The present subject matter relates generally to a tablet dispensing product and, more particularly, to a dissolvable toilet tablet dispensing product.
Ideally, toilet cleaning products, or any cleaning product, are stored close to where they will be used. For toilet cleaners, cleaning products should be stored close to or inside the bathroom. Bathrooms are often small spaces with little storage space. Cleaning products and their storage containers should be small enough to fit in a bathroom. In addition, they should be visually appealing if they are stored in view of people who enter the bathroom.
Some cleaning products are dissolvable tablets. Dissolvable tablets, as their name suggests, dissolve when exposed to water. This can be problematic in a bathroom because bathrooms are often moist environments and prone to splashes of water, both of which may cause the dissolvable tablets to dissolve. Dissolvable cleaning tablets should be protected from a moist and wet environment.
Many people would prefer to not have to touch a toilet cleaning tablet or even a toilet cleaning tablet storage product. Toilet cleaning tablets should be stored such that a user need not touch the toilet cleaning tablet or its storage product to use the toilet cleaning tablet.
Cleaning products and their storage containers can be expensive. In addition, one-time-use products can be wasteful. When one-time-use products are necessary, it is often desirable that the product is recyclable. A storage container for dissolvable toilet tablets should be refillable and recyclable when possible.
Some embodiments provide a dispensing product for storing dissolvable tablets and individually dispensing them on demand. In some embodiments, the dispensing product includes a carousel assembly, a base, a lid, and an advancement mechanism. In some embodiments, the carousel assembly has depressions sized and configured to receive a tablet. In some embodiments, the lid has an aperture sized and configured such that a tablet can be withdrawn through the aperture. In some embodiments, the advancement mechanism is connected to the carousel assembly and advances the carousel assembly rotationally.
In some embodiments, the carousel assembly has sliders to reduce friction between the carousel assembly and the base.
In some embodiments, the lid has an inner diameter that forms a hole at its center. In some embodiments, the dispensing product has a tablet wand holder. In some embodiments, the tablet wand holder has a hollow, cylindrical shape with a bottom surface and side walls. In some embodiments, the tablet wand holder is sized and configured to receive a tablet wand. In some embodiments, the tablet wand holder extends through the central hole in the lid.
In some embodiments, the advancement mechanism is located about an axle connected to the base. In some embodiments, the advancement mechanism includes a spring about the axle, a first gear about the axle and above the spring, a second gear about the axle and above the first gear, and a push button above the second gear. In some embodiments, a tablet wand holder is above and connected to the push button. In some embodiments, the push button comprises a third gear. In some embodiments, the first gear interfaces with the second gear and the third gear of the push button. In some embodiments, the spring provides resistance to depression of the push button. In some embodiments, depression of the tablet wand holder causes the push button to depress, the first gear to rotate, and the carousel assembly to rotationally advance.
In some embodiments, the base has a channel in which the sliders travel.
In some embodiments, the base has side walls and the lid is on top of the side walls.
In some embodiments, the lid is hingedly attached to the side walls of the base.
In some embodiments, the aperture of the lid is substantially in the shape of a wedge.
In some embodiments, the aperture of the lid is sized and configured such that only one of the depressions is uncovered by the lid.
In some embodiments, the advancement mechanism is configured to advance the carousel assembly a portion of a full rotation. In some embodiments, the portion is proportional to the number of depressions.
In some embodiments, the advancement mechanism includes retractable pen technology.
In some embodiments, the carousel assembly has a refill tray, a retaining tray, and a spinner tray. In some embodiments, the refill tray is on top of the retaining tray and the retaining tray is on top of and connected to the spinner tray. In some embodiments, the refill tray has depressions. In some embodiments, the spinner tray has sliders connected to its bottom portion to reduce friction between the spinner tray and a surface.
In some embodiments, the refill tray and the retaining tray are a single component.
In some embodiments, the retaining tray and the spinner tray are a single component.
In some embodiments, the retaining tray has guides extending perpendicularly from the retaining tray. In some embodiments, the guides are sized and configured to correspond to the depressions of the refill tray such that the refill tray is substantially held in place by the guides.
In some embodiments, the sliders are ball bearings.
In some embodiments, the dispensing product also includes tablets located in the depressions of the carousel assembly.
Some embodiments provide a toilet tablet cleaning system. In some embodiments, the toilet tablet cleaning system includes a dispensing product and a tablet wand.
In some embodiments, the toilet tablet cleaning system includes a refill tray. In some embodiments, the refill tray has depressions sized and configured to receive tablets.
Some embodiments provide a method of making a dispensing product for storing a plurality of cleaning product tablets and individually dispensing them on demand. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a carousel assembly having a plurality of depressions, providing a base, connecting the base underneath the carousel assembly, providing a lid, connecting the lid on top of the carousel assembly, providing an advancement mechanism, and connecting the advancement mechanism to the carousel assembly. In some embodiments, the plurality of depressions are sized and configured to receive a tablet. In some embodiments, the lid defines an aperture sized and configured such that the tablet can be withdrawn through the aperture. In some embodiments, the advancement mechanism advances the carousel assembly rotationally.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments that proceed with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The foregoing and other aspects of the present invention are best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments that are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific instrumentalities disclosed. Included in the drawings are the following Figures:
The present disclosure describes a product for storing dissolvable tablets, a system using a product for storing dissolvable tablets, and a method of making a product for storing dissolvable tablets.
