U.S. patent number RE42,707 [Application Number 12/153,810] was granted by the patent office on 2011-09-20 for soap dispensing device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Brightwell Dispensers Limited. Invention is credited to Etienne Bunoz.
United States Patent |
RE42,707 |
Bunoz |
September 20, 2011 |
Soap dispensing device
Abstract
A dispensing device comprising a base, a cover and a valve, in
which the cover is releasably attached to the base by means of
first hinge means, the movement of the cove defined by first hinge
means operating the valve, and in which the cover is attached to
the base by means of second hinge means, the movement of the cover
defined by second hinge means exposing the base for loading or
unloading a container of material to be dispensed, said movement
defined by second hinge means only being possible when the cover is
detached from the first hinge manes.
Inventors: |
Bunoz; Etienne (Hailsham,
GB) |
Assignee: |
Brightwell Dispensers Limited
(East Sussex, GB)
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Family
ID: |
9954103 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/153,810 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
10758537 |
Jan 16, 2004 |
7048152 |
May 23, 2006 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 5, 2003 [GB] |
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0304948.3 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/182; 222/105;
222/325 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K
5/1202 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B67D
7/06 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;222/182,181.1,181.3,214,207,327,401,183,105,325 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Shaver; Kevin P
Assistant Examiner: Cartagena; Melvin A
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Levy & Grandinetti
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A dispensing device comprising a base, a cover and a valve, in
which the cover is releasably attached to the base by means of
first hinge means, movement of the entire cover defined by first
hinge means acting to operate the valve, and in which the cover is
also attached to the base by second hinge means, the movement of
the cover defined by said second hinge means exposing the base for
loading or unloading a container of material to be dispensed, said
movement defined by the second hinge means being prevented unless
the cover is detached from the first hinge means.Iadd., and in
which the dispensing device is provided with retention means
adapted to prevent the release of the cover from the first hinge
means until a resiliently biased trigger member is
depressed.Iaddend..
2. A dispensing device according to claim 1 in which the base is
provided with a back plate provided with valve carrying means, and
container carrying means adapted to position a container adjacent
the valve for co-operation therewith.
3. A dispensing device according to claim 2 in which the valve is
adapted to dispense material when it is compressed, and be primed
with material to be dispensed when it is released, and in which the
movement of the cover defined by first hinge means in a first
direction acts to compress the valve, and in a second opposite
direction acts to release the valve.
4. A dispensing device according to claim 3 in which the first
hinge means are disposed at a first end of the base, and the second
hinge means are disposed at an opposite second end of the base.
5. A dispensing device according to claim 4 in which the base is
provided with side walls, and the cover is also provided with side
walls, which are disposed outside the side walls provided on the
base in use.
6. A dispensing device according to claim 5 in which the first
hinge means comprises an assembly comprising two lateral sockets
.[.provided with resiliently mounted and trigger operated retention
means, which are adapted to co-operate with two laterally extending
first spigots provided on the inner surface of the walls of the
cover.]. .Iadd.said retention means and two laterally extending
first spigots provided on the inner surface of the walls of the
cover, in which the retention means comprises a retention member
mounted on resilient means and provided with extensions adapted to
retain the first spigots in the lateral sockets.Iaddend..
.[.7. A dispensing device according to claim 6 in which the
retention means comprises a retention member mounted on resilient
means and provided with extensions adapted to retain the first
spigots in the lateral sockets..].
8. A dispensing device according to claim .[.7.]. .Iadd.6
.Iaddend.in which the extensions are provided with angled front
surfaces, such that application of the first spigots against the
surfaces lowers the retention member against the resilient means,
and allows the first spigots to pass into the sockets.
9. A dispensing device according to claim 8 in which the retention
member is provided with a manually operable and removable trigger
portion.
10. A dispensing device according to claim 9 in which the retention
member is provided with second trigger means in the form of
troughs, which are operable by means of a tool passed through slots
provided in a top wall of the cover, and in which the troughs are
dimensioned to allow their operation throughout the movement of the
cover defined by second hinge means in which the first spigots move
from the sockets to the front side of the extensions.
11. A dispensing device according to claim 6 in which the second
hinge means comprises sockets in the side walls of the base, which
are adapted to co-operate with laterally extending second spigots
provided on the inner surface of the side walls of the cover.
12. A dispensing device according to claim 11 in which the second
hinge means sockets are provided with an extended upper edge,
against which the second spigots can ride back and forth so as to
define the limitation of the movement provided by the first hinge
means.
