U.S. patent application number 10/022774 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-04 for toilet bowl composition dispenser.
This patent application is currently assigned to France, Reckitt Benckiser. Invention is credited to Lhoste, Jean-Francois.
Application Number | 20020083514 10/022774 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26153663 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020083514 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lhoste, Jean-Francois |
July 4, 2002 |
Toilet bowl composition dispenser
Abstract
Containers, in particular containers for cleaning and
deodorizing products which are hung over the rim of a toilet bowl,
have an outer container having an upper and a lower section. The
upper section has a number of apertures, which enable flushing
water to enter the container. Located within the outer container is
an inner container for holding the composition in liquid or gel
form. The flushing water dissolves a portion of the liquid or gel
and washes back out of the apertures.
Inventors: |
Lhoste, Jean-Francois; (Le
Coudray, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER & FELD, L.L.P.
ONE COMMERCE SQUARE
2005 MARKET STREET, SUITE 2200
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Assignee: |
France, Reckitt Benckiser
|
Family ID: |
26153663 |
Appl. No.: |
10/022774 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10022774 |
Dec 14, 2001 |
|
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PCT/GB00/02167 |
Jun 15, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
4/231 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D 9/032 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/231 |
International
Class: |
E03D 009/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 15, 1999 |
EP |
99401467.8 |
Jul 22, 1999 |
GB |
9917059.9 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A container for a water treatment composition in liquid or gel
form for use in a toilet bowl, comprising an outer container having
a lower section and an upper section, the upper section being
provided with a plurality of apertures for ingress and egress of
flushing water, and further comprising an inner composition
container having an open mouth, the inner container being
positioned within the outer container such that the mouth is
directed towards the apertures, wherein the inner container is
removable and contains a water treatment composition in liquid or
gel form, and wherein the inner container has a substantially
constant cross-section.
2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer container
comprises two parts connected together to enable the outer
container to be opened.
3. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two parts
comprise the upper and lower sections of the outer container
connected by a hinge.
4. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two parts
comprise side sections, which are connected together by a clip or
snap-fit arrangement and are separable from each other.
5. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer container
lower section is provided with baffles for supporting the inner
container.
6. The container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least
one drainage port provided in the outer container lower
section.
7. The container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least
one drainage port provided in a base of the inner container.
8. The container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
hook-shaped handle for supporting the container on a rim of a
toilet bowl.
9. The container as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a
locking mechanism for securing the container parts of the outer
container in a closed position.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of International
Application No. PCT/GB00/02167, filed Jun. 15, 2000, which was
published in the English language on Dec. 21, 2001, under
International Publication No. WO 00/77310, and the disclosure of
which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to improvements in or relating to
containers, and in particular containers for cleaning and
deodorizing products which are hung over the rim of a toilet
bowl.
[0003] A very large number of such containers are already known for
compositions containing constituents such as anti-microbial agents,
perfumes, bleaching agents, colorants, and/or surface active agents
for use in treating the water in toilet bowls. Ordinarily, the
compositions are located in cage-like containers, suspended near
the rim of a toilet bowl in a position where, on each occasion the
bowl is flushed, the flushing water enters the container and
contacts the composition to entrain some of the composition before
flowing into the lower part of the bowl. Thus, the water remaining
in the bowl, after flushing, includes some of the composition which
disinfects or otherwise treats the water and the surfaces of the
bowl.
[0004] Conventionally, such compositions have been in the form of
coherent self-supporting blocks. Such a device is described in
French published patent application FR-A-2579647, in which a
self-supporting block of disinfectant material is supported on a
grid. As the disinfectant material is colored, to prevent leakage
of colored solution into the toilet bowl between flushes, a solid
block of decolorizing product is located in a channel beneath the
grid. Between flushes, colored solution drips onto the decolorizing
block and is decolored to prevent it staining the toilet bowl in
case it does leak out.
[0005] However, more recently, compositions in the form of gels and
liquids have been proposed. In containers for such gels and
liquids, measures have to be taken to ensure that the gel or liquid
does not leak from the container between flushing operations. Such
a device is described in EP-A-0 446 795, which provides a container
divided into two adjacent sections. In one section there is located
a porous material, into which the cleaning composition has been
absorbed. Water enters the device and entrains some of the
disinfecting liquid from the porous material, before being washed
out.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
container for a liquid or gel type water treating composition where
these problems are minimized.
[0007] According to the invention, there is provided a container
for a water treatment composition in liquid or gel form for use in
a toilet bowl comprising an outer container having a lower section
and an upper section, said upper section being provided with a
plurality of apertures for the ingress and egress of flushing
water, and further comprising an inner composition container having
an open mouth, the inner container being positioned within the
outer container, such that the mouth is directed toward the
apertures, wherein the inner container is removable and contains a
water treatment composition in liquid or gel form, and wherein the
inner container has a substantially constant cross-section.
[0008] Preferably, the two parts of the outer container are
connected together to enable the outer container to be opened.
Preferably, the two container parts comprise the upper and lower
sections connected by a horizontal hinge. Alternatively, the two
container parts comprise side sections which are connected together
vertically by a clip or snap-fit arrangement and separable from
each other.
[0009] The lower section may be provided with baffles for
supporting the inner container. Furthermore, at least one drainage
port may be provided in the lower section of the outer container
and provided in the base of the inner container.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment a hook shaped handle is provided
for supporting the container on a rim of a toilet bowl.
[0011] Moreover, a locking mechanism may be provided for securing
the container parts of the outer container in a closed
position.
