U.S. patent number 3,597,772 [Application Number 04/783,609] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-10 for lavatory sanitation bodies.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Chemtrust Industries Corporation. Invention is credited to Seymour Leavitt, Barry L. Schneider.
United States Patent |
3,597,772 |
Leavitt , et al. |
August 10, 1971 |
LAVATORY SANITATION BODIES
Abstract
Bodies for use in connection with urinal drains and the like,
which are positioned in relation thereto in a manner whereby drain
or flush water will come into direct contact with at least a
portion of the bodies. The bodies preferably include a solid
cleaning and/or sanitizing material which will dissolve in part
with each flow of drain or flush water thereby to provide automatic
and metered cleaning, disinfecting, deodorizing, and the like, of
the urinal. The solid-cleaning and -sanitizing material most useful
for urinals is most advantageously in bar or premolded form and
comprises, as its essential active ingredients, an intimate
admixture of (a) one or more synthetic detergents which are solid
at room temperatures, and (b) an acidic agent in the form of one or
more acids or acid-forming salts or both, the ratio of the
synthetic detergent to the acidic agent in the solid, sanitizing
material ranging preferably from about 1 to 100 of the former to
about 1 of the latter. The bodies include a holder, which can be
placed in a urinal drain or the like, designed to be made
economically and to support the cleaning and sanitizing material in
a position where drain or flush water will come into direct and
extensive contact therewith.
Inventors: |
Leavitt; Seymour (Lincolnwood,
IL), Schneider; Barry L. (Chicago, IL) |
Assignee: |
Chemtrust Industries
Corporation (Maywood, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
25129834 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/783,609 |
Filed: |
December 13, 1968 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
693488 |
Dec 26, 1967 |
3538520 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
4/222 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D
9/032 (20130101); E03D 13/005 (20130101); E03D
2009/024 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E03D
9/02 (20060101); E03d 009/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;4/1,109,231,293,294 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Geiger; Laverne D.
Assistant Examiner: Massenberg; Donald B.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part application of
application Ser. No. 693,488, filed Dec. 26, 1967, now U.S. Pat.
No. 3,538,520.
Claims
We claim:
1. A self-metering cleaning unit for urinal, drains or the like,
said unit including: a perforated holder for a mass of
solid-cleansing material and mountable upon a urinal, drain or the
like and having openings through which flush or drain water can
reach said mass of solid-cleansing material and then flow into the
urinal, drain or the like; a mass of solid-cleansing material in
said holder which material dissolves in part only in flush water
admitted to the unit, thereby automatically providing a metered
quantity of the cleansing material in the urinal, drain or the like
during each flushing or draining thereof, said cleansing material
being a solid at room temperature and dissolving and solubilizing
inorganic and organic deposits and encrustations in the drain.
2. The self-metering cleaning unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein
said holder has a base portion where said guide means are
peripheral portions of the base portion which sealingly engage the
surface of the urinal around a drain, and a cover portion with
perforated sidewalls extending upwardly from said base portion and
surrounding said mass of cleansing material, the perforated
sidewalls permitting splashing flush or drain water to contact said
mass of cleansing material.
3. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 2 wherein said cover
portion has a top wall perforated to allow urine dropping therein
readily to contact said mass of solid-sanitizing material.
4. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 2 wherein said base
portion of the holder extends outwardly of said cover portion where
it is perforated to allow some but not all of the flush or drain
water to fall beneath said base portion, and said base portion of
the holder having means providing spaces for flush or drain water
dropping through the perforations to reach the urinal drain.
5. The self-metering cleansing unit of claim 1 wherein said holder
fits within said urinal drain or the like.
6. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 2 wherein said base
portion of the holder is a urinal screen with a perforated central
portion overlying the drain, and said cover portion of the holder
is a separate self-contained unit completely enclosing and
supporting said mass of cleansing material, and said cover portion
of the holder having anchoring means fitting into the openings of
the perforated portion of the urinal screen.
7. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 6 wherein said
anchoring means are downwardly tapering projections adapted snugly
to fit into urinal screens of a large range of sizes.
8. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 6 wherein said
anchoring means are deformable projections depending from said
cover portion.
9. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 2 wherein said base
portion of the holder is securable over a drain hole in place of a
drain grill, said base portion being perforated and having
screw-receiving openings for receiving screws spread apart varying
distances to be mountable on drains of various sizes.
10. The self-metering cleaning unit as claimed in claim 2 wherein
said base portion and covering portion of the holder are provided
with cooperating interlocking means.
11. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 2 wherein said
peripheral portions of the base portions of the holder are flexible
to enable the same to conform to the configuration of the urinal
bottom or the like at its point of placement therein.
12. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 2 wherein said base
portion and the cover portion of the holder are provided with
openings therethrough of a size to enable flush water to come into
direct contact with said mass of solid-cleansing material and to
substantially prevent large particles of foreign matter from
entering the area of the unit directly below the base portion of
the holder.
13. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 1 wherein said mass of
solid-cleansing material contains, as essential active ingredients,
an intimate admixture of a synthetic detergent which is solid at
room temperature and an acidic agent, the synthetic detergent
serving, among other things, to cleanse, deodorize and disinfect
the sanitary unit and the acidic agent serving, among other things,
as a means for dissolving and/or solubilizing inorganic deposits
and encrustations in the drain.
14. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 2 wherein said base
portion of the holder has a size to fit within the bottom or a
urinal basin or the like of a relatively large size, and said base
portion of the holder having a number of weakened areas each
forming a continuous severance line surrounding a similarly shaped
but differently sized area fitting within differently sized urinal
basins or the like, and said cover portion of the holder being
centered within the smallest sized area of said base portion of the
holder to overlie the urinal drain or the like of the differently
sized urinal.
15. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 1 wherein said holder
comprises a hollow perforated bottom portion fitting down within
the urinal drain or the like and a flanged upper portion
surrounding the urinal drain or the like.
16. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 15 wherein said upper
flanged portion of the holder extends upwardly above the urinal
drain or the like and forms an enclosure for said mass of solid
cleansing material.
17. A self-metering cleaning unit of claim 15 wherein said lower
portion of the holder forms an enclosure for said mass of
solid-cleansing material.
18. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 1 provided with
support means for supporting the cleaning unit against the back
wall of a urinal along which wall flush water flows in to the
urinal drain or the like, and including means for engaging said
rear wall of the urinal and directing flush water flowing along the
rear wall to said openings in the holder.
19. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 18 wherein said
support means is a vertical variable length means carrying said
holder at the bottom end thereof and including means at the top
thereof for engaging with the upper portion of the urinal.
20. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 1 wherein said mass of
solid-cleansing material is a single integral bar of such material
and wherein at least one of the side and top surfaces of the bar
has recesses therein increasing the exposed area thereof. 21The
self-metering cleaning unit of claim 1 wherein said mass of
solid-cleansing material is a single integral bar of such material
and the upper surface of said bar has recesses therein extending
only part way down through the bar so that a body of liquid remains
in each of the recesses to form a ready supply of dissolved
cleansing material to be dispensed during the next flush or
draining operation. 22. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 18
wherein said support means includes an adjustable length vertical
rod assembly secured to the holder at the bottom end thereof and
extending
into holes of the urinal at the top thereof. 23. The self-metering
cleaning unit of claim 18 wherein said support means are flanged
arms normally inclining inwardly and upwardly toward one another
and which are separated when inserted into openings in the top of
the urinal to hold the
cleaning unit in place on the urinal. 24. The self-metering
cleaning unit of claim 1 wherein said holder has a flexible base
portion for supporting said mass of solid-cleansing material and a
removable cover portion for enclosing said cleansing material, said
base portion having a flexible margin which is capable of
conforming to the shape of a support surface around a drain unit at
its point of placement thereon and which forms a seal with said
surface, said cover portion having openings in the side thereof for
enabling flush and drain water to contract said cleaning material,
and said base portion having drain openings beneath said cover
portion to permit liquid to fall into the drain. 25. The
self-metering cleaning unit of claim 24 wherein the base portion
extends outwardly beyond the cover portion where it is apertured,
and means for spacing the base portions inwardly of said margin
thereof above said support surface.
6. The self-metering cleaning unit of claim 24 wherein the cover
portion of the holder is provided with openings at the top thereof
to permit urine dropping thereon to come into direct contact with
the solid-cleaning
material supported on the base portion. 27. A self-metering
cleaning unit for urinal drains or the like, said unit including a
holder for a mass of solid-cleansing material which holder is
mountable upon a urinal drain or the like and includes openings
through which flush or drain water can reach the mass of
solid-cleansing material and then flow into the urinal drain or the
like, said holder having a lower perforated portion adapted to
direct liquid flowing into the unit down the urinal drain or the
like and an upper portion which is perforated to enable flush or
drain water and urine to come into contact with said mass of
solid-cleansing material, said mass of solid-cleansing material
being supported between said upper and lower portions of the holder
and being dissolved in part only in the flush or drain water
admitted to the holder, thereby automatically providing a metered
quantity of the cleansing material in the urinal drain or the like
with each flushing or draining thereof, the dissolved cleansing
material dissolving and solubilizing inorganic deposits and
encrustations in the drain, said upper and bottom portions of said
holder being connected by a hinge permitting the same to be moved
between confronting and separated positions and having means for
releasably holding said upper and lower portions of the holder
together.
