GB2612298A

GB2612298A - Apparatus for cleaning a toilet bowl

Info

Publication number: GB2612298A
Application number: GB2113919.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rumveye Jean
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-09-29
Filing date: 2021-09-29
Publication date: 2023-05-03
Also published as: GB202113919D0

Abstract

An apparatus 2 for cleaning a toilet bowl, which comprises: a handle 4, a cleaning head 6 with a means 8 for releasably connecting the cleaning head to the handle. The cleaning head is made of layers of stacked sheet material 10, which give the cleaning head rigidity in order to clean the toilet, and the sheet material enables the cleaning head to be flushed down the toilet bowl. The sheets may be discs and may be stuck together by adhesive. There may be an aperture 18 on the cleaning head for attaching and detaching the head to an expandable part 16 of the handle. The expandable part on the handle may be expanded by a sliding control means 34 at the end of the handle. There may also be a container for holding a stack of unused heads.

Description

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING A TOILET BOWL

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning a toilet bowl.

Toilet bowls of toilets are typically cleaned with a toilet brush. The toilet brush comprises a handle and a cleaning head in the form of a brush. The brush is typically made of a plastics material in order to enable it easily to be cleaned. Nevertheless the cleaning head often remains soiled. The toilet brush is typically stood in a container such that the cleaning head is in the container and this may lead to the container becoming soiled. The known cleaning brushes are not as hygienic to operate and to store as would be desired.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus for cleaning a toilet bowl, which apparatus comprises: (i) a handle; (ii) a cleaning head; and (iii) connecting means for releasably connecting the cleaning head to the handle, and wherein: (iv) the cleaning head is made of layers of sheet material; (v) the layers of sheet material are stacked on top of each other such as to form the cleaning head; (v the stacked layers of sheet material cause the cleaning head to have a rigidity which enables the cleaning head to clean the toilet bowl; and (vii) the sheet material is such that it enables the cleaning head to be flushed down the toilet bowl after cleaning of the toilet bowl with the cleaning head and subsequent separation of the cleaning head from the handle.

The apparatus of the present invention is advantageous in that, after cleaning of the toilet bowl, the cleaning head can be separated from the handle whilst the apparatus is still within the confines of the toilet bowl. The separated cleaning head is then able to be flushed down the toilet bowl simply by normal flushing of the toilet using the toilet cistern. Only the handle needs to be removed from the toilet bowl and stored for further use.

The apparatus may be one in which the layers of sheet material have peripheral apertures which provide the periphery of the cleaning head with a flexing facility for optimising contact of the cleaning head with the toilet bowl during cleaning of the toilet bowl with the cleaning head. This may thus facilitate easier removal of stains on the toilet bowl. The peripheral apertures may be inwardly directed slots. Other types of peripheral apertures may be employed.

The apparatus may be one in which the layers of sheet material have central apertures which enable water drainage from the cleaning head. The water drainage may enable toilet water to drain through the cleaning head and thereby make the cleaning head lighter and easier to detach from the handle. The removed water may also avoid unwanted dripping of toilet water when the apparatus is to be reused for a further toilet bowl cleaning operation and with the same cleaning head.

Preferably, the apparatus is one in which the layers of sheet material are circular discs. The layers of sheet material may however be in other geometric shapes. Preferably, whatever geometric shape is employed, the periphery of the discs will be formed with one or more curves in order to facilitate contact with curved surfaces on the inside of the toilet bowl.

The apparatus may be one in which the layers of sheet material are stuck together by an adhesive. The adhesive may be on one or both faces of the layers of sheet material and/or on edges of the layers of sheet material. The adhesive may completely cover the faces and/or edges of the layers of sheet material. Alternatively the adhesive may only partially cover the faces and/or edges of the layers of sheet material, in which case the adhesive may be in strip or spot form.

The adhesive may be a water-based adhesive. Such a water-based adhesive may be eco-friendly. Various types of water-soluble adhesives may be employed. The water-soluble adhesive may be that known as mucilage.

