CA1058580A

CA1058580A - Foam dispenser

Info

Publication number: CA1058580A
Application number: CA247,016A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Hershel E. Wright
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1975-04-03
Filing date: 1976-03-01
Publication date: 1979-07-17
Also published as: DK139340B; IT1058049B; IE43082B1; AR206747A1; FI760669A; JPS59271B2; DK139340C; GB1478607A; DE2610129A1; CH617632A5; NL162876C; SE410268B; FI58300C; ES219796U; BE839564A; DD124871A5; PT64965A; FR2306141A1; IN144933B; NO760890L

Abstract

A B S T R A C T

A foam dispensing device consisting of a flexible container for holding a foamable liquid and an air supply, said container having a discharge port, a porous member separating the area adjacent said discharge port and the inside portion of said container, a conduit means communicating between the inside portion of said container and the porous member, and a flow directing means associated with the conduit means for directing one of said fluids from inside the container through the conduit means into the porous member during pressurization of the container.

Description

Recent trends in the merchandising of consumer goods have indicated the need for dispensing devices capable of dis-pensing cleaning and waxing products, cosmetics and toiletries and food stuffs. Many of these consumer products adapt them-selves to application in the form of a foam through a convenient hand dispensing device. Such dispensing devices must be economical to manufacture and efficient in operation to provide an advantage to the consumer over previous packaging techniques.
The advent of self-contained pressurized dispensing devices has reduced the time required to produce foam but has introduced the requirement for a container strong enough to withstand the rather high internal pressures, thereby adding substantially to the manufacturing CQSt9 of such dispensing devices. In additionr~
such pressurized dispensing devices have the disadvantage that the gas used in effecting the formation of foam and discharge thereof does not replenish itself, thus limiting the useful life of the dispensing device.
As a result of the problems associated with pressurized dispensing devices, several types of foaming devices using flexible or plastic containers, relying on manual pressure, were developed. Unfortunately most, i~ not all of the more efficient devices, would work in only one position, generally upright.
Consequently, there is a great need for a foaming device which can be used in any position and which is operated or pressurized manually. However, some foaming devices using flexible con-tainers were developed which could operate in an inverted posi-t~n such as the foam dispenser which is shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 3,422,993 to G~ L. Boehm. In Boehm, both fluids are discharged axially through the porous member, with the re-sult that the two fluids are not efficiently mixed and this -1- .

`` :lC~58580 reduces the efficiency with which the foam can be generated.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a foam dispensing device comprises a flexible container for hold-ing a foamable liquid and an air supply, said container having a discharge port, a porous member separating the area adjacent said discharge port and the inside portion of said container, a conduit means communicating between the inside portion of said container and the porous member, and a flow directing means associated with the conduit means for directing one of said fluids from inside the container through the conduit means into the porous member while the other of said fluids is being directed into the porous member from inside the container by a different path during pressurization of the container, said fl~w directing means diverting said one fluid from the general axial flow path in ~e conduit means and transversely into the flow path of the said other fluid in the porous member.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a foam dispensing device comprises a flexible container for holding a foamable-~ liquid and an air supply, said container having a discharge port, a porous member separating the area ad-jacent said discharge port and the inside portion of said con-tainer, a conduit means communicating between the inside portion of said container and the porous member, the conduit means ex-tending at least partly through the p~rous member and includes an aIr re-entry, and a flow directing means associated with the con-duit means for directing one of said fluids from inside the con-tainer through the conduit means into the porous member while the other of said fluids is being directed into the porous member from inside the container by a different path during pressurization of the container, the flow directing means including movable valve means actuated during depressurization of the con~ainer to substantially open the air xe-entry to admit air, and actuated during pressurization o the container to substantially close the air re-entry and direct fluid into the porous mernber.
The invention will be more clearly understood with refer-ence to the following detailed specification read in conjunction With the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the px~erred foam dispensing device constructed in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 2 is the container of Fig. 1 ater being squeezed while upright;
Fig. 3 is the container of Fig. 1 after being squeezed while in an inve~ted position;
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified foam dispensing device constructed in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 5 is the container of Fig. 4 after being squeezed while in an inverted position.
Referring to the drawings and more particularly Fig. 1, there is schematically shown a foaming device 10 compr~sing a flexible container 12, a porous member 14, a conduit 16, one end of which extends into a foamable solution 18. The opposite end of the conduit 16 extends through the porous member 14. In the embodiment shown the conduit is constructed in two sections 20 and 22 for convenience o~ assembly but a singularly con-structed conduit would perform equally well, The portion of the conduit 16~extending through the por-ous member 14 is provided with at least one aperture 26 opening into the porous member 14, a second aperture 28 opening into the discharge area 30 of the container 12 and the valve system 24, "~

