WO2000065162A1

WO2000065162A1 - Apparatus for dosing an active agent into a toilet bowl

Info

Publication number: WO2000065162A1
Application number: PCT/EP2000/003721
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claudio Stefanini
Original assignee: Unilever Plc; Unilever Nv; Hindustan Lever Limited
Priority date: 1999-04-21
Filing date: 2000-04-19
Publication date: 2000-11-02
Also published as: GB9909164D0; GB2349157A; AU3967300A

Abstract

Apparatus for dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet, the apparatus comprises suspension means (16) for suspending a reservoir (12) from the rim (18) of a toilet bowl. The reservoir (12) is rotatably mounted in relation to the suspension means (16) and includes an outlet (42) for dispensing the active agent (12). The reservoir (12) includes a biasing means (40) which in the absence of flush water holds the reservoir (12) in a rest position, wherein on flushing, the reservoir (12) is rotated to a dosing position, and whereupon after flushing is completed, the biasing means (40) returns the reservoir (12) to the rest position.

Description

APPARATUS FOR DOSING AN ACTIVE AGENT INTO A TOILET BOWL

Introduction

The present invention relates to materials, apparatuses and methods for dosing an active agent into the flush water of a toilet .

In order to maintain an acceptable level of cleanliness in the toilet, an active agent such as a disinfectant, a limescale removal agent and/or a deodorising agent are often dispensed into or around the toilet bowl. The active agent may be introduced into the toilet bowl directly from a bottle, by placing the active agent in the flushing system itself, or by suspending the active agent from the rim of the bowl in the path of the flush water. Conveniently, such active agents are dosed into the toilet bowl in small, relatively reproducible increments every time the toilet is flushed.

Previously, solid blocks of cleansing and freshening agents have been suspended from the rim of the toilet bowl . However, such blocks have a short life time, they may provide uneven dosing of the active agent as the block is eroded by the flush water, and they typically include complicated formulations and/or fillers to achieve the desired cleansing and/or freshening action. In an attempt to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages associated with solid blocks of active agents, attention has focused on devices including a liquid active agent formulation, which may be in the form of a relatively viscous liquid or gel, for suspension from the rim of a toilet bowl.

European patent application EP-A-0 , 538 , 957 relates to a unit having a bottle containing a cleansing and odorising liquid for suspension from the rim of a toilet bowl. The cleansing and odorising liquid seeps from the bottle onto a porous mass when the unit has been suspended in the toilet bowl. The flush water flows over the porous mass and dispenses the active agent around the toilet bowl. A disadvantage of such a unit is that the active agent may be unevenly dosed into the toilet bowl because as the liquid level of active agent in the bottle falls less active agent is dispensed onto the porous mass per unit of time. As a result, the effectiveness of the cleansing and/or freshening action of the unit decreases over a period of time.

European patent application EP-A-0 , 785 , 315 relates to a modification of the unit disclosed in European patent application EP-A-0, 538, 957. The unit includes at least one liquid passage and one air supply opening communicating with the discharge opening of the bottle so that the liquid pressure of the active agent on the porous mass is substantially equal and independent of the liquid level in the bottle. Although the unit may dispense a more even dose of the active agent than the unit of EP-A-0 , 538 , 957 , the unit has a complicated, cumbersome and relatively expensive construction, and requires a liquid active agent having a particular viscosity and surface tension such that no active agent seeps through the air supply opening.

The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the drawbacks of known apparatus for dosing an active agent into the flush water of a toilet, in particular for dosing active agents in liquid form.

Statements of Invention

According to a first aspect, the present invention seeks to provide apparatus for dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet, the apparatus comprising:

suspension means for suspending a reservoir containing an active agent from the rim of a toilet bowl in the path of the flush water;

the reservoir being rotatably mounted in relation to the suspension means and includes an outlet for dispensing the active agent from the reservoir, the reservoir includes a biasing means which in the absence of flush water prevents dosing of the active agent from the reservoir, by biasing the reservoir in a rest position, wherein on flushing, the reservoir is rotated from the rest position to a dosing position, and the active agent is thereby dispensed from the outlet into the flush water, and whereupon after flushing is completed, the biasing means returns the reservoir to the rest position. By the term "active agent" is meant an agent which provides a cleansing, water purifying, deodorising, disinfecting, germicidal and/or freshening action. In particular, the active agent may include a foaming/cleansing agent such as a mixture of surfactants, a perfume, a disinfectant, bleach, an emulsifying agent, and/or a calcium-binding substance for removing limescale deposits. Additionally, the active agent may include a dye, preferably a water-soluble dye.

