Abstract:
A toilet cleaning device employs a handheld dispensing device having an internal barrier with a channel and an orifice. Water passing through the dispensing device is compelled to flow through the orifice in the barrier. An external trigger located at the handle section of the dispensing device is coupled to a shuttle which can slide in a channel and control water flowing through the orifice. A cleaning agent in the form of solid, water soluble pellets is loaded in a cavity in a barrel section of the dispensing device and then contained by attaching a nosepiece to the barrel. An elongated outlet tube cantilevered from the nosepiece has a proximal section and an obliquely angled distal section and can dispense all water flowing therethrough in a single concentrated stream into a toilet. A hose can connect the dispensing device to a supply line for a toilet. A holster mounted at the toilet can hold the dispensing device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/854,149, filed Oct. 26, 2006, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to cleaning devices and, in particular, to dispensers that convey water into a toilet. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in any household. People use the bathroom to shower or bathe, brush their teeth and undergo other personal grooming tasks. In addition, the most necessary of items, the toilet, is mounted in the bathroom. Because all human beings have the need to use the toilet, a toilet in an average household withstands a considerable amount of use each day. Since the bathroom is used to maintain personal hygiene, it is important that the bathroom, and everything in it, be kept sanitary. However, cleaning the bathroom is a loathsome task for many. 
     One aspect of keeping the bathroom sanitary is maintaining a clean toilet bowl. Commonly, a cleanser is applied to the inside of the toilet bowl and a brush is used to scrub waste off of the bowl. After loosening the waste with the toilet brush, the toilet is flushed to rinse away the waste and the cleanser. A number of problems arise from using this method. 
     First, once the toilet brush is used it becomes quite unsanitary. Simply rinsing the brush to remove visible waste does not disinfect it. If a user must take the time to disinfect the toilet brush, the amount of work required to completely disinfect the toilet is greatly increased. Further, storing the toilet brush is unsightly and takes up valuable space in the bathroom. 
     Another problem with this common cleaning method is that the cleanser is completely rinsed away when the toilet is flushed. On the other hand, all of the waste inside the toilet bowl may not be expunged with the first flush. The user must wait for the toilet to refill, and then repeat the entire process. This repetition wastes valuable time, expensive cleanser, and precious water. 
     See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,852,201; 5,720,055; 6,076,199; 6,704,946; and 7,073,209. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a toilet cleaning device including a hose and a handheld dispensing device with a manually operable valve. The hose is hose distally connected to the dispensing device and adapted to be proximally connected to a supply line for a toilet in order to supply water to the dispensing device. The dispensing device is operable to dispense water in a concentrated stream into the toilet. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention a toilet cleaning device is provided. The toilet cleaning device includes a handheld dispensing device with a manually operable valve. Also included is a hose distally connected to the dispensing device and adapted to be proximally connected to a supply line for a toilet in order to supply water to the dispensing device. The toilet cleaning device also includes a cleaning agent loaded into the dispensing device for progressive dissolution into water passing through the dispensing device. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention a toilet cleaning device is provided. The toilet cleaning device includes a handheld dispensing device having a handle section and a barrel section with a barrel cavity. The dispensing device has an internal barrier with a channel and an orifice. The barrier is arranged to compel water passing through the dispensing device to flow through the orifice in the barrier. The dispensing device includes a manually operable valve, a cleaning agent, a nosepiece, and an elongated tube. The manually operable valve has an external trigger and a shuttle that is coupled to the trigger and slidably mounted in the channel to control water flow through the orifice. The cleaning agent is in the form of a plurality of solid, water soluble pellets that are loaded in the barrel cavity. The nosepiece is removably attached to the barrel to contain the cleaning agent. The elongated outlet tube is cantilevered from the nosepiece. The outlet tube has a proximal section and a distal section disposed at an oblique angle from the proximal section. The outlet tube is arranged to dispense all water flowing therethrough in a single concentrated stream into the toilet. The cleaning device includes a hose distally connected to the dispensing device and adapted to be proximally connected to a supply line for a toilet in order to supply water to the dispensing device. The cleaning device includes a holster for holding the dispensing device. The holster is adapted for mounting at the toilet. 
