EP0557243B1 - Method and device for the dosed production of foam from liquid soap - Google Patents

Abstract

The dispenser incorporates a storage container (7) for the liquid soap, a foamer (21) mixing air with the soap, and a pump (35). Between the container and foamer is an equalising receptacle (13) containing a set quantity of soap and air. The foamer is connected by a soap inlet tube (16) to the equalising receptacle. The head room (45) above the soap in the equalising receptacle is connected to the pump via the liquid soap in the equalising receptacle into which protrudes a connecting pipe (11), the foamer is positioned on a support (14).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for the portionwise generation of foam from liquid soap according to the preamble of patent claim 1.
The invention further relates to a device for the generation of portions of foam from liquid soap according to the preamble of claim 3.

Soap dispensers are known in practice, in particular for toilets and washrooms in public buildings and restaurants, in which a measured portion of liquid soap is dispensed into the hand by actuating a pivoting lever. The disadvantage of these soap dispensers is that they tend to drip, i.e. that, over time, soap collects below the soap dispenser on the washing trough or on the floor, which must be removed.

A foam dispenser is known from GB-A-2193904 mentioned in the European search report, which is placed on a storage bottle with liquid soap. An intermediate container is inserted into the storage bottle from above and a first dip tube, which is fastened to the underside of the intermediate container, projects into the storage container. A non-return valve is placed on the upper end of the first immersion tube, which prevents soap from flowing back from the higher intermediate container into the storage container underneath. With a double-acting pump, which is also placed on the storage container, air can be introduced into the head space above the soap in the intermediate container and also extracted from it. The air for foam generation is fed through a tube that is immersed in the soap Intermediate tank initiated. A second immersion tube, at the upper end of which a foam generator sits, protrudes from above into the intermediate container and extends almost to the bottom. The foam dispenser, arranged on the second immersion tube, is connected to the dispenser tube for dispensing the foam. The intermediate container should be emptied with every pump stroke and refilled with the suction stroke of the pump.
To create a portion of foam, air is pressed into the intermediate container and, as a result of the increased pressure on the soap surface, soap is pressed from below through the second immersion tube and air from the side into the foamer head and mixed into foam there. During the subsequent return of the pump piston, a vacuum is created in the intermediate container, which causes soap to be sucked up into the intermediate container from the storage bottle with a vent line at the top. The amount of soap soaked depends on both the current level in the storage bottle, the prevailing atmospheric pressure and the viscosity of the soap.
These three variable sizes, which in turn are influenced by further parameters (eg temperature), result in an always undefined and non-constant amount of foam and in particular foam density (air / soap ratio). As a result, the consistency of the foam is usually unsatisfactory because an acceptable result can only be achieved with a precisely coordinated soap / air mixture. Another disadvantage of this known device is that when the excess pressure is generated in the intermediate container, foam bubbles can be formed on the soap surface by the immersed air supply tube, which foam bubbles influence the amount of soap stored in the intermediate container. Ultimately, this causes a non-reproducible, technically unmanageable mixing ratio of air and soap in the foamer.

From FR-A-2517991 a foam dispenser with a storage and an intermediate container is also known. Air is introduced into the intermediate container through an air supply line, and soap and air are pressed into the foamer and foam is produced. After completion of the pressure build-up can flow of soap from the storage container into the intermediate container from below through a diaphragm valve. The amount flowing in depends - as with GB-A-2193904 - at least on the fill level in the storage container, the atmospheric pressure and the viscosity of the soap. The generation of foam with constant properties is not guaranteed.

From CH-A-676227 a device for dispensing cleaning agents is known, in which the storage container is arranged above an intermediate container, so that the soap can flow according to consumption. The soap is removed from the intermediate container by means of a horizontally displaceable metering piston. The amount removed can vary due to the changing viscosity and unavoidable deposits in an uncontrollable range, so that foams of different consistency (density) are produced with the same amount of air.

From the EP-A1-0019582 also mentioned in the European search report, a device for metering and forming soap foam is known, in which the piston of a soap solution metering pump can be moved back and forth with the actuating lever and at the same time is connected to a device for generating compressed air . The actuation lever is connected to the elements to be actuated (piston and device for generating compressed air) at least with respect to the piston via articulated members which convert the arcuate course of the drive pins into a linear movement. Additional link members cause higher manufacturing and assembly costs and are more susceptible to defects such as undivided, direct-acting lever arrangements.

