WO2013050840A2 - System for the application of an adhesive sanitary agent to a wall of a sanitary appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

A system (1) for application of an adhesive sanitary agent to a wall (2) of a sanitary appliance (3) characterised in that it comprises: a sanitary agent having a preformed solid or semisolid active body (10), at least an adhesive surface (11) suitable for adhering to the wall (2) of a sanitary appliance (3), a second surface (12) opposite the adhesive surface (11) of the active body (10) and a pair of surfaces (13, 22) opposite one another; an applicator device (30) provided with at least a pressure surface (33) destined to come into contact with the second surface (12) such as to press the adhesive surface (11) against the wall (2) of the sanitary appliance (3) and gripping means (31) comprising a pair of clamps (32) destined to respectively close on said opposite surfaces (13, 22), each clamp (32) comprising an extended gripping portion (341, 342), the extended gripping portions (34) being moveable mutually nearingly and distancingly such as respectively to grip and release said opposite surfaces (13, 22).

Description

System for the Application of an Adhesive Sanitary Agent to a Wall of a Sanitary Appliance

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention regards a system for the application of a sanitary agent capable of adhering to a wall of a sanitary appliance, used for cleansing / disinfecting / perfuming / sanitising the sanitary appliance.

PRIOR ART

Sanitary appliances, for example toilet bowls or urinals fixed to the wall, are liable to numerous cleaning and disinfection operations so as to maintain suitable hygienic and sanitary conditions.

In this context, the prior art comprises the use of sanitary agents, in particular solid or semi-solid soaps, which are capable of stably adhering to the internal wall of a toilet bowl or of a urinal so as to be subjected to regular water flushing discharge and thus releasing a dose of the detergent, disinfecting and/or deodorizing agent gradually consumed, after several water flushing operations.

In particular, patent application EP 2.141 .221 in the name of Manitoba describes a detergent tablet having a substantially flat adhesive surface to be anchored to a wall of the toilet bowl and a shell-shaped surface to be subjected to the water flushing action.

Furthermore, the above patent application discloses an application system for the application of the adhesive detergent tablets, which enables avoiding direct manual contact between the inner surface of the toilet bowl and the tablet during the tablet-applying operations, the system comprising a container and applicator device; the device is suitable for containing the detergent tablet, within a flexible shell containment portion provided with a gripping perimeter flange. In an embodiment disclosed in the aforementioned patent application the perimeter flange can be gripped by an applicator tool provided with a grasping element and a pressure surface; the pressure surface is such as to come into contact with the flexible shell of the container and exert pressure thereon with the aim of releasing the adhesive tablet on the wall of the toilet bowl.

The applicator tool, in this example, comprises, at two opposite ends of the pressure surface, two grooves which slidably receive the ends of the perimeter flange and abut against a perimeter relief of the flange so as to removably retain the tablet container.

These applicator systems of the known type however reveal some drawbacks mainly due to the fact that the operations of gripping the container with the applicator tool are particularly difficult and complex.

What happens is that the coupling and decoupling of the container to and from the applicator tool require the use of both hands and needs to be well secured, so as to avoid the risk of detachment between the two during the operation of sticking the tablet to the surface of the toilet bowl.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the previously mentioned drawbacks with a system for the application of an adhesive sanitary agent to a wall of a sanitary appliance capable of facilitating and quickening the actions of gripping, applying and releasing the tablet to be applied.

A further object of the invention is to prevent the tablet container from inadvertently falling into the toilet bowl, as well as preventing any type of malfunction that may arise from the use of an adhesive tablet of a sanitary agent in the toilet bowl.

A further object of the invention is to avoid any contact between the hands of the user and the wall of the sanitary appliance, as well as with the sanitary agent tablet before, during and after the step of application thereof to the wall of the sanitary appliance.

Within the scope of the technical task, a further object of the present invention is to provide a simple structure, relatively easy to implement, safe to use and operatively efficient, as well as being relatively inexpensive.

The above objects are attained with the characteristics of the invention indicated in the independent claims.