Description
Urinals and the like require constant care to prevent the buildup
of unsightly deposits, both organic and inorganic in origin, to
reduce odors and to keep bacteria growth at minimally safe levels.
In an effort to cope with at least some of these problems, products
such, for example, as paradichlorobenzene, usually in cake form,
have been widely used. Paradichlorobenzene cakes, however, function
primarily as odor maskants, and, while in certain instances, other
ingredients such as disinfectants are incorporated in the cakes,
they provide no cleansing or descaling action and afford no
protection against buildup of undesirable deposits, stains, and
encrustations common to sanitary units of the type here under
consideration. Heretofore, the only effective method of overcoming
the problems encountered with such sanitary units is daily, manual
swabbing with, for example, standard powder or granular sanitizing
agents.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided means
for enabling continuous and complete protection for urinals and the
like, against the aforementioned problems without the necessity for
daily care by maintenance personnel.
The objectives of the present invention, in part, are achieved with
cleaning and sanitizing units including water dissolvable cleaning
and sanitizing material preferably in the form of solid bars held
in a holder mountable in relation to a urinal, drain or the like to
enable drain or flush water to come directly into contact with a
sufficient portion of cleaning and sanitizing material to dissolve
a small but sufficient amount thereof effectively to carry on the
cleaning and sanitizing functions required. The bars of cleaning
and sanitizing material most advantageously contain, as essential
active ingredients, an intimate admixture of (a) one or more
synthetic detergents of the nonionic, cationic or amphoteric type,
or mixtures thereof, which, preferably, are solid at room
temperature, and (b) an acidic or hydrogen ion furnishing agent in
the form of one or more acids or acid-forming salts or both. As
employed in the description and claims, the term "acidic agent" is
intended to encompass both acids and acid-forming salts, and
compatible mixtures thereof, having utility in the practice of the
present invention. The term "acid-forming salt" as used herein is
intended to include salts which in the presence of water are acid
reacting or are capable of forming an acid-reacting chemical. The
solid-cleaning and sanitizing material, upon contact with drain or
flush water, is dissolved in part thereby automatically metering
into the water with each use of the sanitary unit a quantity of
active ingredients capable of effectively cleansing, deodorizing,
destaining, degerming, and removing inorganic and organic deposits
and encrustations not only in the urinal unit itself but in the
drain conduits associated with the unit. Thus, the present
invention provided means for overcoming all of the daily sanitation
problems encountered with urinals, drains and the like, without the
need of frequent attention by maintenance personnel. The active
ingredients of the cleaning and sanitizing material preferably used
in this invention, while capable in themselves of providing the
cleansing and other action mentioned, can, as will be described
hereafter in detail, incorporate other agents which serve to
enhance, augment and complement the action of the active
ingredients thereof.
The cleaning and/or sanitizing unit of the invention used for
urinals most advantageously includes a holder for a bar of cleaning
and sanitizing material which holder comprises a basketlike
assembly which fits over the urinal drain and has a cover portion
and a base portion for holding a bar of the solid-cleaning and
sanitizing material. In the preferred form of the invention, the
base portion of the assembly extends outwardly beyond the cover
portion and has a flexible annular outer lip which conforms to the
walls of the urinal thereby preventing solid foreign matter and
refuse from getting beneath the assembly blocking the drain. The
base and cover portion of the holder are apertured so that
splashing of urine is minimized and flush water gains ready access
to the cleaning and sanitizing material whereby with each flushing
a portion of the solid-sanitizing material will be dissolved and
released into the urinal.
Other forms of the invention to be described include unique holders
which are adapted for ready mounting within drains, on the sides of
urinals and directly upon drain screens of various sizes and
shapes.
The nonionic, cationic, and amphoteric synthetic detergents having
the greatest utility with the present invention form a wide group.
As stated, the detergents used advantageously are solid at room
temperatures and should be soluble, or at least partly soluble, in
cold water. Exemplary of nonionic synthetic detergents useful in
the formation of the solid sanitizing materials of the invention
are ethylene oxide adducts of straight chain fatty acids, long
chain fatty acid alkanolamides, ethylene oxide adducts of long
chain fatty acid alkanolamides, fatty acid dialkyl amine oxides,
and the like. In addition, commercially available proprietary
products such as those sold under the trademarks "Detergent MXP," a
built polyoxyethylene ester (Monsanto Chemical Co.) and "Alrosol
C," a fatty alkylolamide condensate (Geigy Industrial Chemical Co.)
