Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
RESERVOIRS FOR (JSE WITH CLEANING DEVICES
FIELD OF THE 1N1r1~N'TION
The present invention relates to reservoirs for use with cleaning implements,
and, more
particularly, to rcseivoirs for use with cleaning implements having hollow
needles for venting
and fluid transfer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Spray devices are known for the purposes of domestic cleaning, for example for
cleaning
hard surfaces such as windows, baths and ovens, as well as for spot cleaning
of floor coverings
such as carpets. Most spray devices which are commercially available are
manually or electrically
operated, that is to say that the devices comprise a pump which is activated
or operated by the
consumer. Most commonly this activation generates liquid pressure in a chamber
by means of a
positive deplacement pump by means of a positive deplacement pump which in
turn drives the
liquid from the chamber usually through a dispensing nozzle. Many dispensing
patterns are
possible, but a conical spray is the most common. Usually, such spray devices
comprise a
reservoir filled with an active composition, and a means to dispense the
composition from within
said reservoir. The spray devices typically further comprise a basic fitmcnt
system to secure the
reservoir onto the dispensing means, so as to establish a fluid communication
between the two.
While solving some issues, the above mentioned inventions still present some
disadvantages. ARer removing the reservoir from the appliance, the needle is
accessible by
anyone who would put his hand into the appliance's recess. Such needles are
typically very sharp,
and likely to cause injury upon contact, more particularly if some dispensed
product remains on
it. This is true for any type of user, but especially true for children.
Indeed, it has been shown that
children are very curious and while playing, they tend to put their hands into
the recess of the
dispensing appliance. Consequently, there is a desire to provide reservoirs
suitable for use with a
dispensing appliance which cooperate with a protecting means on the dispensing
appliance,
wherein the protecting means prevents access to a needle of the dispensing
appliance when the
reservoir is removed from the appliance.
SUMMARY Ol~ THE INVENTION
A reservoir for use with a dispensing appliance for spraying a liquid is
provided, wherein the
dispensing appliance comprises a protecting plate and at least two needles for
engaging the reservoir.
Case No. CM-2245FM 1
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
The protecting plate has a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein
tha protecting plate is
movable in the unlveked position to expose the needles and is immovable in the
locked position. The
reservoir comprises a finish with an opentng which communicates with the
interior of the reservoir and
a membrane disposed across the opening, wherein the membrane has an exposed
length of less than
about 45 mm.
BRIEF DESCI~ICIN OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and
distinctly
claiming the invention, it is believed that the present invention will be
better understood from the
following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
which:
Figs. 1A to 1C are schematic cross sectional side views of a preferred
dispensing
appliance made in accordance with the present invention, wherein the reservoir
is respectively
disconnected, partially connected and fully connected to the dispensing
appliance;
Figs. 2A to 2D are schematic cross sectional side views of another preferred
dispensing
appliance made in accordance with the present invention, wherein the reservoir
is respectively
disconnected, partially connected and fully connected to the dispensing
appliance;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred spring for biasing the protecting
plate of the
dispensing appliance of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a side view of a dispensing appliance suitable for use with the
present invention
with a reservoir inserted therein;
Fig. S is a perspective view of another dispensing appliance suitable far use
with the
present invention with a reservoir inserted therein;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a preferred reservoir made in accordance with
the present
invention and suitable for use with the dispensing appliance of Fig. S;
Fig_ 7 is a side elevational view of the reservoir of Fig. G;
Fig_ $ cross sectional plan view of the reservoir of Fig. 7, taken along tine
8-8 thereof;
Fig. 9 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the housing of the dispensing
appliance of
Fig. 5, wherein the reservoir is shown at initial contact with the protrusion
of the latch;
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of the membrane of the reservoir of
Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the pump and electric motor of the
dispensing
appliance of Fig. 9; and
Fig. 12 is a partial cross-sectional side view of another preferred dispensing
appliance,
wherein the reservoir further comprises an adapter.
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CA 02313289 2000-06-30
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF- 'rHE PREFERREb EIVIBODllViENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of
the
invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings
wherein like numerals
indicate the same elements throughout the views. Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, a
device 1 is provided
for dispensing a liquid product onto a surface, such as a cleaning product for
treating carpets or
other large fabric Coverings. The device I comprises the combination of a
reservoir 10 for
containing the liquid product with an appliance for dispensing the product.
Any type of device
comprising a dispensing appliance and a reservoir can use a fitment as
hereafter descn'bed, in
order to establish a fluid communication between said reservoir and said
dispensing appliance.
However, in the rest of the present description, and for clarity purposes, one
embodiment of a
dispensing appliance I1 is described in more detail, which preferably
comprises a housing, a
spraying arm 12, and a means for conducting the liquid product from the
reservoir 10 to the
spraying arm.
Preferably, the dispensing appliance 11 comprises a manually or electrically
driven
pump. More preferably, said dispensing appliance 11 comprises an electrically
driven pump
which is used to pump product from the reservoir 10 through the spraying arm
and out of the
product dispensing opening (or openings) located is the spraying arm, to the
surface to be treated.
The product dispensing openings are preferably nozzles which are selected so
that the sprayed
product takes the form of a continuous stream yr film, or of a discontinuous
stream or film of fine
particles, or of a mist, or of a foam. It is most preferred that the spray
pattern is in the form of
fme particles because this is tha most efficient way to cover a large surface
area with a small
volume of product with an even coverage. Typically the product output is from
about 20
ml/minute to about 400 mUminute, and preferably from about 150 ml/minute to
about 250
m1/minute, the product being typically suitable for carpet cleaning or hard
surface cleaning-
It is preferred that the spray arm I2 has one nozzle 13, but it may also have
multiple
nozzles located along its length. The spray arm 12 makes it easier to control
where the cleaning
product is sprayed- For example, when cleaning carpets the spray arm 12 makes
it easier to avoid
spraying product onto furniture and walls, and also enables access into
corners which would
otherwise be difficult to reach. Furthcrniorc, an ergonomically designed spray
arm 12 avoids the
need for the user to have s bent back when spraying. The spray arrn 12. is
preferably extendible
and/or detachable from the dispensing means housing.
