CLEANING AGENT CONTAINER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cleaning agent container.

[0002] For example, cleaning agent containers for holding toilet cleaning fluids are known from the prior art. They have a nozzle at their distal end through which the cleaning agent can be applied to the inside of a toilet bowl when a user exerts pressure on the cleaning agent container. The aim is to distribute the cleaning fluid as evenly as possible over the entire surface of the toilet bowl, ensuring that no area is missed. To ensure that no area is missed, it is necessary to wet some sections with the cleaning fluid several times to ensure that the cleaning fluid reaches the entire surface. This may result in other areas of the surface being wetted twice or with too much cleaning fluid, resulting in wastage of cleaning fluid.

[0003] From GB 1 445 392 A, a pouring adapter for a liquid container is known, comprising a central portion for securing the adapter over an outlet opening of the container, an upper portion terminating in an outwardly directed lip, and a lower portion extending from the central portion into the container and having a plurality of window-like dispensing openings. The lower portion has a bottom wall and a splash guard with a plurality of tabs spaced circumferentially to define openings between adjacent tabs and extending below the bottom wall away from the latter. Further liquid containers with a pouring adapter are disclosed in WO 02 / 42174 A1 and WO 2007 / 087895 A1.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a cleaning agent container for dispensing a cleaning liquid which allows a uniform application of the cleaning liquid to a surface.

[0005] The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.

[0006] The cleaning agent container according to the invention has a nozzle with multiple dispensing openings. The nozzle has a cone in its radial center directed into the interior of the cleaning agent container, on the circumference of which cone several vanes are attached, each spaced from one another in the circumferential direction. The vanes can also be attached to a cylindrical base that borders the base of the cone. The cone serves to direct the cleaning agent towards the vanes. If, for example, the cleaning agent container is compressed, the cleaning agent is conveyed towards the cone and guided by the cone into the dispensing openings between the vanes. The cone offers the advantage over a cylinder ending horizontally at its bottom in that in such a design the cleaning agent would hit the lower edge of the cylinder, causing undesirable turbulence.This can be prevented by the cone.

[0007] The distance between two adjacent blades creates a triangular discharge opening that widens radially outward and has straight or curved sides. In other words, it doesn't have to be a triangle with straight sides; the sides can also be curved, so the triangle can, for example, be roughly shaped like a shark's fin.

[0008] Starting from the central cone, the blades are arranged in a radially outward sloping manner. Thus, their radially inner ends are connected to the cone at a point that is further outward in the axial direction than the radially distal ends of the blades.

[0009] Furthermore, the blades are arranged sloping in the circumferential direction. In other words, they do not run parallel to a plane running in the radial direction, but at an angle to the radial direction, i.e., obliquely to it. This creates the effect that a cleaning fluid discharged under pressure from the discharge openings does not exit them in the axial direction, but obliquely to the axial direction, i.e., at an angle to it and in a flattened shape. "Flattened shape" here means that a fluid jet is discharged from each discharge opening with a flat cross-section, i.e., with a significantly greater width than height.

[0010] It is preferred that the blades are arranged in the circumferential direction at an angle of 20 - 70 degrees to a plane running in the radial direction.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferred that the cone has a cylindrical base on its base surface, to the circumference of which the blades are attached.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferred that the cylindrical base extends axially outward beyond the blades. This prevents the individual jets of escaping cleaning agent from quickly reuniting after exiting.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferred that the blades are surrounded in the radial direction by a cylindrical border which extends axially beyond the blades. This prevents uncontrolled distribution of the individual jets in all directions. The width of the spray jet can be regulated by the cylindrical border. The smaller the excess, the more lateral splashing occurs. The greater the excess, the more the individual jets tend to merge into a single, strong jet. Tests by the applicant have shown that it is advantageous if the cylindrical border extends between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm beyond the blade. At values ​​below 0.5 mm, uncontrolled splashing of the liquid in all directions occurs. At values ​​above 2.5 mm,At a diameter of 5 mm, the dispensed liquid flows together into a single stream, so the inventive effect of uniform application of the cleaning agent cannot be achieved. Particularly preferably, the cylindrical border extends between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm axially beyond the blades. The applicant's tests have shown that the best possible even distribution of the cleaning agent on the surface to be cleaned can be achieved within this size range.

[0014] In this embodiment, it is preferred that the diameter of the cylindrical border is between 6 mm and 8 mm, and preferably 7 mm. The distance between the cylindrical border and the cylindrical base 20 is preferably 2.4 to 2.6 mm, particularly preferably 2.5 mm. The diameter of the cylindrical base 20 is preferably 1.9 to 2.1 mm, particularly preferably 2 mm.

[0015] The cleaning container according to the invention can, for example, have an opening onto which a nozzle element is screwed, with the nozzle attached to its distal end. This nozzle element, in turn, can be closed by a separate cap that is screwed onto it. Further details are explained in connection with the figures.

[0016] Tests conducted by the applicant have shown that cleaning agents with a very wide range of different viscosities can be used to achieve the desired effect of the invention. The tests have shown that at a lower viscosity limit of 12 mPa.s, the desired effect can no longer be achieved because the viscosity is too low and the product spreads uncontrollably. At a viscosity of 4000 mPa.s, the cleaning agent is so viscous that the desired effect cannot be achieved either. The viscosity was measured with a Brookfield DV-II-Pro rotational viscometer using a temperature-controlled adapter. The viscosity was measured at a sample temperature of 20°C.

