Patent Publication Number: US-6213665-B1

Title: Mess free dosing and dispensing devices

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of dosing and dispensing devices, and, more particularly, to field of hand held dosing and dispensing devices which can be used for the pretreatment of fabrics. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Dosing and dispensing devices are known in the art. These devices are sometimes used for the pretreatment of fabrics, wherein the device is used to dispense a liquid detergent onto a fabric for pretreatment of a stain and then the device and fabric are placed into a washing machine where the device doses the remaining liquid into the wash water during the wash cycle. Some such devices are provided in the form of a hand held hollow container for storing the liquid detergent having an applicator ball in fluid communication with the hollow container, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,753. While these devices function well for their intended purpose, there can sometimes be spillage of the liquid detergent from the hollow container-when the dispensing device is moved back and forth, side to side, and/or in a circular motion during the pretreatment of fabrics. This spillage is sometimes considered undesirable by a user, and, as such, there exists a need to provide improved dosing and dispensing devices which reduce liquid spillage during pretreatment of fabrics. 
     In addition, it is often times desirable to provide a mechanism for attaching these dosing devices to a bottle for convenient storage. One such mechanism for attachment is described in EP 0649934A1, wherein a dosing and dispensing device attaches adjacent the neck of bottle for storage. However, a liquid product which is sold globally is often sold in bottles of varying size based upon geographic region. For instance, 1.5 liter bottles are presently popular in Europe while 80 oz bottles are popular in North America. As such, there exists a need for improved structures for attaching dosing and dispensing devices to a bottle such that the device can be attached a plurality of bottle sizes, thereby providing a more universal dosing and dispensing device. Still further, there exists a need to provide dosing and dispensing devices which can both reduce liquid spillage during the pretreatment of fabrics and which can be attached to a plurality of bottle sizes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A hand held dosing and dispensing device for the pretreatment of fabrics is provided. The dosing and dispensing device has a hollow container for storing a liquid. The hollow container has at least one container wall and an inlet. The inlet includes an opening and an inlet wall which extends into the hollow container from the container wall of the hollow container. The inlet wall substantially encircles the opening of the inlet to prevent liquid discharge through the inlet during pretreatment of a fabric. A discharge is attached to the hollow container for dispensing the liquid therethrough for the pretreatment of fabrics. In addition, the opening can include a plurality of flexible and resilient tabs extending radially toward the center of the opening. The tabs are adapted to engage at least a portion of a bottle to secure the dosing and dispensing device to the bottle. 
     Still further, a liquid treating system for fabrics is provided which includes a bottle for storing a liquid detergent and a dosing and dispensing device which is releasably attached to the bottle. The dosing and dispensing device can be provided in the same form as previously discussed and preferably engages a neck of the bottle for storage. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of a preferred dosing and dispensing device made in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the dosing and dispensing device of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional side view of the dosing and dispensing device of FIG. 2, taken along line  3 — 3  thereof; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross sectional side view of the dosing and dispensing device of FIG. 3, wherein the device is filled with a liquid; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional side view of the dosing and dispensing device of FIG. 4, wherein the device is tilted for pretreatment of a fabric; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional side view of another preferred dosing and dispensing device made in accordance with the present invention, wherein the upper and lower portions of the inlet are cylindrical in shape; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross sectional side of yet another preferred dosing and dispensing device made in accordance with the present invention, wherein a portion of the lower portion of the inlet is angled; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional side of still yet another preferred dosing and dispensing device made in accordance with the present invention, wherein the upper and lower portions of the inlet are frustoconical in shape; 
     FIG. 9 is a partial cross sectional side view of the dosing and dispensing device of FIG. 3 attached to an exemplary bottle; and 
     FIG. 10 is a cross sectional end view of the dosing and dispensing device and bottle of FIG. 8, taken along line  10 — 10  thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals indicate the same elements throughout the views and wherein reference numerals having the same last two digits (e.g.,  20  and  120 ) connote similar elements. As discussed more fully hereafter, the present invention is directed to a dosing and dispensing device suitable for use with a washing machine. More preferably, the present invention is directed to a hand held dosing and dispensing device which can be used for the pretreatment of fabrics in a substantially mess free manner. As used herein, the phrase “pretreatment of fabrics” and its derivatives is intended to refer to a process whereby a user of the dosing and dispensing device applies a liquid, such as a liquid detergent, to a fabric by manipulating the device prior to placement of the device in the washing machine. As used herein, the term “manipulating” is intended to refer to hand manipulation of the dosing and dispensing device by any movement, including squeezing, side-to-side movement, back-and-forth movement, circular movement, and any combinations thereof. In addition, the present invention is directed to a dosing and dispensing device which can be attached to bottles of varying size. 