The dispensing appliance 11 includes a means for conducting the liquid product
from the
reservoir 10 through the spray arm 12, to the product dispensing opening from
which the liquid
product is dispensed. The conducting means is connected to the reservoir 10
and to the spray arm
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CA 02313289 2000-06-30
12, for example via pipes, which can be for example flexible plastic pipes,
and more importantly,
through a fitment system which is hereafter described in more detail. The
means for conducting
the product from the reservoir 10 to the spray arm 12 is preferably contained
into the housing, as
well as the pipes, if any.
As shown schematically in Fig. 1, the dispensing appliance 11 further
comprises a
piercing means, or a pierceable means that fits respectively a corresponding
pierceable means or
piercing means of the rcscrvair 10_ Preferably, said dispensing appliance
comprises a piercing
means which fits into a corresponding pierceabie means of the reservoir. More
preferably, the
piercing means of the dispensing appliance is achieved by at least one needle
15, which fits with
a pierceable means of the reservoir 10, as shown in figures 1 to 2. Also more
preferably, the
pierceabIe means of the reservoir is integrated to a cap that closes said
reservoir. Even more
preferably, the pierceable means is an elastomeric membrane (or septum) and
the appliance
comprises two needles, one being connected to the pumping means, the other one
comprising a
one-way valve or venting membrane for letting air enter the reservoir 10 while
the contents is
removed therefrom, thus playing the role of a venting system.
Alternatively, said piercing means is located onto the reservoir, and said
pierceable
means is located into the appliance. In the rest of the present description,
only the preferred
embodiment featuring the needles) onto the appliance and the pierceable means
onto the
reservoir will be further discussed, but this should not be taken as a
restriction to the scope of the
presrnt invention.
At first use, when the consumer inserts the reservoir 10 into the dispensing
appliance 11,
the elastomeric membrane 14 is pierced, as shown in figure 1C, so as to
establish a leak-tight
fluid communication between the interior of said reservoir 10 and the
dispensing appliance 11.
Then, the reservoir's contents is pumped through one needle 15, to the pump,
up to the spray
arm's nozzles, and is dispensed to the surface to treat. This provides a
device wherein the
operation of plugging/unplugging the reservoir from the housing of the
dispensing means in order
to establish a fluid, but leak-tight, communication between the two is very
easy and obvious to
the consumer.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the means for
conducting
the product from the reservoir 10 through the spray arm 12 to the product
dispensing opening
comprises an electrically driven pump. The electrically driven pump may be,
for example, a gear
pump, an impeller pump, a piston pump, a screw pump, a peristaltic pump, a
diaphragm Pump, or
any other miniature pump. In one embodiment the pump is a gear pump with a
typical speed
between 6000 and 12000 rpm.
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The electrically driven purrtp must be driven by a means such as an electric
motor. The
electric motor typically produces a torque between I and 80 mN.rn. The
elecfiric motor must, in
turn be provided with a power source. The power source may be either mains
electricity
(optionally via transformer), or it may be a throw-away battery, or
rechargeable battery. Most
preferred arc one or more AA rechargeable or disposable batteries, the
batteries being housed in
the package. The voltage output of the battery is typically between 1.5 and 12
Volts, with a
preferred output between 3 and 6V.
In one embodiment of this invention, the pump is designed to be reversible, so
that it can
dispense liquid from the reservoir 10, and suck liquid from a surface, or only
from the pipes of
the dispensing appliance 11, back into the same or preferably another
reservoir 10. Typically,
only small amounts of liquid can be sucked back from a surface, and such a
reversible pump is
not intended to replace the use of a vacuum cleaner. Several ways of inverting
the rotation of the
pump can be used. In one example, the pump and motor are linked to a timer and
an electronic
circuit, such that after a defined time (cg. 15 seconds) the motor is not
used, it automatically
starts again, and its rotation side is reverstd. As a result, the remaining
product in the tubing and
the extension of the dispensing appliance 11 is sucked back into the reservoir
10. As a
consequence when replacing a product by another one, it is easy to change tht
product without
mixing new arid old products. For exarctple, the consumer can use the
dispensing appliance 11 for
dispensing a fire st type of composition, then wait for the pump to suck back
said first composition
from the pipes, and then change the reservoir 10 or its contents to dispense a
second composition
without mixing of the two compositions inside the pipes.
Tn a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dispensing appliance
11
comprises at least one recess and/or protrusion 17 to fit onto at least one
corresponding
protrusion and/or recess 1b of the reservoir, said reservoir 10 being
releasably secured in a leak-
tight mgnner into the dispensing appliance 11 such that fluid communication
between said
reservoir IO and said means is established, only when said protrusions) and
recess(es) are fitted
into each other, and said protrusions) and said recesses) 16 of said reservoir
10 have
complementary shapes of said protrusions) and/or recesses) 17 of said
dispensing appliance 11.
Preferably, the dispensing means comprises at least one protrusion that fits
into a corresponding
and complementary recess of the reservoir, as shown in figures 1 to 4. Also
preferably, said
protrusioxi(s) and said recess(es) 16 of said reservoir 10 have exactly
complementary shapes of
said protrusions) andJor recesses) 17 of said dispensing appliance 11. Indeed,
it is preferred that
all the contours of the reservoir fit all the contours of the recess of the
dispensing means, thus
providing enhanced maintain of said reservoir. However, the shape of the
reservoir may be such
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CA 02313289 2000-06-30
that it differs from the shape of the dispensing means' housing but still fits
therein, such that a
fluid connection between the two is established. However, it will be easily
understood that the
risk of leakage is enhanced in case all the contours of the reservoir are not
prnperly maintained by
the contours of the dispensing means.
