Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DISPENSING DEVICE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a product into the
bowl
of a water closet (toilet). In particular, it relates to a device-adapted to
be hooked
under the rim of a toilet bowl to interrupt the flow of water as the toilet is
flushed, and
to dispense the product directly into the toilet bowl.
The product placed in such a dispenser is in the form of a block of solid
material, and is sometimes known as a rim black, and the dispenser is
sometimes
described as a rim block cage.
Background Art
In the past, rim blocks usually consisted only of fragrancing materials.
Refillable rim block dispensers were known but there was not a great need to
provide
them with child resistant closures. More recently, rim blocks containing
bleaching
agents have been put on the market, and the desirability of ensuring that any
refillable
dispensers are child resistant has increased. A number of refillable
dispensers have
been placed on the market in some countries. Thus one company markets a
bleaching
rim block in a dispenser with a catch released by pressing the end of the
suspension
hook into the cage. Other refillable dispensers on the market are not reliably
child
resistant.
Toilet blocks are relatively low cost products. They are used in dispensers
which are attached to the rim of toilet bowls. The dispensers for reasons of
cost are
produced as a single plastics moulding which includes a hook and two body
parts
joined by a moulded hinge. Once the toilet block has been placed in the
dispenser by
the manufacturer, no one will wish to obtain access to the toilet block within
the cage.
Any need to open the dispenser will only arise in the case of refillable
dispensers, when
a replacement block will be inserted when the original block has been used.
Child-resistant packages based on containers with a hinged cover are known
for other products such as medicines. In such containers, the user requires to
obtain
access to the container at relatively frequent intervals in order to remove
the medicine
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within the container. Hinged containers for medicines in which catches on one
part of
the container engage with apertures on another part of the container are
disclosed, for
example, in U.S. 5,346,069. This discloses the use of two types of catch. Both
types
must be opened before the container itself can be opened. However, the catches
are
designed to be opened sequentially. The ability to open each.set of catches in
sequence
simplifies the opening procedure, which is desirable for a container which is
intended
to opened frequently. Attempts to operate all the catches simultaneously are
stated to
be counter-productive. The parts which have to be manually operated are all
catches,
i.e., they are constituted by parts which interact to hold the container in
the closed
position.
U.S. 4,048,050 discloses a hinged child resistant pill box which has a pair of
catches which hold the container closed. The box also has means which must be
actuated before the catches can be released. However, the means consists of
pivot pins
running in slots. The catches are essentially bayonet-type catches. Rearward
movement of the cover is normally prevented by the interaction of members 35
and 34.
When the body is flexed to release these catches to allow rearward movement,
the
member 35 is moved clear of slot 32 so allowing the cover to be pivoted. This
system
requires a complex hinge structure. Closing the container requires a first
(rotary)
movement to bring the top and bottom parts of the container together and a
second
(translational) movement to cause catches to engage to hold the container in a
closed
position. Such a complex closing operation does not appear to be suitable for
use in
producing relatively low cost products which are generally produced on
automated
filling lines. The container does not seem suitable for manufacture as a one
piece
moulding.
It has now been found that an improved child resistant dispenser for
attachment
of toilet bowls can be produced by a combination of a releasable catch to hold
the
dispenser closed and a locking means which must be actuated to allow the
releasable
catch to be released.
Disclosure of Invention
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According to the present invention, a dispenser suitable for attachment to the
rim of a toilet bowl comprises a body adapted to receive a block of product to
be
dispensed into the toilet bowl and a hook attached to the body for suspending
the body
from the rim of a toilet bowl, said body comprising first and second body
parts
relatively rotatable about a hinge and at least one releasable catch which is
engaged on
rotation of one body part relative to the other from ari open to a closed
position for
holding the said body parts in a closed position, said hook being attached to
said frst
body part wherein at least one releasable catch is provided with locking
means, which
locking means is biased towards a first position in which it acts on the
releasable catch
I 0 to resist release of the catch, wherein the locking means is movable by
directly applied
manual force to a second position in which the releasable catch can be
released.
It is possible to provide a locking means which, when moved to a position in
which the releasable catch is released, can be held in that position, against
the biasing
force tending to return it to the first position, until the catch is released.
However,
15 small children find the problem of operating two mechanisms separately
easier to solve
than the problem of operating two mechanisms simultaneously. For this reason
it is
preferable to provide a dispenser in which the catch and the locking means
must be
operated independently and simultaneously to release the catch.
A catch for use in the present invention will generally comprise an engaging
20 member which projects from one body part and is sufficiently resilient to
ride over a
retaining member associated with the other body part as the body is caused to
close,
the retaining member retaining the engaging member and so holding the body
closed
until the catch is released.
Catches used in child resistant containers may be classified as direct or
indirect
25 catches. Direct catches are catches which are opened by manipulating the
engaging
member directly. Indirect catches are catches which are opened by manipulating
the
body rather than the engaging means itself.