Preferably, the active agent is in the form a liquid such as an aqueous solution, gel, emulsion or suspension. More preferably, the active agent is in the form of an aqueous solution or gel, for example a water alkaline solution with a variable proportion of the aforementioned active agents, and is made by methods well known to those skilled in the art .

However, the active agent could also be in the form of finely divided free flowing powder or crystals.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a product for dosing an active agent into the flush water of a toilet, comprising an apparatus as defined above containing an active agent in the apparatus reservoir.

The apparatus is of simple construction, and when the toilet is flushed, it provides an even dose of active agent into the flush water irrespective of the quantity of active agent present in the reservoir. Between toilet flushes, the active agent may also conveniently slowly evaporate through the outlet to provide a constant air freshening effect. Preferably, when the reservoir is at the rest position, the outlet is above the level of the active agent and when the reservoir is at the dosing position, the outlet is below the level of the active agent. Optimally, apparatus is such that when the flush water flow is activated, the reservoir may rotate to a position in the configured apparatus (ie when the apparatus is suspended by the suspension means on a toilet rim in the path of flush water) such that the outlet points substantially directly downwards. In such a position, the outlet may be located substantially on the bottom of the reservoir on each usage. Preferably, the outlet is dimensioned to dispense a specific amount of the active agent from the reservoir. Most preferably, the outlet includes a valve and/or nozzle for dispensing a predetermined amount of the active agent into or around the toilet bowl.

Preferably, the reservoir is releasably mounted to the suspension means and typically includes an inlet for filling the reservoir with the active agent . Such an arrangement enables an empty reservoir to be easily and conveniently recharged with active agent, or to be replaced with a separate prefilled reservoir. Conveniently, the reservoir is transparent, or includes a transparent window for viewing the level of active agent in the reservoir.

Preferably, the reservoir inlet is above the level of the active agent at the rest position and optionally the dosing position of the reservoir. This prevents egress of the active agent through the inlet at the rest position. Alternatively, or additionally, the inlet may include a removable closure seal and/or a valve, for example a nonreturn valve .

However, when the apparatus is in the rest position and the inlet and outlets consist substantially of simple orifices, or at least do not comprise any valve means, the lowest of the inlet and outlet orifices in the device in the rest position when the device is suspended on the toilet rim will represent the maximum fill level of the device.

The reservoir may further include means for harnessing the flush water, such as at least one external fin extending from the reservoir into the flush water. The harnessing means enables the reservoir to rotate more easily from the at rest position to the dosing position in the flush water. This allows the reservoir to function effectively even in a toilet bowl where the flow rate of flush water is relatively low.

In a further embodiment, the reservoir may comprise separate reservoir sections, which may form sectors of a general reservoir area of the device, with each section optionally having a separate outlet and/or inlet. With this arrangement, it is possible to dispense separately but simultaneously a mixture of active agents into the flush water, without pre-mixing the active agents as a complicated active agent formulation, merely by charging each reservoir section with a different active agent. Moreover, the separate reservoir sections prevent the different active agents from adversely reacting with each other prior to dosing the flush water.

In a further embodiment of the invention the device includes a chamber which receives active agent from the respective reservoirs and in which the active agents may be admixed prior to dosing into the flush water.

The biasing means retain the reservoir in the rest position in the absence of flush water, and returns the reservoir from the dosing position to the at rest position after flushing is completed.

Preferably, the biasing means is a weight, or a spring. More preferably, for simplicity of design, the biasing means may be a weight that is integral with the reservoir and may conveniently be located on the exterior of the reservoir wall. Alternatively, or additionally, the reservoir may be naturally biased by virtue of its shape and/or the active agent in the reservoir for example, the reservoir may have an oval or egg shaped cross-section.