The mucilage is a thick gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some micro-organisms. The water-soluble adhesive may alternatively be gum arable. The gum arabic is a natural adhesive made from hardened sap of acacia trees. The adhesive may alternatively be polyvinyl acetate. The polyvinyl acetate is soluble in water but it may not break down completely to be water-soluble of the required degree for preferred use. The adhesive may also be a polyvinyl alcohol adhesive.

The handle may be an elongate handle. Handles of other shapes may however be employed.

The apparatus may be one in which the connecting means comprises a first part on the cleaning head, and a second part on the handle. Other types of connecting means may be employed When the connecting means comprises the first and the second parts, then the connecting means may be such that the first part on the cleaning head comprises a receiving aperture, and the second part on the handle is received in the receiving aperture. Other constructions may be employed.

The receiving aperture may be formed by a central aperture in each of the layers of sheet material. The receiving aperture may be positioned elsewhere if desired.

The apparatus may be one in which the second part is an expandable second part which is expandable in the receiving aperture to enable the cleaning head to be attached to the handle, and which is contractable in the receiving aperture to enable the cleaning head to be separated from the handle. The expansion and contraction of the second part is easily able to be effected. Other means for retaining the second part with respect to the first part may be employed.

The first part may completely contain the second part. The second part is then able to be such that it is not exposed to contact by human waste products being cleaned from the toilet with the apparatus. When the first part on the cleaning head comprises the aperture, then the aperture may be in the form of a bore which completely contains the second part on the handle.

The apparatus of the present invention may include control means for controlling the operation of the connecting means The control means may be positioned on the handle. Preferably, the control means is positioned on an end portion of the handle remote from the cleaning head. Other positions for the control means may be employed.

Preferably, the control means is a sliding control means. Other types of control means may be employed so that, for example, the control means may be a rotary control means.

The apparatus may be one in which the sliding control means is a linear sliding control means which slides in a first direction along the handle to expand the expandable second part, and which slides in a second direction along the handle to contract the expandable second part. Thus, for example, the sliding control means may slide towards the cleaning head to expand the expandable second part, and it may slide rearwardly in the opposite direction away from the cleaning head to contract the expandable second part. The reverse sliding arrangement may be employed.

The sliding control means may comprise a control formation, and a control rod which is operatively connected at a first end to the control formation and which is operatively connected at a second end to the connecting means. When the connecting means comprises the expandable second part, then the control means may be operatively connected to the second part.

The handle is preferably a hollow handle. The handle is then able to house parts of the apparatus of the invention. The hollow handle may be formed of first and second parts which fit together. Other ways of producing the hollow handle may be employed. Preferably, the first and second parts of the handle clip together. Securing means other than clips may be employed.

The apparatus of the present invention may include a container for receiving a stack of unused cleaning heads.

The container may be configured for enabling the handle to be inserted into the container and to connect to a next unused cleaning head in the stack of unused cleaning heads. In this case, the apparatus may be one in which the container has an upper portion having an aperture which is smaller than the size of the unused cleaning heads in the stack of cleaning heads, and in which the upper portion is removable from a remaining part of the container in order to enable replacement stacks of cleaning head be inserted into the container.

The upper portion may have grip formations for facilitating connection and removal of the upper portion to and from the remaining part of the container. The grip formations may be recesses. Other types of grip formations, for example ribs or serrations, may be employed.

The container may comprise a slip-resisting base. The slip-resisting base may be effective to help stop the container slipping on support surfaces, for example the floors of bathrooms, washrooms or toilet cubicles. The slip-resisting base may be made of a rubberised material. Other slip-resisting materials may be employed.

The container may include a receiving formation for receiving the handle when the container is empty of the cleaning heads. The receiving formation may be an upstanding pipe portion. Other types of receiving formation may be employed.

The layers of sheet material for the cleaning head may be made of any suitable and appropriate material that enables the cleaning head to operate with a cleaning function and also be disposable down the toilet bowl on flushing of the toilet. Thus, for example, the sheet material may be made of paper. The sheet material may be made of non-woven wood pulp. Generally, the thicker the sheet material, the more rigid the formed cleaning head will be. The cleaning head may be made of other cellulose-based materials Thin flexible cardboard may thus be employed.

