Cageless Lavatory Dispenser Hanger Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing toilet bowl treatment devices require cages to support surfactant-containing blocks, which are prone to softening and disintegration, leading to premature failure and increased material costs, and result in wasteful single-use devices.

Innovation Solution

A cageless lavatory dispensing device featuring a hanger with a compressed solid block of chemical constituents, including surfactants, that is retained without a separate cage or adhesive, allowing for repeated use and effective delivery of cleaning and sanitizing agents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a cage is used to support the solid block composition, then the block is prevented from softening and disintegrating, but material costs and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblock structural integrityVSAvoidcage structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the cage component from the device, allowing the solid block composition to be supported directly by the hanger without requiring a separate cage structure. This eliminates the complexity and material costs associated with the cage while maintaining the block's structural integrity through direct hanger attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the support function previously performed by the cage with the hanger structure. The hanger is designed to directly hold and support the solid block composition, combining the suspension and support functions into a single component, thereby eliminating the need for a separate cage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a cage is used to support the solid block composition, then the block is prevented from softening and disintegrating, but material costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblock structural integrityVSAvoidmaterial costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the cage component from the device, allowing the solid block composition to be supported directly by the hanger without requiring a separate cage structure. This eliminates the complexity and material costs associated with the cage while maintaining the block's structural integrity through direct hanger attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the support function previously performed by the cage with the hanger structure. The hanger is designed to directly hold and support the solid block composition, combining the suspension and support functions into a single component, thereby eliminating the need for a separate cage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If a cage is used to support the solid block composition, then the block is prevented from softening and disintegrating, but the device becomes single-use and wasteful

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblock structural integrityVSAvoiddevice waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the cage component from the device, allowing the solid block composition to be supported directly by the hanger without requiring a separate cage structure. This eliminates the complexity and material costs associated with the cage while maintaining the block's structural integrity through direct hanger attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the support function previously performed by the cage with the hanger structure. The hanger is designed to directly hold and support the solid block composition, combining the suspension and support functions into a single component, thereby eliminating the need for a separate cage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of manufacture

If the solid block composition is retained without a cage, then material costs and waste are reduced, but the block is prone to softening and disintegration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial costsVSAvoidblock structural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the support function previously performed by the cage with the hanger structure. The hanger is designed to directly hold and support the solid block composition, combining the suspension and support functions into a single component, thereby eliminating the need for a separate cage while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The device provides a long-term cleaning and sanitizing benefit without the need for cages, reducing material costs and waste, and maintaining the surfactant's effectiveness over multiple flushes and immersions.

Implementation Method 1

the treatment composition is formed by water contacting the block of the device coming into contact with the one or more chemical constituents

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

the solid block composition and/or gel composition typically comprises one or more cleaning constituents, e.g., one or more surfactants which provide a good cleaning and/or foaming benefit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurfactant action: Surfactant

Data Source

PatentEP2865743B1Improvements in dispensing devices
Publication Date: 2024.03.27 RECKITT BENCKISER LLC
  • EP2865743B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2865743B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8
  • EP2865743B1 patent drawingFigure 9A~10B

AI summary

The present invention relates to a cageless lavatory dispensing device comprising a hanger (10) and a compressed solid block. The hanger (10) has a hook end (20) for suspending the dispensing device to a sanitary appliance, and the compressed solid block (50) comprises at least one chemical agent. A process for delivering a treatment composition to a sanitary appliance is also disclosed. Said process comprises the steps of: providing and suspending a cageless lavatory dispensing device within the sanitary appliance; periodically flushing water about the exterior of the compressed block to elute at least one chemical constituent to form a treatment composition with said water, which treatment composition provides cleaning and/or sanitizing and/or disinfecting benefit to the sanitary appliance.