Abstract:
A dispenser for sanitizing/deodorant surfactant liquids, particularly for toilet bowls, including a container, which is provided at an end thereof with a tray element having at least one cavity in continuous communication with the container; the cavity is provided with at least one outlet for the controlled dispensing of a surfactant liquid.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 09/734,843 filed Dec. 13, 2000, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,783. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to dispensers for sanitizing/deodorant surfactant liquids, particularly for toilet bowls. 
     As it is known, several types of dispensers for sanitizing/deodorant liquids are currently commercially available, in which the fluid is dispensed according to the most disparate criteria. 
     In particular, it was observed that the systems currently used for dispensing the sanitizing/deodorant liquid are extremely complicated and difficult to assemble. 
     They consist in fact of a number of components which have to be assembled properly. Moreover they suffer problems both regarding delivery of the liquid to be dispensed and positioning of the dispenser in the toilet bowl. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aim of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks encountered in the prior art dispensers and to provide a dispenser which is easy to assemble. 
     Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which has a simple structure, is relatively easy to manufacture, safe in use and effective in operation, and has a relatively low cost. 
     This aim and this and other objects which will become better apparent from the following description, are achieved by the present dispenser for sanitizing/deodorant surfactant liquids, particularly for toilet bowls, characterized in that it comprises a container having at an end thereof a tray element provided internally with at least one cavity, in continuous communication with said container, said cavity being provided with at least one outlet for the controlled dispensing of said surfactant liquid. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a dispenser for sanitizing/deodorant surfactant liquids according to the invention, illustrated only by way of an illustrative but not limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation partially cut away view of a first embodiment of the dispenser according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation cross-sectional view of a different embodiment of the coupling means for coupling the dispenser on the rim of a toilet bowl; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the outlet which is different from that of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 shows still another embodiment of said outlet; 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the removal of the closing cap for allowing the liquid to be dispensed; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevation cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the dispenser; and 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of the dispenser in the embodiment shown in FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the above mentioned drawings  1 - 6 , reference numeral  1  generally indicates a dispenser according to the invention. 
     The dispenser  1  comprises a container  2  for liquids produced by thermoformation. The container  2  is provided at a lower end  3  thereof with a tray element  4  having internally a cavity  5  in continuous communication with the inside of the liquid container  2 . Said cavity  5  is defined by a first wall  6  and a second wall  7  facing each other and gradually tapering to a neck  8 . Tray element  4  has also an outer lip  9  in which weakening lines  10  define one or more tearing strips  12 . By removing one or more of the tearing strips  12 , with the dispenser  1  placed in the toilet bowl, it is possible to adjust the distance of the tray  4  to the walls of the toilet bowl itself. 
     Downwardly from the neck  8 , the tray  4  has an outlet  14  closed by an adhesive type cap, not shown in the drawings, to be removed before use. The outlet  14  allows the liquid to flow outwards from the inside of the container  2  and is designed, as specified hereinafter, so as to be located substantially below the rim of the toilet bowl and thus be impinged upon by the flushing water of the toilet bowl. 
     The first wall  6  is made monolithic with the container  2  and peripherally defines an edge  15  to which the second wall  7 , made of a film of plastic material is thermosealed. Thermosealing of the second wall  7  to the edge  15  allows to close the container  2  after filling it with liquid, so as to obtain a monolithic dispenser  1 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 1 to  4 , in a first embodiment, the outlet  14  is placed at an indentation or recess  16  which is formed on the first wall  6 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the indentation  16  forms diffusion grooves or races  17 , preferably facing upwards, which extend in a radial pattern or web from the central area of the first wall  6 . In this embodiment, the outlet  14  is at the center of the web in order to allow a uniform diffusion of the fluid coming from inside the container. 
     In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the indentation  16  forms a cup  19  for collecting the liquid coming from the inside. The cup  19  preferably faces upwards and has, at the center thereof, at least one outlet  14  and, adjacent thereto, spacers  20  which are provided during the thermoformation. Said spacers have the function of keeping constant the section of the cavity  5 , during operation. 
     The dispenser  1  is provided with a hanger  22  associated with the container  2  for allowing the vertical positioning of said container in the toilet bowl, so that the cup  19  or the diffusion grooves face upwards. A hook  23  is connected to the hanger  22 , which interlockingly engages the rim of the toilet bowl. Finally, the positioning of the dispenser  1  inside the toilet bowl is facilitated by the tearing strips  12  which, by being properly removed, allow to adjust the distance between the tray  4  and the wall of the toilet bowl. 
     In operation, upon removing the adhesive cap and upon placing the dispenser  1  in the toilet bowl, the liquid inside it flows outwards filling the grooves  17  or cup  19 , due to the potential energy or static head of the liquid column in the container with respect to the liquid column inside the cup  19 . In fact, after a generic mechanic transient state in which the cup or grooves are filled up, the potential energy transforms into kinetic energy, thus imparting to the liquid flow a velocity for moving from inside the container  2  to the cup  19 . Said liquid flow transfer velocity depends on the resistance opposed to the fluid flow by the cavity section and by the neck. In fact, by changing said resistance, the flow transfer velocity and consequently the time required for filling the cup  19  and the grooves  17  is changed accordingly. The liquid flow stops when the surface tension in the cup or the grooves balances the liquid pressure inside the container. From the above, it can be inferred that by changing the section of the cavity and of the outlet it is possible to adjust the dispensing capacity of the dispenser. Once the liquid is deposited in the cup or the grooves, it will be washed away by part of the water flow for flushing the toilet bowl. 
