GB2231925A - A dispenser - Google Patents

Description

1 A DISPENSER i 0 z - -1 The present invention relates to a dispenser,

particularly but not exclusively for use in dispensing liquids such as soaps and shampoos in a bathroom.

Soap dispensers are of course well known but those available to date include in the dispenser assembly a container.'or the soap which may not be readily interchanged with other containers of different shape. Thus, the known dispensers must have the liquid decanted into the container Drovided or at best can be used with a bottle from a limited number of manufacturers. it would be desirable --o have a soap dispenser which can dispense soar) from any manufacturer's bottle, withcuz:'.,ie need to decant from:-.=-: blottle.

The present invention provides a dispenser assembly which has a J;4sDenser head. a pump system and a bottle holder wherein the bottle holder secures a bottle by means of a resiliently biased latch which can clamp the neck of a bottle between itself and an abutment surface. The bottle may thus be suspended by its neck below the pump system. The abutment surface of::-e dispenser assembly may be provided by an inner surface of a sleeve -:z 2 of a diameter sufficient to place over most bottle necks.

The sleeve may be provided with a slot transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and the latch may be provided by a plate-like member which passes partially through the slot to extend transversely across the internal longitudinal dimension of an internal space enclosed by the sleeve. Ends of the plate-like latch may be attached to the ends of a length of spring which Dasses around the sleeve circumference when the latch is positioned in the slot. In this way the spring urges the _% h into the internal space defined by the sleeve. The latc. latch and slot may be mutually dimensioned so that a part of the latch is not able to pass through -the slot. This r)ar.: may be grasped to withdraw the latch from the -;n- ernal SDace def by the sleeve, e.g. to release an eznz-: ottle.

-he use --.f a sleeve is not essential however. as the ab-.:t=en.t surface cooDerates with t-he latch to clamr) the oo-,t- neck. Furthermore, the use of a spring passing around the sleeve is not essential and -here may be a Di-:ot mount outside the sleeve, with a oart of the -!at--!, mounted on the pivot mount. The latch is then Divotable about the pivot mount under the action of the resilient biasing of the latch. In this arrangement, a compression spring may be used to provide that resilient biasing, and indeed a comcression spring may be used with other latch 1 .0 i.

2:

arrangements.

Where a sleeve is used, the internal surface of the sleeve may have a circumferential rim for engaging with a screw thread of a bottle neck inserted into the holder of the dispenser assembly. In a dispenser assembly according to the present invention the dip tube may be long and flexible for insertion into bottles of differing heights.

In a disr)enser assembly according to:he present invention a bottle held by the bottle holder may be clearly visible to the user. Alternazi-ely, the.';4spenser assemb-,.,; may be pr--,.-.ded with a bottle shield to hide the bottle from view.

in a disoenser assembly according to the present 4nvention, the '; isDenser head preferably has an actuation =eans operable ----7 a horizontally extending -'crce.

Embodimenzs of the invention will now be described by way of exa=ple only and with reference to the drawings wherein:

Figure _ shows a longi zudinal cross -sec::--; onal view of a dispenser assembly according to::he present invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view of a simple arrangement of the bottle holder only along the line X to V' in Figure 1; 1 = 2:z 4 Figure 3 shows a view of the bottle holder along the line Y to V' in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement of the abutment surface; and Figure 5 shows part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures dispenser according to the 12 located in a housing extending from the pump 12 to 3 of the drawings, a present invention has a pump 14 and a dispenser head 16 to project outside the housing s push actuated to release The dispenser head 16 - scan 18. The housi-Ing 14 may be adapted for mounting to a sur-face such as a wall 20 by means of screws and the -"-e. The housing 14 has a --d 22 which is removable so _az zhe pump may be exa=ined in other embodiments id may not be separate and removable from the g A dispensing duct in the form cf a flexible --;4n tube 24 extends down fro= the pump 12 in a direction awa,-. the lid 22. The tube 24 is for insertion :,-,ro,.igh the open neck 26 of a bottle 28 whici contains soaD!8.

A bottle holder 30 in the form of a sleeve '2, one end of whic."i is partially closed by means of a circumferential lip 34. is attached to the housing 14 via the lip 34, so as to surround the flexible J-4p tube 24.

101 2C An arc of the sleeve 32 has a slot 36, the length of which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 32. A latch in the form of a thin generally rectangular plate 38 locates through the slot 36 to project into and transversely across the longitudinal dimension of the internal space 40 enclosed by the sleeve 32. A notch 41 may be provided in the plate 38 as the plate 38 then has a two-point contact with the neck 26 of the bottle 28 which is more secure. In order that some part of the plate 38 always extends outside the sleeve 32, the slot 36 and plate 38 are mutually dimensioned so that the plate -;8 may not wholly pass through the slot 36. This is further aided by projections 48,7.0 which are located at those corners of the plate 38 not intended to pass through ?-- he slot 356.

The ends 2, 4 4 of a length of spring 16 are resDect-;ve-lY azzached to the zrojections 48 and 70. The length of spring 46 passes around the outside of the sleeve 32 and therefore acts on the plate 38 to urge it through the sli--t 36. The internal circumference of the sleeve 1; s provided with an inwardly projecting circumferential abutment 5-2 close to that end of the sleeve farthest from the PUMD 12. The abutment 52 extends circumferentially around the lower part of the sleevve 32. and projects into the internal space 40 enclosed by the sleeve 32. "1'he bottle neck 26 engages - n - U 2= 6 the abutment 52 so that it is in position on the dispenser. The abutment 52 surface may be flat, as shown in Figure 1. or it may be angled to provide a more secure location on the crowns of a thread on the bottle neck 26. This alternative arrangement is shown in Figure 4, where the angled section of the top of the abutment surface 52 is shown engaged with a crown of a thread on a botle neck 26. Of course it is also possible for the abutment 52 to be omitted, but the bottle neck 26 still abuts on the -nner surface of the sleeve 32.