Preferably, the reservoir is cylindrical, and the reservoir is rotatably mounted to the suspension means along its cylindrical axis. Alternatively, the reservoir is rotatably mounted at one end to a pivoting point on a suspension means, for example by means of a strut or member extending from one end of the reservoir to the pivoting point on the suspension means. The suspension means may include means for spacing the reservoir from the toilet wall and means for funnelling the flush water over the reservoir and/or the harnessing means, as well as means for suspending the apparatus from a toilet rim such as a hook which preferably is adjustable to vary the position of the reservoir with respect to the rim of the toilet. To this end, a preferred means for suspending the apparatus from the toilet rim comprises a three sector hook device, which in an initial configuration may comprise three hook portions each lying substantially parallel to each other, the three portions connected by two "U" shaped substantially 180° bends, and connected at one end to the apparatus. Such suspending means are typically made of resilient plastics materials, and are well known in the trade. The funnelling means serves to guide the flow of flush water over the reservoir, thereby ensuring the reservoir rotates to the dosing position more readily. Such a feature is particularly advantageous in a toilet bowl where the flush water flow rate is low. The spacing means conveniently provides for unrestricted rotation of the reservoir.

In one embodiment of the invention the suspension means comprises means for attachment to a rim of a toilet bowl and a base housing upon which the reservoir is journalled. Ideally the base housing encloses a lower half of the reservoir and includes an outlet at a lowermost part thereof . In such cases the reservoir may include an additional top housing having a water inlet port to receive flush water, wherein the reservoir is rotatable with respect to the top housing. Upon mounting of the reservoir on the base housing, the base housing and the top housing enclose the reservoir.

Typically the reservoir includes a window through which the level of active agent in the reservoir can be viewed.

Ideally, the outlet of the reservoir is sealed by an adhesive strip. Typically the adhesive strip extends through the water inlet port and as such is exposed to the user.

Ideally, the reservoir includes a means for metering the dosage of active agent. In one embodiment of the invention the metering means comprises a capillary tube. Typically the tube extends into the reservoir with one end of the tube in fluid communication with the reservoir outlet. The capillary tube additionally includes an inlet which ideally is disposed towards a base of the reservoir. In such cases the volume of the capillary tube determined the dose of active agent.

In a further embodiment of the invention the metering means comprises a body mounted on an exterior of the reservoir wherein during a flush and when the reservoir is in the doing position the body fills with flush water in the body effects the rotation of the reservoir from the dosing position to the rest position. Typically the body is disposed with respect to the reservoir such that on rotation of reservoir from the dosing to the rest position, the body tilts and spills the flush water contained therein. In such cases the reservoir is prevented from reverting to the use position by the biassing means.

The invention also seeks to protect a refill reservoir for an apparatus according to the invention. Typically such a reservoir will comprise a reservoir body having a dosing outlet and a closure for the dosing outlet which suitably comprises a tear-off adhesive strip. The reservoir will have mounting means which enable the rotation of the reservoir when mounted on a suspension means. Ideally the mounting means will be a journalling means such as a pair of opposed axle means. Preferably the reservoir will have means for harnessing the movement of water during a flush, such as for example baffles or fins. Typically, the reservoir will include a biasing means which will bias the reservoir, when mounted on a suspending means, into an at rest position which generally means that the outlet will be positioned on a upward aspect of the reservoir and therefore above the level of active agent which is use would be in the reservoir.

Typically the refill reservoir has an active agent, typically a liquid agent contained therein.

According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet comprising:

providing apparatus as hereinbefore described; filling the reservoir with an active agent; suspending the reservoir from the rim of the toilet bowl; and passing flush water over the reservoir. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Detailed Description

Figure 1 is a partially cross-sectioned perspective view of an apparatus according to the invention in the dosing position suspended from the rim of a toilet bowl;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1 where the reservoir is in an at rest position;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1 where the reservoir is in the dosing position;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the apparatus of Figure 4 ;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 4 shown attached to a rim of a toilet and in an at -rest position;

Figure 7 shows the sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 6 in a dosing position;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 9 is an exploded view of the apparatus of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a partly sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 8 shown attached to a rim of a toilet and in an at- rest position;

Figure 11 shows the partly sectional view of Figure 10 with the apparatus in a dosing position;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a still further apparatus according to the invention shown attached to a rim of a toilet bowl;

Figure 13 is an exploded view of the apparatus of Figure 12; and

Figures 14 and 15 are sectional views through the apparatus of Figure 12 with the apparatus in an at-rest position and a dosing position respectively.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figure 1 to 3 , there is shown an apparatus for dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet, comprising a suspension means 10 and a reservoir 12 containing an active agent 14 rotatably mounted to the suspension means 10.

