JP2007045529A - Viscous liquid dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a viscous liquid dispenser which allows the residual amount of liquid in a reservoir to be easily determined. <P>SOLUTION: The viscous liquid dispenser includes a housing which defines an internal liquid reservoir. An extraction pump mechanism is at least partially arranged in the reservoir and has a discharging end which extends outside the reservoir. A window is provided in the housing or rear parts formed of translucent materials are included to enable the whole amount in the reservoir to be seen from the outside so that at least a part of the housing is made translucent or transparent to allow a maintenance service person to easily determine the residual amount of the liquid in the reservoir. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

(Related application)
This PCT application is filed with US patent application Ser. No. 09 / 741,570 filed on Dec. 19, 2000, US Patent Application No. 09 / 911,073 filed Jul. 23, 2001, and Jul. 2001. US patent application 09 / 911,361 filed on May 23, US patent application 09 / 964,289 filed September 26, 2001, US filed September 26, 2001 Priority is claimed on the basis of patent application 09 / 964,290 and US patent application filed on November 28, 2001 with an unassigned application number.

  The present invention relates to the field of viscous liquid dispensers such as soap dispensers, shampoo and lotion dispensers, food dispensers and the like.

  Various configurations and models of liquid dispensers, particularly liquid soap dispensers, are well known in the art. Conventional dispensers typically used in public toilets and the like are typically wall mounted units that include a container or structure permanently attached to a wall. These dispensers typically include an access door or member that allows maintenance personnel to open the dispenser for refilling or care. For certain dispensers, a separate refill cartridge is inserted into the housing structure. For other types of dispensers, the service technician must replenish the reservoir provided in the housing structure directly. The dispenser typically includes a delivery device, such as a withdrawal pump, and a device, such as a lever or button, for operating the withdrawal pump. The dispenser may be semi-sealed or open.

  Typical dispensers rely on the ongoing maintenance and operability of a housing structure permanently attached to the wall. In other words, if the housing structure, in particular the extraction pump, is damaged or destroyed, the dispenser becomes unusable and must be replaced. A typical dispenser also relies on a supply system that requires additional liquid soap to be stored, transported, and packed into the dispenser. This process requires unnecessary logistics and manpower sources.

  The present invention is an improvement over existing systems and is a relatively inexpensive, relatively inexpensive, refillable cartridge of liquid soap or other type of viscous product or a separate large volume compared to a standard dispenser. The present invention provides a disposable self-contained dispenser that does not depend on storage and supply of food.

  The objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following detailed description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.

The present invention provides a self-contained viscous liquid dispenser. The dispenser according to the present invention is particularly useful as a liquid soap dispenser, but is not limited to a liquid soap dispenser and can be used for any application where it is desired to take a metered amount of viscous liquid. . For example, the dispenser is particularly useful as a shampoo dispenser, lotion dispenser, food dispenser (ie, ketchup, mustard, or mayonnaise dispenser) or other product dispenser for removing metered amounts of viscous material. is there. Herein, the dispenser is described as a soap dispenser for ease of explanation.
The viscous liquid dispenser includes a housing that can be formed of any suitable material. For example, the housing can be molded from a relatively inexpensive plastic material and can have any desired aesthetic shape. The housing also defines an integral liquid reservoir that is sealed together. In other words, the liquid reservoir is not a separate part from the housing, such as a cartridge. The housing can constitute a wall member that provides the appearance of a dispenser and can also define an internal liquid reservoir.
An extraction pump mechanism is at least partially disposed in the reservoir. The pump mechanism has a delivery end extending out of the reservoir that is actuated by the user to remove the viscous liquid.

  The dispenser also includes an attachment mechanism configured as an integral part of the housing. The attachment mechanism allows the dispenser to be removably connected to a complementary attachment structure on the wall. In this case, when the liquid is used up, the dispenser can be easily removed from the wall for disposal or recycling. The new liquid dispenser according to the present invention is then attached to the wall surface.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing comprises a substantially vertical backside configured to be disposed adjacent to the wall surface. The attachment mechanism is configured on the back side. For example, when the housing is a molded part, the attachment mechanism is molded integrally with the back side. The attachment mechanism can include a recess defined on the back side. The recess is defined by a sidewall having an engagement structure defined above. These engagement structures engage in interlock with complementary structures provided on the wall mounting structure. The wall mounting structure can be, for example, a plate member or similar device that is relatively permanently secured to the wall. In one embodiment of the engagement structure, the vertical sidewall of the recess includes at least one angled surface on each vertical sidewall. These angled surfaces engage a complementary angled surface on the wall mounting structure, similar to a normal dovetail configuration. The housing is slidable on the wall mounting structure in a substantially vertical direction such that an angled surface of the mounting mechanism slides into engagement with the angled surface of the wall mounting structure. To be done. When engaged, the angled surface prevents the dispenser from being pulled away from the wall mounting structure. A locking device can be provided on the back side of the housing to prevent relative sliding movement between the housing and the wall mounting structure by an angled surface engagement. The securing device can be, for example, a complementary recess defined in the wall mounting structure or a simple protrusion disposed on the back side of the housing that engages the divot. In another embodiment, a protrusion or lock nub can be provided that engages in a complementary recess or divot formed in the recess in the housing.

  In one particular embodiment of the present invention, the wall mounting structure can be formed of a relatively hard rigid material (ie, a metal or hard plastic bracket) and is at least one greater than the size of the corresponding housing recess. It can have two dimensions (ie width or depth). The housing may be formed from a material such as plastic that has some degree of “play” or elasticity in nature. In this method, when the housing is mounted on the wall mounting structure, the larger size of the mounting structure causes the corresponding portion of the housing recess to “curve” to accommodate the oversized wall mounting structure. Or bend. This configuration provides very good fixation and tight engagement between the housing and the wall mounting structure and prevents the housing from wobbling or moving relative to the support structure. To the user, the housing will appear to be permanently bolted to the wall or otherwise attached, and there is essentially no way to remove the housing. In addition, the housing cannot be pulled away or pry open from the wall mounting structure without undue force.

  In one particularly useful embodiment, at least two spaced apart angled surfaces that engage against complementary spaced apart angled surfaces on the wall structure are each vertical of the recess. Provided on the wall. The angled surface spaced configuration maximizes the surface contact area between the housing and the wall mounting structure without significantly increasing the relative sliding distance between the members.

  As noted above, the housing structure is preferably formed from a relatively inexpensive molded plastic and can include separately molded parts that are permanently secured to or attached to each other. For example, the housing can include a front part that is formed separately from and attached to the back part. It is desirable that the front and back parts can have different characteristics. For example, it is desirable that the back part can be made more rigid than the front part to provide structural support and improved rigidity for the dispenser installed on the wall structure. This can be achieved by simply forming the back part thicker than the front part. The front and back parts can be molded or formed from different types of materials.

