WO2020188260A1

WO2020188260A1 - A gel applicator and method for creating a cleansing wipe

Info

Publication number: WO2020188260A1
Application number: PCT/GB2020/050662
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francis ROONEY
Original assignee: Rooney Francis
Priority date: 2019-03-18
Filing date: 2020-03-16
Publication date: 2020-09-24
Also published as: GB201903635D0; GB201907407D0; GB2582389A; GB2582389B

Abstract

A gel applicator for applying a cleansing gel to toilet paper is disclosed. The applicator has a body and a pedestal lid. The body includes a bottle containing cleansing gel which is attached, via an intermediate portion, to a cage containing a ball. To ensure that the ball rotates about a single axis flat portions are provided on the ball which engage equivalent flat portions formed in or attached to the cage. As a result, thin even lines of gel are applied to the toilet paper without excessive wetting of the paper allowing it to be used for cleaning.

Description

A Gel Applicator and Method for Creating a Cleansing Wipe

The present invention relates to a gel applicator used in a method for creating a cleansing wipe and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to an applicator and method for creating a cleansing wipe for use instead of "flushable moist wipes".

Toilet tissue is a paper product generally formed from 95% dry cellulose by weight that is designed for self-cleaning after using a toilet. The wet-strength of toilet paper, that is the ability of the paper to resist damage when wet, is deliberately very low. This is because the crystalline structure within the pulp of fast-growing Northern Hemisphere trees used in the production of toilet paper is loose enough to allow hydrogen bonding with water. This allows toilet tissue to be flushed down the toilet as it is easily broken up once wet in the sewage system and is biodegradable in the short term. During sewage treatment cellulose is easily screened out and settled and assists in biological treatment before being used for purposes such as the creation of fertilisers, gasification, or for disposal, if necessary, to landfill. Dry cellulose holds together mainly by hydrogen bonding to its own molecules. However, in the presence of water, these hydrogen bonds are disrupted, preferably bonding with the hydrogen in water, causing the paper to swell and to disintegrate. Other paper tissue products, such as kitchen paper and paper towels, have a significantly higher wet-strength due to the inclusion of resins or glues to bind the cellulose fibres together even when wet.

Increasingly, dry tissue alone is not regarded as performing adequately for faecal wiping. Factors involving lower fibrous diets and an ageing population are creating faecal content with extra oils and fats. Taken together with increased health fastidiousness, consumer demand for cleansing products is growing rapidly. As a result, in recent years a new range of bathroom products have been introduced. These products, known as "flushable moist wipes" can be used in conjunction with standard toilet tissue to provide additional cleaning after using the toilet. In this instance, however, the term "flushable" can be considered to have two possible meanings. A first meaning can be that the moist flushable wipe is capable of being flushed down the toilet without much likelihood of causing a blockage to the sewage outlet pipe immediately associated with the toilet. However, this is in contrast to an alternative meaning to the term "flushable", that a wipe which is acceptable or desirable to be flushed by way of disposal.

The so-called flushable moist wipes are formed from materials which do not easily disperse in water, such as resin bound cellulose, polyester or cotton which result in a series of problems not associated with the flushing of standard toilet tissue. Wipes formed from significant amounts of polymer materials, such as polyester, are a particular problem because they do not biodegrade and are strong, making them unlikely to rip in use, but also making them unlikely to disperse in water. As a result, high polymer content wipes form a focus for oils, greases and other elements in the sewage stream, which can then congregate together, forming so-called "fat-bergs". In recent years, fat-bergs have become an increasing problem for sewage companies causing blockages in main sewers, as is well documented.

In addition to polymer-based wipes, cotton-based wet wipes have been introduced which utilise the longer fibre lengths of cotton to produce a paper like material which has sufficient wet strength to be premoistened. Because these wipes are primarily formed from biodegradable cotton fibres they will, given sufficient time, biodegrade. However, this time period is significantly longer than paper-based products, typically 6 months. It is important to note that cotton, which is also 95% cellulose, gets stronger when wet because its molecules, being closer together, join more aggressively when swollen. Furthermore, when sewage systems become overwhelmed at times of high rainfall, and the use of storm drains are instigated, these cotton-based wipes are flushed through the sewage system to be dispersed onto river banks and beaches where they will remain for a period of months before biodegrading. This is leading to alarming levels of damage to the aquatic environment being recorded by authoritative sources. Furthermore, the capacity of the cotton-based wipes to survive for several months before biodegrading means that they also contribute to the creation of fat-bergs.