Preferably, the entire apparatus is made from plastics materials such as polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate or PETG, by methods known to those skilled in the art, such as injection moulding.

The suspension means comprises a three sector suspension hook 16 for suspending the reservoir 12 from the rim 18 of the toilet bowl 20, and a housing 22 in which the reservoir 12 is rotatably mounted. The housing 22 may be permanently or detachably mounted to one end of the hook 16, and the hook 16 and the housing 22 may be integrated or separate structures (ie be interchangeable) . The hook can also be adjustable to fit well a variety of toilet rim dimensions.

The housing 22 partially surrounds the reservoir 12 and comprises two side panels 24a, b and a back panel 26 having an upper 28 and lower edge 30. The back panel 26 is generally cylindrical in form and is configured similarly to the outer cylindrical surface of the reservoir 12, and includes a funnelling means comprising an opening 32 for funnelling the flush water over the reservoir 12. Back panel 26 and reservoir 12 are coaxial.

As shown, the reservoir 12 is cylindrically shaped and is mounted along its cylindrical axis to the housing by two axles 34a, b at either end 36a, b of the reservoir 12. Each axle 34a, b extends outwardly from the ends 36a, b of the reservoir into recesses 38a, b in each side panel 24a, b of the housing 22. Reservoir 12 is free to rotate between rest and dosing positions about axles 34a, b.

In a preferred embodiment, the recesses 38a, b are downwardly grooved channels (when the apparatus is configured on the toilet rim) to allow the reservoir 12 to be easily removed from and re-fitted into the suspension means when refilling the reservoir with active agent, but to retain the reservoir 12 rotatingly in the suspension means 10 in use.

In an alternative embodiment, the recesses 38a, b are recesses in the side panels 24a, b, and at least one of the axles 34a, b includes a biasing means for outwardly biasing the axle 34a,b from the cylinder into the recess, thereby releasably engaging the reservoir 12 in the suspension means. Such an arrangement also allows the reservoir to be easily removed from and fitted to the housing 22, whilst retaining the rotating reservoir 12 in the suspension means in use. A contemplated alternative embodiment is where ends 36a, b of reservoir 12 have recesses located in them, which releasably engage co-operating projections (at least one of which is releasably outwards biased) in side panels 24a, b. In such an embodiment, the releasable biasing of the projections in side panels 24a, b may derive from the manufacturing of housing 22 from a resilient material, with sufficient resilience in the housing to allow projections on side panels 24a, b to releasably engage recesses in ends 36a, b of reservoir 12.

The reservoir further comprises a weight 40, an outlet 42 for dosing the active agent 14 from the reservoir into the toilet bowl, an inlet 44 for filling the reservoir with the active agent 14, and a pair of fins 46 for harnessing the flush water. The outlet 42, inlet 44 and weight 40 are circumferentially spaced 120° apart on the surface of the cylinder, and the outlet 42 is adjacent to or in between the fins 46.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the inlet includes a non-return valve to allow refilling of the reservoir with active agent but prevent egress of the active agent from the reservoir, and the outlet includes a nozzle/valve to dispense a predetermined amount of the active agent into or around the toilet bowl .

The weight 40 forms an integral part of the reservoir 12 and may conveniently extend axially along the entire outer surface of the reservoir. The weight 40 may also project radially outwardly past the upper 28 and lower 30 edges of the back panel 26 and thus may prevent the reservoir 12 from rotating fully within the housing 22. In this way, weight 40 may act to provide a stop at each extreme of rotation, preventing rotation of the reservoir 12 past either the rest position or the dosing position. Should it be necessary, the positioning of weight 40 and the edges 28, 30 of housing 22 could be adapted to facilitate this. However, in the embodiment shown in the figures, alternative co-operating stop means (not shown) are provided in the housing 22 and reservoir 12 to prevent rotation of the reservoir other than between the rest and dosing positions.

In use, the apparatus is suspended inwardly from the rim of the toilet bowl by the suspension hook 16 so that the opening 32 of the housing 22 faces the wall of the bowl and is partly under the rim. As shown in Figure 2, in the absence of flush water, the weight 40 biases the reservoir 12 to the at rest position where the inlet 44 and outlet 42 are above the level of the active agent 14. Thus, dosing of the active agent 14 from the reservoir 12 is prevented.

