 couples the casing 12 to the ring 11.

In the illustrated embodiment the tube 13 is taped to the existing flush pipe of the toilet.

The tube 13 runs down along and behind the existing toilet flush pipe, and then comes over the back of the toilet and is fed into the bowl underneath an adjustable plastics clip 13a. The clip 1 3a sits on the rim of the bowl, between the bowl and the hinged seat (shown partly, in chain line) and prevents the pipe from being seen.

The ring 11 itself is also substantially hidden from view, because it is up under the inturned rim of the bowl to give the fluid jets the minimum distance to travel. For that reason the ring is, of course, inherently flexible so that it can be "snapped" into place under the bowl rim.

Every time the cleaning system is operated, jets of detergent strike the underside of the toilet bowl rim and will then automatically be flushed down the toilet when the cistern itself is flushed.

This toilet cleaning system is extremely efficient, and also economical because it is not necessary to clean the bowl with detergent every time the cistern is flushed; and the user can himself regulate the number of times the detergent is used.

This toilet cleaning system can be fitted to an existing toilet or could instead be built into a new one. In the last-mentioned case the tube 1 3 could be incorporated into the cistern flushing pipe.

Claims (Filed on 11/2/83) 1. A toilet cleaning system comprising a ring which, in use, fits inside the bowl and around the bowl wall underneath the rim of the bowl; the ring is perforated and its perforations face the underside of the bowl rim when the ring is fitted into place in the bowl; a container for detergent is adapted to fit above the bowl and alongside the existing cistern (in a modern low-level toilet system) and/or on the wall behind or above the bowl; a detergent delivery pipe connects the detergent container to an infeed to the ring; and the container, when squeezed or otherwise actuated, sends detergent through the pipe, around the ring, and out of the perforations in a series of jets directed at the the underside of the bowl rim.

2. A system according to Claim 1 and in which the ring is triangular in cross-section.

3. A system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 and in which the ring perforations are formed as miniature convergent-divergent nozzles.

4. A system according to any of the preceding claims and in which the detergent container is adapted to take refills in the form of proprietary cannisters.

5. A system according to Claim 4 and in which the detergent container is specifically adapted to be squeezed in a manner which will correspondingly squeeze the cannister of detergent inside it.

6. A system according to any of the preceding claims and in which the outside of the detergent container is formed with finger-indentations.

7. A system according to any of the preceding claims and in which the detergent delivery tube is flexible enough to be taped or otherwise secured to the existing flush pipe of the toilet.

8. A system according to any of the preceding claims and in which an adjustable clip sits, in use, on the rim of the toilet bowl and prevents the detergent delivery pipe from being seen.

9. A system according to any of the preceding claims and in which the perforated ring is

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The disc 17 is a removable plug-in fit on the under side of the container 12. The sides and base of the container 12 are formed as a single integral moulding in suitable hygienic plastics material. The top cover which, when the detergent canister is fitted into place, closes off the container 12 is formed separately from the rest of the container. Figures 6 and 7 show its construction. It is essentially a flat plastics lid which has a flanged periphery. The back edge of the cover 21 (i.e. the edge fitting inside the back top periphery of the casing proper) has a series of tabs 21 a projecting from it. These tabs engage corresponding slots 1 2a formed through the back wall of the casing 12. Two similar tabs 21 b project from the front edge of the cover 21 to engage slots 1 2b in the front of the casing 12. The tabs 21 a are each J-shaped in crosssection. The tabs 21 b are triangular in crosssection with their top edges projecting from the flange along the front edge of the cover 21 and their bottom edges blending into that flange. Thus the tabs 21 a effectively form a hinge with their co-operating slots 1 2a whilst the tabs 21 b form a snap-fit latch with their slots 12b. To open the cover, the front edge of the cover is flexed backwards (i.e. away from the adjacent edge of the casing 12) so that the tabs 21 b can be released from their slots 12b. The cover can then be hinged up about its back edge. The back wall of the cover incorporates slots 1 2c to hook the cover over screw heads (not shown) projecting from the wall; or to hook it over prongs projecting from a side wall of the cistern itself. The cover back wall is reinforced internally in the areas surrounding the slots 1 2c as indicated in dotted line in Figure 4. Finger-indentations 22 are recessed into the front of the casing 12. The casing wall is sufficiently flexible that when the indentations 22 are pressed, the canister of detergent is also compressed automatically, causing a squirt of detergent to pass through the one-way valve 1 8 and down the tube 13 into and around the ring 11. When pressure is released from the fingerindentations 22, the detergent canister wall expands again to its normal state and releases pressure from the oneway valve 1 8. In use, as shown in Figure 11 , the ring 11 is so sized that it sits just underneath the rim of the toilet bowl. The casing 12 is hooked onto the wall adjacent the toilet cistern, or onto prongs projecting from the wall of the cistern itself, and the tube 13 couples the casing 12 to the ring 11. In the illustrated embodiment the tube 13 is taped to the existing flush pipe of the toilet. The tube 13 runs down along and behind the existing toilet flush pipe, and then comes over the back of the toilet and is fed into the bowl underneath an adjustable plastics clip 13a. The clip 1 3a sits on the rim of the bowl, between the bowl and the hinged seat (shown partly, in chain line) and prevents the pipe from being seen. The ring 11 itself is also substantially hidden from view, because it is up under the inturned rim of the bowl to give the fluid jets the minimum distance to travel. For that reason the ring is, of course, inherently flexible so that it can be "snapped" into place under the bowl rim. Every time the cleaning system is operated, jets of detergent strike the underside of the toilet bowl rim and will then automatically be flushed down the toilet when the cistern itself is flushed. This toilet cleaning system is extremely efficient, and also economical because it is not necessary to clean the bowl with detergent every time the cistern is flushed; and the user can himself regulate the number of times the detergent is used. This toilet cleaning system can be fitted to an existing toilet or could instead be built into a new one. In the last-mentioned case the tube 1 3 could be incorporated into the cistern flushing pipe. Claims (Filed on 11/2/83)

1. A toilet cleaning system comprising a ring which, in use, fits inside the bowl and around the bowl wall underneath the rim of the bowl; the ring is perforated and its perforations face the underside of the bowl rim when the ring is fitted into place in the bowl; a container for detergent is adapted to fit above the bowl and alongside the existing cistern (in a modern low-level toilet system) and/or on the wall behind or above the bowl; a detergent delivery pipe connects the detergent container to an infeed to the ring; and the container, when squeezed or otherwise actuated, sends detergent through the pipe, around the ring, and out of the perforations in a series of jets directed at the the underside of the bowl rim.

sufficiently flexible that it can be "snapped" into place under the bowl rim.

1 0. A toilet cleaning system substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying dawings.

11. A toilet installation fitted with or incorporating a toilet cleaning system in accordance with any of the preceding claims.

1 2. Means, relating to an essential element of the invention, suitable for putting or intended to put into practice the invention defined in any of the preceding claims.