Toilet hygiene apparatus

The present invention concerns hygiene devices for toilets, (or as they may be alternatively called “water closets” or “flush toilets”) and more particularly to hygiene devices for toilet bowls, for example apparatus for dispensing a hygiene substance such as a germicidal and/or cleaning and/or fragrant material into the bowl with each flush. Such apparatus may include toilet cages or “baskets” for holding solid hygiene substances. Other versions may include containers containing liquid or gel wherein the apparatus dispenses the liquid or gel hygiene substance into the bowl with each toilet flush.

Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form part of the common general knowledge.

Conventional rimmed toilets typically include a bowl with a lower drain outlet and a rim around an upper end of the bowl which overhangs the remainder of the bowl. Flush water is directed from a cistern into the overhanging rim and the flush water progresses around the inside of the rim and falls downward into the bowl.

In recent years rimless toilets have developed as an alternative to conventional rimmed toilets. One reason for this is that it is believed that the interaction of the flush water with the overhanging rim of a conventional rimmed toilet tends to cause the flush water to lose energy so that more water must be used than might otherwise be the case for flushing and cleaning. Another reason is that it is impractical to clean under the rim of a rimmed toilet.

It is known to provide toilet hygiene apparatus that includes a basket or cage containing a hygiene substance and a clip which extends from the basket and attaches to the top of the bowl. Upon flushing the toilet water flows out through the rim and down the sides of the bowl and in so doing passes through the hygiene apparatus and contacts the hygiene substance within so that a cleaning and/or disinfecting solution is released from the hygiene apparatus and flows down the sides of the bowl.

Bowl attachment hygiene apparatus, such as those previously mentioned, are sold in high volumes in many countries. Accordingly, a consideration that their use raises is that of the amount of plastic waste that they produce once exhausted.

Various approaches have been taken to reducing the amount of waste associated with bowl attachment hygiene apparatus. For example, extending the number of flushes over which the apparatus can be used reduces the ratio of amount of waste to number of flushes, which is desirable. One way of extending the number of flushes is to provide an apparatus that can be replenished with a block of the hygiene substance. For example, it may be possible to open the basket and insert a replacement block as needed. However, users may not wish to perform such regular replacement for hygiene and labour reasons. Another way of extending the number of flushes is to make a block of hygiene substance that has a reduced water solubility so that it diminishes more slowly over each flush. However, reducing water solubility may cause less fragrance and hygiene agents to be dispensed so that the product may then become less effective.

Another approach to reducing the amount of waste is to devise a holder that uses less plastic. For example, the bowl attachment apparatus may be made with less plastic, as described in international patent publication WO 2020/236003 by Oskar Anthoni de Waal. The apparatus described in that patent application uses an adhesive tape, rather than a clip, to attach the holder of the hygiene substance to the top of the bowl. The holder is ring shaped and is said to comprise one or more chambers that may be at least defined by a bottom and one or more sidewalls.

Other prior art that is of general relevance to toilet hygiene products includes:

Whilst the apparatus that are described in prior art documents, such as WO 2020/236003, may address the problem of undue plastic waste, nevertheless it would be desirable if a further improved solution could be provided that is able to withstand numerous flushes and which can be fabricated with a relatively small volume of plastic.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a toilet bowl hygiene apparatus comprising:

In an embodiment the edge of the upwardly extending blade has an angle of 40 to 50 degrees.

In an embodiment the at least one engagement member includes a downwardly extending blade.

In an embodiment the edge of the downwardly extending blade has an angle of 20 to 80 degrees.

In an embodiment the edge of the downwardly extending blade has an angle of 40 to 50 degrees.

In an embodiment the at least one engagement member includes an elongate convex portion wherein the upwardly extending blade extends upwardly from the elongate convex portion and wherein the downwardly extending blade extends downwardly from the elongate convex portion.

In an embodiment the toilet bowl hygiene apparatus includes a second engagement member coupled to or integrally formed with the support member and extending into and/or through the body of hygiene substance, wherein the second engagement member is spaced from the first engagement member for preventing rotation and associated wearing of the body of hygiene substance about either the first engagement member or the second engagement member.

In an embodiment an adhesive tape extends from the support member for attachment to a toilet bowl at a point above the body of hygiene substance.

In an embodiment the toilet bowl hygiene apparatus includes a water diversion portion coupled to or integrally formed with the support member and locatable between a source of flush water and body of hygiene substance, for preventing flush water impacting directly upon a portion of the body of hygiene substance.

In an embodiment the body of hygiene substance includes a rear side and a front side wherein the support member includes a rear side portion that extends down the rear side.

In an embodiment the rear side portion includes a trapezoidal portion with sides that diverge downwardly.

In an embodiment a base of the trapezoidal portion is continuous with a semicircular portion.

In an embodiment a longitudinal reinforcement rib extends down a rear side of the support member.