can be used. Exemplary of cationic synthetic detergents that can be
employed are fatty acid heterocyclic tertiary amine salts,
quaternary ammonium derivatives of long chain fatty acid
substituted imidazolines, and the like. Proprietary products such
as the one sold under the trademark "Vantoc DP," a built quaternary
ammonium compound plus a nonionic detergent (Imperial Chemical
Industries) can also be used. Examples of amphoteric synthetic
detergents having utility in the practice of this invention are the
sodium salts of higher fatty acid amine propionates such as
disodium N-lauryl beta-iminodipropionate, the disodium salt of
N-tallow beta-amino dipropionate, the sodium salt of N-coco
beta-amino propionate, and the like. Of the numerous nonionic
synthetic detergents having utility in this invention, coconut oil
fatty acid alkanolamides, particularly coconut oil fatty acid or
lauric or myristic acid amides of monoethanolamine and of
diethanolamine are preferred. Of the cationic synthetic detergents,
long chain fatty acid, especially C.sub.14 -C.sub.22 fatty acid,
quaternary imidazonlinates are preferable. Of the amphoteric
synthetic detergents, the product sold under the trademark
"Deriphat 151" (General Mills, Inc.), a sodium salt of N-coco
beta-amino propionate, is preferred. The synthetic detergents act
not only as cleansing and lime soap dispersing agents, but
especially in the case of the cationic detergents, also function as
bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic agents when released by the
flush water. In addition, the synthetic detergents, in certain
instances, provide an abrasive or scrubbing action in the flush
water due to the fact that not all of the detergent dislodged in
the flushing action goes into solution. The nondissolved crystals
of the detergent thus serve as minute scrubbers or abraders as they
are propelled around the sanitary unit by the flush water.
The acidic agents utilized in the cleaning and sanitizing materials
preferably used with this invention also may be selected from a
wide group. Included in this group are mineral acids such as
phosphoric acids, notably orthophosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid,
boric acid, orthoboric acid, perchloric acid, sulfuric acid, and
the like; organic acids exemplified by citric acid, acetic acid,
cresotinic acid, and the like; and acid-forming salts such as
monosodium phosphate, sodium bisulfate, and the like; and
compatible mixtures thereof. Of the aforementioned acidic agents,
orthophosphoric acid, or a phosphoric acid-producing salt such as
monosodium phosphate, and citric acid provide especially effective
solid-sanitizing materials. Orthophosphoric acid, for example,
readily removes hard water scale, adhering organic matter, and
dissolves uric acid crystal deposits. In addition, it acts as a
disinfectant and a deodorizer. Citric acid, on the other hand, is
an excellent sequestering and chelating agent, and acts to combine
with iron, calcium, magnesium and other metal ions present in the
flush water to form soluble salts thereby preventing buildup of
mineral salt deposits in the sanitary unit and the drain conduits
associated with it. Various of the acids also exhibit bacteriacidal
and/or bacteriostatic effects which are helpful in eliminating
malodors in and around the sanitary unit.
The proportions of synthetic detergent and acidic agent utilized in
forming the solid-sanitizing material are variable. The generally
optimum objectives of the invention, however, are attained with
ratios, basis weight, of the synthetic detergent to the acidic
agent of the order of about 1 to about 100 of the synthetic
detergent to about 1 of the acidic agent.
As indicated above, the solid-cleaning sanitizing material used
with the present invention may incorporate ingredients which serve
to enhance, augment and complement the essential active ingredients
thereof. To this end, germicidal and/or bacteriostatic agents such
as benzyl dimethyl tetradecyl ammonium chloride and the tributyltin
chloride complex of an ethoxylated abietylamine condensate,
chelating agents exemplified by ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid,
perfumes and coloring agents may be added to the basic formulation.
Generally speaking, such additives will usually comprise only a
minor proportion, usually less than 5 percent, by weight, of the
solid material.
While, as stated, the synthetic detergents employed provide some
scrubbing or abrasive action in the flush water, this action can be
substantially increased by replacing a portion of one or both of
the essential ingredients of the solid-cleaning and sanitizing
material with one or more solid inert substances exemplary of which
are volcanic ash, diatomaceous earth, clays, asbestos, and the
like. These substances, in addition to providing excellent
scrubbing or abrading action, serve also to bind the
solid-sanitizing material into a solid, integrated body. In
addition, they act as absorbing and/or adsorbing agents for foreign
matter present in the sanitary unit. The quantity of inert
substances used in the formulation of the solid sanitizing material
is somewhat variable. Generally speaking, the quantity thereof used
in lieu of one or both of the essential ingredients will be below
about 50 percent, by weight, of the finished solid sanitizing body,
more desirably from about 10 percent to about 20 percent, by
weight, thereof.