The dependent claims outline preferred and/or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The invention, particularly, provides a system for the application of an adhesive sanitary agent to a wall of a sanitary appliance, the system comprising a sanitary agent and an applicator device for applying the sanitary agent to said wall, wherein the sanitary agent comprises:

a preformed solid or semisolid active body,

at least an adhesive surface suitable for adhering to the wall of a sanitary appliance,

a second surface opposite the adhesive surface of the active body and a pair of surfaces opposite one another, and wherein the applicator device is provided with:

at least a pressure surface destined to come into contact with the second surface such as to press the adhesive surface against the wall of the sanitary appliance and

gripping means comprising a pair of clamps destined to respectively close on the opposite surfaces, wherein each clamp comprises an extended gripping portion, the extended gripping portions being moveable mutually nearingly and distancingly such as respectively to grip and release said opposite surfaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention shall be apparent from the following detailed description provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the figures illustrated in the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is an exploded side view of a first embodiment of the system, according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the system of figure 1 with the clamps of the applicator device closed on the strip of the film.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the active body and of the film of the system, according to the invention.

Figure 4 is the axonometric view of figure 1 .

Figure 5 is the side view of the applicator device of figure 1 .

Figure 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of the system, according to the invention, with the clamps of the applicator device in the closed position thereof.

Figure 7 is a front view of figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side view of a third embodiment of the system, according to the invention, with the clamps of the applicator device in the open position thereof.

Figure 9 is the view of figure 8 with the clamps of the applicator device in the closed position.

Figure 10 is the front view of figure 9.

Figure 1 1 is a lateral view of a fourth embodiment of the system of the invention, with the clamps of the applicator device in the open position.

Figure 12 is an axonometric view of figure 1 1 .

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With particular reference to such figures, a system for the application of an adhesive sanitary agent to a wall 2 of a sanitary appliance 3 (of which a portion of section is only partly represented shown in figure 2), i.e. a toilet bowl, a urinal or any other similar appliance usually subjected to water flushing to maintain cleanliness and hygiene, is denoted in its entirety with 1 .

In particular, the system 1 comprises a sanitary agent, which is provided with an active body 10, for example a solid or semisolid tablet, of a sanitary agent, and an adhesive surface 1 1 destined to adhere to the wall 2 of a sanitary appliance 3, which for example can be the surface defined by a substantially flat wall of the active body 10.

The term semisolid tablet, in this case, is used to indicate a body of pasty consistency, which consistency is such a to be slightly modified following a manual pressure, but which subsequently maintains the original form thereof over time, even under the action of weak external forces, such as the on-flow of discharged or flushed water.

The sanitary agent defining the . active body 10 includes a treatment composition having at least an active element for the treatment of the sanitary appliance, i.e., an element that can be released upon contact with water so as to serve as a cleaning, detergent, foaming, perfuming, deodorant, disinfectant, water colouring, brightening agent, or any other action that is useful in water for the relative treatment the sanitary appliance is to be subjected to.

The sanitary agent, the active body 10 in the example, has a second surface 12, opposite to the adhesive surface 1 1 , which in the illustrated example is substantially flat-shaped; the active body 10 has in this case a substantially parallelepiped configuration, in which the base is defined by the adhesive surface 1 1 and the top is defined by the second surface 12; furthermore, the side walls 13 of the active body 10 define surfaces that are opposite to one another (in the example perpendicular to the adhesive surface 12) and they are also active at releasing the active element - in the treatment - into the water.

The active body 10, may also be cylindrical-shaped or alternatively the second surface 12 may be convex towards the external or have any other shape.

The active body 10 comprises an adhesive layer positioned solely on the adhesive surface 1 1 , i.e. a portion of the external surface of the active body; alternatively the active body 10 comprises an adhesive element dispersed in the material of the entire active body, preferably dispersed in the treatment composition of the sanitary agent. In this way, besides the adhesive surface 1 1 , the entire active body 10 enables a reinforced adhesion to the wall of the sanitary appliance 3 to be attained, provided by means of the adhesive component dispersed in the treatment composition.

