A TOILET CAGE DISPENSER

Abstract: A toilet bowl dispensing cage (1, 21) is disclosed. The cage (1, 21) includes a cage portion (2, 22) with a plurality of apertures (6, 26) through which water is able to pass. The cage portion (2, 22) includes a fixed part (3, 23) and a movable part (4, 24) joined by a flexible hinge (5, 25). The cage (1, 21) further includes a flexible locating strap (7, 27) which fits over the rim of the toilet bowl. The movable part (4, 24) and the fixed part (3, 23) are able to be disengaged and a tablet is able to be inserted into the cage portion (2, 22) without the cage (1, 21) being removed from the toilet bowl.

Description: A TOILET CAGE DISPENSER The present invention relates to cages for dispensing disinfectant into toilet bowls and, in particular, to a dispensing cage in which it is simple to install refill tablets. BACKGROUND ART The use of dispensing cages for dispensing disinfectants into toilet bowls has become prevalent in recent times. The usual type of dispensing cage comprises a body having a number of holes therein in which a disinfectant tablet is placed. The cage includes a elongate clip which fits over the rim of a toilet bowl with the cage located underneath the rim inside the bowl. When the cistern is operated, some of the water entering the toilet bowl washes through the cage and hence some disinfectant goes into solution. The disinfectant is usually coloured, for example blue, which provides the user with an indication that the tablet is still working effectively, as well as for the psychological reasons where it is common to equate blue toilet water with clean toilet water. Existing dispensing cages are able to be used continuously by replacing the tablet within the cage when the tablet is completely dissolved. It is possible to purchase replacement tablets to insert into the empty or near empty cages. However, it has been found that all users of dispensing cages do not use the replacement tablets as it is necessary to remove the dispensing cage from the toilet bowl in order that the replacement tablets can be inserted. It has been found that some the of users of such cages are reluctant to remove the dispensing cage from the toilet bowl as it is a slightly unpleasant procedure to perform. There is also concern in the interest of hygiene. Therefore, the most common way of dispensing of the dispensing cage is to dislodge it off the rim of the toilet bowl and allow it to be flushed down the toilet into the sewer. This is not a desirable procedure as the plastics dispensing cages clog up the sewerage system and have to be filtered out with other solids. The dispensing cages are an unwanted throwaway in the sewerage systems. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispensing cage which substantially overcomes or ameliorates the above mentioned disadvantages. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a dispensing cage comprising a body and a locating strap, said body having a plurality of apertures to allow water to pass therethrough and said locating strap being positionable about a rim of a toilet bowl, wherein said body has an openable access means which is able to be opened while said dispensing cage is located within said toilet bowl and one or more replacement tablets inserted into said body via said open access means. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a dispensing cage of the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the dispensing cage of Fig. 1 illustrating the cage in its open configuration, Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the dispensing cage of Fig. 1 illustrating the cage its closed configuration, Fig. 4 is a front view of a dispensing cage of a second embodiment, Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the dispensing cage of Fig. 4 illustrating the cage in its open configuration, Fig. 6 is a partial cutaway side elevational view of the dispensing cage of Fig. 4 illustrating the cage in its open configuration, Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the dispensing of cage of Fig. 4 illustrating the cage in its closed configuration, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a dispensing cage of a third embodiment illustrated attached to a toilet bowl, Fig. 9 is a vertical cross sectional view of the dispensing cage of Fig. 8. and Fig. 10 is a vertical cross sectional view of the dispensing cage of Fig. 8 in its open configuration. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The dispensing cage 1 of a first embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 1-3. The cage 1 is a one piece pre-assembled piece of plastics. The cage 1 comprises a cage portion 2 with a fixed part 3 and a movable part 4 joined by a flexible hinge 5. The cage portion 2 has a plurality of apertures 6 located in the front and sides of the movable part 4 and the rear and sides of the fixed part 3. Water is able to pass through the apertures 6, some of which are in the shape of a flower in this embodiment. Apertures 6 are located in the top section of the fixed part 3 to allow water to enter the cage 1. The cage 1 further comprises a shaped flexible locating strap 7 which is connected to the fixed part 3 of the cage portion 2. The strap 7 is shaped to have substantially the same profile as a rim of a toilet bowl (not illustrated) and fits over the rim. A locking grip arm 8 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 fits under the lower edge of the rim of the toilet bowl and the cage 1 is therefore securely, but releasably, clipped to the toilet bowl. Extending from the movable part 4 of the cage portion 2, is a locking strap 9 which has a rectangular hole 10 (Fig. 1) through which a locking security clip 11 passes. The security clip 11 has a lug 12 at its free end which prevents the locking strap 9 from moving from the strap 7 when the lug 12 and hole 10 are inter-engaged. As illustrated in Fig. 3, in its closed configuration a tablet (not illustrated), which is located within the cage portion 2, is used to dispense disinfectant into the toilet bowl during a flushing operation. In this embodiment, the tablet is seated on a plurality of positioning prongs (not illustrated) located on the inside of the cage portion 2. The positioning prongs are used to position the tablet away from the bottom inside surface of the cage portion for better circulation of water around the tablet. When the tablet is used up, the lug 12 on the security clip 11 is pushed in a downwards direction and the locking strap 9 is free to move from the strap 7. The movable part 4 of the cage portion 2 is pivotal ly moved away from the fixed part 3 via the flexible hinge 5. A side fixed limit opening strap 13 limits the amount of pivotal movement as illustrated in Fig. 3. A replacement tablet is able to be inserted into the cage portion 2. The cage portion 2 is then able to be closed by pivotal ly moving the movable part 4 into the closed configuration as illustrated in Fig. 3. The dispensing cage 1 has therefore been able to be refilled with a tablet without the necessity of removing the cage 1 from the rim of the toilet bowl. The dispensing cage 21 of the second embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 4-7 and is similar to the embodiment already described. The cage 21 is a one piece pre-assembled piece of plastics and comprises a cage portion 22 with a fixed part 23 and a movable part 24 joined by a flexible hinge 25. The cage portion 22 has a plurality of apertures 26 located in the front and sides of the movable part 24 and the sides of the fixed part 23. In this embodiment, the apertures 26 are located in the upper half of the cage portion 22. Once again apertures 26 are located in the top portion of the fixed part 3 at the rear to allow water to enter the cage 21. The cage 21 likewise has a shaped flexible locating strap 27 which is connected to the fixed part 23 of the cage portion 22. The locating strap 27 is shaped to have substantially the same profile as the rim of a toilet bowl and fits over the rim. A locking group arm 28 fits under the lower edge of the rim of the toilet bowl and the cage 21 is therefore securely, but releasably, clipped to the toilet bowl similar to the first embodiment. The cage 21 also has extending from the moveable part 24, a locking strap 29 which has a rectangular hole 30 through which a locking security clip 31 passes. The security clip 31 has a lug 32 at its free end which prevents the locking strap 29 from moving from the strap 27 when the lug 32 and the hole 30 are inter-engaged. In this embodiment and as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the moveable part 24 includes a locating cradle 35. The cradle 35 has the tablet placed therein. The cradle 35 has an aperture 36 located at the bottom thereof. The aperture 36 communicates with the interior of the cage portion 22 via a tube 37. The tube 37 is surrounded by support prongs 38 which support a cap 39 which is spaced apart from but over the tubes 37. The combination of the cap 39 and the tube 37 allow the water to pass from the cage portion 22 by the aperture 36 but not directly therefrom. As illustrated in its closed configuration, the tablet is locatable within the cradle 35. When the tablet is used up, the lug 32 on the security clip 31 is pushed in a downwards direction and the locking strap 29 is free to move from the strap 27. The movable part 24 of the cage portion 22 is pivotally moved away from the fixed part 23 via the flexible hinge 25. A side fixed limit opening strap 33 limits the amount of pivotal movement. A replacement tablet is then able to be inserted into the cradle 35 and the cage portion 