Abstract:
A dispensing assembly structured to automatically add or dispense cleanser, deodorant, disinfectant and/or like additive to a toilet bowl or urinal, particularly of the type used in commercial applications which are normally connected to a pressurized water supply for flushing without the presence of an accessible flush tank, as is present in most domestic toilet fixtures. The assembly comprising a retention chamber disposed in fluid communication between a pressurized water supply pipe and the toilet bowl or urinal and structured to retain the additive in contact with at least a first portion of the flush water. The outlet of the pressurized water supply pipe is structured to discharge a second portion of the flush water into the retention chamber thereby displacing the first portion of the flush water from the retention chamber into the toilet bowl or urinal and providing the additional water necessary during a flushing operation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to an automatic additive dispensing assembly structured for use with a toilet fixture which is normally connected to a pressurized water supply for flushing without the presence of an accessible flush tank, such as, by way of example, a commercial toilet bowl or urinal. The assembly is structured to permit cleanser, deodorant, disinfectant and/or like additives to be automatically dispensed into the toilet bowl or urinal with the flush water concurrently to a flushing operation, and activated thereby. The additive may be provided in solid or liquid form, as are commercially available, such that the additive is effectively mixed into at least a first portion of the flush water, prior to the flushing operation. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   In most modern-day commercial toilet fixtures, such as a sit-down toilet or a stand-up urinal, the flush water is provided directly from a supply pipe connected to a pressurized water supply, wherein a flushing handle is usually accessible exteriorly of an in-wall connection to the pressurized water supply so that the user of the toilet fixture can manipulate the handle or activate an electronic eye to open a flush valve thereby serving to discharge the flush water to the toilet bowl or urinal in a flushing operation. Such commercial toilet fixtures differ from domestic structures wherein a flush tank is normally provided in fluid communication between the water supply and the interior of the toilet bowl. Manipulation of the flushing handle in such devices allows water to flow from the flush tank, under gravity, into the toilet bowl causing a flushing action. 
   In both commercial and domestic applications it is well known that a cleanser, deodorant and/or disinfectant mixed into the flush water discharged to the toilet bowl or urinal, is beneficial in terms of eliminating unwanted odors as well as keeping the interior surface of the toilet bowl or urinal clean of any algae or like substance forming thereon. In the area of domestic toilets, wherein the aforementioned flush tank is frequently accessible, it is common practice for the placement of a dissolvable solid or liquid cleanser, deodorant and/or disinfectant to be placed directly into the flush tank to permit mixing into the flush water retained therein. Accordingly, upon flushing, the water within the flush tank having the additive entrained therein will pass into the toilet bowl serving to cleanse, deodorize and/or disinfect the interior thereof. Replacement of such additive is easily accomplished by lifting the top of the flush tank and adding a new supply of additive directly thereto. 
   In most commercial toilet and urinal fixtures, however, there is no mechanism to place an additive such that it may be retained to mix into any portion of the flush water prior to a flushing operation. 
   It is, thus, recognized as being more difficult to provide cleanser, deodorant, disinfectant and/or like additive to the flush water of a toilet fixture without a flush tank since the supply pipe which discharges water to the interior of the toilet bowl or urinal is connected directly to a pressurized water supply structured to force flush water directly into the toilet bowl or urinal. The supplying of a preferred additive to such an assembly therefore presently requires expensive modification of the plumbing and/or a replacement of the connection of such plumbing to the pressurized water supply system. 
   Several United States patents disclose systems and/or apparatus for the provision of the aforementioned type of additive to a commercial type toilet fixture which is absent any readily accessible flush tank, as is common with domestic toilet fixtures. However, none of these patents provide for sufficient retention time of an additive with at least a portion of the flush water to assure that an effective concentration of the additive is mixed into any portion of the flush water prior to discharge into the toilet bowl or urinal during a flush operation. Accordingly, there is a recognized need in this area for a system and/or apparatus for automatically providing an additive to the flush water of a commercial type toilet bowl or urinal such that the additive is mixed into at least a portion of the flush water prior to the flushing operation. 
