GB2335925A

GB2335925A - Cleaning product

Info

Publication number: GB2335925A
Application number: GB9806909A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Adrian Wiggins
Original assignee: CHEMIPHASE Ltd
Current assignee: CHEMIPHASE Ltd
Priority date: 1998-04-01
Filing date: 1998-04-01
Publication date: 1999-10-06
Also published as: GB9806909D0

Abstract

A cleaning formulation for urinals or toilets includes bacteria which preferably degrade organic waste products such as urea, proteins, starches, cellulose and/or fats and greases. The cleaning formulation may be provided in a cleaning attachment (14) for a urinal system or toilet, the attachment being mountable in the outlet hole (12) of the urinal (10) or toilet.

Description

1 Cleaning Product 2335925 The invention relates to a cleaning product,

particularly but not exclusively for use in toilets and urinals. The invention also relates to a toilet and a urinal for use with the product.

Conventional toilet systems use water to flush away urine, and are cleaned periodically with disinfectant to kill any bacteria present. Large quantities of water must be used and this is very expensive for commercial organisations which maintain large numbers of toilets or urinals.

To overcome this problem, waterless urinal systems have been proposed. One type includes a fragrance pad which incorporates a pleasant smelling oil and possibly a chemical steriliser to destroy bacteria. Another type contains a soap stick arrangement which is changeable on a regular basis. The soap stick contains surfactants, biocide, dispersants and a fragrance oil, all blended in a waxy medium.

Both of the above waterless urinal systems when in use require the porcelain of the urinal to be cleaned on a regular basis. The cleaner is normally a harsh chemical bathroom cleaner that is formulated to remove scale and debris from the urinal porcelain. This inevitably causes damage to the porcelain surface with prolonged use.

According to the invention there is provided a cleaning formulation for urinals or toilets, the cleaning formulation including bacteria.

Preferably the bacteria degrade organic waste products. Preferably the bacteria degrade urea, and preferably the bacteria also degrade proteins, starch, cellulose and/or fats and greases.

Preferably the bacteria produce enzymes that degrade urea, or unc acid, proteins, starch, cellulose and/or fats and greases. The bacteria -may be of the 2 Bacillus Genus and preferably include Bacillus Thuringienesis, Bacillus Subtilis, Bacillus Thuringienesis and/or Bacillus Globili. The bacteria are preferably able to survive in an aqueous medium for up to six months. Preferably the bacteria produce enzymes in response to increased substrate concentrations.

The cleaner preferably also includes surfactants, which may include sodium dodecyl sulphate, lauryl ether sulphate and/or nonylphenols.

Preferably the cleaner also includes a fragrance, which may be in the form of an oil.

Preferably the cleaner includes a chemical for controlling limescale and uric acid crystals. The chemical may be a crystal lattice modifier and is preferably a polyacylate copolymer or terpolymer. Alternatively other chemicals may be used such as sulphonate styrene, sulphonate styrene copolymers, polyacylate homopolyiilers or polyacylates.

The chemicals contained in the cleaner are preferably biodegradable.

According to the invention there is also provided a cleaning attachment for a urinal system or a toilet, the attachment including a cleaning formulation as defined in any of the preceding seven paragraphs.

Preferably means are provided for releasably securing the attachment to a urinal system or toilet. Preferably the attachment is securable within an outlet hole of the urinal or toilet. Preferably the attachment includes a flange for engaging a rim of the outlet hole of the urinal or toilet. The means for releasibly securing the attachment may include a screw threaded connection which may include a nut for tightening to hold the rim of the outlet hole between the nut and the flange.

Preferably the attachment includes a membrane impregnated with the cleaning formulation. The membrane may be mounted within a filter unit. The 3 filter unit may be releasibly secured within the cleaning attachment. The filter unit may be secured to a threaded bar located within the cleaning attachment, by one or more nuts.

Preferably the attachment includes inlets for urine. Preferably urine passing through the inlets contacts the membrane.

Preferably the attachment includes a cover located substantially above the inlet. The cover may be substantially dome shaped. The inlet may be located between the cover and the flange.

According to the invention there is also provided a urinal system or toilet system including a receptacle for receiving urine and an attachment as defined in any of the preceding five paragraphs.

According to the invention there is also provided a urinal system or toilet system including a receptacle for receiving urine and a cleaning formulation including bacteria. The cleaning formulation may be as defined previously.

A cleaning formulation and one embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention for use with the cleaning formulation will now be described for the purposes of illustration only with reference to the drawing, which is a diagrammatic representation of a part of a urinal according to the invention.

A preferred cleaning formulation is as follows. It contains a blend of bacteria in a liquid formulation. The bacterial strains are Bacillus Thuringienesis, Bacillus Subtilis, Bacillus Thuringienesis and Bacillus Globw. These bacteria produce enzymes that break down proteins, urea and uric acid, cellulose and fats and greases. The bacteria are able to survive in the aqueous phase for up to six months.