     FIGS. 1 to  5  illustrate an exemplary dosing and dispensing device  20  made in accordance with the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, The device  20  comprises a hollow container  22  having an inlet  24  for receiving a liquid and a discharge structure for discharging the liquid directly onto a fabric  25  (FIG. 5) for pretreatment of the fabric  25  prior to washing. The liquid remaining in the device  20  after pretreatment of the fabrics is preferably discharged through the inlet  24  when the device  20  is placed in the wash liquid of the washing machine during the wash cycle. The discharge structure  26  is in fluid communication with the hollow container  22  and can be provided in a variety of forms. For example, the discharge structure can be provided in the form of a roll on applicator or rollerball  26 , such as one described in copending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/732,363 and 08/836,633, these applications hereby being incorporated fully herein by reference. A preferred rollerball  28  is illustrated for purposes of discussion in the Figs. Another example of a discharge structure might include a brush or brush-like structure. 
     The hollow container includes container walls  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  35  and  36  and, in particular, a top wall  30 , side walls  32 , front wall  34 , rear wall  35  and bottom wall  36 . The inlet  24  is disposed in the top wall  30  and the discharge structure  26  is located at the front wall  34 . The container  22  can be provided with one or more fill lines about one at least one of the side walls  32 , the front wall  34  or the rear wall  35 . The fill lines visually indicate the preferred liquid levels within the container  22 . More preferably, the container  22  has an upper fill line  38  which indicates the top level to which the container  22  should be filled with a pretreatment liquid  39 . These liquid levels are preferably selected to provide the appropriate amount of dosing of the pretreatment liquid into the wash liquid of the washing machine depending upon the size of the wash load. While the container  22  is illustrated as having a front wall, side walls and rear wall which are curvilinear in shape, it will be appreciated that the container  22  can be provided in other shapes and sizes without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the container  22  can be provided with a plurality of side walls which are more or less curvilinear in shape than illustrated. Or a curvilinear wall which has no creases, folds or edges such that it is essentially a continuous wall. The container  22  can be formed from a plastic, and, more preferably, from a thermoplastic or a thermoset plastic suitable for use with a blow molding or injection molding process. Some plastics which can be used include polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride. More preferably, the device  20  is formed using a bi-injection molding process, wherein two materials are used during the injection molding process for distinct portions of the device  20 . For instance, the top wall  30 , side walls  32 , front wall  34 , rear wall  35  and bottom wall  36  can be formed from a rigid structural polypropylene while a grip structure  41  disposed about a portion of the side walls  32  and the bottom wall  36  can be formed from thermoplastic elastomer, such as Bergaflex from Theodor Bergmann Kunststoffwerk GmbH, Adolf-Dambach-Straebe 2-4, D-76571 Gaggenau Germany. The thermoplastic elastomer used to form the grip structure  41  preferably provides a soft, non-slip surface for gripping the device  20  during use while the structural polymer used to form the walls provides the structural rigidity for the device  20 . In addition, the portions of the grip structure  41  disposed adjacent the bottom wall  36  provide a non-slip surface when the device is placed on a flat surface, such as the top of a washing machine or the like. In addition, the soft grip structure  41  can reduce the noise generated by the device  20  during use in a washing machine. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the inlet  24  is configured to limit liquid discharge therefrom during the pretreatment process. As previously discussed, Ad the manipulation of device  20  during the pretreatment process can cause movement of the liquid about the inside of the container  22 . The inlet  24  is configured to prevent (i.e., limit or reduce) the discharge of the pretreatment liquid, thereby providing a substantially mess free device which enhances the pretreatment process for a user of the device. In general, the inlet  24  is disposed distal from the front wall  34  and adjacent the rear wall  35 . The inlet  24  comprises an inlet wall downwardly depending from the top wall  30  which extends into the hollow container  22 . More preferably, the inlet wall substantially encircles the opening of the inlet  24 , and, most preferably, the inlet wall is provided in the from of a funnel having a top portion  42  and a bottom portion  43 , as best seen in FIG.  3 . While the opening of the inlet  24  is shown as generally circular in shape, the opening can be provided in other shapes, such as elliptical, parabolic and combinations thereof. The top portion  42  of the inlet  24  is generally cylindrical in shape and extends into the hollow container  22  from the top wall  30 . The cylindrical shape and inside diametrical size of the upper portion  42  of the inlet  22  is preferably sufficient to accommodate therethrough the necks and/or caps of various sized bottles when the device  20  is attached to a bottle for storage, as discussed more fully hereafter. 
