EP1744834B1 - Pump, dispenser and corresponding process for dispensing a liquid or viscous mass - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve sealing efficiency in a pump withdrawing liquid from a supply container (1) and to minimize the liquid residue in said container, the pump is designed to include a cylinder (5), a hollow plunger (6) configured within said cylinder, an external accessory pipe (7) configured at least partly within said plunger, and a feed pipe (8) configured at least partly within said external, accessory pipe, the internal feed pipe (8) being displaceable relative to the external accessory pipe (7) which in turn is displaceable relative to the hollow plunger (6).

Description

The present invention relates to a pump for removing liquid or pasty mass, in particular liquid soap, creams, disinfectants, foods, or other flowable substances from a reservoir, in particular a contractible storage container, and a corresponding dispensing apparatus and a corresponding method for removing liquid or pasty mass.

Such pumps or dispensing apparatus are known in a variety of configurations such as, for example US 4842495 , Thus, pumps for the removal of liquid soap are known, having a chamber-forming body, hereinafter referred to as a cylinder, two-way valves, also called check valves, and having a piston guided in the cylinder. These pumps usually contain at least some metal parts, such as metal balls for one-way valves and metal springs for preloading the one-way valves in the closed position. Using metal parts has the disadvantage that the pumps can not easily be ground in plastic mills for recycling because most plastic grinders can not tolerate metal parts. A prior separation of the plastic parts from the metal parts would mean a considerable effort.

Then pumps were developed, which are composed exclusively of plastic parts. So revealed the US 5,975,360 in Figures 4 and 5, a pump for the removal of liquid soap, which has a cylinder which is connected via a plastic flap valve in such a way with the reservoir that the liquid can indeed get out of the reservoir into the cylinder, but prevents backflow as possible shall be. In the cylinder, a longitudinally movable back and forth piston is arranged, which consists of an upwardly, ie in the direction of the check valve, closed application tube which spaced from each other at its upper end has two sealing elements whose respective diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the cylinder. Between the two sealing elements openings are provided transversely to the longitudinal direction in the application tube, which are connected to the central application channel of the application tube. The above the openings arranged sealing element is an elastic sealing lip, whereas the lower sealing element is a rigid plastic ring. When the piston is moved downwards from its upper end position, a negative pressure is created in the part of the cylinder above the piston which causes the non-return valve to open, thereby pumping liquid soap from the reservoir into the upper cylinder part. If the piston is then moved back upwards from its lower end position, an overpressure arises in the cylinder area above the piston, which causes the non-return valve to close. Ideally, since the soap in the upper cylinder area can not pass back into the reservoir through the valve, if the pressure builds up sufficiently, the soap pushes past the elastic sealing lip into the intermediate space between the two sealing elements and from there through the openings in the application tube, which finally releases the soap to the environment.

However, the known pump has the disadvantage that the non-return valve loses its sealing effect over time, for example due to dried soap residue in the region of the valve flap. Incidentally, it is a non-return valve made entirely of plastic to a relatively elastic component, which also adversely affects the sealing effect. As soon as the sealing action subsides somewhat and the liquid flow breaks off, ambient air flows into the reservoir. The result is that in the reservoir, it is usually a contraction-capable reservoir, no sufficient vacuum can be built. The vacuum is mandatory for optimal functioning of the check valves required. In addition, the container can not be optimally compressed, so that consequently the liquid soap can not be completely sucked out. Because the reservoir can not be optimally compressed with the known pump, a non-usable residual amount of 5 to 20% of the original content in the reservoir regularly remains.

But there are also developments of the pump described above, which completely dispense with a check valve. So revealed the US 5,975,360 in Figures 11 to 21, various embodiments of a pump, wherein the cylinder is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, wherein the two chambers have a different cross-section. Also in this case, the piston is formed from an application tube with circumferential sealing elements, but now three sealing elements are provided. The lower two sealing elements correspond to those of the previously described prior art, wherein openings are also present between these sealing elements in the application tube in order to connect the space between these two sealing elements with the application channel of the application tube. Both lower sealing elements, the fixed and the elastic, are in the lower chamber sealingly against the cylinder. Above these two sealing elements is another, also designed as an elastic sealing lip sealing element is provided which is sealingly disposed in the region of the upper chamber. Due to the different volumes of the chambers of the cylinder, when the piston is moved back and forth between the upper two elastic sealing lips, a negative pressure is created which causes soap from the reservoir past the upper sealing lip into the space between the two elastic sealing lips suppressed. If the piston is then moved in the opposite direction, then an overpressure between the two elastic sealing lips is created by the two chambers of different sizes, so that the soap, since the upper sealing lip prevents backflow in the direction of the vacuum by its shape, on the lower sealing lip past into the area between the lower two sealing lips. From there, the soap then passes through the opening and the application tube into the open air.

Although the previously described pump no longer has a check valve, it does have several elastic sealing elements. These sealing elements also have the disadvantage that they lose their sealing effect over time, especially when the product to be pumped in the Area of the sealing elements is dried, so that even here remain unused residues in the reservoir. The coarser-grained, moreover, the product to be pumped or its admixtures, the greater the remaining amount.

