Container for a toilet basket

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an environmentally friendly container with openings for storing cleaning agents for toilet baskets, the manufacturing method and such a container for toilet baskets with cleaning agent and the packaging.

[0002] Most of the known bar-shaped cleaning agents are so-called "rim blocks," which are attached to the rim of the toilet in basket- or cage-like containers with a hook-shaped hanging device, the so-called toilet baskets. The containers have inlet and outlet openings for the flushing water. The flushing water overflows the agent contained in the container with each flush. As a result, a small portion of the cleaning agent is dissolved with each flush, releasing surfactants, fragrances, etc., which then achieves the desired cleaning of the toilet bowl and sump and the desired fragrance.

[0003] Generally, cleaning products contain fragrances and are colored for a visually appealing appearance.

[0004] There are a variety of different toilet baskets available today. Many toilet baskets feature two halves with inlet and outlet openings, connected by a hinge, allowing the basket to be opened and closed and refilled after the toilet cleaner has been used up.

[0005] There are also refillable baskets that have an opening that is open at the top or to the side, through which new bar-shaped toilet cleaners can be pushed into the basket after use.

[0006] There are also disposable baskets that are discarded after the cleaning agent has been used up. Among the disposable baskets, there are also toilet baskets in which the bar-shaped cleaning agent is enclosed in the basket during production. Such a basket is disposed of as a whole after emptying.

[0007] In one variant of such disposable baskets, the containers are bowl-shaped, and the cleaning agent is poured into the bowl-shaped container during manufacturing, for example, as a melt, and then solidifies. After emptying, the empty container and, if applicable, the attached hanging device are discarded.

[0008] The toilet baskets are generally offered together with the cleaning products in a blister pack. The blister pack not only secures the toilet basket and cleaning product to the blister pack, but also prevents the fragrance from the cleaning product from evaporating.

[0009] Toilet bowls, which generally have openings for the inlet and outlet of flush water, are often manufactured using injection molding. These injection-molded bowls are dimensionally stable and visually appealing and can be produced in a variety of shapes. However, the manufacturing process is quite complex; a relatively large amount of plastic is used to produce such a bowl, and each time the shape of the bowl is changed, a new injection mold must be created, which is expensive.

[0010] EP 3 121 342 A1 discloses a container for a toilet cleaning agent, comprising two shell halves connected by a hinge. One shell half has one or more half-shells for holding cleaning agent and no perforations. The other shell half has recesses with perforations on the side opposite the half-shells, through which the flushing water can reach the surface of the agent contained in the bowls and dissolve it. The perforations are located in a flat surface of the recess in the other shell half.

[0011] When closed, each half-shell and the recess with the opening form a chamber for holding the cleaning agent. This container is clamped to the rim of the toilet bowl.

[0012] The design of the container allows it to be manufactured from a film by thermoforming and punching, so that such containers can be manufactured easily and with little material expenditure and thus cost-effectively.

[0013] Since the cleaning agent is held in the closed half-shell of this container and the water only reaches the cleaning agent through the passage of the rinsing water through the openings in the recesses on the opposite side, cleaning agents do not rinse off sufficiently well in such a container.

[0014] Due to the design, it can also happen that rinsing water remains in the container and the active ingredient cannot develop properly.

[0015] EP 3 214 232 A1 also teaches a toilet bowl that can be manufactured by thermoforming and stamping. To ensure the flushing water outlet, this toilet bowl has a gap in the lower area between the first and second bowl halves in the operating position, through which the flushing water can escape from the bowl.

[0016] WO 2018 / 009336 A1 discloses a toilet basket comprising a hanging device with a detachable locking element and a blister-like cassette with a corresponding locking element, allowing the cassette to be connected to the hanging device and, after emptying, removed from the hanging device and replaced with a new cassette. The cassette comprises a tray and a cover, and the tray contains the cleaning agent, which may be cast into the tray. For use, the cover is removed from the tray, and the hanging device, with the cleaning agent in the tray, is hung in the toilet bowl. The tray is closed except for the large inlet opening and is manufactured by thermoforming.

[0017] This replaceable cassette toilet basket is hygienic and environmentally friendly, as it allows for reuse of the hanging system and eliminates the potentially contaminated cleaning agent container. The eco-friendliness and low production costs are further enhanced by the fact that the tray is made from a film using thermoforming, which is cost-effective and saves a significant amount of plastic compared to injection molding.

