Abstract:
The present invention is to provide a dispensing device comprising a dispenser having an upper channel and a bottom opening for storing liquid cleaner; a connecting cup extended downward from the dispenser including at least one aperture on a bottom thereof; and a float in the connecting cup opposite the bottom opening. While the dispenser is mounted in a toilet tank, the float is adapted to either engage with or move away from the bottom opening as the water level in the toilet tank rises or falls. As such, the dispenser is adapted to automatically dispense liquid cleaner to the toilet tank or stop dispensing liquid cleaner to the toilet tank as the float falls or rises.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to toilet cleaning devices and more particularly to a liquid cleaner dispenser mounted in a toilet tank with improved characteristics.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Conventionally, toilet cleaning is not a job that everybody likes to do. Also, unpleasant toilet odor is strong if not sufficient cleaning is done. As such, a wide variety of cleaners have been developed by cleaner manufacturing companies. The cleaners are adapted to remove dirt or the like from toilet bowl. Further, such cleaners are available to enable a user easily clean toilet. It is known that a laboring cleaning of toilet by using cleaner may cause dirty water to spill over a user. This is not desirable. It is also known dirt can be easily formed after a period of time since a previous cleaning. Hence, a cleaning per use is required. This is a tedious job. As a solution to the above drawback, solid cleaners shaped as blocks (e.g., cleaning blocks) have been developed by cleaner manufacturing companies. The cleaning block has ingredients of cleaner and deodorant. The cleaning block can be directly thrown into a toilet tank to dissolve. As a result, water is mixed with the dissolved cleaning block to form a cleaning solution. After using toilet, a person can flush defecation and/or urination with the cleaning solution stored in the toilet tank. As an end, dirt is not easy to accumulate on a toilet bowl.  
           [0003]    However, amount of the cleaning block dissolved in the toilet tank may reduce gradually as time passes. Also, amount of the cleaning block mixed with water at one period of time may be different from that at another period of time (e.g., either longer or shorter). Hence, it is typical that one flushing having excessive amount of dissolved cleaning block can sufficiently clean toilet and fill the rest room with a fragrant odor with the expense of wasting portions of the cleaning block. To the contrary, a desired cleaning cannot be achieved if amount of the cleaning block dissolved in the toilet tank is not sufficient.  
           [0004]    Moreover, it is found that the cleaning block can be sufficiently mixed with water in the toilet tank after a predetermined period of time since a previous water refilling. However, no sufficient dissolution of the cleaning block in water is made after the predetermined period of time (i.e., no water refilled) even the cleaning block is still dissolving. Hence, large concentrations of cleaner and deodorant exist on the bottom of toilet tank. As a result, dirt can be easily removed by flushing water contained the dissolved cleaner while leaving small concentration of deodorant. As such, an effective time of the remaining deodorant is limited after flushing.  
           [0005]    Thus, it is desirable to provide an improved liquid cleaner dispenser in toilet in which the dispenser is able to dispense a fixed amount of liquid cleaner in a toilet tank, i.e., irrespective of different time intervals between any two continual times of flushing, for a flushing thereafter.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    One object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device comprising a dispenser for storing liquid cleaner, the dispenser comprising an upper channel and a bottom opening; a connecting cup extended downward from the dispenser, the connecting cup including at least one aperture on a bottom thereof; and a float in the connecting cup opposite the bottom opening. The dispenser is mounted in a toilet tank. The float is adapted to either engage with or move away from the bottom opening as the water level in the toilet tank rises or falls. As such, the dispenser is adapted to automatically dispense liquid cleaner to the toilet tank or stop dispensing liquid cleaner to the toilet tank as the float falls or rises. As a result, a fixed amount of liquid cleaner is dispensed to the toilet tank to be fully mixed with water in the toilet tank.  
           [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a small, enclosed dispenser in the toilet tank, a large container outside the toilet tank, the container being adapted to store liquid cleaner, and a flexible tube interconnected the container or a top opening of the dispenser and the toilet tank. As such, fluid level of the toilet tank is perpendicular to the dispenser by bending the flexible tube. Also, the dispenser is suitably disposed in the toilet tank. A vent hole is formed on the container for communicating with outside. Hence, inside and outside pressures of the container will be in equilibrium by the provision of vent hole. Further, liquid cleaner in the container will flow into the dispenser via the flexible tube by its own weight. The dispenser is provided to suspend in the toilet tank due to the following reasons: There is a water saving device installed in the toilet tank, resulting in an insufficient space for mounting a large container therein. Alternatively, inner wall of the toilet tank is inclined or curve, resulting in a difficulty of mounting the dispenser in the toilet tank. Still alternatively, a user does not want to be bothered by frequently removing the dispenser from the toilet tank for liquid cleaner refilling.  
