Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
SELF-CONTAINED VISCOUS LIQUID DISPENSER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of viscous liquid
dispensers, for example soap dispensers, shampoo and lotion
dispensers, food product dispensers, and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various configurations and models of liquid dispensers,
particularly liquid soap dispensers, are well known in the art.
Conventional dispensers typically employed in public restrooms and
the like are wall mounted units that typically include a house or
structure that is permanently affixed to a wall. These dispensers
typically include an access door or member so that the dispenser can
be opened by a maintenance person for refilling or servicing. With
certain types of dispensers, separate refill cartridges are inserted into
the housing structure. With other types of dispensers, the
maintenance technician must directly refill a reservoir provided in the
housing structure. The dispensers typically include a delivery device,
such as a dosing pump, and a device such as a lever or button for
actuating the dosing pump. The dispensers may be vented or
unvented.
The conventional dispensers depend on the continued
maintenance and operability of the housing structure that is
permanently affixed to the wall. In other words, if the housing
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structure, and particularly the dosing pump, is damaged or vandalized,
the dispenser becomes inoperable and must be replaced. The
conventional dispensers also depend on a supply system wherein
additional liquid soap must be separately stored, transported, and
loaded into the dispensers. This process entails unnecessary logistic
and man power resources.
The present invention is an improvement over existing systems
in that it provides a disposable self-contained dispenser with a
significantly increased capacity as compared to standard dispensers, is
relatively inexpensive, and does not depend on the separate storage
and delivery of refill cartridges or bulk volumes of liquid soap or other
type of viscous product.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part
in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or
may be learned through practice of the invention.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is
provided a self contained viscous liquid dispenser, comprising: a
housing; an internal liquid reservoir defined by said housing; a
dispensing pump mechanism disposed in communication with said
reservoir; a mounting mechanism configured as an integral component
of said housing, said mounting mechanism detachably connectable
with complimentary mounting structure on a wall surface; said housing
comprising a substantially vertical back side; and said mounting
mechanism comprising a recess defined in said substantially vertical
back side, said recess further comprising engaging structure defined
therein for engagement with complimentary structure provided on the
wall mounting structure such that, when mounted, said back side of
said housing is generally flush against the wall surface and said
housing is supported on the wall surface and secured against
movement relative to the wall surface essentially by engagement
between said recess and the complimentary wall mounting structure.
.._~_.. _ _ ~. .... .. ... ~~.~._ .. _ .~y _ _ ._. _ . _ .. ._
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According to a further aspect of the present invention there is
provided a disposable viscous liquid dispenser, comprising: a housing
defining an internal integral liquid reservoir, said housing further
comprising a back side configured for placement against a supporting
wall surface; a dispensing pump mechanism disposed in communication
with said reservoir and comprising an operable delivery end for
dispensing the viscous liquid from said housing; a mounting mechanism
formed integral with said back side and extending inwardly toward a front
side of said housing, said mounting mechanism comprising engagement
surfaces configured to releasably engage and disengage with
complimentary structure of a wall mounting member provided on a
supporting wall upon relative sliding movement between said housing
and the supporting wall so that said housing cannot be pulled away from
the supporting wall.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is
provided a self contained viscous liquid dispenser, comprising: a
housing; an internal liquid reservoir defined by said housing; a
manually operated dispensing pump mechanism disposed in liquid
communication with said reservoir and having a delivery end disposed
for delivering metered doses of viscous liquid from said reservoir upon
actuation thereof by a user; a mounting mechanism formed integrally in
said housing, said mounting mechanism detachably connectable with
complimentary mounting structure on a wall surface such that upon
mounting said housing, a back side of said housing is generally flush
with the wall surface; and a vent mechanism disposed in an upper wall
of said housing, said vent mechanism further comprising a vent
passage and a movable plug member resiliently disposed in said vent
passage, said plug member sealing an orifice into said vent passage in
an at-rest position and movable to unseal said orifice and vent said
reservoir upon a sufficient vacuum being established in said reservoir
upon actuation of said pump mechanism.
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According to a still further aspect of the present invention there
is provided a self contained viscous liquid dispenser, comprising: a
housing; an internal liquid reservoir defined by said housing, said
reservoir defining a volume capacity for said dispenser; a manually
operated dispensing pump mechanism disposed in liquid
communication with said reservoir and having a delivery end disposed
for delivering metered doses of viscous liquid from said reservoir upon
actuation thereof by a user; a mounting mechanism formed integrally in
said housing, said mounting mechanism detachably connectable with
complimentary mounting structure on a wall surface such that upon
mounting said housing, a substantial portion of the surface area of a
back side of said housing surrounding said mounting mechanism is
generally flush with the wall surface; said housing and associated
pump mechanism having a combined packaging weight in grams; and
wherein a ratio of said packaging weight in grams to said volume
capacity in liters does not exceed about 120:1.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is
provided a viscous liquid dispenser, comprising: a housing; said
housing comprising a front component formed separately from and
permanently attached to a back component, at least a substantial
portion of said back component being formed of a substantially clear or
translucent material; an internal liquid reservoir defined by and within
said housing, said reservoir containing a volume of viscous liquid, said
reservoir sealed to prevent access to said reservoir; a manually
operated dispensing pump mechanism disposed in liquid
communication with said reservoir, said pump mechanism having a
delivery end disposed relative to said housing to deliver metered doses
of viscous liquid from said reservoir upon actuation thereof by a user;
said portion of said back component formed from a substantially clear
or translucent material extending vertically from a location generally
adjacent a bottom of said reservoir; and whereby said portion of said
back component formed from a substantially clear or translucent
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material is visible from a side of said housing and defines a viewing
portion such that the level of viscous liquid remaining within said
reservoir is determined by viewing the level through said viewing
portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is
provided a viscous liquid dispenser, comprising: a housing defining an
internal viscous liquid reservoir, said housing comprising a front
component formed separately from and permanently attached to a
back component; said back component defining a back wall of said
reservoir; a manually operated dispensing pump mechanism disposed
in liquid communication with said reservoir, said pump mechanism
having a delivery end disposed relative to said housing to deliver
metered doses of viscous liquid from said reservoir upon actuation
thereof by a user; said back component being formed at least in part
from a viewing material that is substantially clear or translucent and
that extends vertically from a location generally adjacent a bottom of
said reservoir; wherein said back component comprises side edges
viewable from a side of said housing; and whereby the level of viscous
liquid remaining within said reservoir is determined by viewing the level
through said side edges of said back component.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is
provided a viscous liquid dispenser, comprising: a housing defining an
internal integral liquid reservoir; a manually operated dispensing pump
mechanism carried by said housing and disposed in liquid
communication with said internal reservoir, said pump mechanism
having a delivery end disposed relative to said housing for delivering
metered doses of viscous liquid from said reservoir upon actuation
thereof by a user; a mounting recess defined in a back wall of said
housing, said recess circumscribed entirely by said back wall so as not
to be visible from any side of said housing upon mounting said
dispenser on a supporting wall, said recess further comprising first
interlock surfaces; a mounting bracket configured for attachment to a
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supporting wall surface, said bracket comprising complimentary second
interlock surfaces shaped to releasably engage and interlock with said
first interlock surfaces in said mounting recess; and said bracket
comprising a shape so as to fit substantially entirely within said
mounting recess, said bracket further comprising at least one
dimensional characteristic that is larger than the corresponding
dimensional characteristic of said mounting recess such that said
recess is caused to deform upon mounting said housing to said bracket
to accommodate said corresponding dimensional characteristic thereby
resulting in a secure engagement between said bracket and said
housing.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention there
is provided a self contained viscous liquid dispenser, comprising: a
housing defining an internal liquid reservoir, said housing including a
front surface having an opening therethrough adjacent a bottom
surface of said reservoir; an insert member fitted through said opening,
said insert extending into said reservoir and defining an internal pump
chamber having a back end open to said reservoir and a front end
open to the outside of said housing, said front end of said insert
member attached to said housing at said front surface such that said
pump chamber is disposed substantially rearwardly of said front
surface of said housing; a pump cylinder slidably disposed and
retained in said pump chamber, said pump cylinder having a delivery
end extending out of said pump chamber and a delivery channel
defined therethrough terminating at a dispensing orifice in said delivery
end, said pump cylinder movable within said pump chamber from a rest
position to a pressurizing position to pressurize and dispense liquid
within said pump chamber through said delivery channel and out said
dispensing orifice; and an actuator configured with said delivery end of
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said pump cylinder to move said pump cylinder from said rest position
to said pressurizing position from outside of said housing.