Based on the above-described prior art, the present invention seeks to provide a pump for removing liquid or pasty mass, in particular liquid soap, and a corresponding dispensing apparatus and a corresponding method, whereby an improved sealing effect can be achieved and what the remaining Residual amount in the reservoir is reducible.

According to the invention, the previously derived and indicated object is achieved by a pump for removing liquid or pasty mass, in particular liquid soap, from a reservoir, in particular a contractible supply container, comprising a cylinder, a hollow piston arranged inside the cylinder, at least partially within the hollow piston disposed outer auxiliary tube and disposed at least partially within the outer auxiliary tube inner application tube, wherein the inner application tube is movable relative to the outer auxiliary tube and cooperates with the outer auxiliary tube such that movement of the inner application tube causes movement of the outer auxiliary tube, wherein the outer auxiliary tube is movable relative to the hollow piston and cooperates with the hollow piston such that a movement of the outer auxiliary tube causes a movement of the hollow piston, wherein the hollow piston is movable relative to the cylinder, wherein at least one opening is provided in the cylinder, which can connect the space within the reservoir with the space inside the cylinder and which can be opened and closed by the hollow piston, wherein in the hollow piston an opening is provided which can be opened and closed by the inner application tube together with the outer auxiliary tube, wherein in the outer Auxiliary tube is provided an opening which can be opened and closed by the inner application tube, wherein at least one opening is provided in the inner application tube, which can be opened and closed by the outer auxiliary tube, such that liquid or pasty mass simultaneously from the cylinder through the inner application tube discharged into the environment and can be sucked from the reservoir into the cylinder.

In this case, all information on movements and positions such as above, below, etc. refer to the longitudinal direction of the pump, that is, the direction in which the liquid or pasty medium to be removed - hereinafter referred to as liquid for simplicity - from the cylinder through the Application tube into the environment, ie the area outside the dispensing apparatus, passes.

For the first time, the pump according to the invention is completely without a check valve and elastic sealing lips, and thus dispenses with the parts which, in the prior art, adversely affect the sealing effect and thus the build-up of the vacuum in the reservoir. In addition, this pump differs from the prior art in that simultaneously with the discharge of the liquid from the cylinder to the environment new liquid from the reservoir is sucked into the cylinder, so according to the invention a self-suction is realized. The present invention enables optimal evacuation of the Reservoirs and a reduction of the remaining remaining amount of liquid.

Advantageously, the one cylinder is provided with a circumferential side wall, an upper end wall and a bottom.

Advantageously, the hollow piston, which is arranged within the cylinder, provided with a circumferential side wall, an upper end wall and a bottom.

Advantageously, the outer auxiliary tube, which is at least partially disposed within the hollow piston, provided with a circumferential tube wall, an upper, open end and a lower, open end.

Advantageously, the inner application tube, which is at least partially disposed within the outer auxiliary tube, provided with a circumferential tube wall, an upper, closed end and a lower, open end, wherein at least one opening is arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction in the upper part of the tube wall.

According to a preferred embodiment, the cylinder is divided into an upper and a lower chamber, wherein the upper chamber as the space between the upper end wall of the cylinder and the upper end wall of the hollow piston and the lower chamber as the space between the upper end wall of the hollow piston and the Bottom of the cylinder is defined, wherein the cylinder has an opening in the bottom, through which the outer auxiliary tube from the environment into the interior of the cylinder, and one or more Having openings in a region which is covered on the inside of the hollow piston.

According to a further embodiment, the hollow piston is movably mounted in the cylinder and the side wall of the hollow piston in sealing, sliding connection with the side wall of the cylinder, wherein the hollow piston is movable between a lower end position in which the openings in the cylinder in the inside of the hollow piston coverable area are sealingly covered, and an upper end position in which the openings in the cylinder in the inside of the hollow piston can be covered over area, wherein the hollow piston has at least one opening in the bottom and an opening in the upper end wall.

According to yet a preferred embodiment, the outer auxiliary tube is movably supported in the opening in the bottom of the cylinder and the tube wall of the outer auxiliary tube in sealing, sliding connection with the opening in the bottom of the cylinder, wherein the outer auxiliary tube is movable between a lower end position, in the the upper end of the outer auxiliary tube being spaced from the upper end wall of the hollow piston, and an upper end position sealingly closing the upper end of the outer auxiliary tube with the upper end wall of the hollow piston defining an intermediate position between the lower end position and the upper end position; in which the upper end of the outer auxiliary tube sealingly closes with the upper end wall of the hollow piston when the hollow piston is in the lower end position, and spaced from the upper end wall of the hollow piston, when the hollow piston is in the upper end position, wherein a protruding element on the outer H ilfsrohr is provided, which cooperates with a part of the hollow piston.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the inner application tube is movably mounted in the outer auxiliary tube and the tube wall of the inner application tube in sealing, sliding connection with the tube wall of the outer auxiliary tube, wherein the inner application tube is movable relative to the outer auxiliary tube between a closed position in which Opening in the tube wall of the inner application tube is sealingly covered by the upper end of the tube wall of the outer auxiliary tube, and an open position in which the opening in the tube wall of the inner application tube is free, wherein the diameter of the upper end of the inner application tube is smaller than that Diameter of the opening in the upper end wall of the hollow piston and wherein a projecting element is provided on the inner application tube, which cooperates with a part of the outer auxiliary tube.

