WO2017131705A1 - Distributeur de fluides tels que des savons, des lotions, des désinfectants et analogues - Google Patents

Distributeur de fluides tels que des savons, des lotions, des désinfectants et analogues Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017131705A1
WO2017131705A1 PCT/US2016/015401 US2016015401W WO2017131705A1 WO 2017131705 A1 WO2017131705 A1 WO 2017131705A1 US 2016015401 W US2016015401 W US 2016015401W WO 2017131705 A1 WO2017131705 A1 WO 2017131705A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
lever
dispenser
activation button
dispenser housing
front face
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2016/015401
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
YuMan PARK
Dongmin Kim
Taeil Yun
Seonmi Ku
Jongsoo Lee
YuGu LEE
KiChang ROH
Original Assignee
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. filed Critical Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
Priority to PCT/US2016/015401 priority Critical patent/WO2017131705A1/fr
Publication of WO2017131705A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017131705A1/fr

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
    • A47K5/00—Holders or dispensers for soap, toothpaste, or the like
    • A47K5/06—Dispensers for soap
    • A47K5/12—Dispensers for soap for liquid or pasty soap
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
    • A47K5/00—Holders or dispensers for soap, toothpaste, or the like
    • A47K5/06—Dispensers for soap
    • A47K5/12—Dispensers for soap for liquid or pasty soap
    • A47K5/1202—Dispensers for soap for liquid or pasty soap dispensing dosed volume
    • A47K5/1204—Dispensers for soap for liquid or pasty soap dispensing dosed volume by means of a rigid dispensing chamber and pistons

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed to dispensers for fluids such as liquid soaps, lotions, hand sanitizer, gels, aerosols and the like. More particularly, it is directed to a dispenser with an improved moment arm mechanism to facilitate dispensing of fluid by hand.
  • Fluid dispensers for fluids such as soaps, lotions, sanitizers and other materials are in wide use commercially, institutionally and in the home. In high traffic areas such as public bathrooms and hallways and common areas of buildings such as business offices, hospitals, doctor's offices and the like, it is very common to see dispensers mounted on the wall for dispensing such fluids.
  • dispensers examples include K-C Professional® MOD® Electronic Touchless Cassette Skin Care Dispenser (Code 32508), K-C Professional Electronic Cassette Skin Care Dispenser (Code 11329), manufactured by Kimberly-Clark, Corp., Neenah, Wisconsin, USA, and KLEENEX® luxury Foam Soap Dispenser(Code 57242), distributed by Yuhan-Kimberly Ltd., Seoul, South Korea.
  • dispensers are designed for heavy and repetitive use. For example, if a dispenser is fitted with a 1000 milliliter (ml) reservoir of fluid which dispenses the fluid in 0.5 ml increments, just one refill will require at least 2000 pumps to empty the contents of the reservoir assuming the pump mechanism is fully primed each time. As a result, it can be seen that a dispenser must be designed for extremely high levels of pumping.
  • Dispensers are also designed for instances where they may encounter abusive use and/or potential vandalism. As a result, their designs must be robust in all regards. Many if not most of such dispensers employ a pump with a pump mechanism that can be operated by hand. Such pumps include some type of handle or actuator which is subject to activation by pushing on the handle to move it from a first, closed position to a second and activated position where fluid contained in a fluid reservoir is delivered from a dispensing mechanism such as a spout, generally into the hands of the user.
  • a dispensing mechanism such as a spout
  • these pumps themselves, include some type of spring or other type of biasing means which is used to maintain the pump in an off or non-activated position but when pressure is applied, the pump can be moved to an activated position where it delivers a metered amount of the contained fluid.
  • the springs or other biasing means must be capable of being actuated possibly hundreds of thousands of times. Accordingly, the springs or other biasing means may be quite stiff thereby making it more difficult to dispense the fluid contained in the dispenser without heavy hand action by the user. Such heavy hand action is generally not desirable from a consumer standpoint, especially in the case where the user is a small child, an elderly person or someone with physical infirmities.
  • one solution would be to make the dispenser with a pumping mechanism with lighter hand action but doing so can comprise the useful life of the overall dispenser by using lighter weight materials.
  • lever or other means for actuating the pump button on the pump mechanism Many dispenser designs include a separate actuator lever that the end-user pushes upon to cause the dispenser to dispense the housed fluid. Usually this lever has a contact point or handle that is relatively large so that it is easy to visually identify and easy to contact due to its large surface area. Such levers are also commonly equipped with springs or other biasing mechanisms so as to keep them in contact with the pump button but so as to not exert undue pressure upon the pump button which could partially activate the button during non-use thereby allowing leakage of the fluid contained in the fluid reservoir which in turn would waste fluid and cause undesirable spills in the vicinity immediately surrounding the dispenser. As a result, the springs or other biasing mechanisms associated with such activation levers are also robustly designed to withstand high volume usage. Once again, this added spring tension can further increase the amount of effort that is needed to actually use the dispensing device.
  • the present invention is designed to provide an actuating mechanism that is easier to use while still allowing the use of conventional pumping mechanisms.
  • a dispenser for dispensing fluids comprises a dispenser housing having a length, a width and a depth, a front face, a rear face, an upper end and a lower end with the dispenser housing defining a longitudinal dispenser length.
