Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner Dispenser

Abstract

This invention relates to a dispenser for releasing a measured amount of fluid into the flush tank of a toilet. The dispenser consists of a container having an open neck, a shroud which fits over the neck and restricts the discharge opening in the neck, and a float member slidably connected to the shroud which in one of its positions seals the discharge opening. A measuring chamber is formed in the float element in direct communication with the discharge opening. The entire container is inverted in the toilet flush tank in such a manner that the float member rises and falls with the flushing action of the toilet. In the upper position the float member closes the discharge opening and in the lower position the measuring chamber fills with fluid. As the float member rises after the measuring chamber is filled, the fluid is forced out of the chamber through openings therein and into the toilet flush tank.

Description

The purpose of this invention is to provide a novel container for automatically dispensing a cleanser or disinfectant into a toilet bowl.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flexible package for a toilet bowl cleanser suitable for the retail market which also acts as a dispenser without adjustment when placed in the proper position.

This invention is also intended to provide an easily moldable dispenser package which has a minimum of critical tolerances.

Another object of this device is to provide an accurate and reliable dispenser for a measured amount of fluid.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Many devices are presently available which attempt in various ways to dispense a cleanser into a toilet bowl. These devices have many problems. Generally they dispense inconsistant amounts of cleanser or allow water to leak into the container thereby diluting the cleanser and greatly hindering the product's effectiveness. A few packages require substantial adjustments before they may be used as a dispenser. Other products which overcome these problems require intricate molding steps under close tolerances. Some units are inoperable unless constructed from a rigid material such as glass or require complicated inserts which prevent complete emptying of the container. There is no toilet bowl dispenser package presently existing that avoids all of these problems while using an easily moldable flexible plastic which may be attractively finished. The subject invention overcomes the problems and provides a simply manufactured, easily used, accurate and effective toilet bowl cleanser dispenser package.

Other advantages will become apparent from the more detailed description which follows.

FIG. 1 is a cut-away view of a toilet reservoir showing the subject dispenser mounted therein.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the axis of the dispenser in the closed position (overcap in place).

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 with the overcap removed and the dispenser inverted.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mounting clip.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of this invention basically comprises container 1 having an open neck 2, a shroud 3 screwed over neck 2 and float member 5 slidably mounted on the inside of shroud 3. In the more detailed description which follows all directions shall refer to the container in its normal operating position, namely inverted.

More specifically the cylindrical shroud 3 has an interior integrally molded restricting cap 4 which fits over neck 2. The restricting cap 4 has a discharge opening 8 which communicates with the neck opening and restricts its size. The float member includes an air bell 7 and a measuring chamber 6 which communicates directly with discharge opening 8. The measuring chamber 6 consists of a small container having an upper open end 9 for receiving fluid from discharge opening 8 and a bottom floor or dividing wall 14. When the float is in its upper most position as can be best visualized from FIG. 3, the chamber 6 surrounds the bottom of neck 2 and cap 4 with the lower surface of cap 4 engaging measuring chamber floor 14. Molded integrally with chamber 6 and extending downward therefrom is air bell 7 which comprises an enclosure having an open end at its lower extremity. The bottom floor 14 of the chamber 6 is provided with a projection 11 which in the upper most float position engages the discharge opening 8 in a sealing relation. The measuring chamber 6 is provided with outer guide ridge bead 13 which engages float stop bead 12 molded into the interior wall of shroud 3. It is observed that the float member 5 is free to slide from a position where projection 11 engages discharge opening 8 and a position where ridge 13 engages stop 12. Outlets 10 are constructed in the side of the measuring chamber 6 which allows cleanser to be dispensed from the chamber 6.

An overall cap or closure 20 is provided having retaining tube 21. The cap is threaded over the dispenser assembly so that retaining tube 21 engages the outer side of floor 14 to maintain the float member 5 in its sealing position during shipment and storage.

OPERATION

In operation the entire container is inverted in the toilet flush tank as shown in FIG. 1, in a position which will allow the air bell 7 to contact the water in the tank at the high level point. The unit is further positioned sufficiently deep in the water at the high level mark so that the buoyant force acting on the air bell 7 maintains the projection 11 of the measuring chamber 6 in sealed relation with the discharge opening 8. The dispenser is activated by the reduction of the water level in the tank as the toilet is flushed. The float member 5 will then fall to its lower position and open the container discharge opening 8 allowing the measuring chamber to fill with cleanser or disinfectant. The cleanser will flow until the level in the measuring chamber reaches the neck of the bottle and forms an air lock in the surrounding area within the shroud. It is seen that the amount of cleanser dispensed can be fairly accurately controlled by varying the depth of the measuring chamber. As the tank fills to its high water mark the float member 5 is forced upwards to its original position thereby displacing the fluid in the measuring chamber 6 from the outlets 10 into the tank. This process is repeated with every flush and dispenses an accurate measured amount of toilet bowl disinfectant or cleanser in the toilet tank each time.

An L-shaped mounting bracket 15 is provided at the base of the package as shown in FIG. 4, so that the dispenser may be mounted on the wall of the toilet flush tank 16 in the inverted position as shown in FIG. 1. Basically this bracket comprises an L-shaped member constructed of flexible plastic. The base 17 of the L bracket 15 fits into slot 18 molded into the bottom wall of the container 1 and is slidably mounted therein. The stem 19 of the L bracket 16 extends downward along the vertical face or side wall of the container and fits into a corresponding slot molded into that side wall. The bracket 16 is manually slidable between two positions; the normal position where it conforms substantially to the periphery or outer contour of the container walls and a second position where it's stem 19 is displaced from the container so that it may be hooked over the toilet reservoir wall.