In forming bars or molded bodies from the synthetic detergents and
acidic agents, they desirably are first placed in a suitable
container and then heated until molten. The molten mass is stirred
to form a substantially homogeneous mixture and then poured into
molds of any desired shape or configuration. After cooling, the
shaped bodies can be packaged for shipment.
The following example is illustrative of various active ingredients
which can be used as the cleaning and sanitizing material of the
present invention but they are not to be construed in any way as
limitative of the full scope of the invention since various changes
and modifications can be made in the light of the guiding
principles and teachings disclosed
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
herein. The quantities recited are in terms of weight percent.
Example 1: Coconut oil fatty acid monoethanolamide 20 Monosodium
phosphate 80 Example 2: Coconut oil fatty acid monoethanolamide 99
Monosodium phosphate 1 Example 3: Quaternary derivative of
substituted C.sub.14 --C.sub.22 fatty acid imidazoline salt 20
Citric acid 80 Example 4: Quarternary derivative of substituted
C.sub.14 --C.sub.22 fatty acid imidazoline salt 95 Citric acid 5
Example 5: Citric acid 20 Monosodium phosphate 20 Ethylenediamine
tetraacetic acid 15 Orthophosphoric acid (85%) 5 Coconut
monoethanolamide 25 Nonylphenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy) ethanol (IGEPAL
CO-990) 5 Quaternary derivative of substituted C.sub.14 --C.sub.22
fatty acid imidazoline salt 10 Example 6: Citric acid 5 Monosodium
phosphate 20 Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid 5 Orthophosphoric
acid (85%) 5 Coconut oil fatty acid monoethanolamide 35
Nonylphenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy) ethanol IGEPAL CO-990) 5 Quaternary
derivative of substituted C.sub.14 --C.sub.22 fatty acid
imidazoline salt 5 Diatomaceous earth 20 Example 7. Monosodium
phosphate 6 Orthophosphoric acid (85%) 6 Citric acid 1 Orthoboric
acid 1 1-hydroxyethyl-2-aklyl (C.sub.13) 0.5 imidazoline phosphate
Benzyl dimethyl tetradecyl ammonium chloride 0.2 Tributyltin
chloride complex of ethoxylated abietylamine condensate 0.1 IGEPAL
CO-990 85.2 Example 8: Sodium salt of N-coco beta-amino propionate
(Deriphat 151) 30 Monosodium phosphate 70
__________________________________________________________________________
Referring now to the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a view of the preferred form of cleaning and sanitizing
unit of the invention positioned over a urinal drain;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of the invention
shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view through FIG. 2 taken along section line
5-5 therein;
FIG. 6 is an exploded sectional view showing the cover and base
portions of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a modified base portion for the cover
portion of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6;
FIG. 8 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken
along section line 8-8 in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a sectional view, taken along section line 9-9 in FIG.
7;
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a further modified
cleaning and sanitizing unit and a conventional urinal screen into
which the unit fits;
FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the self contained bar containing
unit shown in FIG. 10 with the cover portion thereof in an opened
position;
FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the opened unit shown in
FIG. 11, taken along section line 12-12 thereof;
FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view of the unit shown in FIG. 11
mounted upon the urinal screen shown in FIG. 10;
FIG. 14 is a vertical section view of the cleaning and sanitizing
unit like that shown in FIGS. 10--13, but with modified mounting
pins thereon, mounted on a conventional urinal screen;
FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view of the cleaning and sanitizing
unit like that shown in FIGS. 10--13, but with still further
modified mounting pins;
FIG. 16 is a plan view of a circular cleaning and sanitizing unit
in its open condition, the base portion thereof being designed to
permit the mounting thereof in place of a metal grill commonly
covering the urinal drain;
FIG. 17 is a vertical sectional view of the unit shown in FIG. 16
mounted over the urinal drain;
FIG. 18 is a vertical sectional view of a modified circular form of
the invention adapted to be mounted directly within a drain;
FIG. 19 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a bar of
cleaning and sanitizing unit useable with the forms of the cleaning
and sanitizing units shown in FIGS. 1--18 of the drawings;
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a still further modified form of a
cleaning unit adapted to be mounted in a drain;
FIG. 21 is a horizontal sectional view through the form of the
invention shown in FIG. 20, taken along section line 21-21
thereof;
FIG. 22 is a sectional view through the upper portion of a urinal
showing a modified form of the invention supported in position
against the rear wall of the urinal;
FIG. 23 is a sectional view through FIG. 22 taken substantially
along section lines 23-23; and
FIG. 24 is a side elevational view of a urinal with a further
modified form of the invention mounted on the rear wall of a
urinal.
In FIGS. 1--6 of the drawings there is illustrated a form of a
sanitizing body 16 particularly adapted for use in a urinal of
either the floor or wall mounted type. The urinal shown in FIG. 1
is a floor mounted type and comprises a bowl 10 having a basin 12.