   The present invention provides an assembly wherein mixing of a cleanser, deodorant and/or disinfectant with at least a portion of the flush water is accomplished prior to flushing, for a toilet fixture not having a flush tank. Specifically, the present invention comprises a retention chamber at least temporarily containing a first portion of the flush water in which an effective concentration of at least one additive is mixed therein, and a second portion of the flush water obtained from a conventional pressurized water supply which displaces the first, concentrated portion of the flush water from the retention chamber and provides the additional flush water necessary during the flushing operation, which also flows into and out of the retention chamber. More in particular, between successive flushing operations, sufficient retention time is provided for at least a first portion of the flush water to contact an additive such that an effective concentration of the additive is mixed into the first portion of flush water prior to discharge into the toilet bowl or urinal. 
   In the past, commercial toilet fixtures have used screens or a solid charge of an additive in a disk-like shape, for example, one placed in a urinal. However, the effectiveness of such charges is limited due to the lack of contact time with the flush water such as is required to assure an effective concentration of the additive in the flush water. To overcome the disadvantages of prior devices, expensive assemblies have been suggested, as in the aforementioned U.S. patents, however, such expensive assemblies comprise numerous components which operate as a machine and, as such, require relatively high initial and maintenance costs. The structure of the invention disclosed herein avoids the prior art problems and is well suited for the purposes specified and apparent from the following description. In particular, this invention exposes at least a portion of the flush water to the additive selected, which may include any chemical additive for the intended cleansing, deodorizing and/or disinfecting purpose that is on the market, for a period of time sufficient to permit an effective concentration of the additive to be mixed therein. In addition, the invention disclosed herein does not require expensive installation, as it is structured for simple, easy, do-it-yourself installation, comprising connections which may be readily adjusted to a required length, and which requires little to no maintenance or repair. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed towards an automatic additive dispensing assembly for use with a toilet fixture which does not have an accessible flush tank, such as a commercial type toilet bowl or urinal, wherein a cleanser, deodorant, disinfectant and/or like additive is retained within at least a portion of the flush water prior to at least that portion of flush water passing into the toilet bowl or urinal, along with an additional amount of flush water necessary for a flushing operation. As such, the entire volume of the flush water that passes into the toilet bowl or urinal will be affected by the additive, and will impart the desired cleansing, deodorizing, disinfecting and/or other desired effect. 
   The additive, either in the form of a cleanser, deodorant, disinfectant, etc., is disposed in a retention chamber, the additive comprising any of a variety of conventional solid or liquid forms. The structure of the retention chamber is such as to readily receive the additive, such as a water dissolvable solid or liquid material. A portion of the flush water is retained within the retention chamber for a period of time at least equal to the time between flushing operations, thus providing sufficient retention time for the additive to be mixed into the first portion of the flush water. Subsequently, activation of the flush handle or like activating means will cause a second portion of the flush water to pass from the conventional pressurized water supply through a supply pipe and into the retention chamber, thereby displacing the now concentrated first portion of the flush water retained therein, as well as providing an additional amount of flush water as is required for a flushing operation. Specifically, this will cause an overflow of the concentrated first portion of the flush water from within the retention chamber, as the supply pipe for the second portion of the flush water is structured to discharge into and displace the first portion of the flush water from the retention chamber, as well as an amount of the second portion of the flush water which also flows into and out of the retention chamber during a flushing operation. The supply pipe outlet is preferably positioned in the retention chamber thereby displacing the concentrated first portion of the flush water additive which overflows into an outer container and directly therefrom into the toilet bowl or urinal for cleansing, deodorizing, disinfecting, etc. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view in partial section illustrating one embodiment of an automatic additive dispensing assembly of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view in partial phantom showing the selective repositioning of one embodiment of the assembly. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view in partial section of one preferred embodiment of the assembly of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of one preferred embodiment of a retention chamber of the present invention comprising a lid. 
   

   Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   As shown in the figures, the present invention is directed towards an automatic additive dispensing assembly, generally indicated as  10 , structured to disperse an additive such as a cleanser, deodorant, disinfectant, etc., into at least a portion of the flush water prior to discharge into a toilet bowl  12  or urinal  12 ′. 
