SPRAYING DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a spraying device for spraying an enclosure with a liquid cleanser. The device comprises a metering system communicating with a reservoir and a spray head containing a vibrating mesh spray actuator. The metering system comprises a metering chamber, a weir member and a conduit means. The device is rotatable between a first recharging orientation and a second dispensing orientation. The conduit means comprises an element selected from a check valve and a channel. In particular, the invention relates to a spraying device which is suited for automatically cleaning a toilet bowl. The invention also relates to a cartridge configured to be received by the spraying device. Furthermore the invention relates to a method for spraying an enclosure comprising a rotatable lid with a liquid cleanser.

Claims

1. A spraying device for spraying an enclosure with a liquid cleanser, wherein the device comprises a reservoir for containing the liquid cleanser or is adapted for receiving a detachable cartridge comprising a reservoir for containing the liquid cleanser, and wherein the device further comprises (a) a metering system comprising a metering chamber, a weir member, and a conduit means, (b) a spray head containing a vibrating mesh spray actuator, and (c) an electronic control circuit for controlling the spray actuator; (d) whereby the metering chamber comprises an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and whereby the weir member is located between the reservoir and the metering chamber and the device is rotatable between a first recharging orientation and a second dispensing orientation; (e) and whereby in the recharging orientation, the metering chamber is located below the reservoir and is in fluid communication therewith via the inlet opening; (f) and whereby in the dispensing orientation: (i) the weir member extends upward from a lower wall of the reservoir and the metering inlet opening is located above the weir member, (ii) the metering chamber is in fluid communication with the vibrating mesh spray actuator via the metering outlet opening and the conduit means, and (iii) the spray head is located below the metering chamber and is adapted for spraying in downward direction; (g) whereby the conduit means comprises a channel, whereby the channel communicates with the metering chamber via a channel inlet opening and communicates with the spray head via a channel outlet opening and whereby, when the device is in the recharging orientation, the channel extends in an upward direction from the metering chamber and the spray head is located above and away from the metering chamber; wherein the device comprises at least one air inlet; and wherein the at least one air inlet is configured to allow equilibration of air pressure inside the device and air pressure outside the device.

2. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the volume of the channel is smaller than the volume of liquid that is dispensable by the vibrating mesh spray actuator within a time that is smaller than or equal to the maximum safe dry-run time of said vibrating mesh spray actuator.

3. The spraying device according to claim 1 wherein the volume of the metering chamber is between 0.1 and 5 millilitre.

4. The spraying device according to claim 1 wherein the electronic control circuit is equipped with a tilt sensor.

5. The spraying device according to claim 1 wherein the principal plane of the mesh of the vibrating mesh spray actuator is at an angle of between 5 and 15 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane when the device is in the dispensing orientation.

6. The spraying device for spraying an enclosure with a liquid cleanser according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure is a toilet bowl.

7. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the device is attachable to a rotatable surface.

8. The spraying device of claim 1, wherein the at least one air inlet is selected from the group consisting of a vent or a check valve.

9. A method for spraying an enclosure comprising a rotatable surface with a liquid cleanser, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a spraying device according to claim 1, whereby the reservoir is charged with a cleansing liquid; (b) attaching the spraying device to a rotatable surface; (c) adjusting the spraying device to its recharging orientation, thereby filling the metering chamber with a dose of the liquid cleanser; (d) adjusting the spraying device to its dispensing orientation; (e) dispensing the dose of liquid cleanser via the vibrating membrane spray actuator; and (f) optionally repeating the steps (c) to (e).

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a dose of a liquid cleanser is sprayed to an enclosure which is a toilet bowl.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0145] Further preferred details of the invention will become clear from the non-limiting examples provided by the figures.

[0146] FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a schematic representation of a first preferred embodiment of the spraying device of the present invention in the recharging orientation. In typical use, this would correspond to the device being connected to the bottom side of a toilet lid, whereby the lid is opened. The device comprises a reservoir 1, which contains an amount of cleanser liquid. In the recharging orientation, the metering system 2 is located below the reservoir 1 and communicates with the reservoir 1 via the inlet opening 9. Therefore the metering chamber 3 is also filled with liquid.

[0147] The metering chamber 3 in turn communicates with the conduit means 5 via the outlet opening 10. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the conduit means 5 comprises a check valve 12. The valve is only shown schematically as a housing comprising a movable closing member 14. The position of the movable closing member 14 as depicted in FIG. 1 corresponds to a closed valve, which blocks the flow of fluid from the outlet opening 10 into the intermediate chamber 15. Thus, FIG. 1 shows how the metering chamber 3 is filled with liquid in the recharging orientation of the device. At the same time, the check valve 12 being closed ensures that the fluid does not reach the spray head 6. Thus, prolonged contact between the liquid and the vibrating mesh spray actuator 7 is prevented as long as the device is in the recharging orientation.