It is therefore the case that the production of premoistened wipes from non-cellulose materials is undesirable. The use of Viscose is also common. This is a semi synthetic cellulose derived from treatment of bamboo pulp by dangerous chemicals (carbon disulphide, sodium hydroxide and sulphuric acid) producing a honey like liquid which is spun to produce a fibre used in the clothing trade and as a spunbond base for wet wipes. Although Viscose is derived from a natural product it can take years to biodegrade even in favourable degradation conditions.

It has been previously proposed to use liquids and gels to moisten standard toilet paper immediately prior to use to create a flushable moist wipe. However, this causes problems because, as previously mentioned, purely cellulose paper cannot be premoistened as it disintegrates. By using standard toilet tissue these in situ created wipes are not only capable of being flushable but it is also desirable that they are flushed as they decompose easily in the sewage systems and during the sewage treatment process. However, the spraying of liquid on to toilet tissue creates the problem that the tissue is wet and, as previously described, having little wet strength is easily torn during the process of cleaning. The greater viscosity of a gel results in less wetting impact from the application of the gel to the toilet paper because less free Hydrogen is available, than in a liquid, having already bonded within the gel. However, the use of pump dispensers deposits a relatively large volume in a small portion of the toilet tissue, making it ineffective for cleaning and also concentrating the wetting effect of the gel to one area, making this part of the toilet tissue more likely to tear.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome or alleviate the above described disadvantages of the prior art.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a gel applicator for applying a gel to toilet paper, the applicator comprising an applicator body having: a vessel containing gel comprising at least one cleansing agent; and a roll-on applicator connected to said vessel for transferring said gel to said toilet paper.

By applying a gel with a cleansing agent to toilet paper using a roll-on applicator the advantage is provided that a thin layer of gel is applied that is sufficient to undertake the cleaning process, but limits the wetting of the paper, thereby ensuring the integrity of the paper during use. As a result, much less dry paper can be used when the user needs extra cleansing. Furthermore, gel application of the prior art, such as pump dispensers create significant waste with up to 20% gel still remaining on the pipe and in the bottle when apparently empty. In additional, a metal spring activated pump is needed to deliver the gel. Less paper is also needed to reinforce the wetted toilet paper when compared to the use of gel applicators and liquid sprays of the prior art. As a result of the successful use of the gel for cleaning the amount of paper used is reduced and the use of the less biodegradable wipes is eliminated.

In a preferred embodiment the roll-on applicator comprises a ball and a cage for containing said ball whilst allowing rotation thereof, said cage having a first open portion allowing a portion of a surface of said ball to contact said gel and a second open portion allowing another portion of said surface of said ball to apply said gel to said toilet paper.

The applicator may further comprise a rotation limiter for substantially limiting the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis. Conventionally a roller balls zig zags in all directions despite efforts to maintain linearity. The human forces deployed directionally vary and the ball experiences frictional resistance at unpredictable points within its cage. The toilet tissue sheet is commonly 2 to 3 times stronger in the machine direction by which it was made, which is perforation to perforation, and force to the sheet in cross directions is undesirable.

By including a rotation limiter to restrict rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis, that is a back and forth movement, the advantage is provided that gel is applied more evenly. Because the ball can only rotate over on itself, the gel is removed from the ball by contact with the paper on every rotation and not overly deposited in an edge concentrated or wandering fashion. As a result, gel is unable to build up on the ball, which would result in depositing of larger volumes of gel onto the paper. These larger volumes would risk excess wetting of the paper destroying its structural integrity. Furthermore, allowing rotation around a single axis encourages a back-and-forth motion of the rollerball which helps to ensure that gel is applied parallel to the non-perforated edges of a sheet of paper which is the direction of greater strength of the paper.

In a preferred embodiment a surface area of the ball exposed by the first open portion is less than a surface area of the ball exposed by the second open portion.

