Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
] -
This is a division of our copending Canadian Patent
Application Number 419,492 filed on the 14th January 1983.
The present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing
liquid soap, normally in discrete small quantities or charges.
Such dispensing apparatus is used, particularly for hygienic
purposes, in public or institutional washrooms or the like or where
there are a relatively large number of different users.
The present invention is an improvement on the soap
dispensers and refill systems therefor disclosed and claimed in our
United States Patent Nos. 4,108,363, 4,149,573 and 4,173,858.
While all of these systems and dispensers work effectively, they
are all to some extent subject -to having the refill cartridges
designed for use therewith bootlegged by third parties. That is,
although the dispenser is designed to accept a specific cartridge,
third parties often at-tempt to enter the replaceable cartridge
market and bootleg inferior soap produc-ts into the dispenser.
Therefore, it is a general object of -this invention to
provide a liquid soap refill cartridge which avoids -the disadvan-
tages of prior art refill cartridges while affording additional
structural and operating advantages.
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The invention provides a reEill cartridge comprisiny a
vessel in -the shape of a polyhedron having parallel top and bot-tom
walls and a plurality of planar side walls subs-tantially norrnal to
said top and bottom walls, and a neck extending outwardly from said
bottom wall with the outer surface of said neck having a slot
therein.
Free flow of liquid soap from the refill cartridge
through a refill aperture into a soap reservoir of a container can
be accommodated while preventing the introduction of liquid soap
into an upper refill compar-tment and the use of refill car-tridges
without a specific neck design.
FIGURE 1 is a front perspec-tive view of a liquid soap
dispenser useful with a refill cartridge cons-tructed in accordance
with and embodying the features of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view in horizontal section taken
along the line 2-2 in Figure l;
FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical section illustrating the
internal construction of the soap dispenser of the present inven-
tion;
FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view in
partial ver-tical sec-tion of -the outlet neck of -the refill cartridge
of the present invention;
FIG~RE 5 is a bottom elevational view of the refill
cartridge outlet neck illustrated in Figure 4;
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FIG~RE 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section
taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 3, with the cover
plate of the dispenser removed;
FI~URE 7 is a view in horizontal section taken
along the line 7-7 in Figure 6;
FIGUR~ ~ is an enlarged view in vertical sec-tion
of the refill well and cartridge opening member
illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 3; and
FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of the refill well and
cartridge opening member illustrated in Figure 7.
Referring now to Figures 1 through 3 of the
drawings, there is illustrated a soap dispenser 100,
constructed in accordance with and embodying the
features of the present invention. The soap dispenser
100 includes a mounting bracket, generally designated
by the numeral 101, which includes a generally flat
rectangular wall 102 disposed substantially vertically
in use to provide a bearing surface, and having along
each of the side edges thereof an integral curved side
flange 103 which projec-ts forwardly from the wall lQ2.
Formed in the vertical wall 102 and projecting
rearwardly therefrom in a direction away from the
direction in which the side flanges 103 extend, are two
substantially ver-tically aligned embossments 104, each
having an opening 105 extending therethrough centrally
thereof. Also formed in the wall 102 and projecting
rearwardly therefrom are -two embossments (not shown)
which are disposed substantially in horizontal
alignment with each other along a line disposed
substantially midway between the embossments 104, with
the embossments (not shown) projecting the same
distance as the embossments 104, and each having an
opening (not shown) extending therethrough centrally
thereof.
Integral with the walI 102 at the upper end
thereof is an extension flange 108 which is inclined
forwardly in the same general direction as the sided
flange 103, and which is integral at the distal end
thereof with an upwardly extending flange 109 which is
substantially parallel to the wall 102. Punched from
the wall 102 adjacent to the lower end thereof are two
forwardly and upwardly extending support fingers 110.
Integral with the bottom end of the wall 102 and
extending forwardly therefrom substan-tially normal
thereto is a wall 111 which is disposed substantially
horizon-tally in use and is provided around the
periphery thereof with an integral upturned flange 112,
which is in turn integral with the side flanges 103.
Integral with the wall 111 and projecting upwardly
therefrom substantially normal thereto are two parallel
and laterally spaced apart pivot brackets 113, a
portion of the wall 111 between the pivot brackets 113
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being cut out to deEine a generally rec-tangular opening
114 Formed in the wall 111 adjacent to the forward
edge thereof and substantially rnidway between the side
edges thereof is a circular soap discharge opening 115,
the purpose of -the openings 114 and 115 being described
more fully below. A circular retaining plate 118 is
pivotally secured -to the inner surface of the upwardly
extending flange 109 as by a rivet 119.
In use, the mounting bracket 101 is mounted on a
wall 50, generally above and closely adjacent to a sink
or washbasin or the like. The mounting bracket 101 is
fixedly secured to the wall 50 by means of mounting
screws 55 whlch are passed through the openings in the
embossments 104 and threadedly engaged in the wall 50,
the wall 102 being disposed substantially parallel to
the surfaces 53 of the wall 50, and being in contact
therewith only at the embossments 104 and those not
shown, which serve to space the mounting bracket 101 a
sli~ht distance from the surface 53 of the wall 50.
The dispenser 100 also includes a soap container
or housing 120, which is preferably formed of a
translucent plastic, although it will be understood
that any suitable material, either opaque or
light-transmitting, could be used. The container 120
is generally box-like in configuration and includes a
generally rectangular front wall 121, a pair of opposed
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side walls 122, a rear wall 123 and a rectangular
bottom wall 125, the container 120 preferably being
molded so that the walls 121, 122, 123 and 125 are all
formed integrally wi-th one another. The rear wall 123
is provided at the lateral side edges thereof with
inturned forwardly inclined portions 124. The side
walls 122 have rearwardly extending portions 127 which
project rearwardly beyond the rear wall 123, whereby
the rear wall 123 is recessed with respect to the side
walls 122. In addition, the rear wall 123 extends
downwardly below the bottom wall 125 to form a
downwardly extending portion or mounting flange 128.
Similarly, the front wall 121 and the side walls 122
extend downwardly well below the bottom wall 125 and
below the bottom edge of the mounting flange 128 to
form a skirt 129.
Mounted be.low the bottom wall 125 of the container
120 is a pump assembly or dispensing means 130. The
operation and construction of the pump assembly or
dispensing means 130 is described in detail in U.S.
Patent No. 4,018,363, issued April 19, 1977 to Antonio
Macchi Cassia and assigned to the assignee of the
present invention, the disclosure of which patent is
incorporated herein by reference. The pump assembly or
dispensing means 130 includes an operating handle 131
provided with a pivot pin 132, the opposite ends of
which are respectively mounted in the pivot brackets
113 on the rnounting bracket 111 for pivotal movement of
the operating handle 131 about the axis of the pivo-t
pin 132, which extends substantially horizontally above
the bracket wall 111 substantially parallel thereto and
to the bracket wall 102. The handle 131 projects in
use downwardly through the opening 114 in the bracket
wall 111 and terminates at the lower end thereof in an
enlarged gripping portion. The handle 131 also
includes a stop member 134 which projects rearwardly
from the pin 132 above -the housing wall 111, and an
actuating arm 135 which projects forwardly from the pin
132 above the bracket wall 111 and is substantially
longer than the stop member 134.
The pump assembly or dispensing means 130 also
includes a unitary pump housing 140, which is
preferably of molded construction. The pump housing
140 is fixedly secured to the bo-ttom wall 125 of the
container 120 by suitable fasteners. Securely
sandwiched between the pump housing 140 and the bottom
wall 125 of the container 120 is a flexible diaphragm
141 having a plurality of suction apertures
therethrough in surrounding relationship with a suction
conduit or opening 143 in the bottom wall 135 of the
container 120. The diaphragm 141 also has a plurality
of discharge apertures therein disposed in surrounding
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relationship wi~h a discharKe conduit 144 in the bottom
wall 125, the suction conduit and the discharge conduit
being joined by a passageway 148 normally covered in
use by insert 149. A flexible resilient bowl 145 is
disposed below the diaphragm 141 in the region of the
suction conduit 143, the outer surface of the bowl 145
normally just touching the ac-tuating arm 135 when the
handle 131 is in its normal rest position illustrated
in full line in Figure 3. Disposed below the diaphragm
141 in the region of the discharge conduit 144 is a
delivery conduit 146 in a spout 147 disposed
imrnediately above and in alignment with the soap
discharge opening 115 in the mounting bracket wall 111.
In operation, the soap container 120 is mounted on
the mounting bracket 101 in a manner which is fully
explained in the aforementioned Patent No. 4,149,573.
The operating handle 131 is pulled forwardly by a user
thereby to compress the bowl 145 with the actuating arm
135 and expel a predetermined quantity of liquid soap
from the delivery conduit 146, release of the operating
handle 131 permitting re-expansion of the bowl 145
thereby to suck a fresh charge of liquid soap from the
container 120 through the suction conduit in
preparation for the next dispensing operation.
The soap container 120 has a partition 150 which
is disposed generally horizontally in use, the
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partition 150 being substantially rectangular in shape
with the peripheral edges thereof resting upon a ledge
151 formed in the inner surfaces of -the soap container
wall 121-123 and fixedly secured thereto as by
ultrasonic weldin~. The partition 150 comprises four
generally triangular sectors 152, the upper surfaces
153 of which slope gently downwardly toward the center
of the partition 150 at which there is formed a well
generally designated by the numeral 155. The well 155
includes a cylindrical side wall 15l~ integral at the
upper end thereof with the partition 150 and extending
downwardly therebelow. The well 155 has an inner
surface 156, with the lower end thereof being
terminated by a circular bottom wall 157. Formed in
the bottom wall 157 adjacent to the outer edge thereof
are diametrically opposed drain apertures 158.
Extendin~ inwardly from the inner surface 156 of the
well 155, are two keys 160, the keys 160 being
diametrically opposed and in general alignment with the
drain apertures 158. Each of the keys 160 is generally
rectangular and has a top surface 161 which terminates
weli below the top of the well 155 and a longitudinally
extending inner end surface 162 with opposed parallel
side surfaces 163. The inner end surfaces 162 may
either be flat or arcuate depending on the arcuate
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extent of the keys 160, the exac-t dimensions of which
are not of substantial significance.
Integral with the bottom wall 157 of the well 155
and extending upwardly therefrom centrally thereof and
coaxially wi-th the cylindrical side wall 154 is a
hollow cartridge opening member 165 which is generally
cylindrical in shape having a top surface slanting
upwardly toward the front wall 121 of the soap
container housing 120, the peripheral edge of the
member 165 being sufficiently sharp to pierce a
membrane, and a central aperture 169. The outer
surface of the cartridge opening member 165 has two
longitudinally extending grooves 167, 168 diametrically
opposed each in registry with a respective one of the
keys 160, the grooves 167, 168 being oversized with
respect to the keys 160, see Figure 9, and extending
downwardly from the top surface 166, see Figure 8.
It can be seen that the partition 150 cooperates
with the bottom wall 125 and the walls 121-123 of the
container 120 to define therebetween a liquid soap
reservoir, generally designated by the numeral 175,
which is adapted to be filled with a quantity of liquid
soap 176 to a level 177, the position of the par-tition
150 in the soap container 120 being such that the
reservoir 175 occupies slightly less than half the
interior volume of the con-tainer 120. The container
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120 and more particularly the rear wall 123 thereof has
a drain opening 178 therein vertically spaced above the
bottom 157 of the refill well 155 and below the top of
the keys 160, which vertical position is critical to
the operation of the invention, as will be explained.
The container 120 is also provided with a top
plate7 generally designated by the numeral 180, the
outer perimeter of which conforms to the perimeter of
the upper ed~e of the container 120 and is adapted to
be seated on a ledge 181 formed in the inner surfaces
of the container walls 121-123 and fixedly secured
thereto as by ultrasonic welding. The top plate 180
has a large octagonal opening formed therein so that
the top plate 180 essentially comprises a relatively
narrow flange projecting horizontally inwardly from the
walls of the container 1~0. Formed in the upper
surface of the top plate 180 adjacent to the rear edge
thereof is a shallow recess 182 adapted to receive
therein the retaining plate 118 fixedly to hold the
container 120 in place on the mounting bracket 101.
Extending upwardly from the top plate 180 at the rear
corners thereoE are two rear abutments (not shown)
while two forward abutments 184 respectively extend
upwardly from the top plate 180 adjacent to the front
corners thereof, the forward abutments 184 each having
a notch 186 formed in the front surfaces thereof.
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Integral with the top plate 180 respectively adjacent
to at least some of the corner edges and extending
downwardly therefrom are positioning members 185 for a
purpose to be explained.