The present invention provides a self-contained viscous liquid
dispenser. Although having particular usefulness as a liquid soap
dispenser,. the dispenser according to the invention is not limited to a
liquid soap dispenser and may be utilized in any application wherein it
is desired to dispense metered doses of a viscous liquid. For example,
the dispenser may have particular usefulness as a shampoo
dispenser, lotion dispenser, food product dispenser (i.e., catsup,
mustard, or mayonnaise dispenser), or any other product dispenser for
dispensing metered amounts of a viscoussubstance. The liquid
dispenser will be described herein with reference to a soap dispenser
for ease of explanation.
The viscous liquid dispenser includes a housing that may be
formed of any suitable material. For example, the housing may be
molded from relatively inexpensive plastic materials and may have any
desired aesthetic shape. The housing also defines an integrai sealed
internal liquid reservoir. In other words, the liquid reservoir is not a
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separate component from the housing, such as a cartridge or the like.
The housing may be comprised of wall members that give the
dispenser its outward appearance and also define the internal liquid
reservoir.
A dispensing pump mechanism is disposed at least partially
within the reservoir. The pump mechanism has a delivery end that
extends out of the reservoir which is actuated by a user to dispense the
viscous liquid.
The dispenser also includes a mounting mechanism that is
configured as an integral component of the housing. The mounting
mechanism allows the dispenser to be detachably connected to
complimentary mounting structure on a wall surface. In this way, the
dispenser may be easily removed from the wall surface for disposal or
recycling once the liquid has been depleted. A new liquid dispenser
according to the invention is then attached to the wall surface.
In one embodiment of the invention, the housing comprises a
substantially vertical back side that is configured to be placed adjacent
to the wall surface. The mounting mechanism is configured in the back
side. For example, if the housing is a molded component, the
mounting mechanism is molded integral with the back side. The
mounting mechanism may comprise a recess that is defined in the
back side. The recess may be defined by side walls that have
engaging structures defined thereon. These engaging structures
interlockingly engage with complimentary structure provided on the wall
mounting structure. The wall mounting structure may be, for example,
a plate member or similar device that is relatively permanently affixed
to the wall. In one embodiment of the engaging structure, the vertical
side walls of the recess include at least one angled surface on each
vertical side wall. These angled surfaces engage against
complimentary angled surfaces on the mounting wall structure similar
to a conventional dove-tail configuration. The housing is slidable in a
generally vertical direction onto the wall mounting structure so that the
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angled surfaces of the mounting mechanism slide into engagement
against the angled surfaces of the wall mounting structure. Once
engaged, the angled surfaces prevent the dispenser from being pulled
away from the wall mounting structure. A securing device may be
provided on the back side of the housing to prevent relative sliding
movement between the housing and the wall mounting structure upon
engagement of the angled surfaces. This securing device may be, for
example, a simple protrusion disposed on the back side of the housing
that engages in a complimentary recess or divot defined in the wall
mounting structure. In an alternate embodiment, the protrusion or a
locking nub may be provided on the wall mounting structure to engage
in a complimentary recess or divot formed in the housing recess.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the wall mounting
structure is made of a relatively hard, rigid material (i.e., a metal or
hard plastic bracket) and may have at least one dimension (i.e., width
or depth) that is greater than the corresponding dimension of the
housing recess. The housing may be formed of a material, such as
plastic, having an inherent degree of "play" or resiliency. In this
manner, upon mounting the housing onto the wall mounting structure,
the greater dimension component of the mounting structure will cause
the corresponding portion of the housing recess to "bow" or flex so as
to accommodate the over-sized wall mounting structure. This
configuration provides for an extremely secure and tight engagement
between the housing and wall mounting structure that prevents the
housing from wobbling or otherwise moving relative to the supporting
wall. To a user, the housing will appear to be permanently bolted or
otherwise mounted to the wall and there will be essentially no
indication that the housing can be removed. Also, the housing cannot
be pulled away or pried from the wall mounting structure without
extreme force.
In one particularly useful embodiment, at least two spaced apart
angled surfaces are provided on each vertical wall of the recess that
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engage against complimentary spaced apart angled surfaces on the
wall structure. The spaced apart configuration of the angled surfaces
maximizes the surface contact area between the housing and the wall
mounting structure without significantly increasing the relative sliding
5 distance between the members.
As mentioned, the housing structure is preferably formed from a
relatively inexpensive molded plastic and may comprise separately
molded components that are permanently affixed or adhered to each
other. For example, the housing may include a front component that is
formed separately from and adhered to a back component. It may be
desired that the front and back components have different
characteristics. For example, it may be desired that the back
component is more rigid than the front component to provide enhanced
structural support and rigidity to the dispenser mounted on the wall
structure. This may be accomplished by simply making the back
component thicker than the front component. The front and back
components may be molded or otherwise formed from different types
of materials.
It may also be desired to make at least a portion of the housing
translucent or clear so that a maintenance technician can easily
determine the remaining level of liquid within the reservoir. For
example, a window may be provided in the housing. In one particularly
useful embodiment, the housing includes a back component that is
formed from a translucent material so that the entire volume of the
reservoir is visible from the outside.
Any manner of actuator may be provided with the dispenser to
allow the user to operate the pump mechanism. For example, in one
embodiment, the actuator may comprise a panel member that
contributes to the aesthetic appearance of the housing. The panel
member may be hinged or otherwise movably connected to the
housing member and lie in contact against a delivery end of the
pumping mechanism. Upon the user depressing or moving the panel,
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the pumping mechanism is actuated so that a metered dose of the
liquid is dispensed. In an alternate embodiment, the actuator may
comprise a member, such as a decorative cap or the like, directly
attached to the delivery end of the pump mechanism. In other words,
the actuator need not be connected directly to the housing. Various
embodiments of aesthetically pleasing actuators may be used in this
regard.
The pump mechanism may include a pump chamber that is
formed integral with the housing within the reservoir. For example, the
housing may comprise a molded plastic component wherein a pump
chamber is integrally molded on the interior of the housing. The pump
chamber has a back end that is open to the reservoir section of the
housing and a front end that is open to the outside of the housing. A
pump cylinder is slidably disposed and retained in the chamber. The
pump cylinder has a channel defined therethrough and a delivery end
extending out of the front end of the chamber. The pump cylinder is
retained within the chamber so that it cannot be pulled therefrom. An
actuator is configured with the delivery end of the pump cylinder so that
the device may be actuated by a user from outside of the housing. A
valve mechanism is disposed in the delivery end of the pump cylinder
and is configured to close upon the user releasing the actuator to
prevent leakage or dripping of liquid from the pump cylinder.
