Bottle adapter for dispensing of cleanser from bottle used in an automated cleansing sprayer

A bottle adapter is disclosed for use with a liquid refill kit for an automated cleansing sprayer of the type having a reservoir tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting a bottle in an inverted orientation, wherein the well has a spring-loaded outlet valve. The refill kit includes the bottle for containing a liquid. The bottle has a piercable closure sealing an end of the bottle. The adapter has a central hole. The adapter is suitable for being situated between the closure and a bottom wall of the upwardly extending well in the sprayer for supporting the bottle. The adapter is configured such that if the bottle and adapter are installed in the well, movement of the closure relative to the well can result in movement of the adapter which in turn can result in movement of the outlet valve that controls the opening and closing of the valve.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a sprayer that is designed to automatically clean enclosures. More particularly, the invention relates to a bottle adapter for use with a bottle for an automated sprayer for spraying the walls of an enclosure with a liquid cleanser.

The walls and doors of shower/bathing enclosures can become mildewed, coated with soap build up or hard water and mineral deposits, or become otherwise soiled, during typical use. Removing these deposits and stains normally requires one to scrub the walls and doors by hand, which is an undesirable task.

To assist in this task, cleaning chemicals may be sprayed, squirted, or otherwise applied on the surfaces to be cleaned. After allowing the active ingredients some time to “work”, the walls are then wiped with a cloth, brush, or scrubbing pad, and then rinsed with water.

In some cases these cleaners are so effective that the amount of scrubbing can be somewhat reduced (particularly if the cleaners are used on a daily basis). See generally, WO 96/22346 and WO 98/02511.

However, for these “no scrub” cleaners to work well they preferably should be applied immediately after the shower has been used. This requires a consumer to keep a pump spray bottle of the cleanser in or near the shower enclosure (further cluttering the shower area), that the consumer remember to do the spraying (which may be problematic if the consumer has just woken up), and that the consumer be willing to spend the time to spray the enclosure (for example they may be running late in the morning).

An alternative approach is to provide an automated cleaning system for a shower. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,225 discloses a sprayer and conduit system for a bath and shower enclosure. The unit is associated with the showerhead. Supply water can be diverted to the sprayer for cleaning the enclosure. A container of cleanser is mounted in the shower enclosure for introducing cleanser (through an injector assembly) for spraying cleanser on the walls.

A drawback with this system is that the user must manually turn on the supply water (if it is not already on), adjust the diverter, squeeze cleanser into the sprayer and shut off the water after the walls have been washed. There is also some risk that the consumer will be sprayed with the cleanser.

Other automated enclosure cleaning systems are more elaborate, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,341, which includes multiple pop-out spray nozzles connected by a manifold to a mixing valve where cleaning concentrate is mixed with water. Thus, it is not something that a consumer can easily and inexpensively retrofit to their shower enclosure.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,485 discloses an automatic cleaning device for a tub and shower having large, powered tub and shower “gliders” that move in tracks around the tub and shower stall, respectively. The gliders are coupled to the water supply, which is mixed with a cleanser. The gliders have spray heads for spraying the cleaning solution on the tub and shower walls. The gliders also have brushes for scrubbing the walls. A user operates the gliders and cleanser mixing by a central controller. Again, this system is not suitable for easy and inexpensive retrofitting.

It seems particularly desirable to develop a relatively small automated dispenser that can be hung from a showerhead, shower enclosure wall, or the like, yet dispense cleanser without the need for drawing water from the building supply. It would also be desirable for such a system to accept inverted bottles of cleaning fluid.

However, developing such a system has significant challenges. For example, controlling the flow of cleanser to the sprayer to avoid waste can be difficult. Also, it is highly desirable to provide for control over the types of cleaning fluid that can be used with the equipment. The present invention seeks to address these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention provides a liquid refill kit for an automated cleansing sprayer of the type having a reservoir tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting a bottle in an inverted orientation wherein the well has a spring-loaded outlet valve. The refill kit includes a bottle that is suitable to contain a liquid (for example a cleanser such as that described in WO 96/22346) and an adapter. The bottle has a cap closing an end of the bottle, and the cap is formed with a central piercable surface. The adapter has a central hole and is suitable for being situated between the bottle cap and the bottom wall of the upwardly extending well in the sprayer for supporting the bottle. The adapter is configured such that if the cap and adapter are installed in the well, movement of the cap relative to the well can result in movement of the adapter which in turn can result in movement of the outlet valve that controls the opening and closing of the valve.