In an embodiment a transverse reinforcement rib extends across a lower end of the trapezoidal portion.

In an embodiment the at least one engagement member extends from a front side of the support member.

In an embodiment the at least one engagement member extends through the body of hygiene substance.

In an embodiment a fastener is attached to a remote end of the at least one engagement member for retaining the body of hygiene substance thereon.

In an embodiment the first engagement member extends from a front side of the support member adjacent an intersection of the longitudinal reinforcement rib and the transverse reinforcement rib.

In an embodiment the second engagement member extends from the front side of the rear side portion of the support member, adjacent a point on the longitudinal reinforcement rib.

In an embodiment the support member includes a forwardly extending portion that extends from the rear side portion over a top side portion of the body of hygiene substance.

In an embodiment the support member includes an upwardly extending portion that extends upwardly from the forwardly extending portion.

In an embodiment the adhesive tape is coupled to an upper end of the upwardly extending portion.

In an embodiment the forwardly extending portion is serpentine in side profile.

In an embodiment the upwardly extending portion extends upwardly and forwardly from the forwardly extending portion.

In an embodiment, opposed sides of the upwardly extending portion diverge upwardly and outwardly to tape engagement formations.

Referring now to the Figures, a toilet bowl hygiene apparatus, according to a preferred embodiment is illustrated. In overview, the toilet bowl hygiene apparatusis comprised of number of parts or portions, being a body of hygiene substance, a support member, at least one engagement member, and an adhesive tapeextending from the support memberfor attachment to a toilet bowl at a point above the body of hygiene substance.

The at least one engagement memberis coupled to, or integrally formed with, the support memberand extends from the support memberinto and/or through the body of hygiene substance.

In the presently described exemplary embodiment the at least one engagement memberincludes an upwardly extending blade portionand a downwardly extending blade portion

The at least one engagement memberalso includes an elongate convex portionwherein the upwardly extending bladeextends upwardly from the elongate convex portion and the downwardly extending bladeextends downwardly therefrom. As will be explained, the preferred shape of the at least one engagement memberhas been found to assist in keeping the body of hygiene substance located about the at least one engagement memberin the face of a large number of flush cycles.

With reference to, which is a cross sectional view along the line A-A′ of, the edge of the upwardly extending bladepreferably describes an angle θ of 20 to 80 degrees, or even more preferably of 40 to 50 degrees. Inθ is 45 degrees.

The edge of the downwardly extending bladepreferably describes an angle α of 20 to 80 degrees or even more preferably of 40 to 50 degrees. Inα is 45 degrees. It will be realized that θ and α, whilst being the same in the embodiment of, may be non-equal in other embodiments.

Furthermore, whilst it is preferred that the at least one elongate memberhas upwardly extending and downwardly extending blade portions,, in other embodiments the elongate member may not have such blade portions and may be cylindrical () or an extruded oval () or an extruded ellipse () or other elongate shape.

The adhesive tapeis typically provided with its adhesive side against a release liner(shown only in), from which a user can easily detach the adhesive tapeprior to use. The adhesive tapeterminates in an enlarged handle portion(shown only in) which does not have an adhesive side for ease of handling.

In an embodiment the toilet bowl hygiene apparatus includes a second engagement member, best seen incoupled to or integrally formed with the support memberand extending into and/or through the body of hygiene substance, wherein the second engagement memberis spaced from the first engagement member by a distance “d” for preventing rotation of the body of hygiene substance about either the first engagement memberor the second engagement memberand associated wearing of the body of hygiene substance about either member.

In an embodiment a fasteneris attached to a remote end of the at least one engagement memberfor retaining the body of hygiene substancethereon. The fasteneris disk-shaped in the presently described embodiment, though other shapes might also be used.

The toilet bowl hygiene apparatusmay include a water diversion portion(), which is coupled to or integrally formed with the support memberand locatable between a source of flush water, for example a rim of a toilet bowl, and the body of hygiene substance. Whilst not essential, the water diversion portionmay assist to reduce flush water impacting directly upon an upper portionof the body of hygiene substanceand thus dissolving portions of the body of hygiene substance above the first and second elongate membersand, so that the body of hygiene substance might fall from the first and second elongate members.

In an embodiment the body of hygiene substanceincludes a rear side() and a front side() wherein the support memberincludes a rear-side portionthat extends down the rear sideof the body of hygiene substance.

In an embodiment the rear-side portionincludes a trapezoidal portion(identified in) with sides,, that diverge downwardly.

A baseof the trapezoidal portionis continuous with a semicircular portion.

Reinforcement ribs are integrally formed with the support member so that it includes a longitudinal reinforcement rib, which extends down a rear surface(indicated inand) of the rear-side portionof the support memberand a transverse reinforcement rib, that extends across a lower end of the trapezoidal portion.