Starting from GB-A-2193904, the invention is based on the object of providing a method and a device in which, regardless of the filling level of the soap container, an equal amount of foam with properties which can be determined in advance can always be produced.

This object is achieved by a method according to the features of patent claim 1 and a device according to the features of patent claim 3.

Surprisingly, the interposition of an expansion and a metering container, in which a defined amount of soap and air always flows after each pump stroke, keeps the consistency and the amount of foam constant. By adjusting the length of the connecting line from the storage tank to the expansion tank, the amount of soap and air in the expansion tank can be changed and thus the ratio between air and soap in the foam and adjusted to the soap quality and viscosity used. A tube arranged in the expansion tank enables easy assembly and - if necessary - replacement of the foamer and allows foam residues to be sucked back or blown off at the dispenser opening at the end of the dispensing process and to prevent dripping.

By interposing an expansion tank, the head space above the soap can be easily, e.g. be kept constant within very narrow limits by the immersed tube from the storage container.

Figur 1

einen Längsschnitt durch eine Schaumspendevorrichtung, bei der die erfindungswesentlichen Merkmale nicht enthalten sind,

Figur 2

einen Längsschnitt durch eine Schaumspendevorrichtung mit einem Dosierbehälter,

Figur 3

eine vergrösserte Darstellung des oberen Bereiches des Dosierbehälters sowie des Schäumers in Figur 2,

Figur 4

eine schematische Darstellung der Anordnung der Pumpen für den Druckaufbau in der Vorrichtung,

Figur 5

eine schematische seitliche Ansicht einer weiteren Anordnung der Pumpen und deren Betätigungshebel vor dem Spenden,

Figur 6

die Anordnung in Figur 5 am Ende der Hebelbewegung.

The device according to the invention has a very simple structure with an inexpensive foamer, as is already known on the market, and can also be replaced in a simple and inexpensive manner if used very frequently. By changing the immersion depth of the filling tube, the amount of soap or the consistency of the foam can be easily adapted to the needs. This is particularly advantageous if the quality of the soap is not constant. When using a dosing container, the head space above the soap can be kept very small and thus the pump volume can be kept small.On the other hand, the air required to fill the pump can be passed outside the head space, so that if the lever is actuated very often, there is no foam formation can be done. In the private sector, where only a few application processes are carried out, the simple implementation can easily suffice. By arranging a jacket around the foam dispensing tube, the air flowing back into the pump can lead foam residues back into the expansion tank at the end of the foam feeding tube. Appropriate formation of a collecting space in the return housing can easily prevent soap residues from getting into the pump. When using two oppositely acting pumps, instead of sucking back foam residues, blowing off can also be effected. This also has the advantage that the air required to fill the pressure pumps comes directly from the room and can be sucked in at a distance from the foam dispensing opening. The connection of the control lever to the pump via a spring allows a progressive pressure build-up and thus a perfect mixing of the air and the soap when the foam is formed.
The embodiment of the invention according to FIGS. 5 and 6 enables a very simple, stable and inexpensive construction of the actuating lever and its storage in the housing. The star-shaped arrangement of the pumps also allows a very compact design of the foam dispensing device. This in turn makes it possible to install the device according to the invention in already existing housings for conventional dispensing devices.
The invention is explained in more detail on the basis of illustrated exemplary embodiments.

Figure 1

2 shows a longitudinal section through a foam dispensing device which does not contain the features essential to the invention,

Figure 2

2 shows a longitudinal section through a foam dispensing device with a dosing container,

Figure 3

2 shows an enlarged view of the upper area of the metering container and of the foamer in FIG. 2,

Figure 4

1 shows a schematic representation of the arrangement of the pumps for building up pressure in the device,

Figure 5

2 shows a schematic side view of a further arrangement of the pumps and their actuating levers before donation,

Figure 6

the arrangement in Figure 5 at the end of the lever movement.

The foam dispensing device 1 shown in Figure 1 is housed in a housing 3, which can be attached to a wall 5 and consists of plastic or sheet metal. In the housing 3, a storage container 7 is accommodated with a nozzle 9 attached to its base 8, which is connected to an expansion tank 13 via a connecting line 11. The line 11 dips from above through an opening 15 into the expansion tank 13 by the amount X. If desired, the line 11 can be telescopic in order to make the immersion depth X adjustable (indicated by broken lines).
The lower end of line 11 is closed by a membrane valve 12, which, on the one hand, permits the entry of liquid soap 27 from the storage container into the expansion tank 13, but, when the expansion tank 13 is pressurized, does not allow liquid soap to escape from the expansion tank 13 into the storage container 7. The configuration of the valve 12 is not described in detail, since such valves are sufficiently known from the prior art.