[0148] In typical use conditions, the device of FIG. 1 can be brought into the dispensing orientation by closing the toilet lid. The dispensing orientation is shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the features of the device in FIG. 1 are also present in FIG. 2, albeit in a different orientation. In the orientation of FIG. 2, the metering system 2 is now placed adjacent to the reservoir 1. The metering chamber 3 is depicted comprising an amount of cleanser 19, signifying that the cross section represents the device approximately at the onset of the dispensing action. In contrast to the situation of FIG. 1, the weir member 4 now separates the cleanser liquid 19 in the metering chamber 3 from the cleanser liquid 18 in the reservoir 1 and there is no liquid communication between the reservoir 1 and the metering chamber, because the inlet opening 9 of the metering chamber which is above the weir member 4 is thereby also above the levels of the liquids 18 and 19. The weir member 4 is shown to extend vertically from the lower wall 11 of the reservoir. It should be noted that the lower wall 11 only is the lower wall when the device is in the dispensing orientation.

[0149] In this orientation, the check valve 12 is now open, as depicted by the changed position of movable member 14. Hence, liquid communication is now possible between the metering chamber 3 and the spray head 6, via the intermediate chamber 15 and the spray head inlet opening 16. Thus, the mesh of the vibrating mesh spray actuator 7 is now contacted with the liquid. When the actuator 7 is actuated, i.e. the mesh is suitably vibrated by the electronic control circuit (not shown), the liquid will be atomised and expelled via the orifices 17 of the mesh. The orientation of the mesh ensures a predominantly downward projection of the expelled droplets of liquid.

[0150] After dispensing of the liquid, the lid is likely to stay in the closed position, but by accurate timing of the mesh actuation, no liquid will stay on the mesh. When a subsequent prospective user of the toilet opens the lid, he will thereby bring the spraying device back into the recharging orientation of FIG. 1, preparing the device for a next actuation.

[0151] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the spraying device of the present invention. This is an embodiment according to the second alternative, wherein the conduit means comprises a channel.

[0152] In FIG. 3, the device is shown in the recharging orientation. The device comprises a reservoir 1 containing an amount of cleanser liquid. In the recharging orientation, the metering system 2 is located below the reservoir 1 and communicates with the reservoir 1 via the inlet opening 9. Therefore the metering chamber 3 is also filled with liquid.

[0153] The metering chamber 3 in turn communicates with the conduit means 5 via the outlet opening 10. In this particular embodiment, the conduit means 5 comprises a channel 13. It can be seen in FIG. 3 that in the recharging orientation, the channel 13 extends in an upward direction from the metering chamber 3. In this case, the outlet opening 10 of the metering chamber also functions as the inlet opening of the channel 13.

[0154] The spray head 6 is located above and away from the metering chamber 3 and is connected to the channel 13 via the spray head inlet opening 16 which also serves as the channel outlet opening. The location of the spray head ensures that when the device is in the recharging orientation, the liquid contained in the device (whether in the reservoir 1, the metering chamber 2 or the channel 13) does not reach the spray head. Thus, prolonged contact between the liquid and the vibrating mesh spray actuator 7 is prevented as long as the device is in the recharging orientation.

[0155] When during typical use the device is rotated into the dispensing orientation, the device according to this embodiment as shown in FIG. 4 functions in a similar way as the device of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. That is, the metering chamber 3 now is in fluid contact with the spray head 7 via the conduit means 5 (here formed by the channel 13). At same time, the fluid 18 contained in the reservoir 1 is no longer in communication with the fluid 19 in the metering chamber 3 by virtue of the weir member 4 which extends upwardly from the lower wall 11 of the reservoir 1.

[0156] Again, the lower wall 11 refers to the wall that is the lower wall in the dispensing orientation. The actuation by the electronic control circuit and the repeatability of the operation of the device according to this embodiment are similar to that of the above embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 as will be understood by the person skilled in the art.

[0157] FIGS. 5 and 6 show another illustrative embodiment of the device according to the invention, in its recharging and dispensing orientation respectively. Like the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, this embodiment also involves a conduit means 5 comprising a check valve 12. The embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 therefore functions by virtue of the same principles as that of FIGS. 1 and 2, but this embodiment demonstrates the benefits of a number of independent preferred features.

[0158] The embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 incorporates a housing 2 and a detachable cartridge 22 comprising the reservoir 1. The cartridge 22 also is an embodiment of the cartridge according to the second aspect of the invention. The housing 2 comprises the metering system (including the metering chamber 3), the conduit means 5 and the spray head 6. It also comprises an electronic control circuit 8, a tilt sensor 20 and a power source (e.g. a battery) 21. Electric connections (not shown) are established between the power source 21, the tilt sensor 20, the control circuit 8 and the piezoelectric element of the vibrating mesh spray actuator 7.

