Abstract:
A description is provided of a cleaning container ( 1 ) for a cleaning apparatus ( 4 ) that presents a handle ( 6 ) and a cleaning head ( 5 ), particularly for a toilet brush, where the cleaning container ( 1 ) comprises a main chamber ( 3 ) for the cleaning and the storage of the cleaning apparatus ( 4 ) as well as a secondary chamber ( 13 ) that is connected to the main chamber ( 3 ) via a passage opening ( 16 ), with a device for supplying the cleaning apparatus ( 4 ) in the main chamber ( 3 ) with a cleaning fluid. To ensure a clean and simple handling, particularly during the draining and cleaning of the cleaning container ( 1 ), the invention provides for the main chamber ( 3 ) and the secondary chamber ( 13 ) to be designed as separate container elements ( 2, 12 ) that are connected to each other detachably.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a cleaning container for a cleaning apparatus, which presents a handle and a cleaning head, particularly for a toilet brush, where the cleaning container comprises a main chamber for the cleaning and storage of the cleaning apparatus as well as a secondary chamber, which is connected to the main chamber via a passage opening, with a device for supplying the cleaning apparatus in the main chamber with a cleaning fluid. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A cleaning container for a toilet brush that has a main chamber and a secondary chamber is known from DE 198 04 064 A1. Specifically, the known cleaning container presents a main chamber for the storage and cleaning of the toilet brush. The main chamber is connected via an opening to a secondary chamber, in which a spray bottle or a dispenser with a disinfection gas or a disinfection fluid is located. Moreover, an opening mechanism for the spray bottle or the dispenser is provided, which can be actuated either by hand, or else also by means of a corresponding lever or cam on the brush head or on the handle during the insertion of the brush into the main chamber. During the actuation of the opening mechanism, disinfection fluid or a disinfection gas is discharged from the spray bottle or the dispenser, and it reaches the brush head through the above-mentioned opening between the chambers. The actuation of the opening mechanism occurs against spring force, so that the spray bottle or the dispenser is only briefly in the open position. Because the brush head is exposed to the disinfectant within the relatively restricted space of the cleaning chamber, it should be possible to free the brush head of bacterial contaminants within just a few hours according to the reference. Agents that are usually used for cleaning toilets should be usable as disinfectants. 
         [0003]    The disadvantage of the known cleaning container is that it cannot be ruled out that contaminant residues or residues of the disinfectant collect over the course of time at the bottom of the main chamber, soiling the latter. No cleaning of the container is provided for according to the reference. Such a cleaning would, in any case, be very expensive to configure. The entire bulky container would have to be tipped over after the spray bottle or the dispenser has been removed and rinsed. With such a cumbersome handling, one cannot rule out that contaminant residues reach the environment. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A general object of the present invention is further developing a cleaning apparatus of the above-described type in such a way that a cleaning of the cleaning container is easily possible using simple devices and under hygienic conditions, even after use. 
         [0005]    This problem is solved with a cleaning container that has all the characteristics of Claim  1 . Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims. 
         [0006]    The invention provides a cleaning container for a cleaning apparatus that presents a handle and cleaning head, particularly for a toilet brush, where the cleaning container comprises a main chamber for the cleaning and storage of the cleaning apparatus as well as a secondary chamber that is connected to the main chamber via a passage opening with a device for supplying the cleaning apparatus in the main chamber with a cleaning fluid, such that the main chamber and the secondary chamber are designed as separate container elements that are connected detachably to each other. 
         [0007]    It was found surprisingly that this simple constructive measure is entirely sufficient to allow a simple and hygienic draining and cleaning of the cleaning container. For the draining and cleaning, the container element with the main chamber is detached in a simple way from the container element with the secondary chamber and cleaned separately. No other parts have to be taken apart or dismantled. Following the cleaning, both container elements can be again connected to each other in a simple way. An additional advantage of the cleaning container according to the invention is that the container element with the main chamber can be designed geometrically very simply, for example, in the shape of a pot, so that it is very easy to clean. Because the size of the container element is not substantially greater than the size of a brush head to achieve as high as possible a concentration of cleaning fluid in the main chamber with as little as possible an addition, it is also easily possible to carry out a rinsing in a bath with a cleaning fluid. 
         [0008]    Advantageously, both container elements are connected to each other via a plug connection. Then, the two parts can be detached very easily with minimal force exertion, or again connected to each other. 