           [0008]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide a rail longitudinally disposed on an inner wall of the dispenser, an inverted U-shaped hoist rope slidable on the rail, an upper depressible spring detent on an outer surface of the dispenser facing the rail and being coupled to an inner end of the hoist rope, and a holed member having a plurality of apertures along the rail, any one of the apertures being adapted to lock the depressible spring detent when the hoist rope slides along the rail. As such, the dispenser is suspended in the vertically disposed toilet tank by means of the hoist rope. Also, it is possible of changing a relative positioning of the dispenser in the toilet tank and controlling amount of liquid cleaner dispensed to the toilet tank. In other words, a user can adjust amount of liquid cleaner dispensed to the toilet tank as desired.  
           [0009]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of liquid cleaner dispenser mounted in a toilet tank according to the invention; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of liquid cleaner dispenser mounted in a toilet tank according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a liquid cleaner dispenser  1  mounted in a toilet tank  3  of toilet in accordance with the invention. As designed, fluid is automatically refilled into the tank  3  after flushing. Solution (e.g., liquid cleaner) is stored in the dispenser  1 . The dispenser  1  comprises an upper channel  10  for refilling solution, a bottom opening  12 , a connecting cup  16  extended downward in which a bottom of the connecting cup  16  is spaced from the bottom opening  12  by a predetermined distance and the connecting cup  16  includes at least one aperture  162  on the bottom. The dispenser  1  further comprises a float  2  in the connecting cup  16  opposite the bottom opening  12 . The float  2  is floated in the connecting cup  16  to be disengaged from the bottom opening  12  for enabling solution in the dispenser  1  to flow out of the bottom opening  12  when a fluid level in the tank  3  is lower than the bottom opening  12 . The float  2  will also rise to engage with the bottom opening  12  as the fluid level in the tank  3  continues to rise. Eventually, the bottom opening  12  is closed by the float  2  to stop fluid in the dispenser  1  flowing out of the bottom opening  12 . In brief, the dispenser  1  is adapted to automatically dispense solution to the tank  3  or stop dispensing solution to the tank  3 . Also, fluid is continuously refilling the tank  3  during the process of dispensing solution to the tank  3 . Hence, refilled fluid (e.g., water) continuously mixes with the solution in the tank  3 . As a result, water and solution are sufficiently mixed.  
         [0013]    Referring to FIG. 1, in a first preferred embodiment of the invention a small, enclosed dispenser  1  is mounted in the tank  3 . The dispenser  1  is provided due to the following reasons: There is a water saving device installed in the tank  3 , resulting in an insufficient space for mounting a large container therein. Alternatively, inner wall of the tank  3  is inclined or curve, resulting in a difficulty of mounting the dispenser  1  in the tank  3 . Still alternatively, a user does not want to be bothered by frequently removing the dispenser  1  from the tank  3  for solution refilling. An opening  142  is formed on a side or top (as shown) of the dispenser  1 . A flexible tube  4  has one end coupled to the top opening  142  and the other end coupled to a large container  5  on top of the tank  3 . The container  5  is adapted to store solution. The container  5  comprises a top vent hole  52  for communicating with outside. As such, fluid level of the tank  3  is perpendicular to the dispenser  1  by bending the flexible tube  4 . Also, the dispenser  1  is suitably disposed in the tank  3 . Inside and outside pressures of the container  5  will be in equilibrium by the provision of vent hole  52 . Further, solution in the container  5  will flow into the dispenser  1  via the flexible tube  4  by its own weight.  
         [0014]    In the preferred embodiment, the container  5  further comprises an open casing  54 , a top cover  56  for enclosing the open casing  54  opposite the tank  3 , and a side opening  58  bordered a bottom, the side opening  58  being coupled to the flexible tube  4 . Also, the vent hole  52  is disposed in the cover  56 . As such, a user can remove the cover  56  from the container  5  for refilling solution.  
         [0015]    Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a second preferred embodiment of the invention. A cover  14  is fitted on top of the upper channel  10  of the dispenser  1 . At least one opening  142  is formed in the cover  14 . The provision of the cover  14  on the upper channel  10  aims at decreasing a possibility of dropping foreign objects into the dispenser  1 , preventing the bottom opening  12  from being clogged by foreign objects, and facilitating solution in the dispenser  1  to flow out of the bottom opening  12 . Moreover, the provision of the opening  142  aims at avoiding the dispenser  1  from being enclosed and thus enabling a free communication with the outside. As such, solution in the dispenser  1  is able to flow out of the bottom opening  12  by its own weight when inside and outside pressures of the dispenser  1  are in equilibrium.  