The device 1 is preferably hand-held, and therefore preferably comprises a
holding
means, which is more preferably integrated to the housing of the dispensing
appliance 11. The
holding means may be any sort of handle 18 which will allow the user to pick
up the device 1 and
to carry it to the place where the spraying is to be carried out. The handle
18 can be part of the
reservoir 10 or of the housing of the dispensing appliance 11. It~is likely
that the device 1 will be
carried around a whole room when a carpet is being cleaned, and/or will be
manipulated in all
directions during use_ The handle 18 may be a simple protrusion ar indentation
which may be
gripped by the user, or it may be a more sophisticated design for ergonomic
reasons.
In one alternative embodiment of the present invention, the housing of the
dispensing
appliance 11 comprises a means allowing the user to carry it without using
hands. In a first
example, the housing comprises a clip which allows the user to hang said
housing to a belt. In
another example, the housing comprises at least one shoulder strap which
allows to carry said
housing on the shoulder/baek. Other such means may be applied which allow the
user to use both
hands for other tasks.
The reservoir IO can be of any type capable of containing a liquid product -
by liquid it is
meant to include embodiments when the product comprises a solid and a solvent
for
progressively dissolving said solid. Also included arc liquids comprising
small particles in
suspension. The reservoir 10 can be made out of any suitable material, such as
metal, alloy, glass,
but is preferably made out of plastic. It comprises at least one compartment
comprising at least
one liquid composition. Also preferably, the reservoir is vented. This means
that the reservoir 10
comprises a means for connection to the dispensing appliance 11, such that it
provides fluid
connection between the taro and allows fluid to exit said reservoir into said
dispensing appliance
11, but it also allows simultaneous admission of air back into the reservoir
10 to compensate the
loss of contents. Indeed, while the contents is being removed from the
reservoir, the same
volume of gas or air needs to be replaced, otherwise, a depression is created
which can stop the
pump after a while. Some alternative solutions could be envisaged, such as for
example a
reservoir made of two portions, one rigid outer shell combined with a flexible
collapsible inner
pouch, or a flexible pouch, with at lest one rigid portion, for example the
spout. In such a system,
the inner pouch would progressively collapse during dispensing of the product,
thus avoiding the
need for replacement of the dispensed contents by a gas, and thus avoiding the
need for a venting
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CA 02313289 2000-06-30
system. However, it has been found that such alternative systems arc
technically difizcult to
manufacture, and are expensive.
In a first embodiment, the dispensing appliance I I comprises one reservoir 10
with one
compartment, comprising one or more composition(s), preferably one
composition. In a second
embodiment, the dispensing appliance 11 comprises one reservoir 10 with at
least two different
compartments, each of which can comprise different compositions, for example
non-miscible
compositions or two chemically reacting solutions which react once mixed. Such
a reservoir 10 is
made for example by an extrusion blowing process. In a third embodiment, the
dispensing
appliance 11 comprises at least two separate reservoirs. These reservoirs can
havo different
shapes, for example they can be designed with complementary shapes.
Alternatively, different
reservoirs can be plugged into the dispensing appliance I 1 at different
locations. Said reservoirs
can comprise one or more compartments comprising same, but most preferably
different
products. In a fourth embodiment, the dispensing appliance 11 comprises at
least one portion for
connecting a reservoir 10 comprising a liquid such as a solvent or water, and
at least one
additional portion far connecting a small cartridge of a concentrated
composition, for example
under liquid, gel or granulated form. At the time the consumer uses the
dispensing appliance I 1,
the composition contained into the cartridge will be dissolved into the
solvent or water, and the
resultant active liquid composition will be dispensed through the spray nozzle
I3. Alttmatively,
said cartridge is connected directly into one portion of a reservoir 10. The
cartridge can be for
example screwed into an appropriate opening of the housing, or of the
reservoir 10. It comprises a
seal portion, such that when fully screwed, it sealably closes said
appropriate opening.
In all of the preceding embodiments, when the dispensing appliance 11
comprises more
than one reservoir 10, the proportion of product pumped can differ from one
reservoir 10 to
another. For example, this is achieved by selecting pipes of different
diameters for a reservoir l0
and another, or by adding a flow-control means to the pipes between orre
reservoir 10 and the
pump.
In another embodiment, a kit is also provided which comprises the dispensing
appliance
I1 and at least one reservoir IO comprising a product, said appliance and said
reservoir being
fitted by a fitment as per the present invention. Preferably, the kit
comprises the dispensing
appliance 11 and a set of several removable reservoirs, each comprising a
different product. The
different products can be products for treating different areas such as
carpets, kitchen surfaces,
bathroom surfaces, cars or else.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the neck 19
of the
res~r voir 10 is off-centered in the cross sectional plan of the said
reservoir 10 rekatively to the
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CA 02313289 2000-06-30
central axis of said reservoir 10, and the reservoir 10 is non~ylindrical.
This is best shown in
figures 3A to 3F. Such a shape prevents the reservoir I O from moving
laterally andlor rotationally
into the dispensing means housing, especially during use, thus preventing
leakage,
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reservoir 10 comprises
at least
one recess andlor protrusion 16 to fit into at least one corresponding
protrusion and/or recess 17
of the device's dispensing appliance 11, said reservoir 10 being releasably
secured in a leak-tight
manner into the dispensing appliance 11 such that fluid communication between
said reservoir 10
and said means is established, only when said protrusions) and recesses) are
fitted into each
other, and said protrusions) and said recess(es) 16 of said reservoir 10 have
complementary
'1 Q shapes of said protrusions) and/or recesses) 17 of said dispensing
appliance 11. preferably, the
reservoir 10 comprises at least one recess 16 that fits to a corresponding and
complementary
protrusion I7 of the dispensing appliance 11, as shown in figures 1 to 4. Also
preferably, said
protrusions) and said recesses) 1~ of said reservoir 10 have exaetiy
complementary shapes of
said protrusions) and/or recesses) 17 of said dispensing appliance 11, for the
reasons explained
above. The recess can be an integral part of the reservoir's walls, but
alternatively, said recess is
crested when a cap is 5eC11Ted onto the neck of said reservoir, said cap
having a greater external
diameter than the external diameter of the reservoir's nark.