According to a further preferred embodiment, a receiving disc for connection to the movable part of a dispensing apparatus is provided, which is connected to the inner application tube and is disposed so far below the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube that between the upper end of the receiving disc and the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube, a distance is provided when the inner application tube is in the closed position, and the upper end of the receiving disc and the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube touch each other when the inner application tube is in the open position.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the pump according to the invention, the bottom of the cylinder is part of an insert, which can seal the reservoir against the environment sealing. In addition, it can be provided that the openings in the cylinder in the region which can be covered on the inside by the hollow piston, are arranged in the side wall of the cylinder. Preferably, these openings are near the floor.

It may be provided according to a further advantageous embodiment that the hollow piston touches the bottom of the cylinder in its lower end position. Thereby, in conjunction with the protruding element on the outer auxiliary tube, which cooperates with a part of the hollow piston, defines the lower end position of the outer auxiliary tube, since the hollow piston undergoes a stop on the cylinder bottom. In addition, it can be provided that the diameter of the opening in the bottom of the hollow piston is equal to the inner diameter of the hollow piston. In this way, the bottom is formed solely by the lower edge of the side wall of the hollow piston, which brings a saving of material with it.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the projecting element on the outer auxiliary tube may be an at least partially circumferential fold or a projection. The same applies to the inner application tube. Again, a circumferential fold or a projection may be provided as a projecting element. The cooperating with the projecting element part of the hollow piston may be a stop means, in particular connected to the side wall of the hollow piston is. However, the cooperating with the projecting element part of the hollow piston may also be the upper end wall or the bottom of the hollow piston. In any case, it must be guaranteed that the protruding element of the outer auxiliary tube causes the hollow piston can be moved both up and down. Accordingly, it must also be ensured that the projecting element of the inner application tube cooperates with the outer auxiliary tube such that the outer auxiliary tube is also moved downward by a downward movement of the inner application tube.

Advantageously, the stop means, which represents the cooperating with the protruding element on the outer auxiliary tube part of the hollow piston, one or more webs or a ring with passages, wherein the passages connect the area above the stop means with the area below the stop means. In this way, at any time, especially when in a downward movement, the projecting element rests on the stop means, a connection and thus an exchange of liquid between the lower and upper cylinder chamber guaranteed.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment of the pump according to the invention it is provided that the receiving disc has a device with which the distance between the upper end of the receiving disc and the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube is changeable when the inner application tube is in the closed position, ie in the case where the distance between the pickup disk and the auxiliary pipe is maximum. This has the Advantage that the inner stroke and thus the discharge amount is adjustable, regardless of the external stroke of the moving part of the dispensing apparatus, which always remains the same. The smaller the maximum distance between the upper end of the receiving disk and the lower end of the outer auxiliary pipe is adjusted, the further the outer auxiliary pipe pushes the hollow piston upwards and the more liquid is forced out of the upper cylinder chamber through the application pipe.

The spacing adjusting means may form an upper part of the receiving disk and be movably connected to a lower part of the receiving disk or to the inner application pipe such that the distance between the lower part of the receiving disk and the upper part of the receiving disk is changeable. Thus, when the upper part is moved towards the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube when the lower part of the receiving disc is stationary, the distance between the upper end of the receiving plate and the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube is also reduced.

A particularly simple operation of this adjusting device can be achieved in that the upper part of the receiving disk is connected to the lower part of the receiving disk or with the inner application pipe by a thread, such that a rotation of the upper part relative to the lower part of the receiving disk or a rotation of the upper part of the receiving disc relative to the inner application tube leads to a change in the distance between the lower part and the upper part of the receiving disc.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment of the pump according to the invention, at least one return spring is provided, which acts directly or indirectly on the inner application tube. It is also conceivable that several return springs act directly and / or indirectly on the inner application tube. According to the prior art, in order to complete a pumping operation and to return the pump to its rest position, a dispensing apparatus with its own return spring was previously required. Is now at least one return spring integrated into the pump or this forms a structural unit with the pump, it is possible that even without the use of a dispensing apparatus, the openings in the side wall of the cylinder are automatically closed after a pumping or automatically closed in the idle state of the pump remain, namely by the pump's own return spring acts on the inner application tube and an overlap of the openings through the side wall of the hollow piston, with which the inner application tube via the outer auxiliary tube is in operative connection, forced.

Such a structural unit is particularly suitable as a closure of a reservoir for liquid or pasty mass. If a pump provided with a return spring is placed in or onto the opening of a reservoir, for example screwed or welded to the reservoir, the reservoir can also be used or stored independently of a dispensing apparatus.

If the pump and / or the reservoir is provided with a simple fastening device such as a retaining groove, instead of a complexly constructed dispensing apparatus, it is relatively easy to construct and correspondingly inexpensive wall brackets or the like can be used to store the reservoir. Such a unit of pump and reservoir is particularly suitable as food packaging, for example for mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard or the like.

