GB2339210A

GB2339210A - Toilet bowl dispenser with means to delay water egress

Info

Publication number: GB2339210A
Application number: GB9820586A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jean-Francois Lhoste; Laurent Herault
Original assignee: Reckitt and Colman France SA
Current assignee: Reckitt Benckiser France SAS
Priority date: 1998-07-06
Filing date: 1998-09-23
Publication date: 2000-01-19
Also published as: GB9820586D0

Description

2339210 IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CONTAINERS This invention relates

to containers and more particularly is concerned with containers for accommodating compositions for disinfecting or otherwise treating the water in the toilet bowl of a water closet.

It is known to provide compositions containing constituents such as antimicrobial agents, perfumes, colourants, bleaching agents and/or foaming agents for use in treating the water in toilet bowls. Ordinarily, the compositions are in the form of coherent self supporting blocks in cage-like containers suspended near the rim of the bowl in a position where, on each occasion the bowl is flushed, the flushing water enters the container and contacts the block to entrain some of the composition before flowing down to the lower part of the bowl. Thus the water remaining in the bowl, after the flushing, includes some of the composition which disinfects or otherwise treats the water and the adjacent surfaces of the bowl.

More recently, compositions in the form of liquids or gels have been proposed. These have a relatively high viscosity such that they are retained in the container. During flushing, water enters the cont-ftiner and dilutes a part of the liquid or gel to form a relatively low viscosity composition which is able to egress from the container and flow into the bowl.

Generally the containers include a hook-like portion adapted to be fitted over the rim of the toilet bowl whereby the containers may be secured in position in the path of the flushing water entering the bowl.

In most conventional containers of this type when the toilet is flushed, the flushing water entering the container immediately flows out of it again and falls into the lower part of the toilet bowl and exits therefrom via the bowl outlet. Thus, at the end of the flushing operation, very little of the composition is present in the water remaining in the toilet bowl.

Various proposals have been suggested to increase the length of time that the flushing water remains in the container so that some water plus entrained composition leaves the container after the flushing operation has finished and remains in the toilet bowl until the next flushing operation. However, most of these proposals involve rather complicated siphonic systems and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem by providing a simple way of delaying the delivery of the composition into the toilet bowl.

During use of the aforementioned container, the amount of composition remaining in the container gradually decreases until such time as it is necessary to renew the composition in order to maintain the efficiency of the water treatment. However it is often difficult, with prior art containers, for the user to ascertain when renewal is necessary.

It is a further object of the present invention to overcome this problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a container for accommodating a composition for treating the water in the toilet bowl of a water closet, which container comprises first and second cup like portions having their open ends secured together to define a chamber for the composition, the chamber including relatively large inlet means for the entry of flushing water into the chamber and a relatively small outlet means for egress of water from the chamber and at least one of said cup-like portions being formed of transparent plastics material.

Preferably the inlet means is provided in the first cup-like portion and the outlet- means is provided in the second cup-like portion.

Generally the container includes a hook-like portion to enable the container to be suspended at the rim of the toilet bowl in a position where flushing water can enter the chamber via the inlet means. The water flowing into the second portion contacts the composition and entrains some of it before leaving the chamber via the outlet means. Because the outlet means is small compared to the inlet means, the residence time of the water in the chamber is increased. Thus, water will still be present in the chamber after the flushing operation has ceased. This water leaves the chamber via the outlet means and drops into the toilet bowl where it remains to treat the water therein until the next flushing operation.

The inlet means may be in the form of one or more first apertures and the outlet means may be in the form of one or more second apertures provided that the flow capacity of the inlet means is greater than that of the outlet means. The apertures may be of circular section, rectangular section or any other suitable section as desired.

In an embodiment, the outlet means is in the form of one or more apertures in the lower part of the chamber, preferably in the second portion, to enable the water in the chamber to slowly drip out of the chamber under the influence of gravity. Alternatively, the chamber may include a simple siphon tube to enable the water to drain out of the chamber as a continuous stream.

Because at least one of the cup-like portions is formed of transparent plastics material, the composition in the chamber can be seen and thus it is readily possible to monitor the life of the composition and replace it as appropriate. Also, if the composition is in the form of a co-extruded multi coloured block, an aesthetically pleasing affect can be achieved. In an embodiment, the first portion of the container is opaque or transparent and the second portion is transparent. If desired, however, the second portion may be opaque provided that the first portion is transparent.

