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Unit-dose dispenser

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/851,602 filed Oct. 13, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

The present invention relates to a dispenser for detergent unit-doses comprising a storage compartment containing at least one detergent unit-dose; a dispensing means for dispensing said detergent unit-dose; and a fragrance delivery component. The dispenser herein provides excellent fragrance delivery performance.

Detergent unit-doses represent a convenient way of delivering detergent products to an end-user. Indeed, such detergent unit-doses, including tablets and water-soluble capsules comprising solid and/or liquid compositions, can be directly used by an end-user without the inconvenience for the end-user to determine the adequate dosage in grams or milliliters of the detergent. The manufacturer of such detergent unit-doses provide simplified usage instructions, instructing an end-user to dose one, two or a multitude of such detergent unit-doses. Therefore, detergent unit-doses are the preferred detergent forms by a large number of end-users.

Detergent unit-doses may be used in the field of hard surface cleaning, for example, for all purpose cleaners, floor cleaners and lavatory bowl cleaners.

Containers for such detergent unit-doses are well known in the art. Indeed, tablets are frequently packed in carton boxes or plastic tubs. Water-soluble capsules comprising solid and/or liquid compositions may be packed in plastic tubs or pouches. WO 03/047998 describes a plastic pouch for water-soluble capsules.

A known drawback with the currently known containers for such detergent unit-doses, such as carton boxes, plastic tubs, pouches, etc., is their inconvenience for the end-user in dispensing the detergent unit-dose. Indeed, the end-user attempting to use a detergent unit-dose has to open the container and finger one or more of said portions out of the container.

In addition to the convenience drawback associated with current unit-dose containers upon dispensing of the detergent unit-doses, it is desirable that such containers provide fragrance (i.e., perfume and/or deodorant) delivery into the atmosphere or ambiance air of the room wherein such containers are stored and/or used. Indeed, such rooms, including lavatories, bathrooms, kitchens, basements, garages, broom closets and the like, are prone to developing an undesirable or bad smell due to the activities performed therein and/or the soiled hard surfaces found therein and/or other items stored therein. This applies in particular to bathrooms and/or lavatories due to the presence of toilets and urinals in such rooms.

In view of the above, a container for detergent unit-doses that provides a combination of ongoing fragrance (i.e., perfume and/or deodorant) delivery into atmosphere (ambient air of the room wherein said dispenser is used/stored) with a convenient way of dispensing the detergent unit-doses is desired.

The present invention is directed to a dispenser for detergent unit-doses wherein a fragrance (i.e., perfume and/or deodorant) is dispensed continuously into the ambient air and wherein said container provides a convenient means of dispensing the detergent unit-doses.

The dispenser according to the present invention also improves the handling of detergent-unit doses by the end user. Indeed, usually detergent-unit doses are individually packed in a flow-wrap to protect them from moisture or degradation (in particular in the case of tablets). Opening such flow-wraps is often a messy operation, which requires the end user to touch the product. For the dispensers herein, no individual package is needed for each detergent unit-dose, which simplifies the dispensing by the end user of the detergent unit-dose by the end user. Furthermore, due to the use of a dispenser herein, there is no need for the end user to touch the detergent unit-dose whereby direct contact is prevented, which has a beneficial effect on the stability of the detergent unit-dose and the potential for skin irritation caused by the detergent unit-dose is reduced.

The present invention encompasses a dispenser for detergent unit-doses comprising: a) a storage compartment containing at least about one detergent unit-dose; b) a dispensing means for dispensing said detergent unit-dose from said storage compartment; and c) a fragrance delivery component; wherein said fragrance delivery component delivers fragrance independently from said at least one detergent unit-dose and delivers said fragrance into the ambiance over a prolonged period of time.

The present invention further encompasses a process of applying a lavatory bowl cleaning detergent unit-dose into a lavatory bowl wherein said process comprises the step of dispensing said lavatory bowl cleaning detergent unit-dose from the dispenser according to the present invention into said lavatory bowl.

In addition, the present invention further encompasses a process of deodorizing the ambient air in a lavatory wherein said process comprises the step of continuously dispensing a fragrance from the dispenser according to the present invention into the ambient air in a lavatory.

FIG. 1 is a perspective front-side view of a preferred embodiment of the dispenser for detergent unit-doses according to the present invention.