• Im Ruhezustand sind die Öffnungen, die den Zylinderinnenraum mit dem Reservoir verbinden, durch den Hohlkolben innenseitig abdichtend überdeckt, so dass zwischen Reservoir und Zylinder kein Flüssigkeitsaustausch möglich ist. Gleichzeitig befindet sich das innere Applikationsrohr in seiner geschlossenen Lage, so dass der Durchgang vom Zylinderinnenraum durch das Applikationsrohr in die Umgebung geschlossen ist.
• Sobald nun der Benutzer den beweglichen Teil des Spendeapparates bedient, verlagert sich die Aufnahmescheibe und damit das innere Applikationsrohr solange nach oben, bis das obere Ende der Aufnahmescheibe an das untere Ende des äußeren Hilfsrohrs stößt. Dadurch hat sich das innere Applikationsrohr in seine geöffnete Lage begeben, wodurch der Durchgang zwischen Zylinder und Umgebung frei geworden ist.
• Wird das bewegliche Teil des Spendeapparates weiter nach oben bewegt, so wird dadurch auch das äußere Hilfsrohr aus seiner untere Endposition nach oben bewegt, da die Aufnahmescheibe die Bewegung des beweglichen Teils des Spendeapparates auf das äußere Hilfsrohr überträgt. Das äußere Hilfsrohr wird zunächst in eine Zwischenposition zwischen unterer Endposition und oberer Endposition bewegt, in der sein oberes Ende mit der oberen Stirnwand des Hohlkolbens abdichtend abschließt. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt ist dann die obere Zylinderkammer von der unteren Zylinderkammer derart getrennt, dass keine Flüssigkeit von der oberen in die untere Kammer gelangen kann.
• Wird der bewegliche Teil des Spendeapparates noch weiter nach oben bewegt, so drückt ein vorspringendes Element am äußeren Hilfsrohr, welches mit einem Teil des Hohlkolbens zusammenwirkt, den Hohlkolben von seiner unteren in seine obere Endposition. Dadurch wird das Volumen der oberen Kammer des Zylinders verringert, wodurch sich der Druck der Flüssigkeit erhöht. Dies führt dazu, dass die Flüssigkeit durch das nach wie vor in der geöffneten Lage befindliche Applikationsrohr ausströmt. Gleichzeitig werden die bisher vom Hohlkolben überdeckten Öffnungen, die den Zylinder mit dem Reservoir verbinden, freigegeben und das Volumen in der unteren Zylinderkammer vergrößert. Es entsteht ein Unterdruck in der unteren Kammer, der ein Ansaugen von Flüssigkeit aus dem Reservoir in die untere Kammer bewirkt. Es wird also gleichzeitig Flüssigkeit in den Zylinder gesaugt und aus dem Zylinder in die Umgebung abgegeben.
• Sobald nun der Benutzer den Spendeapparat los läßt und damit das bewegliche Teil des Spendeapparates dazu veranlasst, sich nach unten zu bewegen, wird zunächst das innere Applikationsrohr in seine geschlossene Lage gebracht. Bei weiterem Herunterbewegen des beweglichen Teils des Spendeapparates und damit des inneren Applikationsrohrs wird auch das äußere Hilfsrohr dazu veranlasst, sich von seiner oberen Endposition in seine untere Endposition zu bewegen. Während sich das äußere Hilfsrohr in die untere Endposition zurückbewegt, bewirkt dieses durch ein vorspringendes Element, welches mit dem Hohlkolben zusammenwirkt, dass auch der Hohlkolben in seine untere Endposition zurückgeführt wird. Da die Öffnung in der oberen Stirnwand des Hohlkolbens durch das Rückführen des äußeren Hilfsrohrs geöffnet wird und der Hohlkolben, sobald er in seiner unteren Endposition ist, die Öffnungen in dem Zylinder zum Reservoir hin wieder verschließt, kann sich die in der unteren Zylinderkammer befindliche Flüssigkeit gleichmäßig im Zylinder verteilen. Ein Zurückströmen in das Reservoir ist nicht möglich.
• Der zuvor beschriebene Ablauf wird dadurch optimiert, dass die Reibkräfte zwischen den einzelnen Bauteilen der Pumpe derart gewählt sind, dass eine Übertragung der Bewegung eines Bauteils auf das jeweils andere Bauteil nicht durch Reibkräfte bewirkt wird. So kann das innere Applikationsrohr von seiner geschlossenen Lage in seine geöffnete Lage bewegt werden, ohne dass sich dabei zwingend das äußere Hilfsrohr mitbewegt. Entsprechendes gilt auch für die gleitende Verbindung zwischen äußerem Hilfsrohr und Hohlkolben.

The operation of the pump in conjunction with a corresponding reservoir and a corresponding dispensing apparatus is the following:

