IL150099A

IL150099A - Dispensing device for cleaning agents

Info

Publication number: IL150099A
Application number: IL150099A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Aviv Kariri
Priority date: 2002-06-09
Filing date: 2002-06-09
Publication date: 2008-12-29
Also published as: AU2003233165A1; WO2003104086A3; WO2003104086A2; AU2003233165A8; IL150099A0

Description

DISPENSING DEVICE FOR CLEANING AGENTS DISPENSING DEVICE FOR CLEANING AGENTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to cleaning and maintaining devices for bowls. More particularly, the present invention relates to dispensing device for dispensing detergents, disinfection materials and fragrance materials from the toilet tank into a toilet bowl.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Toilet bowls need to be cleaned and maintained on a daily basis or even more than once a day. Although this task is bothersome, people want toilet bowls and toilet rooms to be clean, odorous and spread fragrance at all times.

One of the simplest solutions that are available in order to maintain cleanness and smelly toilets is to suspend soap in the toilet bowl. Every time the water is flushed, they dissolve a portion of the soap into the water that · stays in the bowl. An example for a product that is adapted to maintain for a certain time the cleanness and smell of the toilet bowl is sold by Sano Bruno's Enterprises, Ltd. and called Sano blue. One of the disadvantages of these types of suspended products when the toilet bowl is cleaned, it has to be removed and than placed again.

Another solution that was proposed by some companies is a small container with the soap and fragrance that is kept in the toilet tank. Every flush withdraws some of the material from the container into the flushing water. An example of such a device is discjosedjinJJS patent no. 6,055,679 "Passive Lavatory Cleanser dispensing system" filed in 1995 by Goelz et al. This patent relates to dispensing systems, such as lavatory cleansing systems, particularly, dispenser suitable for placement into a liquid containing vessel whose level of liquid is capable of changing from an upper level to a lower level and vice versa, such as a toilet tank. These dispensers dispense and deliver a conserved amount of lavatory cleanser, into the liquid containing tank by controlling the rate at which water enters the dispenser. Such products are placed in the toilet tank and in order to refill the container or to put the container inside the tank, the tank lid has to be removed. Dismantling the toilet tank is a difficult task in many of the tanks.

There are no available long-lasting solutions that dispense soap and disinfection material to the toilet bowl and can be replaced easily without dismantling the toilet tank. There is a need to provide a device that dispenses cleaning material as well as materials that kill germs and spread fragrance into the toilet bowl in an easy manner. Moreover, there is no available device that can be refilled with cleaning material after the device is empty without the need to replace the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION jtj^^anj^jec^f the present invention to provide a s^p__d spensing device for toilet bowls that dispenses a predetermined amount of cleaning, fragrance, disinfection or like materials upon every flush of water from the toilet tank.

It is another object of the present invention to provide soap dispensing^ device for toilet bowls that dispenses the material from the Ji^l t tar^ u )n_ water flushing and can be refilled without the need to dismantle the toilet tank. It is yet another object of the present^ invention Jo ^rovide_ __soap dispensing device for toilet bowls that can be easily installed in every standard toilet tank.

Yet, it is another object of the present invention to provide an improved toilet tank that comprjses„a._s.pj ^ device that dispenses a predeterminedl^oj ion f clear^ of water.

