Patent Application
20240410193
The present inventions generally pertain to swimming pool equipment, and more particularly to devices for dispensing chlorine tablets.
It is known that a basic part of maintaining a swimming pool is introducing chlorine into the swimming pool water. Chlorine for this purpose typically comes in tablet form, such as in the form of circular pucks around the size and shape of a hockey puck. It is standard for inground swimming pool equipment to include a chlorinator tower for receiving and disbursing chlorine tablets/pucks into the pool water. The chlorinator tower is an integral part of the process equipment for pool water maintenance. One problem that presently exists relates to the process of placing the chlorine tablets into the chlorinator tower. This is done by unscrewing a lid at the top of the chlorinator tower and then inserting the chlorine tablets down into the interior of the chlorinator tower. It is not uncommon for the person inserting the tablets to have hands of a size that render it difficult, if not impossible, for the person to lower the tablets all the way down into the bottom of the chlorinator tower. This leaves as the only option dropping the tablets down into the chlorinator tower. However, what often happens when this is done is that the tablet will end up resting on an edge and standing up vertically, or at an incline, as opposed to laying down flat as desired. This can be difficult to correct if the person inserting the tablets cannot reach down into the chlorinator tower to reach the tablet that is incorrectly positioned. In addition to this problem, many people prefer not to touch chlorine tablets for fear of chemical burns to the skin or damaging to clothes. Lastly, a significant safety hazard exists when dropping/introducing a chlorine puck into the chlorinator tower when residual water splashes back into the face and eye area of the person handling the chlorine pucks.
As will become apparent from the following descriptions and discussion, the present inventions encompass novel and unique chlorine tablet devices and methods for placing chlorine tablets into a chlorinator tower in a way that overcomes one or more of the above-described problems.
In one aspect, the present inventions relate to a chlorine tablet dispenser including a cylindrical body member having an upper end, a lower end, and an inner bore; the cylindrical body member further including a plurality of fluid passageways extending from an outer surface of the cylindrical body member to the inner bore of the cylindrical body member; the outer diameter of the cylindrical body member being sized to fit within a cylindrical housing of a chlorinator tower; and the inner bore of the cylindrical body member being sized to receive a series of stacked chlorine tablets. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the cylindrical housing further includes a longitudinal slot extending from a lower end of the cylindrical housing toward an upper end of the cylindrical housing. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the longitudinal slot includes a top edge, the top edge being spaced apart from the upper end of the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the top edge of the longitudinal slot is semi-circular in shape. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the dispenser may further include a floor connected to the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor is spaced apart from the lower end of the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor lies in a plane that is generally parallel to the lower end of the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor includes a plurality of fluid passageways. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor includes a notch aligned with a longitudinal slot that extends from the lower end of the cylindrical body member toward the upper end of the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the cylindrical body member further includes a left grasping aperture and a right grasping aperture.
In another aspect, the present inventions may include a chlorine tablet dispenser comprising: a cylindrical body member having an upper end, a lower end, and an inner bore; the cylindrical body member further including a plurality of fluid passageways extending from an outer surface of the cylindrical body member to the inner bore of the cylindrical body member; and the cylindrical housing further including a longitudinal slot extending from a lower end of the cylindrical housing toward an upper end of the cylindrical housing, the longitudinal slot including a top edge, the top edge being spaced apart from the upper end of the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the top edge of the longitudinal slot is semi-circular in shape. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the dispenser may further include a floor connected to the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor is spaced apart from the lower end of the cylindrical body member and is located in a plane that is generally parallel to the lower end of the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor includes a plurality of fluid passageways. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor includes a notch aligned with the longitudinal slot. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the cylindrical body member further includes a left grasping aperture and a right grasping aperture.
In another aspect, the present inventions may include a chlorine tablet dispenser comprising: a cylindrical body member having an upper end, a lower end, and an inner bore; the cylindrical body member further including a plurality of fluid passageways extending from an outer surface of the cylindrical body member to the inner bore of the cylindrical body member; the cylindrical housing further including a longitudinal slot extending from a lower end of the cylindrical housing toward an upper end of the cylindrical housing, the longitudinal slot including a top edge; and a floor connected to the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor is spaced apart from the lower end of the cylindrical body member, includes a plurality of fluid passageways, and is located in a plane that is generally parallel to the lower end of the cylindrical body member. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the floor includes a notch aligned with the longitudinal slot.
Other features, aspects and advantages of the present inventions will become apparent from the following discussion and detailed description.
While the inventions will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the scope of protection is not intended to limit the inventions to those embodiments. On the contrary, the scope of protection is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined by the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings, and referring initially to
In a specific embodiment, the cylindrical body member 19 of the chlorine tablet dispenser 18 may further include a longitudinal slot 26 extending from a lower end 28 of the cylindrical body member 19 toward an upper end 30 of the cylindrical body member 19. In a specific embodiment, the longitudinal slot 26 may be disposed in generally parallel relationship with a side wall 32 defined by the cylindrical body member 19 and/or with a central longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body member 19. In a specific embodiment, the longitudinal slot 26 may be disposed in generally perpendicular relationship with the lower end 28 of the cylindrical body member 19. The longitudinal slot 26 may have a width sufficiently wide (such as in the range from ½ inches to 1 inch, for example) to allow for a person's finger to reach through the side wall 32 of the cylindrical body member 19 to manipulate the chlorine tablets 20 as they are being lowered into the chlorine tablet dispenser 18. In a specific embodiment, a top edge 32 of the longitudinal slot 26 may be spaced apart from the upper end 30 of the cylindrical body member 19. In a specific embodiment, the top edge 32 of the longitudinal slot 26 may be semi-circular in shape.
In a specific embodiment, the chlorine tablet dispenser 18 may include a floor 34. In a specific embodiment, the floor 34 may be connected to the cylindrical body member 19. In a specific embodiment, the floor 34 may be located in a plane generally parallel to the lower end 28 of the cylindrical body member 19. In a specific embodiment, the floor 34 may be spaced apart from the lower end 28 of the cylindrical body member 19. In a specific embodiment, the floor 34 may include a plurality of flow passageways 36 to further facilitate circulation of swimming pool water around and across the chlorine tablets 20. It is noted that spacing the floor 34 apart from the lower end 28 of the cylindrical body member 19 will further facilitate circulation of swimming pool water through the passageways 36 and across and around the chlorine tablets 20. In a specific embodiment, the fluid passageways 24 (discussed above) and 34 may be of any desired shape, such as square, round, trapezoidal, etc., for example. As shown in
Referring now to
It is to be understood that the inventions disclosed herein are not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials or embodiments shown and described. Although specific embodiments of the inventions have been described, various modifications, alterations, alternative constructions, and equivalents are also encompassed within the scope of the inventions. Although the present inventions may have been described using a particular series of steps, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present inventions is not limited to the described series of steps. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will be evident that additions, subtractions, deletions, and other modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the inventions as set forth in the claims. Accordingly, the inventions are therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
