U.S. patent number RE31,408 [Application Number 06/344,695] was granted by the patent office on 1983-10-11 for dispenser for paste-like products with a manually actuatable piston.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Joachim Czech. Invention is credited to Joachim Czech, Hans D. Sieghart.
United States Patent |
RE31,408 |
Czech , et al. |
October 11, 1983 |
Dispenser for paste-like products with a manually actuatable
piston
Abstract
This invention relates to a dispenser for paste-like products of
the type having a container containing a product and closed at one
end by a slidable piston in sealing engagement with the inner wall
surface thereof, the other end being provided with a head member
carrying on applicator and forming a pump chamber the volume of
which is variable by the exertion of exterior pressure, the pump
chamber being closed towards said container by a first check valve
adapted to open only towards the pump chamber, and towards the
outlet of the applicator by a second check valve adapted to open
only towards said outlet.
Inventors: |
Czech; Joachim (D-8405
Donaustauf, DE), Sieghart; Hans D. (Moosburg,
DE) |
Assignee: |
Czech; Joachim (Donaustauf,
DE)
|
Family
ID: |
25777452 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/344,695 |
Filed: |
February 1, 1982 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
102893 |
Dec 12, 1979 |
04301948 |
Nov 24, 1981 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/341;
222/384 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B
11/3015 (20130101); B05B 11/3028 (20130101); B05B
11/3077 (20130101); G01F 11/02 (20130101); B05B
11/3064 (20130101); B05B 11/00416 (20180801) |
Current International
Class: |
B05B
11/00 (20060101); G01F 11/02 (20060101); B67D
005/42 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/209,387,384,207,341,212,213,214,215 ;239/333 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Tollberg; Stanley H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brown; Charles E.
Claims
I claim:
1. A dispenser for paste-like products comprising a container
having opposite ends which are spaced apart in a longitudinal
direction and one of which is substantially closed by a wall
wherein there is a hole, a head member on said one end of the
container having a portion that is manually inwardly displaceable
against a bias, said head member cooperating with said wall to
define a pump chamber into which product can flow from the
container through said hole and which has an outlet spaced from
said hole, a slidable piston sealingly engaging the inner surface
of the container to close its other end, and a pair of check valve
elements, one arranged to prevent flow of product through said hole
from the pump chamber into the container and the other arranged to
prevent inward flow through said outlet towards the pump chamber,
said dispenser being characterized by:
A. said outlet being defined by a portion of said head member that
is formed as a duct which is in laterally spaced relation to said
hole and extends away from said wall in said longitudinal
direction; and
B. said dispenser further comprising an insert member of resilient
material confined in said head member and having
(1) a first flap portion which provides said one check valve
element and which normally flatwise overlies said wall to close
said hole therein but is flatwise flexible away from said wall,
(2) a second flap portion providing said other check valve element,
said second flap portion being spaced from said wall and normally
extending across said duct to prevent inward flow therethrough but
being resiliently flatwise flexible away from said wall, and
(3) a medial portion to which said flap portions have flexing
connections for flatwise movement, said connections being
substantially parallel to one another, spaced apart in said
longitudinal direction, and substantially contained in a plane that
extends in said longitudinal direction, and said medial portion
being formed to define a channel between said connections which
extends transversely through said plane and through which product
flows in passing from said hole to the space between said wall and
said second-flap portion.
2. The dispenser of claim 1, further characterized by:
said flap portions extending edgewise in opposite directions from
said medial portion of the insert member.
3. The dispenser of claim 1, further characterized by:
(1) said portion of the head member that is manually inwardly
displaceable being formed as a pump piston having an accessible
outer surface formed as a pushbutton, and
(2) a substantially U-shaped spring in said pump chamber reacting
against said pump piston and engaging said wall at opposite sides
of said first flap portion.