Such basins may have flush water released into them at regular
intervals by automatic control means, or manual or pedal operated
flush controls may be provided.
The embodiment of the cleaning and sanitizing unit 16 shown
comprises a relatively flexible base portion 18 for supporting a
bar or cake 20 (FIG. 5) of a solid-sanitizing material, and a rigid
cover portion 22. The base portion 18 advantageously is fabricated
of a corrosion and water-resistant flexible rubbery plastic such as
vinyl for reason that will become clear as the description
proceeds. The cover portion 22, on the other hand, desirably is
fabricated of a high impact strength, corrosion and water-resistant
plastic such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, or the
like, to provide a protective shield for the bar or cake 20. As
illustrated, the base portion 18 is a molded one-piece flattened
body of generally triangular shape having a tapered or wedgelike,
relatively wide, flexible peripheral guide edge or lip 24. The
flexible character of the lip 24 enables the holder 16 to readily
conform to the configuration of the urinal in the area of the drain
thereof and provides an effective seal with the wall of the basin
12 to prevent solid foreign matter or refuse from reaching the
drain and blocking it and to guide flush or drain water into the
unit 16. Inwardly of the lip 24 there are provided groups of
openings or holes 26 of a size to permit fluids readily to pass
therethrough but to prevent discarded foreign matter such a
cigarette butts and chewing gum from passing through. The
triangularly shaped center area 28 (FIG. 3) of the base portion 18
desirably is imperforate at the triangular imperforate marginal
portion 28a thereof and perforated with diamond-shaped openings or
holes 27 within this portion to enable flush water to pass directly
downwardly into the drain of the urinal. At each of the apices of
the center area 28, straight slots 30 are provided for a purpose
which will become clear as the description proceeds. Between the
apices of the triangular imperforate marginal portion 28a of the
center area 28, downwardly extending projections 31 are provided to
raise the base portion 18 above the urinal floor 29 (FIG. 5) to
enable urine and flush water readily to reach the urinal drain
located beneath the central area 28.
The cover portion 22, like the base portion 18, is generally
triangular in shape. The sidewalls 32 of the cover portion 22
extend upwardly and inwardly where they are joined to a top wall
34. Each of the sidewalls 32 of the cover portion 18 has a
plurality of substantially rectangular openings or holes 38. The
top wall 34 similarly is provided with openings or holes 42
therethrough. The openings in the sidewalls 32 and top wall 34 of
the cover portion 22 minimize splashing and enable flush water both
to come into contact with the bar or cake 20 and to carry dissolved
portions thereof into the basin 12 of the urinal. The openings 26
in the peripheral portion of the base portion 18 and openings 27 in
the center area thereof prevent backup of the large amount of flush
water which flows into the basin 12. A substantial quantity of the
flush water running down the rear urinal wall 39 flows and splashes
into the unit sidewall openings 38 to contact the bar or cake
20.
The lower margins of the sidewalls 32 have an outwardly extending,
base portion-engaging flange 46 from the apices of which depend
legs 48. The legs are preferably T-shaped and are adapted to be
snapped into engagement with base portion 18 through the slots 30
provided therein, thereby to securely hold the cover portion 22 on
the base portion 18.
In utilizing the holder 16, a bar or cake 20 of a solid sanitizing
material is first positioned on the center area 28 of the base
portion 18. The cover portion 22 is then secured on the base
portion 18 by engaging the legs 48 in the slots 30. A rod with a
hook on the end thereof (not shown) may be used to position or
remove the unit 16 upon or from the urinal. As previously
indicated, the bar or cake 20 utilized in connection with the
holder 16 most advantageously comprises a solid-sanitizing material
comprising as its essential active ingredients one or more
synthetic detergents of the nonionic, cationic, and/or amphoteric
type, or mixtures thereof, and one or more acidic agents in
specified proportions, as described hereinabove. Such a material,
with each use of the urinal, provides automatic and metered release
of agents which effectively control essentially all of the
sanitizing problems encountered in such sanitary units.