An additional object of the presenMn entionJS- ο,^ provide a soap It is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a dispensing device adapted to dispense a predetermined amount of cleaning agent into a toilet tank wherein the cleaning agent is flushed into a toilet bowl with water that is received in the toilet tank, the dispensing device comprising: a container having a bottom side and an upper side, said 1 container is provided with a first opening in the upper side that is adapted to receive the cleaning agent and a sec¾nd opening in the bottom side that is adapted to dispense the cleaning agent, wherein the container is adapted to be mounted on the toilet tank so that the first opening is positioned externally to the toilet tank and the second opening is positioned inside the toilet tank; L] a float provided with a passage having a third opening and a ' / fou^rth Λ opening, said float is adapted to float on the water in the toilet tank, wherein the float moves between two extreme positions: an upper most position in which said third opening is fluidically connected to said second opening, and a lower position in which a portion of the float blocks said second opening and said fourth opening is fluidically connected to the toilet tank; a shutter provided opposite said second opening, said shutter / blocks said fourth opening when said float is in the upper most position; -whereby in the upper most position, a portion of the cleaning agent is received in said passage, and in the lower position, the portion dispenses into the toilet tank so that when water enters the toilet tank, they mix with cleaning agent, ready to be flushes into the toilet bowl.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container is positioned outside the toilet tank.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said container is provided with a hose positioned in the bottom of the container, said hose pass through a side wall of the toilet tank, and wherein said second opening is positioned in the hose.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said first opening is provided with a corresponding cover.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the float comprises a portion that floats on the water and an upwardly projecting portion, and wherein the float and the projecting member are adjacent to a side wall of the toilet tank, where second opening is provided.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said passage is provided in said upwardly projecting member. in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said second opening is provided with an extension that wraps a portion of said upwardly projecting member so that the projecting member can slide within said extension, and wherein a portion of said extension acts as the shutter.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said upwardly projecting member is provided with a first stopper that prevents the member from sliding out from said extension when the float is in the lower position.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said upwardly projecting member is provided with a second stopper that secures the fourth opening and the second opening together so as to establish a connection between said passage and said container when the float is in the upper most position.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said container is provided with a level measuring means that indicates the level of the cleaning agent within the container.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the measuring means is that said container or a part of said container is made of a transparent material.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning agent comprises a detergent, a disinfection material, a fragrance material or any combination between them.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning agent is in a liquid state.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning agent is in a solid state.

It is also provided, in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an improved toilet tank provided with a dispensing device adapted to dispense a predetermined amount of cleaning agent into the improved toilet tank wherein the cleaning agent is flushed into a toilet bowl with water that is received in the improved toilet tank, the improved toilet tank comprising: a toilet tank provided with a bore on a side wall; a container having a bottom side and an upper side, said container is provided with a first opening in the upper side that is adapted to receive the cleaning agent and a second opening in the bottom side that is adapted to dispense the cleaning agent, wherein the container is adapted to be mounted on said toilet tank so that the first opening is positioned externally to said toilet tank and the second opening is positioned inside the toilet tank and wherein a portion of the container passes through said bore; a float provided with a passage having a third opening and a fourth opening, said float is adapted to float on the water in said toilet tank, wherein the float moves between two extreme positions: an upper most position in which said third opening is fluidically connected to said second opening, and a lower position in which a portion of the float blocks said second opening and said fourth opening is fluidically connected to said toilet tank; a shutter provided opposite said second opening, said shutter blocks said fourth opening when said float is in the upper most position; whereby in the upper most position, a portion of the cleaning agent is received in said passage and in the lower position, the portion dispenses into the toilet tank so that when water enters the toilet tank, they mix with cleaning agent, ready to be flushes into the toilet bowl.

It is also provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a dispensing device adapted to dispense a predetermined amount of cleaning agent into a toilet tank through a bore that is provided on the side of the toilet tank, wherein the cleaning agent is flushed into a toilet bowl with water that is received in the toilet tank, the dispensing device comprising: a container having a bottom side and an upper side, said container is provided with a first opening in the upper side that is adapted to receive the cleaning agent and a second opening in the bottom side that is adapted to dispense the cleaning agent; a housing provided with a resilient element and a piston wherein said piston is partially accommodated in said housing and wherein said piston can move between two extreme positions: a first position in which the piston is pressed against said resilient element and a second position in which the piston is pushes by the force of the resilient element; two openings are provided in said housing, a third opening joins second opening of said container and a fourth opening joins the bore in the toilet tank; a passage is provided in said piston; whereby in the second position, a portion of the cleaning agent from the container is received in said passage, and in the first position, the portion dispenses into the toilet tank through said bore so that the cleaning agent is mixed with the water, ready to be flushes into the toilet bowl.

Additionally, in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, said resilient element is a spring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1a illustrates a side view of a dispensing device for cleaning agent for toilet bowls in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a closed state.

Figure 1 b illustrates a side view of the dispensing device shown in Figure 1a, in an open state.

Figure 2a illustrates a front view of the dispensing device shown in Figure 1a, in a closed state.