In an embodiment, the first and second portions are releasably secured together. In this case, the composition may be mounted in the second portion so that, when the composition has reached the end of its life, the second portion can be disconnected and be replaced by another second portion including fresh composition. In this way, it is not necessary for the consumer to touch the composition.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embcdi ment of a container in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the container of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view, on a larger scale, of a of Figure 2 with the container partly separated, and Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through another embodiment of a container in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the container comprises a first cup-like portion 1 injection molded from an opaque synthetic plastics material and a second cup-like portion 2 injection molded or thermoformed from a transparent synthetic plastics material. A block 3 of a composition for treating the water in a toilet bowl is secured in the second cup-like portion 2. The open end of the second cup-like portion 2 is located within the open end of the first cup-like portion 1 and detachably secured thereto so as to define a chamber 4 containing the block 3. More particularly, the periphery of flange 5 at the open end of the second cup-like portion is clipped into a groove 6 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the first cup-like portion adjacent to its open end (as shown in Fig. 3).

Location of the second cup-like portion 2 is assisted by stops 7 provided on the first cup-like portion. The first cup-like portion 1 includes a relatively large inlet means in the form of a longitudinally extending first aperture 8 in its upper surface and the second cup-like portion 2 includes a relatively small outlet means in the form of a second aperture 9 in the lower portion of the flange 5.

The first portion of the container 1 includes an integral hook-like portion 10 whereby the container may be suspended from the rim of a toilet bowl (not shown) The hook like portion is in the form of a resilient strap having a free end. ordinarily, because of its resilient nature, the strap coils up about itself with the free end in the middle of the coil as shown in Fig.

In use, the consumer manually uncoils the strap and fits it over the rim of the toilet bowl so that the chamber 4 is in a position in the path of the flushing water during the flushing operation so that water can enter the chamber 4 via the first aperture 8 in the first cup-like portion 1. The water in the chamber 4 contacts the block 3 and entrains composition from it and leaves the chamber 4 via the second aperture 9 in the second cup-like portion 2. Because the aperture 9 is relatively small, the residence time of the water in the chamber 4 is increased and water will still be present in the chamber for some time after the flushing operation has ceased. This water leaves the chamber dropwise via the aperture 9 and falls into the water remaining in the lower part of the toilet bowl after the flushing operation.

In use, the size of the block 3 gradually decreases and this decrease in size can be monitored visibly because of the transparent nature of the second cup-like portion 2.

When all the block 3 has been washed away by the flushing water, the second cup-like portion 2 is removed from the first cup-like portion 1 and replaced by another second cup-like portion containing a fresh block 3.

Instead of providing the aperture 9 in the lower part of the second cup-like portion 2 to enable the water to drain out of the chamber 4 under the influence of gravity, a simple siphon arrangement can be provided as shown in Figure 4 where parts corresponding to parts of Figures 1 to 3 are denoted by like reference numerals. The siphon arrangement comprises a pipe 20 located vertically in the lower wall of the second cup like portion 2 to provide a relatively small outlet for egress of water from the chamber 4. The second cup like portion 2 includes a baffle comprising plate 2,1 and depending flange 22 whereby the water in the chamber 4 has to follow a serpentine path, denoted by arrow 23, in order to pass from the chamber 4 to the outlet. In this way, the water still present in the chamber 4 after the flushing operation has ceased is caused to siphon out of the chamber, via the pipe 20, as a constant stream.

Although the container, as above described, includes a block of the composition, the container can 3S be modified as appropriate so as to accommodate the composition in liquid or gel form.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A container for accommodating a composition for treating the water in the toilet bowl of a water closet, which container comprises first and second cup like portions having their open ends secured together to define a chamber for the composition, the chamber including relatively large inlet means for the entry of flushing water into the chamber and a relatively small outlet means for egress of water from the chamber and at least one of said cup-like portions being formed of transparent plastics material.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, which includes a hook-like portion to enable the container to be suspended from the rim of the toilet bowl wherein the outlet means is in the form of a hole in a lower part of the second cup-like portion to enable water to egress from the chamber under the influence of gravity when the container is suspended by the hook-like portion.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1, which includes a hook-like portion to enable the container to be suspended from the rim of the toilet bowl wherein the outlet means is a siphon tube located at the lower part of the chamber and passing through the second cup like portion.

4. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first cup-like portion is formed of opaque or transparent plastics material and the second component is formed of transparent plastics material.

5. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first and second cup-like portions are detachably connected together and the composition is mounted in the second cup-like portion.

6. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.