         [0009]    In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the container element with the device for supplying the cleaning apparatus with a cleaning fluid is designed as a base body on which the container element with the main chamber can be put. Such an arrangement can not only be designed to be visually very appealing, but it also particularly has the advantage that the container element to be cleaned can be lifted up in a simple way. Replacing the container with the cleaning fluid is also easily feasible in this way. Moreover, the base container can be designed to be broader than the container element with the main chamber to thus ensure a secure and firm standing stability of the entire cleaning container, without the visual appearance suffering or the entire cleaning container having too large a volume. 
         [0010]    To prevent the evaporation of the cleaning fluid from the cleaning container, the container element with the main chamber is preferably sealable. 
         [0011]    The sealing can be achieved, for example, by means of a cover element that is located on the handle of the cleaning apparatus, and can be put from above on the edge area of the main chamber during the insertion of the cleaning apparatus into the main chamber. The cover element can either be formed integrally with the handle, or it can be manufactured separately and secured detachably or undetachably to the handle. Moreover, the sealing effect can be increased further by means of a sealing ring. 
         [0012]    In an additional preferred embodiment of the invention, the main chamber is sealable by means of two half shell elements that are connected by articulation to the upper peripheral area of the base body, and swivelable against each other. This embodiment presents not only the advantage that it is visually appealing both in the opened and also in the closed state, but it also has the additional advantage that it is not necessary to attach a cover element to the handle of the cleaning apparatus, which is thus easier to manage. A replacement with a cleaning apparatus that does not have exactly the same geometry is also more feasible than in the case of the above described integrated cover element. 
         [0013]    An additional advantage is that this relatively simple constructive measure has the effect that if the half shell elements are open, the entry opening is sufficiently large so that an insertion of the cleaning apparatus in the vertical position from above is possible without problem. Because these half shell elements in the open position form a kind of funnel with walls that substantially broaden conically upward, any falling drops can be caught and led into the container interior. In no case does an unwanted and unaesthetic soiling of the external wall of the cleaning container occur. 
         [0014]    In an additional preferred embodiment of the invention, devices can be provided that lead to an automatic swiveling of the two half shell elements into their sealing position during the insertion of the cleaning apparatus. Such devices are known to the person skilled in the art. They can comprise, for example, lever elements. For the automatic opening during the removal of the cleaning apparatus, the half shell elements can be constructed or arranged in such a way that they swivel apart from each other by themselves due to gravity if the pressure on the lever elements ceases. 
         [0015]    The devices for supplying the cleaning apparatus with cleaning fluid comprise preferably, as is known from the state of the art, a spray bottle, a cartridge or a dispenser with cleaning fluid. The storage and targeted addition of the cleaning fluid is particularly simple in these cases. The spray bottle or the cartridge of the dispenser have to be arranged in a secondary chamber within the corresponding container element of the cleaning container in such a way that the cleaning fluid can reach the main chamber with a cleaning apparatus to be cleaned through the common passage opening. There are no additional restrictions with regard to the geometric arrangement. In this way, the arrangement of the secondary chamber can take place, for example, either centrically or not centrically with respect to the main axis of the cleaning container. However, it is advantageous to supply the cleaning head of the cleaning element, as is known from the state of the art, from below with cleaning fluid, to achieve the best possible cleaning result. 
         [0016]    The addition of the cleaning fluid can occur in a simple way by triggering opening mechanisms that are present in the case of spray bottles, cartridges or dispensers, for example, by pressing down the head of the spray bottle or of the cartridge or of the dispenser. 
         [0017]    The actuation of the spray bottle, of the cartridge or of the dispenser can occur in a simple way by hand. In the cleaning container according to the invention, however, it is advantageous to provide an actuation mechanism for automatic actuation of the spray bottle, of the cartridge or of the dispenser or of another device for supplying the cleaning apparatus with cleaning fluid, which can be triggered, for example, by the insertion of the cleaning apparatus in the cleaning container. Such automatic cleaning mechanisms are known. They are based as a rule on providing projections, levers or similar parts on the cleaning container that are arranged in such a way that during the introduction of the cleaning apparatus in the cleaning container, they lead to a triggering of the opening mechanism, for example, of the spray bottle, of the cartridge or of the dispenser, particularly by pressing down the head of the spray bottle, of the cartridge or of the dispenser. 
         [0018]    Moreover, it is advantageous to also provide an automatic resetting mechanism for the closing of the spray bottle, of the cartridge or of the dispenser after a brief discharge of cleaning fluid, or of another device for supplying the cleaning apparatus with cleaning fluid. Such resetting mechanisms are also known. For the sake of simplicity, spring elements, which oppose the movement for triggering the actuation mechanism, are used for this purpose. 