13. A dispensing device according to claim 12 in which the second
hinge means is releasable, such that the cover can be completely
removed from the base.
14. A dispensing device according to claim 13 in which the cover is
provided with a viewing aperture.
15. A dispensing device according to claim 14 in which the
components are constructed from a substantially rigid plastics
material.
16. A dispensing device according to claim 15 in which the
substantially rigid plastics material is provided with sufficient
flexibility to allow the cover to be expanded and the base
compressed to allow second spigots to be removed from the second
hinge means sockets.
Description
I claim the benefit under Title 35, United States Code, .sctn.120
to Great Britain Application Number 0304948.3, filed Mar. 5, 2003,
entitled SOAP DISPENSING DEVICE.
This invention relates to a dispensing device, particularly but not
exclusively for dispensing pre-determined quantities of liquid hand
soaps and preparations from disposable or reusable containers.
It is important to dispense a measured quantity of liquid hand
soaps and preparations to avoid wastage. Further, it is often
desired to dispense this material in a safe, clean and efficient
manner. The materials to be dispensed are commonly supplied in a
disposable or reusable sachet or box.
Many types of dispensing device are known which dispense material
from a disposable container in a measured, safe and efficient
manner. However, devices of this kind are commonly constructed from
numerous components, and can be complex to build and dismantle. In
particular, the mechanisms by which the material is dispensed, and
a disposable container loaded and unloaded can require a
proliferation of working parts.
The present invention is intended to provide a novel approach.
Therefore according to the present invention a dispensing device
comprises a base, a cover and a valve, in which the cover is
releasably attached to the base by means of first hinge means, the
movement of the cover defined by first hinge means acting to
operate the valve, and in which the cover is also attached to the
base by second hinge means, movement of the cover defined by said
second hinge means exposing the base for loading or unloading a
container of material to be dispensed, said movement defined by the
second hinge means being prevented unless the cover is detached
from the first hinge means.
Preferably the base may be provided with a back plate provided with
valve carrying means, and container carrying means adapted to
position a container adjacent the valve for co-operation with
it.
The valve can be of any know type which is adapted to dispense
material when it is compressed, and be primed with a quantity of
material to be dispensed when it is released. There are many known
types of valve which operate in this way, and they will not be
described further here.
In a preferred construction the movement of the cover defined by
the first hinge means towards the base acts to compress the valve,
and the movement away from the base acts to release the valve.
Preferably the valve is provided with resilient means which acts
against the compression.
In one embodiment the first hinge means can be provided at the top
of the base, and the second hinge means can be opposite at the
bottom.
Preferably the base and the cover may be provided with side walls,
and the cover side walls being disposed outside the base side
walls.
The first hinge means can comprise an assembly comprising two
lateral sockets provided with resiliently mounted and trigger
operated retention means, which are adapted to co-operate with two
laterally extending first spigots provided on the inner surface of
the walls of the cover. The retention means may comprise a
retention member mounted on resilient means and provided with
extensions adapted to retain the first spigots in the lateral
sockets. The extensions can be provided with angled front surfaces,
such that application of the first spigots against them lowers the
retention member against the resilient means, and allows the first
spigots to pass into the sockets. With this arrangement the cover
can be pressed into place on the base.
To release the first spigots from the sockets and detach the cover
from the first hinge means a manually operable and removable
trigger portion can be provided which can be readily accessed.
In a preferred construction a second trigger can be provided in the
form of troughs provided on the retention member, which can be
accessed through slots provided in a top wall of the cover with a
tool if the removable trigger portion described above is absent.
The troughs can be dimensioned to allow their operation throughout
the movement of the cover defined by second hinge means in which
the first spigots move from the sockets to the front side of the
extensions.
Preferably the second hinge means comprises sockets in the side
walls of the base, which are adapted to co-operate with laterally
extending second spigots provided on the inner surface of the side
walls of the cover. The sockets can be provided with an extended
upper edge, against which the second spigots can ride back and
forth so as to define the limitation of the movement provided by
the first hinge means.
In one construction the second hinge means is also releasable, so
the cover can be completely removed from the base. This is
facilitated by the cover and the base being constructed from a
substantially rigid plastics material, which is provided with
sufficient flexibility to allow the cover to be expanded and the
base compressed to allow second spigots to be removed from the
second hinge means sockets.