     The inlet wall bottom portion  43  is attached to the inlet wall top portion  42  and further extends into the hollow container  22 . The end surface  50  of the bottom portion  43  preferably terminates at about the upper fill line  38  of the container  22  so that the end surface  50  does not penetrate the top surface  52  of the liquid  39  when the device  22  is level, as best seen in FIG.  4 . More preferably, the container  22  is shaped and sized so that the end surface  50  of the bottom portion  43  of the inlet  24  does not penetrate the top surface  52  of the pretreatment liquid when the device  20  is tilted during use, as shown in FIG.  5 . The degree of tilt ac during use is generally the complimentary angle to the angle β (FIG. 3) between the front wall  34  and the bottom wall  36  such that the sum of the angles α and β is 180 degrees. If the end surface  50  does penetrate the top surface  52  of the pretreatment liquid  39  when the device  20  is level and/or when it is tilted, some of the pretreatment liquid  39  is more likely to flow or splash onto the inner surface  53  of the inlet wall of the inlet  24  and exit the inlet during pretreatment. The angle β is preferably between about 110 degrees and about 160 degrees. An angle β in this range provides a device  20  which can be easily manipulated by a user of the device with respect to the fabric  25  during the pretreament process while still providing a device  20  which is substantially mess free. 
     The bottom portion  43  is provided in the shape of a frustrum, and, more preferably, is frustoconical in shape. Most preferably, the bottom portion  43  forms an angle θ (FIG. 3) with the inner surface  53  of the inlet wall of the inlet  24  of between about 0 degrees and about 45 degrees. It has been found that the frustoconical shape of the bottom portion  43  can assist in preventing discharge or splashing of the pretreatment liquid  39  from the inlet  24  when the device is manipulated during the pretreatment of fabrics. While the frustoconical shape of the bottom portion  43  is preferred, other shaped and sized bottom portions (as well as top portions) can be implemented. For example, both the upper and lower portions can be cylindrical in shape, as shown in FIG.  6 . Alternatively, the angle θ can be increased and/or a portion of bottom portion  43  can be provided as cylindrical in shape (i.e., without an angle θ), as shown in FIG.  7 . Still further, the upper and lower portions can both be provided as frustoconical in shape, as shown in FIG.  8 . Generally, however, the greater the depth D (FIG. 3) of the end surface  50  of the inlet wall of the inlet  24  below the top wall  30 , the greater the reduction in the messiness of the device  20 . Preferably, the depth D is between about 20% and about 50% of the height H of the device  20 , and, more preferably, the depth D is between about 30% and about 40% of the height H of the device  20 . Placement of the inlet  24  adjacent the rear wall  35  and/or inclusion of a downwardly depending wall permits the use of an inlet  24  having a large diameter opening for attachment to bottles of varying neck sizes as well as for ease of dispensing the liquid into the device  20  while preventing the messiness (e.g., undesirable discharge of the liquid from the device  20 ) which would otherwise be associated with a large diameter opening. The inlet  24  of the device  20  can be provided with an opening having a diameter D (FIG. 2) which is between about 50% and about 100% of the width W of the container  22 , and, more preferably, the diameter D is between about 70% and about 90% of the width W of the container  22 . 