in this instance a ballcheck 32, and a supporting shelf com-prising a series of projections 34 extending around the inside of conduit 16 designed to control the flow of fluid whether air or foamable solution through either aperture 26 or aperture 28~
The operation of the foaming device 10 can best be illus-trated by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. In Fig. 2 the foaming device is shown in the upright position. Pressurizing container 10 by manually squeezing the container forces the 10 foamable liquid up through conduit 16 which in turn forces ball-check 32 upwardly closing aperture 28. As a result, the foamable solution 18 is directed through aperture 26 into the porous member 14. At the same time the pressure within the container forces air to flow from the upper portion of the container 36 into the porous member 14 mixing with the foamable solution 18 entering from aperture 26 producing a foam 38 which exits from the discharge area 30. Upon release of manual pressure, i.e.
removing or relaxing the fingers, the ballcheck 32 returns to rest on projections 34 allowing air to re-enter the container 20 through the aperture 28, which constitutes an air re-entry open-ing, around the ballcheck and projections resulting in a rather rapid resboring of the original shape of the container.
Fig. 3 illustrates the foaming device 10 in an inverted position. A transition has occurred which changes the flow patterns. More specifically the end of the conduit 16 which formerly extended into the foamable solution 18 as described and shown in Fig. 2 now extends into the air space al~ove the solution. The porous member 14 which was formerly in contact 29 with the air space above the foamable solution 18 is now " ~OS8580 directly in contac~ with the foamable solution~ In operation, manually squeezing container 10 now forces air along conduit 16.
Ballcheck 32 drops to close aperture 28 resulting in the air being directed through aperture 26 mixing with foamable solution 18 being forced into the porous member 14 producing a foam 38 which discharges through discharge area 30. Thus, although the flow paths have changed by inverting the container 10, the net result is the same, that is the mixing of air and foam solution under pressure within the porous member 14 to produce a uniform ~oam discharging from the container regardless of container position during operation.
The valve system required is one that will close the aperture of the conduit which leads to the container discharge when the container is pressurized regardless of container position thereby directing the fluid in the conduit, whether foamable solution or air, through the aperture in the porous member. In addition the valve system must operate to provide a rap d air return to restore the shape of the container.
The preferred system is a ballcheck operating in the manner shown and described but it is obvious that any valving means or system which will function in the manner described is within the scope of the pressnt invention. The ballcheck has the added advantage of activating when the container is merely inverted.
The porous member can be any material having innumerable tortuous paths to allow for intimate mixing of the foamable solution and air. Although material making up the porous member can be fairly resilient, a more or less noncompressible or 29 rigid material is generally preferred for optimum uniformity - ~585~0 o~ foam due to reduced compression of the porous channels within the porous material. Noncompressible porous materials may be made ~rom foraminous volcanic glass material, sintered glass of the type used in filters, or noncompressible plastics such as porous polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, rayon, etc.
