U.S. patent application number 10/957693 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-06 for liquid active substance dispenser for w.c. bowl.
This patent application is currently assigned to RE.LE.VI. S.P.A.. Invention is credited to Fabio Pagani.
Application Number | 20060070172 10/957693 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36124068 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060070172 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pagani; Fabio |
April 6, 2006 |
Liquid active substance dispenser for W.C. bowl
Abstract
The dispenser comprises a bottle (11) containing in its interior
active substance (R) in the liquid state and having an exit mouth
(12), and a support means (20) for supporting said bottle (11) in
an inverted position, with its mouth (12) facing downwards, in a
position subjected to the action of the flushing water flow.
According to the invention, the support means (20) comprises: a
closed transition chamber (30) positioned below the exit mouth (12)
to contain and retain, for at least part of its volume, the active
substance and, for closing the mouth (12), a member (21) which
connects the mouth to the transition chamber (30) via a sized hole
through which the active substance descends, said transition
chamber (30) having an aperture (35) for the exit of the active
substance from the chamber. There is also provided a substantially
horizontal diffuser plate (25) positioned adjacent to said active
substance exit aperture (35). Said exit aperture (35) is sized in
relation to the physical-chemical characteristics of the active
substance such that this occupies and closes the aperture (35) and
also halts the discharge of the substance from the bottle interior,
it outflowing therefrom only through a relatively short distance,
said diffuser plate (25) being disposed in a position relative to
the W.C. bowl such that the flushing water washes said exit
aperture (35).
Inventors: |
Pagani; Fabio; (Gazoldo
Degli Ippoliti, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROWDY AND NEIMARK, P.L.L.C.;624 NINTH STREET, NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-5303
US
|
Assignee: |
RE.LE.VI. S.P.A.
RODIGO
IT
|
Family ID: |
36124068 |
Appl. No.: |
10/957693 |
Filed: |
October 5, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/231 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D 9/032 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
004/231 |
International
Class: |
E03D 9/02 20060101
E03D009/02 |
Claims
1. A liquid active substance dispenser for a W.C. bowl, to be
housed within the W.C. bowl, comprising a bottle (11) containing in
its interior the active substance (R) in the liquid state and
provided with an exit mouth (12) for the active substance (R), and
a support means (20) for supporting said bottle (11) in an inverted
position, with its mouth (12) facing downwards, in a position
subjected to the action of the flushing water flow, characterized
in that the support means (20) comprises: a closed transition
chamber (30) positioned below the exit mouth (12) to contain and
retain, for at least part of its volume, the active substance; for
closing the mouth (12) of the bottle (11) a member (21) which
connects the mouth to the transition chamber (30) via a sized hole
through which the active substance descends; said transition
chamber (30) having an aperture (35) for the exit of the active
substance from the chamber; a substantially horizontal diffuser
plate (25) positioned adjacent to said active substance exit
aperture (35); said exit aperture (35) being sized in relation to
the physical-chemical characteristics of the active substance such
that this occupies and closes the aperture (35) and also halts the
discharge of the substance from the bottle interior, it outflowing
therefrom only through a relatively short distance, said diffuser
plate (25) being disposed in a position relative to the W.C. bowl
such that the flushing water washes said exit aperture (35).
2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said
transition chamber (30) comprises, in the top of the chamber 30, in
communication with atmospheric pressure, a sized hole (34) for
ventilating the interior of the bottle (11).
3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising,
external to the chamber (30), an upward projection (27) on the
upper surface of the diffuser plate (25) to the front of and at a
short distance from the exit aperture (35), to define a wall for
halting the exit of the active substance from the aperture
(35).
4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said
sized hole (33) for the descent of the active substance is provided
in the top of the transition chamber (30).
5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising,
external to the chamber (30), an upward projection (27A) on the
upper surface of the diffuser plate (25) to the front of the exit
aperture (35), defining an enclosure wall bounding a closed field,
for halting the exit of the active substance from the aperture
(35).
6. A dispenser as claimed in claim 5, characterised by comprising,
a vertical slot (29) in the upward projection (27A) particularly
for draining the water which mixes with the active substance (R)
inside said enclosure.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a dispenser for liquid active
substances (deodorants/cleansers/refreshers/disinfectants and the
like) for a W.C. bowl.
[0002] It has been known for some time to use cage-like containers
which are suspended below the rim of the W.C. bowl in a position
such as to be struck by the flow of flushing water. An active
cleansing and/or deodorant and/or air refreshing and/or
disinfectant substance in solid block form is placed in the cage,
to release its action on encountering the flushing water flow, and
be diluted into it.
[0003] One defect is that the quantity of perfuming substance which
can be incorporated as a component in the mixture which forms the
solid block is relatively small, and moreover some components, and
in particular this perfuming substance, are washed out by the water
flow more quickly than others, with the result that their action
does not have constant behaviour during the life of the block, but
rapidly decreases to quickly disappear.
[0004] Containers suitable for containing an active substance in
the form of a gel are also known, having holes through which the
water enters and leaves, entraining with it a part of the dissolved
active substance.