It has been shown that devices which comprise the assembling of a dispensing
appliance
and a reservoir, and which are subject to movements in all directions during
use, are subject to
leakage between said reservoir 10 and said dispensing appliance I 1. This
leads to spilling of
product onto unexpected areas, which is clearly messy, and can even be
dangcros, depending on
the nature of the product which is dispensed. Preferably, the reservoir 10
rwhich is provided is
non-cylindrical, and has a off-centered neck 19. This provides stability and
prevents lateral and
rotational movements of said reservoir 10 within the dispensing means's
housing. Especially, the
non-cylindrical shape of the reservoirs prevents rotational movements.
However, there can still be
some leakage due to axial movement of the reservoir 10 (i.e. along the
longitudinal axis of the
reservoir). In order to prevent such axial movements, the device 1 is further
preferably provided
with a releasable locking mechanism 25 between the reservoir 10 and the
housing of the
appliance. Thus, it is a highly preferred feature of the present invention
that tile reservoir 10
comprises at least one recess and/or protrusion and the dispensing appliance
11 comprises at least
one corresponding protrusion and/or recess, said reservoir 10 being releasably
secured it1 a leak-
tight manner with the dispensing appliance l t such that fluid communication
between said
reservoir 10 and said means is established, only when said protrusions) and
recesses) are fitted
into each other, and said protrusions) and said recesses) of said reservoir 10
have a shape which
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CA 02313289 2000-06-30
is complementary to said protrusions) and/or recesses) of said dispensing
appliance 11.
Preferably, said protrusions) and said reeess(es) 16 of said reservoir 10 have
exactly
complementary shapes of said protrusions) and/or recesses) 17 of said
dispensing appliance 11,
for the reasons explained about.
In a first embodiment, and as shown in figures 1A to IC, the reservoir 10
comprises one
recess I6 which is located in one of its lateral walls, i.e. in its body
portion. The dispensing
appliance 11 comprises one protrusion I7 which is positioned such that when
the needle 15 of
said dispensing appliance 11 has pierced the elastomeric membrane 14 of the
reservoir's cap, and
a fluid coremiunication is established between the two, the protrusion 17
exactly fits into the
recess I6. In this way, the reservoir 10 is tightly maintained into the
housing of the appliance 11,
thus preventing leakage of product at the interface between the needle 15 and
the pierceable
means 14.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in figures 3A to 3F,
the
reservoir 10 comprises one recess which is located near the top, for example
on the neck I9, or
directly on the cap 28, or alternatively, the recess is constituted by the
difference of external
diameter between the neck I9 of the bottle and the cap 28 itself, In the
latter case, if the external
diameter of the cap 28 is greater than the external diameter of the
reservoir's neck 19, a recess is
created at the time the cap is secured onto said neck. The dispensing
appliance 11 comprises one
protrusion which is positioned such th2t when the needle 15 of said dispensing
appliance 11 has
pierced the rubber septum 14 of the reservoir's cap 28, and a fluid
communication is established
between the two, the protrusion exactly fits into the recess. This second
embodiment might be
preferred to the first one. Indeed, the reservoir is preferably manufactured
with a blow-molding
process. Thus, tolerances in the reservoir are not as precise as the tolerance
of a piece which is
injection molded. There is a need for high accuracy in the mating of the
l4cldng fitrnent system to
prevent movement of the reservoir 10 within the dispensing means housing. This
is highly critical
in the region of the connection between the needle 15 and the elastomeric
membrane 14, where
the risk of leakage is the highest. It was found that by minimizing the
distance between the
locking mechanism 25 and the membrane/needle fitment, the reservoir 10 is
better held in place
into the housing, in the region of the membrane/needle fitment.
In any case, it is a preferred feature of the device 1 according to the
present invention,
that the at least one recess and/or protrusion of the reservoir 10 is located
at less than 25 cm,
preferably less than 20 cm, mare preferably less than 10 em from the top of
said reservoir 10.
As shown in figures 1A to 1C, it is highly preferred that the locking
mechanism 25
between the reservoir 10 and the dispensing appliance I 1 be releasable. To
this effect, the at least
9.
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
one protrusion is movable, such that it can be cngaged/disengaged from the
corre&ponding
recass(es). This is prefer&bly achieved by providing a locking mechanism 25
which is of the
push-button type, press-button type, or any other suitable means for releasing
the at least one
protrusion from the at least one recess. More preferably, the locking
mechanism 25 is a push-
y button releasable locking mechanism 25. It comprises a movable protrusion 17
which is mounted
with a spring means 27, for example art helicoidal metallic spring 27, or a
plastic spring blade.
The protrusion 17 is connected to a push button, which is accessible to the
consumer from the
outside of the device s housing. 'When the reservoir 10 is in place and locked
into the housing,
the user can exert a push on the button, to release the protrusion 17 from the
reservoir's recess,
and remove said reservoir 10 from the device I 1.
The protrusion can have any shape, as long as it is an exact complementary
shape of the
recess. For example, in can be a simple pin, but it can also be a hook, or it
can even have more
complex shape, as door keys have.
The dispensing appliance 11 preferably comprises two needles 15: one is for
dispensing
of liquid from the reservoir, the other one is for admission of sir back into
said reservoir, so as to
ensure . that the loss of contents in said reservoir is compensated. Such a
connection system
ensures that the reservoir is correctly vented, thus ensuring propel
continuous pumping and
dispensing of its contents. But alternatively, the venting of the reservoir
can be achieved by a
one-way valve, or by a venting membrane. The reservoir IO can be fixed into
the housing of the
dispensing appliance 11, and then, preferably comprises one opening, more
preferably a
reclosable opening. Alternatively, the at least one reservoir 10 can be
removable from the housing
of the dispensing appliance 11, so that it is replaceable when empty, or it
can be refilled, for
example with tap water. As hereafter described in more detail, it is an
essential feature of the
present invention that the needles 1 S which are mounted in the appliance 11
are protected from
access by a consumer, by a spring loaded protecting plate 20 which prevents
access to said
needles 15 when the appliance contains no reservoir 10, and which frees the
access to the needles
I 5 whenever a reservoir 10 is fully inserted into said appliance 11.