The degradation of urea and uric acid is outlined as below.

4 To decompose urea biologically, the enzyme Urease must be present. Urease is an enzyme of high catalytic activity that catalyses the hydrolysis of urea to carbon dioxide (CO 2) and ammonia (NH 3).

NH NH 0 = c +2H 2 0 --> H 2 CO 3 + 2NH 3 UREA CARBONIC ACID Carbonic acid is unstable and so will break down to form carbon dioxide (CO 2) and water (H 2 0).

H 2 C0 3 ----> CO 2 + H 2 0 Urease displays a high degree of substrate specificity. Apart from urea it will only attack urea derivatives like hydroxy urea and dyhydroxyurea which also act as non-competitive inhibitors of urease.

Uric acid (2,6,8 tri hydroxypurine) is a purine derivative, which is the most important end product of nitrogen metabolism. Normally, humans excrete uric acid uncharged. In the adult human, uric acid contains 1-3% of the total nitrogen in the urine. Elimination of nitrogen in the form of the uric acid is one method of ammonia detoxification. In the body, uric acid is generated from xantine by the enzyme Xantine Oxidase in aerobic purine catabolism.

The amino nitrogen from the degradation of amino acids can also be transferred to uric acid. The enzyme Uricase converts uric acid to allantoin.

Aerobic Uricase enzyme will catalyse the oxidation of poorly soluble uric acid or urates to soluble allontoin. Therefore, by using the bacteria to produce enzymes to degrade the urea and uric acid, the problems of smell and salt formation will be overcome.

Limescale and uric acid crystals are bacterially controlled by the pH of the formulation and the addition of a chemical that will stop limescale crystals from growing (a crystal lattice modifier or poisoner). This poisoning effect on the crystals means the limescale is held under complete control.

The pH of the bacteria will hold the urine solution at a pH of between 6. 6 and 7.4. Therefore, under the typical Langelier Saturation Index for calcium carbonate, the scaling tendency is quite low. By further adding the crystal lattice modifier the form of the growing crystals is altered such that smaller, rounder crystals are formed rather than the large platelet type unmodified crystals. The smaller, rounded crystals are less adherent and are more capable of being finely dispersed and suspended. The chemical agent used to produce crystal modification is a polyacrylate copolymer or terpolymer.

Similar products can be used such as sulphonated styrene, sulphonated styrene copolymers, polyacylate homopolymers or polyacylates but they are not as compatible with the bacteria part of the above formulation.

Surfactants are also present to degrease and clean the porcelain urinal. The surfactants are sodium dodecyl sulphate, lauryl ether sulphate and nonylphenols. Sodium dodecyl sulphate and lauryl ether sulphate help urease to dissociate further and so increase the degradation of urea. The nonylphenols present give good foam control thus ensuring good wetability i.e. change of surface tension.

A natural fragrance in the form of an oil provides a pleasant masking smell to the toilet area.

The formulation may be used in a urinal system a part of which is illustrated in Fig. 1.

The urinal system includes a porcelain urinal bowl 10 as used in a standard urinal. The bowl 10 has at its base an outlet hole 12 into which urine 6 entering the urinal drains.

In the urinal system of the invention, a cleaning unit 14 is fitted into the outlet hole 12, such that all urine entering the urinal passes into the cleaning unit 14 through inlets 16. The cleaning unit 14 includes a flange 18, a threaded portion 19 and a nut 20 for fixing the unit in place in the outlet hole 12 of the urinal bowl 10. The cleaning unit 14 is inserted downwardly into the outlet hole 12 with the nut 20 detached. The flange 18 engages the mouth of the outlet hole 12. The nut 20 is then screwed onto the threaded portion 19, to hold the rim of the outlet hole 12 between the flange 18 and nut 20 and thereby to fix the cleaning unit in place. Resihent seals are provided on the underside of the flange 18 and between the nut 20 and the underside of the urinal bowl 10.

The cleaning unit 14 includes a filter 21 incorporating a membrane 22 impregnated with the cleaning formulation specified above. The filter 21 is mounted on a threaded bar 24 and held in place with nuts 26. Urine passing into the urinal bowl and therefore into the cleaning unit 14 via the inlets 16 comes into contact with the membrane 22. The cleaning formulation digests the urea and other organic waste products in the urine. The bacteria multiply in accordance with the amount or urea (substrate) present such that there are always sufficient bacteria to control the urine entering the urinal.

The end products of the above process pass into a waste pipe 28 for disposal. The end products are odourless, non-corrosive, non-scaling and harmless to the environment.