By having the first open portion smaller than the second open portion, the advantage is provided that the gel which contacts the ball from within the vessel is coating a small portion of the ball than the open side on which the gel is removed. This further decreases the likelihood of excess gel being applied to the paper. This also allows flattened areas of the ball and cage inducing single axis rotation with no interference of gel pick up.

In another preferred embodiment the rotation limiter comprises at least one first surface portion formed in said ball and at least one corresponding second surface portion formed in said cage, said first and second surface portions cooperating to limit the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

In a further preferred embodiment the first and second surface portions are planar.

By having surface portions of the ball and cage being shaped differently from the spherical shape of the ball, and in particular by providing planar surface portions, the advantage is provided that the rotation about a single axis is easily achieved. The planar surfaces are particularly easy to align ensuring effective creation of the single axis rotation.

The rotation limiter may comprise at least one at least partially annular channel on one of said ball and said cage and at least one at least partially annular protrusion on the other of said ball and said cage said at least one channel and said at least one protrusion cooperating to limit the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

Alternatively, the rotation limiter may comprise at least one axle extending into at least one of said cage and said ball and rotationally connected to the other of said cage and said ball to limit said rotation of said ball to said rotation about said single axis.

The apparatus may further comprise at least one lid for enclosing said other portion of said ball extending through said second open portion of said cage.

In a preferred embodiment the lid comprises a first engaging portion for engaging a substantially planar surface so that in use said applicator body can engage said lid with said ball extending downwards below said vessel and said lid further comprises a second engaging portion for engaging said ball and a third engaging portion for engaging another part of said applicator body other than said ball, such that when said first engaging portion engages said substantially planar surface and said applicator body engages said lid, said second engaging portion presses said ball such that said ball engages an inner surface of said cage adjacent to said first open portion thereof.

By providing a lid, and in particular a lid which engages the ball so as to press the ball into engagement with an inner surface of the cage adjacent to the first open portion provides the advantage that the engagement of the ball against the cage seals the vessel, ensuring that gel does not fill any gaps between the ball and cage during the time that the applicator is not in use. At the same time, the orientation of the ball applicator face down ensures that gel is in constant contact with the ball in turn, ensuring that the applicator is always ready for use. This also helps to maximise the use of the gel minimising waste.

In another preferred embodiment the third engaging portion comprises mutually engaging threads on said lid and on said applicator body.

The application may further comprise at least one intermediate portion located between said vessel and said cage.

In a further preferred embodiment the intermediate portion comprises at least one substantially transparent material.

By providing an intermediate portion, and in particular one that is made from a substantially transparent material, the advantages provided that a user can easily tell when the vessel is nearly empty and requires replacement. Furthermore, the vessel can be sold separately, allowing the cage, ball and intermediate portion to be reused thereby reducing waste.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of creating a cleansing wipe comprising applying a cleansing gel to at least one sheet of toilet tissue paper using a roll-on gel applicator containing said cleansing gel.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of cleaning a part of the human body, comprising the steps: taking a length of toilet paper and creating at least one fold therein; applying a cleansing gel to one surface of said toilet tissue paper using a roll-on gel applicator containing said cleansing gel; applying said surface of said toilet tissue paper to a portion of a body for the purposes of cleaning; and disposing of said toilet tissue paper in a toilet by flushing said toilet.

The roll-on gel applicator preferably comprises a gel applicator as set out above.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a liquid applicator for applying a liquid to a surface, the applicator comprising an applicator body having: a vessel containing a least one liquid for application to a surface; a roll-on applicator connected to said vessel for transferring said liquid said roll-on applicator comprises a ball and a cage for containing said ball whilst allowing rotation thereof, said cage having a first open portion allowing a portion of a surface of said ball to contact said liquid and a second open portion allowing another portion of said surface of said ball to apply said liquid to said surface; and a rotation limiter for substantially limiting the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

In a preferred embodiment the rotation limiter comprises at least one first surface portion formed in said ball and at least one corresponding second surface portion formed in said cage, said first and second surface portions cooperating to limit the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

In another preferred embodiment the first and second surface portions are planar.