It is preferred to use catches which are released by compressive forces
applied
towards the interior of the body, rather than tensile forces applied in
directions away
30 from the interior of the body. In other words, it is preferred to open the
body by
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pressing rather than pulling.
It is preferred to use direct catches rather than indirect catches.
The releasable catch may be in the form of an engaging means in the form of a
lug projecting forwardly from the edge of one body part towards the other body
part
(when the body is closed) and which carries an outwardly projecting part
(outwardly in
relation to the surface of the adjacent body part) which engages with a
retaining
member in the other body part. The retaining member may be an aperture
extending
through the body part or a recess within the body part.
In the case of an indirect catch, if the body is made of material which is
resiliently deformable under pressure, the body part carrying the lugs can be
deformed
by pressing on it adjacent to the lugs so as to deform it sufficiently to move
the lugs
inwardly (towards the interior of the body) to disengage the projecting
portions on the
lugs from the locking members in the other body part. By making the projecting
portions sufficiently small and the lugs sufficiently stiff, the catches can
be made
resistant to opening by direct pressure on the catches, even if the catches
are accessible
through apertures in the body.
Alternatively, the indirect catches may have forwardly projecting lugs which
lie
outside the other body part, and inwardly directed projections which'engage
locking
members, e.g. apertures, in the other body part. Such catches will be released
by
pressure on the body part which carnes the locking member, rather than the
part which
carnes the lugs.
The two body parts may be hinged together so that the hinge is at one side of
the body (the side carrying the hook being considered as the top). Preferably
the hinge
is on the lower side of the body opposite the hook, so that the second body
part is
opened by rotating it downwards.
The hinge may be constituted by coaxial rod portions on one body part which
engage with coaxial apertures in the other body part. In this case, it may be
possible to
produce the two body parts as separate mouldings which are linked together
before
being filled with the material to be dispensed. However, it is preferred to
make the
dispenser as a one-piece moulding and for the hinge to be what is known as a
"living
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hinge" formed by a line of reduced thickness in the moulding.
As discussed above, indirect catches are catches which are opened by exerting
pressure on the body rather than on the catches themselves. The catch may be
in the
form of a lug projecting forwardly from the edge of one body part towards the
other
body part (when the body is closed) and which carries an outwardly projecting
part
(outwardly in relation to the surface of the adjacent body part) which engages
with a
retaining member on the inner surface of the other body part. The retaining
member
allows the projecting part to ride over it when the body is closed but retains
the
projecting part so as to hold the body closed. The retaining member may be a
recess
which does not extend through the body to the outer surface or may be an
aperture in
the body part. If the body is made of material which is resiliently deformable
under
pressure, the body part carrying the lugs can be deformed by pressing on it
adjacent to
the lugs so as to deform it sufficiently to move the lugs inwardly (towards
the interior
of the body) to disengage the projecting portions on the lugs from the locking
members in the other body part. Where the projecting portions engage with
apertures
in the other body part, the projecting portions can be made sufficiently small
and the
lugs sufficiently stiff such that the catches are resistant to opening by
direct pressure on
the catches.
Alternatively, the indirect catches may have forwardly projecting lugs which
lie
outside the other body part and inwardly directed projections which engage
recesses or
apertures in the other body part. Such catches will be released by pressure on
the body
part which carries the apertures rather than the part which carries the lugs.
It may be desirable to provide a depression in the outer surface of the body
part
carrying a projecting portion, said depression being adjacent to the catch so
as to
facilitate the application of finger pressure on the body part to open the
catch.
Preferably, the releasable catch is in the form of a lug carrying projections
mounted on the first body part (which carries the hook) which interact with
apertures
in the second body part.
The catches are preferably provided with means, such as barbs, which
facilitate
closing the catches when the body parts are brought together, but which resist
release
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unless pressure is applied to the barb or the body to release the catches.
Preferably the dispenser is provided with only one catch. This simplifies the
manufacture of the filled dispenser. When the two body parts are hinged
towards one
another after a toilet block has been inserted into the open dispenser, there
is only one
catch to be engaged. This reduces the risk of producing incorrectly closed
dispensers
using automated filling equipment.
The locking means is biased towards a first position in which it resists
relative
movement of the body parts to release the catch. Thus a force must be applied
to the
locking means to release the locking means and to hold it released
simultaneously with
the application of force to release the catch. The locking means may be biased
towards
the first position as a result of the inherent resilience of the material
forming the body.
Preferably, as indicated above, the releasable catch and the locking means are
in a form
such as to allow the dispenser to be produced as a one-part moulding. The
locking
means is preferably moved between the first and second positions by rotation
relative
1 S to the body part carrying the locking member. The force applied to the
locking means
to move it to the second position preferably acts towards the interior of the
body.