In one embodiment, the pump cylinder is insertable into the
pump chamber from its back end. The chamber includes retaining
structure, such as a flange member or the like, at its front end to
prevent withdrawal of the pump cylinder from the pump chamber
through the front end. A cap member or like device is attached to the
back end of the pump chamber once the cylinder has been inserted
into the chamber. The cap member has an orifice defined
therethrough for drawing liquid into the pump chamber. A check valve
device, such as a shuttle valve, is disposed in the orifice to close the
orifice upon actuation of the pump cylinder.
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The valve mechanism disposed in the delivery end of the pump
cylinder may comprise a flexible flap member that is movable to an
open position by the pressure of the liquid being dispensed. Upon
release of the actuator, the flap member automatically returns to a
closed position and thus prevents undesired leakage or dripage of the
liquid out of the delivery end of the pump cylinder. In one particularly
useful embodiment, the valve mechanism comprises a plurality of flap
members that define an opening therethrough in their open position,
and seal against each other in their closed position.
The dispenser may also utilize a removable pump mechanism
that is screwed or otherwise mated with the housing reservoir. For
example, the pump mechanism may include a self-contained pump
having a pump chamber housing, cap, or other suitable structure that
is fitted to a bore defined through a housing wall so as to be in
communication with the internal reservoir. Any type of conventional
pump mechanism may be utilized in this regard. In this embodiment,
the pump may be removed from the housing for subsequent re-use
before disposing of the housing.
A vent path is defined into the reservoir to prevent drawing a
vacuum therein. In a particularly desired embodiment, the vent is
provided in a top surface of the housing structure. Since the housing
structure is mounted in use upon a wall surface, there is little concern
of the liquid leaking from the vent in the top surface. In other
embodiments, the reservoir may be vented through the pump
mechanism. However, venting through the pump mechanism may
result in undesired leakage through the mechanism, particularly if the
pump mechanism is disposed in the lower portion of the housing.
Venting may also be accomplished through the valve mechanism in the
delivery end of the pump cylinder.
Various embodiments of a top-mounted vent are contemplated
for the dispenser. For example, a suitable vent mechanism mounted in
the top wall of the housing may include a body member that slides into
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a fill port defined in the top of the housing after the reservoir has been
filled with a viscous liquid or substance through the port. The vent
body interlockingly and sealingly engages with the top wall of the
housing in such a manner that, once inserted, the vent body cannot
readily be removed without causing significant damage to the
dispenser. The vent may include a spring mounted or other resiliently
mounted plug, such as a ball, within the vent passage. This plug
essentially seals the vent until a user actuates the pump mechanism
resulting in a partial vacuum being drawn in the reservoir upon a dose
of the viscous liquid being expelled from the dispenser. This vacuum
causes the plug to be drawn downwards against the force of the spring
or other resilient member to unseal the vent orifice until pressure
equalized across the vent, whereupon the plug reseats.
A unique advantage of a dispenser according to the present
invention is that the capacity of such a dispenser may be significantly
increased without necessarily increasing the dispenser "packaging."
The term "packaging" is understood to be the materials and structure
required to render and maintain a given capacity (volume) dispensing
"position." For example, with conventional cartridge refill dispensers
(i.e., a flexible bag cartridge refill placed in a wall mounted housing),
the "packaging" for initial set up or replacement of the dispenser
includes the cartridge materials and wall mounted housing structure
into which the cartridge must be subsequently placed. For
conventional dispensers wherein a reservoir in the housing is refilled
directly with the liquid product from a bulk storage source, the
"packaging" includes the entire wall mounted housing structure as well
as the bulk storage container. With the present invention, the
"packaging" is essentially the disposable housing structure and integral
pump mechanism. The ratio of weight of packaging (grams) to
capacity (volume in liters) can be significantly decreased with the
present dispenser as compared to conventional devices. This leads to
increased economic benefits with respect to shipping, handling,
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storage, maintenance, etc.
It should be appreciated that the configuration and appearance
of the housing is not a limiting feature of the invention. Also, the
invention is not limited to the use of any particular type of materials or
manufacturing process. Various embodiments of interlocking
engagement structure between the back side of the housing and the
wall mounting member are also within the scope and spirit of the
invention. For example, the engaging structure may include bayonet
type fasteners, or the like.
In an alternate embodiment of a pump mechanism that may be
used in a dispenser according to the invention, an insert member is
inserted through an opening defined in a front surface of the housing.
The insert member extends into the reservoir and defines an internal
pump chamber having a back end open to the reservoir and a front
end open to the outside of the housing. The insert member is
attached to the housing at the opening by any suitable mechanism. In
one particular embodiment, the housing comprises a plurality of
protrusions extending from the front surface and disposed around
the opening. The insert member comprises a front flange having a
plurality of counter-bored holes defined therethrough into which the
protrusions extend upon mounting the insert member into the
housing. The protrusions are then heated to a molten state wherein
the protrusion material flows into the counter-bored holes and
permanently affixes the insert member to the housing upon re-
solidifying. If it is desired to recycle or reuse the pump mechanism,
a less permanent or temporary type of attachment mechanism may
be used to affix the insert member to the housing, such as a
releasable adhesive, mechanical connection (i.e., threaded
engagement), etc.
At least one seal disposed between an outer surface of the
insert member and the housing to ensure that liquid within the
reservoir does not leak out from around the insert member. In one
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particular embodiment, this seal is a radially inward extending seal
disposed around the opening in the housing that engages and seals
against an outer surface of the insert member. This seal may be
provided on a cylindrical extension of the housing that extends from
5 the front surface into the reservoir. In an alternate embodiment,
the seal may be a radially outward extending seal disposed at a
forward end of the insert member that engages and seals against a
portion of the housing defining the opening. It may be desired to use
both types of seals in the same embodiment.
10 An alternative embodiment of a pump cylinder that may be used
with an integrally formed pump chamber or pump chamber insert is
also provided. This pump cylinder may include multiple components.
For example, in one embodiment, the pump cylinder includes a first
component and a second component inserted into a chamber defined
in the first component. Longitudinally extending channels in the
components align to defined a delivery channel through the pump
cylinder. This channel terminates at a delivery orifice defined in a
delivery end of the pump cylinder. Once combined, the components
define a complete pump cylinder that is slidable within the pump
chamber from a rest position to a pressurizing position wherein liquid
drawn into the pump chamber is pressurized and dispensed through
the delivery channel and out the dispensing orifice.
In order to seal the pump cylinder relative to the pump
chamber, a first radially extending seal, such as a flange seal, may be
provided on the first component of the pump cylinder that slidably
engages along a wall defining the pump chamber. A second similar
seal may be provided on the second component that also slidably
engages along the pump chamber wall.