The invention can be performed in various ways, but one embodiment
will now be described by way of example, and with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device according to
the present invention in a first arrangement; and,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dispensing device as shown in
FIG. 1 in a second arrangement.
In FIG. 1 dispenser 1 comprises base 2, cover 3 and valve (not
shown). The cover 3 is releasably attachable to the base 2 by means
of first hinge assembly 4 and first spigots 5, the movement of the
cover 3 defined by first hinge means acting to operate the valve,
as described below.
The cover 3 is also attached to the base 2 by second hinge means,
in the form of sockets 6 and second spigots 7, the movement of the
cover 3 defined by the second hinge means exposing the base 2 for
loading or unloading a container of material to be dispensed (not
shown), said movement being prevented unless the cover 3 is
detached from the first hinge assembly 4, as described below.
The base 2 comprises a wall mountable back plate 8, side walls 9,
valve mounting 10, container mounting 11 and first hinge assembly
4.
The first hinge assembly 4 comprises lateral sockets 13,
resiliently mounted retention member 14 and support member 15. The
retention member 14 is provided with extensions 16, first removable
operating trigger 17 and second operating trigger means in the form
of troughs 18. The extensions 16 are provided with an angled front
surface 19.
The cover 3 comprises a single component which substantially
surrounds the base when fully attached, as shown in FIG. 2. It
further comprises second operating trigger means slots 20.
In use the dispenser is first opened as shown in FIG. 1. The cover
3 is attached to the base 2 by means of sockets 6 and second
spigots 7. A valve (not shown) is mounted on mounting 10, and a
container (not shown) of material to be dispensed is mounted on
mounting 11.
The cover 3 is then rotated about the second hinge means, and the
spigots 5 are brought into contact with the first hinge assembly 4,
in the direction of arrow A. The first spigots 5 ride the angled
front surfaces 19 of the extensions 16, forcing the retention
member 14 down. Once the spigots 5 pass the extensions 16, the
member 14 rises, and holds the spigots 5 in place in the sockets
13.
The valve (not shown) is provided with a resilient priming and
dispensing mechanism, in which the valve is adapted to dispense
material when it is compressed, and be primed with material to be
dispensed when it is released. When the cover 3 is pressed in the
direction of arrow B as shown in FIG. 2, the valve is compressed,
and material is dispensed downwards from the dispenser 1. When the
cover 3 is released, the valve expands under pressure from its
resilient means, which pushes the cover 3 back out, and primes the
valve with the next portion of material to be dispensed.
The rotational movement of the cover 3 about the first hinge means
as described above is limited, thereby to compress the valve a
pre-determined amount to dispense a desired quantity of material.
The movement of the cover 3 is limited by the shape of sockets 6.
When the cover 3 is attached to the first hinge assembly 4, the
second spigots 7 are disposed adjacent the upper edge 6a of the
sockets 6 (visible in FIG. 1). The spigots 7 are therefore able to
ride back and forth along the length of the upper edge 6a.
The cover 3 is further provided with a viewing aperture 21, through
which the container can be viewed, and the remaining contents
therein determined.
To remove the container for replacement, the trigger 17 is
depressed, which lowers the retention member 14 and its extensions
16, which allows the spigots 5 to be removed from the sockets 13,
and the cover 3 can be rotated about the second hinge means until
it reaches the arrangement as shown in FIG. 1. The container and/or
the valve can then be removed and/or replaced.
The trigger 17 is formed from a cap, which can be removed from the
retention member 14. If the cover 3 is to be removed from the hinge
assembly 4 when the trigger 17 has been removed, the troughs 18 can
be accessed with a suitable tool through the slots 20. The
retention member 14 must be lowered for the duration of the
spigot's 5 movement from the back of the sockets 13 to the front
side of the extensions 16. Therefore, troughs 18 are long enough to
allow the retention member 14 to be accessed through the slots 20
throughout this rotational movement.
The cover 3 and the base 2 are constructed from a rigid plastics
material. However, the material is provided with sufficient
resilience to allow the second spigots 7 to be removed from the
sockets 6 when the cover 3 is expanded and the base 2 is
compressed. This allows the dispenser to be completely dismantled
for servicing or cleaning.
Thus, a dispenser is provided which can dispense a pre-determined
quantity of material in a clean, safe and efficient manner, but
which is constructed from the minimum number of parts. Further, a
dispenser in which movement of the cover operates the valve is
provided with a novel loading mechanism, which allows ready access
to the internal compartment.
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