It may also be desirable to make at least a portion of the housing translucent or transparent so that a maintenance technician can easily determine the amount of liquid remaining in the reservoir. For example, a window may be provided in the housing. In one particularly useful embodiment, the housing includes a back piece formed from a translucent material so that the entire volume of the reservoir is visible from the outside.
Any manner of actuator that allows the user to operate the pump mechanism can be provided in the dispenser. For example, in one embodiment, the actuator may include a panel member that contributes to the aesthetic appearance of the housing. The panel member can be hingedly attached to the housing member or otherwise movably connected to contact the delivery end of the pump mechanism. When the user pushes or moves the panel, the pump mechanism is activated and a metered amount of liquid is delivered. In another embodiment, the actuator may include a member such as a decorative cap attached directly to the delivery end of the pump mechanism. In other words, the actuator need not be connected directly to the housing. In this regard, various embodiments of aesthetically superior actuators can be used.

  The pump mechanism can include a pump chamber formed integrally with the housing within the reservoir. For example, the housing can include a molded plastic part with a pump chamber integrally molded within the housing. The pump chamber has a rear end that leads to the reservoir portion of the housing and a front end that leads to the outside of the housing. A pump cylinder is slidably disposed in the chamber and held. The pump cylinder has a passage defined therein and a delivery end extending outside the front end of the chamber. The pump cylinder is held in the chamber so that it cannot be pulled from it. The actuator is configured at the delivery end of the pump cylinder so that the user can operate the device from outside the housing. A valve mechanism is disposed at the delivery end of the pump cylinder and is configured to close when the user releases the actuator to prevent liquid leakage or dripping from the pump cylinder.

  In one embodiment, the pump cylinder can be inserted into the pump chamber from the rear end. The chamber includes a holding structure, such as a flange member, at the front end to prevent the pump cylinder from being withdrawn from the pump chamber through the front end. When the cylinder is inserted into the chamber, a cap member or similar device is attached to the rear end of the pump chamber. The cap member has an orifice defined therein for drawing liquid into the pump chamber. A check valve device, such as a shuttle valve, is disposed in the orifice to close the orifice by actuation of the pump cylinder.

  The valve mechanism disposed at the delivery end of the pump cylinder can include a flexible flap member that is movable toward the open position by the pressure of the liquid to be removed. When the actuator is released, the flap member automatically returns to the closed position, preventing liquid from inadvertently leaking or dripping out of the delivery end of the pump cylinder. In one particularly useful embodiment, the valve mechanism includes a plurality of flap members that define an opening therethrough in the open position and seal against each other in the closed position.

  The dispenser can also use a removable pump mechanism that is screwed into the housing reservoir or otherwise fitted. For example, the pump mechanism may include a self-contained pump having a pump chamber housing, cap, or other suitable structure that fits into a bore defined in the housing wall and communicates with an internal reservoir. it can. In this regard, any type of normal pumping mechanism can be used. In this embodiment, the pump can be removed from the housing for later reuse before discarding the housing.

  A vent is defined in the reservoir to prevent a vacuum from being drawn into the reservoir. In particularly desirable embodiments, vents are provided on the top surface of the housing structure. Since the housing structure is installed on the wall surface in use, there is some possibility that liquid leaks from the ventilation portion on the upper surface. In other embodiments, the reservoir can be vented through a pump mechanism. However, venting through the pump mechanism may cause undesirable leakage from the mechanism, particularly when the pump mechanism is located in the lower portion of the housing. Ventilation can also be achieved through a valve mechanism at the delivery end of the pump cylinder.

  Various embodiments of the top mounted vent are contemplated for the dispenser. For example, a suitable venting mechanism located on the top wall of the housing includes a body member that is slid into a fill port defined at the top of the housing after the reservoir is filled with viscous liquid or material from the port. Can do. The vent body is interlocked and slidably engaged with the upper wall of the housing in such a manner that once inserted, the dispenser cannot be removed immediately without significant damage to the dispenser. The vent may include a spring installed in the vent passage or other resiliently installed plug such as a ball. This plug essentially seals the vent until the user actuates the pump mechanism, resulting in a partial vacuum being drawn into the reservoir and the metered amount of viscous liquid being released from the dispenser. . This vacuum causes the plug to be pulled downward against the force of a spring or other elastic member, and the vent orifice is unsealed until the pressure across the vent is balanced and the plug is seated again.

  A unique advantage of the dispenser according to the present invention is that the capacity of such a dispenser can be greatly increased without having to increase the dispenser “packaging”. The term “packaging” is understood as the materials and structures required to provide and maintain the “position” from which a given volume (volume) is removed. For example, for a conventional cartridge refill dispenser (ie, a flexible bag cartridge refill encased in a wall mounted housing), the “packaging” for the initial installation or replacement of the dispenser is the cartridge Material and a wall mounted housing structure in which the cartridge is placed later. In a typical dispenser where the reservoir in the housing is directly replenished with liquid product from the mass storage source, the “packaging” includes the entire wall mounted housing structure and the mass storage container. In the present invention, “packaging” is essentially a disposable housing structure and an integral pumping mechanism. The ratio of packaging weight (grams) to volume (volume liters) in the dispenser can be greatly reduced compared to conventional devices. This increases the economic benefits associated with shipping, handling, storage, maintenance, etc.

  It should be understood that the configuration and appearance of the housing are not limiting features of the invention. Also, the present invention is not limited to the use of any particular type of material or manufacturing process. Various embodiments of interlocking engagement structures between the back side of the housing and the wall mounting member are also within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the engagement structure can include a bayonet fastener or the like.

  In another embodiment of the pump mechanism that can be used in the dispenser according to the present invention, the insertion member is inserted through an opening defined in the surface of the housing. The insert member extends into the reservoir and defines an internal pump chamber having a rear end leading to the reservoir and a front end leading to the outside of the housing. The insertion member is attached to the housing at the opening by any suitable mechanism. In one particular embodiment, the housing includes a plurality of protrusions extending from the front surface and disposed about the opening. The insert member includes a front flange having a plurality of counterbore holes defined therethrough and the protrusions extending through when the insert member is installed in the housing. The protrusion is then heated to a molten state and the protrusion material flows into the counterbore holes and resolidifies, thereby permanently securing the insert to the housing. If it is desired to recycle or reuse the pump mechanism, it is less permanent, such as removable adhesive, mechanical connection (ie screw engagement), etc., to secure the insert to the housing. Non-temporary types of attachment mechanisms can be used.