  • the dispenser is adapted to receive a supply of fluid.
  • the dispenser includes a dispensing means having an activation button capable of moving from a first, closed position to a second, open position to deliver a portion of the supply of fluid from the dispensing means upon movement of the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • a lever is connected to the dispenser housing and the lever has a proximal end and a distal end with the distal end adapted to interact with the activation button to move the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the lever is biased in a first position which allows the activation button to remain in the activation button first position when the dispenser is not in use.
  • the lever is adapted to be moved from the lever first position to a lever second position and this motion correspondingly moves the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the lever defines a moment length with the moment length being from about 50 to about 100 percent of the longitudinal dispenser length, alternatively from about 60 to about 95 percent, alternately from about 70 to about 85 percent of the longitudinal dispenser length.
  • the dispenser of can be designed such that the moment length of the lever is from about 10.0 centimeters to about 35.0 centimeters, alternatively, from about 15.0 centimeters to about 30.0 centimeters, alternatively from about 18.0 centimeters to about 27.0 centimeters, alternatively from about 9.0 centimeters to about 34.0 centimeters, alternatively from about 14.0 centimeters to about 29.0 centimeters, and alternatively from about 17.0 to about 26.0 centimeters.
  • the dispenser can further include a biasing means which acts upon the lever adjacent the proximal end of the lever to maintain the lever in the lever first position when the dispenser is not in use.
  • the proximal end of the lever can be fixed to the dispenser housing so the biasing means can act upon the lever at a biasing point on the lever located between the proximal end and the distal end of the lever.
  • the proximal end of the lever is fixed to the dispenser housing adjacent the upper end of the dispenser housing.
  • the biasing means can comprise a plate spring.
  • the biasing means can have a fixed end and a contacting portion with the contacting portion being in contact with the biasing point of the lever.
  • the fixed end of the biasing means can be located closer to the upper end of the dispenser housing than the proximal end of the lever.
  • the proximal end of the lever can be pivotally fixed to the dispenser housing.
  • the lever has a minor distance defined as a distance between the proximal end of the lever and the biasing point of the lever and a major distance defined as a distance between the biasing point and the distal end of the lever.
  • the lever can have a ratio between the major distance and the minor distance of from about 9.0:1.0 to about 1 .0:9.0, alternatively from about 6.0:1.0 to about 1.0:2.0 and, alternatively from about 4.0:1.0 to about 2.0:1.0.
  • At least a portion of the front face of the dispenser housing forms at least a portion of the lever whereby the front face can be used to move the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the front face can act as the activation button on the dispensing means.
  • the dispenser housing can further define sides separating the front face and the rear face of the dispenser housing. The sides are capable of movement when the front face is used to move the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the front face and the rear face of the dispenser housing are capable of nesting with one another to facilitate the use of the front face to move the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the lever is self-biasing in that the lever also acts as the biasing means so as to maintain the lever is the lever first position when the dispenser is not in use.
  • the activation button when the activation button is in the activation button first position, the activation button is closer to the front face of the dispenser housing than the rear face of the dispenser housing as compared to when the activation button is in the activation button second position.
  • the activation button when the activation button is in the activation button first position, the activation button is closer to the rear face of the dispenser housing than the front face of the dispenser housing as compared to when the activation button is in the activation button second position.
  • the lever when the lever is in the lever first position, the lever is closer to the front face of the dispenser housing than the rear face of the dispenser housing as compared to when the lever is in the lever second position.
  • the lever when the lever is in the lever first position, the lever is closer to the rear face of the dispenser housing than the front face of the dispenser housing as compared to when the lever is in the lever second position.
  • a dispenser for dispensing fluids comprises a dispenser housing having a length, a width and a depth, a front face, a rear face, an upper end and a lower end, with the dispenser housing defining a longitudinal dispenser length.
  • the dispenser is adapted to receive a supply of fluid and the dispenser includes a dispensing means having an activation button capable of moving from a first, closed position to a second, open position to deliver a portion of the supply of fluid from the dispensing means upon movement of the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the dispenser is also equipped with a lever having a proximal end and a distal end with the distal end adapted to interact with the activation button.
  • the dispenser includes a biasing means which acts upon the lever adjacent the proximal end of the lever to bias the lever in a first position which allows the activation button to remain in the activation button first position when the dispenser is not in use.
  • the lever can be pivotally connected to the dispenser housing adjacent the upper end of the dispenser housing to allow the lever to be moved from the lever first position to a lever second position and correspondingly move the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the lever defines a moment length with the moment length being from about 50 percent to about 100 percent of the longitudinal dispenser length, alternatively from about 60 percent to about 95 percent, alternately from about 70 percent to about 85 percent of the longitudinal dispenser length.
  • a dispenser for dispensing fluids comprises a dispenser housing having a length, a width and a depth, a front face, a rear face, an upper end and a lower end with the dispenser housing defining a longitudinal dispenser length.
  • the dispenser is adapted to receive a supply of fluid and the dispenser includes a dispensing means having an activation button capable of moving from a first, closed position to a second, open position to deliver a portion of the supply of fluid from the dispensing means upon movement of the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the dispenser includes a lever having a proximal end and a distal end with the distal end adapted to interact with the activation button.
  • the lever can be pivotally connected to the dispenser housing adjacent the upper end of the dispenser housing.
