EP0114569B1 - Method for the supply of a device for dispensing measured quantities of a liquid soap, and device for carrying out the method - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A method for supplying the reservoir (7) of a soap solution metering device with an extraction device (16, 17, 17') disposed downstream, characterized in that the reservoir (7) is supplied with the soap solution from at least two outlet openings (6, 6') which are arranged stepped behind one another at different levels by operating the extraction device (16, 17,17'), each outlet opening (6, 6') is supplied with soap via a separate container (3, 3'), that at each respective higher level of the soap solution at least one outlet opening (6') disposed lower down is kept closet until the level of the soap solution reaches the next lowest outlet opening (6') and due to the level of the soap solution dropping further permits the entry of outside air into the next lowest outlet opening (6') thus causing an outflow, these steps being repeated until the level of soap solution is reduced below the lowest outlet opening (6') by operating the extraction device (16, 17, 17').

Description

The invention relates to a method for feeding a reservoir of a soap solution metering device with a downstream removal device and a soap solution metering device for performing the method with an arrangement for a soap solution supply and with a cover.

Methods and devices of the type mentioned above are known per se.

A similar soap solution metering device is described and illustrated in US-A-3,531,021. The device contains two containers with the soap solution, the content of the second container being used after the contents of one container have been consumed. However, this device is provided with a rather complicated control arrangement.

The complexity of the known solutions causes malfunctions and regular maintenance. In some cases, the signaling of the soap solution still present in the device is insufficient or even not available at all. So there is a risk that the device is not operational because the container was not replaced in time.

The object of the invention is to provide a method and a soap solution metering device of the type mentioned, the operational readiness of which is not impaired by the change of filling.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the reservoir is supplied with the soap solution step by step in succession from at least two outflow openings located at different levels from one another by actuating the removal device, so that each outflow opening is fed with the soap solution by a separate container, that with the higher one Level of the soap solution at least one lower-lying outflow opening is kept closed until the level of the soap solution reaches the next lower-lying outflow opening and that due to the continuously falling level of the soap solution, ambient air can penetrate into the next lower-lying outflow opening and thus cause an outflow there, these process steps being repeated until the level of the soap solution is lowered below the deepest outlet opening by actuating the removal device.

The advantage of this method is that two or more containers with the soap solution can be used. If a container is already empty, it can be replaced, with a sufficient amount of the soap solution in at least one other container. So there is no risk that the soap solution will run out completely if it is properly maintained or that you may have to remove an empty container.

It is expedient if a float body is guided downward by actuating the removal device with the level of the soap solution and that its position controls a display flag. The advantage of this development is that without dismantling the soap solution dosing device it can be determined from the outside that one or more containers are already empty or almost empty.

The soap solution dosing device according to the invention is provided with an arrangement for a soap solution supply and with a cover. It is designed in such a way that for the soap solution supply it has at least two outflow openings which open into the reservoir at a vertical distance from one another. This constructive arrangement enables the device to function safely in a simple manner.

In the case of the soap solution metering device according to the invention, at least one of the inflow openings is advantageously assigned a display device. Zweckmässigerwei- _° se is assigned to this display device of the higher-lying outflow opening. It is thereby made recognizable that the arrangement for the soap solution supply has been emptied through this outflow opening and a corresponding change of filling has to be carried out. However, there is sufficient time for this filling change, since the further emptying of the arrangement for the soap solution supply continues to take place via the lower outlet opening and the time for the filling change is not limited by the time for the emptying of the reservoir.

According to an expedient embodiment, the arrangement for the soap solution supply is stored on a support in the upper area of the reservoir. At least one container is supported vertically on this support, and the arrangement for the soap solution supply extends through the support into the interior of the reservoir. In this way, the arrangement for the soap solution supply can be arranged and fastened to the reservoir simply and securely.

According to an advantageous further development of the soap solution dosing device, the arrangement for the soap solution supply consists of at least two separate containers, each with a neck, the support is provided with a neck for each container, and the heights of the outflow openings are through the mouth of the neck of the container or determined the edition. The containers can thus be held in a particularly simple manner in the soap solution metering device. The replacement of the previously used one container by two containers does not cause any special design changes to the soap solution dosing device or any significant volume losses, so that a modification of existing soap solution do is possible.