Base
The base 100 provides a housing for the carousel assembly 300 and a mounting location for the lid 200.
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Lid
The lid 200 shields the tablets 400 from moisture and water droplets. The lid 400 provides access to one tablet 400a in the carousel assembly 300.
The lid 200 has an aperture 210 large enough to uncover a depression 310a in the removal position and allow a tablet 400a to be withdrawn from the carousel assembly 300 through the aperture 210. The aperture 210 is small enough such that all of the other depressions 310 remain covered by the lid 200. In this configuration, all but one of the tablets 400 are shielded by the lid 200 from moisture and water droplets that can cause the tablets 400 to break down, and the uncovered tablet 400a is available for use.
In the embodiment shown in
Carousel Assembly
The carousel assembly 300 defines a plurality of depressions 310 for holding the tablets 400 and rotates underneath the lid 200. The carousel assembly 300 may have sliders 350 on the bottom portion of it to reduce friction to ease rotation.
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The carousel assembly 300 may be a single component assembly or a multi-piece assembly. In a single piece assembly, the top surface of the carousel assembly 300 has depressions 310 for holding tablets 400. The bottom portion of the carousel assembly 300 has sliders 350 that reduce friction between the carousel assembly 300 and the surface upon which it sits.
As shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Other multi-piece carousel assembly embodiments 300 are possible. For example, in some embodiments, the refill tray 320 and the retaining tray 330 may be a single piece. In other embodiments, the retaining tray 330 and the spinner tray 350 may be a single piece.
Advancement Mechanism
The advancement mechanism 600 rotates the carousel assembly 300 under the lid 200.
The advancement mechanism 600 is attached to the carousel assembly 300 and rotates the carousel assembly 300 under the lid 200. In the embodiment in
In some embodiments, the advancement mechanism 600 rotates the carousel assembly 300 a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount may be proportional to the number of depressions 310 in the carousel assembly 300. For example, if there are six depressions 310 in the carousel assembly 300, the predetermined amount may be ⅙ of a full rotation. In that embodiment, every time the advancement mechanism 300 is engaged, it will rotate the carousel assembly 300 ⅙ a rotation, which will move the uncovered depression 310a under the lid 200 and bring a covered depression 310 under the aperture 210 of the lid 200 to the uncovered position (corresponding to 310a).
In the preferred embodiment, the advancement mechanism utilizes retractable pen technology, but the subject matter herein is not so limited. The advancement mechanism 600 can utilize a motor, a dial that is moved along by a user to rotates the carousel assembly 300 or a ratchet system. Those skilled in the art will understand that other embodiments are possible.
In this embodiment, the first gear 630 has female (flat) sides that interface with male clips of the carousel assembly 300 (not shown). Because of this orientation, the first gear 630 and the carousel assembly 300 will rotate together.
In this embodiment, the push button 650 is connected to the underside of a tablet wand holder 500. There is a push gear 651 on the push button 650. When the push button 650 is pressed, the spring 620 will depress, and the push gear 651 will cause the first gear 620 to slightly depress to travel past the tips of the second gear 640 and rotate, freeing the first gear 620 from its interface with the second gear's 640 angled teeth and positioning the first gear 620 beneath the next angled tooth of the second gear 640. When the push button 650 is released, the spring 620 will release and move the first gear 620 back up into the second gear's 640 angled teeth. Because the first gear 630 was moved beneath the next angled tooth of the second gear 640 when the push bottom 650 was pressed, the first gear 630 will move along the angle of the next angled tooth of the second gear 640, causing the first gear 630 and carousel assembly 300 to rotationally advance.
In some embodiments, the push button 650 has clips 652 that extend into a hollow axle 610 and prevent the push button 650 from lifting up and out of the axle 610.
Tablet Wand Holder
Referring again to
In the embodiment shown in
Referring again to
In the preferred embodiment, the tablet wand holder 500 interfaces with the advancement mechanism 600. For example, the tablet wand holder 500 may interface with an advancement mechanism 600 that utilizes retractable pen technology, as shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the tablet wand holder 500 is pressed down using a tablet wand 2100.
Toilet Tablet Cleaning System
The toilet tablet cleaning system 2000 allows a user to attach a dissolvable toilet tablet 400 to a tablet wand 2100 without directly touching the tablet 400 or the product for storing dissolvable tablets 1000. In some embodiments, the user may obtain a product for storing dissolvable tablets 1000. In some embodiments, the user may press the tablet wand holder 500 down with the tablet wand 2100 causing the advancement mechanism 600 to rotate the carousel assembly 300. In some embodiments, one of the depressions 310 will be uncovered through the aperture 210 of the lid 200. In some embodiments, the user may repeatedly press down the tablet wand holder 500 with the tablet wand 2100 until a depression 310 holding a tablet 400a is uncovered through the aperture 210 in the lid 200. In some embodiments, the user may remove the tablet wand 2100 from the tablet wand holder 500. In some embodiments, the user may contact the uncovered tablet 400a with the tablet wand 2100 to connect the uncovered tablet 400a to the tablet wand 2100. In some embodiments, the user may remove the uncovered tablet 400a from the product for storing dissolvable tables 1000 through the aperture 210 in the lid 200.
Method of Making
The elements of the figures are not exclusive. Other embodiments may be derived in accordance with the principles of the invention to accomplish the same objectives. Although this invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are for illustration purposes only. Modifications to the current design may be implemented by those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/218,176 filed Jul. 2, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63218176 | Jul 2021 | US |