In a further preferred embodiment a surface area of the ball exposed by the first open portion is less than a surface area of the ball exposed by the second open portion.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of an applicator of an embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are top, front and side views of the applicator of figure 1;

Figure 5a is an exploded view of the applicator of figure 1 and figure 5b shows one of the components from figure 5a in more detail;

Figure 6 is a side and partial sectional view of an applicator of another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a front view of the applicator of figure 6;

Figure 8 is an isometric view of a component of the applicator of figure 6;

Figures 9a and 9b are isometric views of two versions of a component of another embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 10 is a sectional view of the component of figure 4, together with a further component of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring initially to figures 1 to 5, a gel applicator 10 is provided for applying a cleansing gel to a paper product, specifically toilet paper. The applicator 10 includes an applicator body 12 and a lid in the form of a pedestal 14. The applicator body 12 includes a vessel, in the form of a bottle 16, for containing a cleansing gel and a roll-on applicator 18 which includes a ball 20 and the cage 22 for containing the ball whilst allowing it to rotate. The cage has a first open portion 24 which is defined by the edge 24a of the cage into which the ball 20 sits. This first open portion 24 is contained within the applicator body 12 and when gel is contained within the applicator body it engages the portion of the ball 20 which extends through the first open portion 24. The cage 22 also includes a second open portion 26 which is defined by the edge 26a of the cage within which the ball 20 sits. The portion of the ball 20 which extends through the second open portion 26 is exposed (when the applicator body 12 is not engaged with the pedestal 14) and can be used to apply gel to a surface.

The diameter of the first open portion 24 is smaller than the diameter of the second open portion 26 and both open portions are smaller in diameter than the ball 20. Because the ball has the largest diameter it is retained within the cage between the two open portions 24 and 26 and because the first open portion is smaller in diameter than the second open portion 26 all of the gel that is applied to the portion of the ball 20 extending through the first open portion 24 becomes exposed to the air and is available for application as it extends through the second opening 26.

Located between the bottle 16 and the roll-on applicator 18 is an intermediate portion 28 which is formed from a transparent material and allows visual identification of the volume of gel contained within the applicator 10. The intermediate portion 28 is fixed to the cage 22 of the roll-on applicator 18 and is removably fixed to the bottle 16 by cooperative internal and external threads 30 and 32 on the intermediate portion 28 and the bottle 16 respectively. This allows the applicator body 12 to be refilled. The threads are provided with a clicklock mechanism which ensures the correct orientation of the bottle 16 relative to the intermediate portion 28 every time these components are brought together.

The ball 20 and cage 22 are provided with a rotation limiter in the form of pairs of cooperating planar surfaces. A pair of first planar surface portions 40 are located on opposing faces of the ball 20. These first planar surfaces in use engage a pair of second planar surface portions 42 which are formed on the cage 22. An example diameter of the ball 20 is 35.56mm whereas the distance between the first planar surface portions 40 is 1mm less at 34.56mm. The distance between the second planar surface portions 42 in the cage is only slightly greater than that between the first surface portions 40 at 34.76 mm, meaning that there is a tolerance of 0.1 mm between the ball 20 and the cage 22. As a result, the ball 20 can only rotate within the cage 22 around an axis 44 which extends perpendicular to the first planar surface portions 40.

The ball 20 is formed from a thermoplastic material and is moulded in two parts which are brought together. The division of the two parts of the ball 20 is along a plane perpendicular to the axis 44. The two parts of the ball are different with a male and female part which press-fit together. Forming the ball in two halves is possible because of the use of the planar surfaces which on which the flashing, the point at which molten plastic is injected into the mould, and this can be hidden in a slight recess in the planar surface. This reduces or eliminates the need for any cleaning of the ball halves when they are removed from the mould.

The lid 14 is provided with a planar surface 50 which rests on a surface 52 such as a shelf. A ball engaging portion 54 is formed into lid 14 such that when the applicator body 10 is located in the lid 14 the ball 20 engages the ball engaging portion 54 pressing the ball slightly upwards so that it engages the edge 24a of the first open portion 24. This acts to seal the intermediate portion 28 preventing any gel from getting between the ball and the edge 24a when the applicator 10 is not in use.

