TOILET CLEANING SYSTEM AND A METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

It is disclosed a system for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank. The system includes a cleaning fluid container positioned outside the tank and a valve controlling fluid passage from the container into a flushing liquid filling the tank at a varying level. The valve has a closed state and an open state blocking and enabling, respectively, fluid passage thereof. The valve switches between the states by the varying level. A conduit communicates the container with the valve, receives the cleaning fluid from the container, and releases it to the flushing liquid through the valve. A bottle base is attached to the tank for receiving a mouth end of a dispenser bottle. The dispenser bottle has a diaphragm for sealing the dispenser bottle and a punching pin punches the diaphragm while the dispenser bottle is brought into the bottle base. Thus, the pin enables a flow of a cleaning fluid out of the dispenser bottle. The valve is controlled by a float through a lever. Alternatively, the slide valve is actuated directly by the float.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The field of the invention is toilet cleaning by dispensing liquid cleaner/deodorizers into the toilet bowl. In special, the present invention deals with a dispensing system having a dispenser container outside a flushing water tank, whereas the cleaning agent or material is first dispensed in the tank.

2. Description of Related Art

Toilets need ongoing maintenance to remove unsightly rings and mineral deposits created in the bowl. In addition, unpleasant odors are generated by toilet use. Solid block cleaners are hanged on the bowl rim for releasing some cleaning material every time the toilet is used. However, solid block cleaners have several drawbacks. They have no adequate control that every bowl has the same amount of cleaner. Also, they require contact with the cleaning material.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is disclosed according to preferred embodiments of the present invention a system for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank. The system includes a cleaning fluid container positioned outside the tank and communicating with the tank, and a valve controlling fluid passage from the container into a flushing liquid filling the tank at a varying level. The valve has a closed state blocking fluid passage thereof, and an open state enabling fluid passage thereof. The valve switches between the closed and open states in accordance with the varying level.

In some embodiments, a conduit communicates the container with the valve, receives the cleaning fluid from the container, and releases the cleaning fluid to the flushing liquid through the valve.

In some embodiments, a bottle base is attached to the tank for receiving a mouth end of a dispenser bottle or container while supporting a body thereof. Preferably, the dispenser bottle has a diaphragm for sealing the dispenser bottle and the system includes a punching pin for punching the diaphragm while the dispenser bottle is brought into the bottle base. Thus, the pin enables a flow of a cleaning fluid out of the dispenser bottle.

In some embodiments, the valve is controlled by a float connected to the valve.

Preferably, means are used for tuning an extent of opening of the valve in the open state. Preferably, a lever enables control of the valve by the float. Most preferably, a slide valve is operated by the lever. Alternatively, the slide valve is actuated directly by the float.

In some embodiments, the container contains a cleaning liquid or a granular cleaning fluid.

In some embodiments, a water supply line that provides flushing water to the tank affects dispensing of the cleaning fluid only by affecting the level of flushing liquid in the tank.

It is disclosed according to preferred embodiments of the present invention, a method for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank. The method includes placing outside the tank a cleaning fluid container communicating with the tank, and installing a valve having a closed state blocking fluid passage from the container into a flushing liquid filling the tank at a varying level and an open state enabling fluid passage thereof. The valve switches between the closed and open states in accordance with the varying level of flushing liquid in the tank. Thus, actions affecting the varying level control the fluid passage thereof.

In some embodiments, the method includes installing a conduit communicating the container with the valve, receiving by the conduit of the cleaning fluid from the container, and releasing the cleaning fluid by the conduit of through the valve to the flushing liquid.

In some embodiments, the method includes attaching a bottle base to the tank for receiving a mouth end of a dispenser bottle while supporting a body thereof. Preferably, the dispenser bottle has a diaphragm for sealing the dispenser bottle. The pin punches the diaphragm while the dispenser bottle is brought into the bottle base. Thus, a cleaning fluid is poured out of the dispenser bottle.

In some embodiments, the method includes tuning an extent of opening of the valve in the open state.

In some embodiments, the valve is controlled by a float connected to the valve. Preferably, the float controls the valve by a lever connected thereof.

In some embodiments, a water supply line provides flushing water to the tank, and it affects dispensing of the cleaning fluid only by affecting the varying level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to system organization and method of operation, together with features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanied drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a tank feeding a toilet bowl by a flushing liquid with a valve of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2a shows a dispenser bottle brought into a bottle base.

