HK1080779A - Automated cleansing sprayer - Google Patents

Description

Automatic cleaning spray washer

References to related applications

This patent application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/383,687, filed on day 5, month 28, 2002.

Claims to inventions carried out by federally sponsored research or development

Not applicable to

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a spray washer designed to automatically clean an enclosure. The sprayer is particularly suitable for automatically cleaning the housing (enclosure) of a domestic shower/tub.

Background

During normal use, the walls and doors of the shower/tub enclosure become musty or dirty from the soap or hard water coating and mineral deposits. Removing these deposits and stains typically requires manual, vigorous scrubbing of the sidewalls and doors, which is undesirable.

To assist in this task, a chemical cleaning agent may be showered or sprayed on the surface to be cleaned. After the active ingredient is "worked on," the sidewalls are scrubbed with a rag, brush, or pad, followed by rinsing with water.

Under certain conditions, these cleansers are very effective and thus require a reduced amount of scrubbing (especially if the cleansers are used daily). Reference is made to WO96/22346 and WO 98/02511.

However, for these "non-scrubbing" cleansers to work effectively, they should preferably be used immediately after the shower is exhausted. This requires the user to place a pump spray bottle of the cleanser at or near the shower enclosure (thereby cluttering the shower area), the user remembers to do the spray (which can be problematic if the user just wakes up), and the user is willing to spend time spraying the enclosure (which can be problematic, for example, if they start late in the morning).

Another way is to provide an automatic cleaning system for showers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,225 discloses a sprayer and plumbing system for bath and shower enclosures. The unit is connected to a shower head. The feed water may be diverted to the sprayer for cleaning the enclosure. And the detergent container is mounted within the shower enclosure so that detergent can be introduced (via the spray device) and sprayed onto the side walls.

One drawback of this system is that the user must manually turn on the water supply (if not already on), adjust the diverter, squeeze the cleaning solution into the sprayer, and turn off the water supply after the side walls are cleaned. But also the risk that the user is sprayed with cleaning agent.

US patent 4,383,341 also details other forms of automatic hood washing systems including a plurality of pop-up nozzles connected by a manifold to a mixing valve in which detergent is mixed with water. It is not always possible for the user to clean the shower enclosure in an easy and inexpensive manner.

U.S. patent No. 5,452,485 discloses an automatic tub and shower cleaning device having a powerful device and a shower "glide mechanism" that moves along a track about the point of placement, respectively. The slide mechanism is connected to the water supply to mix with the detergent. The sliding mechanism has spray heads for spraying cleaning solution onto the side walls of the tub and shower. The sliding mechanism also has a brush for scrubbing the side wall. The user needs to operate the above-mentioned sliding mechanism and mix the detergent through the central controller. It is also clear that the system is not suitable for simple and inexpensive cleaning.

There is a need for a smaller automatic dispenser that can be hung from shower heads, shower enclosure walls, etc. and that can also dispense cleaning agents without drawing water from the building water supply. There is also a need for such a system to accommodate an inverted bottle of detergent, which can be sprayed from the bottle using a battery operated motor. It may even be preferred that such a system delays the flow of detergent after start-up and then shuts down the system for a defined time. In this way, the user has time to leave the enclosure before spraying, without having to stay there to shut down the device.

However, developing such a system requires many challenges. For example, it is desirable to obtain reliable cleaning performance at low cost to reliably control detergent flow, avoid wasting or cleaning the wrong area of the housing, and thereby control the detergent of the equipment used. The present invention addresses these needs.

Brief description of the invention

In one aspect of the invention, there is provided an automatic sprayer for spraying a housing with a liquid cleanser. These enclosures are preferably bath and/or shower enclosures. Other enclosures may be cleaned using the present invention (e.g., toilets in which the device is mounted under the toilet lid).