The cleaning head may or may not include one or more chemicals suitable for use in cleaning a toilet Thus, for example, the cleaning head may include one or more of a general cleaning chemical, a chemical for killing germs, a chemical for removing limescale, and a scent. The chemical or chemicals may easily be absorbed into the sheet material of the cleaning head, for example paper, such that they become active on contact with water in the toilet bowl. The chemicals for use in cleaning the toilet, for example a cleaning fluid, are able to be applied to the cleaning head in any suitable matter Thus, for example, chemical liquids such for example as cleaning fluids may be applied by rolling the brush heads in a pre-filled container such that the cleaning liquids contact the periphery of the cleaning head. The cleaning liquids can be applied to the periphery of the cleaning head and/or one or both of the sides of the cleaning head. The scent may be, for example, lavender, ocean, lemon or vanilla smelling scent The cleaning head may be produced in different sizes. Thus, for example the cleaning head may have a thickness of 30-50mm. The cleaning head may alternatively or additionally have from 20 -100 of the layers of sheet material. Thus, for example, the cleaning head may be 20mm thick and it may have 50 of the layers of sheet material. The size of the cleaning head may vary in dependence upon the intended use of the apparatus of the present invention. The apparatus of the present invention may be used for domestic use and also for commercial use. The cleaning head may be larger for commercial use than for private used. If the cleaning head is to be used for commercial use, then it may be used in commercial cleaning sectors including janitorial, industrial, healthcare, academia and hotel sectors.

The cleaning head may be produced in different colours or mixtures of colours, for example to match bathroom surroundings and/or to make the cleaning head look like a flower.

The handle may be made of any suitable material. Preferably, the handle is made of a moulded plastics material. Any suitable plastics material may be employed.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus for cleaning a toilet bowl; Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a handle forming part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the handle part of the apparatus shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cleaning head forming part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 7 is a plan view of the cleaning head shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a side view of the cleaning head shown in Figure 6; Figure 9 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 standing in a container; Figure 10 is a side view of the apparatus and container as shown in Figure 9: and Figure 11 is a perspective view of the container shown in Figures 9 and 10.

Referring to Figures 1 -8, there is shown apparatus 2 for cleaning a toilet bowl. The apparatus 2 comprises a handle 4 and a cleaning head 6. The apparatus 2 also comprises connecting means 8 for releasably connecting the cleaning head 6 to the handle 4.

The apparatus 2 is such that the cleaning head 6 is made of layers of sheet material 10. The layers of sheet material 10 are stacked on top of each other such as to form the cleaning head 6. The stacked layers of sheet material 10 cause the cleaning head 6 to have a rigidity which enables the cleaning head to clean the toilet bowl.

The sheet material of the layers of sheet material 10 is such that it enables the cleaning head 6 to be flushed down the toilet bowl after cleaning of the toilet bowl with the cleaning head 6 and subsequent separation of the cleaning head 6 from the handle 4.

The layers of sheet material 10 have peripheral apertures 12 which provide the periphery of the cleaning head 6 with a flexing facility for optimising contact of the cleaning head 6 with the toilet bowl during the cleaning of the toilet bowl with the cleaning head 6. The peripheral apertures 12 are inwardly directed slots as shown The layers of sheet material 10 have central apertures 13 which enable water drainage from the cleaning head 6. The water drainage may enable the cleaning head 6 to be lighter than would otherwise be the case during changing of the cleaning head 6. The water drainage may also enable the apparatus 2 to be reused with the same cleaning head 6 and without water dripping from the cleaning head 6, for example during movement of the apparatus 2 from a storage container to the toilet bowl. The central apertures 13 are radially extending slots.