A so-called foamer 21, as described, for example, in Swiss Patent No. 545232, is placed on a connection piece 14 on the expansion tank 13. The foamer 21 consists of a soap supply pipe 16, the upper end of which has a central opening or a large number of fine bores 18. A fine-pored sieve or sintered plate 20 lies above the bores 18 and at a distance from them. The upper end of the jacket of the line 16 has fine bores 22 which are in connection with the interior of the expansion tank 13. The annular space outside the fine sieve 20 is spanned by an annular membrane seal 24, which only allows air to escape through the fine sieve 20 when there is excess pressure in the expansion tank 13, but allows air to enter the head space 45 when there is negative pressure inside. Such an air / soap mixing device is described in GB-A-2193904.
The expansion tank 13 is further connected by a line 36 to a bellows 35 acting as a pump. A translation lever 41 engages on the bellows 35 and is mounted on the housing 3 so as to be pivotable about an axis B. An actuating lever 39, which projects out of the housing 3 at the bottom, is pivotable about an axis A and is articulated to the transmission lever 41 by a second axis C. In the bellows 35, a return spring 47 is inserted which returns the bellows 35 to the starting position when there is no force F on the actuating lever 39. Alternatively, the spring 47 can of course also engage one of the levers 39 or 41.

The generation of a foam portion with the device according to FIG. 1 is explained in more detail below.
By pivoting the operating lever 39, translated by the transmission lever 41, the bellows 35 is pressed together. The air in the bellows 35 flows through the line 36 into the head space 45 of the expansion tank 13. The inflowing air increases the pressure p1 in the head space 45. The pressure increase above the surface of the liquid soap 27 in the expansion tank 13 causes soap to enter the line from below 16 pressed and emerges from the line 16 through the fine bores 18 at the top. Before the soap passes through the bores 18, air passes through the peripheral bores 22 from the head space 45 into the rising soap into the line 16 and mixes intensively with the latter to form foam S, which can escape to the outside through the foam dispensing tube 26.
During the build-up of pressure and the formation of foam in the foamer 21, the valve 12 on the nozzle 9 is closed. After the pressure build-up has ended, the pressure p1 in the expansion tank 13 drops since the actuating lever 39 returns to the starting position and air can enter the head space 45 through the opening membrane seal 24. Air can flow back through the line 36 into the bellows 5 and fill it up again. After the pressure drop in the expansion tank 13, liquid soap flows through the nozzle 9 out of the storage tank 7 through the valve 12 into the expansion tank 13 until the amount of soap squeezed out during foaming is replaced. The level h2 is determined by the immersion depth x of the connecting line 11. Instead of returning air through the membrane seal 24, a corresponding valve can also be used at another location of the expansion tank 13.
The foam dispensing tube 26 can also be surrounded by a jacket 28 through which the air is sucked back into the bellows 35. Any remaining foam at the end of the tube 26 can be sucked back into the expansion tank.

As an alternative to the two-part lever system 39, 41, a plate, step angular or star-shaped lever 50 (indicated by dash-dotted lines in Figure 4), which is pivotally mounted about the axis A to the side of the pump 35. The stroke when the pump 35 is actuated thereby becomes somewhat smaller. This can be compensated for by a correspondingly larger bellows.

In a configuration according to the invention of the device according to FIG. 2, a foam dispensing device 101 is shown with a housing 103 which is attached to a wall 105. In the housing 103, a storage container 107 is accommodated with a socket 109 attached to its base 108 and connected to a compensating container 113 via a connecting line 111. The line 111 dips into the expansion tank 113 from above through an opening 115. In a tubular recess 161, which projects into the expansion tank 113, there is a tube 117, on the bottom 162 of which a valve 163 is arranged.
A second pipe 116, the lower end of which is open and the foamer 121 is placed on the upper end, projects into the first pipe 117. An O-ring 165 can be used to seal the tube 117 with respect to the tubular recess 161. The tube 117 forms a metering reservoir or container 110 with a volume which is substantially smaller than that of the expansion tank 113.
A bellows pump 135 is placed over the storage container 107 and is articulated by a lever or linkage 141 to a two-armed actuating lever 139. Instead of an articulated connection 142 (solid lines in FIG. 2), the operating lever 139 and the two-armed lever 141 can also be connected to one another by a spring 144 inserted between the articulated connection point 142 and the end 146 of a shortened lever 141. The spring 144 is designed to progressively build up the force on the bellows 135 when the actuation lever 139 is operated (pivoting counterclockwise) by tensioning the spring 144 and to continue to compress the bellows 135 even after the pivoting movement of the actuation lever 139 has ended.

