WO2003073900A1

WO2003073900A1 - Safety lockable household cleaning tool

Info

Publication number: WO2003073900A1
Application number: PCT/EP2003/002102
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter James Newbould
Original assignee: Unilever Plc; Unilever Nv; Hindustan Lever Limited
Priority date: 2002-03-06
Filing date: 2003-02-28
Publication date: 2003-09-12
Also published as: EP1480544B1; AU2003210392A1; EP1480544A1; DE60309293T2; DE60309293D1; ATE343343T1

Abstract

The invention provides a safety lockable household cleaning tool (9) incorporating connection means (17) for the installation of a replaceable cartridge of household cleaning fluid (1), characterised in that the cartridge (1) and the connection means (17) are provided with co-operating surfaces (17a, 6) which interengage to prevent dispensation of household cleaning fluid during installation of the cartridge (1).

Description

SAFETY LOCKABLE HOUSEHOLD CLEANING TOOL

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a safety lockable household cleaning tool incorporating a replaceable cartridge for household cleaning fluid.

Background of the Invention

When cleaning bathroom fixtures such as toilets or urinals, the use of a bottle of cleaning liquid in combination with a cleaning tool such as a brush results in considerable wastage due to factors such as lack of controlled dosage and use of excess cleaning liquid. The two-step process of application of cleaning liquid to the surface to be treated, followed by cleaning with the brush, is also time-consuming and laborious.

Cleaning tools which incorporate reservoirs of cleaning liquid have been proposed as a convenient way to avoid these problems .

However, the corrosive or irritant nature of some cleaning products means that is especially important to avoid accidental dispensing of cleaning liquid to skin, clothing or other surfaces which are not intended to be treated. A problem with many of the prior devices with integrated reservoirs is that they do not sufficiently prevent such accidental dispensing. Consequently such devices have not found particular favour with the consumer and the "traditional" system of separate liquid and brush is still in widespread usage.

WOOl/65969 discloses, as a solution to the above problem, the provision of a brush with an integrated cleaning liquid reservoir in which the brush can be locked into a non- dispensing mode by various means . In the preferred embodiments according to this publication, a piston pump forms the mechanical connection between the brush handle and the brush head, and the dispensing of cleaning liquid is effected by movement between the brush handle and the brush head in the axial direction of the brush handle. Accidental dispensing is prevented by means of a spring-loaded bushing which forms a sleeve around the handle and serves to lock or limit axial travel of the handle when it is twisted relative to the handle. Alternatively, a "setting button" may be provided on the handle, which connects to a rod oriented between the wall of the handle and the interchangeable cartridge that contains the cleaning liquid. The rod forms the physical stop for the axial movement of the handle which governs the piston stroke. The position of the rod is adjusted between dispensing modes (in which axial movement of the handle is permitted) and a non-dispensing mode (in which axial movement is prevented) by pressing and sliding the setting button.

A disadvantage of the locking mechanisms outlined above is that because they are operated via the brush handle they do not guarantee the prevention of accidental dispensation when the cleaning liquid reservoir is not simply a refillable recess within the handle, but is instead a completely separate entity from the handle, such as a removable and replaceable cartridge. In such a case, the installation of a fresh cartridge into the brush will inevitably require some degree of axial force to be applied, especially when there is a sealing membrane or other closure provided on the cartridge which is to be ruptured at the point of installation. In the event that the consumer has omitted to set the locking mechanism on the handle in advance of installation, such axial forces could actuate the piston pump, and therefore trigger the dispensation of cleaning liquid during the process of cartridge installation, which is undesirable .

From a consumer perspective a replaceable cartridge system is desirable for cleaning brushes such. as those described above since it avoids the need to refill the brush directly from a bottle of cleaning liquid, which carries the risk of spillage and waste. Refilling from a bottle may also lead to hazardous cross-contamination between chemicals that are not intended to be mixed (such as hypochlorite bleach and oxidising agents) when different cleaning liquids are used to fill^' the brush.