     By employing apparatus of the foregoing type an improved toilet cleaning device is achieved. In one embodiment a T-fitting between a toilet tank and shut off valve supplies water through a hose to a handheld device. In this embodiment the handheld device has a handle section with a valve that is manually operated by an external trigger. The handle section communicates to an integral right angle elbow that supplies water to a barrel section. The barrel section has a cavity with grates at either end for holding a replenishable cleaning agent, e.g., solid pellets with a disinfecting action. 
     In one embodiment the valve in the handle section has a trigger-operated shuttle that slides in a channel. The channel has an upstream and downstream orifices. When the shuttle trigger is depressed it moves the shuttle away from the orifices allowing water to flow through the handle into the barrel section to dissolve some of the cleaning agent, which may then be dispensed into a toilet bowl. 
     In this embodiment the outlet of the handheld device is a tube that is bent at an angle to allow the discharged water stream to reach various regions of the bowl, including regions under the rim of the bowl. 
     When no longer in use, the handheld device can be stored in a holster that may be attached to the side of the toilet tank. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above brief description as well as other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments in accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of for a toilet cleaning device in accordance with principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the handheld dispensing device of  FIG. 1  with portions broken away for illustrative purposes; 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary, detailed side view of the nosepiece and outlet tube of the handheld dispensing device of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the holster shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a handheld dispensing device  10  includes a hollow structure  12  having a 90° elbow  12 A joining a handle section  12 B and a barrel section  12 C. Sections  12 B and  12 C may be cylindrical, although other embodiments may have cross-sections that are rectangular, polygonal, oval, etc. The hollow structure  12  may be fabricated from a durable plastic, metal, or other non-corrosive material. In some embodiments structure  12  may be formed of two halves that are welded along a plane containing the axes of sections  12 B and  12 C. The elbow  12 A and handle section  12 B encompass cavities  45  and  43 , respectively. Cavity  45  has a vent hole  46  that is open unless cavity  45  is pressurized in which case internal check flap  44  is driven against vent hole  46  to close it. 
     Manually operable valve  11  is located between cavities  43  and  45  in transverse internal barrier  19 . Barrier  19  is a wall that would prevent communication between cavities  43  and  45  except that orifices  26  and  27  communicate with a transverse channel  25  in the shape of a blind bore whose cross-section may have a rectangular or other shape. The barrier  19  may be integrally formed in structure  12 , although in some embodiments the barrier may be a separate disc. 
     Slidably mounted inside channel  25  is shuttle  24 , which in this embodiment is a rectangular bar closely fitting the inside of channel  25 . Shuttle  24  is shown in a closed position overlapping orifices  26  and  27  to prevent flow between them. The inside ends of orifices  26  and  27  are sealed to shuttle  24  by O-rings  28  and  29 , which are mounted in circular grooves that encircle the orifices. Shuttle  24  is just slightly more than half the length of channel  25 , allowing room for the shuttle  24  to slide left (in this view) to the inside (deep) end of channel  25  to uncover orifices  26  and  27 . 
     The shuttle  24  is coupled to an external trigger  20  via axial extension rod  22  whose distal end terminates in finger-pad  21 . Shuttle  24  is held in place by externally threaded collet  60 , which is screwed into a threaded bore  61  at the open end of channel  25 . Mounted in an interior annular groove in collet  60  is O-ring  62 , which surrounds and seals to extension rod  22 , allowing the extension rod  22  to reciprocate in collet  60  without leaking. 
     Helical compression spring  23  encompasses the external portion of the extension rod  22  between finger-pad  21  and collet  60 . When the trigger  20  is depressed, shuttle  24  slides towards the closed end of channel  25 , uncovering both orifices  26  and  27 . A finger-guard  18  spanning handle section  12 B and barrel section  12 C encompasses trigger  20  to avoid accidental operation thereof. 