[0018] However, the disadvantage of this toilet basket is that the detergent does not rinse off sufficiently well.

[0019] EP 3 263 785A1 discloses a method for filling a container with a sanitary agent. First, a container body having slits for holding gel-like sanitary agents is provided. A water-soluble material is then placed over the slits in the container to cover the slits. The gel-like sanitary agent is then poured into the container, where it solidifies. The container with the poured-in gel is then attached to the hanging device and hung in the toilet bowl. During the first flush, the water-soluble material in the slits dissolves, and water flows through the slits to the gel-like cleaning agent.

[0020] The container is manufactured using injection molding.

[0021] This process allows for the provision of gels poured into trays with slots, which allow the gels to be easily rinsed during use. After emptying, the gel trays can be removed from the hanging device, discarded, and replaced with a new filled gel tray.

[0022] From WO 2016 / 040341A1 a method for producing a container with at least one opening for storing cleaning agent for a toilet basket is known, wherein a polymer film is provided and at least one opening is punched into the polymer film and the at least one opening is closed with a substantially gas-tight or removable closure material.

[0023] However, these procedures are complex and costly.

[0024] EP 3 592 907 A1 discloses a container for a toilet bowl for storing cleaning agents. The container is made of a polymer film with openings, wherein the openings in the container are sealed with a substantially gas-tight and removable sealing material. A water-soluble polymer material can be used as the gas-tight and removable sealing material. When the bowl is first flushed in the toilet bowl, water flows over the water-soluble material and dissolves it, so that the openings become accessible and water enters the interior of the container, gradually dissolving the cleaning agent contained therein.

[0025] The container can be manufactured cost-effectively and is essentially a gas-tight product package, eliminating the need for additional packaging. This is environmentally friendly.

[0026] DE 19 25 853 teaches a container for a water-dispersible additive for the water tank of a toilet, in which the transfer of additive from the container into the water standing in the water tank is practically avoided and an outflow of additive into the water of the water tank only occurs towards the end of the emptying of the water tank.

[0027] WO 2020 / 125937 A1 teaches a dispenser for dispensing an active ingredient, for ventilating rooms, dishwashers, refrigerators, for masking or neutralizing an unpleasant odor, for textile care, for dispensing insect repellents, for pest control, for releasing biocides, as a toilet air freshener or for releasing aromas, which can be made of polymer materials, composite materials, cellulose materials or metal foils.

[0028] DE 199 15 322 C1 relates to a refillable toilet basket for liquid cleaners, which, in addition to a carrier element and a filling chamber, also comprises a porous body for evaporating the liquid and improving odor.

[0029] The object of the present invention is to further improve the environmental friendliness of the previously known containers for toilet cleaning agents.

[0030] This problem is solved by the features of claims 1, 10 and 15.

[0031] Surprisingly, it was discovered that such containers for toilet cleaning agents can be manufactured from a flat, cellulose-containing fiber material of plant origin, such as paper or cardboard. In principle, "trendy papers" such as grass or hemp paper can also be used in the present invention. According to DIN 6730, paper is defined as a fiber material with a basis weight of 7 g / m² to 225 g / m², and cardboard is defined as a fiber material with a basis weight of more than 225 g / m².

[0032] According to the method according to the invention, at least one opening is first introduced, preferably punched, into a flat, cellulose-containing fiber material that is flat. The punched, flat, cellulose-containing fiber material is then formed into the desired container shape by means of deep drawing, cold forming, cold pressing, or hydroforming. Such a process is simple and cost-effective to implement. The opening(s) are intended to allow water to pass through the finished container's interior to the cleaning agent to be dissolved, and the cleaning agent solution to exit later during use.

[0033] Because the container is made of a flat, cellulose-containing fiber material such as paper or cardboard, the empty container can be placed in the waste paper bin and recycled as waste paper. This avoids disposal in the trash, as is the case with conventional plastic baskets, or the laborious and insufficient recycling of mixed recyclable materials in the yellow bin. Furthermore, such a wastepaper basket can be recycled up to eight times.

[0034] Amazingly, the containers made of flat, cellulose-containing fiber material retain the required stability even after repeated flushing with water. While they absorb water during flushing, the water then dries out again. Even more astonishing is that even the containers made of flat, cellulose-containing fiber material filled with toilet cleaner retain their stability, do not tear, or disintegrate, despite being exposed not only to moisture during flushing but also continuously to the surfactant solution.