Operation of the applicator 10 will now be described. When first removed from its packaging the bottle 16, which contains the cleansing gel, is sealed using a disposable seal such as a foil (not shown). This foil is removed and, with the applicator in an inverted condition compared to that shown in figure 1, the intermediate portion 26 is engaged with the bottle 16 and rotated until the clicklock has engaged. In this condition the substantially planar surfaces 46 and 48 which are the gripping portion of the bottle 16, and used to handle the applicator 10, are parallel to the axis 44 (and therefore perpendicular to the first and second planar surface portions 40 and 42). This fixes the orientation of the bottle relative to the rotation of the ball.

When the applicator body 12 is located in the lid 14 the ball engaging surface 54 presses the ball 20 slightly upwards so that it is engaged with the first open portion 24. The gel, under the force of gravity, will settle at the bottom of the intermediate portion 28 (in the orientation shown in figure 1) so that the gel engages the portion of the ball 20 which extends through the first open portion 24. The applicator 10 is ready for use.

The preferred number of sheets of toilet paper are selected by the user and with the bottle clasped between thumb and fingers, the thumb on one of the flat surfaces 46 and 48 and fingers on the other, the applicator body 12 is lifted from the pedestal 14 and the ball 20 is engaged with the surface of the toilet paper. By moving the applicator body across the toilet paper the ball rolls around axis 44 and a stripe of gel transfers onto the ball 20 as it rotates and in turn onto the surface of the toilet paper. Repeated movement backwards and forwards of the applicator 10 over adjacent sections of the toilet paper applies gel to the paper. The applicator body 12 can then be returned to the pedestal 14 and this paper, with a layer of cleansing gel on the surface of the paper, can be used for cleaning.

After repeated uses the gel becomes exhausted and the intermediate portion 28 can be seen to be empty or nearly empty. The applicator 10 can be replenished with new gel by purchasing a replacement bottle 16, which is foil sealed as previously described. The previous bottle can be removed, washed and recycled. Once the foil seal has been removed from the replacement bottle it can be brought into engagement with and locked onto the intermediate portion as previously described. Alternatively, the applicator also anticipates the current consumer trend to reduce single use plastic and opt for less frequent replenishment. A larger replenishment bottle, typically 250ml, would be purchased and used to refill directly into the reservoir chamber of the intermediate portion by removing and replacing the bottle 16. A typical family would consume three such bottles annually, those bottles themselves being made from recycled material. In this case the gel can be poured directly into the intermediate portion and the bottle replaced. In this instance the bottle 16 is simply being used as a handle.

The embodiment described above uses the lid or pedestal 14 simply as a receptacle into which the body 12 of applicator 10 sits for storage between uses. As an alternative, the pedestal 14 can be modified to act as a standard lid locking to the body 12 and thereby sealing the ball 20 inside making the applicator portable and available for use anywhere. This can be achieved by a short thread which can terminate in a click-lock closure to prevent accidental opening. So that this modified lid can also act as a pedestal into which the body 12 sits without the need for rotation around the thread for full closure, the ball engaging surface is provided in the form of a flexible member which presses the ball 20 upwards into engagement with the rim 24a irrespective of whether the body 12 is simply placed into the lid and rest under its own bodyweight or is engaged with the thread of the lid to fully close the applicator 10. A pair of magnets can be provided in the bottom of the lid 14 and the top of the bottle 16 so that these components can be brought together and attached to each other when the lid has been removed. This allows the applicator to be easily used without the need to find a place for the lid to be put during use.

Referring now to figures 6 to 8 further embodiments of the present invention will be described. Where features of this embodiment are common with those previously defined in connection with figures 1 to 5, like reference numerals have been used increased by 100. A gel applicator 110 is provided to apply a cleansing gel to toilet paper. The applicator 110 includes an applicator body 112 and a lid in the form of a pedestal 114. The applicator body 112 includes a vessel in the form of a bottle 116 which contains the gel which includes at least one cleansing agent or component. Ingredients of the gel include, but are not limited to, moderate and mild elements of surfactants such as soaps with lanolins, skin moisturisers, solvents, alcohol, preservatives and fragrances. Connected to the vessel is a roll-on applicator, which includes a ball 20 and a cage 122 for containing the ball whilst allowing it to rotate. The cage 122 provides a first open portion 124 located close to the bottle 116 which allows the gel contained in the bottle to contact the ball 120. The cage 122 also has a second open portion 126 which allows an opposing surface of the ball to apply the gel to the surface of the toilet paper. As can be seen from additional reference to figure 10, the diameter D1 of the circle which defines the first open portion 124 is smaller than the diameter D2 of the second open portion 126.

