Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~o46705
Back~round and Summary o~ the Invention
This invention relates to the dispensation o~ a
disinfectant or deodorant solution into the contents of a
toilet flush tank. Devices of this general type are well-
known and commercially available and operate on several
different principles. In some, a solid water soluble dis-
infectant is positioned at the bottom of a flush tank where
it is dissolved by the water in the flush tank. Other dis-
pensers pro~ide a concentrated solution, typically a disin-
fec~ant or deodorant solution, which is rcleased periodically
into the contents of the toilet flush tank. Release of
the concentrated solution may be produced by a float-operated
pump, pressure created by air rising in an air-entrapment chamber,
external pressure reduction caused by a receding water level
during the flush phase of the toilet flush-and-refill cycle
or other means. Liquid has been dispensed through spouts,
perforations or tubes, an example of the latter being found
in U.S. patent 2,688,754 which also uses an air entrapment
chamber.
This invention is an improvement to the device shown
in my earlier U.S. paten-t 3,874,oo7 which disclosed an inverted
air entrapment chamber supporting a vertical stem which carried
a dilution vessel at its lower end. The improvement relates to
1046705
~h provision of sn air-inflow, liquiù-outflow passage in
the container.
It is an object of this invention to provide a
simple, inexpensively manufactured means for dispensing a
concentrated solution into the contents of a toilet flush
tank. According to the invention, a downwardly-open air-
entrapment chamber is located in the ou-tlet opening of the
container for the concentra-ted solution. A tube extends
upwardly from the upper end of the air entrapment chamber
into the container. A plug pro~ided with elongated grooves
is snugly fit within the tube, the elongated grooves pro-
viding narrow elongated passages between the tube and the
plug, these passages admitting air into the container as
the water level rises in a toilet tank, and permitting dis-
pensation of concentrated liquid as the water level falls.
Preferably, the lower end o~ the plug is provided with a tip
portion whicl1 supports a decending film of the concentrated
solutionj serving to delay introduction of the concentrated
solution into the toilet tank water.
The invention herein may take many forms, but a
preferred one is shown in the following drawings and description.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 i5 an elevational view of the preferred
1~46705
form of a toilet disinfectant dispenser in its operative
position;
~ ig. 2 is an exploded view of the elements ~rhich
produce the desired dispensing activity,
Fig. 3 shows the elements of Fig. 2 in their assembled
position in the neck of a disinfectant container;
~ ig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line
4-4 in Fig. 3; and
Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5
in Fig. 3.
Brief Description of a Preferred Embodiment
Fig. 1 shows a dispenser 2 having a disinfectant
container 4 in an operative inverted orientation, as it is
held in a toilet tank by means of a conventional hook or clip
attached to the bottle in any known manner. The container may
be flexible or rigid, plastic or glass, but it preferably is
a blow-molded polyethylene bottle.
At the lower end of the container 4, there is an
enlarged neck portion 6 with threads 8 for engaging the internal
threads of a cap which seals the container during transportation
and storage prior to installation in a toilet tank. A reduced
neck portion 10 at the lower end of the container 4 provides
the outlet opening through which disinfectant ma-terial is dis-
pensed.
- 4
10467~5
The dispensation of disinfectant material is governed
by three interconnected members which are inserted in the
reduced neck portion 10 of the bottle. These members are the
stem 12, the cup-and-tube mernber 1l~ and the optional dilution
cup 16. The assembled and operative relationship between
these members is best illustrated in Fig. 3 where it will be
seen that the cup and tube member 14 is held in the ou-tlet
opening of container 4, the upper end of the stem is retained
by the upper tube portion of member 1~l, and the dilution cup
16 is supported on the lower end of the stem 12.
The integral cup-and-tube member 14 is sealingly
engaged within the outlet opening 32 at the lower portion of
the container 4. The member 14 has a radial flange 34 at its
lower end to establish its position in the neck of the con-
tainer. A cylindrical wall 36 and a conical wall 38 form an
inverted cup defining a downwardly open air-entrapment chamber
40 in the outlet opening of the container. Chamber 40 entraps
air as the water level rises in toilet tank. The conical wall
38 of the cup converges upwardly to the tube section 42 of
the member 14 so that rising water in a toilet tank is prevented
from entering the tube 42 when any air remains entrapped in the
chamber 40.
At the upper end of the stem 12 there is an enlarged
head 18, stop means 20 and a plug section 22 provided with two
diametrically opposed vertically elongated grooves 24. The
tem 1 lso has en elongeted tlp portion 26 ~hich is lon~er
104~705
than the plug section 22 a~d has an exterior surface extending
downwardly from the lower end of the groove 2L~ to support a
downwardly moving fi1m of disinfectant when the water in the
toilet tank recedes. An enlarged head 28 at the lower end
of the tip portion 26 supports the upper end of a cen~ral
sleeve 30 of the dilution vessel 16. The dilution vessel is
slidable on the tip portion 26 to enable the dispensing assembly
to collapse for size-reduction during shipment and storage.