         [0019]    In an additional preferred embodiment of the invention, a time switch is provided for the actuation of the opening mechanism. In this way, it is possible to carry out a cleaning, particularly in the case of prolonged storage times without using the cleaning apparatus, at regular, freely settable time intervals. If the cleaning fluid used also contains fragrances, then, as a secondary effect, a regular dispersal of a scent in the room is also achieved, due to the non-hermetic sealing of the cleaning container. 
         [0020]    The above-described cleaning container should be used particularly in the area of sanitary applications, particularly preferably for cleaning toilet brushes. 
         [0021]    In general, the cleaning container according to the invention is, however, suitable for hygienic cleaning and storage of all types of cleaning apparatuses that are characterized by a handle and a cleaning head, including, for example, for cleaning toothbrushes. 
         [0022]    The cleaning container according to the invention can be used not only for cleaning brushes; it is in principle also suited for those cleaning apparatuses in which the cleaning head is not designed as a brush, but as a shaped body made of foam or of a nonwoven or similar material. 
         [0023]    All possible cleaning agents in the sanitation sector are suitable as cleaning fluids. 
         [0024]    For the application in the toilet sector in particular, it is preferred to use cleaning fluids that contain so-called “drying accelerators,” i.e., for example, fluids that mix with formation of an azeotrope with water. As such drying accelerators, alcohols are suitable for example, particularly ethanol or isopropyl alcohol. 
         [0025]    Moreover, the cleaning fluids that are usable in the context of the invention can be antibacterial/antimicrobial substances that are already known, particularly quaternary ammonium salts, such as, for example, octyldecyldimethylammonium chloride, dioctyldimethylammonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium chloride, alkyldimethylbenzylammonium saccharinates, as well as phenols, such as, for example, o-phenylphenol, o-benzyl-p-chlorophenol, triclosan, silver and silver salts, hydrogen peroxide, free or in bound form, hypochlorites, chlorine, free and in bound form. 
         [0026]    As mentioned above, the cleaning fluid can also contain additives to fragrances. 
         [0027]    A particularly preferred cleaning agent contains: 
         [0028]    0.1% alkyl [50% C(14), 40% C(12), 10% C(16)] dimethylbenzylammonium saccharinate 
         [0029]    79% ethanol 
         [0030]    20.9% additional and inert additives. 
         [0031]    Besides the above-described device for supplying the cleaning apparatus with a cleaning fluid, additional devices can be provided, such as, for example, lamps for fluorescent light for killing bacteria or the like, for cleaning the cleaning apparatus. 
         [0032]    The invention is explained in greater detail below using embodiment examples that are represented in the figures: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0033]    In the drawings: 
           [0034]      FIG. 1  is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an exemplary cleaning container according to the invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 2  is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a cleaning apparatus according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    In  FIG. 1 , one can see a cleaning container  1  with a first container element  2  with a main chamber  3  in which a cleaning apparatus  4  with a cleaning head  5  and a handle  6  is located. The cleaning apparatus  4  in the represented embodiment is a toilet brush, without loss of generality. The reference character  7  denotes the bristles of the cleaning head  5 . The main chamber  3  is closed off with respect to the exterior and sealed by means of a cover element  8  that is attached on the handle  6  of the cleaning apparatus  1 . An additional sealing is also achieved by the sealing ring  9 , which lies on a step-shaped recess  10  in the interior of the wall  11  of the container element  2 . 
         [0037]    The reference character  12  in the figure denotes a second container element. The latter presents a secondary chamber  13 . In the secondary chamber  13 , a spray bottle  15  with a cleaning fluid is attached laterally in a hollow cylindrical holder  14 . The main chamber  3  and the secondary chamber  13  are connected via a passage opening  16  at the height of the head  17  of the spray bottle  15 . Moreover, in the secondary chamber  13 , a support element  18  with spring element  19  is also located, whose function will be explained in further detail below. 
         [0038]    In the figure, one can see that the main chamber  3  and the secondary chamber  13  according to the invention are designed as separate container elements  2 ,  12 . In particular, the container element  2  is inserted in the represented embodiment in the container element  12 . The container element  2  here rests on the head  17  of the spray bottle  15  as well as on the support element  18  with spring element  19 . It is advantageous to provide several support elements  18  with spring elements  19  distributed over the periphery of the container element  12 . For draining or cleaning, or for replacing the spray bottle  15 , the container element  2  is simply lifted up out of the container element  12 . Following the cleaning process or after the replacement of the spray bottle  15 , the container element  2  can again be inserted from above into the container element  12 . 