It is expedient if the containers have necks of the same length and the support has sections assigned to the containers, two of which are staggered vertically with respect to one another by the vertical distance of the outflow openings. This enables the containers to be changed as required.

Advantageously, in the soap solution metering device according to the invention, the display device consists of a float body mounted in the reservoir with at least one display flag coupled to it, the path of movement of the at least one display flag extending at least partially along a viewing window in the cover. The display device thus contains in the simplest manner a float body which is movable in the reservoir with the fill level of the soap solution and a display flag coupled to it. The display device is very simple; the appearance of the clearly visible indicator flag in the viewing window of the cover hood makes the display clear and reliable and independent of the number of fill changes. The display flag does not come into contact with the soap solution and its display can therefore not be obscured or falsified. Furthermore, the visibility of the display flag is independent of the transparency of the container or the soap solution.

In the display device for the soap solution metering device according to the invention, two display flags and two viewing windows are advantageously provided on different sides of the cover. This makes the display recognizable even in cases where one side of the cover, e.g. B. is inaccessible for structural reasons.

After further training, the display flag is provided with two different colored fields. This makes the display in the viewing window of the cover particularly clear. Furthermore, with increasing emptying of the reservoir, the color field that indicates the empty state increasingly enters the viewing window, so that the transition to the empty final state can also be tracked.

According to a further expedient embodiment of the subject matter of the invention, a display flag is arranged on each end face of the floating body, which is integrally formed with the associated lever, the floating body being fastened to a bent part between the display flag and the lever. This achieves a space-saving arrangement which, moreover, does not require any special design changes to the soap solution metering device for the installation of the display device and enables display on two sides of the device.

The object of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.

• Figur 1 einen Längsmittelschnitt entlang der Linie I-I in Fig. durch eine Seifenlösungs-Dosiervorrichtung nach der Erfindung in einem ersten Betriebszustand, in dem die Entleerung durch die höher gelegene Ausflussöffnung erfolgt,
• Figur 1a den entsprechenden Schnitt der Seifenlösungs-Dosiervorrichtung nach Fig. 1 in einem Betriebszustand, in dem die Entleerung durch die niedriger gelegene Ausflussöffnung erfolgt,
• Figur 2 den Schnitt 11-11 aus Fig. mit dargestellter Anzeigevorrichtung,
• Figur 2a eine Ansicht auf die Anzeigefahnen der Anzeigevorrichtung bei der Seifenlösungs-Dosiervorrichtung nach Fig. 2 in ihrer Ausrichtung zu dem Sichtfenster der Abdeckhaube in den beiden verschiedenen Betriebszuständen nach Fig. und Fig. 1a,
• Figur 3 eine Draufsicht auf die Schwimmeranordnung der Anzeigevorrichtung nach Fig.2 und Fig.2a und
• Figur 4 eine Draufsicht auf die Auflage und das Reservoir bei der Seifenlösungs-Dosiervorrichtung nach Fig.1.

It shows :

• FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal central section along the line II in FIG. 1 through a soap solution metering device according to the invention in a first operating state in which emptying takes place through the higher-lying outlet opening,
• FIG. 1 a shows the corresponding section of the soap solution metering device according to FIG. 1 in an operating state in which the emptying takes place through the lower outlet opening,
• FIG. 2 shows the section 11-11 from FIG. With the display device shown,
• 2a shows a view of the display flags of the display device in the soap solution dosing device according to FIG. 2 in its orientation to the viewing window of the cover hood in the two different operating states according to FIG. And FIG. 1a,
• Figure 3 is a plan view of the float arrangement of the display device according to Fig.2 and 2a and
• FIG. 4 shows a top view of the support and the reservoir in the soap solution metering device according to FIG. 1.

In the figures, the same parts are provided with the same reference symbols.

