GB2188540A - Liquid delivery accessory - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid delivery accessory includes an elongate generally U-shaped tubular body (14) defining a liquid delivery passage in the body. Provision (20) is made to couple the body (14) to a container (22) of liquid whereby, when the container is inverted, liquid may flow downwardly from the container into the passage in one of the arms (15a) of the U-shaped body (14). The other arm (15c) of the body has an outlet aperture (58) from the passage, and a pad of absorbent mild abrasive material secured around it. When the body (14) is coupled to the container (22) to receive downwardly flowing liquid therefrom, and the container is disposed with its axis vertical, the arms (15a, 15c) of the U-shaped body extend at an inclination to the container axis, and the said other arm (15c) is below the one arm (15a) and is directed upwardly towards its free end (24). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Liquid delivery accessory This invention relates to a liquid delivery accessory which has particular utility in facilitating the cleaning oftoilet bowls.

United States patent 4,437, 585 to Duering discioses a squeeze bottle with an integral nozzle outlet positioned to facilitate the jetting of liquid in the bottle onto differnet surfaces within a toilet bowl. This arrangement makes no provision, however,forscour ing or scrubbing those surfaces and is therefore of quite limited effect. An earlier patentto Duering, British patent 1,033,582 depicts a flat cleaning foot covered with foamed rubber and supplied with cleaning solvent from a container via flexible tubing.

The foot has a reversely and outwardly directed heel portion which is enveloped by the foamed rubber and may thereby be employed to scour under the flushing rim of a toilet bowl. However, this device is not suitably dimensioned for cleaning the bottom ofthe bowl and the adjacent S-bend.

German patent application 2,040,496 by Dietsche shows a liquid delivery accessory adapted to fit onto a squeeze bottle. The accessory has a flow control valve, an upstanding stem with bristles atthe head, and a laterally projecting brush seg mentfor cleaning under theflushing rim. Attention is also drawn to a similar design in German patent application 2,831,205. Again, these accessories are of limited utility in effectively cleaning the various surfaces ofthe bowl.

It is an objective ofthe invention to provide a liquid delivery accessory of enhanced versatility in the cleaning oftoilet bowls.

The invention provides a liquid deliver accessory comprising: an elongate generally U-shaped body; a liquid delivery passage in said body; means for coupling the body to a container of liquid whereby liquid may flow downwardly from the container into said passage in one of said arms of the U-shaped body; and an outlet aperture from said passage in the other of said arms of the U-shaped body; said body being such that when it is coupled to said container to receive downwardly flowing liquid therefrom and the container is disposed with its axis vertical, said arms of the U-shaped body extend at an inclination to said axis, and said other arm is below saidfirstarm and is directed upwardly towards its free end.

The accessory preferably further includes a liquid absorbent cleaning pad mounted to said body so asto extend about the outside faces of said other arm and of the bridging portion ofthe U-shaped body, and to receive liquid from said outletaperture.

The body is advantageously an integrally moulded componentandincludesa hollowfunnel portion divergentfrom the free end of said one arm to guide liquid to said passage.

The bridging portion ofthe body preferably defines a substantially flat outside face.

Said one arm of the U-shaped body is conveniently substantially rigid but said other arm is capable of flexing with respect to said one arm.

Said outlet aperture is preferably defined by a hollow valve tip for other arm, of resiliently deformable material,which tip includes an outlet slit that remains substantially closed when the accessory is not in use but is opened by pressing the tip against a surface to be cleaned and thereby deforming the tip to open the slit.

Said coupling means preferably includes a tubular spigotfor piercing a closure wall of the container and thereby opening communication between the interior of the container and the passage in said body.

The coupling means advantageously further comprises a coupling ring which is detachably engageable with an open mouth of said body and includes said spigotand a skirt portion about said spigot which is detachably engageable with the neck of a bottle container. Said closurewall ofthecontaineris preferably a transverse membrane across the neck of the container.

The liquid absorbent cleaning pad may be retained on the body by co-operative engagement between a lug on the body and an aperture on the pad.

The accessory mayfurther include a detachable coverforthe cleaning pad and said other arm of the body. Such cover may include a tapered receptacle and a hingeable retention cap and advantageously includes aeration openingsforventilation and drying of the pad when the accessory is not in use.