The cage 122 can connect directly to the bottle 116. However, it is preferable to provide an intermediate portion 128, which is formed from a substantially transparent material, such as glass or transparent thermoplastic, to which the cage 122 is fixed. The intermediate portion 128 is provided with an internal thread 130 which engages an external thread 132 on the bottle 116. As a result, the bottle 116 can be replaced once empty by refilling the bottle with gel or by purchasing a replacement bottle containing the gel thus making the applicator replenishable. This allows the cage, and in particular the ball, to be made from more expensive and more reusable materials than the disposable plastics used as standard in roll-on applicators of the prior art. For example, the ball 120 can be formed from glass or ceramic materials, glass being particularly effective as it is generally hydrophilic, therefore attracting the water in the gel and reducing the likelihood of the gel from dripping when the applicator is not in use as gel tends to stick to the glass ball.

Although not essential, it is desirable that the ball and cage are provided with a rotation limiter which restricts the rotation of the ball to being rotation around a single axis 144. This means that the ball acts as though having an axle extending through it and is able to rotate either clockwise or anti clockwise about that axle. As well as using an axle extending from the cage through, or partially through the ball, or using stub axles extending from the ball into recesses in the cage, it is possible to use other means to control the rotation of the ball. The example shown in figures 6 and 8 utilises a channel 134 extending around the circumference of the ball 120. A pair of protrusions 136 are formed into the internal part spherical surface 138 of the cage 122 which engages the ball 120. When the protrusions 136 sit in the channel 134 the ball 120 is forced to rotate about an axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the annular channel 134.

An alternative embodiment is shown in figures 9 and 10 in which the ball 120 and cage 122 are provided with corresponding and cooperating first and second surface portions 140 and 142 which operate together to control and limit the rotation of the ball 122 rotation about a single axis 144. In the embodiment shown in figures 9 and 10 the first and second surface portions are planar, therefore differing from the spherical or part spherical surfaces of the ball and cage.

Where the ball is formed from a solid material, for example, formed from glass or ceramic, then the first surface portion 140 can be formed by removal of a part of the spherical surface by, for example, grinding. In the examples shown in figures 9a and 4b, the second surface portion 142 are formed by the addition of tabs, having the planar surface 142, which is adhered to the part spherical surface 138 of the cage 122.

The formation of the cage with a smaller first open portion 124 than the second open portion 126 is of particular advantage in this embodiment. Specifically, the gel is applied to the portion of the ball 120 extending through the first open portion 124, which then rotates around the axis 144 and is exposed as it passes through the second open portion 126. Because the first open portion is smaller the full width of the ball is not exposed to the gel and as it enters the second open portion it is a stripe, approximately the width of the diameter Dl, which carries the gel for transfer onto the toilet paper. The gel therefore never contacts the edges of the ball 120 outside the diameter Dl, meaning that excess gel does not build up on the edges of the ball. As a result, the gel is applied evenly without the depositing of larger volumes of gel that have built up due to uneven rotation of the ball or leakage of gel down the sides during rotation around the axis 1446.

To encourage the user of the applicator 10 to apply the gel so that the ball 120 rotates around the axis 144, the bottle 116 is shaped to encourage holding in a particular orientation. The horizontal dimensions of the uppermost part of the bottle 116 are shown on figures 6 and 7 as the width W1 and W2. By making W1 significantly less than W2, the user is encouraged to hold the opposing flat surfaces 46 and 48 between fingers and thumb, thereby ensuring that the axis 144 extends perpendicular to those two planar surfaces 146 and 148. To ensure that the cage 122 is correctly aligned with the bottle 116, the intermediate portion 128 engages the bottle 116, via the mutually engaging threads 130 and 132, with a click and stop action. This can, for example, be a quarter turn thread with mutually engaging notch and protrusion fixing the rotation and closed position of the bottle 116 on intermediate portion 128.