In one form, the adapter has a radial air passageway and a central air passageway to allow air outside the bottle to pass through the adapter and the cap and enter into the bottle when a suitable opening is created in the cap. In another form, the adapter is a ring having a central hole and a plurality of projecting arc segments around the hole.

In another aspect, the invention provides a dispenser for dispensing a liquid. The dispenser includes a bottle suitable to contain the liquid, a reservoir tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation, a cap closing an end of the bottle, and an adapter situated between the cap and a bottom of the well. The well has a spring-loaded outlet valve that permits outflow from the well when movement of the cap relative to the well results in movement of the adapter causing movement of the outlet valve. In one form, the adapter has a radial air passageway and a central air passageway to allow air outside the bottle to pass through the adapter and the cap and enter into the bottle when a suitable opening is created in the cap.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a liquid refill kit for an automated cleansing sprayer of the type having a reservoir tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting a bottle in an inverted orientation, wherein the well has a spring-loaded outlet valve. The refill kit includes a bottle that is suitable to contain a liquid and has a cap installed on an end of the bottle. The cap is formed with a central hole, and the central hole is sealed with a piercable liner. The refill kit further includes an adapter having a central hole and being suitable for being situated between the bottle cap and a bottom wall of the upwardly extending well in the sprayer for supporting the bottle. The adapter is configured such that if the cap and adapter are installed in the well, movement of the cap relative to the well can result in movement of the adapter which in turn can result in movement of the outlet valve that controls the opening and closing of the valve. In one form, the liner is positioned between the cap and the bottle.

The adapter may have a radial air passageway and a central air passageway to allow air outside the bottle to pass through the adapter and the cap and enter into the bottle when a suitable opening is created in the cap. The adapter may be a ring having a central hole and a plurality of projecting arc segments around the hole.

In still another aspect, the invention provides a dispenser for dispensing a liquid. The dispenser includes a bottle suitable to contain the liquid, a reservoir tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation, and a cap installed on an end of the bottle. The cap is formed with a central hole sealed with a piercable liner prior to placement of the bottle in the tray. An adapter is situated between the cap and a bottom of the well. The well has a spring-loaded outlet valve that permits outflow from the well when movement of the cap relative to the well results in movement of the adapter causing movement of the outlet valve.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a liquid refill kit for an automated cleansing sprayer of the type having a reservoir tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting a bottle in an inverted orientation, wherein the well has a spring-loaded outlet valve. The refill kit includes a bottle that is suitable to contain a liquid and has a piercable closure sealing an end of the bottle. The kit also includes an adapter having a central hole. The adapter is suitable for being situated between the closure and a bottom wall of the upwardly extending well in the sprayer for supporting the bottle. The adapter is configured such that if the bottle and adapter are installed in the well, movement of the closure relative to the well can result in movement of the adapter which in turn can result in movement of the outlet valve that controls the opening and closing of the valve. In one form, the closure comprises a closed cell foam. The kit may also include a cap installed on the end of the bottle such that the closure is positioned between the cap and the bottle before the bottle and the adapter are installed in the well. The cap is suitable for being removed before the bottle and the adapter are installed in the well.

The adapter may have a radial air passageway and a central air passageway to allow air outside the bottle to pass through the adapter and the cap and enter into the bottle when a suitable opening is created in the cap. The adapter may be a ring having a central hole and a plurality of projecting arc segments around the hole.

In still another aspect, the invention provides a dispenser for dispensing a liquid. The dispenser includes a bottle suitable to contain the liquid, a reservoir tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation, and a piercable closure for sealing an end of the bottle before the bottle is installed in the well. The dispenser also includes an adapter with a central hole. The adapter is situated between the closure and a bottom of the well. The well has a spring-loaded outlet valve that permits outflow from the well when movement of the closure relative to the well results in movement of the adapter causing movement of the outlet valve. In one form, the closure comprises a closed cell foam.