[0035] Tests conducted at the applicant's premises showed that paper containers filled with cleaning agents (mass 50 g) retained their stability, appeared attractive and did not dissolve or decompose even after 150 rinses.

[0036] The container according to the invention made of flat, cellulose-containing fiber material for toilet cleaning agents can be produced cost-effectively and in an environmentally friendly manner by forming, in particular deep drawing, cold forming (press forming), cold pressing, or hydroforming. The fiber material can be printable or paintable. Furthermore, the fiber material can also be provided with a biodegradable coating.

[0037] In the manufacturing method according to the invention, one or more openings are punched into a formable and in particular deep-drawable, cold-formable, cold-pressable or hydroformable sheet-like cellulosic fiber material, which serve for the subsequent entry or exit of water into or from the container, and the sheet-like cellulosic fiber material is then brought into the desired hollow body, namely the desired three-dimensional container shape, which is preferably bowl-shaped, in the respective forming process.

[0038] In the thermoforming station, the flat, cellulosic fiber material can be heated using a heating system depending on the requirements profile and then formed using a thermoforming tool (punch) and additionally by vacuum and / or compressed air. The container made of flat, cellulosic fiber material can then be filled with the toilet cleaner. Forming can also be performed in a cold forming, cold pressing, or hydroforming station.

[0039] The container with the cleaning agent poured in or otherwise filled can then be closed with a container lid, whereby the container lid can be flat or also half-shell-shaped.

[0040] The sheet-like cellulose-containing fiber materials used according to the invention should be thermoformable, i.e., formable and recyclable. The thermoformability of sheet-like cellulose-containing fiber materials can be achieved, for example, by imparting thermoplastic properties to the cellulose in the sheet-like cellulose-containing fiber materials through a chemical process.

[0041] In the context of this invention, deep drawing is understood as a tensile compression forming process into a hollow body that is open on one side.

[0042] For paper to be considered for recycling, it must contain a maximum of 5% foreign matter. However, if the foreign matter consists of non-recyclable plastic fibers, the plastic fibers (such as the transparent windows of envelopes) must be separated from the waste paper and disposed of.

[0043] To further increase the environmental friendliness of the paper container according to the invention, a thermoformable, sheet-like, cellulose-containing fiber material without plastic fibers is therefore preferably used. The sheet-like, cellulose-containing fiber material is preferably at least 95%, preferably at least 98%, and particularly preferably 100% recyclable and / or at least partially made from recycled, sheet-like, cellulose-containing fiber materials, in particular paper or cardboard.

[0044] The flat cellulosic fiber material should exhibit a certain degree of dimensional stability and provide stability against mechanical stress during storage, transport, and application. Furthermore, the flat cellulosic fiber material must exhibit a certain degree of resistance to external influences such as moisture or chemicals.

[0045] In a preferred variant, after the previously described step of punching the opening(s) into the sheet-like cellulosic fiber material, the punched openings are closed with a removable and substantially gas-tight sealing material, and the composite of sheet-like cellulosic fiber material and the substantially gas-tight sealing material is then formed or deep-drawn into the desired three-dimensional container shape, for example in the shape of a bowl.

[0046] This results in a container formed from a flat, cellulose-containing fiber material with openings covered with the removable sealing material. This makes the container essentially gas-tight.

[0047] Such a container, for example in the form of a bowl, can be filled with hot gel from the toilet cleaner, which is then allowed to cool, or with a bar-shaped cleaning agent. Alternatively, at least one opening can first be punched into the flat, cellulose-containing fiber material, then deep-drawn, and the openings can then be sealed, for example, with a removable label.

[0048] A water-soluble polymer material, a self-adhesive label or a tear-off tab, or even a non-water-soluble label made of paper, for example, can be used as a gas-tight, removable closure material.

[0049] Water-soluble polymer film is preferably used as the water-soluble polymer material because it can be easily laminated to the paper and thus a composite or laminate of paper and water-soluble film can be easily produced, which can then be deep-drawn.

[0050] Polyvinyl alcohol, polysaccharide, gelatin, cellulose derivatives in general such as hydroxyethyl, methyl, and propyl cellulose, maltodextrins, etc. can be used as water-soluble closure materials. Closure materials based on renewable raw materials such as soy, milk proteins, starch, or sugar can also be used. Also suitable as closure materials are thermoplastically biodegradable granules comprising caseinate or casein, plasticizers such as water, glycerin, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, or ethylene glycol, and a biodegradable polyester, for example, poly(butylene adipate-cobutylene terephthalate). Such thermoplastically biodegradable granules are known from WO 2012 / 010421 A1. Polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyalkylene oxide, polyacrylate, polyacrylamides, polyamide, and acrylomaleic acid copolymers are also possible.