  At least one seal is disposed between the outer surface of the insertion member and the housing to ensure that liquid in the reservoir does not leak around the insertion member. In one particular embodiment, the seal is a seal disposed about the housing opening and extending radially inward to engage and seal against the outer surface of the insertion member. This seal can be provided on the cylindrical extension of the housing and extends from the front into the reservoir. In another embodiment, the seal may be a seal disposed at the forward end of the insertion member and extending radially outward to engage and seal against the portion of the housing that defines the opening. It may be desirable to use both types of seals in the same embodiment.

  Another embodiment of a pump cylinder that can be used with an integrally formed pump chamber or pump chamber insert is also provided. The pump cylinder can include a number of parts. For example, in one embodiment, the pump cylinder includes a first part and a second part that is inserted into a chamber defined in the first part. A longitudinally extending passage in the part is aligned to define a delivery passage through the pump cylinder. This passage extends to a delivery orifice defined in the delivery end of the pump cylinder. When combined, these parts define a finished pump cylinder that is slidable within the pump chamber from a rest position to a pressurization position, in which the liquid drawn into the pump chamber is pressurized, It is taken out of the take-out orifice from the delivery passage.

A first radially extending seal, such as a flange seal slidably engaged along a wall defining the pump chamber, is sealed on the first part of the pump cylinder to seal the pump cylinder to the pump chamber. Can be provided. Similarly, a second similar seal may be provided on the second part that slidably engages along the pump chamber wall.
The present invention is described in detail below in connection with the specific embodiments shown in the drawings.

  Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and is not intended as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used in another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. The present invention is intended to include modifications and variations of the embodiments described herein.

A viscous liquid dispenser 10 according to the present invention is shown generally in the drawing. Herein, the dispenser 10 is shown and described as a liquid soap dispenser, which is a particularly useful embodiment of the present invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to a dispenser for liquid soap, and has application in any environment where it is desired to remove a metered amount of viscous liquid from an extraction unit.
The dispenser 10 includes a housing generally indicated at 14. The housing 14 can include a side wall or member 16, a back side 18, and a front side 20. The housing 14 can take any desired shape and can be formed from any number of parts. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 14 includes a front part 24 and a back part 22. The front and back parts are manufactured separately and are permanently joined together. It should be understood that the part can be manufactured from any desired material. In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser 10 is a disposable item and the housing 14 is molded from a relatively inexpensive plastic material. With particular reference to FIG. 10, the back piece 22 can be molded from a transparent or translucent plastic and includes side edges 26 and alignment tabs 48. Tabs 48 align the back piece 22 with the front piece 24 and the side edges 26 fit into the correspondingly sized recesses 28 (FIG. 4) defined in the side wall 16 of the front piece 24. Match. The back part 22 is permanently joined to the front part 24 by adhesive, welding or other relatively permanent attachment means.

  The housing 14 defines an internal liquid reservoir 68 within its internal volume. In the illustrated embodiment, the liquid reservoir 68 essentially includes the entire volume defined by the front piece 24 and the back piece 22. Although not shown, it should be understood that any number of internal structural members, such as baffles, may be included in the reservoir 68. Thus, it should be understood that the housing 14 also acts as a closed or sealed reservoir and the dispenser 10 cannot be opened by a service technician. A desired amount of viscous liquid, such as soap, is prefilled into the dispenser 10 before the dispenser is brought to the point of use.

  Applicants have found that the back part 22 of the housing 24 is preferably more rigid than the front part 24. One way to achieve this feature is to simply mold the back part 22 to be thicker than the front part 24. As will be described in more detail later, the dispenser 10 is placed on the support wall by the action of an internal mounting mechanism formed on the back side 18 of the housing 14. A rigid back piece 22 assists in installing the dispenser 10. If the front and back parts are molded from an elastic plastic material, when the dispenser is empty, the back part 22 is sufficient to allow the dispenser 10 to be easily removed from the support wall structure. Has “deflection”.

  An extraction pump mechanism, indicated generally at 88, is at least partially disposed in the reservoir 68. The pump mechanism 88 has a delivery end 90 that extends out of the housing or reservoir 68. The pump mechanism 88 is configured to remove a metered amount of viscous liquid when the user activates the pump mechanism. It should be understood that any number of conventional and known pump devices can be used in the dispenser 10. The pump mechanism 88 shown in the drawing is one embodiment of a particularly suitable mechanism.

  It is also within the scope of the present invention to construct a removable pump mechanism in the housing 24. For example, any conventional pump can be screwed into the housing 24 or otherwise fitted into communication with the reservoir 68. For example, such pump mechanisms include a self-contained pump with a pump chamber housing, cap, or other suitable structure that fits a bore defined through the front wall of the housing 24 to communicate with the internal reservoir 68. be able to. Placing the pump can be done at the place of use of the dispenser. For example, a depleted dispenser pump can be removed from the housing and immediately placed in the replacement housing. A removable plug or a breakable seal can be used to cover the housing port until the pump is inserted therein.

  Referring to the embodiment of the pump mechanism shown in FIGS. 5-7, the pump mechanism 88 includes a cylinder 92 that can slide into the chamber 70. The volume of the chamber 70 defines a metered amount of liquid delivered with each pump actuation. Chamber 70 can be formed by any internal structure of housing 14. The chamber is preferably defined by a structure molded integrally with the front part 24 of the housing 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the chamber 70 is defined by a chamber wall 72 as a generally cylindrical chamber. The cylinder 92 includes a passage 94 defined in the lengthwise direction therein. The passage 94 communicates with the inside of the pump chamber 70 through the end wall of the cylinder. The delivery passage 94 extends to an extraction orifice 96 defined in the front end of the cylinder 92.

  The cylinder 92 is sealingly engaged with the chamber wall 72 by any conventional means. For example, a flange or piston 101 can be placed at the rear end of the cylinder 92 for sealing engagement with the chamber wall 72. In another embodiment, an O-ring 116 (FIG. 8a) can be provided around the piston 101. FIG. Piston 101 pressurizes chamber 70 to ensure that the viscous liquid contained in the chamber is removed through delivery passage 94 by operation of cylinder 92 and from one end of pump chamber 70 by movement of the cylinder. It does not simply move to another end.

The pump cylinder 92 is biased into the chamber 70 by the action of a spring 98, for example. Other elastic devices can be used for this purpose, including laminated leaf springs, spring washers and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring 92 is seated in a recess 102 defined by the flare flange 100, particularly as shown in FIGS. Both ends of the spring 98 are fitted around the cylindrical protrusion 76 of the end cap 74. End cap 74 is permanently secured to the structure defining pump chamber 70 after cylinder 92 is inserted into the pump chamber.
A structure is also provided to ensure that the cylinder 92 cannot be pulled from the front end of the chamber 70. In the illustrated embodiment, this structure corresponds to the flange portion of the front wall 86 of the chamber 70. As shown in FIG. 5, the flange portion 86 of the wall engages with the piston 101 of the pump cylinder 92.