The sprayer has a container adapted to contain a liquid detergent, such as the detergent described in WO96/22346, a pump in fluid communication with the container, and a movable spray head having an outlet aperture through which the detergent can be discharged from the container during operation of the pump, if there is liquid detergent in the container. There is also a motor drive mechanism for operating the pump and moving the spray head.

In a preferred embodiment, the pump is connected to the spray head by a fluid line having a valve blocking flow to the spray head when the pump is not operating, and a filter is also provided in line with the fluid line upstream of the valve, the fluid line being connected to the spray head via a junction, the fluid line being connected to the junction at an inlet which is fixed relative to the sprayer, wherein the spray head is connected to the junction via a rotatable shaft. The shaft has a fluid passageway in communication with the inlet, the shaft having a diverging end for mounting the spray head, the junction including a resilient seal disposed about the shaft, and a removable cover having the inlet. If necessary, the cover may be mounted to a side wall of a stationary plate supporting the driving mechanism.

In another embodiment, the sprayer has a bottle containing a fluid cleanser, a receiving tray supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation, a spray head having an outlet opening through which cleanser can be discharged from the container during pump operation (if liquid cleanser is present in the container), and a piercing post extending from the receiving tray to the bottle, the post also having an air vent passageway. A one-way valve may also be provided to control the flow of gas through the piercing post and prevent the flow of liquid through the piercing post.

This change facilitates the flow of liquid from the bottle (e.g., to overcome the negative pressure effect acting within the bottle). But the main purpose of this is to avoid the increased air producing a foaming sound. Air exits from the lower outlet of the bottle via the piercing post.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a dispenser for dispensing a liquid having a bottle containing a fluid cleanser, a receiving tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation, and a cap for closing the top end of the bottle. The well has a spring-loaded outlet valve which allows the detergent to flow out of the well when the lid portion abuts the outlet valve. The cap may also have radially extending webs forming seals against the sides of the well. In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser is an automatic sprayer for dispensing liquid detergent.

Other features may also be provided to ensure that only the recommended bottles are available for use in the system. For example, the well may be formed to have a unique inclination or configuration relative to the shape of the bottle to conform to the shape of the bottle.

These structures ensure that air does not get out of control into the supplied detergent and that only specially designed bottles can be used in the system (thus preventing the use of inappropriate chemicals).

In another embodiment, the sprayer is further provided with a hanger that is adjustable from a first compact configuration to a second suspended configuration. The hook is in the form of a bracket having a cavity and a slider that can mate with the bracket in a tab and slot arrangement.

This configuration enables the device to be transported in a carton of relatively short length. The user can stretch the slider as desired to achieve a sufficient hanging length.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for connecting a fluid line to a rotatable nozzle, which may include a fluid inlet line, a rotatable nozzle, a chamber connected to and rotatable relative to the fluid inlet line, a seal disposed in the chamber, and a shaft having one end disposed in the chamber and surrounded by the seal and the other end connected to the nozzle, the shaft rotatably defining a passageway in communication with the chamber and the nozzle. This arrangement provides a way of securing the supply line to the rotatable showerhead while minimizing the risk of leakage.

In a preferred embodiment, an O-ring and a cap having an annular surface projecting into the chamber radially outwardly of the shaft may also be provided to contact and press against the O-ring.

The various aspects of the present invention have a number of major advantages, both as described above and as will be discussed below. Firstly, the motor has the dual function of driving the pump and rotating the shower head, and this is therefore an efficient solution for delivering a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid to the area to be cleaned of the housing.

The present invention also solves the problem of negative pressure or uncontrolled venting in the bottle. Moreover, the arrangement between the bottle and its receiving portion ensures that the bottle does not leak gas once it has been refilled, and that bottles of different forms cannot be readily adapted to the arrangement.

The invention can also be addressed in terms of potential leakage or backflow. The designed product has compact structure, is easy to transport and can be adjusted and installed.

These advantages are achieved by a device consisting of low-cost components, which is therefore not expensive. This is a practical alternative to hand-held spray cleaners.