         [0016]    In the second preferred embodiment, a rail  182  is provided longitudinally on an inner wall of the dispenser  1 . An inverted U-shaped hoist rope  186  is formed to be slidable on the rail  182 . An upper depressible spring detent  184  is provided on an outer surface of the dispenser  1  facing the rail  182  and is coupled to an inner end of the hoist rope  186 . A holed member having a plurality of apertures  181  are provided along the rail  182 . Each of the apertures  181  is adapted to lock the depressible spring detent  184 . In detail, the depressible spring detent  184  is adapted to lock in any one of the apertures  181  while the hoist rope  186  is being pushed vertically along the rail  182 . As such, a distance between a top portion of the hoist rope  186  and the connecting cup  16  can be changed. In such a manner, the dispenser  1  is suspended in the vertically disposed tank  3  by means of the hoist rope  186 . Also, it is possible of changing a relative positioning of the dispenser  1  in the tank  3  depending on capacity or water level of the tank  3  as well as controlling amount of solution dispensed to the tank  3 .  
         [0017]    Following is a detailed description of operation about the adjusted hoist rope  186  for fully understanding a position adjustment of the hoist rope  186  in the tank  3  and an amount control of solution dispensed to the tank  3 .  
         [0018]    The dispenser  1  is proximate a bottom of the tank  3  when the depressible spring detent  184  coupled to the hoist rope  186  is locked at a lowest aperture  181 . Hence, water will rise quickly to reach the float  2  during the process of refilling water in the tank  3 . As such, the float  2  will engage with the bottom opening  12  in a relatively short period of time to stop solution in the dispenser  1  from flowing out of the bottom opening  12 . In this case amount of solution dispensed to the tank  3  is relatively small.  
         [0019]    To the contrary, the dispenser  1  is distal from the bottom of the tank  3  when the depressible spring detent  184  coupled to the hoist rope  186  is locked at a topmost aperture  181 . Hence, water will rise slowly to reach the float  2  during the process of refilling water in the tank  3 . As such, the float  2  will engage with the bottom opening  12  in a relatively long period of time to stop solution in the dispenser  1  from flowing out of the bottom opening  12 . In this case amount of solution dispensed to the tank  3  is relatively large.  
         [0020]    In either preferred embodiment the float  2  comprises a top round plug  22  facing the bottom opening  12 . The round plug  22  is inserted into the bottom opening  12  for stopping up the bottom opening  12  when the float  2  is engaged with the bottom opening  12 . As such, the float  2  is able to completely close the bottom opening  12 . Moreover, in either preferred embodiment the float  2  further comprises a cylindrical wall  164  between the float  2  and the connecting cup  16 . The cylindrical wall  164  is closely proximate the float  2  for defining an up-and-down movement of the float  2  in the cylindrical wall  164  and for enabling the round plug  22  to quickly stop up the bottom opening  12 .  
         [0021]    Moreover, in either preferred embodiment a bottom of the dispenser  1  is formed as an arcuate section  11  having a lowest point about at the bottom opening  12 . The provision of the arcuate section  11  aims at facilitating solution in the dispenser  1  to flow out of the bottom opening  12  by passing the arcuate section  11 .  
         [0022]    In the second preferred embodiment of the invention a weight  188  is coupled to an outer end of the hoist rope  186 . The weight  188  is slidable up-and-down along an outer surface of the tank  3 . The provision of the weight  188  aims at accommodating with different thicknesses and inside spaces of various tanks  3 . As such, the dispenser  1  is adapted to stably mount in the tank  3  by appropriately selecting a weight  188  coupled to the hoist rope  186 .  
         [0023]    Referring to FIG. 1 again, in the first preferred embodiment an inner peripheral groove  166  is formed adjacent a top edge of the connecting cup  16 . A mating outer peripheral protrusion  13  is formed at a lower portion of the tank  3  slightly higher than the bottom opening  12 . As such, it is possible of mounting the float  2  within the cylindrical wall  164  of the connecting cup  16 . Next, matingly couple the peripheral groove  166  to the peripheral protrusion  13  for securing the connecting cup  16  to the dispenser  1 . Note that the peripheral groove  166  and the peripheral protrusion  13  are releasably secured so that it is possible of detaching the connecting cup  16  from the dispenser  1  when the bottom opening  12  is stopped up. Once the connecting cup  16  is detached from the dispenser  1  a user can clean the bottom opening  12  from outside of the dispenser  1 . Next, the user can mount the connecting cup  16  in the dispenser  1  again after cleaning the bottom opening  12 . In such a manner, the invention can avoid the dispenser  1  from being inoperable because the bottom opening  12  is stopped up. As an end, a prolonged useful life of the dispenser  1  is made possible.  
         [0024]    In brief, by configuring as above, the dispenser  1  is adapted to automatically dispense solution to the tank  3  and control amount of solution dispensed to the tank  3 . Most importantly, the dispensed solution can be completely mixed with water in the tank  3  for overcoming the drawbacks of uneven amount of cleaner and deodorant dissolved from the cleaning block and incomplete mixing the same with water as experienced by directly throwing the cleaning block into the toilet tank in the prior art.  
         [0025]    While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.