  • the dispenser includes a plate spring having a fixed end and a contacting portion with the fixed end of the plate spring being fixed to the dispenser housing and being located closer to the upper end of the dispenser housing than the proximal end of the lever.
  • the contacting portion of the plate spring acts upon a biasing point on the lever adjacent the proximal end of the lever to bias the lever in a first position which allows the activation button to remain in the activation button first position when the dispenser is not in use.
  • the lever is capable of movement from the lever first position to a lever second position to correspondingly move the activation button from the activation button first position to the activation button second position.
  • the lever defines a moment length with the moment length being from about 50 percent to about 100 percent of the longitudinal dispenser length, alternatively from about 60 percent to about 95 percent, alternately from about 70 percent to about 85 percent of the longitudinal dispenser length.
  • the lever has a minor distance defined as a distance between the proximal end of the lever and the biasing point of the lever and a major distance defined as a distance between the biasing point and the distal end of the lever.
  • the lever has a ratio between the major distance and the minor distance of from about 9.0:1 .0 to about 1.0:9.0, alternatively from about 6.0:1.0 to about 1 .0:2.0 and, alternatively from about 4.0:1.0 to about 2.0:1 .0.
  • FIG. 1 is perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of dispenser, such as a soap dispenser, in a fully assembled and functioning condition according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 .
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 in an open condition with the fluid reservoir poach removed.
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1-3 in an un-activated state.
  • FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the dispenser shown in FIG. 4 in an activated state.
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in an un-activated state and an active state (shown in dotted line format).
  • FIG. 7 is an alternate cross-sectional side view of a dispenser according to the present invention with a different lever arm device.
  • FIG. 8 is another alternate cross-sectional side view of a dispenser according to the present invention with yet a different lever arm device.
  • the present disclosure is generally directed towards a repetitive use dispenser of fluids including, but not limited to, soaps, lotions, hand sanitizers and other materials which are commonly dispensed by the hand action of the user.
  • fluids including, but not limited to, soaps, lotions, hand sanitizers and other materials which are commonly dispensed by the hand action of the user.
  • Such dispensers are used in a wide variety of commercial, institutional and in-home applications where repetitive dispensing of the held fluid is desired.
  • Each example is provided by way of explanation and is not meant as a limitation.
  • features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment or figure can be used on another embodiment or figure to yield yet another embodiment. It is intended that the present disclosure include such modifications and variations.
  • fluid refers herein to a material which is capable of being dispensed from a fluid reservoir through a dispensing apparatus such as a pump by hand activation.
  • a fluid may include, but is not limited to, a gas, a liquid or a solid.
  • gases the fluid will likely be under pressure within the fluid reservoir.
  • liquids noting that in some instances the terms “fluid” and “liquid” may be used interchangeably
  • the fluid will generally have a sufficiently low viscosity so that it may be dispensed while under pressure or by way of the pumping action associated with common pump dispensers.
  • gels are contemplated to be within the scope of the terms fluid and liquid.
  • solids it is generally anticipated that any solids will be suspended or otherwise mixed with another fluid in the fluid reservoir such as liquid or a gas.
  • the dispenser has several main components though other components may be added or deleted depending on the particular end use.
  • the dispenser has a dispenser housing 20, a fluid reservoir 66, a dispensing means 80 such as a pump or other type of delivery device, an actuation lever 94 and a biasing means 114.
  • the dispenser housing 20 can take on a wide variety of shapes and sizes provided it can employ the activation lever 94 described herein. Referring to FIGS. 1 -5, in an embodiment the dispenser housing 20 can have a front portion 22 including a front face 24 and a rear portion 26 including a rear face 28 and an intermediate portion 30 located between the front portion 22 and the rear portion 26 which can optionally be a separate piece from the front face 24 and the rear face 28.
  • the dispenser housing 20 has an upper end 32 or surface and a lower end 34 or surface separating the front face 24 from the rear face 28.
  • the dispenser housing 20 also has a pair of sides 36 separating the front face 24 from the rear face 28.
  • the intermediate portion 30 may form all or a portion of the upper end 32, the lower end 34 and the sides 36 of the dispenser housing 20. As a result, the dispenser housing 20 has a length, a width and a depth.
  • the dispenser housing 20 defines a longitudinal axis 38 and a longitudinal dimension also referred to as a longitudinal dispenser length 40 and a transverse axis 42 and transverse dimension also referred to as a transverse dispenser width 44 with the longitudinal dispenser length 40 generally being longer than the transverse dispenser width 44. However, it is possible to combine multiple dispensing units in the same dispenser housing 20 in which case the transverse dispenser width 44 could be larger than the longitudinal dispenser length 40.
  • the dispenser housing 20 also defines a depth axis 46 and a dispenser depth 48. As can be seen from the figures, the depth can vary widely from the upper end 32 to the lower end 34 of the dispenser housing 20.
  • the longitudinal dispenser length 40 will range from about 10.0 cm to about 35.0 cm, alternatively from about 15.0 cm to about 30.0 cm and alternatively from about 18.0 cm to about 27.0 cm.
  • the longitudinal dispenser length 40 is measured from the upper end 32 to the lower end 34, excluding such features as mounting brackets, dispenser nozzles and the like.
