JP3121350B2 - Detergent dispenser - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to detergent dispensers and, more particularly, to dispensers for liquid detergents.

When washing homes with an automatic washing machine, it is often useful to apply a detergent to dirty portions of the clothes such as cuffs and collars before putting the clothes into the washing machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new dispenser of the kind described above.

The present invention provides a detergent dispenser according to claim 1 and a method for treating soiled parts of clothing according to claim 6.

In a preferred form, the lid has external threads for screwing the lid into the detergent container.

The second part is preferably in the form of a shallow cap having internal threads engageable with the external threads of the lid.

The lid and cap preferably have complementary shapes so that the cap can be removably coupled to the closed head of the lid.

The hole in the cap is preferably formed in a raised funnel formed in the head of the cap.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings as an example.

FIG. 1 is a front view of two parts of a detergent dispenser made according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a similar view of parts of a dispenser coupled in an inoperative state.

FIG. 3 is a similar view of parts of a dispenser coupled in an operative state.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cap of the dispenser as viewed from above.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the cap of the dispenser as viewed from below.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of each part of the dispenser shown in FIG.

As shown in the figures, the dispenser 1 comprises a first part in the form of a lid 2 and a second part in the form of a cap 3.

The lid 2 has a head 4 having a dependent skirt composed of an upper part 5a and a lower part 5b. The lower portion 5b defines an opening 6 in the lid and has an external thread 7 into which the lid can be screwed to seal a suitable container such as a liquid detergent bottle (not shown). Thus, the lid 2 usually serves to seal the detergent bottle.

The head of the lid has a concave peripheral channel 8 surrounding a centrally located pedestal 9 (see FIG. 6).

The cap 3 has a head 10 and a narrow hanging skirt 11. Skirt 11 has internal threads 12 (FIG. 6) configured to engage external threads 7 on lid 2.
At its head 10, the cap 3 has a raised arcuate funnel 14 with a hole 15.

On the lower side of the head of the cap 3, there is provided a hanging arc-shaped flange 16 formed in a circular shape and corresponding to the base 9 of the head of the lid 2.

The flange 16 is provided so as to fit on the periphery of the base 9 when the cap is located on the head of the lid 2. Thus, the cap is detachably and unusably connected to the lid 2 (see FIG. 2).

In use, the lid 2 is removed from the bottle, inverted and filled with detergent from the bottle. The cap is then screwed into the lid opening 7 to operably couple the cap 3 to the lid (FIG. 3). Thereafter, the detergent is dispensed from the hole 15 in the cap 3 to dirty portions of the garment such as cuffs and collar.

Thus, the present invention provides a dispenser useful for washing clothes.

Many other embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-254567 (JP, A) JP-T3-503127 (JP, A) French patent application publication 2637298 (FR, A1) UK patent application publication 2244722 (GB, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65D 47/00-47/44 B65D 83/00-83/06

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A lid, generally serving to seal a detergent container, having a closed head, a depending skirt and a lid having an opening, releasably engaging the lid at the opening. A second part in the form of a cap which is capable of applying a detergent and which has a hole for applying detergent, said hole of said cap being able to apply liquid to a dirty part of said garment before putting it into the washing machine. A detergent dispenser characterized by being formed in a raised funnel formed in the head of the cap so that the detergent can be applied. 2. The detergent dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said lid and said cap have complementary shapes so that said cap can be removably coupled to a closed head of said lid. 3. The complementary shape comprises a pedestal surrounded by a recessed peripheral channel provided in the head of the lid and a depending arcuate flange correspondingly provided inside the head of the cap. 3. A detergent dispenser according to claim 2, wherein 4. The detergent dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the lid has an external thread for screwing the lid into a detergent container. 5. The detergent dispenser of claim 4, wherein said second portion is in the form of a shallow cap having internal threads engagable with external threads of said lid. 6. A method for treating a dirty portion of clothing with a liquid detergent prepared in a bottle sealed with a lid of a detergent dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The lid is removed from the bottle and inverted, filled with the detergent from the bottle, the cap is connected to the opening of the lid, and the detergent is dispensed through the hole in the cap to the dirty part of the clothes. The method.