4. A dispenser for paste-like products comprising a container
having upper and lower ends and having its upper end substantially
closed by a wall wherein there is a hole, a head member on said
upper end of the container having a portion that is manually
inwardly displaceable against a bias, said head member cooperating
with said wall to define a pump chamber into which product can flow
from the container through said hole and which has an outlet, a
slidable sealing piston closing the lower end of the container, and
a pair of check valve elements, one arranged to prevent flow of
product through said hole from the pump chamber into the container
and the other arranged to prevent inward flow through said outlet
towards the pump chamber, said dispenser being characterized
by:
A. said outlet being defined by a portion of said head member that
is formed as an upwardly extending duct which is in laterally
spaced relation to said hole;
B. said dispenser further comprising an insert member of
substantially resilient material confined in said head member and
having
(1) a medial portion that defines a horizontally extending channel
above said wall through which product passes in flowing from said
hole into said duct, and
(2) a pair of flaps, each having a resiliently hinged connection to
said medial portion for flatwise swinging motion relative thereto,
said flaps extending edgewise in substantially opposite directions
from said medial portion,
(a) one of said flaps providing said one check valve element and
having its hinge connection below said channel and adjacent to said
wall to normally flatwise overlie the same and close said hole
therein, and
(b) the other of said flaps providing said other check valve and
normally extending across said duct with its hinge connection
substantially vertically over the hinge connection of said one
flap, above said channel, and spaced above said wall. .Iadd. 5. A
dispenser for paste-like products comprising a container having
opposite ends which are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction
one which is substantially closed by an end wall wherein there is a
hole; a head member and insert assembly on said one end of the
container and having a portion that is manually inwardly
displaceable against a bias, said head member and insert assembly
co-operating with said end wall to define a pump chamber into which
product can flow through said end wall from the container directly
through said hole and which has an outlet spaced from said hole,
and a pair of check valve elements, one arranged to prevent flow of
product through said hole from the pump chamber into the container
and the other arranged to prevent inward flow through said outlet
towards the pump chamber; and said dispenser including:
A. said outlet being defined by a portion of said head member and
insert assembly that is formed as a duct which is in laterally
spaced relation to said hole and extends away from said end wall in
said longitudinal direction; and
B. said insert assembly being formed of resilient material, said
insert assembly confined in said head member and having
(1) a first flap portion which provides said one check valve
element and which is positioned in said pump chamber and normally
overlies said end wall to close said hole therein but is flatwise
movable away from said end wall,
(2) a second flap portion providing said other check valve element,
said second flap portion being spaced from said end wall and
normally extending across said duct to prevent inward flow
therethrough but being resiliently flatwise flexible away from said
end wall, and
(3) a medial portion formed to define a channel which extends
transversely between said pump chamber and said duct through which
product flows in passing from said hole to said duct below said
second flap portion, said flap portions being on opposite sides of
said medial portion with said first flap portion being upstream of
said channel and said second flap portion being downstream of said
channel. .Iaddend..Iadd. 6. A dispenser according to claim 5
wherein said channel is formed primarily by said insert.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 7. A dispenser according to claim 5 wherein said
pump chamber and said duct are longitudinally elongated and in
substantially parallel relation. 8. A dispenser according to claim
5 wherein said pump chamber includes a cylindrical wall and said
resiliently biased portion includes a piston positioned in and
peripherally sealed to said cylindrical wall. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 9. A
dispenser for paste-like products comprising
a container having opposite ends which are spaced apart in a
longitudinal direction
and one end portion of which is substantially closed by a
transverse wall wherein there is a product passage hole,
a slidable piston of a cross section matching the internal cross
section of said container sealingly engaging the inner surface of
said container to close off the other end portion of said
container,
a head member on said one end portion having actuating means that
is manually movable from a position of rest against a bias means
through an active stroke and is returned to said position of rest
by said bias means,
a pump chamber of small cross sectional area compared to said
slidable piston
provided in said head member into which product can flow from the
container intermediate position through said hole,
an actuating piston and a cooperating cylinder in part defining
said pump chamber, said actuating means being connected to move
said actuating piston for moving the same in said cylinder,
said cylinder having a discharge opening at the approximate end of
the stroke of said actuating piston for product flow through said
discharge opening,
and said cylinder having an end wall disposed opposite to said
actuating piston and against which said piston works,
said end wall being defined at least in part by a first valve
disposed to cooperate with said transverse wall to overlie said
hole in blocking and unblocking positions,
said valve being movable to close off said hole to product movement
upon manual movement of said actuating means when product is in
said cylinder causing product to flow out of said cylinder through
said opening,
said first valve being movable to its unblocking position under
conditions wherein said actuating piston returns to said position
of rest causing negative pressure in said cylinder as compared to
atmospheric pressure on the outside of said container whereby said
sliding piston is caused to move toward said transverse wall
displacing product through said hole,
said head member having an outlet passage therein outside of said
cylinder in product communication with said opening for discharge
of product from said container and wherein there is a second valve
operable to an open position by product flow caused by said
actuating piston and movable to a closed position stopping inward
flow of product in said outlet passage and back into said cylinder
when said actuating piston is returning to the position of
rest,
said head member further having separately formed insert means
confined therein comprising at least a portion of said cylinder
defining said opening and including said first valve flexibly
connected thereto and
thereby defining parts of at least said cylinder. .Iaddend..Iadd.