  • the transverse dispenser width 44 will range from about 6.0 cm to about 22.0 cm, alternatively from about 9.0 cm to about 19.0 cm and alternatively from about 1 1.0 cm to about 17.0 cm.
  • the transverse dispenser width 44 is measured at a point which is the approximate midpoint of the longitudinal dispenser length 40 and is the distance between the exterior of one side 36 and the exterior of the other side 36 of the dispenser housing 20.
  • the dispenser depth 48 is measured at the approximate midpoint of the longitudinal dispenser length 40 from the exterior of the front face 24 to the exterior of the rear face 28 excluding any mounting brackets, etc. which may extend outwardly from the general plane of the either or both of the front face 24 and the rear face 28.
  • the dispenser housing 20 will typically have one or more of the following features including a latch or some other locking mechanism 50, a viewing port or some other type of mechanism (not shown) to visually or otherwise detect the fluid level in the fluid reservoir 66, and a anchoring means 55 for anchoring the dispenser housing 20 to a fixed structure such as a wall, stand or other surface that will withstand the forces associated with activating the dispensing means 80 and dispensing the fluid 72 from the fluid reservoir 66.
  • the dispenser housing 20 will also typically include some type of hinge means 56 for opening and closing the dispenser housing 20 for refilling and servicing. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the dispenser housing 20 is hinged at the bottom adjacent the lower end 34 of the dispenser housing 20 but the hinge 56 also may be located on a side 36 or upper end 32.
  • the hinge can include a boss 58 or other protrusion 58 and a mating detent 60 which allow the dispenser housing 20 to be opened in a manner such as is shown in FIG. 2.
  • re-closable latches may be used to allow the front portion 22 to be completely detached from the rear portion 26 of the dispenser housing 20.
  • the dispenser housing 20 is show as being of a three-piece configuration though this should not be construed as a limitation on the dispenser housing design as it may be made from any number of pieces and still be employable with the present invention.
  • the rear portion has a series of anchoring means 55 such as mounting holes to allow the dispenser housing 20 to be secured to a wall or other fixed structure by screws or other fasteners.
  • the dispenser housing 20 also has a securement or locking mechanism 50.
  • the locking mechanism 50 includes a male portion 52 and a mating female portion 54 which may be operated by a key or other tool (not shown) if so desired.
  • the dispenser 10 has a fluid reservoir 66 for retaining a supply of fluid 72.
  • the fluid reservoir 66 may be designed as an integral portion of the overall dispenser 10 and thus not be capable of being replaced. Alternatively, it may be a separate, detachable unit that can be refilled and re-used or it may be of a single use, disposable design. In all such situations, the fluid reservoir 66 will be in fluid communication either directly or indirectly with the dispensing means 80 or pump.
  • direct it is meant that the exit orifice 68 of the fluid reservoir 66 is directly connected to the dispensing means 80 versus an indirect connection where some length of tubing or other conduit 70 is used due to the fluid reservoir 66 exit orifice 68 not being in close proximity to the fluid inlet 82 of the dispensing means 80.
  • the fluid reservoir 66 is integral with the overall dispenser design, it will typically have a fluid refill port and closure or cap (both not shown) most typically somewhere adjacent the highest fluid point in the fluid reservoir 66.
  • the fluid reservoir 66 When the fluid reservoir 66 is of a replaceable design such as a collapsible poly bag that can be changed out when it becomes depleted of fluid, it can be fitted with mounting devices such as tabs or hooks (not shown) to allow the fluid reservoir 66 to be hung within the dispenser housing 20.
  • Such fluid reservoirs can be made from a variety of materials such as polyethylene, nylon, polyester (PET) and laminated film structures such as are commonly used for disposable fluid pouches. Their capacities can vary depending on the size of the dispenser and/or whether the dispenser is designed to hold multiple fluid reservoirs 66.
  • Suitable volume capacities can range from about 250 milliliters (ml) to about 2,500 ml, alternatively from about 500 ml to about 2,000 ml and still further from about 750 ml to about 1 ,500 ml.
  • Such fluid reservoirs 66 and their design are common in nature and available from a number of resources including Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC, Winchester, VA, U.S.A.
  • dispenser 10 described herein can be used to dispense a wide variety of fluids of varying viscosities. Most commonly such dispensers 10 are associated with the dispensing of cleaning and sanitizing materials such as soaps, lotions, hand sanitizers, and waterless hand/skin cleaners. It is not intended, however, that the present invention be limited to such fluids but, instead, that it may be used in conjunction with the dispensing of metered and/or unmetered amounts of any fluid such as a liquid or semi-liquid material as well as pressurized gases or combinations of pressurized gases and liquids that are capable of being pumped or otherwise released from a fluid reservoir 66 in either an un-aerated or aerated version.
  • any fluid such as a liquid or semi-liquid material as well as pressurized gases or combinations of pressurized gases and liquids that are capable of being pumped or otherwise released from a fluid reservoir 66 in either an un-aerated or aerated version.
  • the fluid may be pressurized such as an atomized cologne or perfume or a liquid which has been foamed in the process of being dispensed by way of the dispensing means 80.
  • fluids that could also be dispensed from the dispenser 10 include but are not limited to foods including condiments such as mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and the like.