In use a bottle 28 of soap is selected and the cap removed from --he bottle neck -26. The flexible dip tube 2 is then Lnserted into the bottle neck 26 and the bottle lifted so that its neck approaches -he bottle o-.der 3,10 and the tube 24 passes down the bottle -228 into soaD 18 contained therein. in a -.-er,- simple embodiment of the present invention -he part of the latch plate 38 which. extends outside of the slee,e 5.2 is then zrn-szed and Pulled to retract the plate from the internal space 40 sufficienz to allow the bottle neck 26 to be oushed well into the holder ZO. The latch plate 38 is then released and the sprin,g '46 acts to pull the latch plate 38 back through the slot to project as far as possible into the internal space 40. Of course. now that the bottle neck 26 has been inserted into the holder 30,he latch plate 38 enters into engagement with the neck 14 7 26 of the bottle 28 and the spring 46 acting on the latch plate 38 causes the plate to clamp the bottle neck 26 against the internal circumferential wall of the sleeve 32. The inwardly projecting circumferential rim 52 of,the sleeve 32 is especially adapted for engaging with the screw threads 60 of bottle necks 26.

In an alternative arrangement the latch plate 38 is mounted such that it may pivot about an axis 70 close to one end. The latch plate 38 is elongate, and is arranged such that part of one of the longer sides 72 may pass through the slot 36 in the sleeve 32. Again. a notch or shaped part 73 may be provided in the plate 3.8 to provide more secure gripping of the neck 26 of the bottle 28. A spring 74 acts on the opposite long side 76 of the latch o_late 36 and urges the latch plate 38 towards the centre f e placed --- s 1 e e,.- e '32 to engage _any bottle neck 16 therein, clamping the bottle neck in a similar manner to that described above. The latch plate 38 has a 'Lever 78 extending therefrom, at a point remote from the pivot. The lever 78 extends at an acute angle to the long side 72 of the latch plate "2 that may pass into the slot 36, -n order that it may pass into the slot 36, in order that it may be used to retract the latch plate 38 from the slot 36, using hand pressure, thereby to release the bottle neck 26. In order ---- make the clamp easier to release. a finger pad-80 is fixed to the end of the lever 8 78.

As can be seen from the foregoing a dispenser according to the invention is especially adapted to hold bottles of various dimensions as: 1) it uses a holder 30 with a spring loaded latch 38 hold a wide range of bottle 1:z 2:5 to accommodate and securely neck 26 diameters; 2) the flexible dip tube 24 is long and flexible to take account of variable bottle lengths; and 3) the bottles 28 are susDended from their necks 26 so that variability in bottle length is uniMDortant.

In the embodiment described the bottle 28 is clearly visible beneath the holder 30, so that the brand name of the soap is clearly visible. In a further embodiment the dispenser may be provided with a bottle shield in the for= of a skirt or sleeve so that the bottle 2.8 is no.onger visible to the user.

Whilst the embodiment 5escribes a si--Die spring ar7angement to urge a latch against a bottle neck so as to clamp the bottle neck in the holder, it will be aDnarent to those skilled in the art that other biasing arrangements may fulfil this purpose and::he present invention also extends to cover any such alternative arrangements.

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Claims (10)

1. A dispenser assembly for supporting a bottle for material to be dispensed, comprising: an abutment surface for receiving a neck of said bottle thereon; a latch resiliently biased towards said abutment surface, said latch being arranged to cooperate with said abutment surface to clamp said neck of said bottle therebetween; and a pump system connected to said abutment surface and having a dispensing duct passing adjacent said abutment surface for flow therethrough of said material to be dispensed, said pump system having a dispensing h e a d mounted on the rest of said pump system for dispensing said material to be dispensed.

2. A dispenser assembly according to claim 1, wherein said abutment surface is formed by a part of an inner surface of a hollow sleeve.

3. A dispenser assembly according to claim 2, wherein said dispensing duct passes through the hollow interior of said sleeve.

4. A dispenser assembly according to claim 2 wherein said sleeve has a slot therein and said latch is a plate received in said slot.

5. A dispenser assembly according to claim 2, having a pivot mount outside said sleeve, and a part of said latch is mounted on said pivot mount, such that said latch is pivotable about said pivot mount under the action of resilient biasing of the latch.

6. A dispenser assembly according to any one of the preceding claims having a compression spring for providing the resilient biasing of said latch.

7. A dispenser assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 5 having a resilient member connected to said latch, said resilient member extending around said sleeve for providing the resilient biasing of said latch.

A dispenser assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said latch has a finger pad thereon for moving said latch against its resilient biasing.

9. A dispenser assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 or Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A dispenser system for dispensing material comprising: a dispenser assembly according to any one of the preceding claims; and a bottle for containing said material to be dispensed, said bottle having a neck being clamped between said abutment surface and said latch, said dispensing duct extending into said bottle.

8 ur am ff Published 1990 at The Pal cnt Ofnee. S'.a. House. 66 71 High Holborn. London WC1R 4TP. F ther copies maybe obt ed from The PatentO ice- Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray. Kent. Con. 1187 k