EP0176135A2 - Spender für flüssige Seife mit Pumpenmechanismus - Google Patents

Spender für flüssige Seife mit Pumpenmechanismus Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0176135A2
EP0176135A2 EP85201446A EP85201446A EP0176135A2 EP 0176135 A2 EP0176135 A2 EP 0176135A2 EP 85201446 A EP85201446 A EP 85201446A EP 85201446 A EP85201446 A EP 85201446A EP 0176135 A2 EP0176135 A2 EP 0176135A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bowl
dispenser
liquid
reservoir
pumping mechanism
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP85201446A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0176135A3 (de
Inventor
Charles Louis Dillard
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Procter and Gamble Co
Original Assignee
Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Procter and Gamble Co filed Critical Procter and Gamble Co
Publication of EP0176135A2 publication Critical patent/EP0176135A2/de
Publication of EP0176135A3 publication Critical patent/EP0176135A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
    • A47K5/00—Holders or dispensers for soap, toothpaste, or the like
    • A47K5/06—Dispensers for soap
    • A47K5/12—Dispensers for soap for liquid or pasty soap
    • A47K5/1202—Dispensers for soap for liquid or pasty soap dispensing dosed volume
    • A47K5/1208—Dispensers for soap for liquid or pasty soap dispensing dosed volume by means of a flexible dispensing chamber

