Mixing Type Liquid Dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser comprising a can containing pressurized liquid and having a valve and valve housing therefor at its outlet opening, to control the discharge. Carried by the valve housing and disposed inside the can is a projecting nipple to which there is attached the neck of a collapsible container, the latter having flexible walls and a product therein which is pressurized due to the pressure existing against the flexible container walls. A second valve controls flow through the nipple, and thus the out-flow of product from the container is effected by the pressure against the walls thereof. In this environment the invention embraces extending the nipple within said container past the inner end of the neck thereof, and attaching to said extended or terminal end a hollow or apertured retainer cap which serves to positively maintain the container neck on the nipple against dislodgement therefrom, and to establish a leakproof seal.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

1. Copending application of Wolf Steiman, entitled "Mixing Type Liquid Dispenser," Ser. No. 832,939, filed June 13, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,290 and having common ownership with the present application.

2. Copending application of Wolf Steiman, entitled "Tilt Action Mixing Dispenser Valve," Ser. No. 44,760, filed June 9, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,823 and having common ownership with the present application.

3. Copending application of Wolf Steiman, entitled "Mixing Valve For Dispensers," Ser. No. 84,840, filed Oct. 28, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,120 and having common ownership with the present application.

4. Copending application of Wolf Steiman and Steven W. Beres, entitled "Aerosol Valve Construction for Dispensing Two Fluids," Ser. No. 153,170, filed June 15, 1971, and having common ownership with the present application.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to pressurized, hand-held dispensers, and more particularly to mixing dispensers of this type having inner and outer containers wherein several different liquids, normally isolated in the dispenser, are mixed during the discharge operation to produce specific results such as heated shaving lather, etc.

Conventionally, in mixing dispensers one kind of liquid is carried in a collapsible inner container whose walls are subjected to collapsing pressures by another kind of liquid (usually pressurized by a propellant) disposed in the space between the inner and outer container walls. The collapsible inner container has a neck through which its contents are discharged, said neck being pressed onto an inward projecting nipple of a valve housing that is located in the outlet opening of the outer dispenser container or can for the purpose of controlling the dispensing. We have found that the initially tight-fit of the collapsible container neck onto the valve housing nipple can at times become loose, permitting not only leakage to occur between the liquids but also at times resulting in complete loosening or dislodgement of the inner container and malfunctioning or failure of the dispenser.

SUMMARY

The foregoing drawback of prior mixing type dispensers is obviated by the present invention, which has for its object the provision of an improved multi-container type dispenser wherein a reliable and failure-proof connection is established between the inner container and the valve housing, so as to prevent malfunctioning or failure of the dispenser due to separation or leakage at the joint of these two parts. A related object of the invention is to provide an improved multi-container mixing dispenser as above set forth, wherein the failure-resistant connection is especially simple, easily effected, and economical to produce.

In accomplishing the foregoing objectives, the inner container is still provided with a neck portion that is slipped over a tubular downward extension or nipple of the valve housing, but the said nipple is extended a greater distance, so as to project into the inner container past the neck thereof an appreciable amount. On such projecting or terminal portion of the nipple there is then attached a hollow retainer cap within the inner container, so as to securely maintain the neck thereof on the nipple, said cap having a through passage to enable liquid from the inner container to pass out through the nipple in the usual or required manner. The hollow cap is preferably molded of plastic substance similar to that of the valve housing, and in the illustrated embodiments of the invention is provided with a deep annular groove or recess which is concentric with a central bore, said recess being adapted to receive and securely grip the projecting or terminal portion of the nipple that is located within the inner container. To facilitate attachment of the retainer cap to the terminal portion of the nipple, the latter is slightly tapered so that the initial engagement of the parts is easily effected.

In some embodiments of the invention the hollow cap is double ended, that is, identical at its two ends whereby either end may be applied to the projecting or terminal portion of the nipple. Also, cooperable annular beads and grooves are provided on the nipple and cap to obtain an interlocking effect by which the retention is still more securely effected.

Still other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the several embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a mixing-type dispenser embodying the invention, the parts being shown in the non-discharging condition.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the retainer cap of the dispenser.