Refer now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention
shown in FIGS. 7--9 and identified by reference numeral 16'. This
embodiment in the invention has a centered cover portion (not
shown) which is identical to the cover portion 22 of the cleaning
and sanitizing unit 16 in FIGS. 1--6, and a modified base portion
18'. The outer margins of the base portion 18' follow a generally
triangular shape and is of a size of fit into the largest urinal
basin. The margin of the base portion 18 inclines downwardly to
form a continuous basin-engaging edge 19'. As best shown in FIG. 8,
there is formed within the margin of the base portion 18' one or
more V-shaped severance recesses 50 which reduce the thickness of
the body of the base portion so that the base portion may be
readily manually severed along each recess. The bottom surface of
the base portion at each recess immediately below the opening of
each V-shaped recess (FIG. 8) is pointed at 21 and is in the same
plane as the basin-engaging edge 19' so that severance thereof
produces a near similar basin-engaging edge. Each of the recesses
50 falls along a continuous generally triangularly shaped curve
which encloses an area of a different size having the same shape as
the margin of the base portion 18'. These areas are all centered
about a common point so that by severing the base portion along a
selected severance recess 50, a base portion of a desired size is
readily formed to fit within a basin of a given size smaller than
the largest size accommodated by the unsevered base portion. In
this manner, the dealer does not have to stock a number of
different sized cleaning and sanitizing units, since any cleaning
and sanitizing unit 16' can be readily formed into the desired size
by severing the base portion along a selected severance recess 50.
The base portion 18' is perforated substantially throughout to form
groups of drain openings 26' which perform the same function as the
similarly numbered openings 26 in the cleaning and sanitizing unit
16 of FIGS. 1--6. Similarly, depending projections 31', whose
bottom surfaces are located on either side of and in the same plane
as the pointed parts or ribs 21 of the base portion 18', are formed
along each group of perforations 26 so that the base portion rests
properly on the bottom of any urinal after the unit has been
severed to the desired size.
Urinal screens are often placed in the bottom of urinals. These
urinal screens resemble the base portions 18 and 18' of the
embodiments of the invention previously described, except for the
absence of the perforations 26. FIG. 10 illustrates such a
conventional urinal screen identified by reference numeral 52. As
there shown, the urinal screen has an imperforate peripheral
portion 52a and a screen-containing central portion 52b with drain
openings 53 which portion fits over the urinal drain. In accordance
with another aspect of the invention, a self-contained
bar-containing unit 54 is provided (which unit may be sometimes
referred to as a cover portion so it may be equated to the cover
portion 22 in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1--6).
The self-contained unit 54 has a base portion 54a with drain
openings 56 therein and an inverted cup-shaped upper portion 54b
which has openings 58 in the sidewalls 60 thereof and openings 62
in the top wall 65 thereof. As best illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12,
the upper portion 54b is secured to the bottom portion 54a and 54b
of the unit 54 together with the hinge-forming portion 63 may be a
single integral molded synthetic plastic unit. A bar 20 of cleaning
and sanitizing material rests on upwardly extending pins 61 on the
base portion 54a to provide clearance spaces for the liquid running
into the drain. The bottom portion 54a has depending therefrom
three inwardly deformable projections 65-65 which may be compressed
into a size to fit through the openings 63 of the screen-containing
central portion 52b of the urinal screen 52. FIG. 13 shows the
self-contained unit 54 attached to the screen-containing portion
52b of the urinal screen 52. Any suitable means may be provided for
interlocking the upper and lower portions 54b and 54a of the
self-contained unit 54. For example, the lower portion 54a of the
self-contained unit 54 has an inwardly opening peripheral groove 67
on the top side thereof into which groove the peripheral flanged
portion 69 of the upper portion of the self-contained unit 54 may
be tucked.
Refer now to FIGS. 14 and 15 which illustrate further modifications
of the self-contained unit 54. In FIG. 14, the modified
self-contained unit identified by reference numeral 54' has,
instead of the projections 65-65, downwardly tapering projections
65'-65' which are readily adapted to be pushed into openings 53 of
a urinal screen like 52 having a wide variation in the size of the
openings 53. The unit 54' thus has upper and bottom portions 54b'
and 54a' identical to the correspondingly numbered portions of the
cleaning and sanitizing unit 54 in FIGS. 10--13.
FIG. 15 shows a self-contained unit 54" having interlocked upper
and bottom portions 54b" and 54a" for carrying the bar 20 of
cleaning and sanitizing material where the projections 65' in FIG.
14 are replaced by arrow-shaped projections 65".
FIGS. 16 and 17 shows a self-contained unit 54'" containing a
circular cleaning and sanitizing bar 20' which unit has a circular
upper portion 54b'" similar to the triangular upper portion 54b of
the unit 54 in FIGS. 10--13. The unit 54'" has a circular bottom
portion 54a'" similar to the triangular bottom portion 54a of the
unit 54 except it has no depending projections. Instead, the bottom
portion 54a'" includes elongated slots or openings 71-71 adapted to
receive screws 73-73 (FIG. 17) for anchoring the same to the top
surface of a urinal drain or the like. The bottom portion 54a'"
replaces the usual metal grill which covers the urinal drain. The
elongated openings 71-71 permit the self-contained unit 54'" to be
mounted over urinal drains of varying size where the grill screw
holes are spread apart varying distances.