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing liquid soap, and more particularly to an efficient pump mechanism for a liquid soap dispenser.
  • the present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing liquid soap, normally in discrete small quantities or charges.
  • Such dispensing apparatus are used, particularly for hygiene purposes, in public or institutional washrooms or wherever there are a relatively large number of different users.
  • these dispensers are fastened to a wall near a sink or basin by means or screws, nails, or an adhesive, and dispense a liquid soap that is suitable for cleaning a person's hands and face. Examples of such dispensers can be found in U.S. Patent Nos.
  • a liquid soap dispenser of the general type described above with an improved pumping mechanism that utilizes a more efficient bowl approximately the same size as the semi-spherical bowl, but which has a voiding efficiency of about 50-75% and corresponds to approximately 1.5-2.0 ml of soap per handle pull.
  • The- improved bulb significantly reduces the number of lever pulls necessary to discharge a sufficient amount of soap for the average user. In so providing a more efficient pump mechanism, the dispenser is subject to less wear and tear and has a significantly increased effective life.
  • a liquid soap dispenser having an upper liquid soap reservoir is provided with a pumping mechanism located below and in fluid communication with the reservoir.
  • the pumping mechanism basically comprises a cylindrical bowl having an open end and a moveable closed end that is resistant to localized deformation.
  • the dispenser also includes a hand-pulled lever having two moving ends that pivot around a pivot pin - one end extending outside the dispenser for easy grasping thereof by the user - the other end being in sliding contact with the outer surface of the bowl's rigid, closed end. In operation, a discrete quantity of liquid soap flows from the upper reservoir through a one-way valve and fills the bowl's interior cavity.
  • the lever's grasping end When the lever's grasping end is pulled, the lever's bulb-contacting end pushes the bowl's rigid, closed end up into the bowl's interior cavity and forces the liquid soap contained therein out through a discharge conduit and into the user's hand. Since the rigid, closed end does not locally deform, the quantity of liquid soap dispensed approximates the volume swept by the cross-sectional area of the rigid, closed end over the entire upward vertical stroke of the lever. When the lever is released, the bowl expands and draws another discrete charge of liquid soap from the upper reservoir through the one-way valve. This process is repeated until the user is satisfied with the amount of soap received from the dispenser.
  • Dispenser 10 has two basic components, which are first, an upper liquid soap reservoir generally indicated as 18, and second, a lower liquid soap emitting section generally indicated as 20.
  • Upper liquid soap reservoir 18 is substantially box-like in configuration and includes a front wall 22, a pair of opposed side walls 24, a rear wall 26, and a lower partition wall 28, all being preferably molded from a thermoplastic material such that walls 22, 24, 26, and 28 are formed integrally with one another.
  • the dispenser is removably attached to bracket 14 by, for example, providing the top lateral side edge of rear wall 26 with a U-shaped section 30 that hooks over the top edge of bracket 14.
  • rear wall 26 extends downwardly beyond lower partition wall 28 to form a downwardly extending mounting flange 32 that rests on top of the lower end of mounting bracket 14.
  • the dispenser's upper reservoir 18 is filled with a quantity of liquid soap 34 to a predetermined level such as 36 by removing top lid 37 and pouring bulk liquid soap from a refill jug or container (not shown) into upper reservoir 18.
  • a refill jug or container (not shown) into upper reservoir 18.
  • An example of this type of refillable dispenser is generally shown in the hereinbefore incorporated U.S. Patents 4,146,156 and 4,149,573.
  • the present invention has equal applicability to a dispenser of the type that is refilled with a disposable cartridge or pouch. Examples of such dispensers are shown in the hereinbefore incorporated U.S. Patents 4,316,555; 4,322,019; 4,345,627; 4,391,308; 4,391,309; and 4,329,812.
  • the dispenser's lower soap emitting section 20 includes actuating means, generally indicated as 38, and a pump mechanism generally indicated as 39.
  • Actuating means 38 and pump mechanism 39 are housed within a lower skirt member 40 that is attached about its periphery to the lower surface of lower partition wall 28.
  • Actuating means 38 comprises an actuating lever 41 that is provided with a pivot pin 42, the opposite ends of which are mounted in pivot brackets 44 for pivotal movement about the pivot pin's axis.
  • Lever 41 has a gripping portion 45 that extends downwardly from pin 42 through opening 46 in lower skirt member 40, and an actuating arm 48 that projects forwardly from pin 42.
  • Lever 41 preferably also has a stop member 47 that projects rearwardly from pin 42 and comes into contact with skirt member 40 when gripping portion 45 is pulled to prevent the user from pulling the lever too far.
  • Pump assembly 39 comprises a unitary pump housing 50 that is fixedly secured to the bottom surface of lower partition wall 28 by suitable fasteners or glue. Pump assembly 39 is also provided with an obturator diaphragm, generally indicated by the numeral 52, that is preferably formed of a flexible, deformable material such as rubber or the like. The peripheral edge of diaphragm 52 is received in an accompanying recess in pump housing 50 and securely sandwiched between pump housing 50 and the bottom surface of lower partition wall 28. Diaphragm 52 has a plurality of suction apertures 54 therethrough in surrounding relationship with a suction conduit 56 in lower partition wall 28, said conduit providing exclusive fluid communication between upper soap reservoir 18 and lower emitting section 20.
  • Suction apertures 54 define a central web portion that forms a suction obturator 58 disposed initially in contact with the lower surface of lower partition wall 28 for closing the lower end of suction conduit 56.
  • diaphragm 52 is provided with a plurality of discharge apertures 60 disposed in surrounding relationship with a discharge conduit 62 and cooperating to define a central web portion that forms a discharge obturator 64 disposed initially in contact with the lower surface of lower partition wall 28 for closing the lower end of discharge conduit 62.
  • Suction conduit 56 and discharge conduit 62 are in fluid communication with one another by means of passageway 66 that is cut in lower partition wall 28 and covered by insert 68.
  • a bowl 72 formed of a flexible and resilient material such as rubber.
  • Bowl 72 is provided with a peripheral flange 74 that is fixedly secured to pump housing 50 around the perimeter of opening 70 for closing the same.
  • dispenser 10' is substantially Identical to the dispenser shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the exception of an improved bowl generally indicated as 80.
  • bowl 80 is substantially cylindrical and comprises a substantially rigid sidewall portion 81, a substantially rigid end 82, and a thin flexible portion 83 joining the two.
  • bowl 80 is of unitary construction and can be molded from a wide variety of materials that are both flexible and have a "memory", e.g. butyl, silicone, or latex rubber, or a thermoplastic material such as low density polyethylene or high density polyethylene.
  • a "memory" e.g. butyl, silicone, or latex rubber
  • thermoplastic material such as low density polyethylene or high density polyethylene.
  • bowl 80 is nested within opening 70 of unitary pump housing 50 directly below suction conduit 56 with the bottom surface of rigid end 82 being in sliding contact with actuating arm 48.
  • actuating arm 48 When a user wishes to dispense soap from dispenser 10', he pulls the gripping portion 45 of actuating lever 41 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, which swings actuating arm 48 upward into engagement with rigid end 82 and pushes it up into the interior section of bowl 80 while flexible portion 83 stretches.
  • rigid end 82 travels up inside bowl 80, the soap contained therein also rises and, as in the dispenser shown in Figs.
  • actuating lever 41 When gripping portion 45 of actuating lever 41 is released, the elasticity and "memory" of flexible portion 83 draws rigid end 82 back to its original position, as shown in Fig. 3.
  • actuating lever 41 can also be provided with a spring that will pull lever 41 back to its original position.
  • the downward movement of rigid end 82 exerts an aspirating or suction force on discharge obturator 64 and pulls it back up into sealing engagement with discharge conduit 62 to close delivery conduit 78.
  • the same aspirating force also pulls suction obturator 58 away from suction conduit 56 and draws a new charge of liquid soap 34 from upper reservoir 18 through suction conduit 56 and into bowl 80.
  • Dispenser 10' is then in a condition to dispense another discrete charge of soap when the user again pulls the gripping portion 45 of lever 41.
  • bowl 80 is approximately the same size as the prior art, semi-spherical bowl 72, bowl 80 has approximately a 50-75% voiding efficiency as compared to a 25-33% voiding efficiency for bowl 72.
  • the approximately double efficiency of bowl 80 means that the user must pull actuating lever 41 only about half as many times to receive the same amount of soap as when bowl 72 is utilized, which in turn significantly reduces the wear and tear that dispenser 10' and its wall anchoring means are subjected to, thereby significantly increasing the dispenser's effective life.
  • FIGS 5A and 5B are enlarged cross-sectional views of bowl 80 with Fig. 5A showing rigid end 82 in its at rest condition as seen in Fig. 3, and with Fig. 5B showing rigid end 82 in its elevated condition as seen in Fig. 4.
  • Fig. 5B shows how substantially rigid end 82 resists localized deformation while thin portion 83 stretches and how the lowermost edge of sidewall portion 81 curls inward to a small degree when rigid end 82 is pushed up inside the interior cavity of bowl 80.
  • lever 41 is released, the elasticity and “memory” of thin portion 83 pulls rigid end 82 back to its at rest position as seen in Fig. 5A.
  • bowl 80 is preferably molded from a silicone or urethane rubber, an example of the latter being A-7 available from American Cyanamide, Co., One Canyon Plaza, Wayne, New Jersey 07470.
  • FIG. 6A illustrates another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • bowl 90 has a substantially rigid sidewall portion 81, a substantially rigid end 92, and a thin portion 93.
  • Thin portion 93 which joins sidewall portion 91 to rigid end 93, is initially folded in a U-configuration that unfolds as opposed to stretching as rigid end 92 is pushed up into the interior of bowl 100, as seen in Fig. 7B.
  • actuating lever 41 be spring-loaded and that actuating arm 48 be firmly attached to rigid end 93 so as to draw it back to its initial at rest position.
  • one advantage of this type of bowl design is that thin portion 93 is less susceptible to early fatigue and rupture.
  • FIG. 7A illustrate yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • bowl 100 has a sidewall portion 101, a substantially rigid end 102, and a transition area 103 that is of substantially the same thickness as sidewall portion 101.
  • transition area 103 rolls up into a folded configuration as rigid end portion 102 is pushed up into the interior of bowl 100.
  • the elasticity and "memory" of transition area 103 draws rigid end 102 back to its original at rest position when lever 41 is released.
  • bowl 100 is injection molded ethylene propylene rubber, e.g. Epcar ® which is available from the B. F. Goodrich Co., 500 S. Main Street, Akron, Ohio 44318.
  • bowl 100 can be thermoformed from a thermoplastic material such as low density polyethylene or high density polyethylene.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
EP85201446A 1984-09-24 1985-09-12 Spender für flüssige Seife mit Pumpenmechanismus Withdrawn EP0176135A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US65427984A 1984-09-24 1984-09-24
US654279 1984-09-24