These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows and the drawings. It should be appreciated that what follows is merely a description of preferred embodiments. That description is not meant as a limitation of the full scope of the claims. Rather, the claims should be looked to in order to judge the full scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As background, we describe an automated sprayer generally referred to in the figures by reference number20. With particular reference toFIGS. 1–2B, the sprayer20includes as main components a bottle22, a housing24with an adjustable hanger26, a pump28, a drive mechanism30, a spray head32and a control circuit34. The sprayer is typically suspended via the hanger from a shower spout or the like and then activated via a button35at the front of the sprayer to rotate a spray head and pump cleanser from the bottle out of the spray head during a spray cycle of a prescribed time period, after which dispensing is automatically terminated.

The exterior of the sprayer is defined by the housing24, which can be molded from, for example, plastic by any suitable technique and consists primarily of two pieces, a receptacle36and a hanger tower38that easily snaps into a pocket in the receptacle. This allows the sprayer to be shipped and stored in a compact package with minimal assembly by the consumer. The hanger tower38is an upright member defining a cavity in which the elongated body of the hanger26fits through an opening40at its upper end. The upper end of the hanger tower38has two oval-openings42vertically spaced apart.

A deflectable tab44formed in the lower end of the hanger can snap into one of the openings to lock the hanger at either of two extended positions. The hanger is extended and locked in the lower opening by simply pulling it away from the hanger tower. In this position, the sprayer30will hang from standard shower spouts at an appropriate height for spraying down the shower walls. The height can be adjusted by depressing the tab inwardly and sliding the hanger up or down. The hanger itself has two ears46at its upper end for mounting a rubber strap48. The ears can be tapered to ease connection of the strap, which can have a series of holes at one end for adjustment purposes so that the strap fits tightly around a shower spout or the like. The back side of the hanger tower is closed by a back plate50. The hanger tower connects to the receptacle at its lower end, which fits into a pocket52and has two latches54(one shown) that snap into two slots in the back of the receptacle.

The receptacle defines an upwardly opening bottle tray56above a compartment58(seeFIG. 4) containing the pump and drive mechanism which is closed at the bottom by a cover60. The cover has a circular skirted opening62for the spray head and a wall stand-off64extending backward the distance of the pocket to brace the lower end of the receptacle against the wall and keep it plumb. The back side of the receptacle defines a battery compartment66with a lid68and the front side has an oval switch opening70for the control button35.

The tray56is formed to mate with a specially contoured upper end of the bottle. The bottle and tray are generally oval and have mating seating surfaces72and74and sloped shoulders76and78with complementary V-shaped features80and82, respectively. These features and the contour of the shoulders fix the orientation of the bottle in the tray and make conventional cleanser bottles incompatible with proper operation of the sprayer.

Referring next toFIGS. 9–12, the tray defines a circular well84at the center of the seating surface74accommodating a special cap86screwed onto the mouth of the bottle. The well is formed with a shoulder portion88, a vent nipple90and a recess92with a discharge nipple94. The well supports a valve plate96(seeFIG. 2A) fastened thereto by two screws97(seeFIG. 3). The valve plate has a piercing post98projecting up from the valve plate. The post has a slanted top end defining a sharp point and defines a vent passageway100and three radial ribs102. The vent passageway extends into a recess104at the underside of the valve plate accommodating a small o-ring106surrounding the vent passageway and the opening in the vent nipple94. The valve plate also defines a valve recess108with a discharge passageway110through which a valve stem112extends. The upper end of the valve stem has a cross-shaped plunger114that is biased away from the well by a coil spring116fit into the valve recess.

The lower end of the valve stem mounts a disc-shaped rubber gasket118retained by an enlarged end120of the valve stem. As shown inFIG. 10, the plunger is biased upward by the spring so that the gasket seals against the underside of the valve plate so as to close off the discharge orifice when the sprayer is not being used. The valve plate also defines arcuate stand-offs124spaced in slightly from its periphery. The valve plate and the well are designed to cooperate with the specially designed bottle cap (described below) to discourage use of unaffiliated cleanser and thereby promote proper operation of the sprayer.

Referring next toFIGS. 8–11, the cap is generally circular with a serrated periphery126and a tapered sealing flange (or web)128that seals against the tray well above its shoulder. The top of the cap has an outer surface130with a recessed thinned area132at its center around which is a raised ring surface134extending to a plane spaced from surface130. The thinned area132is located so that as the bottle is seated in the tray the piercing post will puncture the cap in this area to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. The raised ring is located to contact the plunger of the valve and push the valve downward to unseat the gasket from the plate and open the discharge orifice. The flat surface130of the cap rests on the stand-offs124to space the punctured area from the floor of the well.