FIG. 3 is a botton plan view of the retainer cap.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary axial sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention, wherein the retainer cap is double-ended and wherein the cap and nipple are provided with interlocking annular bead and groove formations to render more secure the attachment of the cap to the nipple.

Referring to the figures, the present improved mixing dispenser comprises a relatively rigid, metal outer container or can 10 of a usual type, having a top shoulder 12 and neck portion 14, the latter being spanned by a usual type of metal mounting cup 16. The cup 16 has a raised central portion 18 of inverted cup-like configuration, provided with a central opening 20 in its transverse or top wall, the said opening having an upwardly drifted edge 22 and being of a size to slidably receive a vertical valve stem designated generally by the numeral 24.

Within the container 10 and carried by the raised portion 18 of the mounting cup 16 thereof is a tubular molded plastic valve housing 26 having a stepped central bore 28, and having at its upper end an annular exterior mounting flange 30 which is snugly received in the portion 18 of the mounting cup, and is retained therein by inwardly offset portions 32 of the cup.

Clamped between the top wall 34 of the cup portion 18 and the upper end of the valve housing 26 is a resilient diaphragm or valve washer 36, having a central opening through which the valve stem 24 extends.

The upper portion of the valve stem 24 carries a usual type of depress button 38 having a discharge nozzle 40, said button being guided in a stationary body 42 attached to the upper portion of the container 10.

The valve stem 24 and housing 26 with the valve washer or seat 36 are so consituted as to comprise a dual mixing valve including a positive shut-off poppet whereby, in conjunction with a flexible and collapsible tube or compartment provided in the container 10, there is effected in the housing 26 either a separation or else a mixing of two liquids, one from the container contents and the other from the enclosed compartment or tube.

The flexible and collapsible compartment or tube is designated 44 and has a neck portion 46 which is disposed around the lower reduced-diameter or nipple portion 27 of the valve housing 26 so that the bore 28 of the nipple communicates with the interior of the tube 44. The contents of the container 44 and 10 must of necessity be kept effectively isolated at all times. During non-use of the dispenser this can be done by means of a simple slide-type valve.

Cooperable with the valve washer 36 is an annular exterior shoulder or poppet portion 48 provided intermediate the ends of the valve stem 24, said stem having an upper portion 50 of tubular configuration located above the shoulder 48, and having a side passage 52 in the wall of the portion 50, immediately adjacent the valve shoulder. A valve return spring 54 engages the shoulder 48 and also an interior annular shoulder 56 in the valve housing, thereby to bias the valve stem 24 upward as viewed in FIG. 1, maintaining the shoulder 48 in engagement with the valve washer 36 whereby the valve is closed, preventing egress of the contents of the container 10 and tube 44.

Adjoining the shoulder 56 in the valve housing 26 is an annular valve seat or slide-valve portion in the form of an integral bead 58, which is engageable with a lower cylindrical slide valve or portion 60 of the valve stem 24, thereby to close off the bore of the valve housing at said point and prevent passage of liquid upward from the flexible tube 44.

The valve stem 24 has a side depression 62 located above the cylindrical slide valve portion 60 as seen in FIG. 1, which is adapted to be disposed within the annular valve seat or bead 58 when the valve stem is depressed or forced inward as illustrated in FIG. 2. For such position, the side passage 52 of the tubular portion 50 of the valve stem 24 will be disposed within the valve housing 26, and accordingly a passage is thus provided whereby the contents of the flexible tube 44 can be discharged upward through the housing 26, past the lower portion of the valve stem 24, inwardly through the side passage 52 thereof and up through the tubular upper portion 50 of the stem, to be discharged from the nozzle portion 40 of the depress button 38.

The valve housing 26 also has a side passage 62a carrying a dip tube 66 by which communication is established between the interior of the container 10 and the interior of the valve housing 26. Accordingly, when the valve stem 24 is depressed, the contents of the container 10 may also be discharged, such contents flowing inward through the tube 66 and side passage 62a into the interior of the valve housing 26 and (at such location) mixing with the liquid which is flowing upward from the flexible tube 44.

