Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 03216484 2023-10-11
TRANSLATION OF PCT/EP2022/060338
WALL-MOUNTED DISPENSER
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a wall-mounted dispenser for supplying and
removing a
liquid, in particular a detergent substance or a care product for personal
hygiene, according to the
preamble of claim 1. Accordingly, the wall-mounted dispenser comprises a
replaceable container
for the liquid and a wall mount for mounting the wall-mounted dispenser on a
structural facility,
generally on a wall. Preferably, this is the wall of a building, for example
in the bathroom of a
hotel or in publicly accessible sanitary installations; the structural
facility on which the wall-
mounted dispenser can be mounted by means of the wall mount thereof, however,
can also be a
piece of furniture or a special mount or a frame or the like.
In a wall-mounted dispenser of the present type, the container for the liquid
can be fastened
to the wall mount and removed therefrom so as either to be filled up or
replaced. To this end, the
wall mount has at least one upper holding element and at least one lower
holding element for
holding and securing the container against an inadvertent or unauthorized
removal from the wall
mount.
The container of a wall-mounted dispenser of the present type is provided with
a dispensing
unit for the dosed removal of liquid, or is connected to such a dispensing
unit as soon as it is located
in the wall mount as intended. This dispensing unit can be, for example, a
dosing valve which
dispenses the liquid downwardly by means of gravity, in particular as a
reaction to a compression
of the container, or the container is a pump dispenser in which the dispensing
unit substantially
consists of a dosing pump with an actuating head and a dispensing spout. In
both cases the
dispensing unit does not have to be a fixed component of the container but it
can be fastened to
one of the two holding elements for holding and securing the container, so
that it does not have to
be removed from the wall mount together with the container.
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Wall-mounted dispensers of this type are used in order to provide liquid soap,
for example
in publicly accessible washroom areas or corresponding areas of restaurants.
Particularly
preferably such wall-mounted dispensers are used in hotels in order to provide
liquid soap,
shampoo and other care products, such as lotions or the like, on sinks, in the
region of a bath tub
and/or in a shower enclosure. This is because wall-mounted dispensers of the
present type are
characterized in that the liquid products which are present therein can be
dosed and removed
hygienically in a simple manner, while at the same time a certain volume of
liquid products can
be kept in reserve in order to extend the period of use to longer time
intervals, typically of several
days, before the dispenser is refilled or before the container has to be
replaced.
In typical applications for a wall-mounted dispenser of the present type, it
is obvious that
the replaceable container has to be protected against theft. It is also
important to mount the
container in the wall mount such that the contents thereof is not accessible;
this is because for
hygienic reasons the liquid located in the container has to be prevented from
being able to be
handled, for example by foreign bodies being introduced or the already
dispensed liquid being
added back in again. In any case, the user should only be able to come into
contact with the liquid
dose which is dispensed as intended.
The holding elements of the wall mount, i.e. at least one upper and one lower
holding
element, not only have to be able to hold the replaceable container but also
to secure and also to
prevent an opening of the container in the wall mount. If the container is a
pump dispenser of the
commercially available type, for example, with a bottle and a dispensing unit
screwed onto a thread
of the bottle neck, the holding elements of the wall mount have to prevent the
bottle from being
unscrewed. This is designed to be possible only after the container has been
removed from the wall
mount.
In DE 10 2010 024 081 B4 this problem has been solved by one of the holding
elements
of the wall mount being positively engaged in a recess in the replaceable
container so that the
container is not only held between an upper and a lower holding element but
also cannot be rotated
about a vertical axis which connects the two holding elements. Moreover, in
this prior art an anti-
theft device is provided, resulting in the lower holding element being able to
be detached from the
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wall mount and thus the container being able to be released for removal only
when a suitable
releasing tool is positioned on the wall mount.
The object of the present invention is to develop a wall-mounted dispenser of
the type
mentioned in the introduction such that the handling thereof when the
container is replaced is
simplified relative to the prior art.
This object is achieved by a wall-mounted dispenser having the features of
claim 1.
Preferred embodiments and developments of the wall-mounted dispenser according
to the
invention are set forth in claims 2 to 20.
According to the present invention, a wall-mounted dispenser for supplying and
removing
a liquid, comprising a replaceable container for the liquid and a wall mount
for mounting the wall-
mounted dispenser on a structural facility, wherein the container is provided
with a dispensing unit
for the dosed removal of liquid from the container, and wherein the wall mount
comprises at least
one upper holding element and at least one lower holding element for holding
and securing the
container, is characterized in that the wall mount consists of at least two
mounting parts that can
be moved or adjusted in relation to each other, wherein an upper mounting part
is securely
connected to the upper holding element and a lower mounting part is securely
connected to the
lower holding element, respectively.