The invention will be described in greater detail below with
reference to particular embodiments illustrated in the figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser according to the
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present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the back side of the dispenser
illustrated in Fig. 1;
Figure 3 is an alternative perspective view of the dispenser
according to Fig. 1 and complimentary wall mounting structure;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the dispenser taken along
the lines indicated in Fig. 3;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the pump mechanism of the
dispenser taken along the lines indicated in Fig. 3;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional operational view of the pump
mechanism;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional operational view of the pump
mechanism;
Figure 8a is partial perspective and cut-away view of the pump
mechanism particularly illustrating the check valve device;
Figure 8b is a partial perspective and cut-away view of the pump
mechanism particularly illustrating the locking feature thereof;
Figure 9a is a perspective view of a valve mechanism
incorporated in the pump cylinder;
Figure 9b is an operational perspective view of the valve
mechanism of Fig. 9a;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of a back component of the
dispenser housing;
Figure 11 is a perspective partial operational view of a wall
mounting bracket for mounting the dispenser;
Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the wall mounting bracket
taken along the lines indicated in Fig. 11;
Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the vent valve taken along
the lines indicated in Fig. 2;
Figure 14 is a an enlarged perspective view of the panel
member actuator attached to the pump housing;
Figure 15 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of
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the dispenser;
Figure 16 is an enlarged component view of the actuator used
with the dispenser illustrated in Fig. 15;
Figure 17 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of
the dispenser particularly illustrating a window feature for determining
the level of liquid within the dispenser;
Figure 18 is a perspective and partial cross-sectional view of an
alternative embodiment of a vent mechanism is accordance with the
invention;
Figure 19 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the body
member for the vent mechanism of Figure 18;
Figure 20A is a cross-sectional view of the vent mechanism of
Figure 18 particularly showing insertion of the vent mechanism into an
opening in the housing upper wall;
Figure 20B is a cross-sectional view of the vent mechanism of
Figure 20a after insertion into the housing and particularly illustrates an
embodiment of a resilient locking mechanism for locking the vent
mechanism to the housing wall;
Figure 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the designated
portion of Figure 20B for a countersunk bore in the housing wall;
Figure 22 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the designated
portion of Figure 20B for a straight bore in the housing wall;
Figure 23 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment
of a vent mechanism according to the invention;
Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment
of a vent mechanism according to the invention;
Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment
of a pump mechanism according to the invention;
Figure 26 is a perspective partial component view of the pump
mechanism embodiment of Figure 25;
Figure 27 is perspective partial assembled view of the
components shown in Figure 26;
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Figure 28 is a perspective view of the pump chamber insert of
the embodiment of Figure 25; and
Figure 29 is a perspective view of a component of the pump
cylinder of the embodiment of Figure 25.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the
drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the
invention, not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example,
features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, may be
used with another embodiment, to yield still a further embodiment. It is
intended that the present invention include modifications and variations
to the embodiments described herein.
A viscous liquid dispenser 10 according to the invention is
illustrated generally in the figures. The dispenser 10 is illustrated and
described herein as a liquid soap dispenser, which is a particularly
useful embodiment of the present invention. However, it should be
appreciated that the present invention is not limited to a dispenser for
liquid soap, but has application in any environment wherein it is desired
to dispense a metered amount of a viscous liquid from a dispensing
unit.
The dispenser 10 includes a housing, generally 14. The
housing 14 may contain side walls or members 16, a back side 18, and
a front side 20. The housing 14 can take on any desired configuration
and be formed from any number of components. In the illustrated
embodiment, the housing 14 includes a front component 24 and a
back component 22. The front and back components are separately
manufactured and are permanently joined. It should be appreciated
that the components may be manufactured from any desired material.
In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser 10 is a disposable item and
the housing 14 is molded from a relatively inexpensive plastic material.
Referring particularly to Fig. 10, the back component 22 may be
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molded from a clear or translucent plastic and includes side edges 26
and alignment tabs 48. The tabs 48 align the back component 22
relative to the front component 24 and the side edges 26 fit into
correspondingly sized recesses 28 (Fig. 4) defined in the side walls 16
of the front component 24. The back component 22 is permanently
joined to the front component 24 by adhesives, welding, or any other
relatively permanent attaching means.
The housing 14 defines an internal liquid reservoir 68 within the
internal volume thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the liquid
reservoir 68 includes essentially the entire volume defined by the front
component 24 and back component 22. Although not illustrated, it
should be understood that any number of internal structural members,
such as baffles or the like, may be included within the reservoir 68. It
should be understood that the housing 14 thus also serves as a closed
or sealed reservoir and the dispenser 10 cannot be opened by the
maintenance technician. A desired amount of viscous liquid, for
example soap, is pre-loaded into the dispenser 10 prior to the
dispenser being delivered to its point of use.
Applicants have found that it may be desired for the back
component 22 of the housing 24 to be more rigid than the front
component 24. One way of achieving this feature is to simply mold the
back component 22 with a thickness greater than that of the front
component 24. As will be explained in greater detail below, the
dispenser 10 is mounted onto a supporting wall surface by means of
an internal mounting mechanism configured on the back side 18 of the
housing 14. A more rigid back component 22 aids in mounting the
dispenser 10. It has also been found that, if the front and back
components are molded from a resilient plastic material, once the
dispenser is empty, the back component 22 has enough "give" to
enable the dispenser 10 to be easily removed from the supporting wall
structure.
A dispensing pump mechanism, generally 88, is disposed at
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least partially within the reservoir 68. The pump mechanism 88 has a
delivery end 90 that extends out of the housing or reservoir 68. The
pump mechanism 88 is configured to dispense a metered amount of
the viscous fluid upon a user actuating the pump mechanism. It should
5 be appreciated that any number of conventional and well known pump
devices may be utilized in the dispenser 10. The pump mechanism 88
illustrated in the drawings is one embodiment of a particularly well
suited mechanism.
It is also within the scope of the invention to configure a
10 removable pump mechanism with housing 24. For example, any
manner of conventional pump may be screwed or otherwise mated
with the housing 24 so as to be in communication with the reservoir 68.
For example, such a pump mechanism may include a self-contained
pump having a pump chamber housing, cap, or other suitable structure
15 that is fitted to a bore defined through a front wall of the housing 24 so
as to be in communication with the internal reservoir 68. Installation of
the pump could take place at the point of use of the dispenser. For
example, the pump from a spent dispenser may be removed from the
housing and immediately installed into a replacement housing. A
removable plug or breakable seal could be used to cover the housing
port through which the pump is inserted until.
Referring to an embodiment of the pump mechanism shown in
Figs. 5 through 7, the pump mechanism 88 includes a cylinder 92 that
is slidable within a chamber 70. The volume of chamber 70
determines the metered dose of liquid dispensed upon each actuation
of the pump. The chamber 70 may be formed by any internal structure
of the housing 14. It may be preferred that the chamber is defined by
structure integrally molded with the front component 24 of the housing
14. In the illustrated embodiment, the chamber 70 is defined by
chamber walls 72 as a generally cylindrical chamber. The cylinder 92
includes a channel 94 defined longitudinally therethrough. The
channel 94 is in communication with the interior of the pump chamber
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70 through an end wall of the cylinder. The delivery channel 94
terminates at a dispensing orifice 96 defined in the front end of the
cylinder 92.
The cylinder 92 sealingly engages against the chamber walls 72
by any conventional means. For example, a flange or piston 101 may
be disposed at the rear end of the cylinder 92 for sealing engagement
against chamber wall 72. In an alternative embodiment, 0-rings 116
(Fig. 8a) may be provided around the piston 101. The piston 101
pressurizes the chamber 70 and ensures that the viscous liquid
contained within the chamber is dispensed through the delivery
channel 94 upon actuation of the cylinder 92 and does not simply
move from one end of the pump chamber 70 to the other upon
movement of the cylinder.
The pump cylinder 92 is biased within the chamber 70 by way
of, for example, a spring 98. Other resilient devices, including a leaf
spring, spring washer, and the like, may be utilized for this purpose. In
the illustrated embodiment, the spring 92 is seated within a recess 102
defined by a flared flange 100, as particularly illustrated in Figs. 5
through 7. The opposite end of the spring 98 is fitted around a
cylindrical extension 76 of an end cap 74. The end cap 74 is
permanently fixed to the structure defining the pump chamber 70 after
the cylinder 92 has been inserted into the pump chamber.