  A check valve device 104 is formed in the pump mechanism 88 to ensure that the viscous liquid in the pump chamber 70 is not pushed out of the chamber 70 by movement of the cylinder 92 within the chamber 70. . In the illustrated embodiment, the check valve device 104 is a shuttle type check valve having a radially extending arm 106. The shuttle valve is slidably disposed in an opening defined through the end cap 74. As shown in FIG. 7, the space between the radial arms 106 leads to the reservoir 68, allowing liquid to flow from the reservoir 68 into the pump chamber 70 by movement of the cylinder toward the forward end of the pump chamber 70. To. A cap 108 is provided at the forward end of the shuttle valve 104 located in the pump chamber 70 to ensure that the opening of the end cap 74 is sealed by actuation of the pump. The cap 108 seals against the end face of the end cap 74.

  The operation of the pump mechanism 88 is shown in particular in FIGS. To retrieve a metered amount of viscous liquid contained in reservoir 68, the user activates pump mechanism 88 using actuator 30. The actuator 30 will be described in more detail later. When the actuator 30 is pushed, the pump cylinder 92 moves backward into the pump chamber 70. Due to the pressure of the viscous liquid in the chamber 70, the shuttle valve 104 is forcibly closed, and the viscous liquid contained in the chamber 70 passes through the delivery passage 94 defined in the length direction in the pump cylinder 92. Led to. In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, viscous liquid is discharged through the extraction orifice 96. When the actuator 30 is released, the spring 98 forces the pump cylinder back to the position shown in FIG. This action unseats the shuttle valve 104 and draws viscous liquid into the pump chamber 70, particularly as shown in FIG.

  The reservoir is vented so that no vacuum is drawn in the reservoir 68. This ventilation can be achieved by various means. For example, the reservoir 68 can be ventilated directly through or around the cylinder 92. However, this may not be a desirable embodiment because fluid tends to leak out around the cylinder. As shown in the drawings, one preferred method of venting is to vent the top of the housing 14, for example, by using a conventional vent valve 130 disposed through the top surface of the housing 14. The vent valve 130 is specifically shown in FIG. 13 and uses a ball 132 seated in a ball cage 134. The ball 132 is seated and sealed against the opening provided in the upper member 133 when the viscous liquid is overfilled as shown in FIG. 13 or the housing 14 is turned over, such as during shipping. To do. When the dispenser is hung on the wall for subsequent use, the ball 132 falls into the ball cage 134 and the vent valve 130 is opened. The sealing of the ball 132 can also be aided by a spring.

  As described above, the pump mechanism 88 is activated by the user depressing the actuator 30. Actuator 30 can be any member configured to move pump cylinder 92. In one embodiment shown in the drawings, the actuator 30 is defined by a panel member 32 that gives the housing 14 a unique aesthetic appearance. The panel member 32 includes a side wall 34 having a projection 36 (FIG. 14) disposed inwardly, which projection 36 is provided in the side 16 of the housing 14 in a correspondingly sized divot or recess 38. Engage with. A passage member 40 (FIG. 3) can be provided on the inner surface of the panel member 32 and can be clearly engaged with the front end of the pump cylinder 92. In order to indicate the proper position for pushing the actuator to the user, a recess 33 may be defined on the front surface of the panel member 32.

  It should be understood that the actuator can take any configuration or aesthetically superior shape. In another embodiment, particularly shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the actuator 30 is defined by a cap 42 attached directly to the front surface 93 of the pump cylinder 92. This attachment can be provided by an adhesive or a mechanical interlock device. The arm 44 can be slidably engaged in a recess 46 defined in the pump housing 14 to ensure proper alignment and to provide rigidity to the structure.

  FIGS. 8a and 8b illustrate the locking feature of the pump cylinder 92 that is particularly useful when the dispenser 10 is shipped. The pump cylinder 92 may include a longitudinal passage 118 defined at the top of the pump cylinder. Positioned in the longitudinal passage 118 is a tab portion 87 of the pump chamber front wall member 86. In this case, the pump cylinder 92 is prevented from rotating by operation and release. In particular, as shown in FIG. 8 a, a partial circumferential passage 120 is defined in the pump cylinder 92. The circumferential passage 120 is defined along the pump cylinder 92 in a portion corresponding to the fully depressed or actuated position of the cylinder 92 in the chamber 70 as shown in FIG. For delivery of the dispenser 10, the pump cylinder 92 can be pushed down and rotated so that the tab 87 engages in the circumferential passage 120, particularly as shown in FIG. 8b. In this configuration, the pump cylinder 92 is locked in place and cannot move within the chamber 70 until the pump cylinder is rotated back to the position shown in FIG. 8a. This procedure can be accomplished by a maintenance technician prior to installing the actuator 30 and placing the dispenser 10 on the support wall.

  It may be desirable to include a valve mechanism in the withdrawal orifice 96 of the pump cylinder 92 to prevent leaking viscous liquid or soap from the dispenser. In this regard, any type of sealing valve can be used. Applicants have found that a particularly useful valve mechanism 110 is the type of valve shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b. The valve 110 includes a flange member 113 that is used to seat the valve 110 in the delivery end of the pump cylinder 92, particularly as shown in FIGS. The valve includes at least one, preferably a plurality of elastic flaps 112 that define an opening 114 therethrough. The flap 112 seals against itself when the valve 110 is placed in the pump cylinder 92 in the orientation shown in FIGS. In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, when the pump cylinder 92 is operated, the elastic flap 112 is opened by the pressure of the liquid, and the liquid is taken out from the pump cylinder 92. A separate cap member 122 can be used to secure the valve 110 in place relative to the extraction orifice 96, which includes an opening in the cap member that is aligned with the extraction orifice. The cap member 122 may include a pressure fitting element, or may be permanently bonded or welded to the pump cylinder 92.

The valve 110 also tends to vent into the pump chamber 70 as the cylinder 92 moves after actuation and returns to the rest position. As the vacuum is drawn into the chamber 70, the elastic flaps slightly separate and are drawn toward the chamber 70, thereby defining a vent path. As the chamber is vented, the flaps close and seal against each other.
The valve 110 shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b is commonly known in the art as a branch valve and is available from LMS, Inc., Michigan.