Figure 2b illustrates a front view of the dispensing device shown in Figure 1 a, in an open state.

Figure 3a illustrates a side view of a dispensing device for cleaning agent for toilet bowls in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, operated manually in a closed state.

Figure 3b illustrates a side view of the dispensing device shown in Figure 3a in an open state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention provides a new and unique cleaning agent dispensing device for toilet bowls that dispenses a predetermined amount of cleaning, disinfecting, or like materials into the flushing water upon every flush of water into the toilet bowl. A fragrance material can be added as well to the device so that a fresh and pleasant odor is kept in the toilet room. Generally, the materials in the container will be referred to in this application as cleaning agents. dispensing device for cleaning agent for toilet bowls in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a close state. Container 10 is provided with an opening 12 in ne upper portion of the container. Opening 12 can be closed by a corresponding cover 14. Opening 12 is designated for refilling the container with cleaning agent. A nose 16 provided at the bottom of 20 container 10 passes through a side wall 18 of a toilet tank. Hose 16 is provided with an opening 20 that is positioned in the interior of side wall 18 of the toilet tank.

In the interior of the toilet tank, a float 21 is provided. Float 21 floats on a level 22 of water that is received in the toilet tank, and is connected to an upwardly projecting member 24. Float 21 and projecting member 24 are placed adjacent to the side wall of the toilet tank in the side where opening 20 is positioned. Float 21 changes its position from an upper most level when the toilet tank is filled with water and lower level when the toilet tank is empty. A passage 26 passes through upwardly projecting memberJ24. Passage 26 >30 continues hose 16 and has an opening that faces hose 16 and an opposite opening that faces the interior of the toilet tank. Passage 26 is placed in a position so that when float 21 is in an upper most level and so is the r connected projecting^ei¾ber, pa§s,age_26 is opposite openingra20 so that : hose 16 and passage 26 are fluidically connected.

,-. Opening 20 is provided with a sleeve 28 that wraps about projecting member 24 wherein the member, when changes its position, slideV within 5 sleeve 28. Sleeve 28 is provided with a shutter 30 in the side of which passage 26 opens into the toilet tank. When float 21 is in an upper most position and passage 26 is positioned adjacent to opening 20, shutter 30 shuts passage 26. Shutter 30 can be maintained opposite opening 20 by using any other means besides sleeve 28, such as bands. o In the position shown in Figure 1 a, passage 26 is closed by shutter 30; hence cleaning agent 32 that is received^ container 10 cannot flow from the container, however, passage 26 receives a predetermined portion 34 of the cleaning agent.

Reference is now mad to Figure 1 b illustrates a side view of the dispensing device shown in Figure 1 a, in an open state. When water is flushed out from the toilet tank into the toilet bowl (cannot be seen in the Figures), float 21 drops to a most lower level while pulling projecting member 24 downwardly. When passage 26 is in this position, the opening that faces side wall 18 is closed and the opening that faces the interior of the toilet tank is open. Predetermined portion 34 of the cleaning agent that was received in passage 26 (as shown in Figure 1a) is discharged into the toilet tank.

It should be noted that the passage and opening for dispensing the materials can be organized in a different configuration. For example, it can be organized so that the passage is open and the materials are dispensed into the toilet tank when the float is in the higher level. And, when the float is in the lower level, the passage is closed from the side of the toilet tank and open in the container's opening side. In this configuration, when the float is in the lower position, the cleaning agent is transferred from the container and into the passage, and when the float is in the higher position, the cleaning agent is, the scope of the present invention.

Projecting member 24 is provided with two stoppers: a first stopper 36 prevents projecting member 24 from sliding out from within extension 28 when float 21 is dropping to its lower most level. A second stopper 38 that is positioned beneath passage 26 is provided so as to prevent float 21 from pushing projecting member 24 upwardly to a position that is further up than the upper most level. Figure 1a shows the position in which stopper 38 secures the positioning of passage 26 opposite opening 20 so as to establish a connection between container 10 and passage 26 in order to assure that passage 26 receives an additional portion of cleaning agent 32.

After the water was flushed into the toilet bowl, fresh water is received in the toilet tank. The water dissolves or mixes with predetermined position 34 of the cleaning agent so that in the next flush of water, the water that is flushed into the toilet bowl contains the cleaning agent.