Structure is also provided to ensure that the cylinder 92 cannot
be pulled from the front end of the chamber 70. In the illustrated
embodiment, this structure corresponds to a flange portion of the front
wall 86 of the chamber 70. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the flange portion
86 of the wall engages against the piston 101 of the pump cylinder 92.
A check valve device 104 is configured with the pump
mechanism 88 to ensure that the viscous liquid within the pump
chamber 70 is not pushed out of the chamber 70 upon movement of
the cylinder 92 within the chamber 70. In the illustrated embodiment,
the check valve device 104 is a shuttle type check valve having radially
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17
extending arms 106. The shuttle valve is slidably disposed within an
opening defined through the end cap 74. The space between the
radial arms 106 is open to the reservoir 68 so that the liquid can flow
from the reservoir 68 into the pump chamber 70 upon movement of the
cylinder to the forward end of the pump chamber 70, as illustrated in
Fig. 7. A cap 108 is provided on the forward end of the shuttle valve
104 disposed within the pump chamber 70 to ensure that the opening
in the end cap 74 is sealed upon actuation of the pump. The cap 108
seals against the end face of the end cap 74.
Operation of the pump mechanism 88 is particularly illustrated in
Figs. 6 and 7. To dispense a metered amount of the viscous liquid
contained within the reservoir 68, a user actuates the pump
mechanism 88 by way of an actuator 30. The actuator 30 will be
described in greater detail below. Upon depressing the actuator 30,
the pump cylinder 92 is moved rearward within the pump chamber 70.
Pressure of the viscous liquid within the chamber 70 forces the shuttle
valve 104 to close and the viscous liquid contained within the chamber
70 is directed into the delivery channel 94 defined longitudinally within
the pump cylinder 92. The viscous liquid is expelled through the
dispensing orifice 96, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 6. Upon release
of the actuator 30, the spring 98 forces the pump cylinder to return to
the position illustrated in Fig. 7. This action unseats the shuttle valve
104 and draws viscous liquid back into the pump chamber 70, as
particularly illustrated in Fig. 7.
So as not to draw a vacuum within the reservoir 68, the reservoir
is vented. This venting may be accomplished by various means. For
example, the reservoir 68 could be vented directly through or around
the cylinder 92. However, this may not be a desired embodiment since
fluid would tend to leak out from around the cylinder. One preferred
venting method as illustrated in the figures is to vent the top of the
housing 14, for example by way of a conventional vent valve 130
disposed through the top surface of the housing 14. The vent valve
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130 is particularly illustrated in Fig. 13 and utilizes a ball 132 seated
within a ball cage 134. The ball 132 seats against and seals an
opening provided in a top member 133 upon an overfill condition of the
viscous liquid, as illustrated in Fig. 13, or upon the housing 14 being
overturned during shipment or the like. Once the dispenser is hung on
a wall surface for subsequent use, the ball 132 falls within the ball cage
134 to open the vent valve 130. Sealing of the ball 132 may further be
assisted by a spring.
As mentioned, the pump mechanism 88 is operated by a user
depressing an actuator 30. The actuator 30 may be any member
configured to move the pump cylinder 92. In one embodiment
illustrated in the figures, the actuator 30 is defined by a panel member
32 that adds a distinctive aesthetically pleasing look to the housing 14.
The panel member 32 includes side walls 34 having inwardly disposed
protrusions 36 (Fig. 14) that engage within correspondingly sized divots
or recesses 38 provided in the sides 16 of the housing 14. A channel
member 40 (Fig. 3) may be provided on the inner face of panel
member 32 to positively engage against the front end of the pump
cylinder 92. A depression 33 may be defined in the front face of panel
member 32 to indicate to a user the proper location for depressing the
actuator.
It should be appreciated that the actuator may take on any
configuration or aesthetically pleasing shape. In an alternate
embodiment illustrated particularly in Figs. 15 and 16, the actuator 30
is defined by a cap 42 that is attached directly to the front face 93 of
the pump cylinder 92. This attachment may be provided by adhesives,
mechanical interlocking devices, or the like. Arms 44 may slidably
engage within recesses 46 defined in the pump housing 14 to ensure
proper alignment and to provide rigidity to the structure.
Figs. 8a and 8b illustrate a locking characteristic of the pump
cylinder 92 that is particularly useful during shipment of the dispensers
10. The pump cylinder 92 may include a longitudinal channel 118
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defined in the top thereof.
A tab portion 87 of the pump chamber front wall member 86 is
disposed within the longitudinal channel 118. In this way, the pump
cylinder 92 is prevented from rotating upon actuation and release
thereof. A partial circumferential channel 120 is defined in the pump
cylinder 92, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 8a. The circumferential
channel 120 is defined along the pump cylinder 92 at a location
corresponding to the completely depressed or actuated position of the
cylinder 92 within the chamber 70, as illustrated in Fig. 6. For
shipment of the dispensers 10, the pump cylinder 92 may be
depressed and then rotated so that the tab 87 is engaged within the
circumferential channel 120, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 8b. In this
configuration, the pump cylinder 92 is locked in position and cannot
move within the chamber 70 until the pump cylinder is rotated back into
the position illustrated in Fig. 8a. This procedure would be
accomplished by the maintenance technician prior to attaching the
actuator 30 and mounting the dispenser 10 onto a supporting wall
surface.
It may be desired to include a valve mechanism within the
dispensing orifice 96 of the pump cylinder 92 to prevent leakage of
viscous liquid or soap from the dispenser. Any manner of sealing valve
may be utilized in this regard. Applicants have found that a particularly
useful valve mechanism 110 is the type of valve illustrated in Figs. 9a
and 9b. This valve 110 includes a flange member 113 used to seat the
valve 110 within the delivery and of the pump cylinder 92, as
particularly illustrated in Figs. 5 through 7. The valve includes at least
one, and preferably a plurality, of resilient flaps 112 defining an
opening 114 therethrough. The flaps 112 seal against themselves
when the valve 110 is positioned within the pump cylinder 92 in the
orientation illustrated in Figs. 5 through 7. Upon actuation of the pump
cylinder 92, liquid pressure forces the resilient flaps 112 to open to
dispense the liquid from the pump cylinder 92, as particularly illustrated
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in Fig. 6. A separate cap member 122 may be used to secure the
valve 110 in position with respect to the dispensing orifice 96, the cap
member 122 includes its own opening aligned with the dispensing
orifice. The cap member 122 may comprise a press fit element or may
5 be permanently adhered, welded, etc., to the,pump cylinder 92.
The valve 110 also tends to vent the pump chamber 70 as the
cylinder 92 moves back to its rest position after being actuated. As a
vacuum is drawn in the chamber 70, the resilient flaps separate slightly
and are drawn towards the chamber 70 thus defining a vent path.
10 Once the chamber is vented, the flaps close and seal against each
other.
The valve 110 illustrated in Figs. 9a and 9b is conventionally
known in the art as a bifurcating valve and may be obtained from LMS
Corporation of Michigan.
15 The dispenser 10 according to the invention also includes an
integrally formed mounting mechanism configured as an integral
component of the housing 14. This mounting mechanism allows the
dispenser 10 to be detachably connected with complimentary mounting
structure, generally 58, provided on a wall surface 12 (Fig. 3). In one
20 embodiment according to the invention, the mounting mechanism is
defined as an integrally molded feature of the back side 18 of the
dispenser 10. This feature is not limited to any particular type of
structure, and includes any suitable type of connector or engagement
structure for detachably mounting the housing to complimentary
mounting structure provided on a wall surface 12. It is desirable that
the mounting mechanism structure be encircled by a "border" of the
back side 18 of the housing, as seen for example in Fig. 3, so that
upon mounting the housing 14 against a wall surface 12, the border
section of the back side 18 is directly against the wall surface 12. With
this configuration, the mounting mechanism is not visible from any
angle and there is essentially no space between the housing 14 and
the wall surface 12 through which a potential vandal would be tempted
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21
to insert a prying device.