In the preferred embodiment all the components are molded entirely of plastic and it is observed that this can be done with a minimum of precise requirements. The parts are easily molded and assembled. Nevertheless, they function accurately, efficiently and dependably.

Claims

I claim:

1. A package for dispensing a measured amount of fluid into a toilet flush tank comprising:

a. A liquid container having a body and an open neck portion;

b. A shroud mounted concentrically over the neck portion and extending outward therefrom having an inner restricting means which engages and restricts the container neck opening;

c. A float member slidably and concentrically mounted on the shroud having upper and lower segments, the upper of which being adjacent to the container neck portion;

d. An air bell constructed in the lower segment of the float member;

e. A measuring chamber constructed in the upper segment of the float member in communication with the restricted opening of the neck portion, said measuring chamber having a discharge outlet and means for engaging the restricted neck opening in a sealed relation at the upper most position of the float member's sliding motion; and

f. Means for mounting the dispensing package on the wall of a fluid tank in an inverted position so that the float member rises and falls with the fluid level in the tank.

2. A dispensing package for a liquid as described in claim 1 wherein the means for mounting the dispensing package on the toilet flush tank wall comprises:

a. An L-shaped bracket slidably mounted at the base of the container for lateral movement transverse to the longitudinal axis of the container, said movement limited between two positions, one at which the L-shaped bracket conforms to the contour of the container, the other at which the stem of the bracket, which normally runs along the side of the container, is displaced from the side of the container so that the wall of the toilet flush tank may be engaged there between.

3. A dispensing package for a liquid as described in claim 1 wherein the shroud comprises:

a. A cylindrical plastic segment engaging the container body in threaded relation; and

b. An inner cap substantially conforming to the contour of the neck portion, integrally molded into the inner surface of the cylindrical segment and engaging the neck portion when the shroud is in its assembled position, said inner cap having an opening in direct restricting communication with the neck opening.

4. A dispensing package for a liquid as described in claim 1 wherein the float member comprises:

a. A cylindrical plastic segment having an interior transverse wall dividing said segment into upper and lower portions, the upper of which is adjacent to the neck portion;

b. A guide bead molded into the periphery of the upper end of the cylindrical segment and extending transversely outward therefrom for engagement with a mating guide bead similarly molded into the inner surface of the shroud, said beads positioned so that they engage in the lower most sliding position of the float member thereby preventing complete withdrawal of the float member.

5. A dispensing package for a liquid as described in claim 4 wherein the means for engaging the restricted neck opening comprises:

a. A projection molded into the dividing wall of the cylindrical segment and extending upward therefrom, said projection positioned to engage the restricted neck opening in a sealed relation when the float member is in its upper most sliding position.

6. A dispensing package for a liquid as described in claim 4 which is provided with an overall closure which is threaded over the neck, shroud and float member assembly, said closure having an inner retaining tube which engages the dividing wall of the float member to maintain the float member in its sealed position when the package is not in use.

7. A package for dispensing a measured amount of fluid into a toilet flush tank comprising:

a. A plastic liquid container having a body and an open neck portion;

b. A shroud mounted concentrically over the neck portion and engaging the container body in threaded relation, said shroud comprising a cylindrical plastic segment having an inner cap substantially conforming to the contour of the neck portion integrally molded into its inner surface and engaging the neck portion when the shroud is in its assembled position, said inner cap having an opening in direct restricting communication with the neck opening;

c. A float member slidably and concentrically mounted inside the shroud comprising a cylindrical plastic segment having an interior transverse wall dividing said segment into upper and lower portions, the upper of which being adjacent to the neck portion in its assembled position and a guide bead molded into the periphery of the upper end of the cylindrical segment and extending transversely outward therefrom for engagement with a mating guide bead similarly molded into the inner surface of the shroud, said beads positioned so that they engage in the lower most sliding position of the float member thereby preventing complete withdrawal of the float member;

d. An air bell constructed in the lower portion of the float member;

e. A measuring chamber constructed in the upper portion of the float member in communication with the restricted opening of the neck, said measuring chamber having a discharge outlet and means for engaging the restricted neck opening which comprises a projection molded into the dividing wall of the cylindrical segment and extending upward therefrom said projection positioned to engage the restricted neck opening in a sealed relation when the float member is in its upper most sliding position;

f. An L-shaped bracket slidably mounted at the base of the container for lateral movement transverse to the longitudal axis of the container, said movement limited between two positions, one at which the L-shaped bracket conforms to the contour of the container, the other at which the stem of the bracket, normally engaging the side of the container, is displaced therefrom in order that the wall of the toilet flush tank may be engaged there between thereby mounting the package in a position so that the float member rises and falls with the water in the flush tank as the toilet is flushed; and

g. An overall closure threaded over the neck, shroud and float member assembly, said closure having an inner retaining tube which engages the dividing wall of the float member to maintain the float member in its sealing position when the package is not in use.

8. A mounting bracket for a container comprising an L-shaped element having a stem portion and a base portion slidably mounted on the container for limited movement between two positions, one at which the L-shaped element conforms to the contour of the container, the other at which the stem portion is displaced from the side of the container so that the article upon which the container is to be mounted may be engaged there between, said container having an L-shaped slot with a base portion and a stem portion constructed in the bottom and side walls respectively thereof, the slot accommodating said L-shaped element when said element is in the conforming position.