• In the idle state, the openings which connect the cylinder interior with the reservoir are sealed by the hollow piston on the inside, so that no fluid exchange between the reservoir and the cylinder is possible. At the same time, the inner application tube is in its closed position, so that the passage from the cylinder interior through the application tube into the environment is closed.
• Now, as soon as the user operates the moving part of the dispensing apparatus, the receiving disc and thus the inner application tube moves upward until the upper end of the receiving disc abuts the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube. As a result, the inner application tube has moved to its open position, whereby the passage between the cylinder and the environment has become free.
• If the movable part of the dispensing apparatus continues to move upwards, it also causes the outer auxiliary tube to be moved upwards from its lower end position, since the receiving disk controls the movement of the dispenser movable part of the dispensing apparatus transmits to the outer auxiliary tube. The outer auxiliary tube is first moved to an intermediate position between the lower end position and the upper end position, in which its upper end sealingly seals with the upper end wall of the hollow piston. At this time, the upper cylinder chamber is separated from the lower cylinder chamber so that no liquid can pass from the upper to the lower chamber.
• If the movable part of the dispensing apparatus is moved further upwards, a projecting element on the outer auxiliary tube, which cooperates with a part of the hollow piston, pushes the hollow piston from its lower end into its upper end position. This reduces the volume of the upper chamber of the cylinder, which increases the pressure of the liquid. As a result, the liquid flows out through the application tube, which is still in the open position. At the same time, the previously covered by the hollow piston openings that connect the cylinder to the reservoir, released and increases the volume in the lower cylinder chamber. The result is a negative pressure in the lower chamber, which causes a suction of liquid from the reservoir into the lower chamber. So it is simultaneously sucked liquid into the cylinder and discharged from the cylinder into the environment.
• As soon as the user lets go of the dispensing apparatus and thus causes the movable part of the dispensing apparatus to move downwards, first the inner application tube is in his closed position. Upon further downward movement of the movable part of the dispensing apparatus and thus of the inner application tube and the outer auxiliary tube is caused to move from its upper end position to its lower end position. While the outer auxiliary tube moves back into the lower end position, this causes by a projecting element, which cooperates with the hollow piston, that also the hollow piston is returned to its lower end position. Since the opening in the upper end wall of the hollow piston is opened by the return of the outer auxiliary tube and the hollow piston, once it is in its lower end position again closes the openings in the cylinder to the reservoir, the liquid in the lower cylinder chamber can be uniform distribute in the cylinder. A backflow into the reservoir is not possible.
• The procedure described above is optimized in that the frictional forces between the individual components of the pump are chosen such that a transmission of the movement of a component to the respective other component is not caused by frictional forces. Thus, the inner application tube can be moved from its closed position to its open position without necessarily moving the outer auxiliary tube. The same applies to the sliding connection between the outer auxiliary tube and hollow piston.

The object is also achieved by a dispensing apparatus for removing liquid, in particular liquid soap, with a pump, as described above.

Finally, the object is also achieved by a method for removing liquid or pasty mass, in particular liquid soap, by means of a pump having the features of patent claim 23.

Fig. 1a) und b)

einen Spendeapparat zur Entnahme von Flüssigseife mit einer Pumpe gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 2a) bis f)

eine schematische Darstellung eines Pumpvorgangs bei dem Spendeapparat von Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

einen Spendeapparat zur Entnahme von Flüssigseife mit einer Pumpe gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung; und

Fig. 4a) und b)

einen Spendeapparat zur Entnahme von Flüssigseife mit einer Pumpe gemäß einem dritten und vierten Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung.

There are now a variety of ways to design and further develop the pump according to the invention, the dispensing apparatus and the method. For this purpose, for example, referenced on the one hand to the claims subordinate to claim 1, on the other hand to the description of an embodiment in conjunction with the drawing. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1a) and b)

a dispenser for dispensing liquid soap with a pump according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2a) to f)

a schematic representation of a pumping operation in the dispensing apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

a dispenser for dispensing liquid soap with a pump according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 4a) and b)

a dispenser for dispensing liquid soap with a pump according to a third and fourth embodiment of the present invention.

The dispensing apparatus shown in Fig. 1a) is equipped with a reservoir 1 in the form of a contractible storage bottle, which is mounted on a fixed receptacle 2 of the dispensing apparatus. On the open end of the reservoir 1, a union nut 3 is screwed, which clamps an insert 4 in the opening of the reservoir 1 sealingly. The middle part of the insert 4 forms the bottom of a cylinder 5, which is arranged in the interior of the reservoir 1.

Within the cylinder 5, which consists of a circumferential side wall, an upper end wall and said bottom, a hollow piston 6 is arranged with a circumferential side wall, an upper end wall and a bottom. The cylinder 5 is subdivided into an upper chamber 5 'and a lower chamber 5 ".A central opening 6a is located in the upper end wall of the hollow piston 6. Within the hollow piston 6, in turn, the upper part of an outer auxiliary pipe 7 is arranged The upper end of the outer auxiliary tube 7 has an opening 7a Finally, inside the outer auxiliary tube 7, the upper part of an inner application tube 8 is arranged, which has a circumferential tube wall, an upper, closed end and a lower, open end, wherein in the upper part of the tube wall of the inner application tube 8, a plurality of openings 8a are provided transversely to the longitudinal direction, which are covered in the illustrated case by the outer auxiliary tube 7. Also, the cylinder has openings 5a in its side wall, which are arranged near the ground and are covered by the side wall of the hollow piston 6 in the illustrated case.

The lower part of the application tube 8, which protrudes from the outer auxiliary tube 7, is connected to a receiving disc 9, which in turn is connected via retaining clips 10 with a movable part 11 of the dispensing apparatus. In the illustrated case, the receiving disc 9 is formed such that between its upper end and the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube 7, a distance 12 remains, which defines an inner stroke.

The lower end of the inner application tube 8 is freely connected to the environment.

