MXPA97008149A - Pump that distributes liquids automatically that has a seal against a - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manually operated liquid dispensing pump adapted to be mounted in a liquid container for dispensing, including a piston having a stem extending through a pump collar, the piston reciprocating with a cylinder of the pump during a pumping operation to define a variable volume pumping chamber, said has a vent port of the container that selectively vents the liquid in the container, said piston has ventilation control means and a discharge valve to control a discharge of liquid from said chamber, a plunger head mounted on said stem has a discharge opening in communication with said valve, said head having a dependent margin around an upper part of said stem in relation to said valve. spaced with it, another portion of said stem is directly exposed to the atmosphere, the improvement where the pump includes hydraulic closing means mounted on said cylinder for sealing the closed ventilation port during the pumping operation to prevent the entry of a foreign liquid into the container via the ventilation port when the pump is used in a humid environment said seal means includes an annular seal seal in sliding seal coupling with said other portion of said stem, means in said upper portion of said stem substantially lower than said margin of the plunger head to interrupt the sealing engagement in said seal. or near the end of each compression stroke of the piston to create ventilation passage means to open the ventilation port, said interruption means being kept substantially free of moisture by said margin when the pump is used in a humid environment to avoid the entry of said foreign liquid into the container in an open condition of the port of ventil ac

Description

PUMP THAT DISTRIBUTES LIQUIDS AUTOMATICALLY THAT HAS A SEAL AGAINST WATER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a manually operated liquid dispensing pump capable of being operated in a humid environment without the entry of water through the ventilation port of the open container inside the container under any condition of the plunger. of the pump, even during pumping. Moreover, the venting port is sealed with a condition of securing the shipping and storage plunger to seal against leakage of the product from the container outwardly through the ventilation port during a superatmospheric pressure condition inside the container. .

As is well known, automatic dispensers with pumps for manually operated liquids must have a port or ventilation ports to facilitate the replacement of the product distributed automatically from the container with air to avoid the collapse of the container (sometimes referred to as a pancake) and safe hydraulic piston. The ventilation port is sealed with a seal during a condition of the automatic distributor as well as at the end of the stroke of the plunger. Therefore, if the automatic dispenser will tilt or invert, the product will not leak through the ventilation port.

The ventilation port of some automatic vending machines are similarly closed with seal in a condition of securing the plunger in shipping and storage.

However, known manually operated pump dispensers, when used in a wet environment such as when a shower is taken, tend to admit water through the ventilation port when it is pumped so that the product, which can be a soap to wash the body, hair shampoo or hair conditioner, is diluted undesirably inside the container. Water enters the container through the open ventilation port through the same open passage to admit air during pumping.

For example, the pump for distributing liquids presented in the Patent of the United States 3,391,647 has, at the highest position of the piston, a seal for venting the container over a collar in sealing engagement with a circular rim on the piston post to seal the closed vent ports. During pumping, the seal of the collar is uncoupled from the circular edge to open the ventilation.

The automatic dispenser presented in United States Patent 4,728,008 has a ventilation seal on the upper end wall of the container to which the pump is fixed, in engagement with a sleeve of the plunger head to seal the inside of the closed container during the resting position of the piston. After the slightest depression of the piston head, the seal comes into contact with a longitudinal groove on the inner sleeve to vent the interior of the container. This automatic distributor intends to supply or distribute fluid medium, particularly pasta or similar.

The automatic distributor '647, however, has its ventilation seal exposed directly to the atmosphere so that, when starting the pumping, the water can enter the interior of the container through an open ventilation path. And, the interior of the container of the automatic distributor '008 is ventilated by opening a ventilation path through which water can enter if the automatic distributor were to be used in a humid environment, which is unlikely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a manually operated automatic liquid dispensing pump capable of being operated in a humid environment whereby any tendency of water to pass within the container during pumping, which could dilute the product, is substantially avoided. Another feature of the invention is to prevent leakage of the product through the ventilation port due to a prevailing superatmospheric condition within the container during shipping and storage as when the plunger is in a safe position.

According to the invention, the automatic dispenser with pump has sealing means in sliding sealing coupling for liquids with piston plunger to seal the closed ventilation port during the pumping operation to prevent the ingress of liquid into the container via the port of ventilation when the pump is used in a humid environment. This sealing coupling is interrupted at or near the end of the downward stroke of the piston to open the vent port while still preventing the ingress of water into the container via the open vent port. The means in the plunger, as it is one or more longitudinal grooves or ribs, are kept substantially free of moisture by a reliable skirt, separated and superimposed on the head of the plunger so that the tendency of any water to enter the container via the Ventilation port in this unsealed and open condition is substantially avoided.