A spring 147 is intended, after the actuation lever 139 has been pivoted and thus after the bellows 135 has been compressed, to move the bellows 135 back into the starting position and to fill it with air.
A connecting line 136 leads from the bellows 135 to the head of the foamer 121, which is surrounded by a housing 169.

An arrangement of the foamer 121 according to the invention is explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The foamer 121 is inserted into the end of the tube 117. A dip tube 116 open at the bottom leads from the foamer 121 to close to the lower entrance of the tube 117. The upper end of the tube 116 ends under the fine bores 118 in the foamer 121 and opens at a distance from a fine-meshed sieve 120. Above the sieve 120 and in contact with the latter begins a foam dispensing line 126, from the end of which the foam S is dispensed onto the hand. Fine channels 122 at the upper end of the dip tube 116 lead into the space between the bores 118 and the soap surface in the tube 117.
The tube 117 is connected at the top via a valve 146 to the line 136 with the bellows 135. The foam dispensing tube 126 leads through an intermediate wall 167 within the housing 169. The interior of the housing 169 is also connected to the line 136 by a first diaphragm valve 171. A collection space 172 for the liquefaction of sucked-back foam S can be provided between the valves 146 and 171.

The foam dispensing device 101 in the embodiment according to FIGS. 2 and 3 works as follows. After the storage container 107 has been inserted, liquid soap 127 flows through the nozzle 109 into the expansion tank 113 until a level of h2 is reached. Through the valve 163, the liquid soap can also enter the tube 117 from below and also fill it up to the height h2. By pulling the actuating lever 139, the pump designed as bellows 135 is compressed via the linkage 141 and at the same time the return spring 147 curious; excited. In order to obtain the largest possible amount of air with a short pump stroke, two bellows pumps 135 can also be arranged side by side in parallel. When the bellows 135 is pressed together, air is pressed through the line 136 and through the second valve 146, which opens due to the increased pressure, into the head space 145 between the foamer 121 and the surface h2 of the liquid soap 127 in the tube 117. Due to the pressure increase on the soap surface in the tube 117, that is to say in the metering container 110, the soap is simultaneously pressed from below through the liquid supply tube 116 and its upper end with the fine bores 118 into the foamer 121 and with the air which flows through the bores 122 in can reach the foamer 121, mixed and generates a foam. The foam can leave the foamer 121 through the foam dispensing tube 126. After releasing the actuating lever 139, it is pulled back by the return spring 147 and returns to the starting position. The expanding bellows 135 draws air through the line 136 through the valve 171 from the space between the pipe 126 and the housing 169 and at the same time draws air from the environment at the end of the pipe 126. Any foam residue left there is sucked back into the foamer 121 and can return to the pipe 117 the next time air is applied through the valve 146. The bellows 135, which is located at the highest point of the device, will in no way become liquid soap sucked up, and no pollution can occur. Furthermore, the described manner of recycling foam residues prevents foaming of the liquid soap 127 in the expansion tank 113.

To prevent dripping at the end of the tube 126, a further bellows can be provided, which is pressed together when the actuating lever 139 returns and blows off foam residues into the hand through a line with an air jet. Such a device is shown in FIG. 4.

