CLEANING SYSTEM FOR A TOILET BOWL

Abstract

 A toilet cleaning system, comprising a brush adapted to clean an inner surface of a toilet bowl, a brush mechanism to move said brush into the toilet bowl and being configured to provide linear movement of the brush, a movement actuation arrangement, a control panel, and a guide tube, where the guide tube is configured entering the drainpipe, directly connected to the toilet bowl, from above and close to the toilet bowl.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a toilet cleaning system and, more particularly, to a toilet brush and cleaning system which is integrated into a conventional toilet.

[0002] The common method of cleaning toilets is to use a disinfectant/detergent which is manually applied and then, if necessary, scrub with a toilet brush. Additionally, or alternatively a slow release dispenser with solid (soluble) or liquid detergent can be attached to the toilet ( usually with a securing arm over the rim of the toilet), so that detergent is dispensed each time the toilet is flushed.

[0003] Another option is a dissolvable solid detergent which is inserted into the water tank and dissolves over time, filling each new tank of water with detergent.

[0004] All of the prior art solutions fail to adequately provide a system which provides detergent or water as well as an active cleaning solution, to replace the manual act of scrubbing a toilet.

[0005] It would be highly advantageous to have an electronically or mechanically driven system which cleans and disinfects the internal surface of a toilet without the need for human contact with the cleaning accessories.

[0006] CN201420268395U discloses a toilet drainpipe with a drainage pipe body inclined at an angle of 60 degrees in relation to the ground. One end of the drainage pipe body is connected to a sewage outlet of the toilet to form a water inlet, and the other end is connected to the sewage pipe to form a water outlet. A micro motor is disposed at an upper portion of an outer periphery of an intermediate portion of the drainpipe body. A start switch is electrically connected to the flush switch of the toilet. A transmission mechanism coupled to a rotating brush is coupled to an output end of the micro motor and is sealed on a wall of the intermediate portion of the drainpipe body via a housing seal.

[0007] TWM630316U discloses a pipeline dredging device used to dredge a drainpipe of a toilet. The device includes an elongated and flexible guide member with a working head provided at one end. The working head includes a fixing piece and a rotatable spherical or rugby-shaped guide head.

Summary of the invention

[0008] The current invention discloses an electronically or mechanically driven system which cleans and disinfects a toilet without the need for human contact with the cleaning accessories.

[0009] The invention discloses a toilet cleaning system, comprising a brush adapted to clean an inner surface of a toilet bowl, a brush mechanism adapted to move said brush into and within the toilet bowl, said brush mechanism being configured to provide linear movement of the brush, a movement actuation arrangement, operationally coupled to said brush control mechanism, a control panel, operationally coupled to said movement actuation arrangement, a guide tube, housing said movement actuation arrangement and said brush, where said guide tube is configured entering the drainpipe, directly connected to the toilet bowl, from above and close to the toilet bowl.

[0010] In an embodiment, the invention discloses, a toilet cleaning system, where the brush mechanism adapted to move said brush into and within the toilet bowl is driven by an electric motor and/or by water pressure.

[0011] In a further embodiment, the invention discloses, a toilet cleaning system, where the brush mechanism is also being configured to provide rotational movement of the brush.

[0012] In a further embodiment, the invention discloses, a toilet cleaning system, where the rotational movement of the brush mechanism is driven by electricity and/or by water pressure.

[0013] In a further embodiment, the invention discloses, a toilet cleaning system, where the movement actuation arrangement is implemented in the cistern.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the invention discloses, a toilet cleaning system, where a control panel, configured to control the system, is integrated in the flush plate.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the invention discloses, a toilet cleaning system, where the system comprises a reservoir, containing and providing disinfectant and/or detergent to the brush, mechanism, or arrangement, preferred is the reservoir an integrated part of the movement actuation arrangement.

[0016] In a further embodiment, the invention discloses, a toilet cleaning system, where the brush is replaceable, preferred by a snap-fit, bayonet joint, or screw joint.

Brief description of the figures

[0017] All figures are schematically drawn and do not reflect the correct scale of the features.