[0012] The present invention is thus advantageous in that a known
type of container for a solid block can easily be adapted for use
with a gel or liquid so that the consumer has a choice of form of
cleaning composition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed
description of the invention, will be better understood when read
in conjunction with the appended drawing. For the purpose of
illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawing an
embodiment which is presently preferred. It should be understood,
however, that the invention is not limited to the precise
arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawing:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art outer container
and an inner container (disassembled) according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art container 10 for
a solid block (not shown) of water soluble water treatment
composition. The container 10 has a lid 11, which is pivotally
hinged at one edge, by means of hinges 13, to a base section 12. A
hook shaped handle 14 is attached to the base section 12. The
handle 14 enables the container 10 to be suspended from the rim of
a toilet bowl in the path of the flushing water. The handle 14 is
provided with a locking mechanism formed by detent means 15, which
can be secured within catch 16 located on the top of the lid 11 to
hold the container 10 closed. This locking mechanism 15, 16 enables
the container to be opened to replace a used up block with a new
one.
[0016] Alternatively, the container may comprise two parts,
preferably in the form of cups or shells, which are connected
together vertically, by a clip or snap-fit arrangement. Such an
arrangement may have the mouth of one container part snap fitting
inside the mouth of the other part. Alternatively, one part may be
provided with clips which enable both parts to be held together.
The two container parts may be wholly separated. Any references in
the following pages to container lid should be considered to
include references to an upper section 11 of the container.
[0017] The container lid 11 is provided with a series of apertures
17, and the base section 12 is provided with one or more drainage
ports 19 and block-supporting baffles 18.
[0018] In use, the container 10 is opened by releasing the detent
means 15 from the catch 16. A block of water-treating composition
is placed within the container 10 on the baffles 18, and the lid is
closed and secured in position by means of the locking mechanism.
The container 10 is suspended in position in a toilet bowl from the
rim of the bowl. During flushing, water will flood into the
container 10 through the apertures 17. As the water comes into
contact with the block it dissolves a quantity thereof. As the
flushing action continues, the water, with the dissolved part of
the block floods back out of the apertures 17 and is carried down
into the toilet bowl where it carries out a cleaning and
disinfecting action. The ingress and egress of the water through
the apertures 17 causes surfactants in the composition to foam.
Foaming is seen to be an indicator of efficacy and therefore
preferred by the user. Any water remaining in the base section 12
of the container 10 after flushing is completed drains out through
the drainage port(s) 19. As the block is supported on the baffles
18, this helps to minimize contact with the water while it is
waiting to drain.
[0019] In the move towards liquid and gel water treatment
compositions, it has been found that, while this prior art
container 10 can be used for such compositions, a surprising effect
has been found in the present invention by providing an inner
container 20 to hold the liquid or gel. The inner container 20 may
sit on baffles 18, or the baffles 18 may be eliminated altogether.
Thus, as the water flushes in through the apertures 17, a lower
proportion enters the inner container 20 to dissolve a small
quantity of the gel or liquid before being flushed back out of the
apertures 17. One or more drainage ports may be provided in the
outer container 10 for draining water as described above. Drainage
ports may also or alternatively be provided in the bottom of the
inner container 20, to allow the drainage of any remaining flushing
water from the inner container 20 into the outer container.
[0020] In tests of containers having such inner containers and
identical containers without inner containers it has been found
that the life span of the liquid or gel increases significantly,
perhaps by as much as 50%. It is thought that the reasons for this
are a smaller surface area of gel exposed with the flush water, a
reduction in the turbulence of flush water contacting the gel or
liquid, and less leakage of the gel or liquid via the top apertures
17 in the outer container.
[0021] The inner container 20 preferably has vertical sides to give
a constant cross-section. This is advantageous in that during usage
a constant surface area of liquid or gel is exposed which means
that the fragrancing diffusion is constant. Furthermore, the
cleaning action is constant.
[0022] The present invention has a further advantage in
applications including so called "blue" formulations, which tint
the water in the toilet bowl blue. The containers for these
formulations generally include a siphon in the base or side of the
container, which allows the drainage of flush water during the
flush action but has a delaying action to stop the flow of residual
water, which has been stained blue on contact with the gel or
liquid between flushes. This is the water which has been left
behind after the main flush and, if allowed to drip or drain
between flushes, could cause a blue staining on the toilet bowl. In
the case of the present invention, the drainage ports 19 in the
outer container 10 are eliminated for blue liquid or gel
applications, while the drainage ports in the base of the inner
container 20 are retained. Thus, any residual water remaining in
inner container 20 will drain into the base section 12 of the
container after flushing and will remain there until the next
flush. There is thus no leakage of the blue formulation out of the
outer container for staining the toilet bowl. When the toilet is
next flushed, the new flush water which enters the outer container
will carry away the residual blue stained water with that
flush.
[0023] The container 10 may be opened and the inner container 20
refreshed with a quantity of gel or liquid from a bottle or other
appropriate storage means. Alternatively, a small filling nozzle
may be affixed to the container lid 11, so that the container may
be filled without opening the lid 11. In such an embodiment, the
container 10 may be provided as a single enclosure without a
separate lid and base hinged together. The use of a separate inner
container, however, advantageously provides a further convenient
filling solution, in that new pre-filled inner containers 20 with a
removable top, say of foil or plastic, can be sold with which users
can simply replace old empty containers 20. Alternatively, a new
cartridge of gel can be placed in the inner container.
[0024] The inner container may be supplied in different colors to
the external container 10 which may provide an aesthetic
contrasting effect.
[0025] The containers 10, 20 may be manufactured from any suitable
waterproof material. Plastics are preferred and more preferably
polypropylenes.
[0026] Any known or other suitable gel or liquid composition may be
used.
[0027] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
changes could be made to the embodiments described above without
departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is
understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the
particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover
modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention
as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *