Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DUAL LIQUID CARTRIDGE DISPENSER
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TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to viscous liquid dispensers and, in
particular, to a dispenser containing at least two disposable
cartridges of the viscous liquid with means for selectively
dispensing only from a single cartridge at any one time.
BACKGROUND ART
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Within the past ten years, it has become fairly common to
package certain viscous liquids, such as 80ys, shampoos and like ~;
products, in disposable cartridges and to dispense such liquids
from dispensers in places like public washrooms, and hotel and
motel bathrooms. Although the detailed construction of the
disposable cartridges may differ, they generally includè a
compressible pump portion and an exit orifice for the liquid. - When
pressure is applied to the pump portion of the cartridge, liquid is
forced through the exit orifice, into the user's hand. The
dispensers that accept such disposable liquid~ cartridges have a
manually operated dispensing member, such as a pivoted lever, for
pressing the pump portion of the cartridge against a compression
surface in the dispenser. A typical prior art viscous liquid
dispenser is disclosed in U . S . Patent 4 ,130, 224-Norman, et al . ~
assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The dispenser
- ~ of Norman, et al. is used to dispense liquids such as soap from a
~; ~single disposable cartridge. The ~Norman, et al. dispenser has a
sig~ht window located adjacent to the bottom of the disposable -- ~ -
cartridge so that a maintenance person can see that the cartridge -`
h ~ needs to be replaced. One problem with the single cartridge
dispenser is that when the maintenance person looks at the window, - -
the level of the fluid may be only slightly above the window with
the result that the cartridge is completely used up before the ~-
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maintenance person returns to service the dispenser.
Another common occurrence is that if the maintenance
person observes that the liquid level in the cartridge
is just below the top edge of the sight port, the
maintenance person may replace the cartridge rather than
take the chance that the cartridge will empty before the
dispenser is next serviced. This, of course, can lead
to a considerable waste of the liquid soap or other ~
product. Thus, it would be desirable to have a - -
dispenser that holds two disposable cartridges so that
the user can completely exhaust one cartridge and them
begin immediately dispensing from the second cartridge.
One approach for dispensing from two cartridges is
suggested by U.S. Patent 4,513,885-Hogan which discloses
packaging two single cartridge dispensers side by side
to form a dispensing system. One problem with adopting
this concept for a liquid soap dispenser is that since
the user can dispense from either dispenser it i8
possible for both cartridges to empty at the same time.
Thus, it can be seen that it would be desirable to have
a dual cartridge dispensing system which prevents the
user from dispensing from one cartridge until the other ;
cartridge is completely empty.
U.S. Patent 2,619,386-Dalrymple discloses a trigger ~;
operated spray gun for simultaneously spraying two
liquid solutions onto an object. At column 5, lines 49-
68, Dalrymple describes a trigger operated mechanism ~;:
that simultaneous opens or closes a pair of fluid
passages. At column 6, lines 33-40, Dalrymple provides
for individual adjustment of the fluid flow through each
fluid passageway.
1~ It is an object of an aspect of this invention to ~-
:~ provide a dispenser for two sr more disposable, viscous
l~ liquid cartridges wherein the probability that the
¦~ 35 dispenser will empty before it can be serviced is -
¦~ grPatly reduced.
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An object of an aspect of this invention is to .
provide a dispenser, having two disposable liquid
cartridges, that can only dispense from one cartridge at
a time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION -
An aspect of the invention is as follows:
An apparatus for dispensing a viscous liquid from
two disposable liquid cartridges, each cartridge having
an exit orifice through which fluid is dispensed when a :
10 pump portion of the cartridge is compressed, the
apparatus comprising:
(a) means in the apparatus for supporting the two
cartridges;
(b) a movable compression member located in the
15 apparatus having a first position adjacent the pump
portion of the first cartridge and having a second
position adjacent the pump portion of the second
cartridge;
. (c) a knob extending outside the apparatus and
20 connected to the compression member for moving the
compression member to the first position or to the
second position to thereby select the cartridge that is
compressed; and
(d) a movable dispensing member mounted in the -
25 apparatus for compressing between the compression member -
and an opposed pinch surface in the apparatus only that
cartridge pump portion that is adjacent the compression
member thereby causing fluid to be dispensed from the
exit orifice of the selected cartridge.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims particularly
pointing out and distinctly claiming that which is regarded as the
present invention, the objects and advantages of this invention can
be more readily ascertained from the following description of a
preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the accom-
panying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the dual liquid cartridge
dispenser of this invention:
Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the dispenser;
Fig. 3 is a front sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of
Figs. 1 and 4;
Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation view taken along the line
4-4 of Figs. 2 and 3;
Fig. 4a is a partial sectional side elevation view illustrating the
compression of the cartridge pump assembly;
Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of
Fig. 4: and
Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.
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DISLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
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In accortance with the invention there is provided a dispenser
that - can support two disposable liquid cartridges, each cartridge
having an exit orifice through which fluid is dispensed when a
pump portion of She cartridge is compressed. The dispenser has a
; movable compression member located in the apparatus having a first
~- ~ position adjacent the pump portion of the first cartridge and having
a second position adjacent the pump portion of the second car~
tridge. The movable compression member is connected to a knob
extending outside the dispenser which is used to move the com~
pression member to the first position or to the second position to
thereby select the cartridge that is compressed. The dispenser has
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a movable dispensing member which compresses between the com-
pression member and an opposing pinch surface in the dispenser
only that cartridge pump portion that is adjacent the compression
member .
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
For the sake of convenience, an element depicted in more than
one figure will retain the same element number in each figure.
10 Referring now to Fig. 1, the dispenser 10 of this invention has a
rear base member 12, a front face 20, a top wall 22, bottom wall 24
and side walls 26, 28. The base 12 is provided with a number of
mounting holes, not shown, so that it can be mounted by means of
bolts to a wall behind a washroom sink. In a preferred embodi-
15 ment, the front wall 20, top wall 22, bottom wall 24, and side walls
26, 28 of the dispenser 10 form a cover 14 that, as best illustrated
in Figs. 4 and 4a, is pivotally connected to the base 12 by means
of short hinge pins 30 on the cover 14 which extend into pivot
- holes 32 in support member 34 of base 12. Also attached to the
20 base--12 is a shelf 36 for supporting two disposable viscous liquid
cartridges 11a and 11b, such as soap or shampoo, side by side in
the dispenser 10.
As best shown in Fig. 3, a typical viscous liquid cartridge 11
includes a flexible bag 13, a pump assembly portion 17 and a
25 paperboard box 21 for controlling the shape of the flexible bag 13
; both in the dispenser 10 and during shipment. The pump assembly
- 17 consists of a connector element 23, a flexible tube 25 having one
end connected to the connector 23 and the other end connected to a
discharge element 27 which includes exit orifice 15 through which
30 the liquid is dispensed. In a preferred embodiment, the discharge
element 27 includes a normally closed, spring loaded, ball valve as
described in the aforementioned patent to Norman, et al. As best
shown in Figs. 4 and 4a, a fitment 19b attached to the bottom of
the flexible bag 13b provides an outlet port through which liquid
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can flow out of flexible bag 13b. The connector element 23b of
pump assembly 17b is inserted into the fitment 19b to provide fluid
flow from the flexible bag 13b into the pump ascembly 17b. The
filled flexible bag 13b, and attached pump assembly 17b are
packaged inside the paperboard box 21b for shipment.
Referring now to Figs. ~ and 4a, a handle 40, or dispensing
means, is pivotally connected to the base 12 by means of short
hinge pins 42 which extend into pivot holes 44 in support member
34 just below the shelf 36. The support member 34 has a central
opening 38 and the handle 40 is mounted ~o that it extends through
the central opening 38 with the end 40d spaced a short distance
below the bottom of the dispenser 10. Assembled to the handle 40
is a spring loaded, pivoted pinch block 46. Pinch block 46 has a
pair of hooks 46a which fit around a bar element 40a of handle 40
so that the pinch block 46 can pivot around the bar element 40a.
Spring 48 mounted between the handle 40 and the pinch block 46
biases two tabs 46b of the pinch block 46 against corresponding
stops 40b on the handle 40. A ~pring retaining boss 40c on the
handle 40 and spring retaining boss 46d on the pinch block 46 act
to retain the spring 48 within the assembly. Assembled to the
lower, front part of support 34 is a discharge element holder 50
into which the discharge elements 27 of two cartridges 11 are held.
Referring now to Figs. 4, 4a, 5 and 6, mounted within the
cover 14 is a movable compression block 52. A slide plate 54 is
affixed to the compression block 52 and a knob 56 to provide a
movable compression means. The upper and lower edges of slide
plate 54 move in slide tracks formed between horizontal guide walls
58 and inner surfaces 62 of cover 14. As best shown in Fig. 5,
the sloping side 66a of ledge 64 cooperate with a raised projection
52a on the upper edge 52c of compression block 52 to fix the loca~
tion of the compression block 52 adjacent to the flexible tube 25b of
cartridge llb. When a force is applied to the knob 56 in the
direction of arrow 68, the sloped side 66a applies a compressive
force to projection 52a and, because of slot 52b, the upper edge
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52c of the compression block 52 yields to allow the projection 52a to
slide along ledge 64. When the movable compression means reaches
the position represented by the dashed lines 70, the projection 52a
rides up the sloped side 66b which retains the movable compression
block 52 in a second position adjacent the flexible tube 25a of the
pump assembly 17a of the other cartridge lla.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the dispenser 10 has a
viewing window 72 located in the center of the front face 20 of the
dispenser. The viewing window 72 is located above knob 56 and
even with the lower portion of the cartridges lla and llb supported
in the dispenser 10. As best shown in Fig. 3, each box 21 has two
small rectangular cutouts 29 at the front lower corners of the box
21. When the cartridge 11 is placed in the dispenser 10, the
bottom of the flexible bag 13 of the two cartridges 11 are visible
through the viewing window 72.
A typical operating sequence will now be described. The
cover 14 is unlocked, or unlatched as the case may be, and pivoted
down about hinge pins 30. Spent cartridges 11 are removed and
replacement cartridges 11 are prepared by tearing out the vertical
front wall strips 31 and the bottom wall strips 33, shown in Fig. 3,
from cartridge boxes 21. Removal of those strips 31, 33 allows the
pump assemblies 17 to be withdrawn from the boxes 21 so that they
extend down from the lower left or lower right portion of the box
Zl depending upon whether the cartridge 11 is placed on the
support shelf 36 in the left or right position. As best shown in
Fig. 4, the rear wall 12 of dispenser 10 has two locating bosses 74
which fit into a locating hole 35 in the cartridge box 21 so that the
two cartridges lla and llb are precisely positioned in the dis-
penser. Locating bosses 74 also prevent shifting of the cartridges
lla and llb in the dispenser 10 when replacing cartridges. The
discharge element 27 of each cartridge 11 is placed into the
discharge element holder 50. As best shown in Fig. 3, when the
discharge elements 27a and 27b of the cartridges lla and llb are
fixed in place the bore of the discharge orifices 15 make a slight
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angle with the vertical so that fluid discharged from the orifices 15
is directed toward a common point at the same level as lower edge
40d of the handle 40.
The cover 14 i8 now pivoted upward to close the dispenser 10.
5 With the knob 56 placed to the right as shown in Fig. 2, the
movable compression block 52 will be located adjacent the pump
assembly 17b of cartridge llb. Dispensing of the fluid from
cartridge llb commences by a user placing his hand palm upward
with his fingertips behind the handle 40 and moving handle 40 in
the direction indicated by arrow 41 in Fig. 4. As handle 40 is
moved to the position indicated in Fig. 4a, pinch surface 46c of
pinch block 46 first pinches the upper portion of flexible tube 25b
against compression block 52 to seal the tube 25b and prevent any
back flow of fluid from the lower portion of pump assembly 17b into
the flexible bag 13b. Once the upper portion of the flexible tube
25b has been pinched off, further forward motion of handle 40
results in pinch block 46 rotating about bar 40a and compression of
spring 48 so that pinch block 46 builds up fluid pressure in the
lower part of pump assembly 17b thereby causing fluid to be
expelled through the exit orifice 15b into the palm of the user.
When the user releases the handle 40, spring 48 returns the
pinch block 46 to the biased po ition with tabs 46b of pinch block
46 . in contact with stop surfaces 40b of handle 40 which causes
handle 40 to be returned to the position shown in Fig. 4. As best
~; ~ Z5 shown in Fig. 6, when the movable compression block 52 is posi-
tioned adjacent the flexible tube 25b of cartridge llb, there is
a space 76 between the flexible tube 25a of cartridge lla and the
nearest inside wall of cover 14. The space 76, which is the
thickness of movable compression block 52, is such that the forward
motion of the pinch block surface 46c cannot completely pinch off
~; the flexible tube 25a of cartridge lla and will not cause fluid to be
- dispensed from cartridge lla. When a user observes that cartridge
llb is empty, he can move knob 56 in the direction of arrow 68 in
Fig. 6 to position the compression block 52 adjacent flexible tube
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25a of cartridge 11a. Dispensing from cartridge 11a can now take
place. When the maintenance person comes to service the dispenser
10, he will observe through the window 72 that the cartridge llb is ~ -
empty and can replace it with a new cartridge 11b.
While the present invention has been described with reference
to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled
in the art that various changes and modifications may be made
without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. For
example, it i6 possible to mount the spring loaded pinch block 46 on
the cover 14 and the movable compression block 52 on the handle
40. This could be accomplished by providing the compression block
52 with a portion that extends behind the handle 40 and by
providing the knob 56 with two arms that extend around and behind
the handle 40 so that the arms move the compression block 52 from
behind the handle 40 when the knob 56 is moved. Also, although
the cartridge 11 is compressed with a first pinching action followed
by a compression action, that is due to the design of the pump
assembly portion 17. The principles of this invention can be used
in dispensers for cartridges 11 that have a pump portion 17 that
require only compression to cause dispensing of the fluid. It is
contemplated in the appended claims to cover all variations and
modifications of the invention which come within the true spirit and
scclpe of the invention.
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