  The dispenser 10 according to the present invention also includes an integrally formed attachment mechanism configured as an integral part of the housing 14. This attachment mechanism allows the dispenser 10 to be removably connected to a complementary attachment structure generally indicated at 58 provided on the wall surface 12 (FIG. 3). In one embodiment according to the present invention, the attachment mechanism is defined as a feature of an integral mold on the back side 18 of the dispenser 10. This feature is not limited to any particular type of structure, but a type of connector or engagement suitable for removably installing the housing on a complementary mounting structure provided on the wall 12. All of the composite structures are included. When the attachment mechanism structure is surrounded by the “boundary” of the back side 18 of the housing as seen in FIG. It is desirable. In this configuration, the attachment mechanism is not visible from any angle, and there is essentially no gap between the housing 14 and the wall surface 12 from which a prying tool can be inserted to cause damage to the instrument.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the integral attachment feature including the recess 50 is molded to the back side 18. The recess 50 is defined by a substantially vertical side wall 52. As will be described in more detail later, an engagement structure is provided along the side wall 52 to engage or with a complementary structure provided on the wall mounting structure 58. In the illustrated embodiment, the engagement structure is formed by an angled surface 56 defined along the vertical wall 52. The angled surface 56 engages a complementary angled surface 62 defined on the wall mounting structure 58, particularly as seen in FIGS. In the illustrated embodiment, at least two angled surfaces 56 are provided and are separated by a cross section of the vertical wall 52. Two angled surfaces 56 engage the angled surface 62 of the wall mounting structure 58. To attach the dispenser 10 to the wall mounting structure 58, the service technician will place the angled surface 56 vertically between the corresponding angled surface 62 of the wall mounting structure. Next, the dispenser 10 is simply positioned with respect to the wall mounting structure 58. The service technician then simply slides the dispenser 10 vertically to engage the angled surfaces 56, 62, particularly as shown in FIG. In this interlocking configuration, the dispenser cannot be pulled away from the wall mounting structure 58. The configuration of the two angled surfaces 56 provided on each vertical wall is such that the dispenser 10 and the wall mounting structure are compared to a single angled surface 56 having the same longitudinal surface area. This is particularly useful because it requires an increase in the interlocking surface area of an angled surface while the vertical movement required between the body 58 is relatively small.

  In one particular embodiment of the present invention, the housing back wall 18 may be formed from a material such as a plastic that inherently has some “play” or elasticity. On the other hand, the wall mounting structure 58 can be formed from a relatively rigid rigid material (ie, a metal or rigid plastic bracket) and has at least one dimension (ie, width or depth) that is greater than the dimension of the corresponding housing recess 50. )). For example, the width of the mounting structure 58 at the angled surface 62 can be slightly larger than the corresponding mating width portion of the recess 50 that defines the angled surface 56. In this approach, when the housing is placed on the wall mounting structure, the larger dimension of the mounting structure causes the corresponding housing recess portion to “curve” or to accommodate the oversized wall mounting structure. Bend. This configuration provides several advantages. A firm fixation and tight engagement is provided between the housing and the wall mounting structure to prevent the housing from wobbling or moving relative to the support wall. To the user, the housing will appear to be permanently bolted to the wall or otherwise attached, and there is no way to remove the housing. As described above, it is desirable that the recess is completely enclosed within the boundary portion of the back wall so that it cannot be seen from any angle when the housing is placed on the support wall. The back wall of the housing appears to stick directly to the support wall with a minimum uniform gap defined generally around the back wall. Also, the housing cannot be pulled away from or pry open from the wall mounting structure without undue force.

  When the dispenser 10 is properly positioned on the wall mounting structure 58, it includes a securing device to indicate to the technician that the dispenser 10 has been properly positioned and to prevent the dispenser 10 from being removed without any effort. Is desirable. In the illustrated embodiment, the securing device includes a protrusion 126 that extends into the recess 50 from the back side 18 of the housing. The protrusion 126 is slid onto an inclined surface 129 defined in the mounting structure 58 and fits into a divot 128 that is disposed adjacent to and is sized adjacent to the inclined surface 129. The wall mounting structure 58 can include any suitable mounting structure. In the illustrated embodiment, the wall mounting structure 58 is defined by a plate member 64 that is mounted to the wall surface 12 by, for example, screws or adhesive. The wall mounting structure 58 simply serves to provide an interlocking engagement device for the dispenser 10. It should be understood that any manner of interlocking engagement configuration can be provided for removably connecting the dispenser 10 to a complementary wall structure provided on the support wall. For example, in this regard, a relatively simple bayonet type fastener, a spring loaded latch or the like can be provided. A desirable feature of the present invention is that the entire dispenser 10 is disposable, and thus is preferably a relatively simple and reliable engagement device. The two angular surface configurations shown and described herein have been found to be particularly useful in this regard.

  It would also be desirable to be able to provide the service technician with a means to determine the amount of viscous liquid in the dispenser. In this regard, as described above, a portion of the housing 14 can be formed from a translucent or transparent material. In particular, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the entire back piece 22 is formed from a translucent or transparent material so that a repair or maintenance technician can see the remaining liquid level from the side of the dispenser. Is done. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 19, a transparent or translucent can be seen so that the service technician can look inside the reservoir to determine the amount of liquid remaining in the reservoir. A window of material 136 may be provided anywhere on the housing 14, preferably near the bottom of the housing.

  As mentioned above, due to the unique structure and configuration of the housing with the internal reservoir and the integrally formed wall mounting recess, the dispenser according to the present invention is a “packaging” (as defined above) of the dispenser. It is made to have a capacity that can be increased significantly without the need to increase. For example, a 2.5 liter dispenser according to the present invention is currently under consideration. Dispenser packaging (housing and integrated pump mechanism) is expected to weigh only about 250 grams. Thus, only about 250 grams of material is required to maintain and service the 2.5 liter removal “position”. On the other hand, conventional cartridges or direct refill dispensers of the same volume need to be replaced due to destruction or malfunction of the pump, and the combined weight of the housing and refill material is substantially increased. The weight (gram) to volume (liter) ratio in a 2.5 liter dispenser according to the present invention is about 100: 1. Applicants believe that this is a significant improvement over conventional refill dispensers (refill cartridges or refill housings directly from mass storage cartridges). For high capacity dispensers, such as 5 liter dispensers, according to the present invention, the increase in packaging weight is not a linear function, so it is believed that the weight to volume ratio will decrease with increasing capacity.

Thus, various volumetric volume dispensers according to the present invention can be designed, and the ratio of volumetric volume liters to packaging weight grams is usually not greater than about 120: 1, preferably 100: 1 or less. is there. In one particularly useful embodiment of a 2.5 liter dispenser, the ratio is about 100: 1.
The dispenser according to the present invention is limited to the size of the dispenser as long as the mounting mechanism between the housing and the wall mounting structure is structurally sufficient to support the weight of the full housing. Please understand that it is not.