   In a toilet fixture of the type represented in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , wherein a flush tank is not present, water flows directly from a conventional pressurized water supply into the toilet  12  or urinal  12 ′ via a connecting conduit  14  through which water flow is regulated by a flush valve  16 . The flush valve  16  may be activated by a handle or lever  18 , or it may be automatically activated, such as by an electronic eye or other motion type sensor. As will be appreciated, when the flush valve  16  is activated to open in a standard commercial toilet fixture, the entire volume of the flush water passes directly from the conventional pressurized water supply into the toilet bowl  12  or urinal  12 ′ for the flushing of waste products therefrom. 
   The assembly  10  of the present invention comprises an outer container  24  having a hollow interior  26  of sufficient dimension and configuration to enclose a retention chamber  28  therein, the retention chamber  28  structured to retain at least a first portion of the flush water. The retention chamber  28  structured to be disposed in fluid communication with a supply pipe  30  which discharges a second portion of the flush water from the connecting conduit  14  into the retention chamber  28 , upon activation of the flush valve  16 . More in particular, the retention chamber  28  is structured to be disposed in fluid communication with an outlet  32  of the supply pipe  30 , the supply pipe  30  passing through an aperture in the outer container  24 , and engaging a support bushing  15  structured to interconnect the supply pipe  30  thereto. The upper end of the retention chamber  28  has an open mouth configuration  34  which defines the outlet of the retention chamber  28 . The open mouth  34 , as well as substantially the entire retention chamber  28  is, of course, positioned and enclosed within the outer container  24 . Therefore, as the second portion of the flush water is discharged into the retention chamber  28  from the supply pipe  30 , the first portion of the flush water being displaced and overflowing over the periphery of the open mouth  34  and into the interior  26  of the outer container  24 , along with an amount of the second portion of flush water as is required during a flushing operation. The interior  26  of the outer container  24  is structured to be disposed in direct fluid communication with the discharge pipe  40 , which is disposed in fluid communication with the interior of the toilet bowl  12  or urinal  12 ′ thereby permitting discharge of the entire volume of the flush water from the outer container  24  to the toilet bowl  12  or urinal  12 ′ during a normal flushing operation. 
   In operation, a pre-selected additive  42  such as cleanser, deodorant, disinfectant and/or the like is disposed in a contacting relationship with at least the first portion of flush water retained within retention chamber  28 , such that the additive  42  can mix into the first portion of flush water. Such additive  42  may be in the form of a solid which disperses in water or, alternatively, in the form of a liquid initially maintained in a supply container  44 . When the supply container  44  is utilized, a mounting means in the form of an internally threaded aperture as at  46 , disposed in cover  48 , may be used to removably secure the supply container  44  over the open mouth  34  of the retention chamber  28  thereby allowing the liquid additive to pass therein. The solid additive  42  is illustrated as free floating in the contacting relationship with the first portion of flush water in the retention chamber  28  in  FIG. 1 , however, it is understood to be within the scope of the present invention to utilize a supporting hook or brace  43  to support the additive  42  in the contacting relationship with the first portion of flush water in the retention chamber  28 . 
   In either embodiment, a second portion of the flush water is discharged directly into the retention chamber  28  through the outlet  32  of the supply pipe  30 , upon activation of the flush valve  16 . During normal operation, the retention chamber  28  is already filled with a first portion of the flush water in which the additive  42  has been retained for sufficient time, being at least the time between flushing operations, to permit an effective concentration of the additive  42  to mix into at least the first portion of the flush water. As used herein, the phrase “effective concentration” shall mean that concentration of the additive  42  in the flush water required for the additive  42  to impart an intended cleansing, deodorizing, disinfecting and/or other desired effect to the toilet bowl  12  or urinal  12 ′ during the flushing operation. 
   As such, and as previously indicated, the discharge of the second portion of the flush water into the retention chamber  28  will cause an overflow of the first portion of the flush water, which comprises the effective concentration of the additive  42 , into the outer container  24  along with an amount of the second portion of flush water as is required during a flushing operation. Such overflow will pass over the open mouth  34  of the retention chamber  28  and into the interior  26  of the outer container  24 , and therefrom will discharge into the interior of the toilet bowl  12  or urinal via the discharge pipe  40 . 
   After a flushing operation, a volume of the second portion of the flush water is retained within the retention chamber  28  for at least the period of time between flushing operations, thereby becoming the first portion of the flush water for the subsequent flushing operation. During this time, as noted above, the additive  42  will have sufficient time to mix into the first portion of the flush water in the retention chamber  28 , such that the first portion of the flush water once again comprises an effective concentration of the additive  42  prior to the subsequent flushing operation. 