[0051] One advantage of using films as water-soluble sealing materials is that the film can be laminated to the flat, cellulose-containing fiber material, such as paper, in a substantially gas-tight manner. Bonding can be achieved using, for example, PVA solution, other solutions of water-soluble polymers, or conventional laminating adhesives or spray adhesives, such as those offered by Meyco as "Crystal Clear Spray Adhesive." Bonding with water-soluble laminating adhesives, such as polyurethane-based adhesives, is also possible. Such adhesives are marketed, for example, as the two-component adhesive BEST-PU0587 by Best Klebstoffe GmbH & Co. KG.

[0052] This sealing material film is preferably between 50 µm and 500 µm thick. Such films—for example, made of PVA—are available from Monosol, LLC under the designation M8310 with a thickness of 88 µm.

[0053] Bonding with waterless laminating adhesives such as PU-based adhesives is also generally possible, provided their concentration is well below 5%.

[0054] For the purposes of the present invention, "essentially gas-tight" means that the films are at least so gas-tight that a vacuum or compressed air can be applied briefly to deform the films into the desired three-dimensional shape. Preferably, the films are so dense that they form a barrier to water vapor or fragrances for a certain period of time.

[0055] In particular, "essentially gas-tight" in the context of the present invention means that the concentration of a fragrance in a cleaning agent packaged with a film has decreased by at most 30% after 2 weeks, preferably by at most 20% after 2 weeks and particularly preferably by at most 20% after 6 weeks.

[0056] If such a toilet basket with a hanging device to which such a container with cleaning agent is attached, whereby the openings in the container are closed with a gas-tight water-soluble material, is now flushed with flushing water the first time it is put into use after being attached to the edge of the toilet bowl, flushing water flows over the water-soluble material and dissolves it, so that the openings become accessible and water reaches the interior of the container and can gradually dissolve the cleaning agent located there.

[0057] In an alternative, the openings in the flat cellulosic fiber material are sealed with a substantially gas-tight label, thus ensuring a gas-tight seal. If the removable gas-tight material is a non-water-soluble label, it can simply be removed from the openings before the basket is put into use, for example.

[0058] The container according to the invention, in the general and preferred variants, with the closure material filled with a cleaning agent poured into it or otherwise filled with it, can be closed with a container lid. The container lid is preferably also made of a flat, cellulose-containing fiber material and is preferably also connected to the deep-drawn container in a substantially gas-tight manner, preferably by gluing or inserting or pressing in, for example, by pressing in a molded part.

[0059] The container and the container lid can also both be bowl-shaped hollow bodies.

[0060] Such a container with cleaning agent, which is closed with a lid, can then be connected, in particular clipped, hung, or locked, to a corresponding hanging device that serves for attachment to the toilet rim. The emptied container made of flat cellulosic fiber material, including the lid, can be removed from the hanging device and recycled as waste paper.

[0061] A new container filled with cleaning agent can then be attached to the hanging device.

[0062] The container with the cleaning agent and / or the container lid preferably have means for releasably attaching the hanging device. In a first cost-effective variant, the container is simply hung on hooks provided on the hanging device using corresponding slots on the lid. After emptying, the container is removed from the hook on the hanging device and can be replaced with a new container made of flat, cellulose-containing fiber material containing the cleaning agent.

[0063] Other types of fastening for attaching the container to the hanging device, such as snap fasteners, carabiners, Velcro fasteners or magnetic closures, are also possible.

[0064] If desired, the container lid can also be manufactured like the container from flat cellulose-containing fiber material with punching of openings for the passage of water, subsequent lamination or sealing of the openings with a preferably water-soluble sealing material and, if necessary, subsequent deformation.

[0065] Such a container with a container lid and flushable openings on both sides allows very good entry of the rinsing water from both sides and thus good dissolution of the cleaning agent.

[0066] The container may also comprise two deep-drawn container half-shells with punched openings, the openings of which are closed with the gas-tight and removable sealing material, wherein the two container shells may be connected to one another, for example by webs.