For optimum operation of the foam dispenser the porosity and/or rigidity of the porous memb~r is very important. More specifically the porous member will be receiving air or foamable solution directly from the container depending on the position of the container at time of pressurization. Consequently the porosity should be such to pass either air or liquid through the porous member at a uniform and optimum rate for mixing with little or no leakage of foamable solution when the container is upended prior to pressurization. The rigid porous materials operate more effectively because they are not subject to signif-icant compressibility which tends to reduce fluid passage and particularly the passage of the foamable solution as opposed to air. In certain instances it may be desirable to design the porous member to optimize the foam production in a certain container position. For example, the porous member could be designed for optimum foam production when foamable solution is being forced through the porous member such as would be the case when the container is inverted.
The conduit connecting the foamable solution or air (depending on container position) with the porous member may be composed of any suitable material which is compatible with the foamable solution and may be of any cross-sectional shape such as round, square and the like. It is generally preferred 29 that the conduit extend through the porous member but it is -` ~L058580 also obvious that the device will still operate in the manner described even though the conduit does not e~tend completely through the porous member as long as the distance b~twéen the conduit opening leading to the discharge area and the upper surface of the porous member is not so great to substantially inhibit the movement of air returning to the unit.
The container proper may be constructed of any material capable of containing the foamable material and air. Generally the pressure used to force the air and foamable solution together as described will result from manually s~ueezing the container. In this instance the container material preferred would be that which is flexible and elastic such as many of the presently known plastics.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a foam dispenser which is similar to that disclosed in Figs. 1-3 except that a bag member is used to isolate the foamable liquid from the air.
Referring to the drawings and more particularly Fig. 4, there is schematicalIy shown a foam dispenser c~pr~n~-afi -container 110, a porous member 112 and a conduit 114 extending longitudinally through the porous member 112 into the inside of container 110. Surrounding and integrally attached to conduit 114 is a bag member 116. At the upper end of conduit 114 are apertures 118, aperture 120 and projections 122 posi-tioned within conduit 114 and serving as a shelf for ballcheck 124 which provide a valve system.
The operation of the foam dispenser of Fig. 4 can be -morerreadily appreciated by reference to Fig. 5 illustrating container 110 substantially inverted and manually pressurized.
29 As a result of the inversion and~or pressure, ballcheck 124 ~(~58580 has moved towards and is now in sealing engagement with aperture 120 causing air 126 coming ~rom within bag member 116 to be directed through apertures 118 into the porous member 112. As is shown in Fig. 5, the foamable solution 128 is in direct contact with the porous member 112 and the application of manual pressure to container 110 has not only resulted in a pressure on bag 116 forcing air into the porous member 112 but also causes foamable solution to be forced directly into the porous member to intermix with the air entering from the conduit to produce a foam 132 which is forced outwardly through dis-charge opening 130.
Upon release of the manual pressure by either removal or relaxation of the fingers, the ballcheck 124 disengages aperture 120 which provides an air re-entry opening permitting air to return rather rapidly around the ballcheck and pro-jections and through conduit 114 into the bag member 116. I~
is not necessary for the container to be upright for this air returning operation to occur.
The valve system required is one that will close the aperture of the conduit which leads to the container discharge when the container is either pressurized or inverted thereby directing the air within the bag member through the conduit and into the porous member. In addition the valve system must operate to provide a rapid air return to restore the shape of the container and to inflate the bag. The preferred system is a ballcheck operating in the manner shown and described but it is obvious that any valve system which will perform the described function is within the scope of the present 29 invention.