This arrangement thus provides a no-mess means of opening and inserting the bottle, but also further inhibits uses of improper cleanser containers. It does this for several reasons. First, if a conventional bottle and cap were inserted into the tray, the piercing post would not puncture a conventional cap lacking the weakened area. Even if the cap was removed so that the mouth was opened, the sprayer still would not operate because the valve is located radially inward of the place where a conventional thin-walled bottle mouth would normally extend so that the valve would not be opened.

Another feature-that serves this purpose is the conforming sloping of the bottle shape and receiving well. A bottle not having a complementary shape would not be received sufficiently low to activate the outlet valve.

Also, while the cap has conventional internal threads136at its upper end that mate with threads138on the mouth of the bottle, and it also has a ring of one-way ratchet teeth140that engage corresponding ratchet teeth142on the bottle (seeFIG. 13). The ratchets allow the cap to be turned in a tightening direction but resist untightening rotation to prevent non-destructive removal of the cap and thus refilling of the bottle.

FIGS. 2B–6show the pump, controller, and drive mechanism contained inside the receptacle compartment beneath the bottle tray. These components will now be described working from the bottle-tray interface to the spray head. A short vent tube144couples to the vent nipple146defining the vent orifice in the tray well. A small check valve148fits into the end of the vent tube. The check valve is normally closed so that cleanser does not leak out via that path. The valve opens by negative pressure that develops as cleanser is withdrawn from the bottle. The opened check valve aspirates the air to the bottle to allow the cleanser to flow from the bottle in a consistent manner, without introducing air in a manner that would cause foaming or gurgling. The check valve remains open until the pressure in the bottle has equalized sufficiently to alleviate the negative pressure and then it closes.

From the discharge nipple defining the discharge orifice of the tray well a first tube152of a dispenser line154extends to an inlet barb156of the pump28, which snaps into a support158mounted to the underside of the bottle tray. The pump can be any conventional pump, such as a diaphragm pump, a piston pump, a peristaltic pump, or even a gear pump as shown. The inlet defines a passageway leading-between intermeshing drive gear160and idler gear162(seeFIG. 2C). The drive gear is connected to an upper shaft164(surrounded by o-ring165) of a direct-current motor166mounted through an opening in a gear plate167mounted to the lower cover of the receptacle. Operation of the motor rotates the drive gear which meshes with and turns the idler gear as conventional to draw cleanser from the bottle and through to an outlet barb168. A second tube170connects the outlet barb to a filter172. The filter accumulates cleanser within its housing and aids in priming the pump. A short tube174of the dispenser line connects the filter172to another check valve176which is connected by another short tube178continuing a spring179for support to an inlet barb180of a shaft junction182.

Referring toFIGS. 2B and 5, the stationary portion of the junction182is a chamber formed in part by the gear plate at a circular wall184having an inner shoulder185and covered at one end by a cap186. The cap includes the inlet barb180and a raised annular ring188extending downwardly within the circular wall to press an o-ring190against the shoulder. The o-ring seals against the upper end of a rotating spray head drive shaft192, which forms the rotating portion of the function. The drive shaft is an inverted Y-shaped structure with a cylindrical stem194defining a passageway198and a forked end196extending down through an opening in the receptacle cover and defining a gap200accommodating a spray nozzle202. The forked end has lateral mounting posts204onto which snaps a dome-shaped cover206concealing the spray nozzle202.

The spray nozzle is preferably a fluidic oscillator providing oscillating spray (in this case up and down), however, any other suitable nozzle could be used. See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,867 which shows examples of known fluidic oscillators. Such a fluid oscillator can be any suitably sized oscillator including a housing208with an inlet210and an outlet212on opposite sides. A barrier member (not shown) in the interior of the housing defines a passage between the inlet and the outlet so that cleanser entering the inlet passes through and around the barrier member to the outlet. The fluidic oscillator operates, as known in the art, by creating areas of low pressure at alternate sides of the passage through the barrier member to convert the straight flow entering the housing to an oscillating pattern.

The nozzle is coupled to an outlet barb214extending from the stem by another tube216. The nozzle is mounted so that its outlet end extends through the opening in the cover pointed downwardly at approximately a 30 degree angle. A drive gear220is press fit onto the stem of the drive shaft and meshes with a first reducer gear222which is rotated by another smaller diameter reducer gear224driven by a pinion226at the end of lower motor shaft228. The gear train couples to the motor to the spray head at a reduced revolution per minute rate-than the motor shaft. This arrangement provides a revolving, oscillating spray pattern.