         [0039]    The container element  12  presents a slightly larger cross-sectional surface area than the container element  2  that delimits the main chamber  3 , and thus forms a kind of base body for the container element  2 , resulting in a more secure standing stability. 
         [0040]    The container element  2  presents in its lower area on its external periphery a skirt  20  that extends horizontally outward, and serves for placement on the support elements  18  with the spring bodies  19  as well as on the head  17  of the spray bottle  15 . In the area of the head  17  of the spray bottle  15 , the skirt  20  presents an axial expansion, which serves as an actuation element  21  for the spray bottle  15 . By briefly applying pressure to the handle  6  of the cleaning apparatus  4 , the container element  2  is pressed briefly downward against the spring force of the spring body  19 . Via the actuation element  21 , the head  17  of the spray bottle  15  is also pressed downward with the result that cleaning fluid is discharged briefly and reaches the main chamber  3  with the cleaning head  5  through the passage opening  16 . Because the main chamber  3 , as described above, is sealed with respect to the exterior, the cleaning fluid acts at such a high concentration on the cleaning head  5  of the cleaning apparatus  4  that a very good disinfection effect is achieved after a short time. 
         [0041]      FIG. 2  shows an additional preferred embodiment of the invention. Identical parts are provided with identical reference characters. In the embodiment represented in  FIG. 2 , the secondary chamber for the spray bottle  15  is formed by a centrically arranged, hollow cylindrical recess  22  in the container element  12 . The hollow cylindrical recess  22  is followed adjacently in the upward direction by a radial expansion  23  for receiving the container element  2 . The passage opening  16  leading to the main chamber  3  of the container element  2  is located in the bottom of the container element  2  directly above the head  17  of the spray bottle  15 , so that during the actuation of the opening mechanism for the spray bottle  15 , the cleaning fluid is sprayed from below into the main chamber  3  with the cleaning head  5 . 
         [0042]    The hollow cylindrical recess  22  for the spray bottle  15  as well as the radial expansion  23  for the introduction of the container element  2  are delimited by an actuation element  24 , which is insertable in a corresponding recess  26  in the container element  12 , and which can be shifted vertically downward, with respect to the container element, against the force of a spring element  27  arranged on the bottom of the container element  12 . This arrangement allows, as described below, an automatic closing of the container  2  during the insertion of the cleaning apparatus  4 . 
         [0043]    For the closing and sealing, two half shell elements  28   a ,  28   b , are provided in the represented embodiment, are attached by articulation on the upper peripheral area of the container element  12 , and are swivelable against each other. In the figure, they are both in an open position. For the automatic swiveling into the closed position during the insertion of the cleaning apparatus  4  into the main chamber  3 , lever elements  29   a ,  29   b  are provided, are firmly connected to the half shell elements  28   a ,  28   b , and are connected by articulation both on the container element  12  in the area of the radial expansion on the inner wall  30  and also on the actuation element  24 . 
         [0044]    When pressure is exerted from above on the container element  2 , for example during the introduction of the cleaning apparatus  4  into the main chamber  3 , the latter is moved downward, and it exerts in the same way a corresponding pressure on the actuation element  24 , which is also moved downward against the spring force of the spring element  27 . As a result of this movement of the actuation element  24 , the lever elements  29   a ,  29   b , which are connected by articulation to the actuation element  24 , are tilted downward, leading to a swiveling movement of the half shell elements  28   a ,  28   b  in the direction of their closed position. In the ideal case, the spring force of the spring element  27  and the weight of the cleaning apparatus  4  are mutually adjusted in such a way that the introduction of the cleaning apparatus  4  leads only to the closing of the container element  2 , so that triggering of the opening mechanism of the spray bottle  15  occurs only when additional pressure is exerted on the handle  6  of the cleaning apparatus  4 . This has the advantage that the cleaning apparatus  4  can be stored in the closed container element  2 , without triggering of the opening mechanism of the spray bottle  15  occurring automatically. 
         [0045]    In the represented embodiment, the spray bottle  15  extends to such an extent into the recess for the container element  2  in the area of the radial expansion  23  that due to an additional brief pressing down after the introduction of the cleaning apparatus  4  into the main chamber  3  and the swiveling of the half shell elements  28   a ,  28   b  into their closed position, the spray head  17  is also pressed down briefly with the result that cleaning fluid is sprayed briefly upward into the main chamber  3 . 
         [0046]    Moreover, in the figure one can see that the bottom  31  of the container element  2  is raised in the area of the passage opening  16  to prevent fluid from flowing out through the passage opening  16 .