The container 120 is also provided with a cover
plate 190 which includes a flat rectangular top wall
191, a front wall 192, a pair of opposed side walis 193
and a rear wall 194, all integrally connected in a
unitary structure. Fixedly secured to the top wall 191
adjacent to the rear edge thereof is a key-operated
latch mechanism 195. Fixedly secured to the inner
surface of the front wall 192 is an elongated bearing
plate 196 provided at the opposite ends thereof with
rearwardly extending fingers 197, each preferably
covered with a resilient cushioning material, the
fingers 197 being respectively adapted to be received
in the notches 186 in the forward abutments 184 of the
-top plate 180. The cover plate 190 is dimensioned so
as completely to cover the top wall 180 of the
con-tainer 120, with the walls 192-194 having a vertical
extend sufficient to accommodate the inclined flange
108 and the upwardly extending flange 109 of the
mounting bracket 101. In use, the fingers 197 are
inserted into the notches 186 of the forward abutments
184, and the cover plate 190 is then pivoted down into
position completely covering the top of the container
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120, as illustra-ted in Figure 3, a latch hook of the
latch mechanism 195 engaging in a complementary keeper
opening ~not shown) in the upwardly extending flange
109 of the ~ounting bracket 101.
Formed in the rear wall 123 of the container 120
is a vertical slot 200 which extends from just above
the partition 150 to the top wall 180, for a purpose to
be explained more fully below. It can be seen that the
cover plate 190 cooperates with the partition 150 and
the walls 121-123 of the container 120 to define a
closed refill compartmen-t, generally designated by the
numeral 205, communication between the refill
compartment 205 and the liquid soap reservoir 175 being
provided by the refill aperture 169.
The present inventlon is exemplified by a refill
cartridge 210 which is semirigid and preferably formed
of a translucent soft plastic material, and is adapted
to hold a supply of liquid soap for refilling the
liquid soap reservoir 175 of the container 120. The
refill cartridge 210 is generally in the shape of a
polyhedron having top and bottom walls 211 and 212
interconnected by a pair of opposed side walls 213 and
a pair of opposed end walls 214, the side walls 213 and
the end walls 214 being generally perpendicular to each
other and to the top and bottom walls 211 and 212.
Connecting the side walls 213 to the end walls 214 and
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inclined substan-tially at 45 angles to each are four
guide or corner walls 215, each of which is also
perpendicular to the top and bottom walls 211 and 212.
Formed at the junc-tions of the top wall 211 with the
side walls 213 intermediate the ends thereof are two
indentations or recesses 216 for receiving the fingers
of a user.
Integral with the bo-ttom wall 212 and projecting
outwardly therefrom centrally thereof is a cylindrical
neck 220 being coupled at the upper end thereof -to the
bottom wall 212. The neck 220 is in the form oE a tube
221 having opposed inwardly extending slots or grooves
225 each having a top wall 222 and a bottom or rest
surface 223 thereof. The slots 225 are diametrically
opposed and have longitudinally extending walls 226,
the inner surfaces of which define keys extending into
the passageway 228 of the neck 220 and the outer
surfaces of which are in registry with the surfaces 162
of the keys 260. The neck 220 has a bottom end 227
which is closed or sealed by means of a closure member
229 recessed into the passageway 228 from the bottom
227, which closure member may be a pierceable membrane.
When it is desired to refill the liquid soap
reservoir 175 of the container 120, the cover plate 190
is unlocked and removed and a new refill cartridge 210
is inserted into the reEill compartment 205. The
refill cartridge 210 is shaped and dimensioned to just
fit within -the octagonal opening defined by the top
plate 1~0, with the guide walls 215 of the refill
cartridge 210 being respectively disposed for sliding
engagement with positioning members 185 which cooperate
to guide the neck 220 of the refill cartridge 2l0 into
the well 155. The neck 220 and particularly the
tubular wall portion 221 thereof along with the slots
225 thereof are dimensioned to fi-t within the well 155
and more particularly to fit in the annular space
between the upstanding cartridge opening rnember 165 and
the inner surface 156 of the well. More specifically,
the slots 225 in the neck 220 are positioned in
registry with the keys 160 extending inwardly from the
inner surface 156 of the well 155 with the
longitudinally extending surface 226 of each slot 225
bein~ opposite to the adjacent longitudinally extending
surface 162 of the respective key 160. As the refill
cartridge 210 is moved downwardly, the upper surface
266 of the cartridge opening member 165 and more
particularly the upper end thereof where the slot 167
meets the sur~ace 166 contacts the closure rnember 229
in the neck 220 and pierces same. Continued downward
movement of the refill cartridge 210 causes the neck
220 to seat in the well 155. As seen particularly in
Figure 5, the inner surface of the grooves or slots 225
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act as keys with respect to the slots 167, 168 in the
upstanding cartridge opening member 165 thereby to
slidably fit the cartridge 210 within the well 155.
