Controlled-release soap dispenser

A method for the controlled delivery of a soapy water liquid concentrate solution to a sink as the sink is filled by a stream of water from a source of fill water, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning a container having a base and containing a predetermined quantity of a water-soluble, substantially homogeneous, malleable mass of high density, semi-solid detergent in a stationary operative position within the sink to be filled With soapy water beneath the source of fill water;
• (b) directing a stream of fill water from the fill water source toward a first aperture defined in and through said container at a location spaced frown the container base, the spacing between the base and the first aperture defining a height of the container, said first aperture being predeterminately sized and oriented so that when said container is in said operative position, the stream of water from the source of fill water enters the container through the first aperture and agitates against and commingles with the semi-solid detergent so as to dissolve a predetermined fractional quantity of the semi-solid detergent in the fill water entering the container and thereby form a soapy water liquid concentrate;
• (c) continuing to direct the stream of fill water toward and through the first aperture so as to cause the ejection of the soapy water concentrate from a second aperture defined in the container and through which the soapy water concentrate is ejected from the container by increased pressure developed in the container as a result of the entry of fill water through said first aperture so that said ejection gradually fills the sink with the ejected soapy water liquid concentrate;
• (d) allowing the sink to fill with the soapy water concentrate from the container to a level in excess of the height of said container such that agitation of the fill water within the container substantially ceases and said ejection of soapy water liquid concentrate through said second aperture substantially ceases;
• and
• (e) predeterminately diluting the soapy water concentrate in the sink to a desired working dilution by further filling the sink beyond the level of step (d) to a working water level with water from the fill source.

A device for the controlled delivery of a soapy water liquid concentrate solution to a sink as the sink is filled by a stream of water from a source of fill water, the device comprising:

• a substantially sealed container having an upper surface and a base, said base being configured to permit said container to stand freely on said base in a stationary, operative position in a sink beneath a stream of water from a source of fill water;
• a substantially homogeneous, malleable mass of semi-solid detergent disposed in and substantially affixed to an interior surface of said container and having an exposed surface portion within said container;
• said upper surface having defined therethrough an inlet aperture located in spaced apart relation to said base and of a predetermined size sufficient to permit entry of a stream of fill water directed at and into said container through said inlet aperture so that said directed stream of fill water entering said container through said inlet aperture creates water currents in said container and said water currents cause agitation of the fill water against the exposed surface potion of said detergent mass, causing the fill water to interact and commingle with and dissolve a portion of said semi-solid detergent mass to form a soapy water liquid concentrate;
• said upper surface having defined therethrough a plurality of outlet apertures proximate said inlet aperture from which said soapy water liquid concentrate is ejected from the container by increased pressure developed within the container as a result of said entry of said directed stream of fill water through said inlet aperture so as to gradually fill the sink with the ejected soapy water liquid concentrate from the container;
• said container having a height defined by the spacing between the base and the inlet aperture;
• and
• said container height being selected, and the relationship of said inlet aperture, said outlet apertures and said detergent mass being selected, such that as the sink gradually fills with said soapy water concentrate to a level in excess of the height of said container, agitation of the fill water within the container substantially ceases and said ejection of soapy water liquid concentrate through said outlet apertures substantially ceases so that, as the stream of fill water from the fill water source continues to be directed toward the inlet aperture, further formation of said soapy water liquid concentrate substantially terminates, and the further filling of the sink with fill water from said fill source dilutes the soapy water concentrate in the sink to a desired soap concentration level.