The top of the cleaning unit 14 is provided with a stainless steel dome cover 30 to shield the body of the cleaning unit from view and prevent debris from falling into the unit 14. The dome cover 30 is attached to the remainder of the cleaning unit 14 with a bayonet fitting for ease of removal. The cover 30 may need to be removed if, for example, there are any blockages in the system.

7 There is thus provided a cleaning formulation and urinal system which avoids the use of water. Water has severe disadvantages including cost (the typical annual cost for water and sewage for one urinal is appro3dmately ú2 5 0) and maintenance. When water is used as a flushing medium, harsh limescale is formed which causes blockages and results in emergency call-outs. There is also the potential of frost damage when the water freezes. Additionally, water produces limescale and to reduce the scale harsh acidic and abrasive cleaners are used. These are damaging to the environment. The water in the system also provides the necessary medium for microorganisms that create offensive odours and urea salt. Thus, air fresheners are required but these simply add an additional smell over the top of the unpleasant odours and do not remove the unpleasant smell.

When the urinal system described above is used, there are no associated water charges and should be no scale and no blockages. There are no pipes to freeze or burst and mild biological cleaners may be used to maintain the urinal unit. Odours do not occur because the products which produce these odours are degraded by the bacteria and turned into inoffensive odourless compounds. No air fresheners, flush control systems, channel block systems or disinfectants are required.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

8

Claims

1. A cleaning formulation for urinals or toilets, the cleaning formulation including bacteria.

2. A cleaning formulation according to claim 1 wherein the bacteria degrade organic waste products.

3. A cleaning formulation according to claim 2 wherein the bacteria degrade urea.

4. A cleaning formulation according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the bacteria also degrade proteins, starch, cellulose and/or fats and greases.

5. A cleaning formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the bacteria produce enzymes that degrade urea, or uric acid, proteins, starch, cellulose and/or fats and greases.

6. A cleaning formulation according to claim 5 wherein the bacteria are of the Bacillus genus.

7. A cleaning formulation according to any preceding claim wherein bacteria are able to survive in an aqueous medium for up to six months.

8. A cleaning formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the bacteria produce enzymes in response to increased substrate concentrations.

g. A cleaning formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the cleaner includes surfactants, which may include sodium dodecyl sulphate, lauryl ether sulphate and/or nonylphenols.

10. A cleaning formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the 9 cleaner includes a fragrance, which may be in the form of an oil.

11. A cleaning formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the cleaner includes a chemical for controlling limescale and uric acid crystals.

12. A cleaning formulation according to claim 11 wherein the chemical is a crystal lattice modifier and is preferably a polyacylate copolymer or terpolymer.

13. A cleaning formulation according to any preceding claim wherein the chemicals contained in the cleaner are biodegradable.

14. A cleaning attachment for a urinal system or a toilet, the attachment including a cleaning formulation as defined in any preceding claim.

15. A cleaning attachment according to claim 14 wherein means are provided for releasably securing the attachment to a urinal system or toilet.

16. A cleaning attachment according to claim 15 wherein the attachment is securable within an outlet hole of the urinal or toilet.

17. A cleaning attachment according to claim 16 wherein the attachment includes a flange for engaging a rim of the outlet hole of the urinal or toilet.

18. A cleaning attachment according to claim 17 wherein the means for releasably securing the attachment includes a screw threaded connection which includes a nut for tightening to hold the rim of the outlet hole between the nut and the flange.

19. A cleaning attachment according to any of claims 14 to 18 wherein the attachment includes a membrane impregnated with the cleaning formulation.

20. A cleaning attachment according to claim 19 wherein the membrane is mounted within a filter unit.

21. A cleaning attachment according to claim 20 wherein the filter unit is releasably secured within the cleaning attachment.

22. A cleaning attachment according to claim 21 wherein the filter unit is secured to a threaded bar located within the cleaning attachment, by one or more nuts.

23. A cleaning attachment according to any of claims 14 to 22 wherein the attachment includes inlets for urine.

24. A cleaning attachment according to claim 23 when appended to claim 19 wherein urine passing through the inlets contacts the membrane.

25. A cleaning attachment according to claim 23 or claim 24 wherein the attachment includes a cover located substantially above the inlet.

26. A cleaning attachment according to claim 25 wherein the cover substantially dome shaped.

27. A cleaning attachment according to claim 25 or claim 26 wherein the inlet is located between the cover and the flange.

28. A urinal system or toilet system including a receptacle for receiving urine and an attachment as defined in any of claims 14 to 27.

29. A urinal system or toilet system including a receptacle for receiving urine and a cleaning formulation including bacteria.

30. A urinal system or toilet system according to claim 29 wherein the 1 cleaning formulation is according to any of claimils 1 to 13.

31. A cleaning formulation substantially as hE r to the drawing.

ein described with reference 11

32. A cleaning attachment substantially as herein described with reference to the drawing.

33. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.