It is not excluded here that there are further holding elements and/or further
mounting parts;
it is only important that an upper holding element is fixed to the upper
mounting part and a lower
holding element is fixed to the lower mounting part.
By means of this embodiment according to the invention of the wall mount, the
replaceable
container can be held exceptionally securely and firmly in a use position,
while at the same time
the container can be removed with little effort from the wall mount by simply
moving apart the
two mounting parts which can be moved or adjusted in relation to each other.
In a pulled-apart
state of the wall mount, preferably a defined removal position is adopted in
which the container
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can be removed from the wall mount or inserted therein, wherein the mounting
parts are held
against one another in a defined position.
The upper mounting part and/or the lower mounting part of the wall mount which
is
designed according to the invention is or are preferably provided with a
locking mechanism in
order to lock the upper mounting part and the lower mounting part in the use
position. It is preferred
here if the locking mechanism can be released only by means of a separate key
element, in order
to take particularly good account of the requirement for anti-theft protection
and the protection
against handling.
The locking mechanism preferably comprises a resilient tongue and a latching
element,
wherein the latching element is located on the resilient tongue which is
fastened to one of the upper
or lower mounting parts, and in the use position of the wall mount engages in
a latching manner
behind a projection or a latching edge on the other mounting part.
Alternatively, a locking mechanism which comprises a resilient tongue and a
latching
element can be designed such that the latching element is fastened to one of
the upper and lower
mounting parts and the resilient tongue is fastened to the other mounting
part, wherein the tongue
is positively latched behind the latching element in the use position of the
wall mount.
Both alternatives provide the advantage that the locking mechanism is
automatically
latched when the tongue and the latching mechanism are pushed together in the
use position, due
to the resilient restoring force of the tongue and due to the latching
mechanism, and thus the
locking mechanism secures the use position in a locking manner. The locking is
then released by
means of the separate key element.
To this end, the key element is expediently provided with at least one guide
element so as
to be introduced into the wall mount in the correct position, and with an
actuating element for
moving the resilient tongue counter to the resilient restoring force thereof,
and namely expediently
such that the movement of the resilient tongue removes the latching element
from its latched
positive connection and accordingly releases the locking.
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The locking mechanism is preferably arranged in an overlapping region in which
the upper
mounting part and the lower mounting part of the wall mount at least overlap
in the use position.
For the anti-theft protection, it is also advantageous if fastening means for
mounting the
wall mount on the structural facility are also arranged in the overlapping
region of the upper and
lower mounting parts of the wall mount. This is because these fastening means
are never accessible
in the use position of the wall mount and in this regard they also cannot be
released by unauthorized
persons, in order to take the wall mount off the structural facility.
The overlapping region of the upper and lower mounting parts can be provided
with a cover
in the direction of the container. This not only improves the visual
appearance and the high-quality
impression of the wall mount when the container is removed, but also protects
the container from
possible damage when the two mounting parts are pulled apart and pushed
together.
It is particularly preferred if the upper mounting part and/or the lower
mounting part are
provided with at least one rail, the two mounting parts being able to be moved
in relation to each
other along this rail. Such a rail solution ensures a high degree of stability
of the wall mount even
when the two mounting parts are moved in relation to each other and, in
particular, when the two
mounting parts are pulled apart in the removal position. The mobility of the
two mounting parts in
relation to each other is reduced with such a rail solution to a one-
dimensional guided movement,
which naturally is useful for the stability of the structure.
As already mentioned in the introduction, the replaceable container can be a
pump
dispenser of the commercially available type, with a bottle and a dispensing
unit which is
positioned thereon and which comprises a dosing pump with an actuating head
and a dispensing
spout.
In this case, it is advantageous if the upper holding element of the wall
mount comprises a
shaped part which is ring-shaped or fork-shaped for positively receiving the
bottle, the bottle neck
and/or the dispensing unit.
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In this case, the upper holding element of the wall holder can also be
provided with a further
second shaped part which is spaced apart from the first shaped part for
supporting and/or guiding
the actuating head of the dispensing unit. This ensures a particularly stable
reception of the pump
dispenser in the wall mount at the point at which the actuating mechanism for
the dosed dispensing
of the liquid product is arranged and which accordingly is subjected to the
greatest forces when
the wall-mounted dispenser is operated as intended.
In particular, when the replaceable container is a pump dispenser, the lower
holding
element of the wall-mounted dispenser according to the invention can be a
simple support for
positioning a base of the container, for example with a plate-shaped, fork-
shaped, disk-shaped,
basket-shaped or pan-shaped design.
Within the context of the present invention, the lower holding element can
also be provided
with an adapter for receiving the base of the container or can be prepared for
such an adapter. With
a corresponding shaping of the base of the container, such an adapter can
produce a positive
connection therewith; however, the adapter can also be used, in particular
when it is replaceable,
to adapt the wall holder of the wall-mounted dispenser according to the
invention to different sizes
of replaceable containers.