In the illustrated embodiment, the integral mounting mechanism
feature includes a recess 50 is molded into the back side 18. The
recess 50 is defined by generally vertical side walls 52. Engaging
structure is provided along the side walls 52 for engaging against or
with complimentary structure provided on the wall mounting structure
58, as discussed in greater detail below. In the illustrated embodiment,
the engaging structure is defined by angled surfaces 56 defined along
the vertical walls 52. The angled surfaces 56 engage against
complimentary angled surfaces 62 defined on the wall mounting
structure 58, as can be particularly seen in Figs. 3 and 12. In the
illustrated embodiment, at least two angled surfaces 56 are provided
and are separated by a section of vertical wall 52. The two angled
surfaces 56 engage against angled surfaces 62 of the wall mounting
structure 58. In order to attach the dispenser 10 to the wall mounting
structure 58, the maintenance technician simply positions the
dispenser 10 against the wall mounting structure 58 such that the
angled surfaces 56 are vertically disposed between the corresponding
angled surfaces 62 of the wall mounting structure. Then, the
maintenance technician simply slides the dispenser 10 in a vertical
direction so that the angled surfaces 56, 62 engage, as particularly
illustrated in Fig. 12. In this interlocking configuration, the dispenser
cannot be pulled away from the wall mounting structure 58. The
double angled surface 56 configuration provided on each vertical wall
52 is particularly useful in that it provides an increased interlocking
surface area of angled surfaces with relatively little vertical movement
required between the dispenser 10 and the wall mounting structure 58
as compared to a single angled surface 56 having the same
longitudinal surface area.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the back wall 18
of the housing may be formed of a material, such as plastic, having an
inherent degree of "play" or resiliency. The wall mounting structure 58
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22
on the other hand may be made of a relatively hard, rigid material (i.e.,
a metal or hard plastic bracket) and may have at least one dimension
(i.e., width or depth) that is greater than the corresponding dimension
of the housing recess 50. For example, the width of the mounting
structure 58 at the angled surfaces 62 may be slightly greater than the
corresponding mating width portion of the recess 50 defining the
angled surfaces 56. In this manner, upon mounting the housing onto
the wall mounting structure, the greater dimension component of the
mounting structure will cause the corresponding portion of the housing
recess to "bow" or flex so as to accommodate the over-sized wall
mounting structure. This configuration provides several advantages.
An extremely secure and tight engagement between the housing and
wall mounting structure is provided that prevents the housing from
wobbling or otherwise moving relative to the supporting wall. To a
user, the housing will appear to be permanently bolted or otherwise
mounted to the wall and there will be no indication that the housing can
be removed. As mentioned above, the recess desirably may be
completely encircled within a border portion of the back wall so that it is
not visible from any angle upon mounting the housing onto the
supporting wall. The housing back wall would appear to be directly
flush against the supporting wall with a minimum uniform separation
being defined completely around the back wall. Also, the housing
cannot be pulled away or pried from the wall mounting structure
without extreme force.
Once the dispenser 10 has been properly located on the wall
mounting structure 58, it is desirable to include a securing device to
indicate to the technician that the dispenser 10 has been properly
positioned and to prevent removal of the dispenser 10 without a
concerted effort. In the embodiment illustrated, the securing device
comprises a protrusion 126 exteriding from the back side 18 of the
housing within the recess 50. The protrusion 126 slides up a ramp
surface 129 defined in the mounting structure 58 and snaps into a
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23
correspondingly sized divot 128 disposed adjacent to the ramp surface
129. The wall mounting structure 58 may comprise any manner of
suitable attaching structure. In the illustrated embodiment, the wall
mounting structure 58 is defined by a plate member 64 that is attached
to the wall surface 12, for example by screws, adhesives, or the like.
The wall mounting structure 58 serves simply to provide an interlocking
engagement device for the dispenser 10. It should be appreciated that
any manner of interlocking engaging configurations may be provided
for detachably connecting the dispenser 10 to complimentary wall
structure provided on a supporting wall. For example, relatively simple
bayonet type fasteners, spring loaded latches, and the like, may be
provided in this regard. A desirable feature of the invention is that the
entire dispenser 10 is disposable and, thus, relatively simple yet
reliable engagement devices are preferred. It has been found that the
double angled surface configuration as illustrated and described herein
is particularly useful in this regard.
It may also be desired to provide means for the maintenance
technician to determine the level of viscous liquid within the dispenser.
In this regard, as discussed above, a portion of the housing 14 may be
formed from a translucent or clear material. In the embodiment
illustrated particularly in Fig. 1, the entire back component 22 is formed
from a translucent or clear material so that the service or maintenance
technician can view the remaining liquid level from the side of the
dispenser. In an alternative embodiment illustrated in Fig. 19, a
window 136 of clear or translucent material may be provide anywhere
in the housing 14, preferably near the bottom portion of the housing, to
provide the maintenance technician with the capability of viewing inside
the reservoir to determine the remaining amount of liquid therein.
As mentioned, the unique structure and configuration of the
housing with its internal reservoir and integrally formed wall mounting
recess allows for a dispenser according to the present invention with a
capacity that may be significantly increased without necessarily
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increasing the dispenser "packaging" (as defined above). For
example, a 2.5 liter capacity dispenser in accordance with the invention
is presently contemplated. It is anticipated that the dispenser
packaging (housing and integrated pump mechanism) will weigh only
about 250 grams. Thus, for maintaining and servicing a 2.5 liter
dispensing "position," only about 250 grams of materials is necessary.
On the other hand, if the same volume conventional cartridge or direct
refill dispenser would need replacement due to vandalism, inoperative
pump, etc., the combined weight for the housing and refill materials
would be substantially greater. For the 2.5 liter capacity dispenser
according to the invention, a weight (grams) to volume (liters) ratio is
about 100:1. Applicants believe this to be a significant improvement
over conventional refill dispensers (either cartridge refills or direct refill
of a housing from a bulk storage container). For dispensers according
to the invention with a greater capacity, for example a 5 liter dispenser,
it is believed that the increase in packaging weight is not be a linear
function and, thus, the weight to volume ratio will be reduced as
capacity increases.
Thus, dispensers of various volume capacities can be designed
according to the invention wherein the ratio of packaging weight in
grams to volume capacity in liters is generally not greater than about
120:1, and is preferably about 100:1 or less. In one particularly useful
embodiment of a 2.5 liter capacity dispenser, the ratio is about 100:1.
It should be appreciated that dispensers according to the
invention are not limited in their size so long as the mounting
mechanism between the housing and wall mounting structure is
structurally sufficient to support the weight of the filled housing.
Figures 18 through 24 illustrate alternate embodiments of a vent
mechanism that may be utilized in a dispenser according to the
present invention. As with the vent 130 shown in Figure 13, these
vents prevent a vacuum from being drawn in the reservoir 68 by
equalizing pressure between the reservoir and the surrounding
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environment. Referring to Figures 19 through 22, one particular vent
mechanism 230 is configured to be disposed through an opening 238
in the upper wall 232 of the housing. This opening 238 may also serve
as a fill port for initially filling the reservoir 68. The vent mechanism
5 230 includes a body, generally 250, that interlocking and sealingly
engages with the wall 232. In the embodiment illustrated, the body
250 is inserted through the opening 238 and subsequently
automatically engages against the inner surface 236 of the wall 232 so
that the vent mechanism 230 cannot thereafter be pulled from the
10 housing.