On flushing, the flush water passes through the opening 32 and is funnelled over the reservoir 12 and fins 46 extending from the surface thereof. The reservoir 12 rotates approximately 120° to a dosing position as shown in Figure 3, where the outlet 42 is below the level of the active agent 14 and directed downwards towards the inner sloping wall of the toilet bowl. The active agent 14 is dosed into the flush water and onto the inner wall of the toilet bowl. In the process of this rotation of the reservoir, weight 40 is elevated to a higher position than it was in the rest position, and the apparatus is retained in this position by the pressure of the flush water on fins 46. However, at the end of the flush, the pressure of the flush water on fins 46 decreases and eventually ceases, in which time the force of gravity on weight 40 causes reservoir 12 to rotate about its cylindrical axis, back to the rest position as indicated in Figure 2.

Referring to Figs 4 to 7 there is illustrated an apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the invention in which parts similar to those described with reference to the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals. In this embodiment the apparatus, which is indicated generally be the reference numeral 100, has an oblong reservoir of generally circular cross-section, having a pair of flush water harnessing fins 46, 46, one of which extends around the inlet and outlet apertures 44, 42 respectively forming a short wall 102 adjacent the inlet aperture 44. The purpose of this wall 102 is to prevent or inhibit flush water entering the inlet aperture during a flush. As can be seen in Figs 6 and 7, the reservoir 12 has a generally circular cross section except for a ballast portion 104 which acts to bias the reservoir into the at-rest position shown in Fig . 6.

The use of this device is substantially similar to that of the previous embodiment with the direction of flow of flush water being indicated by the arrows X.

Referring to Figs. 8 to 11, there is illustrated a further apparatus according to the invention in which parts similar to those described with reference to the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the apparatus which is indicated by the reference numeral 200 uses a replaceable re-fill resevoir 12 and as such the reservoir 12 has no refilling aperture. The reservoir 12 which is shown in broken lines in Figs 8 and 9 has a squat cylindrical shape and axles 34a and 34b mounted at each end 36a, 36b and a window 202 through which a level of active agent 14 can be viewed by a user. The suspension means 10 comprises a hook 16 and a base housing 204 having slotted recesses 38a, 38b which receive the axles 34a, 34b of the reservoir 12, the base housing 204 being dimensioned to enclose a lower half of the reservoir 12. The base housing additionally includes an outlet 206 through which active agent can be dosed. A further cover 208 is rotatably mounted on the axles 34a, 34b of the reservoir 12 and is dimensioned to enclose a top half of the reservoir 12 such that on assembly of the reservoir 12 and suspension means 10, the reservoir 12 is nearly completely enclosed. The cover 208 includes a stop 212 which upon rotation of the reservoir 12 to the dosing position abuts the weight 40 to prevent further rotation beyond the dosing position. The cover 208 additionally includes an opening 32 through which flush water can enter the housing 22 to rotate the reservoir 12 to a dosing position. As is indicated in Fig. 10, the outlet 42 of the reservoir 12 is initially closed by an adhesive strip 210, which strip 210 extends out of the housing 22 through the opening 32. In this manner a user can easily remove the strip 210 to open the outlet 42 for the active agent.

The use of this embodiment is similar to that of the previous embodiments with the exception that, when the reservoir is empty it is replaced by a re-fill reservoir. The use of slots on the base housing simplifies the process of replacing the reservoir.

Referring to Figs. 12 to 15 a still further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is illustrated, which apparatus is indicated generally by the reference numeral 300. Again, parts similar to those described with reference to previous embodiments are given the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the reservoir 12 includes a metering device in the form of a capillary tube 302 which extends diagonally through the reservoir 12, wherein one end of the tube 302 is in fluid communication with the outlet 42 and an opposite end 304 is submerged within the active agent 14 in the reservoir 12 when the reservoir 12 is in the at-rest position. Thus, when in the at-rest position as shown in Fig. 14, the active agent will fill the capillary tube 302 by means of capillary forces and during a subsequent flush, the reservoir will rotate to the dosing position shown in Fig. 15 wherein an amount of active agent in the capillary tube 302 will be dosed by the device. Again, water flow during a flush is indicated by the curly arrows X. The amount of active agent to be dosed can be determined by varying the bore of the capillary tube and the viscosity and composition of the active agent. The reservoir may include a venting means to allow air enter the reservoir during a dosing operation. Furthermore, the capillary tube may be replaced by a capillary slot of suitable dimensions or indeed any type of capillary dosing means which fulfil the requirements of being able to accept a defined dose of active agent between flushes and deliver this dose to the flush water upon movement of the reservoir to the dosing position during a flush. Similar to the previous embodiment, the reservoir 12 of this embodiment includes an adhesive strip 210 which seals the outlet 42 during storage, which strip 210 is easily removed by a user prior to assembly of the reservoir and storage means.