In a highly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the spring-loaded
movable
protrusion 17 which relcasably locks the reservoir 10 inside the dispensing
appliance's recess is
further provided with a means (such as the extension 18 which engages the
underside of the
protecting plate ZO in the locked position of Fig. la) for locking the
protecting plate ZO into the
position wherein it prevents access to the needles 15, as shown in figure 1A.
This provides a
double security, since the protecting plate 20 cannot be moved without first
pressing onto the
movable protrusion. Practically, the coordinated movement of pressing onto
said movable
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
protrusion, and at the same time, moving the protecting plate 20 to access the
needles 15, cannot
be done accidentally since said movable protrusion, and said protecting plate
20 are not located at
the same place. It is even more difficult for a child that would play with the
appliance, even for a
long time. Thus, this system of linking the locking mechanism 25 to the spring-
loaded protecting
plate 20 provides additional benefit to the device 1 as a child-resistant
feature.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the protecting plate 20 is
secured in
locked position while preventing access to the needles by a circlip 21, as
shown in figures 2A to
2D. As shown in figure 3, the eirclip 21 is a flexible, substantially circular
spring, preferably
made out of metal, but which can be made out of any other suitable flexible
material. Said circlip
comprises a main ring 23 which is discontinued in its median portion, and two
extensions 24 of
this main ring 23 extending upwardly. Said circlip 21 is inserted between the
fitment of the
appliance I 1 and the protecting plate 20, in normal position, the main ring
23 of the circlip has a
diameter which is lower than the external diameter of the base of the
protecting plate 20, such
that said protecting plate cannot move down to the bottom of the appliance's
fitment, and thus it
is locked in 'needle-protecting" position. Whenevtr the reservoir 10 is
inserted into the appliance
1 I, said reservoir's shoulders push onto the extensions 24 of the circlip 21,
with the effect that it
increases the diameter of the main ring 23, as shown in figures 2C and 2D,
such that said
diameter of the main ring 23 becomes greater than the external diameter of the
protecting plate
20. Thus, said protecting plate 20 is free to slide down and to give access to
the needles 15 that
pierce the membrane 14 of the reservoir, as shown in figure 2D.
As it has been previously described, the reservoir 10 is fitted to the
dispensing appliance
11 by means of at least one piercing means 15 - for example at least one
needle 15 - which
punctures at least one pierceable means 14. Preferably, said at least one
needle 15 is located into
a recess of the appliance, into which said reservoir 10 is normally placed
during use, and said
picrceable means 14 is located onto the reservoir 10. The at least one needle
15 which is used for
the present invention may have several shapes or constitutive materials such
as stainless steel,
tantalum, zirconium...etc., but preferably, it is made out of metal stainless
steel 304 or similar
stainless steel. More preferably it has an outside diameter comprised within
the range of 0.7 to 7
mm, and more preferably an outside diameter comprised within the range of 0_7
to 2.5 mm. Also
preferably, it has an internal diameter comprised within the range of 0.5 to 2
mm, and even more
preferably, an inside diameter comprised within the range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm. In
case said at least
one needle is a bevel-edged needle, it preferably has a tip angle comprised
within the range of
I S° to 30°, and even more preferably, said needle 15 has a tip
angle of 2I °. However, other
s~pes for a needle can be used.
11
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
It has been found that bevel-edged needles may be at least partially
obstructed by a
portion of the membrane, which may render the appliance non-functional. This
is due to the fact
that the heel of the needle's bevel is very sharp, and at the time the needle
is inserted into the
membrane, said sharp heel may poke out a little portion of the membrane, which
then slides into
the needle's channel, leading to obstruction of said channel. One solution to
avoid that problem is
to use a non-coring needle, which is defined as a needle that is designed and
manufactured such
that it cannot poke out a portion of the material wherein said needle is
inserted. There are
different types of non-goring needles. For example, it can be achieved by sand-
blasting the heel
of the bevel, so as to erode it, until it loses its sharpness. Alternatively,
the needle can be shaped
like a pencil tip, with its hole located on a lateral side of the needle, and
not on the tip itself, so
that no beveled sharp edges can cut and detach a portion of the pierceable
material -Alternatively,
the needle's tip can be in the shape of a scalpel blade, with the hole located
on a lateral side of
the needle, not on the blade itself, so that no beveled sharp edge can be cut
and detach a portion
of the pierceabIe material. Such non-coring needles are known in the art, and
the skilled person
may appropriately chose the right shape and size for a needle, to meet the
purpose of the present
invention.
It has been found that after removing the reservoir 10 from the appliance, the
needle 15 is
accessible by anyone who would put his hand into the appliance's recess. Such
needles 15 are
typically very sharp, and likely to cause injury upon contact, more
particularly if some dispensed
product remains on it. This is true for any type of user, but especially true
for children. Indeed, it
has been shown that children arc very curious and while playing, they tend to
put their hands into
the recess of the dispensing appliance I I. Thus the protesting means 20
prevents access to said at
least one needle 15, unless said reservoir 10 is connected to said appliance.
Preferably, as shown in figures 1A to 1C, the protecting means 24 is a movable
protecting plate 20. More preferably, said protecting plate z0 comprises a
recess 22 in the shape
of the cap. Said protecting plate 20 is spring loaded, so that it
automatically returns to a position
in which access to the needles 15 is prevented, whenever the reservoir 10 is
removed from the
appliance. Any type of spring can be used, but preferably, the springs 27 are
helicoidal springs
27, as shown in figures 1A to 1C. At the time the reservoir 10 is inserted
into the neck 19 of the
appliance, its neck 19 and/or closure push against said protecting plate 20 so
that the needles IS
arc accessible, and can pierce the pierceable means 14 to establish a fluid
communication in a
leak-tight maser between said reservoir 10 and said dispensing appliance 11.