The pedestal 114 is provided with a planar surface 150 which is designed to contact a flat surface 152 onto which the applicator 110 is placed. The pedestal 114 acts as a pedestal, into which the body 112 can be placed when not in use. The pedestal 114 covers the ball 122 to stop any gel thereon from drying out. With the pedestal and body shown in the orientation of figures 6 and 7 the gel contained within the bottle 116 will tend towards the ball 20, ensuring that the surface of the ball, extending through the first open portion 124 is always coated with gel and ready for immediate use. The pedestal 114 is provided with a ball engaging portion 154 which, when the applicator body 112 is located in the pedestal 114, engages the ball 120 so as to press the ball slightly upwards into engagement with the uppermost edge 156 (equivalent to 24a in figure 1) of the partially spherical surface 138 on the inside of the cage 122. This engagement of the ball 120 with the part spherical surface 138 acts to seal the gel within the bottle 116, leaving no space between the ball and the partially spherical surface. This in turn ensures that no gel can creep through a gap between that part spherical surface 138 and the ball 120. This further ensures that gel only contacts the part of the ball 120 which extends through the first open portion 124 further reducing the likelihood of droplets of gel being formed and transferred onto the paper.

The manufacturing tolerance of the part spherical surface 138 of cage 122 and of ball 120 ensure that a gap of approximately 1 mm is present between these components being sufficient to ensure easy movement of the ball within the cage but not too much to allow the gel to leak or form larger droplets.

Operation of the applicator 110 will now be described. The user takes their preferred number of sheets of toilet paper and folds them to an orientation to allow gel to be applied using the applicator 110. This folding is preferably such that the length of exposed paper on the uppermost sheet extends from one set of perforations in the paper to the next, so that the gel can be applied along a line perpendicular to the perforations and, therefore, in line with the stronger direction of the paper. The applicator body is lifted from the pedestal which remains in contact with the surface 152. This disengages the ball 120 from the ball engaging portion 54 thereby allowing the ball 120 to drop within the cage 122. When the ball 120 is applied to the surface of the sheet of paper and the applicator 110 moved, the resultant rotation of the ball 120 causes gel from within the bottle 116 to form a thin layer on the paper. Multiple lines of gel can be applied to the sheet of toilet paper by repeated movement of the ball, preferably using a backward and forward motion. Once a few lines of gel have been applied, the paper can be used for cleaning and then disposed of in a toilet by flushing. Typically, a bottle holding 50ml of gel and used to apply three stripes of gel to the toilet paper would last for 100 uses.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the protection which is defined by the appended claims. It will also be immediately apparent to persons skilled in the art that many of the features of the embodiments described above are interchangeable and that features described in connection with one embodiment may be applicable to some or all other embodiments. For example, description of ingredients of the gel, although described in relation to one embodiment this gel can be used with all of the embodiment. In an example of a variation on the embodiments described above, the cleansing product contained within the bottle can be any suitable cleanser for any purpose, including cleaning other parts of the body, such as for make-up removal. Furthermore, the cleaning product may be something stronger than those suitable for use on the human body and be more suitable for cleaning bathroom surfaces including but not limited to toilets. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the applicator described above can be used to apply cleaning gel to other materials than toilet paper including, but not limited to, other paper cleaning products, cloths of paper and other materials and cotton wool based products, although many of these are not suitable for flushing into the sewage system.

The first and second surface portions 40 and 42 of the ball 20 need not be flat and other formations can be used, including concave part spherical surfaces or part spherical surfaces having a larger diameter than the diameter of the ball 20. Furthermore, the ball need not be perfectly spherical, for example, a prolate spheroid having an elliptical cross-section teamed with a correspondingly shaped cage will operate to rotate around the major axis of the spheroid. It is also possible to use other additional formations in the surface portions 140 and 142 by, for example, providing stub axles which extend from the planar surfaces, to help maintain the rotation about the axis 144.

In a further alternative, the ball engaging portion 154 in the pedestal 114 can be formed as an upstanding fin or as a flexible web formed into the moulding of the pedestal. Such a flexible web can be formed to act as a spring ensuring that the ball remains engaged with the part spherical surface 138 but also allowing another part of the applicator body 112, other than the ball, to engage the pedestal 114 helping the body remain stable when resting in the storage position in the pedestal.