Because the cartridge 210 is closed, that is
imperforate except at the neck 220, the liquid soap 176
in the cartridge 210 feeds into the reservoir 175 only
to the level of the effective outlet of the cartridge
210 which is the bottom or end surface 227 of the
cartridge neck 220, thereby to maintain the liquid
level 177 in the reservoir at ~hat fixed position,
until the supply of soap 176 in the cartridge 210 is
exhausted, which is always below the drain hole 178 in
the rear wall 123 of the soap container housing 120.
Accordingly, it is now clear how the anti-bootleg
feature of the invention is accomplished. By means of
the keys 160 extending inwardly from the inner surface
156 of the well 1565 and the peculiar complementary
shape of the upstanding cartridge opening member 165,
the cartridge 210 must have the neck 220 thereof
specifically designed to sea-t all ~he way to the bottom
of the well 155, as disclosed. In the event a
bootlegger attempts to use a standard cylindrical neck
cartridge in the soap dispenser 100, the l<eys 160 will
prevent the neck from extending down to the liquid
level 177 shown in Figure 3. The boo-tlegged cartridge
will only seal to the top 161 of the keys 160, whereby
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the liquid level in the reservoir 175 will rise to that
level which is specifically designed to be above the
drain hole 178 thereby causing soap to run out o-~ the
reservoir and the dispenser 100. Only cartridges 210
having the specific key accommoda-ting slo~s 225 therein
will fully seat in the well 155 thereby to permit
liquid soap 176 contained in the cartridge to drain
through the central aperture 169 into the reservoir 175
to a level 177 below the drain hole 178.
When the refill cartridge 210 has thus been
inserted to its refill configuration in the refill
compartment 205, tha-t is with the neck 220 fully seated
into the well 155, thereby to establish the liquid
level 177 as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings,
the cover plate 190 is then locked in place to close
the refill compartment 205 and the enclosed refill
cartridge 210 therein. It will be appreciated that the
entire cartridge replacement operation can be performed
in a matter of seconds.
When the next service call is made9 the serviceman
can immediately tell from inspection of the translucent
refill cartridge 210 whether or not it is empty. If it
is empty, it is removed and discarded and a new refill
cartridge 210 is inserted into its place in the manner
described above. If the refill cartridge 210 is not
empty, then the serviceman knows that the reservoir 175
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still has a substantial quantity of soap 176 therein
and that no fur-ther refill is needed.
It is an important feature oE the invention that
the soap dispenser 100 is usable only wi-th the refill
cartridge 210 specificaily designed therefor, so that
the container 120 cannot be refilled with liquid soap
from an unauthorized source. This purpose is furthered
by the slot 200 in the rear wall 123 of the container
120. More particularly, it will be understood that by
reason of the dimensions of -the central aperture 169
which permit free flow of liquid soap therethrough by
gravity under ambient pressure, there would be a
temptation for unauthorized purveyors of liquid soap to
simply pour free or bulk liquid soap into the refill
compartment 205 and let it drain through the refill
aperture 169. It this is attempted, however, the soap
will ir~mediately also flow out through the slot 200,
running down the back of the container 100, onto the
bracket wall 111 and along the outside of the pump
assembly 130 creating a messy overflow and possibly
fouling the dispensing mechanism. Thus, it will be
appreciated that the slot 200 effectively prevents the
accumulation of free liquid soap in the reservoir 175.
The above anti-bootleg feature of the slot 200 in
combination with the cooperating design of the refill
well 155, the upstanding cartridge opening member 165
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and the cartridge neck 220 fully prevents the use of
unauthorized soap refill cartridges 210 in the
dispenser 100 of the prevent invention. Since
bootlegging refill cartridges is the single more
important economic factor in the liquid soap dispensing
business, this invention has attained its principal
objects by the aforementioned cornbination of features.
It will be noted that the finger recesses 216 in
the refill cartridge 210 serve to facilitate handling
thereof during insertion into and removal from the
refill compartment 20~. These recesses are
particularly useful in removal of the spent re~ill
cartridge 210 because of the very close fit between the
walls of the cartridge 210 and the top plate 180 and
because, when fully inserted into its refill
configuration, the refill cartridge 210 only extends a
slight distance above the top plate 180.
In storage of the refill cartridge 210 it is
~enerally preferably to dispose the top wall 211
downward, since this affords a more stable base than
does the neck 220. lt will be appreciated that the
upstanding ribs provide bearing surfaces for supporting
the refill cartridge 210 thereon during storage.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that here has
been provided an improved refill cartridge for use with
a refillable liquid soap dispenserl such that there is
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permitted rapid servicing of the dispenser for
refilling same, while at the same time effectively
preventing refilling of -the container with soap from an
unauthorized source.
