IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,559,924
Granted Patent B2
US 12,559,924 · App. 18/512,908 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Toilet tank cleaning solution dispenser

Inventor: Louis E. Thyroff (Pittsford, NY)
E03D9/038E03D2009/024
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,559,924
App. No.
18/512,908
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cleaning agent dispensing system for a toilet includes a transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber configured to mix water with a cleaning agent tablet and a tablet cradle configured to hold a cleaning agent tablet within the transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber. The tablet cradle includes a housing, multiple apertures, in the housing, configured to allow water to flow therethrough, and a three-dimensional opening, in the housing, configured to enable a substantially unobstructed view of a cleaning agent tablet within the transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber.

Claims (113)

1 . A cleaning agent dispensing system for a toilet, comprising:

a cleaning agent mixing chamber configured to mix water with a cleaning agent tablet;

a tablet cradle configured to hold a cleaning agent tablet within said cleaning agent mixing chamber; and

an inlet/outlet member, operatively connected to said cleaning agent mixing chamber, configured to receive water from a fill valve located within a water tank of the toilet and to output cleaning agent solution to an overflow tube located within a water tank of the toilet;

said cleaning agent mixing chamber including

a mixing chamber inlet port, located at a top portion of said cleaning agent mixing chamber, configured to enable water from the fill valve to enter said cleaning agent mixing chamber, and

a mixing chamber outlet port, located at a bottom portion of said cleaning agent mixing chamber, configured to enable cleaning agent solution to be outputted to the overflow tube;

said inlet/outlet member including

a water inlet port, located at a top portion of said inlet/outlet member, configured to receive water from the fill valve,

a water outlet port, located at a top portion of said inlet/outlet member, configured to interface with said mixing chamber inlet port and to deliver water to said cleaning agent mixing chamber,

a trap, located between said water inlet port and said water outlet port, to trap water from the fill valve such water remains in said trap after a flushing operation of the toilet,

a cleaning agent solution inlet port, located at a bottom portion of said inlet/outlet member, configured to interface with said mixing chamber outlet port and to receive cleaning agent solution from said cleaning agent mixing chamber, and

a cleaning agent solution outlet port, located at a bottom portion of said inlet/outlet member, configured to enable cleaning agent solution to be outputted to the overflow tube;

said water outlet port and said mixing chamber inlet port being configured in correspondence with said cleaning agent mixing chamber to prevent cleaning agent solution from entering said trap;

said tablet cradle including multiple apertures configured to allow water to flow therethrough and a three-dimensional opening configured to enable a substantially unobstructed view of a cleaning agent tablet within said cleaning agent mixing chamber;

said three-dimensional opening being larger than an aperture;

said three-dimensional opening being configured to receive a cleaning agent tablet within said tablet cradle;

said multiple apertures being configured not to receive a cleaning agent tablet within said tablet cradle.

2 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said cleaning agent mixing chamber is transparent.

3 . The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said cleaning agent mixing chamber has a transparent wall.

4 . A cleaning agent dispensing system for a toilet, comprising:

a transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber configured to mix water with a cleaning agent tablet; and

a tablet cradle configured to hold a cleaning agent tablet within said transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber;

said tablet cradle including

a housing,

multiple apertures, in said housing, configured to allow water to flow therethrough, and

a three-dimensional opening, in said housing, configured to enable a substantially unobstructed view of a cleaning agent tablet within said transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber;

said three-dimensional opening being larger than an aperture;

said three-dimensional opening being configured to receive a cleaning agent tablet within said tablet cradle;

said multiple apertures being configured not to receive a cleaning agent tablet within said tablet cradle.

5 . The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said tablet cradle includes multiple tablet shelves, each tablet shelf having apertures therein, configured to hold multiple cleaning agent tablets within said transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber.

6 . The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said three-dimensional opening is defined by an edge;

said edge having a first edge portion defined by a surface edge between a first point and a second point;

said edge having a second edge portion defined by a surface edge between said second point and a third point;

said edge having a third edge portion defined by a surface edge between said third point and a fourth point;

said edge having a fourth edge portion defined by a surface edge between a fourth point and a fifth point;

said edge having a fifth edge portion defined by a surface edge between said fifth point and said first point;

said first edge portion having a substantially three-dimensional arc shape;

said second edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said third edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said fourth edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said fifth edge portion having a substantially three-dimensional arc shape.

7 . The system as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising an integrated lid;

said integrated lid being integrated to said housing;

said integrated lid and said housing being configured such that when said integrated lid is properly engaged with a transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber of a cleaning agent dispensing system, said three-dimensional opening corresponds to a front side of the transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber.