In the section shown in Fig. 1, a holder made of a z. B. shown on a wall attachable rear wall 1. The arrangement 2 for the soap solution supply consists of a first container 3 and a second container 3 ', which are arranged vertically upright next to one another with the opening pointing downward. At the opening end, the containers 3, 3 'are provided with indentations 4 and 4' for a purpose described below. A neck 5 or 5 'adjoins the indentation 4 or 4', the mouth of which defines an outflow opening 6 or 6 '. The soap solution metering device also contains a reservoir 7, into which the outflow openings 6 and 6 'open. The containers 3 and 3 'are mounted on a mounting device 8. The holding device 8 consists of support ribs 9, which are formed on the reservoir 7, and a support 10, which lies on the support ribs 9. The support 10 has two sections 11 and 11 ', each with a neck 12 or 12'. The necks 5, 5 'of the containers 3, 3' extend through the necks 12 and 12 'of the support 10, respectively, and the outflow openings 6 and 6' open into the reservoir 7 at a certain vertical distance from one another. The sections 11 are and 11 'of the support 10 are offset from one another by the vertical distance of the outflow openings 6 and 6', and the containers 3, 3 'rest on the support 10.

The reservoir 7 is provided with a bottom 13. The outlet openings 6 and 6 'of the containers 3 and 3' are located in the interior 14 of the reservoir. A pump chamber 15 is located under the floor 13.

In the operating position shown in Fig. 1, both containers 3, 3 'are filled with soap solution. The soap solution rises to the level of when the containers 3, 3 'are inserted in the reservoir 7 outflow opening 6 of the container 3 lying higher, as the upper liquid level 18 shows. Fig. 1a shows the operating state of the soap solution metering device after emptying the container 3, but before emptying the container 3 '. The level of the soap solution in the intermediate container 7 has then dropped to the level of the lower liquid level 18 'designated 18'.

Furthermore, FIGS. 1 and 1a show that the entire arrangement is surrounded by a cover 20. In the area of the indentations 4 and 4 'of the containers 3 and 3', the cover 20 forms with the indentations 4 and 4 'a space 23 for a purpose described later, in the area of which a viewing window 28 is formed in the cover 20.

In Figure 2, the parts already shown in Fig. 1 have the same reference numerals. In addition, it can be seen in the illustration in FIG. 2 that a cylinder 16 is inserted into a vertically running part of the base 13. It serves to receive a piston, not shown, of the metering device, the other end of the piston being connected to a push button 17. Below the push button 17 there is an outlet 17 'for the soap solution.

Furthermore, a lower holding plate 19 can be seen in FIG. 2, which is formed in one piece with the rear wall 1 and to which the reservoir 7 is attached. A fastening part 19 ′ of the reservoir 7 is also located on the rear wall 1.

Furthermore, the display device can be seen in the illustration of FIG. This essentially consists of a cylindrical float body 21, of which a display flag 22 and a lever 25 extend laterally. The lever 25 is articulated on a bearing 26 to the reservoir 7. The indicator flag 22 projects into the space 23, which is delimited by the bulge 4 on the container 3 and the cover 20. The cover 20 is provided with the viewing window 28 (see FIG. 1) through which the display flag 22 is visible.

2a, the indicator flag 22 is drawn in two layers. The fully drawn position shows the position of the indicator flag 22, in which the interior 14 of the reservoir 7 is still full (see FIG. 1). The position shown in dashed lines indicates that the reservoir mentioned is almost empty. The display flag 22 is provided with a first color field 27 which, for. B. is green, and with a second color field 29, the z. B. is red. The reference number 30 denotes a region of the color fields 27, 29 that is visible in the viewing window.

The top view according to FIG. 3 shows the reservoir 7 with the fastening part 19 'and the float arrangement with the float body 21, from the two end faces of which levers 25 and 25' extend, which are articulated on the bearings 26 to the reservoir 7. These bearings 26 are shown as projections which are formed near the ends of the levers 25, 25 'and are mounted in corresponding recesses in the associated wall of the reservoir 7. 3 shows that in this example only the lever 25 'is provided with an indicator flag 22.

4 also shows the reservoir 7 with the fastening part 19 ', and the holding device 8 with the support sections 11 and 11' for receiving the containers 3 and 3 'and the necks 12 and 12' for receiving the Neck 5 or 5 'of the container 3 or 3'.

