Solid block detergent dispenser

• US 4,426,362 A
• Filed: 09/14/1981
• Issued: 01/17/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Fernholz, Peter J., Larson, Spencer B., Salmonson, Duane L., Copeland, James L., Weick, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sever, Frank
• Application Number:
  US06/301,746
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 137/268, 222/185, 222/67, 128/213 R, 422/263, 422/264, 422/266, 422/274, 422/277
• US Class Current: 422/263
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/44 Devices for adding cleaning agents; Devices for dispensing cleaning agents, rinsing aids or deodorants
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 21/22 using additional holders in conduits, containers or pools for keeping the solid material in place, e.g. supports or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0052 Cast detergent compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/041 Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means

Abstract

A detergent dispenser (20) for efficiently converting one or more solid block detergent compositions into concentrated detergent solutions is disclosed. A housing (12) configured for mounting to a solid surface defines a substantially enclosed inner cavity (30), and access and discharge ports (32) and (34) opening into the inner cavity. Retaining means (40) holds a charge of solid block detergent composition (100-103), which may include a plurality of different and even chemically incompatible detergent composition components, in fixed predetermined position within the inner cavity, exposing at least one broad surface (100a) of the detergent block. Nozzle means (61) projects into the cavity and directs a pressurized liquid spray against substantially the entire exposed detergent surface(s), dissolving a portion thereof, which is collected by the housing (30b) and passes through the discharge port. The nozzle means may be disposed above or below the exposed detergent surface. One embodiment of the retaining means comprises a disposable or rechargable cartridge receptacle member which is removably insertable into the inner cavity through the access port. The cartridge receptacle may include an overlying screen member (50), and may be configured to define a plurality of different receptacles (46, 47). Closure means (44) and safety switching means (70, 72) cooperably prevent hazardous spray from leaving the inner cavity.

Claims

1. A dispenser for safely handling and dispensing solid block detergent compositions, comprising:

(a) a housing configured for fixed mounting to a solid surface, said housing defining a substantially enclosed inner cavity and access and discharge ports opening into said cavity;

(b) detergent containing cartridge means for providing safe operator handling of highly caustic solid block detergents, comprising;

(i) a geometrically shaped solid block of highly caustic detergent;

(ii) means for fixedly containing said detergent block, so as to expose for use at least one broad surface of said block, positioned and dimensioned to enable an operator to readily and safely grasp and move said detergent block in loading and unloading manner without touching said detergent or residue formed therefrom; and

(iii) said detergent block and container means combination being dimensioned for rapid convenient insertion into said inner cavity;

(c) spray-forming nozzle means mounted to extend into said cavity for directing a pressurized fine spray of liquid; and

(d) cartridge positioning means in said housing for accepting said cartridge means inserted through said access port and for releasably holding said inserted cartridge means in fixed predetermined position within said cavity in a manner directly and continuously exposing said broad detergent surface to said nozzle spray sufficiently so that the hydraulic action of said nozzle directed spray safely disolves said detergent block through said exposed detergent surface in uniform controlled manner, forming a concentrated detergent solution for passage through said discharge port.

2. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 1, wherein said cartridge positioning means includes guide means within said housing for guiding said cartridge means received through said access port, to said fixed predetermined position within said cavity.

3. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 2, wherein said cartridge means comprises a receptacle-shaped container configured to retainably hold said volume of solid block detergent composition, and wherein said guide means is configured to cooperatively slidably engage said receptacle-shaped container for guiding said container into said fixed predetermined position within said cavity.

4. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 2, wherein said access port opens into the upper portion of said cavity, and wherein said guide means cooperatively slidably engages said cartridge means received through said access port, such that said guide means slidably directs the lowering of said cartridge means into said fixed predetermined position within said cavity.

5. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing is mounted in operative position to a solid surface, said cartridge positioning means cooperatively engages said cartridge means at said fixed predetermined position, such that said exposed surface of said retainably held detergent composition faces generally in the upward direction.

6. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 5, wherein said exposed detergent surface is generally planar and wherein said cartridge positioning means maintains said exposed surface, measured with respect to a vertical axis, at a predetermined angle ranging between 0 degrees and 90 degrees.

7. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 5, wherein said exposed detergent surface is generally planar, wherein said nozzle means projects said spray generally uniformly about a longitudinal spray axis, and wherein said nozzle means is mounted such that said longitudinal spray axis is generally perpendicular to the general plane of said exposed surface.

8. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 1, wherein said cartridge means comprises a receptacle-shaped container configured to retainably hold said volume of solid block detergent composition.

9. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited om claim 8, wherein said retainably held solid block detergent composition has a peripheral shape substantially the same as that of the receptacle-shaped container.

12. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 8, wherein said receptacle-shaped container comprises a plurality of distinct chambers each suitable for retainably holding and maintaining in fixed position relative thereto a geometrically shaped volume of solid block detergent composition, so as to expose one surface each of said respective volumes of said block detergent composition, and wherein said nozzle means simultaneously directs said pressurized spray at substantially the entire said exposed surfaces of each of said respective volumes of said solid block detergent.

13. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 12, wherein at least two of said plurality of said chambers have separating walls which are contiguous with one another.

14. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 8, wherein said cartridge means further includes a second receptacle-shaped container suitable for retainably holding at least one three-dimension solid block detergent composition comprising a source of available chlorine.

15. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 8, wherein said cartridge means further includes a second receptacle-shaped container suitable for retainably holding at least one three-dimensional solid block detergent composition comprising a defoamer.

16. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 14 or 15, wherein said nozzle means is mounted to further direct said pressurized spray at said retainably held solid block detergent composition within said second receptacle-shaped container.

17. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 14 or 15, wherein when said housing is mounted in operative position to a solid surface, said cartridge positioning means cooperatively engages and maintains said cartridge means at said fixed predetermined position such that said exposed surface of said block detergent composition retainably held by said first recited receptacle-shaped container faces generally in the upward direction and is positioned at a fixed predetermined angle measured with respect to a horizontal axis between 0 and 90 degrees;

and wherein said second recited receptacle-shaped container is operatively disposed at a position relatively lower than that of said first recited receptacle-shaped container.

18. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 8, wherein said cartridge means further includes a second receptacle-shaped container, suitable for retainably holding with respect thereto a second solid volume of block detergent composition;

and wherein said first and said second receptacle-shaped containers are contiguous with one another and are separated by a porous wall member which enables generally unimpeded fluid flow therethrough.

19. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 8, wherein said receptacle-shaped container comprises a removably disposable item.

20. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 8, wherein said receptacle-shaped container includes means for preventing accumulation of liquid within said receptacle-shaped container when said detergent cartridge means is operatively disposed in said fixed predetermined position with respect to said housing.

21. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 20, wherein said liquid accumulation preventing means comprises a wall member defining one retaining side of said receptacle-shaped container, said wall member being configured in cooperation with said receptacle-shaped container such that when said detergent cartridge means is operatively disposed in said fixed predetermined position with respect to said housing, said wall member defines a fluid flow path from the lowermost disposal portion of said receptacle-shaped container.

22. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 1, including closure means cooperatively disposed with respect to said housing for substantially closing said access port to prevent spray therethrough, from said inner cavity.

23. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 22, wherein said cartridge means is configured to cooperatively matingly engage said housing at said access port thereof, such that when said cartridge means is disposed in said fixed predetermined position with respect to said housing, said cartridge means effectively blocks spray through said access port from said inner cavity.

24. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 22, further including valve means cooperatively connected with said spray nozzle means for selectively blocking pressurized fluid flow to said nozzle means in response to received energization commands, and safety switching means cooperatively connected with said valve means for sensing the closure status of said access port and for providing said energization commands to said valve means in response thereto so as to direct said valve means to block fluid flow to said nozzle means whenever said access port is open to said inner cavity.

25. A dispenser for said block detergent as recited in claim 24, wherein said safety switching means comprises means cooperatively disposed to sense the relative position of said cartridge means within said inner cavity for providing said energization commands to said valve means to block fluid flow to said nozzle means whenever said cartridge means is not operatively disposed in said fixed predetermined position within said inner cavity.

10. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in calim 8, wherein at least a portion of said retainably held solid block detergent composition is of the solid cast detergent type, and wherein at least a portion of said receptacle-shaped container comprises a mold which was used to form said solid cast detergent.

11. A dispenser for solid block detergent as recited in claim 10, wherein said mold surrounds and is in contact with said solid cast detergent composition on all surfaces except said exposed surface thereof.