In the illustrated case, the outer auxiliary tube 7 supports a projection 13 at its upper end, which is an integral part of the hollow piston 6. This arrangement is shown schematically in Fig. 1b) from above. On the basis of this illustration, it can be seen that the stop means 13 has four webs 14 on which the projection of the outer auxiliary tube 7 rests, on which in turn a protruding element, likewise in the form of a projection at the upper end, of the inner application tube 8 is supported.

The mode of operation will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 2a) to f).

Fig. 2a) shows the rest state, in which the openings 5a are sealingly covered by the hollow piston 6, so that between the reservoir 1, which is not shown here, and the interior of the cylinder 5 no Fluid exchange is possible. At the same time, the inner application tube 8 is in its closed position, so that the openings 8a, which represent the passage from the cylinder 5 to the application tube 8, are closed. So it is also no liquid discharge into the environment possible.

Fig. 2b) shows the state in which now the user operates the movable part 11 of the dispensing apparatus. As soon as this happens, the receiving disc 9 and consequently the associated application tube 8 moves upward until the upper end of the receiving disc 9 abuts against the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube 7. As a result, the inner application tube 8 has moved to its open position in which the openings 8a are free and a passage between the cylinder 5 and the environment is formed.

In Fig. 2c), the movable part 11 of the dispensing apparatus was further moved upward, so that the outer auxiliary tube 7 was moved from its lower end position upwards, since the receiving disk 9, the movement of the movable part 11 of the dispensing apparatus on the outer auxiliary tube transfers. The outer auxiliary tube 7 is located in the illustrated case in an intermediate position between the lower end position and the upper end position in which its upper end sealingly seals with the upper end wall of the hollow piston 6. At this time, therefore, the upper cylinder chamber 5 'is separated from the lower cylinder chamber 5 "such that no liquid can pass from the upper to the lower chamber.

Now, if the movable part 11 of the dispensing apparatus, as shown in Fig. 2d), even further moved upward, so presses a projection on the outer auxiliary tube 7, which cooperates with the upper end wall of the hollow piston 6, the hollow piston 6 from its lower in his upper end position. As a result, the volume of the upper chamber 5 'of the cylinder 5 is reduced, whereby the pressure of the liquid increases. As a result, the liquid flows out through the application tube 8, which is still in the open position. At the same time, the openings 5a are no longer covered by the hollow piston 6, so that liquid is sucked from the reservoir 1 into the enlarged volume of the lower cylinder chamber 5 "by the negative pressure formed there, so that liquid is simultaneously sucked into the cylinder 5 and out of the cylinder 5 delivered to the environment.

FIGS. 2e), f) and a) now show the sequence as soon as the user releases the dispensing apparatus.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 2e), first, the movable part 11 of the dispensing apparatus moves down, which is achieved for example by a return spring, not shown, which acts directly or indirectly on the movable part 11 of the dispensing apparatus. Also, the inner application tube 8, since it is connected via the receiving disk 9 and the brackets 10 with the movable part 11, moved downward. At this time, the upper chamber 5 'and the lower chamber 5 "of the cylinder 5 are still separated from each other.

Fig. 2f) shows that further down moving the movable part 11 of the dispensing apparatus and thus the inner application tube 8 and the outer auxiliary tube 7 is caused to move from its upper end position to its lower end position, wherein in Fig. 2f) the intermediate position and in Fig. 2a), the lower end position is shown. This is effected by providing a projection at the upper end of the application tube 8, which cooperates with a stop means, a chamfered phase, at the upper end of the outer auxiliary tube. The protruding element on the outer auxiliary tube 7, which has already caused according to the figures 2c) and d) the hollow piston 6 to move upwards, now causes, as can be seen from the comparison of Fig. 2f) and Fig. 2a) in that the hollow piston 6 is returned to its lower end position. This happens because the hollow piston 6 comprises a stop means 13 which cooperates with the projecting element of the outer auxiliary tube 7 and transmits the movement of the outer auxiliary tube to the remaining hollow body 6. Since the opening 6a in the upper end wall of the hollow piston 6 is opened by the return of the outer auxiliary tube 7 and the hollow piston 6, once it is in its lower position, the openings 5a in the cylinder 5 to the reservoir 1 closes again, the in the lower cylinder chamber 5 "distributed liquid evenly throughout the cylinder 5. A backflow into the reservoir 1 is not possible.

Finally, Fig. 3 shows a dispensing apparatus and a pump according to the principle as described above, with the difference that the receiving disk 9 is divided into an upper part 9a and a lower part 9b. The upper part 9a forms a device with which the distance 12 between the upper end of the Receptacle 9 and the lower end of the outer auxiliary tube 7 is changeable when the inner application tube 8 is in the closed position, ie in the case in which the distance 12 between the receiving plate 9 and auxiliary tube 7 is maximum.

The upper part 9a is threadedly connected to the lower part 9b, so that the upper part 9a can be turned relative to the lower part 9b. If the part 9a is turned upwards relative to the part 9b, the distance 12 is reduced. This has the advantage that the inner stroke and thus the delivery quantity of liquid soap can be adjusted. The smaller the maximum distance 12 between the upper end of the receiving disk 9 and the lower end of the outer auxiliary pipe 7 is adjusted, the farther the outer auxiliary pipe 7 pushes the hollow piston 6 upwards and the more liquid is passed out of the upper cylinder chamber 5 ' the application tube 8 pushed out.