Also, the control system used in the present invention (i) is capable of delaying the start of the spray after the device is activated (thereby providing time for the user to leave the housing), (ii) has an automatic shut-off function (so the user can leave to work or perform other activities without waiting for the cleaning cycle to end), (iii) has an audio or visual (e.g. flashing light) notification when the system is about to be turned on so that no detergent is accidentally sprayed on the user.

Since only a short period of operation is required during cleaning, the system has very low power consumption and is therefore battery powered, so that problems due to the need for an indoor power supply can be avoided.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings. It is to be understood that this description is only illustrative of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the full scope of the claims. And the claims should be looked to in order to judge the full scope of the invention.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic sprayer of the present invention having a detergent bottle shown inverted prior to being placed in the sprayer;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are exploded views of the sprayer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2C is an exploded view of a pump that may be used in the sprayer;

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the sprayer taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the sprayer taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3, but showing the pump and drive mechanism with the pump and drive motor in their entirety;

FIG. 5 is a front cross-sectional view of the sprayer taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3, showing the arrangement with the spray head drive mechanism and the junction with the dispensing tube;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sprayer taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3, showing the gear train of the spray head drive mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a control circuit and a detergent flow;

FIG. 8 is a partially inverted view of a detergent bottle with a bottle cap;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the bottle-tray junction with the bottle seated against the tray and the discharge valve open;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but with the bottle not seated against the tray and the discharge valve closed;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the tray with the bottle removed;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged partial top view showing the discharge valve and piercing post;

fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of fig. 10.

Description of The Preferred Embodiment

The automatic sprayer of the present invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20 in the drawings. Referring particularly to fig. 1-2B, the sprayer 20 includes as its main components a bottle 22, a housing 24 with an adjustable hook 26, a pump 28, a drive mechanism 30, a spray head 32, and a control circuit 34. The sprayer is typically suspended by a hanger from a shower spout or the like, and then during a spray cycle for a predetermined period of time, the spray head and pump are rotated by actuating the button 35 at the front of the sprayer, and detergent is sprayed from the bottle out of the spray head, after which the spray is automatically terminated.

The exterior of the sprayer is defined by a housing 24 which may be molded of plastic in a suitable manner and is essentially formed in two pieces, namely a socket 36 and a hanger bracket 38 which can be easily snapped into the socket to form a container. This allows the sprayer to be transported and stored by the user in a relatively small compact form. The hanger bracket 38 is an upstanding member formed with a cavity wherein the elongated body of the hanger 26 passes through an opening 40 at the upper end of the hanger bracket. The upper end of the hanger bracket 38 has two vertically spaced oval openings 42.

A deflectable tab 44 is formed at the lower end of the hook and is snap-fitted into one of the openings to lock the hook in both extended positions. The hook can simply be disengaged from the hook holder, extended to and locked at the lower opening. In this position, the sprayer 30 is suspended from the universal shower spout at a suitable height for spraying downwardly toward the shower side wall. The height can be adjusted by pressing the joint inward and sliding the hook up and down. The hook itself has two lugs 46 at the upper end for mounting a rubber band 48. These lugs are tapered to facilitate attachment of the band so as to have a series of holes at one end for ease of adjustment so that the band can be fitted tightly around a shower spout or the like. The back side of the hanger bracket is closed by a back plate 50. The hanger is connected to the socket at its lower end and is inserted into the receptacle 52, and the lower end is provided with two latches 54 (only one shown) which engage two slots in the back of the socket.

The receptacle is formed with an upwardly opening bottle tray 56 above a compartment 58 (see fig. 4) in which the pump and drive mechanism are contained and closed at the bottom by a lid 60. The cover has an annular skirt opening 62 for the spray head and a sidewall support 64 extending a distance back of the receptacle, supporting the lower end of the socket against the sidewall and vertically, the back side of the socket forming a battery compartment 66 and a cover 68, and the front side having an oval switch opening 70 for the control knob 35.