After removing the reservoir 10 from the appliance, the user might be in a
situation
where a certain amount of product remains in said reservoir 10, for example in
case tire user
12
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
would like to temporarily use the dispensing appliance 11 for dispensing
another type of product.
In this case, the remaining product may well leak through the open pierceable
means 14 of the
reservoir 10, which is clearly undesirable to the consumer. Also, during usage
of the device 1, it
is essential that the fitrnent between the reservoir 10 and the dispensing
appliance 1 I is teak-tight,
so as to prevent that liquid can contact the interior of the appliance. Indeed
in some cases, said
appliance is electrical, so any leakage of liquid inside the electrical
circuits may Lead to damage
to the appliance, or even to injuries to the user, which is of course clearly
undesirable.
In the following description, for clarity purposes, the sole embodiment
wherein the
pierceable means 14 of the reservoir 10 is a pierceable membrane I4 will be
discussed. However,
this should not limit the scope of the present invention, since the pierceable
means 14 may
alternatively be achieved in other ways. ~'or example, the pierceable means 14
can be one portion
of the reservoir's w~l which is for example molded integrally with said
reservoir 10) by a ed-
injection molding process, also it can be a portion which is added to the
walls of the reservoir 10
by means of gluing or welding process.
After the reservoir 10 has been in place within the appliance for one month or
more, it
has been shown that most known membranes stay in a deformed configuration,
more particularly,
they keep the form of the needle 15 that was piercing through, in the shape of
one or more holes,
which of course renders the container subject to leakage. This phenomenon is
usually called
setting-up and appears within a few weeks after the needle 15 has been
inserted. Surprisingly, it
has been found that a pierceable membrane 14 as descrl~bed heseafles provides
excellent leak
tightness once it is pierced by the needles IS of the appliance. Moreover, it
shows the very good
advantage that, once the reservoir 10 is removed from said appliance, said
membrane 14 rccloses
in such a way that setting-up, and thus leakage is prevented, even after the
reservoir 10 has been
in place within the appliance for one month or more. Such a membrane is
preferred in the context
of a fitment according to the present invention.
This is achieved by making a membrane 14 which does not take a set after
having been
pierced. it has been found that this effect can be achieved by making the
membrane 14 out of at
Least one layer of one or more material(s), including at least one layer of an
elastomeric material.
Preferably, the membrane 14 is made out of at least one layer elastomeric
material that will
provide good reclosability properties, that is to say, whenever the membrane
14) is pierced and
even though the piercing means 15 stays into the membrane 14 over a long
period of tithe, the
elastomeric layer will prevent the membrane 14 from taking a set, and it will
ensure that once the
piercing means 15 - for example the needle 15 - is removed from the membrane
14, said
membrane 14 will retrieve its initial - closed - shape, so as to prevent
leakage. Additional layers
13
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
made out of different materials may be used, for example one layer of a
material that is
chemically resistant to the reservoir IO contents may constitute the inner
Layer of the membrane
14. Alternatively, materials such as metal, plastic, aluminum, alloys, paper
or cardboard, Teflon,
or any other suitable material may be added to the layer of elastomcric
material, in any
combination of layers.
In a first and preferred embodiment, the membrane 14 is made out of one layer
of
silicone, which provides excellent material memory, as well as good chemical
resistance to the
reservoir's contents. In a second embodiment, the membrane 14 is made out of a
combination of
silicon and an inert PET. Silicon provides excellent memory to the materials,
so that the
membrane 14 will close beak after having been pierced, whereas inert P>r f
provides chemical
resistance to the product contained inside the reservoir I0. In a most
preferred embodiment of the
present invention, the elastorneric membrane 14 is made out of two layers: one
inner layer out of
inert PET, which comes in contact to the inside of the reservoir 10 and is
especially meant to
chemically resist to its contents, and an outer layer which is on contact with
the atmosphere, and
is made out of a silicone.
In both of the preceding embodiments, the thickness of the mCmbrane 14 can
influence
on the memory of the material. Preferably, the membrane 14 has a thiclmcss
less than 1 cm, more
preferably, less then 6 mm, and even more preferably less than 4 mm, all
thiclmesses being
measured in the portion of the membrane 14 which is comprised in the middle
portion of said
membrane 14, i_e. in the region which will be pierced (see figure 2).
The membrane 14 can have any suitable shape, but preferably it has a circular
shape,
with an overall diair~eter preferably comprised within the range of 0.5 to 5
cm and more
preferably comprised within the range of 0.7 to 2 cm. It has been shown that a
ratio of 3.6 mm
thiclmess in the middle pierceable portion, for 1 cm overall diameter,
provides good memory
properties for a one layer silicon membrane 14, and prevents setting-up in a
very good manner.
As previously described, the pierceable membrane 14 may be part of the
appliance, but
preferably, it is part of the reservoir 10 or the cap 28 closing said
reservoir 14, and in the most
preferred embodiment of the present invention, said pierceable membrane 14 is
attached to the
top portion of the cap 28. It must be attached in such a way that it is very
difficult to remove it
without using a tool. It can be mechanically inserted by means of ribs that
fit into grooves, as
shown in figure 2, or it can be attached by some other means, such as for
example heat sealing,
gluing, welding. It can also be co-injected in the same injection mold,
together with the cap itself
which provides the advantage of being cheap to produce. In case it is made out
of silicon or
similar elastomeric material, the membrane 14 can also be cast-molded, and
then W-cured.
