GB2166650A

GB2166650A - Fluid dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2166650A
Application number: GB08527983A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Mclaughlin; Trevor Nicholson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-11-13
Filing date: 1985-11-13
Publication date: 1986-05-14
Also published as: GB8527983D0; GB8428625D0; GB2166650B

Abstract

A liquid injection device for use in injecting a controlled amount of liquid 27 into a stream of a second liquid comprises a valve body 5 having first and second passages 8, 9, a valve member 14 mounted in the valve body 5 and having a supply passage 17 with an upstream end 20 in communication with the interior 19 of a reservoir 16 for the first liquid 27 provided with a relief vent, and a closure member. The valve member 14 is movable between a first position for dispensing of said first liquid 27 and a second position in which first liquid 27 is not dispensed and only second liquid is passed at an increased rate, said valve member 14 with its passages 8, 9 and closure member being arranged so that in said first position the supply passage 17 is in communication with said first valve passage 8 so as to produce a Venturi suction effect in the supply passage 17, and the second valve 9 passage is closed. In the second position of the valve member 14 the supply passage 17 is isolated from the first valve passage 5 and the second valve passage 9 is open. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fluid dispenser The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser and in particular to a device for selectively injecting a first liquid into a stream of a second liquid.

The use of a shampoo or liquid soap in a shower can be fraught with various difficulties including dropping of the container, spillage and wastage of the contents, and so on. It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimize one or more of these problems and to provide a device suitable for injection of one liquid into another in a convenient and controlled manner.

The present invention provides a liquid injection device suitable for use in injecting a controlled amount of a first liquid into a stream of a second liquid which device comprises a valve body having upstream and downstream ends, first and second passages extending from said upstream to said downstream end, a valve member means mounted in said valve body and having a supply passage with an upstream end in communication with the interior of a reservoir for said first liquid provided with a relief vent, and a closure member, said valve member means being movable between a first position for dispensing of said first liquid and a second position in which first liquid is not dispensed, in use, and only second liquid is passed at an increased rate, said valve member means with its passages and closure member being formed and arranged so that in said first position said supply passage means downstream end is in communication with said first valve passage so as to produce, in use of the device, a Venturi suction effect in supply passage downstream end, and said second valve passage is closed whilst in said second position said supply passage is isolated from said first valve passage and said second valve passage is open whereby in use of the device in said second position of the valve member a larger flow of the second liquid is passed whilst in said first position a reduced flow of the second liquid is passed with first liquid being injected thereinto.

With a device of the present invention it is possible to dispense a first liquid such as a shampoo by injection and entrainment thereof in a second liquid such as water as required and in a controlled manner without the need for handling of a loose container of the first liquid and any awkward manipulations.

Further preferred features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description given by way of example of a preferred embodiment illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. lisa sectional elevation of a liquid injection device of the invention in use with a shower, with the valve member in a first, non-dispensing position; Fig. 2 is a corresponding view with the valve member in a second, dispensing, position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the valve of the device of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the valve member of the valve of Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 shows a shower installation 1 having a water supply pipe 2 and a spray head 3 with an injection device 4 of the invention connected therebetween.

In more detail, the injection device 4 comprises a valve body 5 having upstream and downstream ends 6,7 respectively and first and second passages 8,9, respectively, extending therebetween.

The valve body 5 also has a generally cylindrical valve member housing 10 extending transversely of and through the second passage 9 and a supply passage 11 extending from one side 12 of the valve body 5 which side is in the form of a flat bearing surface 13, generally parallel to the valve member housing 10, into communication with the first passage 8. A valve member means 14 has a main body portion 15 which is generally in the form of a screw cap closure for a liquid shampoo bottle reservoir 16. An arcuate supply tube 17 extends from the centre of the inner end face 18 of the cap 15 downwardly into proximity with the base 19 of the shampoo bottle 16 in its horizontally extending operative position as viewed in Fig. 1, at its distal end 20 and a small diameter supply bore 21 extends from the proximal end 22 of the tube 17 axially through the cap 15 to the outer end 23 thereof.

Parallel to but offset from the supply bore 21, extends from the outer cap end face 23 a generally cylindrical valve member 24 which is rotatably mounted in the valve member housing 10. A diametrical connecting passage 25 is disposed in the valve member 24 at an axial position corresponding to the second passage 9 for alignment therewith in the open position of the valve member 24 as shown in Fig. 1, the first passage 9 being closed by the valve member 24 walls upon rotation of the valve member 24 to its closed position as shown in Fig. 1.