There is therefore a need for an improved safety lock mechanism in a household cleaning tool which incorporates a replaceable cartridge for household cleaning fluid. Summary of the Invention

The invention provides a safety lockable household cleaning tool incorporating connection means for the installation of a replaceable cartridge of household cleaning fluid, characterised in that the cartridge and the connection means are provided with co-operating surfaces which interengage to prevent dispensation of cleaning fluid during installation of the cartridge.

Preferred Embodiments and Detailed Description of the Invention

In a preferred form of safety lockable household cleaning tool according to the invention, the dispensing of household cleaning liquid is effected by movement of the cartridge, which is slidably received in the body of the cleaning tool. The connection means for installation of the cartridge are provided in the body of the cleaning tool and the cartridge is interengageable with the connection means so that only after installation of the cartridge has taken place can the cartridge be moved from a locked position, in which movement of the cartridge is prevented to an unlocked position, in which movement of the cartridge is permitted.

Typically the cleaning tool according to the invention will comprise an elongate body having at one end a handle for the user and at the other end a cleaning head. The cleaning head is suitably provided with an array of bristles or synthetic bristles on its external surface. The connection means for the installation of the cartridge will generally be located between the cleaning head and the handle. Typically a pump will be located between the connection means and the cleaning head, which pump is actuated by pushing the cartridge as a lever. The pump serves to transfer household cleaning fluid from the cartridge to the cleaning head.

Preferably the cartridge is movable from the locked to unlocked position after installation by rotation about its longitudinal axis. The locked and unlocked positions are preferably provided by the interengagement of a shaped recess on the neck of the cartridge which interengages with corresponding projections on the connection means to effect locking and unlocking respectively. Alternatively projections may be provided on the cartridge which interengage with a corresponding shaped recess on the connection means to effect locking and unlocking respectively.

The cartridge and connection means are advantageously furnished with co-operating surfaces which provide a positive locking effect at the point at which the cartridge is installed. This provides a further safeguard against accidental dispensation of cleaning liquid since it prevents accidental removal of the cartridge or falling out of the cartridge in the event that the cleaning tool is dropped or inverted.

It is desirable to furnish the cartridge and connection means with a stop mechanism which limits axial travel of the cartridge in the unlocked position and therefore the stroke of the pump. This serves to control dosage of the cleaning fluid and also prolongs the life of the pump since it prevents overloading of the pump in the event that the user is inclined to push down excessively on the cartridge when actuating the pumping means.

Most preferably the cartridge is provided on its neck with one or more step-shaped recesses which interengage with corresponding projections on the connection means to effect locking and unlocking respectively.

Typically such a step-shaped recess provides a walled channel of sufficient depth to accommodate a corresponding projection on the connection means, which is shaped to fit into the channel when the cartridge is installed into the cleaning tool. Due to the step-shape of the recess, the axial length of the channel in which the projection is retained varies in dependence on the position to which the cartridge is rotated inside the connection means. In the locked orientation, axial movement of the cartridge is prevented due to abutment of the projection against the end wall of the channel. This forms a physical stop against further axial movement of the cartridge after installation. In the unlocked orientation, the axial length of the channel is sufficiently long to permit some axial travel of the cartridge before the projection abuts against the end wall of the channel . Therefore the cartridge can be pushed down to actuate the pump and dispense the household cleaning liquid. The locking and unlocking sections of the recess are linked by a circumferential channel section which receives the projection and permits rotation of the cartridge about its long axis from the locked to the unlocked position but no axial travel of the cartridge. Therefore dispensing of household cleaning fluid is prevented unless and until the unlocked position is engaged.

Preferably the step-shaped recess incorporates a small projection such as a stud at the point of cartridge insertion. This has to be forced over a corresponding projection on the connection means and therefore provides a positive locking effect at the point at which the cartridge is installed, which is advantageous for reasons described above .