The mixture of these liquids will then pass through the side passage 52 of the valve stem, and upward through the tubular portion 50 to be discharged from the nozzle 40 of the depress button 38 as a mixture.

Where the dispensing device is intended to dispense a warm lather or foam, the flexible tube 44 may contain hydrogen peroxide. A lathering mixture may be provided in the container 10, made up of various ingredients. Such lathering mixture, in addition to soaping, foaming and softening agents, may contain as an example sodium hypophosphite; or instead it may contain potassium sulfite. Such substances, when mixing with the hydrogen peroxide flowing upward from the flexible tube 44, causes a chemical reaction which results in an exothermic non-explosive decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide whereby heat is produced and supplied to the mixture so that the discharge from the nozzle 40 of the depress button 38 is in the form of a heated foam or lather.

It will be understood that the contents of the container 10 may be pressurized by the addition of any suitable non-reactive, pressurizing agent, as for example a 40/60 mixture of dichlorofluoromethane and symmetrical dichlorotetrafluoroethane. Other propellant substances may be used, as well, their use being well known in the art.

Accordingly, the contents of the container 10 will effect a pressurizing of the same, and such pressure will be transmitted to the flexible tube 44, causing a collapsing action of the same and effecting an internal pressure to which the hydrogen peroxide in the tube if subjected. In consequence, when the valve stem 24 is depressed as illustrated in FIG. 2, the pressurized liquids in the container 10 and tube 44 will result in the contents thereof being discharged through the valve housing 26, upper valve stem portion 50 and discharge nozzle 40.

It will be understood that for the non-discharging position of FIG. 1, the pressure within the container 10 will at all times be transmitted to the contents of the flexible tube 44, tending to discharge the contents of the same upward through the valve housing 26. Such pressure will be manifested at the underside of the annular valve seat 58, considering FIG. 1. However, a corresponding and opposite pressure will be manifested within the valve housing 26, in a downward direction against the valve seat 58, due to the communication which exists between the interior of the housing and the interior of the container 10.

Accordingly, the only valve device which is called upon to withstand the total pressure existing in the dispenser comprises the valve shoulder or poppet portion 48 of the valve stem, cooperating with the valve disk or washer 36. Due to the pressure equalization at the seat 58 I have found that, contrary to what might be expected, the simple slide-type valve comprising the stem portion 60 is wholly effective in keeping the two liquids of the dispenser completely separated for all practical purposes. Such arrangement is not only especially simple, but has been proved to be particularly effective and leakproof over a period of years.

As shown, the neck portion 46 of the inner container or tube 44 has an external annular flange 70 which provides a certain amount of reinforcement and strengthening, thereby tending to maintain the neck portion properly positioned on the nipple 27. However, we have found that due to various factors it is possible for the neck portion 46 to become sufficiently loose around the nipple 27 that not only will leakage occur from or into the tube 44 but also it is possible for the tube 44 (specifically the neck portion 46 thereof) to be entirely dislodged from the nipple 27, thereby rendering the dispenser wholly inoperative for the desired purpose.

In accordance with the present invention, to securely retain the neck portion 46 on the nipple 27 the latter is increased in length, so as to have a terminal portion 72 which projects inward into the tube 44 and well past the neck portion 46 thereof. Also, on the projecting nipple portion 72 there is secured, preferably by a press-fit operation, a hollow retainer cap 74 having a central bore 76, a transverse bottom wall 78, an annular outer wall 80 and concentric annular inner wall 82. Between the annular walls 80, 82 there is formed a deep annular recess or groove 84 which is adapted to frictionally receive the lower or terminal portion 72 of the nipple 27. The hollow cap 74 is so constructed that a tight frictional fit is had between the cap and the terminal portion 72 of the nipple. Inasmuch as the nipple is gripped not only at its inside surface or bore but also at its outside surface, the cap 74 will thereby be securely retained in place, and will effectively and reliably maintain the neck portion 46 of the tube 44 against dislodgement. Further, the cap 74 constitutes an effective seal to prevent leakage. In accomplishing this, the nipple 27 is provided with an external annular shoulder 86 against which the end or rim of the neck 46 is positioned. When the cap 74 is pressed on the nipple, it will force the neck 46 against the shoulder 86 and maintain it in tight sealing engagement therewith whereby leakage of contents between the inner and outer containers is effectively prevented.