   The assembly  10  of the present invention may include a brace or support member  62  positioned in the interior  26  of the outer container  24 , the brace  62  being structured and disposed to support the retention chamber  28  relative to the base of the outer container  24 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   A further feature of at least one embodiment of the present invention is the selective positioning of the entire assembly  10  between the position shown in  FIG. 1  and in solid lines in  FIG. 2 , and the position shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 2 . More specifically, the assembly  10 , including the outer container  24 , may be disposed into the position shown in solid lines in  FIG. 2  for refilling, repair, replacement, etc. However, when the toilet bowl  12  or urinal  12 ′ is intended to be used, the assembly  10 , or more specifically, the outer container  24 , may be rotated about a support flange  60 , the support flange  60  being structured to engage the discharge pipe  40  in an interconnected and supporting relation. The outer container  24  may also be rotated relative to the supply pipe  30 , and more particularly, a longitudinal axis thereof. More specifically, the outer container  24  may be selectively rotated or positioned relative to the toilet bowl  12  or urinal  12 ′ and the supply pipe  30 , in a supported relation about the support flange  60 , between an access position as represented in solid lines in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , or a stored position as represented in phantom lines in  FIG. 2 . Further, the stored position may be to either opposite side of the toilet bowl  12  or urinal  12 ′ and supply pipe  30 , rather than to the rear thereof as shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 2 . 
   One further preferred embodiment of the automatic additive dispensing assembly  10  of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As may be seen from  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the outer container  24  comprises a cover  48  structured to facilitate ease of access to the retention chamber  28  for replenishment of additive  42 , without requiring rotation of the assembly  10 , and in particular, the outer container  24 , into and out of position, as illustrated in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . The cover  48  may be connected to the outer container  24 , such as by a hinge mechanism  49 , the hinge mechanism  49  structured to facilitate access to the retention chamber  28 . More in particular, the cover  48  is movably secured to the outer container  24  and selectively positionable in the direction indicated by the arrow between a closed position and an open position (shown in phantom lines), the open position providing access to the retention chamber  28  to permit replenishment of the additive  42 . 
   In addition, in at least one embodiment the retention chamber  28  comprises a lid  29  disposed in an overlying relationship thereto, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . More in particular, the lid  29  is disposed in an overlying relation to the open mouth  34  of the retention chamber  28  and is structured to retain the additive  42  therein during a flushing operation. As such, and as is also illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the lid  29  necessarily comprises a plurality of apertures  29 , structured to permit the entire volume of flush water to overflow from the retention chamber  28  therethrough into the outer container  24 , during a flushing operation. At the same time, the lid  29  is structured to substantially prevent the additive  42  from being displaced from within the retention chamber  28  by the flush water during the flushing operation. 
   The lid  29  of the retention chamber  28  is further structured to be disposable between an open orientation and a closed orientation, as further illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The open orientation of the lid  29  structured to facilitate the addition and/or replacement of the additive  42  within the retention chamber  28 . In at least one embodiment, the lid  29  is slidably positionable between the open orientation and the closed orientation. 
   To facilitate quick and easy installation of the automatic additive dispensing assembly  10  of the present invention, in one preferred embodiment, the support bushing  15  or the support flange  60  or both are adjustable to accommodate installation of the assembly  10  to an existing commercial toilet fixture. More specifically, the support bushing  15  and/or the support flange  60  comprise an adjustable extension to accommodate varied distances between the outlet  32  of the supply pipe  30  and the inlet to the discharge pipe  40 . Additionally, in one preferred embodiment, both the support bushing  15  and the support flange  60  comprise an adjustable seat mechanism structured to permit quick, easy, and secure interconnection of the supply pipe  30  and discharge pipe  40  in fluid communication with the assembly  10  of the present invention, the adjustable seat mechanisms structured to accommodate various diameters of the pipes. Further, in at least one embodiment, the support bushing  15  and/or the support flange  60  may comprise an adjustable length to accommodate installation of the automatic additive dispensing assembly  10  into a variety of existing plumbing arrangements. 
   Now that the invention has been described,