The vent body 250 in the shown embodiment includes an upper
body portion 260 and a lower body portion 252. These portions may
be separately molded or formed and subsequently joined, for example
at a ledge 257 as particularly seen in Figure 18. The portions may be
15 joined by any conventional means, including adhesives, ultrasonic
welds, etc. The portions may also be formed as a single integral unit,
for example as a single molded body component.
The lower body portion 252 is a generally cylindrical or truncated
component defining a lower vent passage 258. At least one, and
20 preferably a plurality, of resilient members, such as resilient tabs 254,
are configured on the body to engage and secure the vent 230 to the
housing wall 232. As particularly seen in Figures 20A and 20B, the
resilient tabs 254 are angled away from a vertical axis through the
lower body portion 252 so that they are able to flex inward upon
25 insertion of the body 252 through the opening 238. Once the tabs 254
have cleared the inside surface 236 of the wall, they flex radially
outward as shown in Figure 20B. The vent 230 thus cannot thereafter
be pulled from the housing.
The lower body portion 252 includes substantially rigid tabs 256
interspaced between the resilient tabs 254 and oriented generally
parallel to a vertical axis through the body portion. These tabs 256
define a cage-like structure for receipt of the upper body portion 260.
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26
It should be appreciated that various structural configurations
are possible to define the resilient member and lower body portion 252,
and that the illustrated embodiment is not intended to limit the
invention.
The upper body portion 260 is a generally cylindrical member
defining an upper vent passage 262 terminating in a vent orifice 242.
The upper vent passage 262 is aligned with the lower vent passage
258 upon assembly of the upper body portion 260 with the lower body
portion 252.
A vent plug, generally 244, is movably disposed in the vent
passage 262 to seal the vent orifice 242 in an at-rest or static condition
of the vent mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, the vent plug is
a ball 246 biased against inclined surface 264 by a spring 272. Thus,
as can be readily seen in the figures, in its static position, the ball 246
is pressed against the inclined surface 264 and the vent orifice 242 is
blocked. The reservoir 68 is thus essentially sealed to the external
environment.
The upper body portion 260 further includes a cap, generally
266. The vent orifice 242 is defined through the center of the cap 266.
In the illustrated embodiment, the cap 266 is a plate-like member and
includes a resilient circumferential lip 268. This lip 268 defines a first
seal between the vent mechanism and the dispenser housing. In its
unstressed or relaxed state shown in dashed lines in Figures 21 and
22, the resilient lip has a radius of curvature greater than that of the
remaining portion of the cap 266. Upon insertion of the vent through
the housing opening 238, the lip 268 is pressed against a surface of
the housing upper wall 232 and is caused to flatten out and seal
against the housing surface. To ensure that a constant compressive
force is applied to the cap 266, the vertical distance "d" (Fig. 23)
between the edge of the lip 268 and the top of the resilient tabs 254 is
greater than the thickness of the housing wall 232. In this way, once
the vent has been inserted through the housing wall, the resilient tabs
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254 also exert a constant downward pulling force on the cap 266
causing the resilient lip 268 to compress and seal against the housing
surface.
The upper body portion 260 also includes a resilient skirt
member 270 extending downwardly from an underside of the cap 266.
A foot 271 is defined at the end of the skirt 270. The skirt and foot
configuration define an independent second seal between the vent
mechanism and the dispenser housing. Referring to Figures 21 and
22, the skirt foot 271 has a relaxed or unstressed diameter greater
than that of the opening 238 through the housing wall 232, as indicated
by the dashed lines in the figures. Upon insertion of the vent
mechanism through the opening 238, the skirt is compressed radially
inward and the foot 271 sealingly engages against the wall 239 of the
opening.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 22, the opening 238 in
the housing wall 232 is defined by a straight vertical wall 239. The foot
271 of the resilient skirt 270 seals against this wall 239 and the resilient
lip 268 seals against the upper surface 234 of the housing wall. In this
configuration, it is necessary that the skirt does not have a vertical
length greater than the thickness of the housing wall 232.
In the embodiment of Figure 21, the opening 238 is defined as a
counterbore hole having a second wall 240 radially offset from the wall
239. In this configuration, the resilient lip seals against the
counterbore circumferential wall or ledge 241 and the cap 266 is more
or less flush with the upper surface 234 of the housing wall depending
on the depth of the wall 240. In this configuration, the lip 268 should
not extend to the second wail 240 and the skirt 270 should not extend
below the wall 239.
In the embodiment of Figures 18 and 20B, the opening 238 is
also a counterbore hole. However, in this configuration, the skirt foot
271 engages against the second wall 240 and the resilient lip 268
engages against the top surface 234 of the housing wall. The vertical
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length of the skirt 270 should not be greater than the depth of the
second wall 240.
In a static or at-rest mode of the vent mechanism 230, the vent
plug 244 (i.e., ball 246) is resiliently pressed into engagement against
angled surface 264 defining the vent orifice 242. This engagement
may be an essentially airtight seal. Upon a user actuating the pump
mechanism to dispense a dose of viscous liquid from the reservoir 68,
a partial vacuum is drawn in the reservoir and a pressure differential is
established across the vent. This causes the vent plug to be pulled
down or away from the vent orifice 242 against the force of the resilient
member (i.e., spring 272). Once the vent plug unseats, pressure
between the reservoir and the outside environment equalizes and the
vent plug will subsequently reseat against the angled surface 264 until
the next actuation of the pump mechanism. In this regard, it should be
noted that the resilient member should be "sized" so that the vent plug
can unseat from the vent orifice at the degree of vacuum generated
inside the reservoir upon actuation of the pump mechanism. For
example, if a spring 272 is utilized, such spring should not have a
spring constant so great that the vent plug is prevented from unseating
and equalizing pressure upon a user actuating the pump dispenser.
Figure 23 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the vent
mechanism wherein the body member includes a skirt portion 274
extending upwardly into the upper vent passage 262. The skirt portion
need not be continuous and may constitute circumferentially spaced
fingers or tabs This skirt portion 274 includes a resilient rim member
276 upon which the vent plug (ball 246) rests. This embodiment
operates essentially the same as described above except that the vent
plug is biased by the skirt 274 and resilient rim member 276 instead of
a spring.
Figure 24 illustrates an embodiment similar to that of Figure 23.
However, in this embodiment, the vent plug is a resiliently disposed
bulbous member 278 formed integral to at least a portion of the skirt
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274. The bulbous member 278 is supported by the resilient rim
member 276. Operation of this embodiment is similar to that described
above.
As previously mentioned, a suitable pump mechanism for use
in the dispenser according to the invention may include a self-
contained device having a pump chamber housing that is fitted into
a bore defined through a front wall surface of the housing so as to
be in communication with the internal reservoir. Such an
embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 15 through 29. This embodiment
is similar in may aspects to the embodiment of Figs. 5 through 9
and, thus, the common features need not be described in detail.
Referring to Figs. 25 through 29, in this embodiment the
housing 24 includes a bore 302 defined through a front surface
304. A generally cylindrical extension 312 may extend rearwardly
from the front surface 304 into the reservoir. The extreme end of
the cylinder extension 312 has a radially inward extending seal
310. As will be described in greater detail below, seal 310 seals
against a chamber insert member. A plurality of nubs or
protrusions 308 extend from the front surface 304 and surround
the bore 302. The cylindrical extension 312, ring seal 310, and
protrusions 308 may all be molded integrally with housing 24.