The locking means is preferably provided with a block engagement means
which engages with a toilet block within the dispenser to prevent release of
the locking
means while the dispenser contains a new toilet block.
A particularly preferred from of the invention comprises a dispenser suitable
for
attachment to the rim of a toilet bowl, comprising a body adapted to receive a
block of
product to be dispensed into the toilet bowl and a hook attached to the body
for
suspending the body from the rim of a toilet bowl, which dispenser is a one
piece
moulding formed of resilient thermoplastics polymer and having a direct catch
comprising a lug mounted on the first body part, said catch carrying a barb
which, in
the closed position of the body, extends outwardly through an aperture in the
second
body part, and a locking means, the locking means being hinged to the second
body
part such that it is biased by the resilience of the polymer moulding to a
first (normal)
position, the locking means having a first portion and a second portion on
either side of
the hinge, such that in the first position the first portion engages the lug
of the catch so
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as to prevent actuation of the catch but the locking means can be rotated
about the
hinge by pressure on the second portion of the locking means so as to rotate
the first
portion of the locking means out of engagement with the lug, and wherein the
second
portion of the locking member engages with a toilet block within the body so
as to
S prevent rotation of the locking member when a new toilet block is present in
the body.
Brief Description of Drawings
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser according to the invention in
the
closed position,
Figure 2 is a cross-section through the dispenser of Figure 1 showing a new
toilet block in position in the dispenser,
Figure 3 is a cross section of the dispenser of Figure 1 without a toilet
block
showing the locking means moved to a position to allow the catch to be
released,
Figure 4 is a cross section of the dispenser of Figure I without a toilet
block
showing the catch in the released position, and
Figure S is a cross section of the dispenser of Figure I in the open position.
Best Mode of Ca ing Out the Invention
As can be seen from Figure 1, the dispenser comprises a body (1) for receiving
a block of material (shown in Figure 2) and a hook (2) of conventional form
attached
to its upper end by which the dispenser may be attached to the rim of a toilet
bowl.
The body (1) is provided with apertures (3) by which water may enter and/or
leave the
body (1) when the toilet bowl is flushed.
The dispenser is a single moulding made from a suitable thermoplastics
material. The moulding comprises a first part which comprises the hook (2) and
a first
body part (4) which is linked to a second part comprising a second body part
(5) by a
hinge (6) moulded into the body (see Figures 2 to S).
The body part (4) carries a single projecting lug which terminates in a barb
(7).
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When the first and second body parts are brought together by rotation about
the hinge
(6), the lugs and barbs in body part (4) engage an aperture (8) in body part
(5) (this
can be best seen in figures 4 and 5). The body parts and projections are
sufficiently
flexible to allow the barbs to enter the corresponding apertures so as to hold
the body
S (1) closed. The barbs, however, resist separation ofthe two body parts (4)
and (S).
In order to open the body (1), it is necessary to manually depress the barb
(7)
so that it is released from aperture (8). However, depression of the barb {7)
so as to
release the catch is normally prevented by a locking means (9). The locking
means is
connected to body part (5) by pairs of ribs ( 10,11 ) on either side of the
locking means,
but is free at its upper and lower ends. The upper end (12) of locking means
(9) when
in its normal position engages with the under side of barb (7) to prevent it
being
depressed. The locking means can be caused to rotate relative to the rest of
the body
part (5) because the ribs (10,I 1) are sufficiently flexible to act together
as a hinge, but
sufficiently resilient to resist permanent deformation and to provide
restoring force
biasing the locking means back to its normal position in which it prevents
depression of
the barb. When no toilet block is present in the dispenser, a manual force on
the lower
end of the locking means causes the lower end (13) to move inwards and the
upper end
to move outwards relative to the dispenser so that downward movement of the
barb
(7) is no longer restrained by the locking means (see Figure 3). While the
lower end of
the locking means is still pressed inwards, it is then possible to depress the
barb (7)
(see Figure 4) and to open the body (see Figure 5).
If the dispenser contains a new toilet block (14) (see Figure 2), then it will
not
be possible to move the lower end of the locking means inward because the
lower end
of the locking means will engage with the toilet block before the upper end is
clear of
the barb (7). This is a significant additional safety feature.
When the body is closed by hinging the body parts together the lug will deform
so that barb (7) will slide under the body part (S) until it is within the
aperture (8)
- when the force on the lug will be released so that the barb moves into
engagement with
the aperture (8). If the barb (7) encounters the upper end of the locking
means (9), it
will be able to slide over the locking means until it is engaged with the
aperture (8), so
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that closure of the body is not impeded. This is desirable both for the
consumer
replacing a used toilet block, and the manufacturer of the original filled
dispenser.
However, once the barb has engaged with the aperture, the barb cannot be slid
relative
to body part (S) and locking means (9) until the locking means has been moved
to a
position in which it is clear of the barb.