Preferably the circumferential channel section of the step- shaped recess is shaped so that when the cartridge is rotated about its long axis from the locked to the unlocked position, it encounters a region of increased frictional contact with the projection on the connection means, before the unlocked position is engaged. This provides additional safety against accidental dispensing since an positive force is required by the consumer to rotate the cartridge past this region and thereby engage the unlocked position of the cartridge. Typically this effect is achieved by providing the central region of the circumferential channel section with a portion of reduced depth in relation to the projection of the connection means. The projection has to be forced past this portion (where it makes a tighter frictional fit due to the reduced depth) before the unlocked position can be reached. The cartridge is preferably provided with alignment indicators to show the insertion point of the cartridge, and also its locked and unlocked positions relative to the body of the tool, which may also be provided with corresponding alignment indicators.

Suitable materials for the body of the cleaning tool and the cartridge can be any rigid easily formed materials which will be readily evident to the skilled person. Preferred materials are thermoformable polymers that are resistant to attack from the chemicals in household cleaning fluids.

A specific example of a safety lockable household cleaning tool incorporating a replaceable cartridge for household cleaning fluid according to the invention is shown in the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a replaceable household cleaning fluid cartridge for installation in a safety lockable household cleaning tool;

Figure 2 is a view of the cartridge of Figure 1 rotated about its longitudinal axis by 90 degrees;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of Figure 1 ; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-section showing a safety lockable household cleaning tool with the cartridge of Figures 1 to 5 installed, and in a locked position, and

Figures 7a and 7b show developed views of the connection between the cartridge and tool of Figures 1 to 6 showing locked and unlocked positions of the tool respectively.

In the figures, like numerals represent like parts.

The cartridge (1) shown in Figures 1 to ^' 5 has a rigid elongate tubular body (2) which extends into a neck portion (3) which is sealed at its end by a closure cap (4) incorporating a flexible silicone septum (5) .

The neck portion. (3) bears a pair of diametrically opposed identical step-shaped recesses (6) . These serve to guide and limit the path of the cartridge (1) during and after installation into the household cleaning tool which is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

Each step-shaped recess (6) has a first channel section (6a) , which defines a short axial channel extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge (1) , then a second channel section (6b) , which defines a circumferential channel substantially at right angles to the first channel section (6a) , then a third channel section (6c) which defines a longer axial channel extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge (1) . First section (6a) is provided at its end nearest closure cap (4) with a small boss (7) .

As can be seen from Figure 4, the second channel section (6b) has a central region in which the channel is of reduced depth in relation to the flanking regions on either side.

The tubular body (2) bears alignment indicators (8a) and (8b) which are aligned in the longitudinal direction with first section (6a) and third section (6c) on the neck portion (3) respectively. This serves to indicate to the user the different radial orientations of the cartridge (1) which provide the locked and unlocked modes respectively when the cartridge (1) is installed into the household cleaning tool which is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

Referring to Figure 6, a household cleaning tool (9) is seated in a storage pot (10) , and has an elongate housing (11) which is in the form of a rigid sleeve furnished with an inclined handle (12) and a cleaning head (13) . A spring- loaded piston pump (14) is located in the base of the sleeve of the housing (11) . A plurality of fluid continuous channels, shown representatively as (15), lead from the interior surface to the exterior surface of the cleaning head (13), which exterior surface is provided with an array of bristle tufts, two of which are shown schematically as (16) . The cartridge (1) containing household cleaning fluid is locatable in the sleeve of the housing (11) and interengagable with the housing (11) by means of a annular connection socket (17) located at the base of the sleeve of the housing (11) above the pump (14) . The connection socket (17) bears a pair of circumferential stud-shaped projections (17a) . A hollow needle (18) is provided between the pump (14) and the cartridge (1) .