The adhesive element can be any adhesive suitable for guaranteeing good adhesion between the wall of the sanitary appliance 3 and the active body 10.

In a preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the sanitary agent and, thus, the system 1 further comprises a packaging which in this case is provided by means of a film 20, which enables the adhesion of the active body 10 to the wall of the sanitary appliance 3 and surrounds the active body.

The outer surface of the active body 10 is substantially entirely (or almost entirely) coated with the film 20; more preferably, said coating is provided tightly around the outer surface of the active body 10 so as to obtain a contact layer that is homogeneous and free of noticeable roughness.

The film 20 comprises at least a strip 21 , for example constituted by two superimposed ends of the film, which projects towards the outside of the active body 10 on an opposite side with respect to the adhesive surface 1 1 . The strip 21 is advantageously a flexible strip projecting from the second surface 12. The strip 21 , in the indicated example, is such to define a crest having a longitudinal development substantially equivalent to a dominant dimension of the active body 10 (for example the length thereof on the plane parallel to the adhesive surface 1 1 ) and a height at least substantially equivalent (substantially double in the shown example) to the height of the active body 10, in a perpendicular direction to the adhesive surface 1 1 .

In practice, the superimposition of the film 20 - at the joining area between the ends thereof which defines the strip 21 - is such that the inner surfaces of the ends of the film 20 in the joining area perfectly fit and adhere and that the outer surfaces of said ends of the film 20 mutually define opposite faces 22 of the strip 21.

The film 20 enables adhesion of the active body 10 to the wall 2; in particular it is made of a water-soluble material, which enables manipulation of the active body 10, when dry, - for application thereof to the moist ceramic wall of a sanitary appliance to be treated - without coming to contact with the components thereof and preventing possible unwanted leakage of components of the active element of the sanitary agent, due to the deformation of the active body 10 before use, displacement thereof and/or possible dripping; furthermore, upon contact with water, for example with the previously moistened wall 3, the film 20 substantially disappears and/or stably adheres to the wall.

Furthermore, this provides the advantage of better preservation of the product within the sales packaging and also enables using any conventionally known body as an active body 10.

Preferably, the film 20 at contact with the moist surface, is adapted to provide an adhesion thereto, i.e. it has an adhesive material dispersed therein or the same water-soluble material used is also adhesive, or it has an adhesive material dispersed therein.

The film 20 has a thickness ranging from 5 to 500 microns, more preferably from 20 to 50 microns.

An example regarding the chemical composition of the active body 10 and of the film 20 is described in the patent application n° RE2010A000066 on behalf of the Applicant, to which reference shall be made for the detailed description.

The system 1 generally comprises an applicator device 30, which is provided with at least one pressure surface 33 which is destined to come into contact with the second surface 12 of the active body 10 for pressing the adhesive surface 1 1 against the wall 2 of the sanitary appliance 3, for example by interposing the film 20, when present.

The applicator device 30 further comprises gripping means 31 comprising a pair of clamps 32 suitable for laterally closing respectively on opposite surfaces associated to the active body 10, which can alternatively be either the side walls 13 or the opposite faces 22 of the strip 2 .

Each clamp 32 comprises an extended gripping portion 341 , 342; such extended gripping portions 341 ,342 are mutually nearingly and distancingly moveable respectively such as to grip and release the opposite surfaces associated to the active body 10, i.e. respectively of the opposite faces 22 of the strip 21 and/or of the side walls 13 of the active body.

The expression extended gripping portion 341 ,342 is used in particular to indicate a surface of the clamp 32 adapted to generate a contact, with the active body 10 or the film 20 which possibly wraps it or the opposite faces 22 of the strip 21 , that is extended on a plane (not simply localised on one point or one line).

Advantageously, said extended gripping portions 341 ,342 lie on a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the pressure surface 33; alternatively they can be arranged according to a plane more or less inclined with respect to the pressure surface 33.