The mode of operation of the soap solution metering device is explained below in connection with FIGS. 1, 1, 2 and 2a. In the normal operating state of the soap solution metering device, which lasts as long as the first container 3 contains soap solution, the liquid level 18 in the reservoir 7 is at a level which is determined by the outflow opening 6 of the container 3. The float body 21 then assumes an upper position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2a. As can be seen in detail from FIG. 2a, the display flag 22 contains two fields 27 and 29 at its end facing away from the float body 21. These fields are colored, in the exemplary embodiment the color field 27 is green and the color field 29 is colored red. The area of the color field 27 which can be seen through the viewing window 28 in the cover 20 in this position of the display flag 22 is indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 2a and designated by 30. The green color of the color field 27 therefore indicates the operational readiness of the soap solution metering device.

After emptying the container 3, the liquid level in the reservoir 7 drops. The second container 3 ', which is still filled with soap solution, now interacts with the reservoir 7 in the same way as the first container 3 used to do.

This means that the liquid level 18 'of the soap solution in the reservoir 7 runs at the level of the outflow opening 6' of the container 3 '. The float body 21 and thus the indicator flag 22 follow this movement along an arc-like movement path. The end position of the float body 21 with the indicator flag 22 corresponding to the liquid level 18 'in Fig. 1a is shown in dashed lines in Fig. 2a. It can be seen that in this position of the display flag 22 the upper, red colored color field 29 is aligned with the viewing window 28 of the cover 20 and the area 30 of the color field 29 can be seen through the viewing window 28.

Between the two end positions shown in FIG. 2a, an area 30 can be seen through the viewing window 28 in the cover, which area covers parts of both color fields 27 and 29. overall, the user is thus made aware of the emptying of the container 3 in good time.

The cylinder 16 mounted in the base 13 serves to receive the piston (not shown) of the removal device known per se.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the display device is assigned to the higher outlet opening of the first container 3. This means that through the red color field 29 the Indicating the emptying of the first container 3 and the need to replace it with a full container is displayed. If the replacement is not carried out immediately, this is initially no damage since the soap solution metering device remains ready for operation due to the remaining filling of the second container 3 '. If the exchange is carried out, it is recommended, however, to place the now partially partially filled container 3 'in the place of the empty container 3 and to install a new, full container in the place of the container 3'. As a result, the reserve of the soap solution metering device can always be retained.

It should also be pointed out that while the liquid level is sinking to the level of the outflow opening 6 'of the container 3' in the viewing window 28 of the cover 20, both color fields 27 and 29 of the display flag 22 can be seen. This indicates early on that the container 3 is emptied.

The embodiment of the soap solution metering device shown in the figures can be varied in many different ways. If necessary, more than two containers can be provided, of which, however, at least two must be arranged in such a way that the outflow openings end in the reservoir at a vertical distance from one another. The containers of the soap solution dosing device do not have to be arranged interchangeably. They can be implemented as fixed, refillable containers.

The mounting device 8 can also be changed in a variety of ways. For example, the holding device can be attached to the rear wall 1 instead of to the reservoir 7, the support 10 possibly being omitted or being replaced by a support on the rear wall 1.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the necks 5 and 5 'of the containers 3 and 3' extend through the support 10. With a corresponding design of the necks 12, 12 'in the sections 11 and 11' of the support 10, the outflow openings can also be determined by the mouth of the necks 12 and 12 '. It is also possible, for example, to connect containers arranged on the rear wall 1 to the interior 14 of the reservoir 7 in a suitable manner by means of suitable intermediate pieces which extend into the container.

Other configurations of the display device are also possible. For example, the float body 21 can have a display flag 22 on each end face and, correspondingly, the cover 20 can have a viewing window 28 on each side. This solution enables the signaling to be clearly recognizable even if the soap solution device is attached to the wall in a corner for technical reasons.

In a further modification, the indicator flag 22 can only be provided with a field that is visible in the viewing window 28 of the cover 20 after the container 3 has been emptied.