     In a second embodiment, the outlet  14  is formed at the edge  15  of the tray  4 , as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Exit ports  24  thermoformed in the tearing strips  12  communicate the outlet  14  with the cavity  5 . Said cavity  5  has a circular cross section gradually tapering to the neck  8  whereat the exit port  24  begins which leads to the outlet  14 . The outlet  14  defines flarings  25  and is closed by a tamper-proof cap  26  made by the outermost tearing strip  12 . In this embodiment, the outlet  14  substantially faces the walls of the toilet bowl and the container  2  is arranged in such a way that the tray element lies in a horizontal or a slanted plane. 
     In operation, upon removal of the outer tearing strip  12  for opening the outlet  14 , and after placing the dispenser  1  in the toilet bowl, the mass of liquid inside the container  2  pushes, under gravity, some of the liquid outwards, through the cavity  5 . Such pushing action ends when the liquid bubble which forms at the outlet  14  and the flaring  25 , builds up such a surface tension to balance the thrust of the fluid inside the container. Also in this case, by changing the section of the cavity  5  and neck  8  it is possible to vary the formation moment of the bubble at the outlet  14 , whereas in order to change the quantity of liquid to be dispensed, the size of the outlet  14  has to be changed. 
     It is important to stress the fact that for a proper operation of the dispenser, a fluid should be selected having a viscosity such as to meet the requirements of both a warm and a cold environments, since the viscosity notoriously varies with temperature. 
     Moreover, it is fully equivalent to place the outlet  14  for dispensing the fluid on the second wall  7 ; in fact in this case it is sufficient to arrange the container such that the tray element is slanted. 
     A second embodiment of the dispenser  1  is illustrated in the FIGS. 7 and 8. The dispenser  1  comprises a container  30 , which is provided, at an end  31  thereof, with a coupling  32 , sealingly and interlockingly engageable with an opening  33 , formed on a tray element  34 , separate from the container  30 . The container  30  is manufactured by moulding, whereas the tray  34  could be manufactured by thermoformation or moulding. The tray  34  is internally provided with a cavity  35  which is communicated with the inside of the container  30  by inserting the coupling  32  in the opening  33 . The cavity  35  is defined by a first wall  36  and a second wall  37  facing each other, and gradually tapering to a neck, as shown in the first embodiment. The tray  34  further comprises an outer lip  39 , in which weakening lines  40  define one or more tearing strips  42 . By removing one or more of the tearing strips  42 , with the dispenser  1  placed in the toilet bowl, it is possible to adjust the distance of the tray  34  to the walls of toilet bowl itself. 
     Downwardly from the neck, the tray  34  has an outlet  44  closed by an adhesive cap, not shown in the drawings, to be removed before use. The outlet  44  allows the liquid to flow outwards from the inside of the container  2  and is designed, as specified hereinafter, so as to be located substantially below the rim of the toilet bowl, and thus be washed by part of the flushing water of the toilet bowl. 
     The first wall  36  peripherally defines an edge  34   a,  to which the second wall  37  made of a film of plastic material is thermosealed. Thermosealing of the second wall  37  to the edge  34   a  allows to close the tray  34  so as to make it suitable to dispense the liquid once it is coupled to is the container  30 . 
     The outlet  44  is placed, as shown in FIG. 8, at an indentation  46  formed on the first wall  36 . The indentation  46  forms diffusion grooves  47 , preferably facing upwards, which extend in a radial pattern or web from the central area of the first wall  36 . In this embodiment, the outlet  44  is at the center of the web, in order to allow a uniform diffusion of the liquid flowing from inside the container. 
     The dispenser  1  is provided with a hanger  45  associated with the container  30  for allowing the vertical positioning of said container in the toilet bowl, in such a way that the diffusion grooves  47  face upwards. To the hanger  45 , a hook  46  is connected which interlockingly engages the rim of the toilet bowl. Finally, the positioning of the dispenser  1  inside the toilet bowl is eased by the tearing strips  42 , which by being removed properly allow to adjust the distance between the tray  34  and the wall of the toilet bowl. 
     Finally, other embodiments could be devised for the tray  34  and the outlet  44 , in addition to what is already disclosed above with reference to FIGS. 4 to  6 . 
     It has thus been observed that the disclosed invention achieves the intended aim and objects. 
     In particular, it should be noted that in the invention thus conceived, it is the container itself that works as a dispenser for the sanitizing deodorant liquid. 
     In addition, the container by acting as a dispenser allows an optimum hygiene of the toilet bowl, in that it is periodically substituted with a new one, thus allowing to always have a hygienically-efficient dispenser. 
     The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations all of which fall within the scope of the appended claims. 
     All the details may further be substituted with other technically is equivalent. 
     In practice, the materials employed as well as the shapes and dimensions may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of protection of the appended claims. 
     The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. BO99A000677 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.