The gripping means 31 , in the embodiments shown in the figures comprise a first pair of extended gripping portions 34 , which are destined to close on the opposite faces 22 of the strip 21 , where provided for, when the clamps 32 are closed (alternatively on a possible crest rising from the second surface 12 of the tablet).

Furthermore, the gripping means 31 comprise a second pair of extended gripping portions 342, which are destined to close on the side walls 13 of the active body 10 such as to retain them, for example should the sanitary agent not have any coating provided with a strip like the strip 21 adapted to be gripped by the clamps 32, or, even should the strip were present, it might be easier or necessary to grip the active body 10 by the lateral walls 13 thereof. The gripping means 31 also comprise grasping means adapted to be manoeuvred by a user to open and close the clamps 32.

In the examples indicated in the figures, generally, each clamp 32 defines a pressure semi-surface 33 such that, when the clamps 32 are closed it provides the entire pressure surface 33 which has a configuration substantially perfectly fitting with the second surface 12 of the active body 10. In practice, the pressure surface 33 in its entirety comprises an area substantially flat or convex-shaped towards the external, gripping means 31 which is such to lie on the second surface 12 of the active body, or in other words on the outer surface of the film 20 - where provided for - which covers them, when the clamps 32 close on the opposite faces 22 of the strip 21 .

Through the pressure surface 33 the user of the applicator device 30 exerts pressure, substantially uniform or slightly localised at the central area (in plan view) of the tablet, on the second surface 12 of the active body 10 when it rests on the wall 2 of the sanitary appliance 3, the active body 10 being compressed between the moistened wall 2 and the pressure surface 33 so as to stably adhere to the wall 2, so that, when the clamps 32 release the grip thereof on the strip 21 , the active body 10 remains fixed adheringly to the wall.

Furthermore, the action of opening the clamps 32 is such to facilitate the detachment of the tablet of active body 10 (with the film 20) from the pressure surface, in that the relative sliding motion between the pressure surface 33 (in particular the two semi- pressure surfaces 20) and the tablet occurs on a plane substantially parallel to the direction of operation of the pressure, indicated with reference letter A in figure 2.

Advantageously, the first and the second (where provided for) extended gripping portions 341 and 342 of each clamp 32 are arranged substantially orthogonal to the pressure semi-surface 33 of the relative clamp 32, so that said extended gripping portions are all substantially perpendicular to the pressure surface 33 (formed by the two semi-pressure surfaces) when the clamps 32 are in the closed position.

The extended gripping portions 341 of the first pair have a conjugated shape, for example having a notch 35 destined to facilitate the retaining of the strip 21 along the perpendicular direction to the pressure surface 33.

Each pressure surface 33 projects from the respective clamp 32 on the opposite side with respect to the plane orthogonal to the direction of mutual approaching/moving away of the clamps and, hence, on the opposite side with respect to the first extended gripping surfaces 341.

In a first embodiment shown in figures 1 to 5, the applicator device 30 comprises a gripper 36, defining the grasping means, which in this case comprise an arm 37 made of elastically yieldable U-shaped material, at ends of which the gripping means 31 and the pressure surface 33 described above are provided, while it can be grasped at the U-shaped folded portion.

The arm 37 further comprises an engaging tooth 38 for snap-coupling adapted to cooperate with a seating 39 fashioned in the arm (at one of the opposite portions thereof opposite to that to which the tooth 38 is associated), for mutually blocking the opposite portions of the arm 37 at a position such that the clamps 32 are in closed position.

The tooth 38 has an area, for example the free end thereof, accessible from outside the arm 37 by a finger of the hand of the user and such to be actuated, for decoupling the tooth 38 from the seat 39, by bending the tooth in a parallel direction to the direction A of exerting pressure on the wall 2 (the perpendicular direction to the adhesive surface 1 1 of the active body 10) and in a direction matching the approaching direction of the applicator device 30 to the wall 2, i.e. the direction in which applicating pressure is to be exerted. In the light of what has been described above, the system 1 according to the first embodiment operates as follows.