To facilitate the application of the hollow cap 74, the terminal portion 72 of the nipple 27 has a tapered outer wall surface 88 which helps locate the nipple in the annular groove 84 and also enables the parts to be proportioned for a tighter frictional fit.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein a nipple 27a having a bore 28a and tapered terminal portion 72a is provided with an annular detent bead 90 to be interlockingly received in an annular groove 92 of a hollow cap 74a. The cap 74a is of the double-ended type, that is, one end is identical to the other. The cap 74a has a central bore 76a, an annular outer wall 80a and an annular inner wall 82a, said walls being joined by an annular web portion or transverse wall 78a. The wall 78a is disposed intermediate the ends of the cap 74a, as distinguished from its bottom disposition in the cap 74 of FIGS. 1-3.

The double-ended retainer cap 74a has two annular recesses 84a and 94a, which are of identical size and configuration. The outer wall 80a of the cap has a second annular groove 96a which can cooperate with the annular bead 90a if the cap 74a should be reversed end for end prior to being applied to the nipple 27a. With the cap construction of FIG. 4 it is not necessary to first orient the cap so that only one end is presented to the nipple 27a during the assembly operation. That is, with the cap 74a either end can be applied to the terminal portion 72a of the nipple, thereby simplifying the assembly operation.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that we have provided a novel and improved, especially simple and effective means for maintaining the inner container attached to the valve housing in a mixing type dispenser, said means also providing an effective seal which prevents leakage or seepage of liquids between the containers. Because the retainer cap frictionally grips the nipple at both inner and outer surfaces thereof a secure retention is had whereby inadvertent loosening of the cap and inner container is positively prevented.

The retainer cap is seen to be of especially simple construction whereby it can be economically molded in simple cavities, of suitable plastic substance. The cap can be applied through the bore of the inner container or tube 44 prior to the bottom end of the latter being closed, this being usually effected by a heat-sealing operation.

Variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

We claim:

1. A mixing-type liquid dispensing device of the kind containing two liquids which are normally isolated from each other and are maintained under pressure, said device comprising in combination:

a. an outer container adapted to carry a pressurized liquid product, said outer container having an outlet opening,

b. means including a valve housing disposed in the outlet opening of the outer container for closing the same, said valve housing having a chamber and a pair of inlet passages communicating with the chamber, and said valve housing further having a projecting nipple with a bore, constituting one of said inlet passages,

c. a collapsible inner container for holding liquid, said inner container being located within the outer container and being adapted to be pressurized by the pressure of the latter,

d. said inner container having a tubular neck surrounding and press fitted to said nipple and joining the inner container thereto,

e. said nipple extending into the inner container past the neck thereof and having its terminal portion projecting within the inner container, and

f. a hollow retainer cap attached and press-fitted to said projecting terminal portion of the nipple within the inner container to thereby lock and retain the inner container and the neck thereof on the nipple, said cap having a through passage to enable liquid from the inner container to pass out through the nipple.

2. A dispensing device as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the retainer cap comprises inner and outer, concentric annular walls spaced apart by an annular recess in which the terminal portion of the nipple is received,

b. inner and outer wall surfaces of said recess respectively engaging the outside and the bore of the nipple.

3. A dispensing device as in claim 2, wherein:

a. the terminal portion of said nipple is tapered to facilitate its entry in said annular recess.

4. A dispensing device as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the nipple and cap consituting interfitting parts,

b. one of said parts having an annular bead,

c. said other part having an annular groove in which the bead is received.

5. A dispensing device as in claim 2, wherein:

a. the retainer cap has a transverse, apertured wall at one end thereof, disposed adjacent the edge of the nipple terminal portion.

6. A dispensing device as in claim 2, wherein:

a. the retainer cap has a transverse apertured wall intermediate the ends thereof, disposed adjacent the edge of the nipple terminal portion.