The tray 56 is formed to mate with the specially shaped upper end of the bottle. The bottle and tray are generally oval in shape and have mating abutment surfaces 72, 74 and sloping shoulders 76, 78, respectively, and complementary V-shaped features 80, 82. These features and the contour of the shoulder allow the bottle to be positioned on the tray and make conventional detergent bottles incompatible with sprayer operation.

Referring now to fig. 9-12, the tray forms an annular well 84 in the middle of the abutment surface 74 adapted to screw a special cap 86 to the mouth of the bottle. The well defines a shoulder 88, a vent collar 90 and a groove 92 having a vent collar 94. The well supports a valve plate 96 (see fig. 2A) secured thereto by two screws 97 (see fig. 3). The valve plate has a piercing post 98 projecting upwardly from the valve plate. The stem has a bevelled tip forming a sharp point and is also provided with an exhaust passage 100 and three radial ribs 102. The exhaust passage extends below the valve plate into a groove 104 which accommodates a small O-ring 106 around the exhaust passage and the opening of the discharge nipple 94. The valve plate also defines a valve spool 108 having a discharge passage 110 with a valve stem 112 extending through the discharge passage. The upper end of the valve stem has a cross plunger 114 biased from the well by a coil spring 116 which is seated within the valve spool.

The lower end of the valve stem is fitted with a disc-shaped rubber gasket 118 defined by a larger end 120 of the valve stem. As shown in fig. 10, the plunger is biased upwardly by the spring so that the gasket seals against the underside of the valve plate to close the discharge orifice when the sprayer is not in use. The valve plates are also formed with arcuate spaces 124 slightly spaced from the edges. The valve plate and well may be used to cooperate with a specially designed bottle cap (described below) to prevent the egress of cleaning solvent and improve the operation of the sprayer.

Referring now to fig. 8-11, the lid is generally circular with a serrated edge 126 and a tapered sealing flange (or web) 128 for sealing the tray well on the shoulder. The top of the cap has an outer surface 130 which is provided with a small chamfered area 132 in the middle and around which a raised annular surface 134 extends to a plane spaced from the surface 130. The small area 132 is located such that when the bottle abuts the tray, the piercing post will pierce the cap in this area and thereby expel the cleanser and vent the bottle. The said convex ring surface is set to contact with the plunger of the said valve and pushes the said valve downwards, thus removing the said gasket from the valve plate and opening the discharge hole. The smooth surface 130 of the cover rests on the seat 124 separating the piercing area from the floor of the well.

This arrangement thus provides not only a neat means of opening and inserting the bottle but further prevents the use of an inappropriate detergent container. This is done for several reasons. First, if a conventional bottle and cap are inserted into the tray, the piercing post cannot pierce the conventional cap without a weakened area. Even if the closure is removed and the finish is opened, the sprayer still cannot operate because the valve is located radially inward where conventional thin-walled bottle openings typically extend and thus cannot be opened.

Another reason for this is to conform to the bottle shape and the inclination of the receiving well. A bottle without a complementary shape will not actuate the discharge valve in a sufficiently low position.

Furthermore, while the cap has a generally internal thread 136 at the upper end that mates with the bottle mouth thread 138, it may also have a one-way ratchet ring 140, with the ratchet teeth 140 engaging corresponding ratchet teeth 142 on the bottle (see FIG. 13). The ratchet facilitates rotation of the cap in the tightening direction and also resists unscrewing, thereby preventing non-destructive removal of the cap and the need to refill the bottle.