Applying an active body 10 to a wall 2 of a sanitary appliance 3 simply requires grasping the applicator device 30 using the grasping means (i.e. the arm 37), which due to the elasticity thereof is such as to leave the clamps 32 in the normally-open position.

To grip an active body 0 the strip 21 of the film 20 can be directly operated on such as to grip it, when the active body 10 is, for example, arranged in a special container tank or resting on a support surface with the strip 21 facing upwards; alternatively the side walls 13 of the active body 10 can be directly acted on, such as to retain it by means of the grip exerted by the second pair of extended gripping portions 342 on the side walls.

Practically, for example, when the strip 21 is present, by nearing the clamps 32 to the strip 21 and exerting compression on the opposite portions of the arm 37, the extended gripping portions 341 of the first pair fasten on the strip maintaining the grip, for example by means of the snap-coupling tooth 38 which reciprocally blocks the opposite portions of arm 37 when the clamps 32 are closed on the strip 21.

This configuration enables the adhesive surface 1 1 of the active body 10 to be neared to the wall 2 of the sanitary appliance 3 and, via a translation along the pressure-exerting direction A (perpendicular to the adhesive surface), the adhesive surface 1 1 can be pressed on the wall, which has been previously moistened.

The contact between the wall 2 and the tablet dissolves the water-soluble film portion 20 interposed between the adhesive surface 12 and the wall (for example, exerting an adhesive pressure) and the adhesion between the active body 10 and the wall 2 is established.

Simultaneously, using a finger of the same hand that grips the arm 37 on the free end of the tooth 38, the user frees the snap-coupling of the tooth 38 from the seat 39, so that - when the compression action between the opposite portions of the arm 37 stops - the two clamps 32, due to the elasticity of the arm, release the strip 21 of the film 20 (and/or the side walls 13 of the tablet) and thus the applicator device 30 can be removed leaving the active body 10 fixed to the wall 2, after a given adhesion time, for example a few seconds, elapses.

In practice the step of releasing the tablet occurs by means of mutual translation with sliding between the active surface 12 (for example by interposing the film 20) of the tablet and the pressure surface 33 during the opening of the clamps 32.

The step of locking the clamps 32 occurs either simultaneously with the step in which the tablet is pressed against the wall 2 of the sanitary appliance 3 or before the above-mentioned step of releasing the tablet.

The entire or almost entire removal of the film 20 takes place on the first passage of water on the tablet, thus leaving the second surface 12 uncovered, same case applying to the side walls 13 (also active) of the active body 10, such as to release the treatment element into the water.

In a second embodiment of the system 1 , shown in figures 6 and 7, the applicator device 30 comprises a gripper 36 comprising a pair of arms 370, each of which has at a first end 371 a clamp 32, as described above for the first embodiment, and at the second end 372 the grasping means i.e. a portion arched or which can be gripped through the user's fingers.

The arms 370 are hinged in at least one fulcrum point 373, intermediate between the respective ends 371 and 372, so that the clamps 32 can be opened and closed via a substantially scissor-like mechanism.

In the second embodiment the blocking means of the clamps 32 in the closed configuration are not present although the gripper 36 can still be provided. In the second embodiment, the system 1 comprises elastic return means 374 of the arms 370 destined to push the clamps 32 from the closed position to the open position, in contrast to the closing action thereof exerted by the user.

In practice, at least an arm 370 (each arm 370 in the shown example) comprises an elastically yielding appendage 374 facing towards the other arm 370, which is destined to flex (upon contact with the other arm and/or with the other appendage, where included), through the compression exerted by the user on the grasping ends 372 of the arms, and to elastically return to the rest position, distancing the clamps 32, once the user stops acting with the compression force.

In the example shown in figures 6 and 7 the second illustrated embodiment, contrary to the first embodiment of the system 1 , does not have the second pair of extended surfaces 342, hence the tablet will be gripped exclusively at the strip 21 of the film 20 which dads and winds the active body 10 or, where present, at any crest in the tablet that rises from the second surface 12 thereof; however, also the clamps 32 of the system 1 , according to the second embodiment, may also provide for the second pair of extended portions 342.