[0067] A further advantage of the containers according to the invention is that the paper containers are printable. For example, a printed and punched flat cellulosic fiber material, the openings of which may be sealed with a closure material, can be deep-drawn.

[0068] In a preferred variant, the container is tub-shaped and has a circumferential, flat edge running perpendicular to the tub walls, which serves for attachment, in particular by gluing or welding, to the lid. Openings for attachment to the hanging device and / or openings for the passage of the rinsing water can be provided on the lid.

[0069] The hanging device can be manufactured by injection molding, preferably from biodegradable polymers. It includes, for example, a hook or adhesive for attaching to the toilet rim and means for securing the container. In principle, multiple containers can be attached to one hanging device.

[0070] In another variant, the container lid is part of the hanging device and is molded onto the lower section. The container containing the cleaning agent can then be clipped or slid onto the lid located on the hanging device, for example, and removed again after emptying. However, this variant has the disadvantage that the user has to touch the end of the hanging device that extends into the toilet bowl with the lid when filling.

[0071] In principle, the lid and basket can also be made from one sheet, either deep-drawn together or just the basket can be deep-drawn and then folded together and connected at the other three sides.

[0072] A further significant advantage of this preferred variant is that the container formed from the punched, deep-drawable, sheet-like cellulosic fiber material with the gas-tight sealing material, which is closed with a lid, is also substantially gas-tight, so that volatile compounds such as fragrances in a cleaning agent located in the container with lid cannot evaporate.

[0073] Thus, the container with lid sealed with the gas-tight sealing material meets the requirements for a substantially gas-tight package. This means that the container with lid sealed with the gas-tight sealing material can be offered in a conventional, non-gas-tight package such as a cardboard box without additional blister packaging, thus eliminating the need for the usual blister film and the associated costs. "Wrapping" the cleaning agent in a water-soluble film, which serves to prevent the fragrances from escaping and soiling the hands during handling, is also unnecessary. All of these are further aspects of the environmental friendliness of the container according to the invention in the preferred variant.

[0074] A further advantage of this preferred variant is that the cleaning agents packaged in the container according to the invention are not only gas-tight but also child-proof.

[0075] The process according to the invention allows containers for almost any form of cleaning agent to be produced cost-effectively and easily.

[0076] The present invention will now be described in more detail using exemplary embodiments.

[0077] They show: Figure 1: the view of the outside of the container according to the invention in the preferred variant, Figure 2: the top view of the inside of the container from Figure 1 , Figure 3a and 3b: two variants of the container lid, Figure 4: the container made of Figures 1 to 3 on a hanging device in a toilet bowl, Figure 5: a schematic representation of the method according to the invention with the steps a) to i) and Figure 6 a schematic representation of the layer sequence of the film cross-section of the container.

[0078] Figure 1 and 2show a container 11 made of paper 20, which has a semi-cylindrical bowl 14 with a circumferential rim 15. The semi-cylindrical bowl 14 serves to hold the cleaning agent 40. Figure 1 shows the view of the outside of the container 11, thus the view of the side which, when the container 11 is suspended in the toilet bowl 50, points in the direction of the toilet bowl wall 52, cf. Figure 4 . Figure 2 shows the top view of the inside of the open container 11.

[0079] Five elongated openings 13 are provided in the tray 14, which in the preferred variant are sealed gas-tight with a piece of film as a sealing material 21. However, according to the invention, a sealing material 21 is generally not required in the openings 13. In a first embodiment, the piece of film 21 is a water-soluble film that is glued to the openings 13 of the container 11, specifically according to Figure 2on the inside of the container.

[0080] Before the deep-drawing process, the film piece 21 was glued onto the openings 13 punched into the paper 20 of the paper container 11, as described below.

[0081] This water-soluble film 21 can be removed during first use by rinsing with water and thus flushing out the openings 13 through which the water can reach the surface of the cleaning agent 40.

[0082] Of course, the tray 14 can also have a different shape, as long as it can be produced by deep drawing, cold forming, cold pressing, or hydroforming. The number, shape, and arrangement of the openings 13 can also vary, of course. The size and number of openings 13 can alter the rinsing behavior and the number of rinses of the cleaning agent 40.

[0083] At the upper end of the upwardly open shell 14 there is a flat edge 15 extending outwards, cf. Figure 2 The rim 15 serves to seal the container 11, preferably gas-tight, with the container lid 12 after filling with the cleaning agent 40. Suitable and conventional sealing methods such as heat sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or bonding with an adhesive such as polyvinyl alcohol solution can be used for this purpose. The width of the rim 15 is preferably between 2 mm and 10 mm.