In a housing 203, two bellows 235 serving as a pump are arranged on the rear wall and are connected to the actuating lever 239 via a T-shaped lever 241. The actuating lever 239 has two arms and can be pivoted about the point A. Analogous to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the operating lever 239 can also be connected to the T-shaped lever 241 by a spring 244 in order to enable progressive pressure build-up in the bellows 235.
The end of the second arm of the operating lever 239 engages a third bellows pump 235 '. The two bellows 235 are connected via feed lines to a pressure line 238, which opens into an expansion tank 213 and into a space 280 in which the foamer 221 is located. At the end of line 238, a check valve 263 is inserted, which prevents air from being sucked out of head space 245 when the two bellows 235 are refilled. The bellows are filled by valves 240.
The expansion tank 213 is connected to a storage tank 207 by a line 209. A check valve 212 is also attached to the end of the line 209, which prevents the liquid soap 227 from flowing back into the container 207 when the pressure in the head space 245 is built up by the two bellows 235. A foamer 221, as has been described in FIG. 1, is inserted in a pipe socket 217. A dip tube 216 attached to it dips into the liquid soap 227.
The foam dispensing tube 226 begins above the foamer 221 and ends at the front of the housing 203. A line 281 leads from the bellows 235 'to the end of the donor tube 226. The line 281 preferably opens out somewhat offset from the line 226. When the operating lever 239 is pulled to the broken position in the extended position, the two bellows 235 are pressed together by the linkage 241 and the contents of the bellows pass through the line 236 into the head space 245 of the expansion tank 213. By increasing the pressure on the Surface of the liquid soap 227 is pressed into the foamer through the dip tube 216 and there with the air also entering the foamer 221 from the head space to form a foam mixed. The foam can escape through the pipe 226 to the outside. As soon as the operating lever 239 is released, it returns to the starting position by means of corresponding springs, which can be installed, for example, in the two bellows 235 (not shown) or by a spring which acts directly on the operating lever 239 (not shown). The bellows 235 'is pressed together (as shown in FIG. 4). Its content is then led through the line 281 past the opening of the tube 226 and at most blows away any foam still hanging there.

As an alternative to the levers 239, 241, a single plate-shaped, angle-shaped or star-shaped lever 250 (plate-shaped design indicated by dash-dotted lines) can also occur in this embodiment of the invention, which is pivotably mounted about the axis A and one end of which is connected to the pump 235 'and its part shown on the left is connected to the rear of the pumps 235. The lever 250 can also consist of two parallel plates arranged to the side of the pumps 235. The bearing in the axis A can take place on both sides of the housing 203 in this embodiment, so that an extremely stable arrangement results.

In the embodiment of the invention according to FIGS. 5 and 6, the axis of rotation A of the one-piece actuating lever 339 is arranged essentially point-symmetrically between the pumps 335 and 335 '. The three pumps are each offset by 90 ° around pivot point A. Spherical connecting elements 370 are fastened to the actuating lever 339 on a support 360 projecting laterally from the latter, said connecting elements engaging in appropriately designed dome-shaped recesses 380 on the rear sides of the pumps 335, 335 '. Instead of the spherical connections, other suitable connecting means can also be used.
The expansion tank 313 and the foamer 321 with the dispensing tube 326 are only shown schematically; they can have the same design as in FIGS. 1 to 4. The connecting lines 336 and 386 between pumps 335 and 335 'are only shown as simple lines for the sake of clarity.
FIG. 5 shows the two pumps 335 used to generate a pressure in the expansion tank 313 in the filled state; the pump 335 ', with which the amount of foam remaining in the dispensing tube 326 is blown out at the end of the dispensing process, is fully compressed before the start of the pivoting of the actuating lever 339 in the direction of arrow F. The operating lever 339 is in the starting position. In FIG. 6, the operating lever 339 has been turned forwards by the operator, ie in the counterclockwise direction.
The two pumps 335 responsible for the pressure build-up in the expansion tank 313 are now completely compressed and the pump 335 'used for blowing out is filled. When the lever 339 is released, it is rotated back by a spring (not shown), which can be arranged within the pumps 335, 335 'or otherwise act on the lever 339, the pump 335' is compressed and the remaining amount of soap foam is thereby expelled from the end of the donor tube 326 . The arcuate course of the spherical connecting elements 370 when the lever 339 is actuated has no influence on the action of the pumps 335 and 335 ', since the lateral offset during the pump stroke is either absorbed by the elasticity of the bellows-type pumps 335, 335' or - as in FIG 5 and 6 - the connecting elements 370 can slide laterally in the recesses 380. The embodiment of the actuating lever 339 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in turn has the advantage that the lever 339 consists of two plates arranged to the side of the pumps 335, 335 'and therefore the axis A can be fastened on both sides of the housing 303. The lever 339 can therefore easily be made of plastic and with a small wall thickness inexpensively.