  • the dispenser 10 may be used to dispense other food products such as flavorings for coffee and other drinks or toppings for desserts such as ice cream.
  • the dispenser 10 be able to handle the dispensing of mixed materials wherein the dispenser housing 20 contains a plurality (not shown) of fluid reservoirs 66 that are either combined and dispensed from a single dispensing means 80 activated by a single activation lever 94 or by separate reservoirs with separate dispensing means 80, dispensing orifices and activation levers 94 all contained within the same dispenser housing 20.
  • the dispensing means 80 will typically be a conventional pump of a conventional design. Either term, dispensing means 80 or pump 80 may be used interchangeably herein and one term is not meant to be limiting as to the scope of the other. As stated at the outset, dispensers of this type are most commonly used in high traffic areas such as public bathrooms, office buildings, hospitals and other institutions where durability is a major concern due to the frequency of use, the severity of the use, and in some cases, the possibility of attempted vandalism. As a result, the actuator mechanisms of such pumps must be robust in design which oftentimes means stronger, longer life springs and other components which, while being able to work for a longer period of time before needing service or replacement, also means they are more difficult to operate.
  • the dispensing means 80 has an inlet port of orifice 82 for receiving a supply of fluid 72 from the fluid reservoir 66, a dispensing means outlet or orifice 84 for dispensing a predetermined amount of fluid 72, an activation button 86 for actuating the dispensing means 80 to dispense the fluid and a spring or other biasing means 92 (shown schematically in FIG. 6).
  • the activation button 86 By pushing on the activation button 86, the activation button 86 is capable of being moved from a first, closed position 88 (FIG. 4) to a second, open position 90 (FIG. 5) to deliver a portion of the supply of fluid 72 contained in the fluid reservoir 66.
  • the function of the spring or other biasing means 92 is to maintain the activation button 86 in the first, closed position 88 until the user pushes or otherwise engages the activation 86 button to move it towards the second, open position 90 to dispense the fluid 72.
  • the activation button 86 is closer to the front face 24 of the dispenser housing 20 than the rear face 28 of the dispenser housing 20 as compared to when the activation button 86 is in the second, open position 90.
  • the activation button 86 work in the reverse such that the activation button 86 when in the first, closed position 88 is closer to the rear face 28 of the dispenser housing 20 than the front face 24 of the dispenser housing 20 as compared to when the activation button 86 is in the second, open position 90.
  • the dispensing means 80 is positioned in the lower portion of the dispenser housing 20 adjacent the lower end 34 to facilitate the use of gravity feed from the fluid reservoir 66.
  • the axis of travel of the activation button 86 is generally parallel to the upper end 32 and the lower end 34 of the dispenser housing 20 and the depth axis 46 and movement of the activation button 86 is from the direction of the front face 24 towards the rear face 28.
  • the direction of activation may be reversed such that in the first, closed position 88, the activation button 86 is closer to the rear face 28 than when the activation button 86 is in the second, open position 90. It is also possible, however, to orient the dispensing means 80 in other directions such as in the vertical direction.
  • Such dispensing means or pumps 80 and their design are common in design and available from a number of resources.
  • One type of pump is foaming pump available from a variety of manufacturers including models F2 and F3 from Albea (formerly Rexam) of Gennevilliers, France having capacities of about 0.1 ml to about 5.0 ml, alternatively about 0.15 ml to about 1 .0 ml and alternately about 0.2 ml to about 0.5 ml.
  • Another such pump is a conventional liquid pump from WestRock Company (formerly MWV Calmar Inc.) of Richmond, Virginia, USA having a capacity of about 0.1 ml to about 10.0 ml, alternatively about 0.2 ml to about 5.0 ml and alternatively about 0.5 ml to about 2.0 ml.
  • FIGS. 1-5 show one embodiment of the present invention wherein the lever 94 has a proximal end 96 and a distal end 98.
  • the proximal end 96 is fixed to a portion of the dispenser housing 20, in this case the front face 24 adjacent the upper end 32 of the dispenser housing 20. See FIGS. 2-5.
  • the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 may be rigidly fixed to the dispenser housing 20 as shown in an alternate embodiment in FIG. 7 (which will be described below) or it may be movably fixed such as is shown in FIGS. 1-5.
  • the terms “fix” or “fixed” can mean both rigidly and movably fixed.
  • the proximal end 96 is movably fixed in the context of being pivotally fixed to the dispenser housing 20 as by way of a pair of protrusions or bosses 102 cast into either side of the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 which frictionally fit into a corresponding pair of detents 104 cast into the dispenser housing 20.
  • Other means of movably fixing the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 to the dispenser housing 20 are also contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention including, but not limited to, hinges, axles, and ball and detent mechanisms.
  • the distal end 98 of the lever 94 is located adjacent the lower end 34 of the dispenser housing 20 so as to maximize the length of the lever 94 and its moment arm action.
  • the lever 94 is adapted to interact with the activation button 86 to move the activation button 86 from its first, closed position 88 to its second, open position 90 to deliver a metered amount of fluid 72 from the fluid reservoir 66 to the user of the dispenser 10.
  • the lever 94 is biased in a lever first position 106 which allows the activation button 86 to remain in the activation button 86 first position 88 when the dispenser 10 is not in use.
