WO1988009758A1

WO1988009758A1 - Rubbish bin deodorizing apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1988009758A1
Application number: PCT/AU1987/000164
Authority: WO
Inventors: Barry George Emerton; Keith William George Attuell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-03-11
Filing date: 1987-06-02
Publication date: 1988-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-02

Abstract

A deorizing and/or disinfecting apparatus (1) for rubbish bins (8) and the like, the apparatus (1) being provided to release deodorizer/disinfectant into the bin (8) when the bin (8) is opened and closed. The apparatus (1) comprises a chamber (2) which is partially filled with the deodorizing/disinfecting liquid, the chamber (2) also has at least one capillary tube (3) which has an opening to the exterior of the chamber (2). The tube (3) fills and empties into the bin (8) during the movement of the bin's lid (9) from the horizontal to the vertical and back to the horizontal.

Description

RUBBISH BIN DEODORIZING APPARATUS

The present invention relates to deodorizing and/or disinfecting apparatus for rubbish bins, and in particular, to apparatus which releases deodorizer and disinfectant when the lid of a rubbish bin is opened and closed.

BACKGROUND ART

With the advent of larger style rubbish bins on a domestic level, there is a greater chance of disease spreading as the bins are cleared less frequently due to their larger size.

As well as the possibility of disease, there is the problem -associated with decomposing or rotting food scraps which if left over a period of time leads to rather an unpleasant odour. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rubbish bin deodorizing apparatus which substantially overcomes or ameliorates the abovementioned disadvantages. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed rubbish bin deodorizing and/or disinfecting apparatus comprising a chamber which is partially filled with deodorizing/disinfecting liquid, at least one capillary tube positioned at one end of said chamber, said tube having one end opening to air within said chamber and the other end opening to the exterior of said chamber; wherein when said apparatus is attachable to a pivotable lid of a rubbish bin and when the lid of the rubbish bin is opened said liquid flows to the end of the chamber in which said tube is positioned thus filling said tube, as the lid is closed the liquid inside said tube flows into the interior of said bin. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described in reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the deodorizing apparatus of the preferred embodiment,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is an inverse plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the lines V - V of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view along the lines VI - VI of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a bin to which the apparatus of Fig. 1 is attached,

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view showing the bin of Fig. 7 with its lid open with the apparatus of Figs. 1-6 attached thereto.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The apparatus 1 of the preferred embodiment comprises a rectangularly shaped chamber 2 having a plurality of tubes 3 at end 4 thereof. The chamber 2 has a filling cap 5 which is able to be removed so that deodorizing liquid 6 can be poured into the chamber 1. The liquid is filled to a level 7 which enables air to fill the rest of the chamber 2. The chamber 2 is airtight once the cap 5 is secured. The tubes 3 have one end 12 opened to the exterior of the chamber 2 and the other end 11 open to the air inside the chamber 2. The tubes 3 are attached at the end 12 to the chamber 1.

As illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, a rubbish bin 8 has a lid 9 to which the apparatus 1 is attached, usually by screws (not illustrated) which are .intertable through the attachment lugs 10 contained in the apparatus 1.

In operation, in the lid closed position, (as illustrated in Fig. 7) the apparatus 1 is horizontal and _.the liquid level 7 in the chamber is below the end 11 of the tubes 3 thus no liquid 6 fills the tubes 3. As the lid 9 is opened the liquid flows to the end 4 of the chamber 2, thus filling the tubes 3. When the lid is subsequently closed the liquid in the tubes 3 flows out through the open end 11 into the interior of the bin 8. Thus every time the lid 9 is opened and closed a measured dose of liquid 6 is emptied into the interior of the bin 8.

The principle behind the abovementioned operation is that the internal air pressure in the chamber 2 balances the external air pressure. The closing of the lid 9 of the bin 8 disturbs a balance therebetween. The process is repeated until the liquid is exhausted.

The amount of the liquid released from the apparatus 1 depends on several factors. These include, the size of the chamber 2, the viscosity of the liquid, the amount of liquid in the chamber 2, the inside diameter and length of the tube 11, the rigidity of the apparatus 1 and the degree of the sealing to maintain the chamber airtight. The apparatus 1 has the filling cap 5 so that the chamber 2 can be refilled when required.

The plurality of tubes 3 are such that each tube 3 contains a certain dose of deodorizing liquid 6 which is expelled into the interior of the bin 8. Before installation, the tubes 3 are blocked at their end 11 and the number of tubes which are required for the dosage required are cleared. The dosage per bin opening takes into account the number of times the bin is opened and closed over a certain period.

The apparatus 1 of another embodiment can include inside the chamber 2 an absorbent pad and a grill to retain same. The pad is advantageous against evaporation of the liquid.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The areas of application of the apparatus 1 include use in connection with large commercial and domestic waste bins as well as smaller domestic versions which are used in household kitchens. The apparatus can also be attached to a toilet seat cover.

In other applications it may not be desirable for the liquid to be released in droplet form. The droplets could be released onto an absorbent material placed under the outlet tubes. The released liquid would then evaporate thus filling the interior of the container that it was released into.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention, and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rubbish bin deodorizing and/or disinfecting apparatus comprising: a chamber which is partially filled with deodorizing/disinfectant liquid, at least one tube positioned at one end of said chamber, said tube having one end open to air within said chamber and the other end open to exterior of said chamber; wherein said apparatus is attachable to a lid of a rubbish bin and when the lid of a rubbish bin is opened said liquid flows to the end of the chamber in which said tube is positioned thus filling said tube, as the lid is closed the liquid inside said tube flows into interior of said bin.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said chamber is a generally flat rectangular container having a longitudinal plane axis substantially parallel to the plane axis of said lid.

3. The apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said tube inside said chamber is a capillary tube protruding by more then halfway inside said chamber, whereby atmospheric pressure outside said chamber maintains the liquid inside said tube until a greater pressure expels said liquid.

4. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims

2 or 3 wherein said tubes are substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal plane axis of said container.

5. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said tubes are such that when they empty their liquid contents, the liquid emptied is a measured amount.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein for the measured amount of liquid required is determined by a number of the plurality of tubes which are open from inside the chamber to the exterior.

7. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said chamber has an absorption pad adjacent said open end of said tube, and said liquid is absorbed by said pad to deodorize in general where liquid droplets are not desirable.

8. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the prec claims, wherein said chamber has a lid which can be open to refill said chamber.