  18 to 24 show another embodiment of the ventilation mechanism that can be used in the dispenser according to the present invention. Like the vents 130 shown in FIG. 13, these vents prevent vacuum from being drawn into the reservoir 68 by balancing the pressure between the reservoir and the surrounding environment. Referring to FIGS. 19-22, one particular venting mechanism 230 is configured to be placed through an opening 238 in the top wall 232 of the housing. This opening 238 also serves as a fill port for initially filling the reservoir 68. Ventilation mechanism 230 includes a body generally indicated at 250 that interlocks and seals with wall 232. In the illustrated embodiment, the body 250 is inserted through the opening 238 and then automatically engages the inner surface 236 of the wall 232 so that the venting mechanism 230 can no longer be pulled from the housing. To do.

The vent body 250 in the illustrated embodiment includes an upper body portion 260 and a lower body portion 252. These parts can be molded or formed separately and then joined to a ledge 257, for example as seen particularly in FIG. The parts can be joined by any conventional means including adhesives, ultrasound, welding and the like. This part can also be formed as a single integral unit, for example as a single molded body part.
The lower body portion 252 is a generally cylindrical or truncated component that defines the lower vent passage 258. In order to engage and secure the vent 230 to the housing wall 232, at least one, preferably a plurality of elastic members, such as a plurality of elastic tabs 254, are provided on the body. 20A and 20B, the elastic tab 254 is positioned at an angle with respect to the vertical axis passing through the lower body portion 252 and when the body 252 is inserted through the opening 238, It can be bent in the direction. As the tab 254 moves away from the inner surface 236 of the wall, it bends radially outward as shown in FIG. 20B. Therefore, the ventilation part 230 cannot be pulled from the housing thereafter.

The lower body portion 252 includes a substantially rigid tab 256 spaced from the resilient tab 254 and oriented generally parallel to a vertical axis through the body portion. These tabs 256 define a cage-like structure for receiving the upper body portion 260.
It should be appreciated that various structural configurations can define the resilient member and lower body portion 252 and that the illustrated embodiments are not intended to limit the invention.
Upper body portion 260 is a generally cylindrical member that defines an upper vent passage 262 that extends to vent orifice 242. When the upper body portion 260 is assembled to the lower body portion 252, the upper ventilation passage 262 is aligned with the lower ventilation passage 258.

  A vent plug, indicated generally at 244, is movably disposed in the vent passage 262 to seal the vent orifice 242 of the vent mechanism in a resting or stationary state. In the illustrated embodiment, the vent plug is a ball 246 that is biased against an inclined surface 264 by a spring 272. Thus, as can be readily seen from the drawings, in the rest position, the ball 246 is pressed against the inclined surface 264 and the vent orifice 242 is blocked. Accordingly, the reservoir 68 is inherently sealed to the external environment.

  Upper body portion 260 further includes a cap, indicated generally at 266. In the illustrated embodiment, the cap 266 is a plate-like member and includes an elastic circumferential lip 268. The lip 268 defines a first seal between the vent mechanism and the dispenser housing. In the non-tensioned or relaxed state indicated by the dashed lines in FIGS. 21 and 22, the elastic lip has a larger radius of curvature than the rest of the cap 266. When the vent is inserted through the housing opening 238, the lip 268 is pressed against the surface of the top wall 232 of the housing, flattening and sealing against the housing surface. The vertical distance “d” (FIG. 23) between the edge of the lip 268 and the top of the elastic tab 254 is less than the thickness of the housing wall 232 to ensure that a constant compression force is applied to the cap 266 large. In this case, when the vent is inserted through the housing wall, the elastic tab 254 also applies a certain downward pulling force against the cap 266, pressing the elastic lip 268 against the housing surface for sealing.

Upper body portion 260 also includes an elastic skirt member 270 that extends downwardly from the underside of cap 266. A foot 271 is defined at the end of the skirt 270. The skirt and foot configuration defines an independent second seal between the vent mechanism and the dispenser housing. Referring to FIGS. 21 and 22, the skirt foot 271 has a relaxed or non-tensioned diameter that is larger than the opening 238 through the housing wall 232, as shown by the dashed lines in the drawings. When the venting mechanism is inserted through the opening 238, the skirt is compressed radially inward and the foot 271 is in sealing engagement with the wall 239 of the opening.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the opening 238 in the housing wall 232 is defined by a straight vertical wall 239. The foot 271 of the elastic skirt 270 seals against this wall 239 and the elastic lip 268 seals against the upper surface 234 of the housing wall. In this configuration, it is important that the skirt has no vertical length greater than the thickness of the housing wall 232.

In the embodiment of FIG. 21, the opening 238 is defined as a counterbore hole having a second wall 240 that is radially offset from the wall 239. In this configuration, the resilient lip seals against the circumferential wall or ridge 241 of the counterbore, and the cap 266 contacts higher or lower than the plane of the upper surface 234 of the housing wall, depending on the depth of the wall 240. In this configuration, the lip 268 should not extend to the second wall 240 and the skirt 270 should not extend below the wall 239.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 18-20B, the opening 238 is also a counterbore hole. However, in this configuration, the skirt foot 271 engages the second wall 240 and the elastic lip 268 engages the upper surface 234 of the housing wall. The vertical length of the skirt 270 should not be greater than the depth of the second wall 240.

  In the rest or rest mode of the vent mechanism 230, the vent plug 244 (ie, the ball 246) is elastically pressed into engagement with an angled surface 264 that defines the vent orifice 242. This engagement can be essentially an airtight seal. When the user activates the pump mechanism to remove a metered amount of viscous liquid from the reservoir 68, a partial vacuum is drawn into the reservoir, creating a pressure differential across the vent. This causes the vent plug to be pulled down against the force of the elastic member (ie, spring 272), ie, away from the vent orifice 242. When the vent plug is desorbed, the pressure differential between the reservoir and the external environment is balanced, after which the vent plug re-seats against an angled surface 264 until the pump mechanism is next activated. Is done. In this regard, it should be noted that the resilient member should be “sized” such that when the pump mechanism is activated, the vent plug can be removed from the vent orifice at the degree of vacuum created within the reservoir. For example, if springs 272 are used, such springs should have a spring constant that is large enough to prevent the user from activating the pump dispenser to cause the vent plug to detach and balance pressure. Absent.

FIG. 23 illustrates another embodiment of the venting mechanism, wherein the body member includes a skirt 274 that extends upwardly into the upper vent passage 262. The skirt portion need not be continuous, and can comprise circumferentially spaced fingers or tabs. The skirt portion 274 includes an elastic rim member 276 on which the vent plug (ball 246) rests. This embodiment operates essentially the same as described above, except that the vent plug is biased by the skirt 274 and the elastic rim member 276 instead of the spring.
FIG. 24 shows an embodiment similar to FIG. However, in this embodiment, the vent plug is a bulbous member 278 that is integrally formed and elastically disposed with at least a portion of the skirt 274. The bulbous member 278 is supported by the elastic rim member 276. The operation of this embodiment is similar to that described above.