In order to better understand the positioning of float 21 and shutter 30, reference is now made to Figures 2a and 2b illustrating front views of the dispensing device shown in Figures 1a and 1b, in a closed state and in open state, respectively. In the closed state, passage 26 is closed from the side of the toilet tank by shutter 30 so that the cleaning agent that was received by the passage is kept in. When water is flushed from the toilet tank, float 21 is in a downwardly position and the opening of passage 26 is exposed, letting the cleaning material to be discharged from the passage into the toilet tank.

As mentioned herein before, container 10 is refilled when the cleaning agent is completely discharged. Refilling the container is very simple; the cleaning material is inserted into the container through opening 12 while there is no need to dismantle any part of the toilet tank. Container 10 may be made of a transparent material so as to allow the user to view the level of the cleaning material in the container and to know when to refill it. It is also possible that a part of the container will be transparent. In this case, there is no need to add any measuring means to the container in order to measure the level of cleaning material in the container. The transparency of the container acts as a measuring means.

It is optional to use any other measuring means in order to measure the level of the cleaning material. Any other measuring means in no way limits the scope of the present invention. An example of another measuring means that can be employed in the container and is used as a measuring means for measuring level of liquids in many containers such as electrical pots is a glass or a plastic tube that is positioned adjacently and out of the container while the tube is fluidically connected to the container in the bottom and in an upper position of the container. The level of the liquid or solid material that is inside the container will be the same as the level of the material in the tube.

In anot^rj^ of the present invention, it is provided a soap dispensing device that is mounted on a toilet tank and is operated manually. Reference is now made to Figures 3a and 3b illustrating a side view of a dispensing device for cleaning agent for toilet bowls in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, operated manually in a closed state and in an open state, respectively. In this preferred embodiment, the container and the actuating mechanism are positioned V while the toilet tank and the hose are positioned in two opposite sides of housing 1 10. In the side that is adjacent to hose 106, an opening is provided in the housing that joins opening 108 of the hose. From the other side, another opening is provided in housing 1 10 that jojnsfa bore 124]that is drilled in toilet tank 126. Housing 0 is provided with a resilient element, preferably jlTspring 12j positioned in the lower part of housing 1 10. Spring 1 12 has two ends, the first end is connected to the bottom of the housing and the second end is connected to a piston 1 16 that has a circumference that is congruent to the inner sides of housing 1 0. Piston 1 16 is provided with a passage 8 having two openings, a first opening at the side of hose 106 and a second opening that faces toilet tank 126. Passage 118 is placed in a position so that when piston 116 is pushed by spring 112, passage 118 is adjacent to opening 108 so that hose 106 and passage 118 are fluidically connected. Piston 116 is provided with a stopper 120 that sits on a rim on the upper side of the housing and prevents the piston from ejecting out from housing 110. Moreover, it maintains the positioning of passage 118. The state shown in figure 3a is a closed state in which a portion of cleaning agent 122 that is received in container 100 conveys to passage 118.

In the state shown in Figure 3b, an open state, piston 116 is manually pressed down towards housing 110 and against spring 112 allowing the portion of cleaning agent 22 that was received in passage 118 to flow through the opening 124 that faces toilet tank 126 into the toilet tank. In the toilet tank, the cleaning agent is mixed with the water and can be flushed into the toilet bowl when necessary. After the pressure from piston 116 is removed, spring 112 pushes the piston upwardly and the closed state is attained.

It is noted that the cleaning agent can be in a liquid form or a solid form and in no way limits the scope of the present invention. The cleaning agent can comprise cleaning materials, disinfection materials, fragrance materials or any composition that is a combination between those materials. Any other material that is adapted to clean, disinfect or keep fragrance in the toilet bowl can be added, too.

The cleaning agent dispensing devices of the present invention can be mounted on any available toilet tank that is already in use or can be sized to fit improved toilet tanks that comprise the cleaning agent dispensing devices as a unit. This is relevant to the dispensing device that is operated automatically by the movements of the water in the toilet tank and to the dispensing device that is actuated manually by pressing down a piston against a spring. The dispensing device can be designed to fit the toilet tank's dimensions, color, design or the like.