In the light of what has been described above, the system 1 according to the second embodiment operates entirely similarly to what was described regarding the first embodiment, except for the scissor-like mechanism which regulates the opening and closing of the clamps 32 and so as to keep the clamps 32, by exerting compression on the grasping ends 372 of the arms 370, closed on the strip 21 , until a given time required for the adhesion of the tablet to the wall 2 has elapsed.

In a third embodiment, shown in figures 8 - 10, the applicator device 30 comprises a gripper 36, alike to the one described regarding the first embodiment, provided with only one arm 37, made of an elastically yielding material and folded to form a U-shape, at whose ends there are provided the gripping means 31 and the pressure surface 33 as described above.

At the folded portion of the arm 37, the arm is provided with actuation means, for example a gripping pin 375 fixed by means of a fit-coupling 376 to the folded portion of the arm 37 and developing longitudinally on the opposite side of the arm 37 with respect to the ends provided with clamps 32.

The applicator device 30 of this third embodiment, comprises a hollow outer body 40, inside which there is slidably associated the arm 37; the gripping pin 375 is suitable for translating the arm 37 with respect to the outer body 40 and, simultaneously, opening and closing the clamps 32, as more fully described hereinafter. The outer body 40 has an inner cavity 41 developing longitudinally along the translation axis of the arm with respect to the outer body and passing from one side of the outer body to the other.

The arm 37 is inserted in the cavity 41 , such that the clamps 32 are on one side of the outer body 40 and the free end of the gripping pin 375 is on the opposite side of the outer body.

The cavity 41 has a widened end part 42, at the end of the outer body 40 arranged on the side of the clamps 32 and a tapered central area 43, which extends up to the opposite end of the outer body 40.

The arm 37 therefore slides along the longitudinal axis of the cavity 41 between two opposite positions, including a first position (shown in figure 9), in which the arm 37 is substantially contained within the outer body 40 and the clamps 32 abut on the end of the outer body, and a second position (shown in figure 8), in which the arm 37 is partly arranged externally of the outer body 40 on the side where the clamps 32 operate.

In particular, a compression force acts on the arm 37 in the first position due to the tapered central area 43 of the cavity 41 , such as to close the clamps 32; in the second position the arm 37 moves to the widened end area 42 and the elasticity of the arm enables the clamps 32 to be opened.

In the first position of the arm 37 the extended gripping portions 341 of the first pair are substantially in mutual contact so that they can retain the possible strip 21 of the film; the extended gripping portions 342 of the second pair face each other so as to be able to grip the side walls 13 of the tablet, for example should the strip 21 not be present.

The arm 37, in this case, has a pair of opposite convex-shaped elements defined at the opposite portions of the arm which configure a widened area of the arm suitable for snugly fitting perfectly in the tapered central area 43 of the cavity 41 .

Furthermore, the arm 37 is configured so as to have a tapered area at the U- shaped folded portion, so that when the arm 37 is in the second position the portion comes to contact with the inner wall of the cavity and/or the arm 37 (for example the convex-shaped element thereof) is free to elastically deform, distancing the clamps 32.

A hollow tang 44 is provided at the end of the outer body 40, engaged by the gripping pin 375, in which the gripping pin is inserted, for example substantially snugly, the gripping pin terminating with a widened plate 45 or an eyelet actuatable by the user's hand by translating the arm 37 with respect to the outer body 40.

Furthermore, two eyelets 46 are afforded on the outer jacket of the outer body 40, which eyelets can be used by the user to insert two fingers, so that with a third finger of the same hand or the other he operates on the plate 376 to actuate the mutual translation (to open and close the clamps 32) of the arm 37 with respect to the outer body 40.