In use, the cartridge (1) is pushed into the connection socket (17) so that the stud-shaped projections (17a) on the connection socket (17) are forced over boss (7) and become seated into the first channel sections (6a) on the cartridge (1) . Alignment indicator (8a) on the cartridge enables the user to locate the correct orientation of the cartridge (1) relative to the connection socket (17) in order to effect installation. Upon installation of the cartridge (1) , the needle (18) penetrates sealing septum (5) on the closure cap (4) of cartridge (1) which allows the household cleaning fluid in the cartridge (1) to flow through the needle (18) into the chamber of the pump (14) . As is shown in Figure 7a, dispensation of household cleaning liquid is prevented in this position by abutment of the stud-shaped projections (17a) against the end walls of the first channel sections (6a) , which therefore form a physical stop against further axial movement of the cartridge (1) after installation. To unlock the tool (9) , the cartridge (1) is rotated to the position shown by alignment indicator (8b) . During rotation, the stud-shaped projections (17a) are seated in second channel sections (6b) .

As mentioned above and shown in Figure 4, second channel sections (6b) have central regions of reduced depth. Due to the tighter frictional fit of stud-shaped projections (17a) within these regions, they therefore present a barrier to rotation of the cartridge (1) unless and until an increased rotational force is applied which forces stud-shaped projections (17a) past these regions, so that the cartridge (1) can reach the unlocked position as shown by alignment indicator (8b) .

During rotation, the cartridge (1) cannot be moved axially due to abutment of the stud-shaped projections (17a) against the side walls of the second channel sections (6b) , which therefore form a physical stop against axial, movement of the cartridge (1) . However, as shown in Figure 7b, once the cartridge has reached the position shown by alignment indicator (8b), the stud-shaped projections (17a) become seated into the third channel sections (6c) which have a sufficient axial length to permit axial movement of the cartridge before the stud-shaped projections (17a) abut against the end walls of the third channel sections (6c) . In order to operate the tool (9) , the cartridge (1) is pushed down axially in the direction of the cleaning head (13) which causes the pump (14) to be actuated, thereby transferring household cleaning fluid from the cartridge (1) through the channels (15) to the array of bristle tufts (16) . The end walls of the third channel sections (6c) serve to limit the extent of axial travel of the cartridge in the unlocked position and therefore the stroke of the pump (14) . The spring-loading of the pump (14) returns the cartridge (1) to its starting position after the pump stroke.

It can be seen. from the above that the tool (9) can only be operated at the point at which the stud-shaped projections (17a) of the connection socket (17) become seated into the third channel sections (6c) of the cartridge (1) , and cannot be operated at other points such as during installation of the cartridge (1) .

Claims

1. A safety lockable household cleaning tool (9) incorporating connection means (17) for the installation of a replaceable cartridge of household cleaning fluid (1) , characterised in that the cartridge (1) and the connection means (17) are provided with co-operating surfaces (17a, 6) which interengage to prevent dispensation of household cleaning fluid during installation of the cartridge (1) .

2. A safety lockable household cleaning tool (9) according to claim 1, in which the dispensing of household cleaning liquid is- effected by movement of the cartridge (1) , which is slidably received in the body (11) of the cleaning tool (9) and interengageable with the connection means (17) such that only after installation of the cartridge (1) has taken place can the cartridge (1) be moved from a locked position, in which movement of the cartridge (1) is prevented to an unlocked position, in which movement of the cartridge (1) is permitted.

3. A safety lockable household cleaning tool (9) according to claim 2, in which the cartridge (1) is movable from the locked to unlocked position after installation by rotation about its longitudinal axis. A safety lockable household cleaning tool (9) according to claim 3, in which the cartridge (1) is provided on its neck (3) with one or more step-shaped recesses (6) which interengage with corresponding projections (17a) on the connection means (17) to effect locking and unlocking respectively.

A replaceable cartridge of household cleaning fluid (1) , for installation into a safety lockable household cleaning tool (9) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.