The plug section 22 of the stem 12 is frictionally
engaged in the tube portion 42 of member 14, so that the
grooves 24 provide a narrow elongated passage between the
upper portion of the air entrapment chamber 40 and the
interior of the container. The width of each of the grooves
24, measured circumferentially of the plug 22 is about .01
inch (.25 mm) and preferably is .oo8 inch (.2 mm). It should
be no more than about~02 inch. The length of the elongated
passage formed by the grooves is at least about 0.2 inch
(5 mm) and is preferably 0.25 inch (6 mm).
In order to assure tha~ the upper ends of the
elongated grooves 24 remain in communication with the interior
of the container 4, the stops 20 abut the upper end of the
tube 42 at a point which is laterally offset from the upper
ends of the grooves. This placement of the stops 20 does not
impede the flow of fluid to the grooves 24. The lower end of
the elongated passage formed by groove 24 between the plug
s portion and tube ~ is at an eleva tion at least as higl
1046705
as the uppermost end of the inverted cup to prevent rising water
from entering the groove 24.
One function of the elongated tip 26 of the stem 12
is to delay the release of disinfectant solution into the
toilet tank water, to avoid dispensation of all disinfectant
during the flush phase of the cycle rather than during the
refill phase of the cycle. Dispensation is also delayed by the
provision of the optional dilution cup 16 supported by head 28
at the lower end of the tip portion 26. The complete function
of such a dilution vessel is discussed in my earlier U.S.
patent 3,874,oo7. The dilutlon vessel 16 is oriented to retai~ a
quantity of toile~ tank water after the water level recedes
below the disinfectant dispensing device. As the water level
drops, dispensed disinfectant runs down the stem 26 into the
vessel 16. Then, when the water level rises again to the dis-
infectant dispenser, the toilet tank contents will come into
communication and mix with the diluted disinfectant solution
in the vessel 16.
When the device is first inverted when placed in a
toilet tank, a quantity of concentrated solution will flow
downwardly through the grooves 24 to create a partial vacuwn
within the container 4. In operation, the elements of the
device always appear as shown in Fig. 3, except that on occasions
the dilution cup 16 may slip upwardly on the tip portion 26 of
the stem 12. When the toilet tank is substantially empty at
..
- 7 - !
10467Q5
the end of a flush cycle, the toilet flush valve will close
and the refill valve will open, commencing the refill cycle
when water is introduced into the toilet tank. The water
level will rise to the level of the dilution vessel 16,
causing any dilu-ted disinfectant on tip 26, head 2~ or in
the vessel 16 to mix with the toilet tank water. When the
water level rises to the lower end of the member 14, air
will be entrapped within the chamber 40. As the water level
continues to rise, the pressure of the entrapped air will
increase, causing some air to be driven through the groove
24 to reduce the partial vacuum and equalize the pressure.
The elongated passage resists the movement of air there-
through, and the air will assume the form of bubbles surrounded
by any disinfectant solution remaining in the groove 24.
These bubbles prevent concentrated solution from being dis-
pensed and prevent water from entering the container to
dilute the solution. Access of water to the groove is also
detered by the upward convergence of the inclined wall 38
of the air entrapment chamber which causes a portion of the
entrapped air to be directed to the lower end of the passage
formed by grooves 24
When the toilet is again flushed, the water level in
the toilet tank recedes~ reducing the pressure in the air
entrapment chamber 40 and causing disinfectant to flow down-
wardly through the groove 24. The volume of disinfectant
solution dispensed is dependen-t upon the slze~ length and
number of passages formed by grooves 24, and is independent of
the volume of the chamber 40. The disinfectant flows along
1046705
the tip portion 26 of stem 12 and into the dilution cup 16.
Even when the dilution cup 16 is eliminated from the device;
at least a major portion of the disinfectant solution will
remain on the stem 12 as its rounded lower end 28 provides
an enlarged surface area with no edges which would cause the
release of droplets. Bubbles of air remaining within the
groove 24 prevent undue dispensation of disinfectant after
the water level recedes below the lower edge of the air
entrapment chamber 40.
Persons skilled in this art will realize that the
invention may be practiced by many means other than the
specific ones disclosed herein. Therefore, it is emphasized
that the invention is not limited only to the sole disclosed
embodiment, but encompasses modifications thereto and varia-
tions thereof within the scope and spirit of the claims which
~ollow. In the interest of clarity rather than limitation,
the claims describe the elements in their positions of normal
use, i.e. with the container in its inverted orientation.
The claims encompass such devices in other orientations which
they may assume during storage and shipment.
.,