  • the lever 94 is adapted to be moved from its lever first position 106 to a lever second position 108 which correspondingly moves the activation button 86 from the activation button first position 88 to the activation button second position 90.
  • FIG. 6. A cross-sectional side view of the lever 94 and activation button 86 being in the first position 88 is shown in FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 5. A cross-sectional side view of the lever 94 and activation button 86 being in the second position 90 is shown in FIG. 5.
  • the distal end 98 of the lever 94 is flared to a larger size than the proximal end 96 and the intermediate portion of the lever 94 connecting the proximal and distal ends 96 and 98 to facilitate easier contact with the hand of the user.
  • the lever 94 is designed with a recess 110 that is mated with and engages the activation button 86 of the dispensing means 80.
  • the distal end 98 of the lever 94 forms a lever push button 100 which is relatively flush with the front face 24 of the dispenser housing 20.
  • the lever push button 100 can be designed to have a portion that can protrude outwardly from the front face 24 of the dispenser housing 20 such as is shown schematically in FIG. 6 by way of the push button 100 extending away from the distal end 98 of the lever 94.
  • the lever 94 has a biasing point 112 which is the location where biasing pressure is generally applied to the lever 94 via the biasing means 1 14 (described in further detail below) which contacts the lever 94 at the biasing point 1 12.
  • the lever 94 can be made from a variety of materials provided it is capable of withstanding a high frequency of cycles associated with its intended use.
  • it can be made from injection molded plastic, metal or a combination of materials.
  • injection molding plastic include, but are not limited to, nylons, polycarbonates, acetals, acrylics, polypropylenes, polyethylenes, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, thermoplastic elastomers, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether sulfone,
  • polyetheretherketone fluoropolymers
  • polyether imide polyether imide
  • polyphenylene oxide polyphenylene oxide
  • polyurethanes polyphthalamide
  • the lever 94 will have an overall length 109 (as measured from the tip of the proximal end 96 to the tip of the distal end 98) which will generally range from about 10.0 centimeters (cm) to about 35.0 cm. See FIG. 6.
  • the lever 94 can have an overall length 109 from about 15.0 cm to about 30.0 cm and still further from about 18.0 cm to about 27.0 cm.
  • the lever 94 will also have a moment length 101 which is defined as the distance between the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 and the center point of pressure 105 applied by the distal end 98 of the lever 94 against the activation button 86 on the dispensing means 80. See FIG. 6. This is the moment arm distance 101 which gives the dispenser 10 of the present invention the ability to be operated easily despite the use of robust biasing means 1 14 associated with the lever 94 and dispenser biasing means 92 in the dispensing means 80.
  • the moment length is comprised of two components, the minor distance 11 1 and the major distance 113.
  • the breakpoint between these two distances is the biasing point 1 12 of the lever 94.
  • the minor distance 1 11 is defined as a distance between the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 and the biasing point 112 of the lever 94 and the major distance 113 is defined as a distance between the distal end 98 of the lever 94 and the biasing point 112.
  • the distal end 98 location is the relative center point of pressure 105 applied by the distal end 98 of the lever 94 against the activation button 86 on the dispensing means 80.
  • the moment length 101 is equal to the length as measured from the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 to the point 105 on the lever 94 as shown in FIG. 6 and will generally be equal to the sum of the minor distance 111 and the major distance 113.
  • the distal end 98 for purposes of determining the moment length 101 would be reference numeral 105 even though the physical distal end 98 of lever 94 extends beyond point 105.
  • the minor distance 11 1 of the lever 94 be from about 3.5 cm to about 31.5 cm, alternatively, from about 5.0 cm to about 30.0 cm, alternatively from about 7.0 cm to about 28.0 cm and alternatively from about 1 1.0 cm to about 24.0 cm.
  • the major distance 113 of the lever 94 be from about 3.5 cm to about 31.5 cm, alternatively, from about 5.0 cm to about 30.0 cm, alternatively from about 7.0 cm to about 28.0 cm and alternatively from about 1 1.0 cm to about 24.0 cm.
  • the lever 94 will have a ratio between the major distance and the minor distance of from about 9.0:1 .0 to about 1.0:9.0, alternatively from about 6.0:1 .0 to about 1 .0:2.0 and, alternatively from about 4.0:1 .0 to about 2.0:1.0.
  • the moment length 101 should be from about 50 to about 100 percent of the longitudinal dispenser length 40, alternatively from about 60 to about 95 percent, alternately from about 70 to about 85 percent of the longitudinal dispenser length 40.
  • the moment length 101 should be from about 10.0 centimeters to about 35.0 centimeters, alternatively, from about 15.0 centimeters to about 30.0 centimeters, alternatively from about 18.0 centimeters to about 27.0 centimeters, alternatively from about 9.0 centimeters to about 34.0 centimeters, alternatively from about 14.0 centimeters to about 29.0 centimeters, and alternatively from about 17.0 to about 26.0 centimeters.
  • a lever 94 By creating a lever 94 with a large moment length 101 relative to the longitudinal dispenser length 40 and a large ratio between its major 113 and minor 11 1 distances, a lever 94 is created which can easily maintain itself in its first position 106 thereby assuring the activation button 86 of the dispensing means 80 is maintained in its first, closed position 88 when not in use so as to prevent loss of fluid supply 72 when the dispenser 10 is not being used by an end user.