The invention also provides a liquid delivery accessory comprising: an elongate generally U-shaped body; a liquid delivery passage in said body; means for coupling the body to a container of liquid whereby liquid may flow downwardlyfrom the container into said passage in one of said arms of the U-shaped body; and an outlet aperture from said passage in the other of said arms ofthe U-shaped body; wherein said outlet aperture is defined by a hollow valve tip for said other arm, of resiliently deformable material, which tip includes an outlet slit that remains substantially closed when the accessory is not in use but is opened by pressing the tip against a surface to be cleaned and thereby deforming the tip to open the slit.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a liquid deliver accessory designed and dimensioned for use in the cleaning oftoilet bowls and shown attached to a bottle containing liquid cleaner and/or disinfectant; Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a side elevational view and an upright axial cross-section ofthe assem blyofaccessoryand bottle shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a front elevation of the neck ofthe accessory; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a closure cap for the bottle; Figures 6 and 7 are respectively an axial cross section and an underneath viewofthe bottle closure cap; Figure7A is an enlargement ofthe portion-"A" of Figure7;; Figure 8 is a cross-section on the line 8-8 in Figure 7A; Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-section ofthe valvetip forming part ofthe accessory depicted in Figures 1 to 3; Figure 10 is an end view of the valve tip; Figure 11 is a plan view ofthe cleaning pad laid out flat; Figure 12 is an end view into the open protective cap forthe accessory; Figure 13 is an axial cross-section ofthe sealing plug for the bottle; Figure 14 is an axial cross-section ofthe coupling ring ofthe accessory; and Figures 1 SAto 15D are several somewhat di agrammatic sectional views of a toilet bowl showing the accessory of Figure 1 in position to clean different surfaces ofthe bowl.

The illustrated accessory 10 includes an integral blow-moulded neck 12 having a delivery tube 14 formed as a generallu U-shaped body and an intake funnel 16forthetube,an interchangeable coupling ring 20 for coupling neck 12 to a bottle 22, avalvetip 24 fortube 14, a liquid absorbent cleaning pad 26, and a protective cover 28. Accessory 10 is shown in Figures 1 to 3 mounted to a bottle 22 in the storage condition. It will be appreciated from whatfollows that the assembly is inverted for use in cleaning a toilet (as shown in Figures 14A-14D) but subsequent descrip- tion will assumefor conveniencethatthe assembly is in the storage condition.

U-shaped tube 14Of neck12 is of rectangular cross-section (Figure4) and includes a firstelongate arm or portion 1 5a extending upwardly outwardly from the apex of funnel 16, a short transverse bridging portion 1 5b with a substantial flat outside face 1 5e, and a second elongate arm orterminal portion 1 sic which in the storage condition is directed laterally downwardlywith respect to the upright axis of the bottle and istransversely tapered towards its free end (Figures4 and 10).Itwill be seen thatwhen bottle 22 is inverted and its axis is vertical, tube portions 1 Sa, 1 Sc extend at an inclination to the axis ofthe bottle and thatthetube portion 1 sic is below portion 15a and has its free end directed upwardly. The angle ofinclination of portion 15a is preferably between 25 and 60 , say about 300to 40 , to the bottle axis.

Tube portion 15a is slightly convergent away from the funnel and it, as well as funnel 16 and transverse tube portion 15b, are relativelythickwalled and strengthened by ribs 17a, 17b so asto achieve a substantially rigid structure. Terminal tube portion 1 5c, on the other hand, is thinnerwalled and unribbed so asto be readily capable ofsomeflexurewith respecttothe rest of the neck and to thereby accommodate structural variations in toilet bowls.

Bottle 22 is integrally blow-moulded in a resiliently deformable material to provide a frustoconical base 23a forstability, a reduced hand grip intermediate portion 23b, and a broadertop 23c with a reduced diameter externallythreaded neck 21.The ta pered land about the neck carries diametrically opposed external lugs 30 near its rim fora purpose hereinafter to be described.

A closure cap 40for bottle 22, not shown in Figures 1 to 3, is detailed in Figure 5to 8. As will be seen, it includes many ofthefeatures of coupling neck20 and indeed the two parts are quite complementary. Cap 40 is a one-piece moulding and includes a flat circular top 42 bridging an inner skirt44 and an outer skirt46. Skirt 44 is internallythreaded for detachably engaging the neck 21 of bottle 22 and both skirts are braced byfour equiangularly spaced radial webs 48 which extend between the skirts. Two ofthe diametrically opposed webs 48 have an outer depending extension 50 with a radially inwardly upwardly inclined bottom edge 51.