Finally, FIG. 4 shows two further exemplary embodiments of a pump according to the invention, which comprise as a special feature a return spring 15 or 16 integrated into the pump. With regard to the rest of the structure of the pump and the dispensing apparatus, reference is made to the preceding description of Figures 1 to 3.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 4 a), a return spring 15 is provided, which is arranged around the outer auxiliary tube 7 and is supported on one side on the outside of the insert 4 and on the other side on the receiving plate 9. Since the receiving disk 9, which is firmly connected to the inner application tube 8 is, relative to the insert 4 is movable, which is fixedly connected to the cylinder 5, the return spring 15 acts in this case indirectly on the inner application tube 8 a. The return spring 15 allows the movement to take place automatically starting from the state shown in FIG. 2d) up to the state shown in FIG. 2a). In this movement, the openings 5a are closed in the side wall of the cylinder 5 after a pumping operation by the pump's own return spring 15 acts indirectly on the inner application tube 8 and an overlap of the openings 5a through the side wall of the hollow piston 6, with the inner application tube 8 via the outer auxiliary tube 7 is in operative connection, forced.

The principle described above is also the basis of the embodiment of FIG. 4b), in which a return spring 16 is provided, which is arranged in the interior of the cylinder 5 and to one side on the inside of the cylinder 5 and the other side at the inner Application tube 8 is supported. In this case, the return spring 16 acts directly on the inner application tube 8 and also allows the movement to take place automatically, starting from the state shown in FIG. 2d) up to the state shown in FIG. 2a).

Claims (24)