In the third embodiment of the invention, the system operates in an entirely similar way to the one outlined previously regarding the first embodiment, except for the fact that the compressive action on the arm 37, to block the clamps 32 in closed position and to open the clamps in order to release the sanitary agent once adhering to the wall 2 of the sanitary appliance, is carried out by the outer body 40, with the sliding of the arm therein.

IN a fourth embodiment, shown in figures 1 1 and 12, the applicator device 30 comprises grippers 36, defining the gripping means, which in the example comprise an arm 37 made of a U-bent elastically yielding material, at ends of which the above-described gripping means 31 and the pressure surface 33 are fashioned, while it can be gripped at the U-bent portion.

Constructionally the fourth embodiment is entirely similar to the first above- described embodiment, to which reference is made for the detailed description thereof.

The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that each limb of the arm 37 comprises a pair of pads 46 which are destined to come into reciprocal contact when the clamps 32 are in the closed position.

In practice, the pads 46 define a mechanical stop to the closing run of the arms 37 and therefore of the clamps 32 from the open position to the closed position thereof.

Thanks to the presence of the pads 46 the deformation of the clams 42 can be limited when they re in contact in the closed position thereof, and therefore the grip and release of the active body 10 can be improved.

The two pads 46 are connected to one another by means of a U-shaped flexible bridge 47, having for example a concavity thereof facing on the opposite side to the arm 37, which has the function of limiting the opening of the clamps 32.

In the light of the above description, the functioning of the system 1 in the fourth embodiment is the same as described above for the first embodiment, for applying an active body 10 to a wall 2 of a sanitary apparatus 3.

The invention as it is conceived herein is susceptible to various modifications and variants all falling within the inventive concept.

Furthermore, all details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, all the materials used, as well as the shape and contingent dimensions, may vary according to the needs without departing from the scope of protection of the following claims.

Claims

Claims

1. System (1 ) for sanitary appliances (3), characterised in that it comprises: - a sanitary agent having

a preformed solid or semisolid active body ( 0),

at least an adhesive surface (1 1 ) suitable for adhering to the wall (2) of a sanitary appliance (3),

a second surface (12) opposite the adhesive surface (1 1 ) of the active body (10) and

a pair of surfaces (13, 22) opposite one another;

an applicator device (30) for application of an adhesive sanitary agent to a wall (2) of a sanitary appliance, wherein the applicator device (30) is provided with:

at least a pressure surface (33) destined to come into contact with the second surface (12) such as to press the adhesive surface (1 1 ) against the wall (2) of the sanitary appliance (3) and

gripping means (31 ) comprising a pair of clamps (32) destined to respectively close on the opposite surfaces (13, 22), wherein each clamp (32) comprises an extended gripping portion (341 , 342), the extended gripping portions (341 , 342) being moveable mutually nearingly and distancingly such as respectively to grip and release said opposite surfaces (13, 22).

2. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that the sanitary agent comprises a film (20) capable of allowing the adhesion of the active body (10) to the wall (2) of the sanitary appliance (3) and wraps the active body (10).

3. System according to claim 2, wherein the film (20) comprises at least a strip (21 ) projecting from the active body (10) on an opposite side with respect to the adhesive surface (1 1 ), the clamps (32) of the applicator device (30) being destined to close on opposite faces (22) of the strip (21 ) defining said opposite surfaces.

4. System (1 ) according to claim 2, wherein the film (20) is made of a water- soluble material.

5. System (1 ) according to claim 3, wherein the strip (21 ) is a flexible strip projecting from the second surface (12).

6. System (1 ) according to claim 3, wherein each clamp (32) of the applicator device (30) comprises a first of said extended gripping portions (341 ), substantially perpendicular to the pressure surface (33), the extended gripping portions (341 ) of the first pair of extended gripping portions being moveable mutually nearingly and distancingly respectively in order to grip and release said strip (21 ).

7. System (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each clamp comprises a pressure semi-surface (33), the pressure semi-surfaces (33) being moveable mutually nearingly and distancingly with the extended gripping portions (34) and projecting on opposite sides with respect to the gripping surfaces.