14
CA 02313289 2003-O1-29
The cap can have any suitable shape, for example it can have a truncated
profile, as
shown in figure 2. It can be screwed onto the neck 19 of the reservoir 10, for
example by means
of one or several screw threads, but it can also be secured by any other
suitable means, such as
bayonet fitment means, clipping means, or similar. However, a device 1 using a
fitment according
to the present invention is even better achieved if the reservoir 10 is
equipped with a pierceable
cap with silicon membrane 14, as previously described, wherein said cap can be
secured onto the
neck 19 of said reservoir 10, but cannot be removed. In such an embodiment,
the reservoir 10 is
difficult to open by children, because if the adult user needs to remove the
reservoir 10 from the
appliance when said reservoir 10 is not yet empty, the product contained
inside said reservoir 10
cannot leak because the pierceable membrane 14 recloses upon removal of the
reservoir 10, and
the cap cannot even be removed without using a tool and using a substantial
amount of lever
force. This means that there is low chance for a kid to get in contact with
the composition
contained inside. Such non-removable fitment can be achieved by any suitable
means, such as for
example screw threads with non return triangular lugs, which allow screwing of
the cap, but
whereby unscrewing is prevented.
Referring to Figs. 5 to 11, another preferred device comprising a dispensing
appliance in
the form of a floor mop 111 and a reservoir 110 is illustrated. The floor mop
111 comprises a
handle 118 formed from a plurality of sections, a mop head 40 attached to the
handle by a
universal joint 42, and a liquid delivery system which includes a spray nozzle
44 attached to the
upper plate of the mop head 40 adjacent to its leading edge such that the
spray nozzle 44 can
move in the direction of the mop head 40 when the mop 111 is maneuvered. A
latch 46 engages
a recess 116 of the reservoir 110 to secure the reservoir 110 in place, as
discussed more fully
hereafter. Further description of the floor mop 111 can be found in PcT
Application No.
wo 01/22861 published April 5, 2001. As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the removable
reservoir 110 comprises opposed first and second side walls 48 and 50 and
opposed third and
fourth side walls 52 and 54. The plan cross-sectional view of the bottle is
preferably
substantially in the form of a parallelogram or rectangular in order to aid
alignment of the
reservoir 110 when it is inserted into the housing of the floor mop 111 and to
provide a more
aesthetically pleasing appearance. A bottom wall 166 is interconnected with
each of the side
walls to form a hollow container. The reservoir 110 has an opening 56 formed
in the finish 58
and an actuation surface 60 preferably formed in the transition portion of the
reservoir 110
between the finish 58 and one of the side walls. The recess 116 is preferably
formed in the side
wall 52 of the reservoir 110 for engaging the protrusion 117 of the latch 46
of the floor mop 111,
as discussed more fully hereafter. While .the reservoir 110 is shown with only
one finish, it is
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
contemplated that additional ftnishES and openings can be provided. For
example, the bottom
wall 166 can include an additional finish and opening for refilling the
reservoir 110 while it is
installed in the floor mop 111. The reservoir 110 further comprises a cap 62
(1; ig. 9) and a
membrane 114 which is disposed over the opening 56 of the reservoir 110. As
previously
discussed, the membrane 114 is preferably formed from silicone. As best seen
in Fig. 9, the
membrane is disposed between the rim 64 of the opening 56 and the inner
surface 66 of the cap
62. The cap 62 threadably engages the finish 58 of the reservoir 110. As shown
in 1~igs. 9 and
10, the membrane 114 has an annular recess 68 which engages a Zip 70 of the
cap 62.
Referring to Figs. 9 and 11, the piercing means again comprises two hollow
needles 15,
wherein one needle 15 is disposed above the inlet 72 of the gear pump 74 while
the second
needle 15 communicates with a vent module 76. The gear pump 74 comprises a
pump housing
78, a drive gear 80, an idler gear 82, a face plate 84 having the needle 15
which communicates
with the inlet for the pump, a first seal 86 in the form of an O-ring disposed
between the pump
housing 78 and the fact plate 84, and a second seal 88 about the motor shaft
90 of the electric
~ motor 92. The pump housing 78 is directly attached to the motor housing 94
of the electrical
motor 92 by two screws, wherein the drive gear 80 is disposed between the
screws and the drive
gear 80 is directly attached to the shaft 90 of the electrical motor 92. More
preferably, the drive
gear 80 is keyed to the shaft 90 and the shaft 90 passes through the motor
casing 94. The
minimum outside diameter of the motor casing is generally dictated by the
motor configuration
(e.g., shaft diameter and rotor diameter) which in turn is driven by motor
performance. The gear
pump housing 78 also preferably engages the motor casing 94 when the screws
threadably engage
the casing screw holes in order to provide a compact eonFguration.
The minimum distance between the needles 15 is Beater than about 2 mm so that
there is
adequate space to locate the o-ring seal 86 between the peripheral edge 98 of
the tap plate 84 and
the pump inlet while accommodating a vent module directly adjacent to, but
outside of for
simplicity, the pump 74 and electric motor 92. The vent module comprises a
transition piece 77
which communicates with the second needle 15. A one-way or check valve 76 is
inserted at least
partially within the transition piece 77. The check valve 76 can be provided
in the form of a
mushroom valve, a duck bill valve, or any valve known i~ the art which is
suitable for permitting
an air flow ~.hrough the second needle 15 and into the reservoir 110 after the
membrane 114 has
been pierced by the needle. The maximum distance between the needles 15 is
between about 20
mm and about 40 mm in order to acxommodate an elastomeric membrane which does
not buckle
during use. More particularly, the membrane 114 is preferably fortried fiom
silicone (or any of
the outer previously described materials for the membrane 14) for
resealability following removal
16
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
of the reservoir from the floor mop I 11. If the diameter of the membrane 114
is too large andlor
the size of the needles is too short, the needles may not fully penetrate the
thickness of the
membrane 114 due to inward bowing of the flexible silicone membrane and the
short length of
the needles. It has been found that the distance between the needles 15 is
also preferably less
than about 35 mm and, more preferably, is between about 5 mm and about 20 mm
in order to
provide a membrane length which minimizes the bowing cffect_ Most preferably,
the distance
between the needles I S is between about 8 mm and about 13 mm in order to
accommodate a
closely spaced vent module 76 while assuring full penetration of the membrane
1 I4 during use.
The needles 15 preferably have a height 100 between about 2 mm and about 20 mm
with a
i 0 tapered tip 102 having a length 104 between about 1 mm and about 6 mm.