Fig. 2B-6 show the pump, controller and drive mechanism positioned in the receptacle space below the bottle tray. These components will be described below from the bottle tray junction to the sprayer head. A short exhaust pipe 144 is connected to an exhaust boss 146 which forms an exhaust hole in the tray well. A small one-way valve 148 is mounted at the end of the exhaust pipe. The check valve is normally closed so that the detergent does not leak through the passage. The valve may be opened by the negative pressure created when the cleanser is drawn back from the bottle. The opened one-way valve delivers air into the bottle, allowing the cleanser to flow out of the bottle in a constant manner without foaming or gurgling when air is introduced. The check valve remains open until the pressure in the bottle and the reduced negative pressure equalize, and the valve closes thereafter.

A first tube 152 of a dispensing line 154 extends from a discharge nipple formed with a discharge orifice in the tray well to an inlet 156 of the pump 28 that is snap-fitted to a bracket 158 mounted to the lower portion of the bottle tray. The pump may be any conventional pump such as a diaphragm pump, a piston pump, a peristaltic pump or a gear pump as shown. The inlet is formed with a passageway between the articulation drive gear 160 and an idler gear 162 (see fig. 2C). The drive gear is connected to an upper shaft 164 (surrounded by an O-ring 165) of a dc motor 166 mounted through an opening in a gear plate 167 which is located on the lower cover of the receptacle. Actuation of the motor rotates a drive gear which turns the idler gear to draw detergent from the bottle into the outlet 168 in a conventional manner. A second tube 170 connects the outlet to a filter 172. And the filter stores a cleaning agent in its housing for the purpose of filling the pump with water before it is started. The short pipe 174 of the distribution line connects the filter 172 to a further one-way valve 176 connected by a further short pipe 178 and a spring 179 for supporting an inlet 180 of a shaft coupling 182.

Referring to fig. 2B and 5, the fixed portion of the connector 182, which is a cavity formed by the gear plate portion within an annular wall 184 having an internal shoulder 185, is covered at one end by a cap 186. The cap includes an inlet 180 and a collar 188 extending downwardly within the annular wall to press an O-ring 190 against the shoulder. The O-ring seals the upper end of the rotary head drive shaft 192 to form a rotary portion having the above-described function. The drive shaft is an inverted Y-shaped structure having a cylindrical shaft 194, the cylindrical shaft 194 defining a passage 196 and a diverging end 198. The bifurcated end passes downwardly through the opening of the socket cover and forms a gap 200 that can receive a nozzle 202. The bifurcated end has a transverse mounting post 204 to which a dome-shaped cap 206 may be snap fitted to conceal the nozzle 202.

The nozzle is preferably a fluid vibrator having a shaking type spray (in this embodiment, shaking up and down), but other suitable nozzles may be used. Reference may be made to an example of a known fluidic vibrator shown in US patent 4,562,867. Such a fluidic vibrator may be a suitably sized vibrator comprising a housing 208 having an inlet 210 and an outlet 212 on opposite sides. Barriers (not shown) in the interior of the housing form a channel between the inlet and outlet so that cleaning agent entering the inlet can pass over the barriers to the outlet. As is known in the art, the fluidic vibrator generates a low pressure region at the other side of the channel, and the straight flow entering the housing is changed into a vibrating flow by the barrier.

The nozzle is connected to an outlet 214 extending from the stem by another tube 216. The nozzle is mounted with its outlet end extending downwardly through an opening in the cover at an angle of approximately 30 degrees. A drive gear 220 is press-fitted onto the shaft on the drive shaft and engages a first reduction gear 222 which is rotatable by a further reduction gear 224 of smaller diameter, the gear 224 being driven by a pinion 226 at the lower end of a motor shaft 228. The gear train is coupled to the motor such that the number of revolutions per minute of the spray head is less than the number of revolutions per minute of the motor shaft. This arrangement provides a revolving, oscillating spray pattern.

Within the receptacle compartment is also mounted a control circuit 34 which is electrically connectable to a dc power source via a battery terminal 230 (see fig. 2A and 7) within the battery compartment, and to a push button switch 35 mounted via the receptacle front opening 70, via a waterproof flexible light emitting membrane 232. The circuitry includes timing circuitry 234 and a speaker 236, the function of which is described further below.