[0005] EP 538957 describes a dispenser for a W.C. bowl comprising a
bed of sponge material which is suspended below the bowl rim in a
horizontal position, to be lapped by the flushing water flow, On
this sponge bed a bottle containing liquid active substance is
positioned inverted, with its mouth in contact with the sponge.
[0006] Other solutions are illustrated in WO99/66139 which shows an
inverted bottle containing liquid active substance with its mouth
positioned in contact with a plate provided with thin grooves for
diffusing the liquid. Still further solutions are illustrated in
the patents EP878586, EP1046756 and WO01/04428, which do not use a
sponge bed.
[0007] An object of this invention is to provide a device of the
type to be housed within a W.C. bowl, comprising a bottle for
containing active substance in the liquid state, and having an exit
mouth for the active substance and a support means for supporting
said bottle with its mouth facing downwards, in a position
subjected to the action of the flushing water flow, which is
different from known devices and is able to overcome the drawbacks
arising in the operation of known devices, and in particular is
able to effect a sized and relatively regular delivery of the
active substance from the bottle, so preventing wasteful substance
loss.
[0008] Another object is to provide a dispenser which is of simple
low-cost manufacture.
[0009] These and further objects are attained by the dispenser of
the invention as characterised in the claims.
[0010] According to the invention, the support means comprises:
[0011] a closed transition chamber positioned below the exit mouth
to contain and retain, for at least part of its volume, the active
substance,
[0012] a bottle mouth closure member which connects the mouth to
the transition chamber via a sized hole through which the active
substance descends,
[0013] said transition chamber having in the top of the chamber in
communication with atmospheric pressure a sized hole for
ventilating the interior of the bottle, and having an aperture for
the discharge of the active substance from the interior,
[0014] a substantially horizontal diffuser plate positioned
adjacent to said active substance exit aperture,
[0015] said exit aperture being sized in relation to the
physical-chemical characteristics of the active substance such that
this occupies and closes the hole and halts the discharge of the
substance from the bottle interior, it outflowing therefrom only
through a relatively short distance,
[0016] said diffuser plate being disposed in a position relative to
the W.C. bowl such that the flushing water washes said exit
aperture.
[0017] The invention is described in detail hereinafter with the
aid of the accompanying figures, which illustrate one embodiment
thereof by way of non-limiting example.
[0018] FIG. 1 is a section through the dispenser of the invention
taken on the vertical plane of symmetry I-I of FIG. 2.
[0019] FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 1.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the support means of FIG. 1,
without the bottle.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the support means of FIG. 1,
without the bottle.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a detailed section on the plane V-V of FIG. 4.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the
invention.
[0024] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the support means of FIG. 6,
without the bottle.
[0025] The dispenser of the invention (indicated overall by 10)
comprises a bottle 11 for containing, in its internal chamber, an
active deodorant/disinfectant substance R, i.e. able to cleanse
and/or deodorize and/or air-refresh and/or disinfect, which is in
the (more or less viscous) liquid state, and provided with an exit
mouth 12 for the active substance R.
[0026] The dispenser 10 also comprises a support means 20 having a
usual hooking means 28 in the form of a hook-shaped elongate
element of elastically flexible material, by which it is hooked to
the upper rim 8 of a W.C. bowl 7, and able to support said bottle
11 in an inverted position with its axis in a vertical or
near-vertical position and with its mouth 12 facing downwards, in a
position subjected to the action of the flushing water flow. The
bottle 11 is separate from the support means 20 and is associated
with it to be located in the W.C. bowl.
[0027] The entire dispenser 10, including the bottle 11, is to be
housed within the W.C. bowl 7 against its inner surface 71, below
its upper rim 8 and exposed to the action of the flushing water
flow. Usually, the water flow emerges either along the rim 8 from
holes provided in its lower part, or from a rear central mouth of
the bowl and made to flow in a tangential direction along the inner
surface 71, below the rim 8.
[0028] The support means 20 comprises a closed transition chamber
30 positioned below the dispenser exit mouth 12 to contain and
retain, at least for a part of its volume, the active substance.
The transition chamber 30 is enclosed by side walls 32 and by a
horizontal upper wall 31, which define a box of rounded
parallelepiped form.
[0029] Above the transition chamber 30 there is provided, for
closing the bottle mouth 12, a closure member 21 which connects the
mouth 12 to the transition chamber via a sized hole 33 through
which the active substance descends.
[0030] Said member 21 consists of a tube which extends vertically
upwards from the upper surface of the upper wall 31, its upper end
being preferably cut by an inclined plane to define a pointed
element. The exit mouth 12 is in geometrical relationship with the
tube 21 such that its inner surface sealedly embraces the lateral
surface of the tube.
[0031] In use, the bottle 11 is coupled to the tube 21 by making
this penetrate its mouth 12, hence also breaking a diaphragm 13
closing the mouth 12, before the bottle 11 engages the support
means. At the centre of the base of the tube 21 there is provided
in the upper wall 31 a sized hole which defines said hole 33
through which the active substance descends towards the interior of
the transition chamber 30.