A chamber insert 314 is designed to fit through the bore
302. The insert 314 is shown particularly in Figs. 26 and 28 and
may be a generally cylindrical member having an interior wall 325
defining an internal pump chamber 322. An opening 323 is defined
through the forward end of the insert 314 through which a pump
cylinder slides, as described below. The insert 314 includes a front
outer flange 316 having a plurality of counter-bored holes 317
defined therethrough. The holes 317 align with the protrusions
308. The insert 314 is fitted through the bore 302 from the front
side of the housing 24. The back side of the flange 316 is pressed
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against the front surface 304 of the housing 24 and the protrusions
308 extend through the holes 317. The insert is permanently
attached to the housing 24 by melting the protrusions 308 in a
"heat stake" process so that the molten material flows into the
5 counter-bored holes 317 and thus anchors the insert 314 upon
hardening. It should be appreciated that many other suitable
devices and methods could be used to anchor or secure the insert
314 relative to the housing 24.
The insert 314 has an outer circumferential surface 318 that,
10 when slid through the bore 302 and cylindrical extension 312, is
tightly engaged by the seal 310 at the end of the extension 312.
Thus, a first seal between the insert 314 and housing 24 is formed
in this way. A ring-like protrusion 321 may be formed or otherwise
provided around the surface 318 which engages in the groove 319
15 to give a positive indication that the insert 314 has been properly
inserted. The ring 321 may be an 0-ring and thus also provide a
sealing capacity.
The insert 314 includes a radially outward extending portion
320 defined rearward of the back side of the outer flange 316.
20 This portion 320 acts as a seal with the cylindrical extension 312,
as particularly seen in Fig. 25. Thus, a second seal between the
insert 314 and housing 24 is formed in this way.
The insert 314 includes an inner flange 326 defining the
diameter of the opening 323, and an alignment tab 324 formed in
25 the chamber 322. This tab 324 cooperates with a longitudinally
extending channel or groove defined in the pump cylinder, as
described below.
An alternate embodiment of pump cylinder is disclosed in
Figs. 25 and 29. This pump cylinder embodiment may be used in
30 the integrally molded pump chamber illustrated in Figs. 5 through 9
or the pump chamber insert 3i4. This embodiment includes a two-
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part pump cylinder 340. The first component 342 is a generally
cylindrical member having a channel 344 defined therethrough that
terminates at a dispensing orifice 96 defined in the front end of the
first component 342. The front end of the first component
corresponds to the delivery end of the pump cylinder 340. A flange
354 is provided at the rearward end of first component 342 to
prevent the pump cylinder 340 from being pulled out of the pump
chamber 322. This flange 354 engages against the inner flange
326 of the insert 314 in the fully extended position of the pump
cylinder 340 as illustrated in Fig. 25.
As with the embodiment of Figs. 5 through 9, a locking
feature is provided for the pump cylinder 349. A longitudinal
groove or channel 350 is defined along the outer surface of the first
component 342 and is engaged by the alignment tab 324 of the
insert 314 as the cylinder is slid longitudinally within the pump
chamber 322. In this way, the pump cylinder 340 is prevented
from rotating upon actuation and release thereof. A partial
circumferential groove 352 is defined in the outer surface of the
first component 342, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 25. The
circumferential groove 352 is defined at a location corresponding to
the pressurization position of the pump cylinder 340 within the
pump chamber 322. For shipment of the dispenser, the pump
cylinder 340 may be depressed and then rotated so that the tab
324 is engaged within the circumferential groove 352. In this
configuration, the pump cylinder 340 is locked in the pressurization
position and cannot move within the pump chamber 322 until the
pump cylinder is rotated back into position so that the tab 324 is
engaged within the longitudinal groove 350.
The first component 342 of the pump cylinder 340 also
includes a flange seal 356 defined at the rearward end thereof. The
flange seal 356 engages against the interior wall 325 of the insert
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314 and ensures that the viscous liquid contained within the
chamber 322 is pressurized and dispensed through the pump
cylinder 340 upon movement of the cylinder from its rest position
to the pressurization position and does not simply move from one
end of the pump chamber to the other upon movement of the
cylinder.
The second component of the pump cylinder 340 may be a
plug member 346 that is fitted into a chamber 341 defined in the
rearward side of the first component 342. The plug member 346
has a channel 348 defined therethrough that axially aligns with the
channel 344 defined in the first component 342. The aligned
channels 344 and 348 thus define the delivery channel through the
pump cylinder 340. As shown in Fig. 29, the channel 348 may be
open along the top thereof wherein a closed channel is formed by
cooperation of the first component wall defining the chamber 341
and the open channel 348. A cup-shaped flange member 357 is
defined at the rearward end of the plug member 346. The side wall
of the flange member engages against the interior wall 325 of the
insert 314 and thus defines a second flange seal 358 between the
pump cylinder 340 and the pump chamber 322. The interior of the
cup-shaped flange member 357 defines a recess or seat 362
against which a spring sits, as described below.
As with the embodiment of Figs. 5 through 9, a check valve
is provided with the pump chamber 322 to ensure that the viscous
liquid within the chamber 322 is not pushed out of the chamber
upon movement of the pump cylinder 340 within the chamber. The
check valve in this embodiment is a shuttle valve 392 having
radially extending and spaced apart arms 336. The shuttle valve
392 is slidably disposed within an opening defined through an end
cap 328. The space between the radial arms 336 is open to the
reservoir to that the liquid can flow from the reservoir into the
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pump chamber 322 upon movement of the pump cylinder 340 to
the forward end of the pump chamber 322. A sealing cap 334,
such as an elastomeric cap, is provided on the forward end of the
shuttle valve 392 to ensure that the opening in the end cap 328 is
sealed upon actuation of the pump and rearward movement of the
pump cylinder 340 within the chamber 322 to its pressurization
position. The cap 334 seals against the forward end of a cylindrical
extension 338 of the end cap 328. An open cage member 330
extends from the end cap 328 into the reservoir and surrounds the
radial arms 336.
The pump cylinder 340 is biased with the pump chamber
322 to its rest position by way of a spring 360. Other types of
resilient devices, such as a leaf spring, spring washer, and the like,
may be utilized for this purpose. The spring 360 has a forward end
seated in the recess 362 of the cup-shaped flange member 357 of
the plug member 346. The opposite end of the spring 360 is fitted
around the cylindrical extension 338 of the end cap 328.
The end cap 328 is permanently fixed (i.e., by welding,
adhesive, etc.) to the rearward end of the chamber insert 314 after
the pump cylinder 340 and spring 360 are inserted into the insert
from its rearward end.
As with the embodiment of Figs. 5 through 9, it may be
desired to include a valve mechanism within the delivery end of the
pump cylinder 340 to prevent leakage of viscous liquid from the
dispenser. A particularly useful sealing valve is the type of valve
illustrated and described with respect to Figs. 9a and 9b.
Operation of the embodiment depicted in Figs. 25 through 29
is substantially the same as described above with respect to the
embodiment of Figs. 5 through 9 and thus need not be set forth
again in detail.
The pump mechanism of Figs. 25 through 29 may be
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desirable from a manufacturing and assembly stand'point. It may
also be desirable to be able to remove the pump mechanism from
the housing and recycle or reuse the pump mechanism. In this case,
it might be preferred to provide a more readily "breakable" or
disconnectable attachment between the chamber insert 314 and
the housing 24. Although within the scope and spirit of the
invention, with the embodiment of Figs. 25 through 29 it might
prove prohibitive to break the heat stake welds between the
chamber insert 314 and front surface 304 of the housing 24 to
remove the insert 314.
It should be appreciated that the invention includes
modifications and variations to the embodiments of the invention
described herein.