FIG. 2b shows the dispenser bottle after being punched by a punching pin.

FIG. 3a depicts a slide valve actuated by a lever connected to a float in a close state.

FIG. 3b depicts the slide valve of FIG. 3a in an open state.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a system for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a tank having a valve of a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for dispensing cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described in terms of specific example embodiments. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the example embodiments disclosed. It should also be understood that not every feature of the methods and systems handling the described device is necessary to implement the invention as claimed in any particular one of the appended claims. Various elements and features of devices are described to fully enable the invention.

Before explaining several embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The systems, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

In the description and claims of the present application, each of the verbs “comprise”, “include” and “have”, and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of members, components, elements or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb.

FIG. 1 depicts a system 100 for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl (not shown) adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank 105. A cleaning fluid container 110 is positioned outside tank 105, and communicates with tank 105 by a conduit 120. A valve 115 controls fluid passage from container 110 into a flushing liquid filling tank 105. In operation, valve 115 is initially closed and cleaning fluid or liquid from container 110 fills conduit 120, which is shown large relative to container 110, but actually has much less volume than container 110. After using the toilet, a user causes decrease of the level of water in tank 105, as further detailed below, and consequently valve 115 opens and releases cleaning fluid to the flushing liquid in tank 105. As a water supply line fills out tank 105, the water level increases, valve 115 closes and further cleaning fluid is collected in conduit 120, for the next use of the toilet.

A bottle base 125 is attached to tank 105 for receiving a mouth end 205 of a container or dispenser bottle 110 while supporting a body 210 of bottle 110, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b. Dispenser bottle 110 has a diaphragm 215 for sealing the cleaning fluid inside bottle 110. A punching pin 220 punches diaphragm 215 while bottle 110 is brought into bottle base 125. FIG. 2b shows bottle 110 resting upon a circular shoulder 225 and diaphragm torn(not shown) such that cleaning fluid is pouring out of dispenser bottle 110 into conduit 120.

Inside tank 105, conduit 120 is closed by valve 115. As shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, valve 115 is connected by a lever 305 to a float 310, which vertical position is determined by a level 315 of the flushing liquid or water in tank 105. In FIG. 3a, level 315 is high before the toilet is used and lever 305 couples the surface of valve 115 to a sealing ring 320 such as to block leaking of the cleaning fluid from conduit 120 to the flushing eater. In contrast to that close state, FIG. 3b manifests an open valve state obtained by lowering level 305 after the toilet is used. As a result of that lowering, lever 305 displaces valve 115 away from sealing ring 320 such as to allow passage of the cleaning fluid from conduit 120 into the flushing liquid.

Lever 305 is connected to float 310 by a long screw 325 threaded into float 310. Turning a head 330 of screw 325 tunes the extent of opening of valve 115 in the open state. The combination of a well defined volume for receiving cleaning fluid in conduit 120 and the possibility to rotate screw 325 provides repeatability and control of the amount of cleaning fluid released to the flushing liquid each time that valve 115 opens.

It is noted that a water supply line 335, that provides flushing water to the tank, affects dispensing of the cleaning fluid only by affecting level 315 of flushing liquid in the tank.

Alternative float-valve sub-system is shown in FIG. 4. Conduit 405 connects container 110 with a slide valve 415, which in turn is coupled to a float 420. Valve 415 and float 420 encircle conduit 405, but are free to move in the vertical direction. In the open state of FIG. 4, float 420 is low as is water level 315 (as shown in FIG. 3b). As a result, slide valve 415 is in a low position whereas surface 425 is not coupled to a sealing ring 430, and the cleaning fluid exits conduit 405 into the flushing liquid. In contrast, whenever water level 305 alleviates (as in FIG. 3a), float 420 moves upwardly together with valve 415, and consequently surface 415 approaches sealing ring 430 and prevents leaking of the cleaning liquid out of conduit 405.

Referring now to method 500 of FIG. 5, it should be understood that the steps of method 500 may be performed in any order or simultaneously, unless it is clear from the context that one step depends on another being performed first.

The flow chart of FIG. 5 presents a method 500 for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank 105. Method 500 includes a step 505 of attaching a bottle base 125 to the tank for receiving a mouth end 205 of a dispenser bottle 110 while supporting a body thereof. Dispenser bottle 110 has a diaphragm 215 for sealing dispenser bottle 110. In a step 510, dispenser bottle 110 is brought into the bottle base, and consequently in step 515, a pin 220 punches diaphragm 215.

