Toilet rim block holder
Methods and apparatus for dispensing a material such as a fragrance, a disinfectant, a coloring agent, or a cleaner into a toilet bowl are disclosed. In accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, a rim holder and material container are provided. The rim holder includes a vessel section that collects flush water after initiation of a flush cycle. After the volume within the vessel section reaches a a predetermined level, the material is mixed with the water and permitted to flow into the toilet bowl from a lower aperture. The present invention permits the material to be added alter in the flush cycle so that the material is no carried way with the initial flow, but instead remains in the bowl after the flush cycle is complete.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/379,174 filed on Mar. 4, 2003, now pending, the contents of which are incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to methods and apparatus for packaging, and more particularly to packaging for products used to disinfect, deodorize, add color and/or add fragrance to toilet bowls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONBoth commercial and residential toilets often use treated water for several purposes. The water is treated to provide disinfectant, anti-bacterial, anti-odor and other useful properties that make the toilet “self-cleaning” to the extent that situations such as the proliferation of mold, slime, calcium or lime deposits and iron oxide stains are diminished, and so that the bowl is as clean as possible after each use from the turbulent action of the flush cycle alone. Additionally, the water is often treated to add color and fragrance, both of which improve the aesthetics of the toilet and the room. A fragrance is any molecule that diffuses via vaporization into the atmosphere (under local conditions of temperature and pressure) and subsequently activates a specific receptor in the nasal cavity. The fragrance may either mask an unpleasant odor or may simply be an environmental improvement.
Toilet water treatment systems fall into two broad categories, i.e., those that treat the water in the tank, and those that treat the water in the bowl. Systems operating within the tank range from solid “drop in” tablets to more elaborate systems such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,524—Black, which discloses a system that is affixed to the overflow drain tube found in toilet tanks. However, commercial toilets and many newer residential toilets are either tankless or have a significantly reduced tank volume. Therefore, a system that is attached to the toilet bowl itself is ultimately of wider applicability.
Systems attaching a simple fragrance-containing solid to the bowl rim are well known in the art, as are more elaborate systems that dispense liquids into the water. For example, both U.S. Design Pat. No. D466,583—Heijdenrijk and U.S. Pat. No. 6,434,758—Camp, et al. disclose rim mounted systems. Both these patents are assigned to Sara Lee Household and Body Care, a company that manufactures and sells the Ambi-Pur™ line of devices to treat the water in toilet bowls. The systems disclosed in the Sara Lee patents have a holder with a flexible section for suspending the unit from the toilet bowl rim and a reservoir that holds an active substance such as cleansing and air freshening liquids. These liquids are introduced to a porous section that lies in the path of the flushing water, i.e., underneath the rim and along the interior bowl surface. The porous mass is in constant communication with the active substance such that when the unit in place, a discharge opening discharges active substance on to the porous mass. The active substance is later washed into the water when the toilet flushes. The problem with such systems, however, is that as with a solid “cake” hanging under the bowl rim, the active substance is constantly being eroded and dissipated. Moreover, upon flushing, the initial volume of flush water carries the highest concentration of active substance out of the bowl entirely, leading to waste and ineffective results.
Thus, none of these prior art systems addresses the problems outlined above. There remains therefore a long-felt yet unmet need for providing a simple device mounted to the toilet bowl rim that will effectively and reliably introduce an active substance at a later point in the flush cycle so that the highest concentration of active substance is not carried away with the initial volume of flush water. It would further be desirable to provide such improvements in a manner applicable across a wide variety of packaging designs, and combinations of active substances and the forms of the active substances (solid, liquid, gel, etc.) in a cost-effective manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThese shortcomings of the prior art are remedied, however by an apparatus for introducing material into a toilet bowl that has a rim holder positioned within the toilet bowl and a material container filled with a material along with a material dispenser connecting the rim holder and a vessel section of the material container, such that the vessel section comprises walls and a lower aperture open to the toilet bowl. In operation, upon initiation of a flush cycle, this apparatus fills the vessel section to a predetermined level causing the material to be dispensed into the vessel section. There is a wick, valve or other structure that permits material to be admitted to the vessel section when a predetermined volume of flush water is collected. In certain preferred embodiments, the rim holder and vessel section are integral, and in certain embodiments, the rim holder further comprises a hanger. The apparatus is preferably molded from a plastic material and the material preferably comprises at least one liquid component. The material is at least one material selected from the group comprising a fragrance, a disinfectant, a coloring agent, and a cleaner. In preferred embodiments, a float is provided that controls a valve so that the rising level of liquid in the vessel section causes the material from the material container to be released. The float can be connected to a valve, or alternatively to a resilient member that is deformed to create an opening. In still another embodiment, the float itself acts as a valve or stopper and admits material into the vessel section when the liquid level rises to a predetermined level.
The present invention also discloses methods of adding a material to a toilet bowl by positioning a rim holder within the toilet bowl, positioning a material container in fluid communication with the rim holder, and then diverting a portion of flush water entering the toilet bowl into a vessel section. Material is mixed with the water in the vessel section and a mixture including the material flows into the toilet bowl via a lower aperture in the vessel section after an initial volume of flush water has exited the toilet bowl. Preferably, the mixing takes place when a predetermined level within the vessel section is reached, and the flow through the lower aperture is metered so that substantially all the liquid within the vessel section is dispensed into the bowl after a flush cycle is substantially competed. In preferred embodiments, the material added is at least one material selected from the group comprising a fragrance, a disinfectant, a coloring agent, and a cleaner.