When the cap is tightened onto the bottle neck, web extensions 50 normally act as abutments striking lugs 30 on bottle 22 to prevent simple rotation of the cap on the bottle. The cap can only be removed ifthe upper side ofthe bottle, defined by shallow ribbing 31, is squeezed inwardly to depress lugs 30 below edges 51 and out of engagement with the web extensions 50.

This arrangement provides a child-proof safety feature.

Neck 21 of bottle 22 is sealingly closed buy a sealing plug 34 (Figures 3 and 13) which can be friction fitted or otherwise sealed into place after the bottle is filled.

Plug 34 includes a transverse membrane 36 with a central reduced-thickness portion 37.

Coupling ring 20 (Fig. 14) is similarto cap 40 (and thus its parts are indicated by like primed reference numerals) save fortwo significant differences. The ring includes a similar child-proof safety feature but additionally has an upstanding internallythreaded skirt 19 which detachably engages an externally threaded inwardly upset annular mouth 13 of funnel 16. Ring 20 also carries at its centre a depending tubular spigot 35 provided with an obliquely truncated bottom edge so as to define a tip for piercing and sealingly projecting through portion 37 of sealing membrane36.Plug 34 is designed sothatany attempt to refill and thereby re-use bottle 22, an unsafe and unhygienic practice, will cause slitting or widening of membrane36andthus ieaking ofthe bottle at the membrane when itis inverted on re-assembly with accessory 10.

Valve tip 24 (Figures 3,9 and 10) is a hollow cap of thermoplastic elastomeric rubberforthe terminal portion 1 sic oftube 14. Tube portion 1 sic ends in a reduced diameter nozzle 54 having an annular groove 55. Valvetip 24 has an inner annular rib 56 which engages groove 55 and retains the valve in place when it is press-fitted onto nozzle 54. Atranverse slit 58 in valve tip 24 provides for liquid flow communication between the interior cavity 57 ofthe valve and the exterior. The slit is at the inner margin of an upwardly kinked end portion 24a of the valve. This end portion 24a flattens out when it is pressed against a surfaceto be cleaned, whereby the valve body is deformed and the slit 58 opened, but immediately reverts to its base shape and closes the slit on release of pressure.

Liquid flowing from slit 58 first flows into and fills at least part of pad 26. Pad 226 is formed in a mildly abrasive liquid absorbent material which will not scratch the interior surface of a toilet bowl. It is shown in flatform in Figure 11. In situ,the pad isfolded about and substantially embraces both valve 24 and the terminal portion 15cofthetube 14: to facilitate this bending the pad is provided with opposed side notches 27. Atail portion 25 ofthe pad is arranged to extendabouttransversetube portion 15b overface 15e and the pad is held in place by engagement between an aperture 60inthe padtail and an outstanding lug 62 on tube 14.

Protective cover 28 for the accessory comprises a tapered open-topped receptacle 64 (Figures 1 to 3 and 12) which receivesthe pad 26 and the underlying terminal tube portion and valve.This receptacle has plural aeration apertures 66 (Figure 12) in its base for ventilating and thereby drying pad 26when the accessory is not in use. Receptacle 64 also carries three integral internal gussets 68 which engagethe pad and compress it against the opposed oblique end surface 24b of valve 24, so preventing opening of slit 58.

Cover28furtherincludesacap70securedto receptacle 64 by a web hinge 72. This cap closes over the tail portion ofthe pad, as best seen in Figure 3.

In use, cover 28 is removed,the illustrated assembly is inverted and lowered into a toilet bowl and the bottle squeezed hard to direct liquid under pressure from the bottle through spigot 35, funnel 16 and tube 14to valve 24. The valve is opened by a pressure contact with a surface and the cleaning pad impregnated by the expelled liquid. The flow rate can be increased bysqueezingthe bottle. The device is now readyforscrubbingthe various internal surfaces of the bowl and simultaneously applying cleaner and/or disinfectant, as shown in Figures 1 SAto 15D. Separate bottles of detergent and disinfectant may be successively attached to coupling ring 20. The device simultaneously scours a surfaceto which it is applying liquid.

Theelongateflatform of terminal portion 15c and its inclination to the axis ofthe bottle, make it ideal for scrubbing the main side surfaces of a toilet bowl (Figure 15A). Theterminal portion 1 sic ofthe tube with the attached pad is designed to be brought up behind the flush rim ofthetoilet (Figure 1 5B) sothatthe pad may scour away human excrement, scale and other stains as well as applying a good film ofdisinfectantto attack pathogenswhich readily develop in this area.