This electronic configuration is shown in fig. 7, along with the dispensing lines and bottle flow paths, and the operation of the sprayer described above is as follows. When a bottle is loaded into the sprayer (i.e., the bottle is inverted and loaded into the receptacle tray), the piercing post pierces the weakened area of the bottle cap, the cap sealing flange seals the tray well, and the ring contacts and depresses the plunger of the discharge valve, opening the valve. The detergent is poured out of the bottle around the rib of the piercing member and replaced with an equal amount of air in the bottle through the vent tube.

Since the air is lighter than the detergent, it is stored at the top of the bottle. The cleanser is poured from the bottle through the valve plate, into the dispensing line, through the pump, and into the filter until reaching valve 176. The sprayer is maintained in this equilibrium state until operation of the sprayer as described above, when no detergent is flowing from the bottle.

When the user wants to spray the side walls of the housing with detergent, he or she simply presses a switch on the front of the sprayer. This signals the timing circuit to begin a countdown delaying the spray for a predetermined time, for example 20 seconds. This allows the user time to leave the shower enclosure and close the door or curtain. But also provides time for the user to press the switch again to abort the spray. When the switch is pressed, a pulse sound is sent to the loudspeaker, and a luminous ring around the switch flickers to inform a user that the spray washing operation is about to start.

The above-described spray cycle operation is automatically initiated upon expiration of the countdown unless the user cancels it. The motor is then energized to simultaneously rotate the drive gear of the pump and drive the gear train to rotate the drive shaft and the spray head. At the same time, the pump draws the cleanser from the bottle through the dispensing line and opens valve 176 to allow cleanser to flow through the junction and exit through the nozzle as the sprayer rotates, thereby providing a cyclic, oscillating spray pattern. This reduces the level of detergent in the bottle, creating a negative pressure in the bottle, which opens the one-way valve in the vent tube to allow air to be pumped into the bottle, allowing more detergent to be drawn from the bottle during the spray.

The motor continues to be energized until the second countdown by the timer circuit is completed, preferably at 20 second intervals, and is automatically started by the timer. At that point the motor is de-energized, shutting off the pump and thus closing valve 176. Closing the valve prevents leakage of detergent from the dispensing line and also maintains the detergent on the upstream side of the line from the valve so that the pump remains primed. The sprayer is thus returned to the standby mode, without further user intervention, ready for use for the next spray operation requested by the user.

The present invention thus provides a device for automatically cleaning the outer covers of showers and bathtubs. The spray cycle can be initiated by simply touching a button and can be terminated automatically at the end. The user does not need to spend time to spray the shower himself, and the danger of exposure to cleaning liquid is reduced. All of these ways of compensating for the detergent need simply be to remove the old bottle, load a new bottle from the top down and place it on the tray.

The sprayer described above is capable of automatically measuring the proper amount of cleaner for a spray cycle of operation. The amount can be easily adjusted for different size enclosures by increasing or decreasing the duration of the spray cycle. Furthermore, the sprayer need not be tied to a water supply line. This allows the device to be easily installed in place on existing shower and bath enclosures, and it can also be removably installed without damaging the side walls.

It should be noted that embodiments of the present invention may also be used in other applications for spraying cleaning or sanitizing fluids, etc., in addition to the tub/shower described above. In this sense, U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,105 describes how an automatic cleaning device can be installed to clean a toilet.

The inventor believes that embodiments of the invention can be designed to be mounted on the underside of a toilet lid in a toilet, to supply a cleaning agent from within a container adjacent to the cistern, and to spray a chemical into the toilet. The above structure should also be considered as a "cover" suitable for the present invention.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above in considerable detail. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications and variations of the preferred embodiments are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, for example, the disclosed embodiments may be combined, and the electronic timer, motor and user notification system described above may be replaced by corresponding mechanical (reel) mechanisms known in the art. The invention is therefore not limited to the embodiments described above. To ascertain the full scope of the invention, the following claims should be referenced.