The field or the fields need not be designed as color fields, but can also be, for example, reflective, self-luminous, afterglow and otherwise marked in a conspicuous manner. The display flag can also be located in an area further away from the rear wall 1. The float body can also be guided on the reservoir 7 by other guide means. The indicator flag can also extend in a different direction or the field or the fields can be formed on other parts of the float arrangement, the viewing window (s) 28 being correspondingly arranged in the cover 20.

In a further variant of the display device it can be provided that the filling state of the two containers 3 and 3 'is made recognizable separately by the display device. For this purpose, display flags are attached to both end faces of the float body 21 and viewing windows are arranged on both sides of the cover 20 in such a way that the display flags and the viewing windows are aligned with one another. For example, the display flags can have different lengths and the viewing windows can be attached to the cover at different heights. Both display flags can be provided with differently colored color fields in the same way as described above, so that the operating state or the empty state is displayed for each of the containers 3, 3 '. However, the display flags 22 can also have the same length and the viewing windows can be arranged in the cover at the same height. In this case, suitable asymmetrical design of the color fields must ensure that after the emptying of one container, its empty state remains displayed even while the other container is emptied.

In this way, an extremely simple and cost-saving display device is obtained which, in good time before the reservoir 7 is emptied, reliably gives a clear and unambiguously recognizable display of the operating state of the soap solution metering device and is independent of the number of filling changes.

Claims (11)

1. A method for supplying the reservoir (7) of a soap solution metering device with an extraction device (16, 17, 17') disposed downstream, characterised in that the reservoir (7) is supplied with the soap solution from at least two outlet openings (6, 6') which are arranged stepped behind one another at different levels by operating the extraction device (16,17,17'), each outlet opening (6,6') is supplied with soap via a separate container (3, 3'), that at each respective higher level of the soap solution at least one outlet opening (6') disposed lower down is kept closed until the level of the soap solution reaches the next lowest outlet opening (6') and due to the level of the soap solution dropping further permits the entry of outside air into the next lowest outlet opening (6') thus causing an outflow, these steps being repeated until the level of soap solution is reduced below the lowest outlet opening (6') by operating the extraction device (16, 17, 17').

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that by operating the extraction device (16, 17,17') a float (21) is guided downwards with the level of the soap solution and this controls an indicator flag via its position.

3. A soap solution metering device for carrying out the method according to claim 1, which an arrangement (2) for supplying a soap solution and with a cover (20), characterised in that the arrangement (2) has at least two vertically spaced outlet openings (6, 6') discharging into the reservoir (7) for supplying the soap solution.

4. A soap solution metering device according to claim 3, characterised in that at least one of these outlet openings (6, 6') is associated with an indicator device.

5. A soap solution metering device according to claim 3, characterised in that the arrangement (2) for supplying the soap solution is disposed on a support (10) in the upper region of the reservoir (7).

6. A soap solution metering device according to claim 5, characterised in that the arrangement (2) for supplying the soap solution comprises at least two separate containers (3, 3') with a respective neck (5, 5'), the support (10) is provided with a respective neck (12, 12') for each container (3, 3') and the heights of the outlet openings are determined by the aperture of the neck (5, 5') of the containers (3, 3') or the support (10).

7. A soap solution metering device according to claim 6, characterised in that the containers (3, 3') have necks (5, 5') of the same length and the support (10) has parts (11, 11') associated with the containers, of which sections two in each case are displaced vertically relative to one another in stages about the vertical distance between the outlet openings (3, 3').

8. A soap solution metering device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterised in that the indicator device has a float (21) which is disposed in the reservoir (7) with at least one indicator flag (22) connected thereto and the track of travel of at least one of the indicator flags (22) extending at least partially along an inspection window (28).

9. A soap solution metering device according to claim 8, characterised in that two indicator flags (22) and two inspection windows are provided on different sides of the cover (20).

10. A soap solution metering device according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the indicator flag (22) is provided with two differently coloured areas (27, 29).

11. A soap solution metering device according to claim 3, characterised in that on each end face of the float (21) an indicator flag (22) is disposed and the indicator flag (22) is formed with the associated lever (25) in one piece, the float (21) being secured on a curved portion between the indicator flag (22) and the lever (25).

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