Needles of this size in
combination with tire previously described membrane 114 size and configuration
permit adequate
penetration of the membrane, minimize the possibility of forming a "plug" of
material which will
block the hollow tips of the needles I S during piercing of the membrane 114,
and account for the
use (e.g., the thickness of the protective plate) of a protecting plate 120.
Correspondingly, the
exposed length of the membrane 1 I4 preferably mirrors the spacing of the
needles 15. As used
herein, the phrase "exposed length" is intended to refer to the length 99 of
the membrane l I4
over which one or more of the needles act (i.e., the distance across the
membrane 114 to which
the needles 15 are exposed). For example, for the circular membrane 114, the
exposed length is
the diameter of the circle which is exposed to the needles. While the exposed
length 99 of the
membrane 114 of Fig. 9 is shown as extetidiag across both needles 15, it is
contemplated that two
membranes, one for each needle, could be provided in place of the single
merrrbrane I 14, wherein
each of the two membranes would have a separate exposed length relative to its
respective
needle. Thus, the exposed length of the membrane is less than about 45 mm and,
more
preferably, is between about 1.5 mm and about 20 mm.
The actuation surface 60 cooperates with the protrusion 117 of the latch 46 to
unlock the
protecting plate I20 in order to expose the needles 15 as the reservoir 110 is
pushed downwardly
into the housing of the floor mop 11 I. As previously described with respect
to the dispensing
appliance 1 l and as shown schematically in Fig. 1, an extension (not shown in
Fig. 9) of the
spring-biased latch 4b resists downward movement of the protecting plate 120
in the locked
position so that the needles 15 arc not exposed. In a particularly preferred
embodiment, the
protrusion 117 is pushed in the direction of arrows 102 by either the
actuation surface 60 as the
reservoir 110 is pushed downwardIy in the direction of arrow 104 into the
protecting plate I20 or
by application of hand pressure to the translating latch 46. In either case,
translation of the latch
46 and its extension 18 thereby disengages the extension 18 from the
protecting plate 120 and
17
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
unlocks the protecting plate 120 so that the protecting plate 120 cats
translate downwardly when
the cap 62 contacts the protecting plate 120. The actuation surface of the
reservoir 110 is
preferably disposed or located radially (i.e., in a direction transverse to
the longitudinal axis of
the reservoir) and axially (i.e., in a direction parallel to the longitudinal
axis of the reservoir)
from the membrane 114. The phrase "actuation surface" is intended to refer to
the entire surface
over which the protrusion cooperates during insertion and/or removal of the
reservoir 1 Z0. More
preferably, the actuation surface 60 is curvilinear, wherein the curved
portion is convex in shape.
The actuation surface 60 has a working length 105 and a working depth 108. As
used herein, the
phrases "working length" and "working depth" are intended to refer to the
projection distances
over which the protrusion 117 cooperates with the actuation surface 60 of the
reservoir l I0
during use. For example with reference to Fig. 9, distances I06 (the working
length) and 108 (the
working depth) represent projection distances of the actuation surface 60 in
planes parallel and
transverse to the longitudinal axis of the reservoir 110, respectively. Over
the working length and
depth, the protrusion 117 cooperates with the actuation surface 60 to first
unlock the protecting
plate k20 and, second, secure the reservoir I10 against the biasing force of
the spring I10 via
engagement of the protrusion I I7 with the recess 116 after adequate
penetration of the mcmbiane
114 by the needles 15. Preferably, the working length 106 (i.e., the
projection distance from
where the protrusion 117 first engages the actuation surface 60 to where the
protrusion 117
engages the recess 116) is less than about 60 mm and, more preferably, is
between about 4 mm
and about 45 mm. Most preferably, the working length of the actuation surface
is between about
15 mm and about 40 mm. The working depth 108 (i.e., the projection distance
from where the
protrusion 117 fast engages the actuation surface 60 to the point of maxirnura
radial retraction of
the protrusion 117 while in contact with tht actuation surface) is less than
about 10 min and,
more preferably, is between about 2 mm and about 9 mm. Most preferably, the
working depth is
between about 3 mm and about 8 mm. 'The location distance 112 for the
actuation surface 60
(i.e., the distance from the membrane 114 to the point where the protrusion
116 engages the
actuation surface 60) is less than about 60 mm. As used herein, the phrase
"location distance" is
intended to refer to the projection distance in a plane parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the
reservoir from the exposed surface of the membrane 114 to the point where the
actuation surface
60 begins, as shown in Fig. 9. Most preferably, the location distance 112 for
the actuation
Surface iS between about I mm and about 60 mtiL WklikC the s~c~tttatinn
enrfarr~ f.11 fnr the
reservoir 110 is shown and described as located in the transition portion
between the Fnish 58
and the side walls of the reservoir 110, the actuation surface can be located
on the cap or
provided as a separate structure. For example, Fig. 12 illustrates a reservoir
210 comprising an
1$
CA 02313289 2000-06-30
adapter 114 having an actuation surface 60 which fitted to the reservoir 210,
wherein the
actuation surface 60 of the adapter 114 translates the latch 46/protrusion
117. ~ the foregoing
embodiments, the reservoir 110 can be removed from the floor mop 111 by
application of hand
pressure to the spring biased latch 46 to translate the protrusion in the
direction of arrows 102
until the protrusion 117 disengages the recess l I6 thereby unlocking the
reservoir from the floor
mop, after which the spring biased protecting plate 120 will preferably
translate the reservoir 110
upwardly.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention have
been
presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to
be exhaustive or to
Iirnit the invention to the precise farm disclosed. Modifications or
variations are possible and
contemplated in light of the above teachings by those skilled in the art, and
the embodiments
discussed were chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles
of the invention and
its practical application. It is intended that the scope of the invention be
defined by the claims
appended hereto.
99