Industrial applicability

The invention provides a sprayer capable of automatically spraying outer shells of bathtubs, shower enclosures and the like.

Claims (21)

1. An automatic sprayer for spraying a housing with a liquid cleanser, comprising:

a container adapted to contain a liquid detergent;

a pump in fluid communication with the container;

a movable spray head having an outlet orifice through which liquid cleaning agent, if any, may exit from the container during operation of the pump;

and a motor drive mechanism for operating the pump and moving the spray head.

2. The automatic sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said pump is connected to said spray head by a fluid line.

3. The automatic sprayer according to claim 2, wherein the fluid line has a valve for blocking flow to the spray head when said pump is not operating.

4. The automatic sprayer of claim 3 further comprising a filter positioned upstream of the valve and in line with the line.

5. The automatic sprayer according to claim 2, wherein said fluid line is connected to said spray head via a junction, said fluid line being connected to said junction at an inlet fixed relative to said sprayer, and wherein said spray head is connected to said junction via a swivel shaft.

6. The automatic sprayer according to claim 5, wherein the shaft has a fluid passageway in communication with said inlet.

7. The automatic sprayer according to claim 6, wherein the shaft is provided with a forked end for mounting said spray head.

8. The automatic sprayer according to claim 7, wherein said engagement comprises a resilient seal disposed about said axis.

9. The automatic sprayer according to claim 8, wherein said engagement comprises a removable cover having said inlet.

10. The automatic sprayer according to claim 9, wherein said cover is mountable to a side wall of a mounting plate supporting said drive mechanism.

11. The automatic sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism includes a motor which simultaneously drives said pump and rotates said spray head.

12. The automatic sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure is a shower enclosure.

13. The automatic sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said enclosure is a sanitary toilet.

14. An automatic sprayer for spraying a housing with a liquid cleanser, comprising:

a bottle adapted to contain a fluid cleanser;

a holding tray for supporting the bottle in the inverted direction;

a spray head having an outlet aperture through which liquid cleanser, if present in the bottle, can be discharged from the bottle;

and a piercing post extending from said receiving tray to the bottle, the post further having a vent passageway.

15. The automatic sprayer according to claim 14, further comprising a one-way valve for controlling the flow of air through said piercing post and preventing the flow of liquid through said piercing post.

16. A dispenser for dispensing a liquid, comprising:

a bottle adapted to contain a liquid;

a receiving tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation;

a cap for closing the top end of the bottle;

wherein the well has a spring-loaded outlet valve to allow the cleaning agent to flow out of the well when the lid portion abuts the outlet valve.

17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein said cover further comprises radially extending webs forming seals against the sides of said well.

18. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein said dispenser is an automatic sprayer for dispensing liquid cleaning agents.

19. An automatic sprayer for spraying a housing with a liquid cleanser, comprising:

a bottle adapted to contain a fluid cleanser;

a holding tray for supporting the bottle in the inverted direction;

a spray head having an outlet aperture through which liquid cleanser, if present in the bottle, can be discharged from the bottle;

and a hanger attached to said sprayer and adjustable from a first compact configuration to a second suspended configuration;

characterised in that the hook is in the form of a bracket having a cavity and a slider, the slider and the bracket being engageable in a tab and slot arrangement.

20. An apparatus for connecting a fluid line to a rotatable nozzle, the apparatus comprising:

a fluid inlet line;

a rotatable nozzle;

a chamber connected to said fluid inlet line and rotatably fixed relative thereto;

a seal disposed within the chamber;

and a shaft having one end disposed in the chamber and surrounded by the sealing member and the other end connected to the nozzle, the shaft rotatably forming a passage communicating with the chamber and the nozzle.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said seal is an O-ring and a cap having an annular surface projecting into said chamber radially outward of said shaft to contact and press said O-ring.