During pumping the dependent fault in the plunger extends to its free end within an open annular groove formed in a collar surrounding the sealing means whose groove will collect the water. To avoid a water drag in an annular chamber formed between the skirt and the plunger, the skirt has one or more ports to ventilate that chamber.

The plunger head is capable of being secured to the pump during shipping and storage using conventional insurance means. In the secured condition, a shoulder of the sealing means seals against a shoulder under the head, and the ventilation groove separates from the upper end of the plunger to present a clean surface of the plunger for the sealing means, so that leaks of the product through the ventilation port during the superatmospheric pressure conditions that develop inside the container are avoided.

The water sealing means may be in the form of a sealing member having a central opening through which the piston plunger extends, the sealing member having an annular chevron seal in liquid slidable sealing engagement with the plunger of the piston. piston during pumping. The sealing member is mounted on an upper open end of the pump cylinder by the collar or molding through which the plunger of the piston extends, the collar or the molding is fixed to a vertical flank on the cylinder of the pump and they cover the container's closure. The outer flank of the seal against the water creates a seal with the cylinder of the pump to prevent the ingress of water.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the automatic liquid dispensing pump of the invention having a seal against water, the pump is illustrated in the rest position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the pump in a position of the plunger pressed during pumping; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the plunger in its secured position; Y Figure 4 is a view taken substantially along line 4-4 of the Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference now to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar and corresponding parts in all the different views, the automatic dispenser with pump according to the invention is generally designated as having a body of pump including a pump cylinder 11 that extends inside the interior of a container 12 partially illustrated in figure 1, the pump body is mounted to the neck of the container by a container closure 13 in the manner known as is by a inner flank 14 of the closure covering an outer edge 15 of the pump cylinder. A cylindrical dependent sleeve 16 at the lower end of the pump body supports an insertion hose (not shown) that extends into the interior of the container. A seat of the feed valve 17 is defined between the cylinder of the pump 11 and the sleeve 16 for receiving a feed check float valve 18.

One or more vent ports 19 are provided in the wall of the cylinder 11 at or near the upper end thereof, and a vertical sleeve 21 of the pump cylinder is externally patterned to provide a closed friction fit with the dependent sleeve 22 of a collar or molding 23.

A pump piston 24 is mounted for reciprocation within the cylinder 11 so as to define a variable volume pumping chamber 25, the piston has a hollow piston plunger 26 which extends through a central opening 27 of the collar. The piston is resiliently inclined out of its bore by a return spiral spring for the piston 28 extending between the underside of the piston and a flank 29 of a seal of the automatic distributor 31 having a plurality of separate legs. 32 defining a cage for the float for the float feed check valve. The return spring retains the seal of the automatic distributor in place, the seal having a vertical plug 33 adapted to project into and seal the lower end of the plunger piston in the secured position of the plunger of Figure 3.

A plunger head 34 is fixedly mounted to the upper end of the piston plunger, the head has a discharge nozzle 35 or the like and an upper wall 36 that defines a finger or head rest against which a finger pressure or hand is applied by the operator to operate the pump.

The structure and arrangement of the present automatic pump dispenser is of the type that has a substantial portion of its piston plunger exposed directly to the atmosphere, i.e., said substantial portion of the plunger is not covered by any other structure of the pump. However, an upper portion of the plunger is covered by a sleeve 37 which depends on the head of the plunger, the skirt covers that upper portion in a separate relation, as illustrated.

The hollow plunger defines a discharge passage 38 so that the liquid product flowing therethrough which is controlled by a discharge valve may be in the form of a check valve with float 39 rested against its seat 41, a plurality of fingers 42 are molded or cold formed within the plunger to define a cage for the float for the discharge valve. The piston has a tab seal for the dependent piston 43, generally known as a chevron seal, in slidable sealed engagement with the wall of the pump cylinder. The piston can similarly be provided with a vertical tab seal 44 in slidable sealing engagement with the pump cylinder wall generally to prevent blowing of the product around the piston during suction strokes of the piston.

According to the invention, the automatic dispenser has sealing means which can be in the form of a separate sealing member 45 having a central opening through which the piston plunger extends, and is mounted in place on the end upper of the pump cylinder by the collar 23. A dependent inner flank 465 of the collar engages an outer flank 47 of the sealing member which is seal-like with the vertical flank 21 of the pump cylinder to seal against of the water entering the container via the ventilation port of the container in any condition of the plunger. An upper shoulder 48 of the piston pushes against the lower edge of the sealing member 45 to define a limit brake for the piston.