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0176135A2 true EP0176135A2 (de) 1986-04-02
EP0176135A3 EP0176135A3 (de) 1986-09-03

Family

ID=24624197

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP85201446A Withdrawn EP0176135A3 (de) 1984-09-24 1985-09-12 Spender für flüssige Seife mit Pumpenmechanismus

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0176135A3 (de)
ES (1) ES289176Y (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2014126835A1 (en) * 2013-02-15 2014-08-21 Ecolab Usa Inc. Fluid dispensers with increased mechanical advantage
US9340337B2 (en) 2012-05-01 2016-05-17 Ecolab Usa Inc. Dispenser with lockable pushbutton
US11744413B2 (en) 2021-10-07 2023-09-05 Deb Ip Limited Dispenser assembly

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2520702A1 (fr) * 1982-02-04 1983-08-05 Gournelle Maurice Appareil distributeur de doses d'un produit susceptible de s'ecouler
US4429812A (en) * 1981-04-16 1984-02-07 Steiner Corporation Soap dispensing system

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4429812A (en) * 1981-04-16 1984-02-07 Steiner Corporation Soap dispensing system
FR2520702A1 (fr) * 1982-02-04 1983-08-05 Gournelle Maurice Appareil distributeur de doses d'un produit susceptible de s'ecouler

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9340337B2 (en) 2012-05-01 2016-05-17 Ecolab Usa Inc. Dispenser with lockable pushbutton
WO2014126835A1 (en) * 2013-02-15 2014-08-21 Ecolab Usa Inc. Fluid dispensers with increased mechanical advantage
US8991655B2 (en) 2013-02-15 2015-03-31 Ecolab Usa Inc. Fluid dispensers with increased mechanical advantage
US9408502B2 (en) 2013-02-15 2016-08-09 Ecolab Usa Inc. Fluid dispensers with increased mechanical advantage
AU2014216538B2 (en) * 2013-02-15 2018-01-18 Ecolab Usa Inc. Fluid dispensers with increased mechanical advantage
US11744413B2 (en) 2021-10-07 2023-09-05 Deb Ip Limited Dispenser assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES289176Y (es) 1987-06-01
ES289176U (es) 1986-10-01
EP0176135A3 (de) 1986-09-03

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Inventor name: DILLARD, CHARLES LOUIS