The cap 15 is also provided with a relief vent 26 extending from the inner end face 18 to the outer end face 23. The vent is of relatively small bore so that the relatively viscous shampoo liquid 27 held inside the bottle 16 will not in practice leak out thereof. The outer end face 23 of the cap 18 bears against the flat bearing surface 13 at the side 12 of the valve body 5, these two abutting surfaces being provided with co-operating recessed arcuate guide slot means 28 and projecting guide pin means 29 (alternative arrangements shown in Figs. 2 and 4) limiting relative rotational movement of the valve member means 14 and valve body 4. The vent 26 opens out into the guide slot 28 which in turn is open to the atmosphere.

The supply bore 21 in the cap is itself also provided with a radially outwardly extending vent passage 30 open to the atmosphere for admitting air to the liquid shampoo flow in said supply bore 21 for assisting said flow.

In use of the device with the valve member in its closed position as shown in Fig. 1, water flows through both the first and second passages 8,9 and the liquid shampoo 27 is isolated therefrom. By gripping the bottle and twisting it slightly about the eccentrically mounted valve member 24 the valve member is rotated into its dispensing position as shown in Fig. 2. In this position the second passage 9 is closed offthereby restricting the flow ofwaterto that passing through the first passage 8 This latter flow creates a Venturi suction in the supply passage 11, bore 21 and tube 17 drawing liquid shampoo therealong to inject it into the waterflow inside the first passage. The reduced water flow facilitates utilization of the entrained shampoo to minimize wastage thereof. As soon as sufficient shampoo has been dispensed the bottle may be twisted back to its original position to terminate dispensing and resume the normal water flow level.

Although the above embodiment has been described with reference to one particular form of use, it will be appreciated that the present invention is also applicable to the dispensing of various other forms of liquid in a simple and effective manner.

Claims

1.A A liquid injection device suitable for use in injecting a controlled amount of a first liquid into a stream of a second liquid which device comprises a valve body having upstream and downstream ends, first and second passages extending from said upstream to said downstream end, a valve member means mounted in said valve body and having a supply passage with an upstream end in communication with the interior of a reservoir for said first liquid provided with a relief vent, and a closure member, said valve member means being movable between a first position for dispensing of said first liquid and a second position in which first liquid is not dispensed, in use, and only second liquid is passed at an increased rate, said valve member means with its passages and closure member being formed and arranged so that in said first position said supply passage means downstream end is in communication with said first valve passage so as to produce, in use of the device, a Venturi suction effect in supply passage downstream end, and said second valve passage is closed whilst in said second position said supply passage is isolated from said first valve passage and said second valve passage is open whereby in use of the device in said second position of the valve member a largerflowofthesecond liquid is passed whilst in said first position a reduced flow of the second liquid is passed with first liquid being injected thereinto.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve member is slidably mounted in said valve body and said valve body and valve member have opposed sliding contact surfaces having apertures from which extend, respectively, lower and upper stream portions of the supply passage means which apertures are disposed in register with each other in said first position of the valve member and out of register with each other in said second position, in which second position at least said aperture of said upper stream portion of the supply passage means is in sealing engagement with the valve body sliding contact surface.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein both the apertures of the upper and lower stream portions of the supply passage means are in sealing engagement with a respective one of said sliding contact surfaces in said second position.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the valve member is rotatably slidably mounted in said valve body.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said valve member is fixedly connected to the reservoir so that rotation of the reservoir causes rotation of said valve member between said first and second positions thereof.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said valve member has a body portion which is generally screw cap formed for screwthreaded engagement with the screwthreaded neck of a reservoir vessel.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said valve member has a further generally cylindrical body portion extended axially but eccentrically from the outer end face of the screw cap form body portion, through which further body portion extends a transverse through bore which aligns with said second valve passage in the second position of the valve member and whose walls constitute the closure member for closing said second valve passage in the first position of the valve member.

8. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the supply passage means is provided with a relief vent.

9. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 which device is connected to the upstream side of a shower head.

10. A liquid injection device for use in injecting a controlled amount of a first liquid into a stream of a second liquid substantially as described hereinbefore with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.