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Toilet bowl cleaning and/or deodorizing device

Toilet bowl cleaning and/or deodorizing device description/claims

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/831,653 filed Jul. 31, 2007 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/800,488 filed May 4, 2007 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/312,281 filed Dec. 20, 2005.

Not Applicable.

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an automatic and/or manual toilet bowl cleaning device where the inner surface of the toilet bowl can be cleaned around the entire circumference of the toilet bowl. The device includes a sensor that determines if an object is near a fluid sprayer of the device. If an object is not near the sensor, a pumping apparatus of the device delivers fluid from a container to the fluid sprayer. The pumping apparatus can be automatically and/or manually started for dispensing.

2. Description of the Related Art

Toilet bowls require care to prevent the buildup of unsightly deposits, to reduce odors, and to prevent bacteria growth. Traditionally, toilet bowls have been cleaned, deodorized, and disinfected by manual scrubbing with a liquid or powdered cleaning and sanitizing agent. This task has required manual labor to keep the toilet bowl clean.

In order to eliminate the detested manual scrubbing, various toilet bowl cleaner dispensers have been proposed. One type of dispenser comprises a solid block or solid particles of a cleansing and freshening substance that is suspended from the rim of a toilet bowl in a container that is placed in the path of the flushing water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,670 shows an example of this type of toilet bowl cleaning system. Typically, a portion of the solid block is dissolved in the flush water with each flush, and the flush water having dissolved product is dispensed into the toilet bowl for cleaning the bowl.

Other toilet bowl cleaning systems use a liquid cleaning agent that is dispensed into a toilet bowl. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,178,564 and 6,230,334, and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 99/66139 and WO 99/66140 all disclose cleansing and/or freshening devices capable of being suspended from the rim of a toilet bowl for introducing liquid active substances from a bottle into the flushing water with each flush. In these under the toilet rim devices, the liquid active substances are delivered downward from a reservoir to a dispensing plate that is supported by a base that is suspended from the toilet bowl rim. The device is suspended from the toilet rim such that the flow of flush water from the toilet contacts the dispensing plate during a flush. The flush water carries the liquid active substances that are on the dispensing plate into the toilet bowl to clean and freshen the toilet.

Other toilet bowl dispensers use an aerosol deodorizing and/or cleaning agent that is dispensed into a toilet bowl through a conduit attached to the toilet bowl rim. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,070 discloses an aerosol container mounted by a bracket on a toilet rim with a tube extending over the rim; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,029,286 and 5,862,532 disclose dispensers for a toilet bowl including a pressurized reservoir of fluid, a conduit connected to the source of fluid, and a spray nozzle which is installed on the toilet rim.

One disadvantage with these known toilet rim dispensing devices is that these devices may only apply the deodorizing and/or cleaning agent to one location in the toilet water or a limited area in the toilet water or on the inner surface of the toilet bowl. As a result, the cleaning of the inner surface of the toilet bowl may be limited to an area of the toilet bowl near the device.

U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0136937, 2007/0234470, 2007/0240252 and 2008/0017762 (which are incorporated herein by reference) are owned by the owner of the current invention. These publications set forth, among others, an automatic and/or manual toilet bowl cleaning device where the inner surface of the toilet bowl is cleaned around the entire circumference of the toilet bowl.

In one example embodiment illustrated in U.S. 2007/0136937, the downstream end of a fluid supply conduit terminates in a nozzle capable of spraying the cleaning fluid outwardly onto the inner surface of the toilet bowl at locations below the toilet waterline, and/or locations at the toilet waterline, and/or locations above the toilet waterline, and/or locations under the toilet rim. The nozzle is attached by a mounting clip at a location near the rim of the toilet bowl. The mounting clip can house a proximity or motion sensor that detects the presence of a person. Manual delivery of the cleaning fluid from a fluid supply container to the fluid supply conduit can be achieved by pressing a manual activation button that is in electrical communication with a control circuit that turns on an electrically driven pump that delivers the cleaning fluid into the fluid supply conduit and into the spray nozzle. Automatic delivery of the cleaning fluid from a fluid supply container to the fluid supply conduit can also be achieved pressing an activation button that is in electrical communication with a control circuit that controls on an electrically driven pump. Immediately after the user presses the activation button, fluid delivery occurs at selected time intervals (e.g., every eight hours). The proximity sensor that is in electrical communication with the control circuit can stop initiation of a spray cycle if a person is near the toilet bowl.

In view of the advances in the art provided by the devices of U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0136937, 2007/0234470, 2007/0240252 and 2008/0017762, even further improvements to this technology would be beneficial to consumers.

The foregoing needs can be met with a toilet bowl cleaning and/or deodorizing device according to the invention that delivers a chemical into the toilet bowl. The term “chemical” or “chemistry” means one chemical or a mixture of chemical ingredients. Various cleaning and/or deodorizing chemicals are suitable for use with a toilet bowl cleaning device according to the invention. The toilet bowl cleaning and/or deodorizing device includes appropriate chemistry and a dispensing system. As used herein, the term “cleaning” also includes sanitizing and/or disinfecting, and the term “deodorizing” also includes freshening.

Regarding the chemistry, a chemical is applied directly onto the inner surface of the toilet bowl and/or into the toilet water so as to clean and freshen the toilet bowl. If applied to the inner surface of the toilet bowl, the chemical will typically be a liquid (single or multiple chemistries). If added to the toilet water, the chemistry can also be a liquid (single or multiple chemistries) that is added to the water to act as a preventive, or to create an environment that will work to clean the toilet automatically.

With respect to the dispensing system, the system includes several subsystems which are the means for applying the appropriate chemistry to the inner surface of the toilet bowl to conduct the cleaning process. The dispensing system may include (but is not limited to): (i) a chemistry storage container; (ii) a chemical propulsion system; (iii) a chemical delivery system; and (iv) a toilet interface. These subsystems work together to deliver the appropriate chemistry (using predetermined amounts) to deliver the desired consumer benefit.

The chemistry storage container is used to hold and store the chemistry used to clean the toilet bowl. Non-limiting examples include a standard plastic bottle, such as that found on a trigger sprayer.

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