As shown, the layers of sheet material 10 are circular discs. Other geometrical shapes may be employed. The layers of sheet material 10 are stuck together with an adhesive. The adhesive is a water-soluble adhesive to facilitate flushing of the cleaning head 6 down the toilet bowl. The adhesive may be applied to all or part of contacting faces of the layers of sheet material 10. Alternatively or additionally, the adhesive may be applied in one or more strips around the periphery of the cleaning head 6, for example in dependence upon the geometric shape of the cleaning head 6 and in particular its peripheral shape which might be such as to have, for example, one or more grooves for accepting the adhesive material.

The handle 4 is an elongate handle 4 The connecting means 8 comprises a first part 14 on the cleaning head 6, and a second part 16 on the handle 4. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the first part 14 on the cleaning head 6 comprises a receiving aperture 18. The receiving aperture 18 extends through the cleaning head 6. In an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown), the cleaning head may be such that it is closed at its bottom end and thus the aperture is then in the form of a closed bore. The aperture 18 or the closed bore enable the second part 16 of the connecting means 8 to be partially or completely enclosed and thus protected from human waste products being cleaned from the toilet during use of the apparatus 20.

The second part 16 of the connecting means 8 is received in the receiving aperture 18 in the first part 14. The second part 16 is an expandable second part 16 which is expandable in the aperture 18 to enable the cleaning head 6 to be attached to the handle 4. The second part 16 is also contractable in the receiving aperture 18 to enable the cleaning head 6 to be separated from the handle 4. Figures 4 and 5 show the second part 16 in its contracted closed position. In this contracted closed condition, the second part 16 is able to be inserted into the receiving aperture 18 and removed from the receiving aperture 18. The second part 16 comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending finger members 30. In the expanded condition of the second part 16, the finger members 30 are opened up so that they project outwardly.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown). each finger member 30 may be provided with gripping formations in the form of ribs. The ribs may help the finger members 30 grip the inside of the wall defining the aperture 18.

The apparatus 2 includes control means 34 for controlling the operation of the connecting means 8. The control means 34 is positioned on the handle 4 as shown. The control means 34 is a sliding control means. The control means 34 slides linearly in a first direction along the handle 4 to expand the second part 16 from its illustrated closed position. The control means 34 slides in a second direction along the handle 4 to contract the second part 16 into its illustrated closed position. The sliding in the first direction is towards the cleaning head 6, and the sliding in the second direction is opposite to the first direction and is thus away from the cleaning head 6.

As best appreciated from Figures 4 and 5, the sliding control means 34 comprises a control formation 36 and a control rod 38. The control rod 38 is operatively connected at a first end 40 to the control formation 36. The control rod 38 is operatively connected at a second end 42 to the second part 16 of the connecting means 8.

The handle 4 is a hollow handle 4. The control rod 38 is thus able to be located inside the handle 4. The handle 4 is formed of a first part 44 and a second part 46. The second part 46 is provided with strengthening cross members 48. Some of the cross members 48 are provided with notches 50. The control rod 38 slides backwards and forwards in the notches 50. The first and second parts 44, 46 clip together by clips 52. The control formation 36 slides backwards and forwards in a slot 54 in the first part 44 of the handle 4.

The apparatus 2 may optionally include a container 56 which is shown in Figures 9 -11. The container 56 is able to receive the cleaning head 6 with the handle 4 projecting upwardly as shown.

The container 56 is configured for enabling the handle 4 to be inserted into the container and to connect to a next unused cleaning head in a stack of unused cleaning heads. The cleaning heads may thus be, for example, a stack of the cleaning heads 6.

The container 56 has an upper portion 58 having an aperture 60. The aperture is smaller than the size of the unused cleaning heads in the stack of cleaning heads. The upper portion 58 is removable from a remaining part 62 of the container 56 in order to facilitate the insertion of replacement stacks of the cleaning heads into the container 56. The upper portion 58 has grip formations 62 for facilitating connection and removal of the upper portion 58 to and from the remaining part 62 of the container 56. The grip formations 62 are shown as recesses but other types of grip formations, for example ribs or serrations, may be employed.

The container 56 comprises a slip-resisting base 64 The slip-resisting base 64 is made of a rubberised material.