22 is then able to be closed by pivotally moving the movable part 24 into the enclosed configuration. The dispensing cage 21 has therefore been able to be refilled with a tablet without the necessity of removing the cage 21 from the rim of the toi let bowl . The dispensing cage 41 of the third embodiment as illustrated in Figs. 8-10 includes a cage portion 42 and a flexible locating strap 46. The cage portion 42 has apertures 40 to allow water to pass therethrough. The strap 46 is shaped to have substantially the same profile as a rim 47 of a toilet bowl 48 and fits over the rim 47 as illustrated in the drawings. A locking grip arm 49 as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 fits under the lower edge 50 of the rim 47 and the cage 41 is therefore securely, but releasably, clipped to fhe toilet bowl 48. The dispensing cage 41 is a moulded one piece plastics component which is folded together during installation. The cage portion 42 has a flexible hinge 45 which allows the dispensing cage 41 to be pivoted into the configuration as illustrated in Fig. 9. The cage portion 42 also includes a channel 51 into which tablets 54 are able to be placed. A lid 52 closes the channel 51 and pivots on a flexible hinge 53. The lid 52 has a clip 55 which fits into an aperture 36 to keep closed the channel 51 as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. In use, the dispensing cage 41 is fitted to the toilet bowl 48 and has three tablets 54 inserted into the channel 51. The lid 52 is then closed and the cage 41 is ready for use. As the toilet is continually flushed, the lower tablet 54 dissolves in the water and as the tablet 54 gets smaller, the replacement or refill tablets 54 edge downwardly towards the bottom of the cage portion 42. This is a continuous process and eventually when the bottom tablet 54 completely dissolves, the next tablet 54 has already taken its place. Obviously, refill tablets 54 are required to be inserted into the channel 51, and this is easily accomplished by opening the lid 52 and inserting a refill tablet 54 into position. Therefore, it is easy to install refill tablets 54 into the dispensing cage 41 without removing the cage 41 from the toilet bowl 48. The foregoing describes only two embodiments of the present invention, and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A dispensing cage comprising a body and a locating strap, said body having a plurality of apertures to allow water to pass therethrough, and said locating strap being positionable about a rim of a toilet bowl, wherein said body has an openable access means which is able to be opened while said dispensing cage is located within said toilet bowl and one or more replacement tablets inserted into said body via said openable access means . 2. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body comprises two parts which are hingedly joined along one common edge thereof which, the opposite corresponding edges being securable together, and said two parts being able to be pivoted about the hinged joint to provide said openable access means. 3. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 2 wherein one of said two parts is a fixed part which is fixed to said locating strap, and another one of said two parts is a movable part hingedly joined to said fixed part. 4. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 3 wherein said movable part has a locking strap which is able to be manipulated by the hand of a user. 5. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 4 wherein said locating strap has a clip means located thereon and said locking strap has a hole located therein, said clip means and said hole inter-engaging for said cage to be in its closed configuration. 6. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 5 wherein said clip means and said hole are able to be disengaged, said cage then being in its open configuration. 7. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 6 wherein a fixed limit opening strap is provided between said fixed part and said movable part to limit amount of pivotal movement. 8. The dispensing cage as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a cradle is located in said body to hold said tablet. 9. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 8 wherein a tube communicates between said cradle and the outside of said body to allow said water to pass. 10. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 1 wherein said openable access means includes a channel into which at least one tablet i s able to be placed. 11. The dispensing cage as claimed in claim 10 wherein said channel has a lid which closes said channel.

Inventors: REES GARETH, REES, GARETH
Applicants: NETA BRYMAC NSW PTY LTD, NETA-BRYMAC (N.S.W.) PTY. LIMITED
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E03D9
IPC codes: E03D9