The sealing member has a vertical annular tabs seal 49, known as a chevron seal, in a sliding seal coupling closed with the piston plunger 26 during pumping. As will be explained in more detail below, the vent ports remain closed by the sealing action between the seal 49 and the piston plunger during reciprocation of the plunger while the plunger slides relative to the seal 49 through a length travel default. During the course of this trip, any permeability or water ingress, as when products such as soap for washing the body, hair shampoo or hair conditioner in the shower are automatically distributed, inside the container via the ventilation ports is avoided substantially by the sliding sealing action produced by seal 49.

Means are provided on the outer surface of the piston plunger under the dependent sleeve 37 to interrupt the sealing action presented by the seal 49 at or near the end of the compression stroke of the piston. Said means may have the form of one or more longitudinal grooves 51, or equivalent longitudinal ribs (not shown), the grooves end around the lower edge 52 of the sleeve 37.

Starting at a position near the end of the piston pressure stroke, illustrated in Figure 2, the seal 49 engages the groove or grooves 51 so that the sealing action of the seal 49 is interrupted and an air path is created to through which air is allowed to enter the container via the ventilation ports 19 and via the annular opening 53 between the inner diameter of the sealing member 45 and the outer diameter of the piston plunger.

In the position of Figure 2, with the ventilation of the container open, the grooves 51 remain essentially free of moisture as they are protected by the skirt 37 as the water from the shower faucet generally strikes from above against the plunger head. Thus, only air is admitted through the open ventilation path inside the container to replace the product as it is automatically distributed to prevent the container from collapsing and being hydraulically secured. There is little, if any, tendency for water to flow through the open ventilation path in the condition of Figure 2 inside the container when the automatic dispenser is used in a wet environment, due to the protective action provided by the skirt 37.

After the continued depression of the plunger beyond that illustrated in Figure 2, the free end of the skirt 37 extends into the annular groove 56 formed between the collar 23 and the member 45. In a wet environment this furrow will collect water that the Free end of the skirt 37 is introduced into the collected water and tends to introduce water into the. an annular opening formed between the free end of the skirt and the plunger, during the return stroke of the plunger to its position of Figure 1. The introduction of the water, if allowed to persist, would allow the water to enter the container during the condition of open ventilation of Figure 2.

Thus, according to the invention, the annular chamber 50 formed between the skirt 37 and the plunger is vented to the atmosphere by the provision of the ports 57 in the skirt 37. It has been found that said ventilation prevents the water from entering the free end of the skirt and thus keep the groove or ventilation grooves 51 substantially free of water and thus prevents the seepage of water into the container through the open ventilation path.

As is known in the art, the plunger and its piston return to the position of the Figure 1 after the release of external pressure applied to the head. During this suction stroke, the pumping chamber 25 expands to thereby lower the pressure after which the product from the container at atmospheric pressure flows into the pumping chamber through the check valve with non-resting feed float. .

The skirt 37 has an external safety pin or pins 54 which, as best seen in Figure 4, when each is aligned with a cut 55 provided in the crown of the collar 23, extends through the cut when the plunger is It goes down to its position in Figure 3. Some form of clue (not shown) can be provided on the collar and / or plunger head for alignment purposes. When in the position of Figure 4, the head of the plunger is simply rotated slightly in any direction, as illustrated in phantom delineation at 54 'to secure the plunger in relation to the collar. In said position, seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3 a shoulder 58 at the upper end of the sealing member 45 engages sealingly with a confronting shoulder 59 formed below the head of the plunger to prevent any leakage of the product from the container via the ventilation ports, due to an increase in pressure inside the container. Any such leakage is further prevented in the safety position of the plunger as the seal 49 engages as a seal with a smooth surface portion 60 of the plunger located below the upper end of the groove 51 as illustrated. And, any leakage of product from the container through the discharge passage 38 and the mouth 35 via a non-resting discharge valve 39 is prevented by the sealing action between the plug 33 and the lower end of the piston plunger.

From the safe position of Figure 3, the plunger head is simply rotated until the pins 54 are aligned with the cuts 55 after which the spring action of the return spring tilts the piston out of its bore to the position of Figure 1 as limited by the limiting brake 49.