Preferably, the adapter consists of plastics in order to protect the
replaceable container.
The locking mechanism can also be manufactured substantially from plastics. In
addition
to the fact that this in turn protects the container from damage, it also
results in significant cost
advantages in the manufacture of the wall-mounted dispenser or the wall mount
thereof.
The upper holding element and preferably the entire upper mounting part and
the lower
holding element, and preferably the entire lower mounting part, can be
manufactured as a stamped
and bent part from sheet metal. This ensures a maximum stability of the wall
mount with a cost-
effective manufacturability.
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An exemplary embodiment of a wall-mounted dispenser which is designed
according to
the invention is described and explained in more detail hereinafter with
reference to the
accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to this exemplary
embodiment,
however, even if the features described and shown can be essential to the
invention.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 shows a wall-mounted dispenser designed according to the
invention in a
use position;
Figure 2 shows the wall-mounted dispenser of Figure 1 in a removal
position;
Figure 3 shows a detailed side view of the illustration of Figure 1;
Figure 4 shows a detailed side view of the illustration of Figure 2.
The exemplary embodiment of a wall-mounted dispenser which is designed
according to
the invention, shown in Figure 1, substantially consists of a replaceable
container 1 for a liquid
detergent substance and a wall mount 2 for mounting the container 1 on a wall,
in the present case
in the vicinity of a sink or in a shower enclosure (not shown). Also shown in
Figure 1 is a key
element 3 which actually does not belong to the wall-mounted dispenser but is
a separate add-on
part which can be taken off therefrom. The present illustration is intended to
illustrate merely
where the separate key element 3 is placed in order to release a locking
mechanism 4.
The container 1 is a pump dispenser of the commercially available type with a
bottle 5 and
a dispensing unit 6 positioned thereon. The dispensing unit 6 in the present
case is screwed onto a
thread (not visible here) on the neck of the bottle 5, and it contains a
dosing pump known per se
(also not visible) with an actuating head 7 which is provided with a
dispensing spout 8 for the
dosed removal of the liquid care product.
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The wall mount 2 consists of an upper mounting part 9 and a lower mounting
part 10 which
both have been manufactured as a stamped and bent part from sheet metal. The
upper mounting
part 9 can be fixed to a wall via fastening means 11, only a bore and a
counter-bearing for a screw
thereof being shown here, while the lower mounting part 10 is movably fastened
to the upper
mounting part 9 via a rail 12.
The upper mounting part 9 on the upper face continues into an upper holding
element 13
which in the present case is designed in two parts. The upper holding element
13 consists of a fork-
shaped first shaped part 14 for positively receiving the dispensing unit 6 and
a second shaped part
15 which is spaced apart therefrom and which in the shape of a fork in turn
supports and guides
the actuating head 7.
The first shaped part 14 in this case acts at the point of the container 1 at
which the bottle
thereof widens downwardly from the bottle neck and the dispensing unit 6 into
a step, so that the
container 1 is also positively protected from being moved upwardly. This
function is assisted by
the second shaped part 15 of the upper holding element 13 being placed
directly above a screw-on
sleeve 16 of the dispensing unit 6 in which the actuating head 7 is guided. A
step which prevents
the container 1 from being able to be moved upwardly past the second shaped
part 15 is also
located here.
The lower mounting part 10 of the wall mount 2 continues into a lower holding
element
17. This lower holding element is designed as a plate-shaped support for a
base 18 of the bottle 5,
so that the container 1 as a whole is merely positioned on the lower holding
element 17 but does
not have to be positively held thereby. Due to the present design of the upper
holding element 13,
it is nevertheless impossible for the bottle 5 or the container 1 to be able
to be removed to the side
from the lower holding element 17 in a non-destructive manner.
The lower holding element 17 is finally provided with an adapter 19 which is
manufactured
in the present case from plastics for protecting the base 18 of the bottle 5.
This adapter 19 can be
replaced so that the wall mount 2 can be adapted to different sizes of bottle.
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Figure 1 finally illustrates that at the point at which the lower mounting
part 10 transitions
into the lower holding element 17 and in this regard is angled back, the lower
mounting part has a
through-passage 20 through which two locking pins 21 engage.
The locking mechanism 4, which is explained in more detail hereinafter, is not
visible in
Figure 1 in every detail since it bears a cover 22 which not only improves the
visual appearance
but also protects the bottle 5 of the container 1. The latter function is
ensured by the cover 22
which in turn consists of plastics.