LOS858() The ba~ member serves to isolate the air from the foamable solution. ~s a result fouling of the conduit by foaming taking place within the body of the container does not occur~ Con-sequently if the bottle is shaken prior to use, the air supply through the conduit is not contaminated. Furthermore any contamination which might result from repetitive use is eliminated~ Contamination of the air by ~oam within the bottle generally results in sporadic and low quality foam.
For ef~ective operation, the ba~ must be flexible to permit deflation and in~lation. Any material fulilling this require-ment and compatible with the foamable solution will suffice~
It is preferred that the conduit, extending from the porous member into the container, project to some extent into the bag. This will serve to minimize re-entry of any liquid that may condense within the bag member back into the conduit during a subsequent inverted foaming operation. More specif-ically such liquid would tend to collect around the outer portion of the conduit as the bag deflates.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broader aspects~
For example, although air and liquid are shown as the two fluids in the bag member and the container respectively, a high quality foam would still be produced if these were reversed~
- Further, the conduit could include a passage within the porous member~

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A foam dispensing device comprising a flexible container for holding a foamable liquid and an air supply, said container having a discharge port, a porous member separating the area adjacent said discharge port and the inside portion of said container, a conduit means communicating between the inside portion of said container and the porous member, and a flow directing means associated with the conduit means for directing one of said fluids from inside the container through the conduit means into the porous member while the other of said fluids is being directed into the porous member from inside the container by a different path during pressurization of the container, said flow directing means diverting said one fluid from the general axial flow path in the conduit means and transversely into the flow path of the said other fluid in the porous member.

2. A foam dispenser according to claim 1 wherein bag means is disposed within the container for holding one of said fluids in isolated relation from the other of said fluids, and the conduit means communicates between the porous member and the bag is means permitting fluid flow from the bag means into the porous member.

3. A foam dispenser according to claim 1 wherein an air bag means is disposed within the container for holding the air supply in isolated relation from the liquid, and the conduit means communicates between the porous member and the air bag means permitting an air flow into the air bag means.

4. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the flow directing means includes means substan-tially precluding direct longitudinal fluid flow from the conduit means through the porous member.

5. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the conduit means extends at least partly through said porous member and communicates transversely with the porous member.

6. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the flow directing means includes movable valve means actuated during depressurization of the container to permit rapid air re-entry.

7. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the flow directing means includes movable valve means actuated during pressurization to direct said one fluid from the conduit means into the porous member.

8. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the conduit means extends at least partly through said porous member and includes an air re-entry, and the flow directing means includes movable valve means actuated during depressurization of the container to substantially open the air re-entry to admit air.

9. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the conduit means extends at least partly through said porous member and includes an air re-entry, and the flow directing means includes movable valve means actuated during pressurization of the container to substantially close the air re-entry and direct fluid into the porous member.

10. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the conduit means includes an elongate tubular member having one end extending into said porous member and the other end extending into the container for substantially the length of the container, and the flow directing means includes movable valve means mounted in the conduit means and actuated in one direction when the container is pressurized to direct fluid transversely into the porous member and actuated in the other direction when the container is depressurized.

11. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the conduit means includes a first opening leading to the porous member and a second opening leading to the area adjacent said discharge port, and the flow directing means includes valve means associated with said second opening to substan-tially close said second opening during said pressurization for directing fluid through the first opening.

12. The foam dispenser according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein the conduit means includes a first opening leading to the porous member and a second opening leading to the area adjacent said discharge port, and the flow directing means includes valve means associated with said second opening to substantially close said second opening during said pressuriza-tion for directing fluid through the first opening, the valve means having a ballcheck and support means, said support means being situated on said conduit means and adapted to permit air flow around said ballcheck when the ballcheck is operatively engageable with said support means during depressurization.

13. A foam dispensing device comprising a flexible container for holding a foamable liquid and an air supply, said container having a discharge port, a porous member separating the area adjacent said discharge port and the inside portion of said container, a conduit means communicating between the inside portion of said container and the porous member the conduit means extending at least partly through the porous member and includes an air re-entry, and a flow directing means associated with the conduit means for directing one of said fluids from in-side the container through the conduit means into the porous member while the other of said fluids is being directed into the porous member from inside the container by a different path during pressurization of the container, the flow directing means including movable valve means actuated during depressurization of the container to substantially open the air re-entry to admit air, and actuated during pressurization of the container to substantially close the air re-entry and direct fluid into the porous member.