Claims (15)

1. Method of producing foam, portion by portion, from liquid soap in a soap dispenser, wherein liquid soap and air are pressed into a foamer and mixed together to form foam, wherein the liquid soap is conducted from a storage container (107) into an equalising container, and a pump subsequently acts on the surface of the soap with air, and simultaneously, on the one hand, the soap is urged from below by an immersion tube, which protrudes into the soap, into the foamer, which communicates with the equalising container, and, on the other hand, a portion of the air above the soap also directly enters the soap, which is pressed into the foamer by the immersion tube (116), and the air is mixed there with the soap to form foam, wherein the soap (127) is initially conducted from the storage container (107) into the equalising container (113), characterised in that the equalising container (113) is situated beneath the storage container (107), in that, prior to being introduced into the foamer from below, the soap (127) is subsequently conducted from the equalising container (113) into a dosaging container (110), which is connected to the equalising container (113), the tube (116) which is disposed in said dosaging container (110) being connected to the foamer and dipping into the soap (127) in the dosaging container (110), and in that, in order to form foam with the pump (135), air is urged into the top chamber (145) above the soap (127) in the dosaging container (110).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that, after the formation of foam, soap (127) flows from the equalising container (113) into the dosaging container (110), which protrudes into the equalising container (113), and from the storage container (107) into the equalising container (113) by means of a valve (163), which is closed during the formation of foam.
3. Apparatus for producing foam, portion by portion, from liquid soap and air in a soap dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, having a storage container for liquid soap and a foamer for mixing soap with air, a pump for supplying air and soap to the foamer, and an equalising container, which is disposed between the storage container and the foamer, for receiving soap from the storage container, the foamer being connected to the equalising container, characterised in that a dosaging container (110), which protrudes into the equalising container (113), is inserted between the equalising container (113) and the foamer (121), an opening being provided at the lower end of said dosaging container for the introduction of soap (127) from the equalising container (113), and in that the top chamber (145) above the liquid soap (127) in the dosaging container (110) is connected to the pressure side of the pump (135).
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that a connection pipe (111), which protrudes from above into the equalising container (113), is mounted on the storage container (107), the size of the top chamber (145) in the equalising container (113) and the quantity of soap (127) being adjustable by the length of the dipping end of the connection pipe (111).
5. Apparatus according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterised in that the foamer (121) is mounted on the upper end of an immersion tube (116), in that the immersion tube (116) is open at its lower end and dips into the dosaging container (110), and in that the dosaging container (110), which is kept inserted in the equalising container (113), dips into the soap (127) situated therein.
6. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that a valve (163) is inserted in the opening at the lower end of the dosaging container (110).
7. Apparatus according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterised in that the dosaging container (110) comprises a tube (117), which is retained in a tubular recess (161) in the equalising container (113) by a resilient ring (165).
8. Apparatus according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterised in that the top chamber (145) above the soap (127) is connected to the pump (135) at the upper end of the tube (117) by a pipe (136) and by a first valve (146), which releases the supply of air into the top chamber (145).
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that the foamer (121) is at least partially surrounded by a housing (169), which housing (169) is open to the environment adjacent the outlet point for the foam (S) and is connected at its rear end to the pipe (136) and the pump (135) via a second valve (171), which permits air to be sucked into the pump (135).
10. Apparatus according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterised in that the valves (146, 171) are inserted in a collecting chamber (172), which is connected to the pipe (136).
11. Apparatus according to one of claims 3 to 10, characterised in that the pump (135, 235) is actuatable by an actuating lever (139, 239), which protrudes from the housing (103, 203), and air is urgeable into the top chamber of the dosaging container (110), and/or in that a second lever (141, 241), which co-opereates directly with the pump (135, 235), is connected to the actuating lever (139, 239) by means of a spring (144, 244).
12. Apparatus according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the first pump (135) or the two pumps (235, 335) are provided for actuation of the top chamber (145) in the dosaging container (110), and an additional pump (235', 335') is provided for blowing away foam residues and is connected to the foam dispenser tube (226, 326) by a pipe (281).
13. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterised in that the actuating lever (339) is pivotably mounted on a central pivotal axis (A) and is in direct active connection with the pumps (335) and (335').
14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterised in that the pumps (335, 335') are disposed in a substantially point-symmetrical manner around the pivotal axis (A) of the actuating lever (339).
15. Apparatus according to one of claims 13 or 14, characterised in that the actuating lever (339) has a plate-like configuration and is disposed laterally of the pumps (335, 335').

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