     An elongated piece of flexible tubing  41  measures several feet in length, and may be made of plastic or rubber material or may be flexible braided metal around a rubber-like hose. The distal end of flexible tubing  41  is secured to a tapered fitting  42  by an adhesive. Alternatively, tubing  41  may be secured by a compression fitting or other means. The illustrated external threads on fitting  42  are screwed into the internal threads  15  at the outer end of section  12 B. A washer-like gasket  63 , made of a plastic, rubber, silicone, or the like, is compressed between fitting  42  and handle section  12 B. 
     The proximal end of flexible tubing  41  may terminate in a metal collar that is crimped in place and then connected to one branch of tee-fitting  40  by a compression fitting or other means. The other two branches of tee-fitting  40  connect directly to toilet tank  39  and to a pipe connected to shut-off valve  38 , the latter supplying household water from a supply line in the usual fashion. Accordingly, water supplied through shut-off valve  38  can flow through tee-fitting  40  not only to toilet tank  39  but through flexible tubing  41  to cavity  43  of dispensing device  10 . 
     Tapered nosepiece  34  has on its proximal end internal threads that screw onto external threads  37  at the distal end of barrel section  12 C. When nosepiece  34  is screwed on, perforated grate  32  is compressed along its edge between nosepiece  34  and the distal end of barrel section  12 C to act as a gasket between them. Perforated grate  31  abuts the distal face of annular ridge  36  inside barrel section  12 C. 
     Captured in the space between grates  31  and  32  is cleaning agent  33 . Cleaning agent  33  may be solid pellets with disinfecting action, such as a mixture of an alkali carbonate, an acid, and one or more surfactants. Other suitable materials include, for example, hypochlorite salts, chloramines, chlorimines, chloramides, chlorimides, perborates, cyanuric acids, and hydantoins together with stabilizing salts and surfactants. The perforations in grates  31  and  32  are small enough to prevent passage of the pellets of agent  33 . Alternatively, cleaning agent  33  may be contained in a porous bag (not shown) with pores smaller than perforations in grates  31  and  32 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the distal end of the nosepiece  34  is tapered and encircles a cantilevered, elongated outlet tube  35 . This tube  35  may be made of metal or other non-corrosive material. The inside end of tube  35  extends into the nosepiece  34  and flares outward along the interior walls of nosepiece  34 . The tube  35  is joined to the interior walls by an appropriate adhesive to prevent leakage. 
     In the preferred embodiment, outlet tube  35  is approximately four inches (10 cm) long. However, tube  35  can be made shorter or longer if desired. The outlet tube  35  extends for approximately 3 inches (7.6 cm) from nosepiece  34  along proximal section  35 A before bending at a 30° angle from a straight line (i.e., the angle between section  35 A and  35 B is the oblique angle of 150°). The outlet tube  35  extends about one inch (2.5 cm) further after this bend along distal section  35 B. It should be understood that the fixed angle may be greater or less than 30° and may bend in a different direction. Alternatively, the angled section  35 B of the outlet tube  35  may be made with a flexible material which allows the user to adjust the desired angle. 
     A holster shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4  has a cylindrical cup  50  that provides a storage space for holding dispensing device  10 . Cup  50  is fixed to a plate  52  that can be adhesively secured to the side of the toilet tank  39  by, for example, a foam with adhesive on both sides. 
     The rim of holster  50  includes a curved notch  51  that receives barrel section  12 C to properly orient dispensing device  10  and prevent it from falling out. As previously mentioned, finger guard  18  is included in the dispensing device  10 . The finger guard  18  prevents trigger  20  from being operated accidentally while resting in the holster  50 . It should be understood that the holster  50  may be made in a variety of shapes. For example, it could be of a conical shape with a deeper notch to orient device  10  more strictly. 