  • the activation lever 94 is quite easy to use by the end user.
  • a biasing means 1 14 is used adjacent the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 to act upon the lever 94 when the dispenser 10 is not in use.
  • a plate spring 1 14 is used as the biasing means 114.
  • the biasing means 1 14 has a fixed end 116 and a contacting portion 1 18 with the contacting portion 118 being in contact with a biasing point 1 12 on the lever 94.
  • the biasing means 114 is located on the rearward side of the lever 94 such that the lever 94 is positioned between the biasing means 114 and the front face 24 of the dispenser housing 20. It should be noted, however, that the biasing means 114 can be mounted in other locations and configurations as long as it provides the desired biasing force to maintain the distal end 98 of the lever 94 in the first position 106 which thereby allows the activation button 86 to be maintained in the first, closed position 88 when not in use such as is shown in FIG. 4.
  • the fixed end 116 of the biasing means 114 is located closer to the upper end 32 of the dispenser housing 20 than is the proximal end 96 of the lever 94.
  • a mounting means 62 such as a mounting block is formed on the rearward side of the front face 24 of the dispenser housing 20 and the fixed end 1 16 of the biasing means 114 is secured to the mounting block 62 by a rivet, screw or other securement means 64.
  • the contacting portion 118 of the biasing means 114 is designed to contact the lever 94 at the biasing point 112 on the lever 94 which is a point located in closer proximity to the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 than the distal end 98.
  • the contacting portion 118 is essentially a single point of contact but it should be understood that the biasing means 114 may actually contact a much larger portion of the proximal end 96 of the lever 94.
  • the spring plate 114 contacts the entire minor distance 11 1 of the lever 94. In such situations, the contacting portion 118 location for measurement purposes is the furthest point of contact of the biasing means 1 14 away from the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 and towards the distal end 98.
  • biasing means 1 14 In addition to a spring plate, other types of biasing means 1 14 are also contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention including coiled springs, spring clamps, etc.
  • the biasing means 1 14 could be a coil spring, U-shaped spring claim or other means (not shown) mounted on the rearward side of the front face 24 of the dispenser housing 20 or possibly even on the interior side of the upper end 32 of the dispenser housing 20. This point of mounting would constitute the fixed end 116 of the biasing means 114.
  • the opposite end of the coil spring could act as the contacting portion 118 of the biasing means 1 14 and it could be attached to the lever 94 on the forward side of the lever 94 at the aforementioned biasing point 1 12 on the lever 94.
  • the fixed end 116 of the biasing means would not be closer to the upper end 32 of the dispenser housing 20 and so the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 could be closer to the upper end 32 of the dispenser housing 20 than the fixed end 1 16 of the biasing means 114.
  • biasing means 1 14 is spring steel.
  • Spring steels are generally low-alloy, medium-carbon steel or high-carbon steel with a very high yield strength. Such materials have a high cycle life and can provide a high level of biasing force to ensure the lever 94 is maintained in the first position 106 when not in use.
  • FIG. 6 A schematic of the working of the dispenser 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 6.
  • the lever 94 is shown in solid lines in the lever first position 106 as is the dispensing means 80 and the activation button 86.
  • the lever 94 is shown in dashed lines in the lever second position 108 as is the dispenser button 86.
  • the biasing means 114 has its fixed end 1 16 secured to the mounting block 62 at a location which is closer to the upper end 32 of the dispenser housing 20 ( dispenser housing 20 not shown in FIG. 6).
  • the biasing means contacting portion 118 makes contact with the lever 94 at the lever biasing point 1 12 and thus urges the lever 94 into the first position 106.
  • FIGS. 1 -5 While a particularly suitable embodiment of a dispenser 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 -5, alternate designs are also possible and are intended to fall within the scope of the present claims.
  • FIG. 7 there is shown an alternate embodiment of the present invention.
  • the biasing action of the biasing means 114 is built into the activation lever 94 itself and thus there is no need for a separate external biasing means 114 though one could still be used to bolster the biasing effect upon the lever 94, itself, if so desired.
  • the lever 94 can be made from a resilient and elastically deformable material such as one of the previously described thermoplastic polymers with good flex and recovery properties.
  • the lever 94 could also be made from the aforementioned spring steel used to form the biasing means 114.
  • the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 is rigidly fixed to the dispenser housing 20.
  • the proximal end 96 is fixed by a securement means 64 such as a U-shaped recess but it could also be rigidly affixed to the dispenser housing 20, in this case the interior of the front face 24, by riveting, screwing, gluing or other means.
  • the natural rigidity of the lever 94 will keep the lever 94 in the first position 106.
  • the lever 94 can also be made slightly concave (not shown) with the apex of the concavity being closer to the rear face 28 than the front face 24 of the dispenser housing 20.
  • the pre-formed internal biasing forces will keep the lever 94 in the first position 106 thereby making the lever 94 self-biasing.
  • the front face 24 forms all or at least a portion of the lever 94 and vice versa.
  • the front face 24 is movably attached to the remainder of the dispenser housing 20 adjacent the upper end 32 of the dispenser housing 20. Accordingly, the portion of the front face 24 adjacent the upper end 32 of the dispenser housing 20 acts as the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 and the portion of the front face 24 adjacent the lower end 34 acts as the distal end 98 of the lever 94.