Also mounted to the support within the receptacle compartment is the control circuitry34which is electrically coupled to a direct current power supply via battery terminals230(seeFIGS. 2A and 7) in the battery compartment and to the push-button switch35, which is mounted through the opening70in the front of the receptacle through a lighted watertight, flexible membrane232. The circuitry includes timing circuitry234and a speaker236that functions as-described below.

The electrical arrangement as well as the dispensing line and bottle venting flow paths are shown inFIG. 7and the sprayer is operated as follows. When a bottle is loaded into the sprayer (that is, the bottle is inverted and set into the receptacle tray), the thinned area of the bottle cap is punctured by the piercing post, the cap sealing flange seals against the tray well and the annular ring contacts and depresses the plunger of the discharge valve to open-the valve. Cleanser pours out of the bottle between and around the ribs of the piercing post and is replaced by an equal volume of air through the vent tube.

Because air is lighter than the cleanser, it is displaced to the top of the bottle where it is trapped. Cleanser pours out of the bottle and drains through the valve plate and into the dispenser line, through the pump, past the filter until it reaches valve176. Until the sprayer is operated, the sprayer remains in this state of equilibrium in which no cleanser flows from the bottle.

When a user wishes to spray the enclosure walls with cleanser, he or she simply depresses the switch at the front of the sprayer. This signals timing circuitry to begin a countdown delaying spraying for a predetermined time, such as 20 seconds. This affords the user time to exit the shower enclosure and close the doors or curtains. It also may provide the user time to abort the spray cycle by depressing the switch a second time. Initially depressing the switch may also send a pulsed tone to the speaker and flashes the lighted ring around the switch for warning the user of the impending operation of the sprayer.

Unless cancelled by the user, the spray cycle begins automatically at the expiration of the countdown. The motor is then energized which simultaneously rotates the drive gear of the pump and turns the gear train to rotate the drive shaft and the spray head. At the same time, the pump draws cleanser from the bottle through the dispenser line and opens valve176so that cleanser can flow through the junction and be expelled through the nozzle as the spray head is rotated, thereby providing a circular, oscillating spray pattern. This reduces the level of cleanser in the bottle, creating a negative pressure in the bottle, which opens the check valve in the vent tube to aspirate the bottle and allow more cleanser to be drawn from the bottle during the spray cycle.

The motor continues to be energized until the expiration of a second countdown performed by the timing circuit, preferably another 20 second interval, automatically initiated by the timer. At that point the motor is deenergized which shuts down the pump causing valve176to close. Closing the valve prevents cleanser from leaking out of the dispenser line and also keeps the cleanser in the line upstream from the valve so that the pump remains primed. The sprayer thus returns to stand-by mode without further intervention from the user, ready for another spray cycle at the demand of the user.

What has been described thus far with respect toFIGS. 1–13is one of our automated sprayers in order to provide context for the use of the present invention.FIGS. 14–16depict a first embodiment of the invention claimed herein. A flat top cap86ais provided with a bottle22. An adapter300is employed between the bottle cap and tray56to bridge the action of loading the bottle into the tray and the opening of the discharge orifice. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as those described inFIGS. 1–13above.

In thisFIG. 14embodiment, bottle cap86ahas a generally flat transverse outer surface130awith a recessed thinned area132aat its center. Adapter300has a flat ring302with an opening in the middle and a ring134aprotruding from the ring302but with a smaller outer circle. The ring302of the adapter300may optionally have the same serrated periphery306as the bottle cap86a, and the outer circles of the ring302and the bottle cap86a, including the serrated peripheries, typically have the same diameter.

When the bottle22is seated in the tray56, piercing post98will go through the opening in the middle of the adapter300and puncture the cap86ain the thinned area132ato permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. Meanwhile, the bottle cap86apresses against the ring302of the adapter300so that the ring134aof the adapter, which is located to contact plunger114, pushes the valve downward to unseat gasket118from valve plate96and open the discharge orifice. The ring302of the adapter300rests on the stand-offs124to space the punctured area from the floor of the well84.