The container 56 may include a receiving formation (not shown) for the handle 4 when the container 56 is empty of the cleaning heads 6. The receiving formation may comprise an upstanding pipe portion which is located and mounted by supports. The supports may be mounted on an inside face of the slip-resisting base.

The sheet material 10 is made of paper. Advantageously, the paper is biodegradable. Preferably, the paper is made from non-woven wood pulp.

The handle 6 is such that its first and second parts 44. 46 and the cross members 48 are moulded from a plastics material.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the cleaning head for the apparatus of the present invention may be of a shape other than shown by the cleaning head 6. The apertures 12, 13 may be of different sizes and shapes to those shown. The handle 4 may be of a different shape. Other types of connecting means 8 and control means 34 may be employed. The container 56 may be of a different construction and, for example, the container 6 may have an internal spring mechanism to bias one or more of the cleaning heads upwardly and into contact with the first part 14 of the connecting means 8. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention. The invention also extends to the individual components mentioned and/or shown above, taken singly or in any combination.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for cleaning a toilet bowl, which apparatus comprises: ) a handle; a cleaning head: and (iii) connecting means for releasably connecting the cleaning head to the handle, and wherein: (iv) the cleaning head is made of layers of sheet material; (v) the layers of sheet material are stacked on top of each other such as to form the cleaning head; (vi) the stacked layers of sheet material cause the cleaning head to have a rigidity which enables the cleaning head to clean the toilet bowl; and (vii) the sheet material is such that it enables the cleaning head to be flushed down the toilet bowl after cleaning of the toilet bowl with the cleaning head and subsequent separation of the cleaning head from the handle.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the layers of sheet material have peripheral apertures which provide the periphery of the cleaning head with a flexing facility for optimising contact of the cleaning head with the toilet bowl during the cleaning of the toilet bowl with the cleaning head.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the peripheral apertures are inwardly directly slots.
4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the layers of sheet material have central apertures which enable water drainage from the cleaning head.
5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the layers of the sheet material are circular discs.
6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the layers of sheet material are stuck together by an adhesive.
7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is an elongate handle.
B. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the connecting means comprises a first part on the cleaning head, and a second part on the handle.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the first part on the cleaning handle comprises a receiving aperture, and in which the second part on the handle is received in the receiving aperture.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the receiving aperture is formed by a central aperture in each of the layers of sheet material.
11. Apparatus according to claim 9 or claim 10 in which the second part is an expandable second part which is expandable in the receiving aperture to enable the cleaning head to be attached to the handle, and which is contractable in the receiving aperture to enable the cleaning head to be separated from the handle.
12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including control means for controlling the operation of the connecting means.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which the control means is positioned on the handle.
14. Apparatus according to claim 13 in which the control means is positioned on an end portion of the handle remote from the cleaning head.
15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 -14 in which the control means is a sliding control means.
16. Apparatus according to claim 15 in which the sliding control means is a linear sliding control means which slides in a first direction along the handle to expand the expandable second part, and which slides in a second direction along the handle to contract the expandable second part.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the sliding control means comprises a control formation, and a control rod which is operatively connected at a first end to the control formation and which is operatively connected at a second end to the connecting means.
18. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is a hollow handle.
19. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which the hollow handle is formed of first and second parts which fit together.
20. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including a container for receiving a stack of unused cleaning heads.
21. Apparatus according to claim 20 in which the container is configured for enabling the handle to be inserted into the container and to connect to a next unused cleaning head in the stack of unused cleaning heads.
22. Apparatus according to claim 21 in which the container has an upper portion having an aperture which is smaller than the size of the unused cleaning heads in the stack of cleaning heads, and in which the upper portion is removable from a remaining part of the container in order to enable replacement of stacks of cleaning heads to be inserted into the container
23. Apparatus according to claim 22 in which the upper portion has grip formations for facilitating connection and removal of the upper portion to and from the remaining part of the container and/or in which the container comprises a slip-resisting base.
24. Apparatus according to any one of claims 20 -23 in which the container incudes a receiving formation for receiving the handle when the container is empty of the cleaning heads.
25. Apparatus according to claim 24 in which the receiving formation is an upstanding pipe formation.