Figure 1 schematically shows the preferred embodiment of the invention, with the toilet bowl 01 and the control panel 06 in front of the wall 09 and the cistern 07, the movement actuation arrangement 05, the brush mechanism 04, the brush 03, the guide tube 11, and the drain pipe 12 behind the wall. The the movement actuation arrangement 05 is configured being integrated in the cistern 07. The toilet cleaning system is in stand-by mode.

Figure 2 schematically shows an enlarged detail of figure 1. The toilet cleaning system is in stand-by mode.

Figure 3 schematically shows the toilet cleaning system in action mode, where the brush is cleaning the inner surface 02 of the bowl 01 by linear movement (between 03 and 03*).

Figure 4 schematically shows an embodiment of the invention, with the toilet bowl 01, the control panel 06, and the cistern 07 in front of the wall 09 and the movement actuation arrangement 05, the brush mechanism 04, the brush 03, the guide tube 11, and the drain pipe 12 behind the wall. The the movement actuation arrangement 05 is configured being installed separately. The toilet cleaning system is in stand-by mode.

Figure 5 schematically shows an embodiment of the invention, with the toilet bowl 01 and the control panel 06 in front of the wall 09 and the movement actuation arrangement 05, the brush mechanism 04, the brush 03, the guide tube 11, the cistern 07, and the drain pipe 12 behind the wall. The the movement actuation arrangement 05 is configured being installed separately. The toilet cleaning system is in stand-by mode.

Figure 6 schematically shows an embodiment of the invention, with all features in front of the wall 09. The the movement actuation arrangement 05 is configured being installed separately and laterally to the cistern 07. The toilet cleaning system is in stand-by mode.

Reference numbers

[0018] 

01

toilet bowl

02

inner surface of the toilet bowl

03

brush

03*

brush (moved forward)

04

brush control mechanism

05

movement actuation arrangement

06

control panel / flush plate

07

cistern

08

floor

09

wall

10

guide tube enters the drain pipe

11

guide tube

12

drain pipe

13

electric motor

Detailed description of the invention

[0019] 01 is a standard toilet bowl. According to an essential aspect of the present invention, the toilet cleaning system can be used/installed to almost every toilet bowl, preferred to almost every washdown toilet bowl. There is no need for modifications of the toilet bowl itself, and therefore the toilet cleaning system according to the invention is appropriate for retrofitting.

[0020] 02 is the inner surface of the toilet bowl.

[0021] 03 is the brush of the toilet cleaning system. The brush 03 is a state-of-the-art cleaning brush. Depending on the embodiment, the radial diameter of the brush is about -10 to +10 % of the diameter of the biggest tube (normally outlet 14, Figure 1). But at the same time the brush 03, the bristles, are flexible to ensure housing the brush in the guide tube 11, when the cleaning system is in stand-by mode. In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the guide tube 11 is about 50-80% of the diameter of the outlet 14.

[0022] The block to which the bristles of the brush 03 are affixed may have small holes. The small holes allow water and/or detergent supply via the brush mechanism 04. In a preferred embodiment the brush is mounted rotatable, around the longitudinal axis, and the rotation is effected by water pressure, streaming out through the small holes - the principles are known to a professional. The mounting is permanently, snap-fit, bayonet joint, screw joint, or any other state-of-the-art mounting, the preferred mounting mechanism enables rotation as described above. The preferred embodiment allows easy replacement of the brush (when stopped in the cleaning position, see figure 3).

[0023] In an embodiment the bristles itself are hollow (have channels) and have openings at their outer ends, also enabling water and/or detergent supply as well as rotation - the principles are known to a professional.

[0024] The brush may have sensors (dirt, waste, humidity), the sensors are in communication with the control panel 06 - the principles are known to a professional.

[0025] 04 is the brush control mechanism. The brush control mechanism is provided by the movement actuation arrangement 05. Depending on the length of the guide tube 11, the brush control mechanism 04 is partially or completely housed in the movement actuation arrangement 05 when the cleaning system is in stand-by mode. In cleaning mode, the brush control mechanism deploys and moves the brush 03 from the guide tube 11 to the surface 02 of the bowl 01. The brush control mechanism 04 adapted to move said brush 03 into and within the toilet bowl is driven by an electric motor 13 and/or by water pressure, but other state-of-the-art drive units are also possible.