Turning now toFIGS. 17–19, there are shown alternative embodiments of a cap and the bottle-tray interface that may used to deliver cleanser from the bottle22to the tube152of the dispenser line154that extends to the inlet barb156of the pump28as described above.FIGS. 17–19provide the context for the use of another embodiment of the present invention. InFIGS. 17–19, the cap86bis as described above with reference toFIGS. 8–11except that the cap86bhas four equally spaced segmented ridges134bextending to a plane spaced from the surface130b. The segmented ridges134bare separated by slots434. The segmented ridges134bare located to contact a valve actuator to deliver cleanser from the bottle22to the first tube152of the dispenser line154that extends to the inlet barb156of the pump28as described below.

Referring now toFIG. 18, the alternative embodiment of a bottle-tray interface is shown just before the bottle22is placed in the reservoir tray. The reservoir tray has a well480including a circular upper section484with a floor485and a circular lower chamber490extending downwardly from a portion of the floor485. A spout491extends downwardly from the lower chamber490and defines an outlet orifice492.

A circular piercing post420extends upwardly from the floor485of the circular upper section484of the well480. The piercing post420has an outer wall421, and an inner wall427that defines an air vent path425and a cleanser conduit428in the piercing post420. The cleanser conduit428provides a fluid flow path to the lower chamber490of the well480. An air hole426passes through the outer wall421into the air vent path425, and an opening429passes through the outer wall421into the cleanser conduit428. The piercing post terminates in an obliquely truncated upper end422to facilitate puncturing the cap86bin the thinned area132bto permit discharge of the cleanser.

The lower chamber490of the well480contains a valve438that controls cleanser flow from the bottle22as will be described below. The valve438includes a valve actuator440and a valve stem448. The valve actuator440includes a plunger441, a valve cover443and a rocker444. The plunger441is biased in the upward direction against the valve cover443by a spring442as shown inFIG. 18. The rocker444includes a pivot pin446, an upper arm445and a lower forked arm447. The forked arm447is seated in a groove450in the valve stem448. A spring449biases the valve stem448against the entry to the outlet orifice492as shown by the arrow inFIG. 18. By spring-biasing the valve stem448into a normally closed seated position that seals the outlet orifice492of the lower chamber490of the well480, any downward pressure exerted on the valve stem448(such as sucking by the pump28) merely keeps the valve stem448seated (absent downward movement of the plunger441as described below).

Turning now toFIG. 17, the alternative embodiment of a bottle-tray interface is shown after the bottle22has been placed in the reservoir tray. When the bottle22is placed in the tray, at least a portion of one or more of the segmented ridges134bof the cap86bcontacts the valve cover433thereby moving the plunger441downward in the direction shown inFIG. 17. The slots434between the segmented ridges134bof the cap86bhave a width smaller than the diameter of the plunger441to insure movement of the plunger441. When the plunger441moves downward, the upper arm445of the rocker444pivots the lower forked arm447in an upward direction thereby moving the valve stem448in the upward direction shown inFIG. 17. This unseats the valve stem448from the entry to the outlet orifice492as shown inFIG. 17. A cleanser flow path is then created from the bottle22, through the cleanser conduit428of the piercing post420, into the lower-chamber490of the well480, through the outlet orifice492, and into the first tube152of the dispenser line154that extends to the inlet barb156of the pump28as described above. Delivery of the cleanser from the spray nozzle202then occurs using the mechanisms, circuits, and processes described above.

Still referring toFIG. 17, when the bottle22is placed in the tray, an air passage460is created between the bottle22and an inner surface482of the well480. An air flow path is thereby created from the air passage460, through the slots434(best shown inFIG. 19) between the segmented ridges134bof the cap86b, through the air hole426in the outer wall421of the piecing post420, through the air vent path425of the piercing post420, and into the bottle22.

The arrangement ofFIGS. 17–19also provides a no-mess means of opening and inserting the bottle and also further inhibits uses of improper cleanser containers. It does this for several reasons. First, if a conventional bottle and cap were inserted into the tray, the piercing post420would not puncture a conventional cap lacking the weakened area. Even if the cap was removed so that the mouth was opened, the sprayer still would not operate because the valve actuator440is located radially inward of the place where a conventional thin-walled bottle mouth would normally extend so that the valve would not be opened.