  • the distal end 98 of the front face 24 can also act as the activation button 86 for the dispensing means 80 and thus can form multiple functions as it can act as the lever 94 itself, the distal end 98 of the lever 94 and the activation button 86 on the dispensing means 80 thereby eliminating the physical need for these additional components while still performing the functions of these components.
  • the front face 24 can be pivotally attached to the dispenser housing 20 using one or more of the means 110, 1 12 disclosed above to attach the proximal end 96 of the lever 94 in FIGS. 1 -5 such as a boss and detent, an axle or ball and detent.
  • the front face 24 can move from a first position 106 in the same fashion as the lever 94 to a second position 108, again in the same fashion and function as the lever 94.
  • the dispenser is provided with a biasing means 1 14 which is secured to the dispenser housing 20 adjacent the upper end 32. See FIG. 8.
  • the same type of biasing means 1 14 used with respect to FIGS. 1 -5 may also be used with the embodiment of FIG. 8.
  • the intermediate portion 30 of the dispenser housing 20 including all or a portion of the sides 36 can be made from a deformable material such as synthetic or natural rubber which is capable of bending and deflecting as the front face 24 is moved by the end user in the direction of the rear face 28.
  • the material forming the sides 36 can be corrugated so that it neatly folds and collapses upon itself as the front face 24 is moved from the first position 106 to the second position 108.
  • a portion of the sides 36 of the dispenser housing 20 can be designed to have a wider or narrower width dimension than the portion of the sides 36 of the dispenser housing 20 associated with the rear face 28 of the dispenser housing 20. In so doing, it is possible to create a dispenser housing 20 wherein one portion of the dispenser housing 20 (such as the front half of the dispenser housing 20 including the front face 24) is able to nest within or without another portion of the dispenser housing 20 (such as the rear half of the dispenser housing 20 including the rear face 28).
  • the front face 24 will move towards the rear face 28 and in so doing, the activation button 86 will be moved from its first, closed position 88 to its second, open position 90 thereby delivering a portion of the supply of fluid 72 to the user. Then, when the pushing action of the user ceases, the biasing means 114 will urge the front face 24 back into its original, at rest position whereby little or no force is acting upon the activation button 86.
  • a dispensing means 80 with an activation button 86 there is shown a dispensing means 80 with an activation button 86.
  • the activation button 86 can be omitted and the distal end 98 of the lever 94 or some other component of the dispenser 10 can be designed to also act as the activation button 86 and fall within the scope of the appended claims or any modifications thereto.
  • the biasing means 1 14 can be incorporated into another component of the dispenser 10 such as the lever 94 thereby allowing the biasing means 114 to be omitted and the lever 94 to act as the biasing means 1 14 and still fall within the scope of the appended claims or any modifications thereto.
  • one component of the dispenser design can form multiple functions and can act as more than one of the elements recited in the claims.

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Abstract

La présente invention concerne un distributeur destiné à distribuer de manière répétée des quantités mesurées de fluides tels que des savons, des lotions, des désinfectants pour les mains et analogues. Le distributeur est conçu avec un levier d'actionnement possédant une longueur de bras de moment étendu et un élément de sollicitation qui facilite la distribution de fluides.
PCT/US2016/015401 2016-01-28 2016-01-28 Distributeur de fluides tels que des savons, des lotions, des désinfectants et analogues WO2017131705A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2016/015401 WO2017131705A1 (fr) 2016-01-28 2016-01-28 Distributeur de fluides tels que des savons, des lotions, des désinfectants et analogues

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2016/015401 WO2017131705A1 (fr) 2016-01-28 2016-01-28 Distributeur de fluides tels que des savons, des lotions, des désinfectants et analogues

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WO2017131705A1 true WO2017131705A1 (fr) 2017-08-03

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4258865A (en) * 1977-12-10 1981-03-31 Joachim Vahl Dispenser for liquid or pasty substances such as liquid soap and the like
EP0296130B1 (fr) * 1987-06-19 1991-11-21 QTS S.r.L. Appareil pour la distribution de quantités déterminées de produits pâteux, particulièrement sous forme de gel
EP0517682A1 (fr) * 1991-06-06 1992-12-09 Q T S S.r.l. Distributeur de savons liquides
EP1084669A2 (fr) * 1999-09-16 2001-03-21 Kanfer, Joseph S. Pompe pour fluides
US20020074353A1 (en) * 2000-12-19 2002-06-20 Lewis Richard P. Self-contained viscous liquid dispenser

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4258865A (en) * 1977-12-10 1981-03-31 Joachim Vahl Dispenser for liquid or pasty substances such as liquid soap and the like
EP0296130B1 (fr) * 1987-06-19 1991-11-21 QTS S.r.L. Appareil pour la distribution de quantités déterminées de produits pâteux, particulièrement sous forme de gel
EP0517682A1 (fr) * 1991-06-06 1992-12-09 Q T S S.r.l. Distributeur de savons liquides
EP1084669A2 (fr) * 1999-09-16 2001-03-21 Kanfer, Joseph S. Pompe pour fluides
US20020074353A1 (en) * 2000-12-19 2002-06-20 Lewis Richard P. Self-contained viscous liquid dispenser

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