  As already explained, a pump mechanism suitable for use with the dispenser according to the present invention includes a self-contained device which is fitted to communicate with an internal reservoir in a bore defined through the front wall surface of the housing. obtain. Such an embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 15-29. This embodiment is similar to the aspects of the embodiments of FIGS. 5-9, and therefore common features need not be described in detail.

  Referring to FIGS. 25-29, the housing 24 in this embodiment includes a bore 302 defined through the front surface 304. A generally cylindrical extension 312 extends rearwardly from the front surface 304 into the reservoir. The outermost end of the cylinder extension 312 has a seal 310 extending radially inward. As will be described in detail later, the seal 310 seals against the chamber insert. A plurality of nubs or protrusions 308 extend from the front surface 304 and surround the bore 302. The cylindrical extension 312, the ring seal 310 and the protrusion 308 are all formed integrally with the housing 24.

  Chamber insert 314 is designed to fit within bore 302. Insertion member 314 is shown in particular in FIGS. 26 and 28 and may be a generally cylindrical member having an inner wall 325 defining an inner pump chamber 322. As will be described later, an opening 323 is defined through the front end of the insertion member 314 into which the pump cylinder is slid. Insert member 314 includes a front outer flange 316 having a plurality of counterbore-shaped holes 317 defined therethrough. The hole 317 is aligned with the protrusion 308. The insertion member 314 is fitted through the bore 302 from the front side of the housing 24. The back side of the flange 316 is pressed against the front surface 304 of the housing 24, and the protrusion 308 extends through the hole 317. The insertion member is permanently attached to the housing 24 by the projections 308 being melted in a “heated pile” process, and the molten material is flowed into the counterbore type holes 317 and hardened to fix the insertion member 314 Attached. It should be understood that many other suitable devices and methods can be used to secure or attach the insertion member 314 to the housing 24.

  The insertion member 314 has a circumferentially outer surface 318 that is intimately engaged by a seal 310 at the end of the extension 312 when slid through the bore 302 and the circumferential extension 312. Accordingly, a first seal is formed between the insertion member 314 and the housing 24 in this manner. A ring-shaped protrusion 321 that engages into the groove 319 and provides an active indication that the insertion member 314 has been properly inserted can be formed around the surface 318 or otherwise provided. Ring 321 can be an O-ring, which also provides sealing capability.

Insert member 314 includes a radially outwardly extending portion 320 defined rearwardly on the back side of outer flange 316. This portion 320 serves as a seal with the cylindrical extension 312, particularly as shown in FIG. Thus, in this manner, a second seal is formed between the insertion member 314 and the housing 24.
Insert member 314 includes an inner flange 326 that defines the diameter of opening 323 and an alignment tab 324 formed in chamber 322. This tab 324 cooperates with a longitudinally extending passage or groove defined in the pump cylinder, as will be described later.

  Another embodiment of the pump cylinder is disclosed in FIGS. This pump cylinder embodiment can be used in the integrally molded pump chamber or pump chamber insert 314 shown in FIGS. This embodiment includes a two-part pump cylinder 340. The first part 342 is a generally cylindrical member having a passage 344 extending therethrough and extending to a delivery orifice 96 defined in the front end of the first part 342. The front end of the first part corresponds to the delivery end of the pump cylinder 340. In order to prevent the pump cylinder 340 from being pulled out of the pump chamber 322, a flange 354 is provided at the rear end of the first part 342. As shown in FIG. 25, the flange 354 engages with the internal flange 326 of the insertion member 314 at a fully extended position of the pump cylinder 340.

  Similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9, a locking feature for the pump cylinder 349 is provided. A longitudinal groove or passage 350 is defined along the outer surface of the first part 342 to engage the alignment tab 324 of the insertion member 314 as the cylinder is slid longitudinally into the pump chamber 322. To do. In this case, the pump cylinder 340 is prevented from rotating due to operation and release of the pump cylinder. In particular, as shown in FIG. 25, a partial circumferential groove 352 is defined in the outer surface of the first part 342. The circumferential groove 352 is defined at a position corresponding to the pressurizing position of the pump cylinder 340 in the pump chamber 322. For delivery of the dispenser, the pump cylinder 340 can be pushed down and then rotated so that the tab 324 engages in the circumferential groove 352. In this configuration, the pump cylinder 340 is locked in the pressurized position and moved within the pump chamber 322 until the pump cylinder is rotated back to a position where the tab 324 engages in the longitudinal groove 350. I can't.

  The first part 342 of the pump cylinder 340 also includes a flange seal 356 defined at the rear end of the part. The flange seal 356 is engaged with the inner wall 325 of the insertion member 314, and the viscous liquid contained in the chamber 322 is pressurized by moving the cylinder from the rest position to the pressurization position, so that the pump cylinder It ensures that it is removed from 340 and does not simply move from one end of the pump chamber to the other by movement of the cylinder.

  The second part of the pump cylinder 340 can be a plug member 346 that fits into a chamber 341 defined on the rear side of the first part 342. The plug member 346 has a passage 348 defined through the plug member and axially aligned with a passage 344 defined in the first part 342. Thus, the aligned passages 344 and 348 define a delivery passage through the pump cylinder 340. As shown in FIG. 29, the passage 348 can be opened along the top of the passage and forms a closed passage by cooperation of the chamber 341 and the first part wall defining the opening passage 348. A cup-shaped flange member 357 is defined at the rear end of the plug member 346. The side wall of the flange member engages the inner wall 325 of the insert member 314, thereby defining a second flange seal 358 between the pump cylinder 340 and the pump chamber 322. The interior of the cup-shaped flange member 357 defines a recess or seat 362 on which the spring seats as described below. As in the embodiments of FIGS. 5-9, to ensure that viscous liquid in chamber 322 is not pushed out of the chamber by movement of pump cylinder 340 within the chamber, the pump chamber A check valve is provided at 322. The check valve in this embodiment is a shuttle valve 392 having arms 336 that extend radially and are spaced apart. Shuttle valve 392 is slidably disposed within an opening defined through end cap 328. The space between the radial arms 336 leads to the reservoir and allows liquid to flow from the reservoir into the pump chamber 322 as the pump cylinder 340 moves toward the forward end of the pump chamber 322. To ensure that the opening of the end cap 328 is sealed by actuation of the pump and backward movement of the pump cylinder 340 toward the pressurized position in the chamber 322, the front of the shuttle valve 392 A seal cap 334, such as an elastomer cap, is provided on the end. The cap 334 seals against the forward end of the cylindrical protrusion 338 of the end cap 328. An open cage member 330 extends from the end cap 328 into the reservoir and surrounds the radial arm 336.