From this it can be seen that a simple and economical but highly efficient automatic dispenser with pump has been developed for use in especially a wet environment without the tendency of water from the shower to be introduced into the container via the open ventilation ports of the container in any condition of the pump, even during pumping. The sealing member, being a separate part of the collar, can be molded from a softer plastic such as polyethylene compared to the more durable molded plastic collar such as polypropylene. The sealing member seals the ventilation of the closed container during pumping through a predetermined length of the stroke of the plunger until the sealing action is interrupted after selo reaching the ventilation grooves protected by a skirt dependent on the head of the plunger. The protective action substantially ensures a moisture free condition of the ventilation grooves during pumping in the wet environment to prevent water from flowing through the ventilation path into the container while the ventilation is open. And, the filtration of the water in the free end of the skirt, which can be filtered inside the container to dilute the product, is avoided.

In the safety position of the plunger, the product in the container is sealed against leakage through the vent due to the sealed seal coupling between the sealing member and the underside of the head and between the sealing member and the sealing member. upper end of the plunger.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are made possible in light of the teachings above. It is. For example, ventilation ribs instead of ventilation grooves could be provided and the plunger can be secured in its fully depressed position by some equivalent means other than the spikes presented, without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention can be practiced in ways other than those specifically described.

Claims (10)

1. The claims are: 1. A hand-operated automatic dispenser pump for liquids adapted to be mounted on an automatically dispensing liquid container, which includes a piston having a plunger extending through a pump collar, the piston is reciprocal inside a pump cylinder during the pumping operation to define a variable volume pumping chamber, said cylinder has a ventilation port of the container, ventilation control means, a discharge valve to control the discharge of liquid from said chamber, a plunger head mounted on said piston having a discharge opening in communication with said valve, said head has a dependent skirt sunding an upper portion of said plunger in separate relation, another portion of said plunger is directly exposed to the atmosphere, the improvement in that the pump includes sealing means for the liquid mounted on said cylinder to seal the closed ventilation port during the pumping operation to prevent the ingress of liquid into the container via the ventilation port when the pump is used in a humid environment, said sealing means includes an annular lip seal at sliding seal coupling with said other portion of said plunger; means in said plunger substantially below said plunger skirt to interrupt the sealing engagement at or near the end of each compression stroke of the plunger to create ventilation passage means for opening the vent port, said interruption means substantially maintained moisture-free by means of said skirt when the pump is used in a humid environment to prevent the ingress of liquid into the container in an open condition of the ventilation port.
2. 2. The pump for distributing liquids automatically according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means in said cylinder by said collar, and said piston strikes against a shoulder brake formed in said sealing means at one end of the return stroke of the piston. piston.
3. 3. The pump for distributing liquids automatically according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means further includes an annular sealing flange in engagement with a vertical mounting flank in said cylinder to which said collar is mounted.
4. 4. The pump for dispensing liquids automatically according to claim, wherein said annular lip seal has a central opening through which said plunger extends, and said skirt dependent on said head covering said lip seal at the end of each compression stroke of the piston.
5. 5. The pump for distributing liquids automatically according to claim 4, wherein said skirt and said collar have interlocking means in a completely depressed position of said head.
6. 6. The pump for distributing liquids automatically according to claim 1, wherein said interrupting means comprises at least one longitudinal groove.
7. 7. The pump for dispensing liquids automatically according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means has an annular groove that opens towards said head, said skirt defines an annular chamber with said plunger, and a free end of said skirt extends within said annular groove when the ventilation port is open during pumping, said skirt has at least one port for venting said annular chamber to the atmosphere to prevent the introduction of liquid into said annular chamber when said free end extends into said annular groove .
8. 8. The pump for dispensing liquids automatically according to claim 1, wherein said annular lip seal has an external shoulder that confronts a shoulder below said head and engages in a sealing manner therewith in a safety position of the plunger in which said head is secured to said collar.
9. 9. The pump for dispensing liquids automatically according to claim 8, wherein said shoulder under said head is placed in a port placed in said skirt to ventilate an annular chamber formed by said skirt and plunger to prevent the filtration of liquid within said annular chamber when a free end of said skirt extends into an open annular groove formed in said sealing member.
10. 10. The pump for dispensing liquids automatically according to claim 6, wherein said groove is separated from a free end of said plunger to present a smooth surface, said lip seal coupling in fluid sealing to said smooth surface in a safety position of the plunger in which said head is secured to said collar. EXCERPT OF THE INVENTION An automatic dispenser with manually operated liquid pump has a water seal to keep the sealed container ports closed during pumping to or near the end of the pressure stroke after which a vent through the which will only be allowed to travel inside the container, it is opened since the road is protected against the entrance of the water in the ventilation path when it is pumped in a humid environment as when it is automatically distributed shampoo to the hair or conditioner For the hair. In a safety position of the delivery and storage plunger, product leaks through the ventilation ports are substantially avoided during a superatmospheric condition within the container.