[0026] Examples for the brush control mechanism are tube wounded within the arrangement 05, telescopic partially or completely deployable out/into the arrangement 05, or similar and it is clear that the mechanism has a degree of flexibility and stiffness to enable operation - the principles are known to a professional.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the brush mechanism 04 is able to provide water flow, water pressure, detergent, disinfectant, and communication to the brush 03, the movement actuation arrangement 05, and the control panel 06 - the principles are known to a professional.

[0028] 05 is the movement actuation arrangement. The movement actuation arrangement is operationally coupled to the brush control mechanism 04, the control panel 06, and the guide tube 11. In an embodiment the movement actuation arrangement 05 is also operationally coupled to a water supply (warm or cold, preferred cold), for providing water to the brush control mechanism 04 and the brush 03. The movement actuation arrangement 05 may be separately installed, but in a preferred embodiment the movement actuation arrangement 05 is implemented in the cistern 07.

[0029] It is a substantial aspect of the present invention, that the toilet cleaning system can be installed/retrofitted using a cistern where the toilet cleaning system is implemented - the principles are known to a professional. The movement actuation arrangement comprises the mechanism to wound and/or deploy the brush control mechanism 04 - the principles are known to a professional. In an embodiment, the arrangement is installed close to the toilet, but not in the cistern, examples are exemplified in the figures.

[0030] 06 is the control panel. In a preferred embodiment the control panel is operationally and functionally integrated in the flush plate (also 06 in the figures). In another embodiment, the control panel is not existing physically, but is a smartphone application, in communication with the movement actuation arrangement 05 for example via Bluetooth. The control panel 06 allows setting the parameters for the cleaning system, like time, amount of water, detergent, automatically triggered or manually triggered cleaning, ... - the parameters and principles are known to a professional.

[0031] 07 is the cistern. In a preferred embodiment the movement actuation arrangement 05 is implemented in the cistern.

[0032] 10 is the point where the guide tube 11 enters the drain pipe 12 or with other words, where the retrofitted cleaning system enters the preinstalled standard toilet system. In the preferred embodiment the entering 10 is configured entering the drain pipe (12), directly connected to the toilet bowl, from above and close to the toilet bowl. In the preferred embodiment, the guide tube 11 and the entering 10 have a smaller diameter than the drain pipe 12. The entering is configured to facilitate the movement in bowl 01 direction - the principles are known to a professional.

[0033] 11 is the guide tube. The guide tube housed at least the brush 03 when the cleaning system is in stand-by mode. The guide tube guides the brush 03 and the brush mechanism 04 through the entering 10 into the drain pipe 12, and the entering is configured to facilitate the movement in bowl 01.

Claims

1. A toilet cleaning system, comprising:

- a brush (03) adapted to clean an inner surface (02) of a toilet bowl (01);

- a brush mechanism (04) adapted to move said brush into and within the toilet bowl, said brush mechanism being configured to provide linear movement of the brush;

- a movement actuation arrangement (05), operationally coupled to said brush control mechanism;

- a control panel (06), operationally coupled to said movement actuation arrangement;

- a guide tube (11), housing said movement actuation arrangement and said brush; characterized in that:

said guide tube is configured to enter (10) a drainpipe (12) directly connected to the toilet bowl, from above and close to the toilet bowl.

2. A toilet cleaning system according to claim 1, where the brush mechanism adapted to move said brush into and within the toilet bowl is driven by an electric motor (13) and/or by water pressure.

3. A toilet cleaning system according to one of the previous claims, where the brush mechanism is also being configured to provide rotational movement of the brush.

4. A toilet cleaning system according to one of the previous claims, where the rotational movement of the brush mechanism is driven by electricity and/or by water pressure.

5. A toilet cleaning system according to one of the previous claims, where the movement actuation arrangement is implemented in a cistern (07).

6. A toilet cleaning system according to one of the previous claims, where the control panel (06) configured to control the system, is integrated in a flush plate.

7. A toilet cleaning system according to the one of the previous claims, where the system comprises a reservoir (14) containing and providing disinfectant and/or detergent to the brush, mechanism or arrangement, and wherein the reservoir preferably is an integrated part of the movement actuation arrangement (05).

8. A toilet cleaning system according to one of the previous claims, where the brush is replaceable, preferred by a snap-fit, bayonet joint, or screw joint.

Drawing