In addition, the floor485of the well may also include arcuate upwardly extending ribs (such as arcuate stand-offs124inFIG. 11) of a thickness or spaced inward sufficiently such that bottles with a narrower neck cannot contact the valve while a cap with narrow segmented ridges can contact the valve by way of thin, high segmented ridges. Also, while the cap86bhas conventional internal threads136at its upper end that mate with threads138on the mouth of the bottle, and it also has a ring of one-way ratchet teeth140that engage corresponding ratchet teeth142on the bottle as inFIG. 13. The ratchets allow the cap to be turned in a tightening direction but resist untightening rotation to prevent non-destructive removal of the cap and thus refilling of the bottle.

What has been described with respect toFIGS. 17–19provides context for the use of another embodiment of the present invention.FIGS. 20–22depict another embodiment of the invention claimed herein. A flat top cap86cis provided for the bottle22and an adapter500is employed between the bottle cap86cand tray56to bridge the action of loading the bottle into the tray and the opening of the discharge orifice. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as those described inFIGS. 17–19above. In this embodiment, bottle cap86chas a generally flat transverse outer surface130cwith a recessed thinned area132cat its center. Adapter500has a flat ring502with an opening in the middle and four segmented annular ridges134cprotruding from the ring502. The ring502of the adapter500may optionally have the same serrated periphery506as the bottle cap86cand the outer circles of the ring502and the bottle cap86c, including the serrated peripheries, typically have the same diameter.

When the bottle22is seated in the tray56, piercing post420will go through the opening in the middle of the adapter500and puncture the cap86cin the thinned area132cto permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. Meanwhile, the bottle cap86cpresses against the ring502of the adapter500so that at least a portion of one of the segmented ridges134c, which is located to contact valve cover443, pushes the valve actuator440downward to unseat valve stem448from outlet orifice492and open the outlet orifice492.

FIG. 23depicts yet another embodiment of the invention claimed herein. A flat top cap86dand a cap liner333are provided with a bottle22. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as those described inFIGS. 1–16above. In this embodiment, bottle cap86dhas a generally flat transverse outer surface130dwith a central hole132dat its center. The cap liner333, which may be any piercable material such as a closed cell polyethylene foam or foil, seals the opening of the bottle22and also seals the central hole132dof the bottle cap86d. In one version of the invention, the cap liner333is sealed to the bottle22by way of conventional methods such as ultrasonic welding, radio frequency welding or heat sealing. In another version of the invention, the cap liner333is positioned between the bottle22and the bottle cap86dbut is not attached to the bottle22or the bottle cap86d.

Still referring toFIG. 23, when the bottle22is seated in the tray56by movement in direction ‘D’, piercing post98will go through the opening in the middle of the adapter300, through the central hole132dof the bottle cap86d, and puncture the cap liner333to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. The cap liner333can provide a seal around the piercing post98. Meanwhile, the bottle cap86dpresses against the ring302of the adapter300so that the ring134aof the adapter, which is located to contact plunger114, pushes the valve downward to unseat gasket118from valve plate96and open the discharge orifice.

FIG. 24depicts yet another embodiment of the invention claimed herein. A flat top cap86dand a cap liner333are provided with a bottle22as described inFIG. 23above. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as those described inFIGS. 17–22above. In this embodiment, when the bottle22is seated in the tray56by movement in direction ‘E’, the piercing post420will go through the opening in the middle of the adapter500, through the central hole132dof the bottle cap86d, and puncture the cap liner333to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. The cap liner333can provide a seal around the piercing post420. Meanwhile, the bottle cap86dpresses against the ring502of the adapter500so that at least a portion of one of the segmented ridges134c, which is located to contact valve cover443, pushes the valve actuator440downward to unseat valve stem448from outlet orifice492and open the outlet orifice492.

FIG. 25depicts yet another embodiment of the invention claimed herein. A cap closure833is provided with a bottle22. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as those described inFIGS. 1–16above. The cap closure833, which may be any piercable material such as a closed cell polyethylene foam or foil, seals the opening of the bottle22. The cap closure833may be sealed to the bottle22by way of conventional methods such as ultrasonic welding, radio frequency welding or heat sealing. Optionally, the bottle22may be provided with a removable cap (similar to cap86dwith no central hole132d) for shipping purposes. When the bottle22is seated in the tray56by movement in direction ‘F’, piercing post98will puncture the cap closure833to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. The cap closure833can provide a seal around the piercing post98. Meanwhile, the cap closure833presses against the ring302of the adapter300so that the ring134aof the adapter300, which is located to contact plunger114, pushes the valve downward to unseat gasket118from valve plate96and open the discharge orifice.