The smallertail portion 25 ofthe pad is employed to clean the sides of the bottom ofthe bowl (Figure 1 5C), an operation facilitated by the provision offlatface 15e and bythe sideways displacement ofthisface brought about bythe inclination of tube arm 15a. The inclined U-shape ofthe neck permits especially effective cleaning ofthe hidden area between the bowl bottom andtheoutlettrap or S-bend (Figure 15D). In all these operations, the hand holding the bottle, which is thereby serving as a handleforthe accessory, can be kept well clearofbowl surfaces and indeed need not descend much belowthe level oftheflushing rim.

Claims (21)

1. A liquid delivery accessory comprising: an elongate generally U-shaped body; a liquid delivery passage in said body; means for coupling the body to a container of liquid whereby liquid mayflow downwardlyfrom the container into said passage in one of said arms of the U-shaped body; and an outlet aperturefrom said passage in the other of said arms ofthe U-shaped body; said body being such thatwhen it is coupled to said container to receive downwardly flowing liquid therefrom and the container is disposed with its axis vertical, said arms of the U-shaped body extend at an inclination to said axis, and said other arm is below saidfirstarm and is directed upwardlytowards its free end.

2. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 further including a liquid absorbent cleaning pad mounted to said body so asto extend about the outside faces of said other arm and ofthe bridging portion ofthe U-shaped body, and to receive liquid from said outlet aperture.

3. Aliquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 wherein said body is an integrally moulded componentand includes a holiowfunnel portion divergent from the free end of said one arm to guide liquid to said passage.

4. Aliquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 wherein said bridging portion defines a substantial flat outsideface.

5. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 4 further including a liquid absorbent cleaning pad mounted to said body so as to extend aboutthe outside face of said other arm and about said flat outsideface ofthe bridging portion, and to receive liquid from said outlet aperture.

6. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 4 wherein said one arm is substantially rigid but said other arm is capable of flexing with respect to said one arm.

7. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 dimensioned so that said other arm may access behindtheflushing rim of a toilet bowl.

8. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 wherein said outlet aperture is defined bya hollow valve tip for said other arm, of resiliently deformable material, which tip includes an outlet slit that remains substantially closed when the accessory is not in use but is opened by pressing the tip against a surface to be cleaned and thereby deforming thetipto open the slit.

9. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a tubular spigotfor piercing a closure wall ofthe container and thereby opening communication between the interior ofthe container and said passage in said body.

10. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 9 wherein the coupling means further comprises a coupling ring which is detachably engageable with an open mouth of said body and includes a spigot and a skirt portion about said spigot which is detachably engageable with the neck of a bottle container.

11. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 2wherein said pad is retained on the body by co-operative engagement between a lug on the body and an aperture on the pad.

12. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 2furtherincluding a detachable coverforthe cleaning pad and said other arm ofthe body.

13. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 12 wherein said cover includes a tapered receptacle and a hingeable retention cap.

14. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 12 wherein said cover includes aeration openings for ventilation and drying ofthe pad when the accessory is not in use.

15. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 wherein said otherarm extends at an inclination to said axis between 25' and 60 .

16. A liquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 assembled to a containerforliquid by said coupling means.

17. An assembly according to claim 16wherein said container is a bottle formed of resiliently deformable material.

18. A liquid delivery accessory comprising: an elongate generally U-shaped body; a liquid delivery passage in said body; meansforcouplingthebodyto a containerofliquid whereby liquid may flow downwardlyfrom the container into said passage in one of said arms ofthe U-shaped body; and an outlet aperture from said passage in the other of said arms ofthe U-shaped body; wherein said outlet aperture is defined by a hollow valve tip for said other arm, of resiliently deformable material, which tip includes an outletslitthat remains substantially closed when the accessory is not in use but is opened by pressing the tip against a surface to be cleaned and thereby deforming the tip to open the slit.

19. A liquid delivery accessory comprising: an elongate generally U-shaped body; a liquid delivery passage in said body; means to receive liquid into said passage in one of said arms ofthe U-shaped body; an outlet aperture from said passage in the other of said arms ofthe U-shaped body; and elongate handle means attached to or integral with said body; said body being such that when it is disposed with the axis of said handle means vertical, said arms ofthe U-shaped body extend at an inclination to said axis, and said otherarm isbelowsaidfirstarm and is directed upwardly towards its free end.

20. A liquid delivery accessory according to any one of claims 1,18 and 19, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. An assembly of a container and a liquid delivery accessory according to claim 1 or claim 18, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.