The applicator can also be used in the toilets and bathrooms of hotels and offices, known as the "away from home" market. This can be achieved by providing the applicator with a wall mounted bracket which includes the lid 14 and therefore cannot be removed. Theft of the applicator body 12 is prevented by incorporating a sensor into the lid 14 which, after a predetermined period of time of the body 12 not being located in the lid 14, sounds an alarm.

Claims

1. A gel applicator for applying a gel to toilet paper, the applicator comprising an applicator body having: a vessel containing gel comprising at least one cleansing agent; and a roll-on applicator connected to said vessel for transferring said gel to said toilet paper.

2. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein said roll-on applicator comprises a ball and a cage for containing said ball whilst allowing rotation thereof, said cage having a first open portion allowing a portion of a surface of said ball to contact said gel and a second open portion allowing another portion of said surface of said ball to apply said gel to said toilet paper.

3. An applicator according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a rotation limiter for substantially limiting the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

4. An applicator according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a surface area of the ball exposed by the first open portion is less than a surface area of the ball exposed by the second open portion.

5. An applicator according to claim 4, wherein said rotation limiter comprises at least one first surface portion formed in said ball and at least one corresponding second surface portion formed in said cage, said first and second surface portions cooperating to limit the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

6. An applicator according to claim 5, wherein said first and second surface portions are planar.

7. An applicator according to claim 4, wherein said rotation limiter comprises at least one at least partially annular channel on one of said ball and said cage and at least one at least partially annular protrusion on the other of said ball and said cage said at least one channel and said at least one protrusion cooperating to limit the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

8. An applicator according to claim 4, wherein said rotation limiter comprises at least one axle extending into at least one of said cage and said ball and rotationally connected to the other of said cage and said ball to limit said rotation of said ball to said rotation about said single axis.

9. An applicator according to any of claims 2 to 8, further comprising at least one lid for enclosing said other portion of said ball extending through said second open portion of said cage.

10. An applicator according to claim 9, wherein said lid comprises a first engaging portion for engaging a substantially planar surface so that in use said applicator body can engage said lid with said ball extending downwards below said vessel and said lid further comprises a second engaging portion for engaging said ball and a third engaging portion for engaging another part of said applicator body other than said ball, such that when said first engaging portion engages said substantially planar surface and said applicator body engages said lid, said second engaging portion presses said ball such that said ball engages an inner surface of said cage adjacent to said first open portion thereof.

11. An applicator according to claim 10, wherein said third engaging portion comprises mutually engaging threads on said lid and on said applicator body.

12. An applicator according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least one intermediate portion located between said vessel and said cage.

13. An applicator according to claim 12, wherein said intermediate portion comprises at least one substantially transparent material.

14. A method of creating a cleansing wipe comprising applying a cleansing gel to at least one sheet of toilet tissue paper using a roll-on gel applicator containing said cleansing gel.

15. A method of cleaning a part of the human body, comprising the steps: taking a length of toilet paper and creating at least one fold therein; applying a cleansing gel to one surface of said toilet tissue paper using a roll-on gel applicator containing said cleansing gel; applying said surface of said toilet tissue paper to a portion of a body for the purposes of cleaning; and disposing of said toilet tissue paper in a toilet by flushing said toilet.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said roll-on gel applicator comprises a gel applicator according to any of claim 1 to 14.

17. A liquid applicator for applying a liquid to a surface, the applicator comprising an applicator body having: a vessel containing a least one liquid for application to a surface; a roll-on applicator connected to said vessel for transferring said liquid said roll-on applicator comprises a ball and a cage for containing said ball whilst allowing rotation thereof, said cage having a first open portion allowing a portion of a surface of said ball to contact said liquid and a second open portion allowing another portion of said surface of said ball to apply said liquid to said surface; and a rotation limiter for substantially limiting the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

18. An applicator according to claim 17, wherein said rotation limiter comprises at least one first surface portion formed in said ball and at least one corresponding second surface portion formed in said cage, said first and second surface portions cooperating to limit the rotation of the ball to rotation about a single axis.

19. An applicator according to claim 17 or 18, wherein said first and second surface portions are planar.

20. An applicator according to claim 17 to 19, wherein a surface area of the ball exposed by the first open portion is less than a surface area of the ball exposed by the second open portion.