Figure 2 shows the wall-mounted dispenser of Figure 1 in a slightly different
perspective
and namely in a removal position, which is different from the use position of
Figure 1 in which
the container 1 is held and secured, and in which the container 1 can be
removed from the wall
mount 2 and also re-inserted therein. The same elements are provided with
identical reference
signs so that reference can largely be made to the description of the Figures
of Figure 1.
In the removal position shown in Figure 2, the upper mounting part 9 and the
lower
mounting part 10 are pulled apart so that the container 1, which continues to
rest on the lower
holding element 17 as a support, is released from the upper holding element
13. The second shaped
part 15 entirely loses contact, while the first shaped part 14 due to its fork-
shaped design enables
the dispensing unit 6 or the actuating head 7 to be removed toward the front
from the fork-shaped
first shaped part 14. In the removal position shown, the container 1 can thus
be removed very
easily from the wall mount 2, while the wall mount 2 is nevertheless composed
in a stable manner
of the two mounting parts 9, 10 fastened together.
The lower and upper mounting parts 9, 10 are pulled apart by means of a rail
12 which is
formed by the lower mounting part 10 and which can be moved in a guide 23.
This guide is formed
by the cover 22 and a rail element 24 which are both fixed to the upper
mounting part 9.
In order to form the locking mechanism 4, the rail element 24 is provided with
a resiliently
deformable tongue 25, a latching element 26 being integrally formed at the end
thereof.
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As Figure 3 shows in detail - in a detailed side view of Figure 1 - the
latching element 26
is latched in the use position in the through-passage 20 of the lower mounting
part, wherein the
latching element engages behind a latching edge 27 formed by the through-
passage 20.
The width of the latching element 26 is selected such that in the removal
position (see
Figure 2) it fits in the recess of the rail 12 formed by the lower mounting
part 10 and does not
hinder a movement of the two mounting parts 9, 10 in relation to each other
therein. The wedge
shape of the latching element 26, in combination with a chamfer 28 above the
through-passage 20
on or in the lower mounting part 10, ensures that when the mounting parts 9,
10 are pushed together,
due to the resilient deformation of the tongue 25, the latching element 26 can
slide along the lower
mounting part 10 until when the use position is reached it is latched behind
the latching edge 27
of the through-passage 20 in the lower mounting part 10 by the resilient
restoring force of the
tongue 25.
The key element 3 is able to slide by means of two actuating elements 29
(Figure 1) along
the wedge-shaped profile of the latching element 26 and move this latching
element out of
engagement with the latching edge 27, due to the resilient deformation of the
tongue 25. The
actuating elements 29 are designed such that they fit in the intermediate
spaces between the locking
pins 21 and in this regard can be moved upwardly past these locking pins.
Without this fit, the
locking pins 21 prevent the latching element 26 from being able to be moved
out of engagement
with the latching edge 27 with any tool. The release of the locking device 4
can thus be undertaken
only by observing the key-lock principle, i.e. it requires the appropriate key
element 3.
The key element 3 has lateral guide elements 30 to the side adjacent to the
actuating
elements 29. These guide elements make it easier to guide the key element 3 in
the correct position
into the locking device 4 for releasing the locking device 4.
Figure 4 shows once again in a detailed side view the locking device 4 in the
removal
position of Figure 2. The same elements are provided with identical reference
signs, so that once
again reference can be made to the above Figures.
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Figure 4 illustrates, in particular, how the cover 22 and the rail element 24
in cooperation
form a guide 23 for the rail 12 of the lower mounting part 10 and how the
resiliently deformable
tongue can return into the resting position with the latching element 26 in
the removal position.
The key element 3 has no function in this removal position and is only shown
for the sake of clarity.
Finally, it should be mentioned relative to Figures 3 and 4 that these Figures
illustrate how
the adapter 19 is located in the lower holding element 17 and that it can be
replaced in a simple
manner for another adapter. The shape of the adapter 19 shown here is adapted
to the shape of the
base 18 of the bottle 5 used here, so that a positive connection is produced
against lateral movement
due to the convex and concave surfaces. This additionally secures the
container 1 in the wall mount
2 when it is in the use position. At the same time, when the wall mount 2 is
opened, the container
1 is prevented from slipping out of the lower holding element 17.
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List of Reference Signs:
1 Container
2 Wall mount
3 Key element
4 Locking mechanism
Bottle
6 Dispensing unit
7 Actuating head
8 Dispensing spout
9 Mounting part (upper)
Mounting part (lower)
11 Fastening means
12 Rail
13 Holding element (upper)
14 Shaped part (first)
Shaped part (second)
16 Screw-on sleeve
17 Holding element (lower)
18 Base (of 5)
19 Adapter
Through-passage
21 Locking pins
22 Cover
23 Guide
24 Rail element
Tongue
26 Latching element
27 Latching edge
28 Chamfer
29 Actuating element
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30 Guide element
13
Date Recue/Date Received 2023-10-11