[0084] In Figure 3 Two variants of the container lid 12 are shown. Figure 3a shows a simple container lid 12 made of paper, which is connected in its dashed area 17 to the edge 15 of the container 11. For an attractive appearance, the visible side 23 of the container lid 12, which is on the side facing the viewer in Figure 3 and in use condition ( Figure 4) is visible to the consumer, be decoratively designed.

[0085] Above the cover area 17, a section 19 with elongated fastening slots 16 is provided. The fastening hooks 32 provided on the hanging device 31 can be inserted through these fastening slots 16, so that the container 11 filled with the cleaning agent 40, with the container lid 12, can be attached to the hanging device 31 as a toilet basket 30 on the rim of the toilet bowl 50, see. Figure 4 .

[0086] In the second lid variant in Figure 3bThe container lid 12 also has punched openings 13', which, like the previously described container 11, can also be sealed with a water-soluble film 21'. The container lid 12 is preferably flat, but it can also be three-dimensionally formed like the container 11 by punching it out of paper, closing the openings 13, and then deep-drawing it. Like the previously described container 11, this water-soluble film 21' is also rinsed off during the first rinsing.

[0087] The container 11 with openings 13, which is covered by the container lid 12 with openings 13', thus enables the rinsing water to enter the cleaning agent 40 both through the paper tray 14 and through the paper container lid 12 after the sealing material 21 or 21' has been rinsed free in the rinsing water stream.

[0088] The container 11 and the container lid 12 preferably provide a single cavity for storing the cleaning agent 40, and the container 11 and / or the container lid 12 have a plurality of openings 13 for the direct entry and exit of the flushing water. Thus, the openings 13 allow easy, direct entry of the flushing water into the toilet bowl, dissolving a small portion of the cleaning agent contained in the hollow body, and flushing the solution from the openings 13 into the toilet bowl.

[0089] The method according to the invention is shown schematically in the Figures 5a to 5i shown.

[0090] Five elongated openings 13 are punched into a flat sheet of paper 20 in an area of approximately 40 x 60 mm using a punch 60, cf. Figure 5a , b. A water-soluble PVA film is then glued over the openings 13 as a gas-tight sealing material 21 with polyvinyl alcohol solution as adhesive, cf. Figure 5c so that the openings 13 are sealed gas-tight.

[0091] The PVA film 21, which can also be unwound from a roll, is also laminated over the entire surface of the paper 20 with the punched openings 13 and, if necessary, cut off, so that a composite or laminate is obtained.

[0092] Essential in the process step in Figure 5c is that the composite of paper 20 with the openings 13 and the sealing material 21 is gas-tight.

[0093] The composite of paper 20 and closure material 21 is then heated on one or both sides in a deep-drawing station. The pre-stretcher 61 and the deep-drawing forming tool 62 then move through the paper plane and roughly define the finished contour, see FIG. Figure 5d, e. Compressed air then comes from one side and vacuum from the other to quickly and forcefully press the paper against the water-cooled wall (contour) of the forming tool (not shown). The air escapes through small holes or slits between the paper composite 20, 21 and the tool. The cooled, now solid paper composite 20, 21 is separated from the forming tool and fed to the punching station 60' in the next work cycle, see. Figure 5f , g.

[0094] The hollow container 11 with the openings 13 and the laminated water-soluble film 21 is now filled with the hot cleaning agent mass 40 and allowed to cool ( Figure 5h ). Instead of hot, molten detergent mass, a solid detergent molding, for example an extruded or tableted detergent molding, can also be inserted into the cavity.

[0095] The container 11 is then sealed gas-tight with a container lid 12, which is sealed or glued onto the rim 15 of the container 11, Fig. 5i .

[0096] Figure 6 shows schematically the layer sequence of the composite material of the container 11.

[0097] The composite consists of a PVA film 21, which dissolves upon contact with water, and a paper 20 with punched openings 13. In principle, the PVA film 21 can be applied both to the inside of the container hollow body and to the outside of the container hollow body.

[0098] The PVA film 21 is bonded to the punched paper 20 with a laminating adhesive 22. After the initial rinsing with water, the openings 13 become permeable as the PVA film 21 dissolves, allowing water to pass from the exterior space 34 into the interior space 35 of the container 11 and dissolve the cleaning agent 40 located there.