FIG. 26depicts yet another embodiment of the invention claimed herein. A cap closure833provided with a bottle22as described inFIG. 25above. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as those described inFIGS. 17–22above. The cap closure833, which may be any piercable material such as a closed cell polyethylene foam or foil, seals the opening of the bottle22. Optionally, the bottle22may be provided with a removable cap (similar to cap86dwith no central hole132d) for shipping purposes. In this embodiment, when the bottle22is seated in the tray56by movement in direction ‘G’, the piercing post420will puncture the cap closure833to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. The cap closure833can provide a seal around the piercing post420. Meanwhile, the cap closure833presses against the ring502of the adapter500so that at least a portion of one of the segmented ridges134c, which is located to contact valve cover443, pushes the valve actuator440downward to unseat valve stem448from outlet orifice492and open the outlet orifice492.

What has been described with respect toFIGS. 1–13also provides context for the use of another embodiment of the claimed invention as depicted inFIGS. 27 and 28. A flat top cap86dis provided with a bottle22. An adapter800is employed between the bottle cap and tray56to bridge the action of loading the bottle into the tray and the opening of the discharge orifice. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as those described inFIGS. 1–13and23above. In thisFIG. 27embodiment, bottle cap86dhas a generally flat transverse outer surface130dwith a hole132dat its center. Adapter800is a flat annular ring with an opening in the middle and has a square or rectangular vertical cross-section. When the bottle22is seated in the tray56by movement in direction ‘I’, piercing post98will go through the opening in the middle of the adapter800, through the central hole132dof the bottle cap86d, and puncture the cap liner333to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. The cap liner333can provide a seal around the piercing post98. Meanwhile, the bottle cap86dpresses against the adapter800so that the adapter800, which is located to contact plunger114, pushes the valve downward to unseat gasket118from valve plate96and open the discharge orifice. The adapter800rests on the floor of the well inward of the stand-offs124. The vertical height of the adapter800is preferably greater than the height of the stand-offs124above the floor of the well84. However, the vertical height of the adapter800must not be so great as to prevent the piercing post98from puncturing the cap liner333to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle.

What has been described with respect toFIGS. 1–13also provides context for the use of another embodiment of the claimed invention as depicted inFIGS. 27 and 29. A cap closure833is provided with a bottle22. An adapter800is employed between the bottle cap and tray56to bridge the action of loading the bottle into the tray and the opening of the discharge orifice. Other aspects of this embodiment are the same as those described inFIGS. 1–13and25above. The cap closure833, which may be any piercable material such as a closed cell polyethylene foam or foil, seals the opening of the bottle22. Optionally, the bottle22may be provided with a removable cap (similar to cap86dwith no central hole132d) for shipping purposes. When the bottle22is seated in the tray56by movement in direction ‘J’, piercing post98will puncture the cap closure833to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle. The cap closure833can provide a seal around the piercing post98. Meanwhile, the cap closure833presses against the adapter800so that the adapter800, which is located to contact plunger114, pushes the valve downward to unseat gasket118from valve plate96and open the discharge orifice. The adapter800rests on the floor of the well inward of the stand-offs124. The vertical height of the adapter800is preferably greater than the height of the stand-offs124above the floor of the well84. However, the vertical height of the adapter800must not be so great as to prevent the piercing post98from puncturing the cap closure833to permit discharge of the cleanser and venting of the bottle.

The invention thus facilitates the use bottles with differing bottle caps in an automated cleansing sprayer of the type having a reservoir tray with an upwardly extending well for supporting a bottle in an inverted orientation. All that is required to replenish the cleanser is simply to remove the old bottle, turn a new bottle upside down, load an adapter according to the invention into the tray and then load the new bottle into the tray. The sprayer automatically meters out the proper volume of cleanser for the spray cycle.

It should also be noted that the inventive aspects of the invention could be used to dispense a cleaning or disinfecting solution in applications other than a tub/shower surround. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,105 depicts how one type of automated cleansing equipment could be installed to clean the bowl. Such a structure should be considered to be an “enclosure” for purposes of this application.

Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in considerable detail above. Many modifications and variations to the preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which will be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention should not be limited to the described embodiments. To ascertain the full scope of the invention, reference should be made to the following claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention provides a bottle adapter for use with a bottle for an automated sprayer for spraying a liquid cleanser on the walls of an enclosure such as a shower and the like.