     The inlet  24  preferably includes a plurality of slots  58  which extend upwardly from the end surface  50  of the bottom portion  43  of the inlet  24  and which terminate before the top wall  30 . The slots  58  provide a drain for any pretreatment liquid which might splash onto the inner surface  53  of inlet wall of the inlet  24 . Still further, due to the depth D of the inlet  24  into hollow container  22 , slots  58  are useful for draining water (and any other liquid) from the device  20  when it is held upside down. The device  20  might be placed in such an inverted orientation after completion of the wash cycle and removal from the washing machine in order to drain the device prior to storing it in an inverted manner on a bottle, as shown in FIG.  9 . Still further, the slots  58  can assist in discharging the pretreatment liquid through the opening of the inlet  24  when the device  20  is spinning about a washing machine during the wash cycle. While the termination point of the slots  58  is shown as aligned with a plurality of tabs  60  (as best seen in FIG.  3 ), it will be appreciated that the slots  58  can be offset from the tabs  60  and a greater or lesser number of slots  58  can be provided, although it is preferable that about four equispaced slots are disposed about the bottom portion  43  of the inlet  24 . In addition, a slit  59  is provided in the inner surface  53  of the upper portion  42  of the inlet  24  and adjacent the top wall  30 . The slit  59  passes through the wall of the upper portion  42  of the inlet  24  so that it communicates with the interior of the hollow container  22 . The slit  59  also assists in draining any liquids (e.g., wash water, pretreatment liquid, etc.) from the device  20  when the device  20  is placed in an inverted position. As will be appreciated, more than one slit  59  can be provided adjacent the top wall  30  to assist in liquid drainage. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention and as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inlet  24  has a plurality of flexible and resilient tabs  60  disposed about the inner surface  53  of upper portion  42  of the inlet  24 . The tabs  60  extend generally radially inward toward the center of the inlet  24 . More preferably, the tabs  60  are provided in the form of cantilevered polyhedrals having a slanted end surface  62 . The tabs  60  form an angle e (FIG. 2) of between about 20 degrees and about 70 degrees with the inner surface  53  of the inlet  24 , and have a depth L of between about 6 mm and about 15 mm from the inner surface  53  to the slanted end surface  62 . As best seen in FIG. 9, the tabs  60  slidably engage a neck  64  of a bottle  66 . In addition, the tabs  60  flex toward the inner surface  53  of the inlet  24  about the tab&#39;s cantilever point at the inner surface  53 . The force imparted by the flexure of the tabs  60  retains the device  20  with the bottle  66  for convenient storage. The bottle  66  preferably includes a spout  68  through which liquid stored in the bottle  66  can be dispensed and a threaded cap  70  which covers the spout  68  when the bottle  66  is not in use. As will be appreciated, the relatively large opening of the inlet in combination with the flexible tabs  60  provides a device  20  which can be attached to bottles  66  having neck diameters d of varying size. While the portion of the neck  64  which the tabs  60  engage to secure the device  20  the bottle  66  is substantially cylindrical in shape, the neck  64  can be provided in other shapes which can accommodate the tabs  60 . The length of the cylindrical section of the neck  64  which engages the tabs  60  is preferably at least equal to the height h (FIG. 3) of the tabs  60 . The angle ω and depth L of the tabs  60  determines the amount deflection which the tabs  60  will experience when engaging the neck  64  of the bottle  66 . The amount of deflection, in turn, determines the amount of force which will be exerted between the tabs  60  and the neck  64  of the bottle  66  for keeping the device  20  attached to the bottle  66 . As will be appreciated, the tabs  60  can undergo sufficient deflection to provide a force which accommodate necks  64  having a variety of diametrical dimensions such that the same device  20  can be attached to bottles  20  of varying sizes. While the tabs  60  are illustrated as having about the same length L, the length L of the tabs  60  can vary from tab to tab especially where the opening of the inlet  24  is not cylindrical in shape. 
     While the device  20  is illustrated as engaging the neck  64  of a bottle  66 , it is contemplated that the device  20  can engage other portions of the bottle  20  for storage if desired. For instance, the device  20  might engage a protuberance disposed on the body of the bottle  66  (e.g., a protuberance disposed adjacent a handle of the bottle). As shown, the inlet  24  is configured so that the neck  64  and/or the cap  70  of the bottle  66  can pass through the opening of the inlet  24  in the top wall  30  and can preferably pass through the opening of the inlet  24  which is defined by the bottom edge  50  of the inlet wall. 
     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications or variations are possible and contemplated in light of the above teachings by those skilled in the art, and the embodiments discussed were chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical application. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.