It should be clear that the description of the embodiments and attached Figures set forth in this specification serves only for a better understanding of the invention, without limiting its scope as covered by the following Claims.

It should also be clear that a person in the art, after reading the present specification could make adjustments or amendments to the attached Figures and above described embodiments that would still be covered by the following Claims.

Claims

1. dispense a predetermined amount of cleaning agent into a toilet tank wherein the cleaning agent is flushed into a toilet bowl with water that is received in the toilet tank, the dispensing device comprising: Q a container having a bottom side and an upper side, said ( wherein the container is adapted to be mounted on the toilet tank so that the first opening is positioned externally to the toilet tank and the second opening is positioned inside the toilet tank; a float provided with a passage (26), said float is adapted to 15 float on the water in the toilet tank, wherein the float moves between two extreme positions: an upper most connected to said which a portion of e oa oc s sa secon open ng an sa I.C 20 passage is fluidically connected to the toilet tank; a shutter (30) provided opposite said second opening (28t"""~ said shutter blocks said passage when said float is in the upper most position; , whereby in the upper most position, a portion of the cleaning agent is 25 received in said passage, and in the lower position, the portion dispenses into the toilet tank so that when water enter the toilet tank, they mix with cleaning agent, ready to be flushes into the toilet bowl. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the container is 30 positioned outside the toilet tank. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the container is provided with a hose positioned in the bottom of the container, said hose pass through a side wall of the toilet tank, and wherein said second opening is positioned in the hose. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein said first opening is provided with a corresponding cover. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein said float comprises a portion that floats on the water and an upwardly projecting portion, and wherein the float and the projecting member are adjacent to a said wall of the toilet tank, where second opening is provided. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said passage is provided in said upwardly projecting member. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said second opening is provided with a sleeve that wraps a portion of said upwardly projecting member so that the projecting member can slide within said sleeve, and wherein a portion of said extension acts as the shutter. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said upwardly projecting member is provided with a first stopper that prevents the member from sliding out from said extension when the float is in the lower position. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said upwardly projecting member is provided with a second stopper that secures the fourth opening and the second opening together so as to establish a connection between said passage and said container when the float is in upper most position. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the container is provide with a level measuring means that indicates the level of the cleaning agent within the container. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the measuring means is that said container or part of said container is made of a transparent material. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent comprises a detergent, a disinfection material, a fragrance material or any combination between them. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent is in a liquid state. The dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent is in a solid state. An improved toilet tank provided with a dispensing device adapted to dispense a predetermined amount of cleaning agent into the improved toilet tank wherein the cleaning agent is flushed into a toilet bowl with water that is received in the improved toilet tank, the improved toilet tank co er side, said co r side that is adapted to receive the cleaning agent and a second opening in the bottom side that is adapted to dispense the cleaning agent, wherein the container is adapted to be mounted on said toilet tank so that the first opening is positioned externally to said toilet tank and the second opening is positioned inside the toilet tank and wherein a portion of the container passes through said bore; a float provided with a passage, said float is adapted to float 2 / on the water in said toilet tank, wherein the float moves between two extreme positions: an upper most position in which said passage is fluidically connected to said second opening, and a lower position in which a portion of the float blocks said second opening and said passage is fluidically connected to the toilet tank; a shutter provided opposite said second opening, said shutter blocks said passage when said float is in the upper most position; whereby in the upper most position, a portion of the cleaning agent is received in said passage, and in the lower position, the portion dispenses into the toilet tank so that when water enter the toilet tank, they mix with cleaning agent, ready to be flushes into the toilet bowl. The dispensing device adapted to dispense a predetermined amount of cleaning agent into a toilet tank wherein the cleaning agent is flushed into a toilet bowl with water that is received in the toilet tank substantially as described in the above specification, attached Figures and appending Claims. An improved toilet tank provided with a dispensing device adapted to dispense a predetermined a mount of cleaning agent into the improved toilet tank wherein the cleaning agent is flushed into a toilet bowl with water that is received in the improved toilet tank substantially as described in the above specification, attached Figures and appending Claims. Gold - patents