[0159] The housing 2 also is equipped with a connection means 27 suitable for fastening the device to a toilet lid 28.

[0160] The reservoir 1 again serves to store an amount of cleanser liquid. The cartridge 22 is detachable, so it can be replaced by a full cartridge, for example after all the cleanser in the original cartridge has been consumed. The cartridge 22 and the housing 2 are mutually compatible so that the cartridge can be connected to the housing such that the cleanser liquid can flow from the reservoir 1 into the metering chamber 3 when the device is in the recharging orientation. It is highly preferred that this liquid connection is leak-free. Therefore, as an example the outlet opening 23 of the cartridge 22 is equipped with a sealing plug 24, which blocks the opening 23 before the cartridge 1 is connected to the housing of the device. The receiving opening of the housing 2 is equipped with a pin 25 which pushes back the sealing plug 24 upon attachment of the cartridge 22 to the housing 2, thereby opening up the cartridge. When the cartridge is in place, the sealing ring 26 ensures a leak-free connection between the reservoir 1 and the metering system.

[0161] When the device is in the recharging orientation as depicted in FIG. 5, the cleanser liquid from the reservoir 1 also fills the metering chamber 3. Like in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the check valve 12 is closed by the closing member 14.

[0162] When the device is rotated into the dispensing orientation, the liquid 18 in the reservoir 1 is separated from the liquid 19 in the metering chamber 3. In this particular embodiment, the weir member 4 is constituted by a portion of the cartridge wall that extends upwardly between the lower wall 11 and the outlet opening 23 of the cartridge 22 in combination with the upward oriented wall of the metering chamber 3 below the inlet opening 9. In the dispensing orientation, the liquid 19 in the metering chamber can flow to the spray head 6 via the check valve 12, the intermediate chamber 15 and the spray head inlet opening 16 and be dispensed from by the vibrating mesh spray actuator 7 in the same manner as described for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0163] FIG. 6 shows that the mesh of the vibrating mesh spray actuator 7 is positioned under an angle with respect to the horizontal plane when in the dispensing orientation. Preferably, this angle is between 3 and 20, more preferably between 5 and 15 as explained above. By virtue of this angle, any liquid that would undesirably remain in contact with the mesh after actuation of the vibrating mesh spray actuator 7 would be assisted in flowing to the side and off the mesh.

[0164] FIGS. 7 and 8 show yet another illustrative embodiment of the device according to the invention, in its recharging and dispensing orientation, respectively. Like the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, this embodiment also involves a conduit means 5 comprising a channel 13. The embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 therefore functions by virtue of the same features and principles as that of FIGS. 3 and 4. In addition to the features presented in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the present embodiment also comprises an air passage 29, having a passage inlet opening 30 and a passage outlet opening 31. The passage inlet opening 30 opens into the channel 13 close to the spray head inlet opening 16, and the passage outlet opening 31 opens into the reservoir 1. FIG. 7 shows how the placement of the air passage 29 close to the spray head inlet opening 16 ensures that it is located above the fluid level in the reservoir such that the liquid in the reservoir cannot reach the spray head via the air passage when the device is in the recharging orientation. FIG. 8 shows that when the device is in the dispensing orientation, the air passage 29 extends upward from the channel 13, and thus the vent outlet opening 31 opens into the reservoir 1 above and away from the lowest point of the reservoir. This configuration ensures that the liquid 18 in the reservoir 1 is separated from the liquid 19 in the metering chamber 3 and in the channel 13 despite the presence of the air passage 29. When the vibrating mesh spray actuator 7 is activated by the electronic control circuit as described above, the fluid in the spray head 6 will be atomised and expelled, whilst at the same time any air entering the spray head 6 (typically in the form of small air bubbles) can escape to the reservoir 1 via the air channel 30. Advantageously, the configuration of this embodiment makes any additional air vents, in particular air vents allowing air flow between the reservoir 1 or the metering chamber 3 and the outside of the device unnecessary.

[0165] If the device comprises an air passage 29 as described, it is preferred that the device is configured such that when it is in the dispensing orientation, the lowest point of the outlet opening 31 of the air vent 29 is lower than the lowest point of the inlet opening 9 of the metering chamber 3. This configuration provides the additional advantage that upon rotation of the spraying device from the recharging to the dispensing orientation, the metering system would always be filled with the same amount of liquid regardless of amount left in the reservoir, because during rotation the air vent and the metering chamber communicate. Thus, during rotation the weir startsat a certain angle of rotationto separate the liquid in the reservoir from that in the metering chamber, while at the same time the channel 13 is increasingly being filled. If the rotation is carried out somewhat fast the liquid in the metering chamber will be at a slightly higher level than the height of the outlet 31 by the time the device is in the dispensing orientation. However, some liquid will then flow via the channel 13 and the air vent 29 until the fluid in the metering chamber is at the same level as the outlet opening 31.