Pump cylinder 340 is biased toward a rest position within pump chamber 322 by the action of spring 360. For this purpose other types of elastic devices can be used such as leaf springs, spring washers and the like. The spring 360 has a forward end seated in the recess 346 of the cup-shaped flange member 357 of the plug member 346. Both ends of the spring 360 are fitted around a cylindrical protrusion 338 of the end cap 328.
The end cap 328 is permanently fixed to the rear end of the chamber insertion member 314 (ie, by welding, adhesive, etc.) after the pump cylinder 340 and spring 360 are inserted into the insert from the rear end. Similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 5-9, it may be desirable to include a valve mechanism in the delivery end of the pump cylinder 340 to prevent viscous liquid from leaking from the dispenser. A particularly useful seal valve is the type of valve shown and described in connection with FIGS. 9a and 9b.

The operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 25 to 29 is substantially the same as that described above for the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 9 and therefore need not be described in detail again.
The pump mechanism of FIGS. 25-29 may be desirable from a manufacturing and assembly point of view. It may be desirable to remove the pump mechanism from the housing so that the pump mechanism can be recycled or reused. In this case, it is preferable to provide an attachment between the chamber insert 314 and the housing 24 that can be more easily “broken” or removed. However, within the spirit and scope of the present invention, the embodiment of FIGS. 25-29 prevents the insert member 314 from being removed by breaking the heated pile weld between the chamber insert member 314 and the front surface 304 of the housing 24. To do.
It should be understood that the invention includes modifications and variations of the embodiments of the invention described herein.

It is a perspective view of the dispenser which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view of the back side of the dispenser shown by FIG. FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the dispenser according to FIG. 1 and a complementary wall mounting structure. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the dispenser taken along the line shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the pump mechanism of the dispenser as seen along the line shown in FIG. 3. It is sectional drawing on the action | operation of a pump mechanism. It is sectional drawing on the action | operation of a pump mechanism. FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view and cutaway view of a pump mechanism, particularly showing a check valve device. FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view and cutaway view of a pump mechanism, particularly showing locking features. It is a perspective view of the valve mechanism integrated in the pump cylinder. FIG. 9b is an operational perspective view of the valve mechanism of FIG. 9a. It is a perspective view of the back part of a dispenser housing. FIG. 6 is a partial partial perspective view of the operation of a wall mounting bracket for installing a dispenser. It is sectional drawing of the wall installation bracket seen along the line shown by FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the vent valve taken along the line shown in FIG. 2. It is an expansion perspective view of the panel member actuator attached to the pump housing. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a dispenser. FIG. 16 is an enlarged part view of an actuator used in the dispenser shown in FIG. 15. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a dispenser showing a window feature for determining the amount of liquid in particular in the dispenser. It is a perspective view and a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment of a ventilation mechanism concerning the present invention. It is a perspective view of the lower part of the main body member of the ventilation mechanism of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the ventilation mechanism of FIG. 18 which shows the place which inserts a ventilation mechanism in the opening part of the upper wall of a housing. FIG. 20b is a cross-sectional view of the vent mechanism of FIG. 20a after insertion into the housing, particularly showing an embodiment of an elastic locking mechanism for locking the vent mechanism to the housing wall. FIG. 20B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion of FIG. 20B designed for a counterbore bore in the housing wall. FIG. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion of FIG. 20B designed for a straight bore in the housing wall. It is sectional drawing of another embodiment of the ventilation mechanism which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing of another embodiment of the ventilation mechanism which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing of another embodiment of the pump mechanism which concerns on this invention. FIG. 26 is a partial perspective view of parts of the embodiment of the pump mechanism of FIG. 25. FIG. 27 is a partially assembled perspective view of the component shown in FIG. 26. It is a perspective view of the pump chamber insertion part of embodiment of FIG. It is a perspective view of the components of the pump cylinder of embodiment of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Dispenser 14 Housing 16 Side wall 18 Back side 20 Front side 22 Back part 24 Front part 26 Side edge 28 Recess 30 Actuator 48 Tab 68 Liquid reservoir 70 Chamber 88 Pump mechanism 90 Delivery end 92 Cylinder 98 Spring 101 Piston 116 O-ring

Claims (15)

A viscous liquid dispenser,
A housing comprising a front part formed separately from the back part and permanently attached to the back part, wherein at least a majority of the back part is formed from a substantially transparent or translucent material;
An internal liquid reservoir defined by and within the housing and containing a volume of viscous liquid and sealed to prevent access;
A manual withdrawal pump mechanism disposed in fluid communication with the reservoir and having a delivery end disposed relative to the housing to deliver a metered amount of viscous liquid from the reservoir when actuated by a user When,
And the portion of the back piece formed from a substantially transparent or translucent material extends vertically from a position substantially adjacent to the bottom of the reservoir;
The part of the backing part formed from a substantially transparent or translucent material can be seen from the side of the housing and is defined as an observation part, the remaining amount of the viscous liquid in the reservoir is The dispenser is determined by viewing the amount from the observation portion.   The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the viewing portion extends vertically to at least about half the vertical height of the reservoir.   The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the viewing portion is formed from a different material than the rest of the housing.   The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the back piece is formed entirely from the substantially transparent or translucent material and defines the entire back wall of the reservoir.   The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the back part has a side edge that can be seen from a side of the housing.   The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the back part and the front part are separately molded plastic parts.   The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the back part has higher rigidity than the front part.   The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the back part has a larger thickness than the front part. A viscous liquid dispenser,
Comprising a housing forming an internal viscous liquid reservoir, comprising a front part formed separately from the back part and permanently attached to the back part;
The back part is adapted to form the back wall of the reservoir;
A manual withdrawal pump mechanism disposed in fluid communication with the reservoir and having a delivery end disposed relative to the housing to deliver a metered amount of viscous liquid from the reservoir when actuated by a user When,
With
The back part is formed of a visible material that is at least partially transparent or translucent and extends vertically from a position substantially adjacent to the bottom of the reservoir;
The back part comprises a side edge visible from the housing side,
The dispenser characterized in that the level of the viscous liquid remaining in the reservoir is determined by looking at the level from the side edge of the back part.   10. A dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the back part is formed entirely from the visible material.   The dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the back part and the front part are separately molded plastic parts.   The dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the back part has higher rigidity than the front part.   The dispenser according to claim 12, wherein the back part has a thickness greater than that of the front part.   The back part has a mounting recess formed integrally therein, and can be detachably connected to a complementary mounting structure formed on the wall surface of the mounting recess. The dispenser described in 1.   15. A dispenser according to claim 14, wherein the mounting recess is entirely enclosed within the back part so that it cannot be seen from any side of the housing.

Images