8. System (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping means (31 ) comprise grasping means (37,372) destined to be manoeuvred by a user to open and close the clamps (32).

9. System according to claim 8, wherein the gripping means (31 ) comprise a gripper (36) provided with at least an arm (37,370) a portion of which defines the grasping means and at least at one of the ends at least one of said clamps (32) is provided.

10. System (1 ) according to claim 9, wherein said arm (37) is made of an elastically yielding material and is folded to conform substantially a U-shape, a clamp (32) of said pair of clamps being provided at each end of the arm (37).

11. System (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterised in that it comprises means (38,39) for blocking the mutual movement of the clamps (32), destined to block the mutual movement of the clamps (32) in the closed position thereof.

12. System (1 ) according to claim 9 and 1 1 , wherein the blocking means comprise at least a tooth (38) for snap-coupling projecting from at least a portion of the arm (37) facing towards the portion opposite thereto of the arm and destined to be snap-coupled in a coupling seat (39) provided in the other portion.

13. System (1 ) according to claim 12, wherein the tooth (38) comprises an externally-accessible area of the grasping means, destined to be pressed towards one of the pressure surfaces (33) such as to decouple the tooth (38) from the seating (39).

14. System (1 ) according to claim 9, wherein the gripper (36) of the gripping means (31 ) comprises a pair of said arms (370) each of which bears, at a first end (371 ), one of said clamps (32), and at a second end (372), said grasping means, the arms (370) being hinged in at least an intermediate fulcrum point (373) between the respective ends (371 ,372).

15. System (1 ) according to claim 14, characterised in that it comprises means (374) for elastic return of the arms (370) suitable for pushing the clamps (32) from the closed position into the open position.

16. System according to claim 10, characterised in that the applicator device (30) comprises at least an outer body (40) slidably associated externally of the arm (37), the arm being provided with actuation means (375) for the translating actuation of the arm with respect to the outer body (40) and the opening and closing of said clamps (32).

17. Method for the application of an adhesive sanitary agent to a wall (2) of a sanitary appliance (3) characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

- providing a preformed solid or semisolid sanitary agent having an active body (10) and having at least an adhesive surface (1 1 ) suitable for adhering to a wall (2) of a sanitary appliance (3), a second surface (12) opposite the adhesive surface (1 1 ) of the active body (10) and a pair of surfaces (13,22) opposite with respect to one another, associated to the active body (10);

- providing an applicator device (30) having with at least a pressure surface (33) suitable for coming into contact with said second surface (12) such as to press the adhesive surface (1 1 ) against the wall (2) of the sanitary appliance (3), and gripping means (31 ) comprising a pair of clamps (32) destined to respectively close on said opposite surfaces (13,22), wherein each clamp (32) comprises an extended gripping portion (341 , 342), the extended gripping portions (34) being moveable mutually nearingly and distancingly such as respectively to grip and release said opposite surfaces (13,22);

- gripping, by closing the clamps (32) of the applicator device (30), the two respective surfaces (13,22) opposite with respect to one another and associated to the active body (10), so that the pressure surface (33) of the applicator device (30) comes to contact with the active body (10) on the opposite side with respect to the adhesive surface (1 1 ),

- pressing the adhesive surface (1 1 ) of the active body (10) on a wall (2) of a sanitary appliance (3) by nearing the applicator device (30) to the wall (2) along a substantially perpendicular direction to the pressure surface (33) of the applicator device,

- releasing the active body (10) after a determined adhesion time, by opening the clamps (32) of the applicator device (30).

18. Method according to claim 17, wherein the active body (10) is wound in a film (20) which enables adhesion of the active body (10) to the wall (2) of the sanitary appliance (3), said film (20) comprising at least a strip (21 ) projecting from the active body (10) on an opposite side with respect to the adhesive surface (1 1 ), said gripping step, through closing the clamps (32) of the applicator device (30), being provided by closing the clamps on opposite faces (22) of the strip (21 ) defining said opposite surfaces.