1. A pump for withdrawing a liquid or a pasty substance, in particular liquid soap, from a contractible supply container (1)especially a contractible container, comprising a cylinder (5), a hollow plunger (6) configured within the cylinder (5), an external accessory pipe (7) configured at least partly within the hollow plunger (6) and an internal feed pipe (8) configured at least partly inside the external accessory pipe (6), said internal feed pipe (8) being displaceable relative to the external accessory pipe (7) with which it cooperates in a manner that a displacement of internal feed pipe (8) constrains a displacement of the external accessory pipe (7), the external accessory pipe (7) being displaceable relative to the hollow plunger (6) and cooperating with it in a manner that a displacement of the of the external accessory pipe (7) constrains a displacement of the hollow plunger (6), the hollow plunger (6) being displaceable relative to the cylinder (5) that is fitted with at least one aperture (5a) through which communication may be established between the space of the supply container (1) and the space inside the cylinder (5) and which can be opened and closed by the hollow plunger (6), this hollow plunger (6) being fitted with an aperture (6a) which can be opened and closed jointly by the inner feed pipe (8) and the external accessory pipe (7), this external accessory pipe (7) being fitted with an aperture (7a) that can be opened and closed by the internal feed pipe (8), at least one aperture (8a) being present in the internal feed pipe (8) and being opened and closed by the external accessory pipe (7) in a manner that the liquid or pasty substance can be released through the internal feed pipe (8) into the ambience and simultaneously can be aspirated from the supply container (1) into the cylinder (5).
2. Pump as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the cylinder (5) is fitted with a circumferential side wall, an upper front wall and a base.
3. Pump as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hollow plunger (6) configured within the cylinder (5) is fitted with a circumferential side wall, an upper front wall and a base.
4. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the external accessory pipe (7) configured at least partly inside the hollow plunger (6) comprises a circumferential pipe wall, an upper, open end and a lower open end.
5. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the internal feed pipe (8) configured at least partly within the external accessory pipe (7) comprises a circumferential pipe wall, an upper closed end and a lower open end, the aperture (8a) being configured in the upper portion of the pipe wall transversely to the longitudinal direction.
6. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cylinder (5) is sub-divided into an upper chamber (5') and a lower chamber (5"), the upper chamber (5') being defined as the space between the upper front wall of the cylinder (5) and the upper front wall of the hollow plunger (6), and the lower chamber (5") being defined as the space between the upper front wall of the hollow plunger (6) and the base of the cylinder (5), the cylinder (5) being fitted with an aperture in the base crossed by the external accessory pipe (7) between the ambience and the inside of the cylinder (5) and with one or more apertures (5a) situated in a zone that can be covered internally by the hollow plunger (6).
7. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the hollow plunger (6) is displaceably supported in the cylinder (5) and in that the side wall of the hollow plunger (6) adjoins in sealing, sliding manner the sidewall of the cylinder (5), the hollow plunger (6) being displaceable between a lower end position wherein the apertures (5a) are covered in sealing manner in the zone which internally can be covered by the hollow plunger (6) and an upper end position wherein the apertures (5a) in the cylinder (5) are open in the region which can be internally covered by the hollow plunger (6), the said hollow plunger comprising at least one aperture in the base and one aperture (6a) in the upper front wall.
8. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the external accessory pipe (7) is displaceably supported in the cylinder base and the pipe wall of the external accessory pipe (7) is connected in sealing and sliding manner to the aperture in the base of the cylinder (5), the external accessory pipe (7) being displaceable between a lower end position wherein the upper end of the external accessory pipe (7) is configured at a gap from the upper front wall of the hollow plunger (6), and a lower end position wherein the upper end of the external, accessory pipe (7) is sealed off by the upper front wall of the hoüow plunger (6), an intermediate position between the lower end position and the upper end position being defined by the upper end of the external accessory pipe (7) being sealed off by the upper front wall of the hollow plunger when latter is in the lower end position and at a gap from the upper front wail of the hollow plunger when latter is in the upper end position, the external accessory pipe (7) being fitted with a protrusion cooperating with a portion of the hollow plunger (6).
9. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the internal feed pipe (8) is displaceably supported in the external accessory pipe (7) and that the pipe wall of the internal feed pipe (8) is connected in sealing and sliding manner with the pipe wall of the external accessory pipe (7), the internal feed pipe (8) being displaceable, relative to the external accessory pipe (7), between a closed position, wherein the aperture (8a) in the pipe wall of the internal feed pipe (8) is covered in sealing manner by the upper end of the pipe wall of the external accessory pipe (7), and an open position, wherein the aperture (8a) in the pipe wall of the internal pipe feed (8) is free, the diameter of the upper end of the internal feed pipe (8) being less than the diameter of the aperture (6a) in the upper front wall of the hollow plunger (6), the internal feed pipe (8) being fitted with a protrusion that cooperates with a portion of the external accessory pipe (7).
10. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by comprising a receiving disk (9) connected to the displaceable dispenser element (11) and to the internal feed pipe (8) and configured so far underneath the lower end of the external accessory pipe (7) as to subtend a gap (12) between the upper end of the receiving disk (9) and the lower end of the external, accessory pipe (7) when the internal feed pipe (8) is in the closed position, the upper end of the receiving disk (9) and the lower end of the external accessory pipe (7) touching each other when the internal feed pipe (8) is in its open position.
11. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the base of the cylinder (5) is a component of an insert (4) able to seal off the supply container (1) from the ambience.
12. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the apertures (5a) in the cylinder (5) are configured in that region in the side wall of the said cylinder (5) and preferably near the base which can be internally covered by the hollow plunger (6).
13. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that in its lower end position, the hollow plunger (6) touches the base of the cylinder (5).
14. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the diameter of the aperture in the base of the hollow plunger (6) is equal to the inside diameter of the hollow plunger (6).
15. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the protrusion at the external accessory pipe (7) and/or at the internal feed pipe (8) is at least an arcuate collar or a flange.
16. Pump as claimed in at least one of claims 1 through 15, characterized in that the portion of the hollow plunger (6) cooperating with the said protrusion is a stop (13) which in particular is connected to the side wall of the hollow plunger (6).
17. Pump as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the stop (13) comprises one or several strips/braces (14) or an annulus fitted with passages which connect the region above the stop (13) to the region below the stop (13).
18. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 through 15, characterized in that the portion of the hollow plunger (6) cooperating with said protrusion is constituted by the upper front wall or the base.
19. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the receiving disk (9) is fitted with a device adjusting the gap (12) between the upper end of said receiving disk and the lower end of the external accessory pipe (7) when the feed pipe (8) is in its closed position.
20. Pump as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that said device constitutes an upper part (9a) of the receiving disk (9) and is dispiaceably connected to a lower part (9b) of said receiving disk (9) or to the internal feed pipe (8) in a manner that the gap (12) between the lower part (9b) of the receiving disk (9) and the upper part (9a) of said receiving disk (9) is variable.
21. Pump as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that the upper part (9a) of the receiving disk (9) is connected by a thread to the lower part (9b) of said receiving disk (9) or to the internal feed pipe (8) in a manner that rotating the upper part (9a) relative to the lower part (9b) of the receiving disk (9) or relative to the feed pipe (8) constrains a change in the gap (12) between the lower part (9b) and the upper part (9a) of said receiving disk (9).
22. Pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 21, characterized by at least one restoring spring (15, 16) acting directly or indirectly on the internal feed pipe (8).
23. A dispenser removing a liquid or a pasty substance, in particular liquid soap, comprising a pump as claimed in one of claims 1 through 22.
24. A method to remove a liquid or a pasty substance, in particular liquid soap, using a pump, in particular a pump as claimed in one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the pump comprises a cylinder, a hollow plunger configured within said cylinder, an external accessory pipe configured at least partly within said hollow plunger and an internal feed pipe configured at least partly within said external accessory pipe, the internal feed pipe being displaced relative to the external accessory pipe and the internal feed pipe's displacement constraining a displacement of the external accessory pipe, the external accessory pipe being displaced relative to the hollow plunger and the external accessory pipe's displacement constraining a displacement of the hollow plunger, the hollow plunger being displaced relative to said cylinder, the hollow plunger's displacement opening and closing as needed an aperture which is present in the cylinder and which can connect the space within a supply container to the space within the cylinder, the internal feed pipe's displacement jointly with the external accessory pipe opening and closing an aperture in the hollow plunger, the internal feed pipe's displacement opening and closing an aperture in the external accessory pipe, the external accessory pipe's displacement opening and closing at least one aperture fitted in the external accessory pipe in a manner that the liquid or pasty substance is fed from the cylinder through the internal feed pipe into the ambience and is simultaneously aspirated from the supply container into said cylinder.

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