[0099] The geometry and position of the openings 13 are selected so that they are not influenced or changed as little as possible by the forming process during deep drawing.

[0100] The closure material 21 is bonded to the perforated paper layer 20 by means of an elastic laminating adhesive 22 suitable for deep drawing. The laminating adhesive 22 is applied to the paper 20 so as not to affect the dissolving behavior of the PVA film 21 in the area of the openings 13. The laminating adhesive 22 can be polyurethane-based and a chemically curing two-component PU adhesive.

[0101] Optionally, a sealing layer 41 can be applied to one side of the papers 20 to facilitate bonding between the rim 15 of the tray 14 and the container lid 12 using a conventional heat-sealing process. For example, this layer 41 can be made of polyethylene or polypropylene.

Claims

1. Method for manufacturing a container (11) with at least one opening (13) for storing cleaning agents (40) for a toilet basket (30) to be attached to the rim of a toilet, wherein a flat cellulose-containing fiber material (20) is provided and at least one opening (13) is punched into the flat cellulose-containing fiber material (20) and the flat cellulose-containing fiber material (20) is then formed into a three-dimensional shape by deep drawing, cold forming, cold pressing, or hydroforming.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the flat cellulose-containing fiber material is made of paper or cardboard.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flat cellulose-containing fiber materials (20) are deep-drawable, cold-formable, cold-pressable or hydroformable and / or can be added to the waste paper container and are preferably without plastic fibers and / or at least 95%, preferably 98% and particularly preferably 100% recyclable and / or are at least partially made from recycled flat cellulose-containing fiber materials, in particular paper or cardboard, and / or that the cellulose in the flat cellulose-containing fiber material is provided with thermoplastic properties.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manufactured container (11) is then filled with a toilet cleaning agent (40).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one opening (13) is closed with a substantially gas-tight and removable closure material (21) prior to deep drawing, cold forming, cold pressing or hydroforming.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the essentially gas-tight and removable sealing material (21) is a water-soluble material, a self-adhesive label or a tear-off tab.

7. Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the water-soluble sealing material (21) is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyalkylene oxide, polyacrylate, polyacrylateamide, polyamide, acrylic maleic acid copolymer, polysaccharide, gelatin, cellulose derivatives, in particular hydroxyethyl, methyl and propyl cellulose, maltodextrin or thermoplastic biodegradable granulates or renewable raw materials, and in particular is a water-soluble film and / or the water-soluble film is between 50 micrometers and 500 micrometers thick.

8. Method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the water-soluble closure material (21) is applied to the inside or outside of the container.

9. Method according to one of claims 5, 6, 7 or 8, characterised in that the sealing material (21) is a film and is laminated onto the flat cellulose-containing fibre material (20) with the openings (13).

10. Toilet basket comprising a container (11) with openings (13), manufactured according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the container (11) comprises at least one means (40) for cleaning toilets, wherein the means (40) is preferably molded into or inserted into the container (11).

11. Toilet basket comprising a container (11) with cleaning agent (40) according to claim 10, characterized in that the container (11) is preferably closed in a gas-tight manner with a container lid (12) or the container is a container half-body (11'), which is closed in a preferably gas-tight manner with a further container half-body (12').

12. Toilet basket comprising a container according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the container (11) and / or the container lid (12) and / or the container half-body (11', 12') have means (16) for detachable attachment to a hanging device (31).

13. Toilet basket comprising a container (11) with cleaning agents (40) according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the container openings (13) are closed with a gas-tight and removable and preferably water-soluble closure material (21) according to claim 6, characterized in that the toilet basket with the container (11, 11', 12, 12') with the cleaning agent (40) is packaged in a non-gas-tight packaging, in particular a cardboard box.

14. Toilet basket comprising a container (11) with cleaning agent (40) according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the container openings (13) are closed with a gas-tight, removable and water-soluble sealing material (21) according to claim 6, characterized in that the closure material (21) is soluble when the toilet basket attached to the toilet rim is first flushed with water.

15. Use of a toilet basket comprising a container (11) with cleaning agents (40) according to one of claims 10 to 14 for attachment to the rim of the toilet for maintenance cleaning, whereby the toilet basket particulary is flooded by the flush water during each flushing operation, thereby releasing a small amount of the cleaning agent during each flushing operation.