8 . The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber includes a notch located on a back side of said transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber;

said housing including a groove located on a back side of said housing;

said groove being configured to interface with said notch;

said notch and said groove being configured such that when said tablet cradle is located in said transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber, said three-dimensional opening corresponds to a front side of the transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber.

9 . The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said housing includes a back side, a front side, a first side, a second side, a top side, and a bottom side;

said top side having no apertures therein;

said back side, said front side, said first side, said second side and said bottom side having multiple apertures therein;

said front side having said three-dimensional opening therein.

10 . A tablet cradle for a cleaning agent dispensing system for a toilet comprising:

a housing;

multiple apertures, in said housing, configured to allow water to flow therethrough; and

a three-dimensional opening, in said housing, configured to enable a substantially unobstructed view of a cleaning agent tablet within a transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber;

said three-dimensional opening being larger than an aperture;

said three-dimensional opening being configured to receive a cleaning agent tablet within said tablet cradle;

said multiple apertures being configured not to receive a cleaning agent tablet within said tablet cradle.

11 . The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said tablet cradle includes a back side, a front side, a first side, a second side, a top side, and a bottom side;

said top side having no apertures therein;

said back side, said front side, said first side, said second side and said bottom side having multiple apertures therein;

said front side having said three-dimensional opening therein.

12 . The system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said three-dimensional opening is defined by an edge;

said edge having a first edge portion defined by a surface edge between a first point and a second point;

said edge having a second edge portion defined by a surface edge between said second point and a third point;

said edge having a third edge portion defined by a surface edge between said third point and a fourth point;

said edge having a fourth edge portion defined by a surface edge between a fourth point and a fifth point;

said edge having a fifth edge portion defined by a surface edge between said fifth point and said first point;

said first edge portion having a substantially three-dimensional arc shape;

said second edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said third edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said fourth edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said fifth edge portion having a substantially three-dimensional arc shape.

13 . The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said three-dimensional opening is defined by an edge;

said edge having a first edge portion defined by a surface edge between a first point and a second point;

said edge having a second edge portion defined by a surface edge between said second point and a third point;

said edge having a third edge portion defined by a surface edge between said third point and a fourth point;

said edge having a fourth edge portion defined by a surface edge between a fourth point and a fifth point;

said edge having a fifth edge portion defined by a surface edge between said fifth point and said first point;

said first edge portion having a substantially three-dimensional arc shape;

said second edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said third edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said fourth edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said fifth edge portion having a substantially three-dimensional arc shape.

14 . The tablet cradle as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

multiple tablet shelves, each tablet shelf having apertures therein, configured to hold multiple cleaning agent tablets within said transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber.

15 . The tablet cradle as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

an integrated lid;

said integrated lid being integrated to said housing;

said integrated lid and said housing being configured such that when said integrated lid is properly engaged with a transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber of a cleaning agent dispensing system, said three-dimensional opening corresponds to a front side of the transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber.

16 . The tablet cradle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said three-dimensional opening is defined by an edge;

said edge having a first edge portion defined by a surface edge between a first point and a second point;

said edge having a second edge portion defined by a surface edge between said second point and a third point;

said edge having a third edge portion defined by a surface edge between said third point and a fourth point;

said edge having a fourth edge portion defined by a surface edge between a fourth point and a fifth point;

said edge having a fifth edge portion defined by a surface edge between said fifth point and said first point;

said first edge portion having a substantially three-dimensional arc shape;

said second edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said third edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape;

said fourth edge portion having a substantially one-dimensional straight shape said fifth edge portion having a substantially three-dimensional arc shape.

17 . The tablet cradle as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

an integrated lid;

said integrated lid being integrated to said housing;

said integrated lid and said housing being configured such that when said integrated lid is properly engaged with a transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber of a cleaning agent dispensing system, said three-dimensional opening corresponds to a front side of the transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber.

18 . The tablet cradle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said housing includes a groove located on a back side of said housing;

said groove being configured to interface with a notch located on a back side of a transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber of a cleaning agent dispensing system;

said groove and the notch being configured such that when said tablet cradle is located in the transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber of the cleaning agent dispensing system, said three-dimensional opening corresponds to a front side of the transparent cleaning agent mixing chamber.

19 . The tablet cradle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said housing includes a back side, a front side, a first side, a second side, a top side, and a bottom side;

said top side having no apertures therein;

said back side, said front side, said first side, said second side and said bottom side having multiple apertures therein;

said front side having said three-dimensional opening therein.

Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63426062 · Nov 17, 2022
Related Publication 20240167260A1 · May 23, 2024
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