[0032] For ventilating the interior of the bottle 11, the
transition chamber 30 is provided with a sized hole 34 positioned
in the top of the chamber 30, it being provided in the upper wall
31 at a distance from the hole 33, in communication with
atmospheric pressure.
[0033] An aperture 35 for the exit of the active substance from the
transition chamber 30 is provided in a vertical wall 32 of the
chamber.
[0034] The transition chamber 30 extends upwards from the upper
surface of a substantially horizontal diffuser plate 25; the exit
aperture 35 for the active substance is positioned flush with the
upper surface of the plate 25 and, in particular, is in the form of
a low elongate slot extending in a horizontal direction along the
lower side of the wall 32. The diffuser plate 25 is disposed in a
position relative to the W.C. bowl such that the flushing water
washes said exit aperture 35.
[0035] The exit aperture 35 is sized in relation to the
physical-chemical characteristics of the active substance R such
that this occupies and closes the aperture 35, and also halts the
discharge of the substance R from the interior of the bottle 11,
overflowing therefrom only for a relatively short distance,
[0036] Using an active substance R having a viscosity of
1000-3000.times.10.sup.-2 P (poise), excellent results have been
obtained with an exit aperture 35 having a height from 10 to
20.times.10.sup.-1 mm; the length is not critical.
[0037] To dispose the bottle 11 in its position of use, it is
inverted and thrust manually downwards causing the tube 21 to
penetrate into it, so that the point of the tube detaches or tears
the diaphragm 13 closing the mouth 12, to enable the active
substance R present in the interior of the bottle 11 to descend
through the exit mouth 12. The support means together with the
bottle 11 coupled to it is then located in the interior of the W.C.
such that the diffuser plate 25 is substantially horizontal and is
exposed to the water flow entering the W.C.
[0038] The active substance R contained in the bottle 11 descends
through the mouth 12 (open) and at least partly fills the closed
internal volume of the transition chamber 30; a small part of this
substance leaves the chamber 30 through the exit aperture 35 and
obstructs it; in this situation the mass of the substance R present
in the chamber 30 prevents communication between the ventilation
hole 34 and the descent hole 33. Consequently, by virtue of the
viscosity of the active substance R, in relation to the dimensions
of the hole 33 and of the exit aperture 35, and of the vacuum which
forms in the interior of the bottle 11, a situation of static
equilibrium is achieved, blocking descent of the substance from the
bottle and its exit from the transition chamber 30.
[0039] When a flushing water flow is activated, this runs along the
diffuser plate 25 to lap the exit aperture 35 and entrain that
small quantity of the substance R which escapes from it, then
dilute it and release its
deodorant/cleansing/refreshing/disinfectant action.
[0040] It has been observed experimentally that because of the
removal of this quantity of the substance R the equilibrium
situation changes to produce a further small outflow of substance R
through the aperture 35; this causes the level of the substance in
the chamber 30 to fall and a little ventilation air to enter the
interior of the bottle 11 through the hole 33 and reach the top of
the interior. This changes the equilibrium between the pressure
inside the bottle and that outside it, to cause a gauged descent of
the substance R, corresponding to the quantity removed by the
water, with consequent restoration of the equilibrium situation.
For this to happen, the geometrical characteristics of the descent
hole 33 and ventilation hole 34, and of the exit aperture 35, are
in suitable relation to the physical-chemical characteristics of
the active substance R (in particular to its viscosity).
[0041] To facilitate the halting of the active substance R
occupying the exit aperture 35, an upward projection 27 is provided
external to the chamber 30 on the upper surface of the diffuser
plate 25 to the front of and a short distance from the exit
aperture 35, to define a wall for halting the outflow of the active
substance from the aperture 35. This consolidates the static
equilibrium situation.
[0042] To facilitate the washing away and removal of the active
substance R by the water flow, the diffuser plate 25 is surrounded
by a side wall 24 defining a relatively large basin provided with
numerous large apertures 24' for water passage and surrounding the
transition chamber 30. Drainage apertures 41 are provided to
prevent water accumulation on the bottom of the plate 25.
[0043] The second embodiment of the invention, shown FIGS. 6 and 7,
differs from the above described one with regard to the upward
projection 27, as an upward projection 27A is provided external to
the chamber 30 on the upper surface of the diffuser plate 25, to
define a wall for halting the outflow of the active substance from
the aperture 35, similar to the projection 27 of FIG. 1, but
defining an enclosure wall whose ends join against the side walls
32, so bounding a closed field. Anyway, there may be provided a
vertical slot 29 in the upward projection 27A particularly for
draining the water which mixes with the active substance R inside
said enclosure.
[0044] This second embodiment is suitable for active substances R
having a relatively low degree of viscosity.
[0045] Numerous modifications of a practical and applicational
nature can be made to the invention, but without leaving the scope
of the inventive idea as claimed below.
* * * * *