     To facilitate an understanding of the principles associated with the foregoing apparatus, its operation will be briefly described. A user grasps the handle section  12 B of the dispensing device  10  and inserts an index finger inside guard  18  to rest against finger-pad  21 . By depressing pad  21  extension rod  22  slides the shuttle  24  toward the closed end of channel  25 . Eventually shuttle  24  clears orifices  26  and  27  and O-rings  28  and  29 . Then water under pressure in tubing  41  will flow through chamber  43 , orifice  27 , channel  25  and orifice  26  into cavity  45 . 
     Water under pressure in cavity  45  forces check valve  44  into its closed position over vent hole  46 . Water then flows through perforated grate  31  and into barrel cavity  30 . Here, the water dissolves some of the cleaning agent  33  before flowing through the downstream grate  32 . Water with cleaning agent then flows into the nosepiece  34  and through the outlet tube  35 . 
     A single, concentrated stream S flows out from the outlet tube  35  to clean the desired area inside toilet bowl B. In one embodiment the water discharges from tube  35  at the rate of 3 liters per minute from tube  35  whose inside diameter is 0.25 inch (6.3 mm). It will be appreciated that the higher the flow rate and the narrower the tube, the more intense will be the discharging water pressure. An intense jet of water can be useful for quickly dislodging material that would not be easily removed by normal flushing. While the more intense water jet may be desirable for quick cleaning, a less intense stream may be preferred in some cases to avoid splashing. For most embodiments, the water flow rate will be between 0.5 to 10 liters per minute and a stream that is initially 1 to 12 mm in diameter. 
     In this process, the cleaning agent and water pressure easily remove any waste matter stuck to the interior surface of the toilet bowl B, sending it downward toward the toilet drain. The angled tubing  35  facilitates cleaning under the rim of bowl B. 
     When the user releases the trigger  20 , spring  23  pushes finger-pad  21  and extension rod  22  outwardly to return shuttle  24  to its neutral position where it seals orifices  26  and  26  (with the assistance of O-rings  28  and  29 ). With the seals re-engaged, water is unable to flow past barrier  19 . 
     The check valve  44  then returns to its open position, opening vent hole  46  to allow water to drain through tubing  35  away from cleaning agent  33  in barrel  30 . With water thus drained, cleaning pellets  33  will not dissolve prematurely. Also check valve  44  prevents any backwash into the potable water. Handheld dispensing device  10  can then be safely stored in its holster  50 . 
     In some cases the device  10  will be used after each use of the toilet just before or after normal flushing. In some cases device  10  will be used on a schedule as part of regular household cleaning. For example, the device can be used at this time as well as a conventional brush and toilet cleaner. Handheld dispensing device  10  eliminates the need to repeatedly flush the toilet, thereby saving water, time and money. 
     When it is time to replenish the cleaning pellets  33 , the nosepiece  34  can be manually unscrewed from the dispensing device  10  and downstream grate  32  removed to expose barrel cavity  30  and thereby allow reloading of cleaning pellets. 
     It is appreciated that various modification may be implemented with respect to the above described embodiments. Water can be supplied to the handheld device from a separate water pipe or from a connection originating from inside the toilet tank. The water can be discharged from the handheld device through a nozzle having one or more orifices. In some embodiments, the water can be discharged in a stream, but in other cases the water may be discharged as a shower, a spray, a fan-like discharge, etc. The illustrated check valve can be located at various positions downstream of the valve. Instead of a trigger valve, the valve may be operated by a lever on the opposite side of the handle section. Also, various types of valves may be employed such as ballcock valves, poppet valves, valves with rotatable barrels with channels for regulating water flow, etc. The valve can be designed to finely adjust the water flow rate or can be a simple on/off valve. In addition, the size and shape of the handheld device can be altered depending upon the desired strength, capacity, durability, aesthetic considerations, etc. In some embodiments the holster may be a C-shaped clip, a ring or a container having a variety of shapes adapted to complement the handheld device. 
     Obviously, many modification and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.