Method 500 includes a step 520 of installing a conduit 120 which communicates bottle 110 with a valve 115, a step 525 of bottle 110 pouring a cleaning fluid, and a step 530 of conduit 120 receiving the poured cleaning fluid.

Method 500 further includes a step 535 of installing a valve 115 having a closed state blocking fluid passage from container 110 into a flushing liquid filling tank 105 at a varying level 315, and an open state enabling fluid passage thereof.

Method 500 also includes a step 540 of tuning the extent of opening of valve 115 in the open state. Valve 115 switches between the closed and open states in accordance with varying level 315 of flushing liquid in the tank, as sensed by a float 310 or a float 415. Thus, method 500 includes a step 545 of controlling valve 115 by float 310 or 415. Thus, actions affecting varying level 315 control the passage of the cleaning fluid between conduit 120 and the flushing liquid in tank 105. Such an action is pressing an appropriate button for flushing the toilet bowl after its use.

Method 500 further includes a step 550 of a lever enabling control of valve 115 by float 310, and a step 555 of conduit 120 releasing the cleaning fluid to the flushing liquid.

A water supply line 335 provides flushing water to the tank. Method 500 also include the negative step 560 that line 335 does not affect dispensing of the cleaning fluid directly, as it affects the dispensing only indirectly by affecting varying level 315.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. In particular, the present invention is not limited in any way by the examples described.

Claims

1. A system for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank, the system comprising:

(a) a cleaning fluid container positioned outside the tank and communicating with said tank;

(b) a valve controlling fluid passage from said container into a flushing liquid filling said tank at a varying level, said valve having a closed state blocking fluid passage thereof, and an open state enabling fluid passage thereof; and

(c) said valve switching between the closed and open states in accordance with said varying level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a conduit adapted for:

(i) communicating said container with said valve;

(ii) receiving a certain amount of said cleaning fluid from said container; and

(iii) releasing at least a portion of said amount of said cleaning fluid through said valve to said flushing liquid.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes:

(A) a bottle base attached to said tank for receiving a mouth end of a dispenser bottle while supporting a body thereof.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said dispenser bottle has a diaphragm for sealing said dispenser bottle and said bottle base further includes:

(B) a punching pin for punching said diaphragm while said dispenser bottle is brought into said bottle base,

thereby enabling a flow of a cleaning fluid out of said dispenser bottle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said valve is controlled by a connected float.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further includes means for tuning an extent of opening of said valve in said open state.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein a lever connects said valve to said float.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system includes a slide valve operated by said lever.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the system includes a slide valve actuated directly by said float.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said container contains a cleaning liquid or a granular cleaning fluid.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a water supply line providing flushing water to said tank affects dispensing of said cleaning fluid only by affecting said level of flushing liquid in said tank.

12. A method for dispensing a cleaning fluid into a toilet bowl adapted to receive a flushing liquid from a tank, the method comprising:

(a) placing outside the tank a cleaning fluid container communicating with said tank;

(b) installing a valve having a closed state blocking fluid passage from said container into a flushing liquid filling said tank at a varying level and an open state enabling fluid passage thereof, said valve being adapted to switch between the closed and open states in accordance with said varying level of flushing liquid in said tank,

thereby enabling control of fluid passage thereof by actions affecting said varying level.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes:

(i) installing a conduit communicating said container with said valve;

(ii) said conduit receiving a certain amount of said cleaning fluid from said container; and

(iii) said conduit releasing at least a portion of said amount of said cleaning fluid through said valve to said flushing liquid.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further includes:

(A) attaching a bottle base to said tank for receiving a mouth end of a dispenser bottle while supporting a body thereof.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said dispenser bottle has a diaphragm for sealing said dispenser bottle and the method further includes:

(B) punching said diaphragm while said dispenser bottle is brought into said bottle base; and

(C) said dispenser bottle pouring a cleaning fluid out of said dispenser bottle.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further includes tuning an extent of opening of said valve in said open state.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes controlling said valve by a float connected to said valve.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a lever connects said float with said valve and the method includes said lever enabling control of said valve by said float.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the method includes a step of a water supply line affecting dispensing of said cleaning fluid only by affecting said varying level, wherein said water supply line providing flushing water to said tank.