It will be appreciated that many different forms of suspension means are possible according to the invention. Preferably all should function to space the reservoir from the wall of the toilet thereby allowing the reservoir rotate without coming into contact with the toilet wall. Although not specifically described, the present invention also includes devices having reservoirs which tilt or otherwise move between at-rest and dosing positions.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments herein before described which may be varied in both construction and detail without departing from the general concept of the invention.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet, the apparatus comprising:

the reservoir being rotatably mounted in relation to the suspension means and includes an outlet for dispensing the active agent from the reservoir, the reservoir includes a biasing means which in the absence of flush water prevents dosing of the active agent from the reservoir by biasing the reservoir in a rest position, wherein on flushing, the reservoir is rotated from the rest position to a dosing position, and the active agent is thereby dispensed from the outlet into the flush water, and whereupon after flushing is completed, the biasing means returns the reservoir to the rest position.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein, in use, the outlet is above the active agent when the reservoir is in the rest position.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the outlet points substantially downward when the reservoir is in the dosing position.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir is releasably mounted to the suspension means.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir includes an inlet for filling the reservoir with the active agent.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the inlet includes a removable closure seal and/or a valve.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir further includes means for harnessing the flush water.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the means for harnessing the flush water comprises at least one external fin extending from the reservoir into the path of the flush water.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir comprises separate reservoir sections, each reservoir section including an outlet for dosing an active agent.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the biasing means is a weight or a spring.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any proceeding claim in which the biassing means is provided by an eccentric shape of the reservoir.

12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the biasing means is a weight which is integral with the reservoir.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12 wherein the reservoir is cylindrical and in which the outlet is positioned on the outer circumference surface of the cylinder.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the axis of the cylindrical reservoir is rotatably mounted on the suspension means.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the inlet, outlet and biasing means are circumferentially spaced at approximately 120° intervals around the reservoir, and the reservoir is rotatable approximately 120° in the suspension means between dosing and rest positions.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the outlet includes means for dispensing a metered dose of active agent.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 in which the metering means comprises a capillary chamber means in fluid communication with the reservoir outlet, which capillary chamber means is located with the reservoir and includes an inlet for active agent, wherein when the reservoir is in an at-rest position, the inlet is submerged in the active agent.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the volume of the capillary chamber means determines the dosage of the product to be dosed.

19. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein the reservoir is in the form of a detachable refill .

20. A product for dosing an active agent into the flush water of a toilet comprising an apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 19 containing an active agent in the apparatus reservoir.

21. A product according to Claim 20 wherein the active agent is in the form of a liquid.

22. A product according to any of Claims 20 or 21 wherein the inlet lies above the level of the active agent when the reservoir is in both at the rest position and the dosing position.

23. A product according to any of Claims 20 to 22 wherein the reservoir is in the form of a detachable dispensable refill.

24. A refill reservoir for an apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 19 comprising:- a reservoir body having an outlet a closure for the outlet journalling means for rotatably mounting the reservoir to a suspension means; optionally, baffle means for harnessing the flow of the flush water to rotate the reservoir ; and biasing means to bias the reservoir, when rotatably mounted to the suspension means, in an at-rest position.

25. A refill reservoir as claimed in claim 24 having active agent, typically liquid active agent, contained therein.

26. A method for dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet comprising providing apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18; filling the reservoir with an active agent; suspending the reservoir from the rim of the toilet; and, passing flush water over the reservoir.

27. A method for dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet comprising an apparatus claimed in claim 19, suspending the reservoir from the rim of the toilet, and passing flush water over the reservoir.

28. Apparatus for dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet substantially as described and/or depicted herein with reference to the description and accompanying drawings.

9. A method of dosing an active agent in the flush water of a toilet substantially as described and/or depicted herein with reference to the description and accompanying drawings .