Refer now to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 18 which
is adapted to be mounted within a drain pipe 80. The cleaning and
sanitizing unit there shown and identified by reference numeral 82
may have an inverted, circular, cup-shaped, upper portion
82aidentical to the upper portion 54b'" of the unit 54'" of FIGS.
16--17 and a base portion 82b which includes a groove-containing
flanged section 85 corresponding to the grooved rim of the bottom
portion 54b of the unit 54 and joining a hollow downwardly tapering
conical section 84 having drain openings 86. The base portion 82b
is made of deformable rubberlike material so the conical section
fits within the drain opening of a variety of drain sizes and the
flanged section 86 seals against the urinal surface 83 and guides
flush and drain water into the side opening of the unit 54. The bar
20' rests on the top of the flanged section 86 and is enclosed by
the upper portion 82a .
In the various forms of the invention just described, the cleaning
and sanitizing bars have smooth regular outer surfaces. In FIG. 19,
a modified bar construction 20" is shown wherein recesses 89 are
formed in the upper surface of the bar so that bodies of water or
other liquid will remain in the bar recesses to form quantities of
already dissolved cleansing material ready immediately to be washed
into the drain. In this form of the invention, the bar 20" does not
have to be made of a material which is as readily dissolvable as
the bars 20 and 20'.
Reference should now be made to FIGS. 20 and 21 which illustrate a
further embodiment of the invention adapted to be mounted directly
within a drainpipe 80 like that shown in FIG. 18. The unit shown in
FIG. 20 and identified by reference numeral 90 includes a
perforated screenlike main cylindrical body portion 92 which is of
a size to fit within the smallest of the drain pipes 80 with which
it is to be used. The main body portion 92 contains a fluted bar 94
of material which may be similar to the material out of which the
aforementioned cleaning and sanitizing bars 20 are made or can
contain material only for descaling purposes. The main body portion
92 terminates in a flange 92 which engages the surface about the
drain. It is apparent that, in the other forms of the invention
described, there is movement of flush or drain water against a bar
20 which is positioned above the drain involved, so that some of
the dissolved bar is washed over the urinal basin or other surface
surrounding the drain to aid in deodorizing and cleansing the
surface areas surrounding the drain. However, in the form of the
invention shown in FIG. 20, since the bar 94 is positioned
completely within the drain 80, this form of the invention is more
suitable for floor drains not requiring any substantial sanitizing
or deodorizing operations. The fluting in the bar of cleaning
material 94 identified by reference numeral 98 is for the purpose
of increasing the surface area contacted by the drain water and to
provide additional clearance spaces for the quick draining of
liquid into the drain 80.
Refer now to FIGS. 23 and 24, which shows a cleaning and sanitizing
unit 100 supported against the rear wall 110 of a urinal. The
cleaning and sanitizing unit 100 thereshown has a supporting or
base portion 102 made of a flexible rubberlike material which can
readily conform to the shape of the vertical wall 110 of the
urinal. The base portion 102 has holes 106 into which extends
locking projections 107 of a cover portion 108 identical to the
cover portion 22 shown in FIGS. 1--6 and holding a cleaning and
sanitizing bar 20.
The base portion 102 of the cleaning and sanitizing unit 100 is
anchored in flush water holes 111 in the top wall 113 of the urinal
by means such as by normally upwardly converging, flexible,
suspending arms 112--112 extending from the base portion 102 of the
unit 100. The arms 112--112 are spread apart, and the inwardly
projecting end portions 114--114 thereof are passed into a pair of
the flush water holes 111, the resiliency thereof causing the arms
ends to snugly interlock with the urinal. The base portion of the
unit 100 has at the top thereof an upwardly and inwardly extending
lip 116 which engages the vertical urinal wall 110 to guide the
flush water running down the same into the cover portion thereof
where the water contacts the bar 20.
Refer now to FIG. 24 which shows a further modified form of the
invention supported on the rear wall 110 of the urinal. In this
form of the invention, a cleaning and sanitizing unit 16" is
supported in a vertical position by an adjustable rod assembly 120
whose upper end hooks into water outlet holes in the upper portion
of the urinal. The unit 16" has an imperforate base portion 18"
made of a rubbery material sealingly to engage the urinal wall 110
and a cover portion 22" (like cover portion 22 in FIGS. 1-6)
apertured on all upwardly and downwardly facing sides thereof to
catch flush water running down the wall 110 and to enable the same
to drain into the urinal bottom. The bottom corner of the cover
portion 22" is imperforate so a body of dissolved cleaning and
sanitizing material is ready to be flushed into the urinal
bottom.
It should be understood that numerous variations may be made in the
forms of the invention described above without deviating from the
broader aspect thereof.
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