The present invention therefore discloses, in preferred embodiments, apparatus for dispensing a material into a toilet bowl that has a rim holder with a hanger portion that engages the toilet bowl, a vessel section that holds a volume of flush water, a lower aperture that drains the vessel section; and a material container received by the vessel section, whereby material is admitted to the vessel section after a predetermined level of flush water fills the vessel section. Most preferably, the rim holder and the material container are molded from plastic and the material is at least one material selected from the group comprising a fragrance, a disinfectant, a coloring agent, and a cleaner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is implemented in several preferred embodiments, which are discussed below as illustrative examples. This description is provided for purposes of understanding of the invention and is not meant to be limiting.
Referring now to
The material container 110 provides a housing for at least one material (“M”) that is to be admitted to the water that is to remain in a toilet bowl. The material may be a cleaner, a disinfectant, a fragrance or a colorant, or any combination of such materials, all of which are well known, either alone or in various combinations. Additionally, the material may be provided in solid, gel, particle, liquid or any combination of forms so long as the material in the material housing 110 is water-soluble. It should be noted that although the discussions herein relate to toilets that use water, it should be understood that the concepts of the present invention have equal applicability to “chemical” toilets that use a medium other than water. When flushed, such embodiments will provide the same mechanism of action as described below, except that the toilet bowl is not filled with water, and the material “M” will be soluble in whatever chemical flushing agent the toilet uses
An elevation cross-sectional view of an apparatus made in accordance with the present invention affixed to a toilet bowl is shown in
Referring how to
Also shown in
Referring now to
Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
Further detail of the seal component 330 are illustrated in
In accordance with the present invention, the device 100 described above enables a material, for one example a fragrance liquid, to be dispensed into a toilet bowl 50 both during and after the flushing cycle. In this aspect the present invention provides a significant improvement over the prior art in that previously treated liquid was flushed away since it was created either before or during the flush cycle, in some instances resulting in the majority of the liquid being flushed out of the bowl. On the other hand, a device made in accordance with the present invention will provide a system wherein the material, whether a cleaner, disinfectant, colorant, fragrance, etc. remains substantially in the water remaining in the toilet bowl after the flush cycle has ended.
Upon review of the foregoing, numerous adaptations, modifications, and alterations will occur to the reviewer. These will all be, however, within the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims in order to ascertain the true scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. Apparatus for dispensing a material into a toilet bowl comprising:
- a rim holder having a hanger portion that engages the toilet bowl, a vessel section that captures and holds a volume of flush water, and a lower aperture that drains the vessel section; and
- a material container received by the vessel section comprising a material dispenser and a means for selectively admitting material into the vessel section,
- whereby material is admitted to the vessel section after a predetermined level of flush water fills the vessel section.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for selectively admitting material comprises a float within the vessel section connected to the material dispenser.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the material dispenser comprises a tubular member connected to the float, wherein the tubular member moves relative to the material container.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the float operates a valve connected to the material dispenser.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the valve comprises a pivoting flap that covers an open end of the material dispenser.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the float is offset from the flap.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the material dispenser comprises a tubular member connected to the float, wherein the tubular member is fixed relative to the material container.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the tubular member is comprised of open-celled foam.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising one or more longitudinal slits along the tubular member.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dose container that holds a pre-determined volume of material.
11. A method of adding a material to a toilet bowl, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a rim holder within the toilet bowl;
- positioning a material container in fluid communication with the rim holder;
- diverting flush water entering the toilet bowl into a vessel section of the rim holder;
- filling the vessel section to a pre-determined level to selectively admit material from the material container into the vessel section;
- mixing the material with water in the vessel section; and
- flowing a solution of material and water into the toilet bowl via a lower aperture in the vessel section after an initial volume of flush water has exited the toilet bowl.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of mixing the material with water comprises the step of displacing a float to open an aperture between the material container and the vessel section.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of displacing a float further comprises the step of opening a valve.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of displacing a float further comprises the step of compressing a tubular member.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of selectively admitting material from the material container into the vessel section comprises admitting a pre-determined volume of material.
16. Apparatus for introducing material into a toilet bowl comprising:
- a rim holder;
- a vessel section comprising walls and a lower aperture open to the toilet bowl;
- a material container filled with a material; and
- a material dispenser connecting the vessel section and the material container, comprising an aperture and a valve wherein the valve selectively permits the material to flow through the aperture from the material container and into the vessel section, upon the initiation of a flush cycle which fills the vessel section to a predetermined level actuating the valve and causing the material to be dispensed into the vessel section.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the valve comprises a float.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the valve and the float are connected by a pivot arm.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the valve comprises a deformable tubular member.
20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a dose container that holds a pre-determined volume of the material.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 30, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 16, 2006
Inventor: Erik Troost (Amsterdam)
Application Number: 11/093,425
International Classification: E03D 9/02 (20060101);