[0017] The features of the invention achieve the effect of flattening the cleaning agent jet. Furthermore, it ensures that the jet is dispensed at an angle from each dispensing opening, thus preventing it from exiting the nozzle in an axial direction and impinging on the surface to be treated at an angle. This results in the cleaning agent being applied evenly in a thin layer to the surface to be treated, such as a toilet bowl, thus preventing waste of cleaning agents.

[0018] A key feature of the invention is that the nozzle of the cleaning agent container according to the invention allows individual jets to emerge from the openings between the nozzle blades, which are connected to each other via thin membranes. These membranes ensure that, for example, the inside of a toilet bowl, which is to be wetted with a cleaning agent from the cleaning agent container according to the invention, is completely wetted with a thin film. This is made possible by the fact that the membranes connecting the individual jets wet the entire surface to be wetted, while simultaneously reducing the amount of cleaning agent required.

[0019] Preferred embodiments are explained below with reference to figures.

[0020] They show: Figure 1 a top view of an embodiment of a nozzle element according to the invention Figure 2A a bottom view of an embodiment of a nozzle element according to the invention Figure 2B an enlarged view of the edge region of the nozzle element Figure 3 a side view of an embodiment of a nozzle element according to the invention Figure 4 a sectional view of an embodiment of a nozzle element according to the invention Figure 5 a perspective view of an embodiment of a nozzle element according to the invention Figure 6 a sectional view of an embodiment of the nozzle according to the invention

[0021] In Figure 1A possible embodiment of the nozzle element 11 according to the invention is shown from above. The nozzle element is circular when viewed from above, with the nozzle 12 located at the center of the circle. In the center of the nozzle, viewed in the radial direction, is the cone 16, which, however, is arranged on the underside, ie the side of the blades facing the inside of the bottle. As shown in Figure 6 visible, this extends axially downwards into the interior of the cleaning agent container 10 and tapers in this direction.

[0022] As further stated in Figure 6 As can be seen, the cone 16 has a cylindrical base 20 adjacent to its base surface g, which extends upwards or outwards in the axial direction a beyond the blades 18a to 18e.

[0023] Continue in Figure 6Visible is a cylindrical border 22 that surrounds the blades 18a to 18e in the radial direction r. This also extends beyond the blades 18a to 18e in the axial direction a.

[0024] The blades do not run circumferentially parallel to a plane extending radially, but rather at an angle of 20° to 70° to it. This creates a swirling or rotation of the cleaning agent, which is discharged through the discharge openings 14a to 14e.

[0025] These output openings 14a to 14e are in the Figure 1 and 2 visible. They are formed by the distance between two adjacent blades 18a, 18b.

[0026] As in Figure 6Also visible are the blades 18a to 18e, which are attached to the lower end of the cylindrical perimeter 22, or rather, in an area where it already widens in the radial direction. Each blade 18a to 18e is connected to the cylindrical base 20 of the cone 16 in the center of the nozzle, so that the cone 16 is held by the blades 18a to 18e.

[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, five vanes 18a to 18e and five discharge openings 14a to 14e are provided. In principle, the nozzle can also have more or fewer discharge openings and vanes.

[0028] Furthermore, the blades 18a to 18e, viewed in the radial direction r, form an angle with a plane extending in the radial direction. This angle can also be between 20° and 70°. In a specific embodiment, the angle can be, for example, 27 degrees.

[0029] On its underside, the nozzle element 11 has a thread 24 with which it can be screwed onto the dispensing opening of a cleaning agent container. This can be, for example, a bottle containing cleaning agent.

Claims

1. A detergent container, comprising a nozzle (12) having several output openings (14a-14e), the nozzle (12) comprising a cone (16) in the radial direction (r) in its center directed into the inside of the detergent container (10), on the circumference or on the basis of which several blades (18a-18e) are circumferentially attached, which are each spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction (u), wherein an output opening (14b) in the form of a triangle is formed by the distance between two adjacent blades (18a, 18b), which widens outwards in the radial direction (r) and the sides of which are straight or bent, wherein the blades (18a-18e) are arranged to slope downwards from the central cone (16) in their radial shape outwards in an axial direction (a), and wherein the blades (18a-18e) are arranged to slope downwards in the circumferential direction (u) so that a detergent liquid that is discharged from the outlet openings (14a-14e) under pressure does not leave the openings in the axial direction (a) but obliquely to the axial direction (a) and in a flattened form.

2. The detergent container according to claim 1, characterized in that the blades (18a-18e) are arranged in the circumferential direction at an angle of 20-70 degrees to a plane extending in the radial direction (r).

3. The detergent container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cone (16) has a cylindrical base (20) on its base area (g), on the circumference of which the blades (18a-18e) are attached.

4. The detergent container according to claim 3, characterized in that the cylindrical base (20) extends outwards in the axial direction (a) beyond the blade (18a-18e).

5. The detergent container according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the blades (18a-18e) are surrounded in the radial direction (r) by a cylindrical border (22) extending in the axial direction (a) beyond the blades (18a-18e).