10. A dispenser according to claim 9 wherein each of said valves
has a flexing connection to said insert means and said valves being
disposed in both laterally and longitudinally offset relation on
opposite sides of said opening. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. A dispenser
according to claim 9 wherein said discharge opening is in a
cylinder wall portion at approximately 90.degree. to said first
valve. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. A dispenser for paste-like products
comprising a container having opposite ends which are spaced apart
in a longitudinal direction and one of which is substantially
closed by a transverse wall wherein there is a hole, a head member
on said one end of the container having a portion that is manually
inwardly displaceable against a bias, a pump chamber in said head
member into which product can flow from the container through said
hole, said head member having an outlet spaced from said hole, a
slidable piston sealingly engaging the inner surface of the
container to close its other end, and a pair of check valve
elements, one arranged to prevent flow of product through said hole
from the pump chamber into the container and the other arranged
prevent inward flow through said outlet towards the pump chamber,
said dispenser being characterized by:
said pump chamber including a pump piston defining wall acting
against the portion of said transverse wall containing said hole
with said one valve member being interposed between said pump
piston wall and said transverse wall whereby pumping displacement
of said pump piston wall forces said one valve member to close off
said hole of said transverse wall, said pump chamber having a
discharge opening in communication with said outlet through which
product would be passed by movement of said pump piston toward said
transverse wall, and said other valve member being disposed between
said pump chamber discharge opening and said head member outlet.
.Iaddend. .Iadd. 13. A dispenser for paste-like products comprising
a container having opposite ends which are spaced apart in a
longitudinal direction and one of which is substantially closed by
a wall wherein there is a hole, a head member on said one end of
the container having a portion that is manually inwardly
displaceable against a bias, said head member cooperating with said
wall to define a pump chamber into which product can flow from the
container through said hole and which has an outlet spaced from
said hole, a slidable piston sealingly engaging the inner surface
of the container to close its other end, and a pair of check valve
elements, one arranged to prevent flow of product through said hole
from the pump chamber into the container and the other arranged to
prevent inward flow through said outlet towards the pump chamber,
said dispenser being characterized by:
A. said outlet being defined by a portion of said head member that
is formed as a duct which is in laterally spaced relation to said
hole and extends away from said wall in said longitudinal
direction; and
B. said dispenser further comprising an insert member of resilient
material confined in said head member and having
(1) a first flap portion which provides said one check valve
element and which normally flatwise overlies said wall to close
said hole therein but is flatwise flexible away from said wall,
(2) a second flat portion attached to said insert by a flexing
connection and providing said other check valve element, said
second flap portion being spaced from said wall and normally
extending across said duct to prevent inward flow therethrough but
being resiliently flatwise flexible away from said wall,
(3) a medial portion to which at least the first flap portion has a
flexing connection for flatwise movement substantially contained in
a plane that extends in said longitudinal direction, the flexing
connections of the first flap portion and of the second flap
portion being substantially parallel to one another, and said
medial portion being formed to define a chamber between said pump
chamber and said outlet duct which extends transversely through
said plane and through which product flows in passing from said
hole to said space between said wall and said second flap
portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. A dispenser according to claim 12
wherein there is a member arranged between said head member and
said transverse wall and carrying said check valve elements.
.Iaddend. .Iadd. 15. A dispenser according to claim 12 wherein said
pump piston is movable relative to said head member.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 16. A dispenser according to claim 12 wherein said
pump piston is formed separate and apart from said head member.
.Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A dispenser of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,305. The
dispenser described therein has a pump chamber defined by a concave
conical separation wall extending towards the interior of the
container and an upwardly projecting conical membrane, with an
outlet passage opening into said pump chamber at a position between
said separation wall and said membrane and provided with the second
check valve formed by a ball member and an associated valve seat.
The separation wall is formed with a number of openings covered by
a corresponding number of resilient flaps lying on said separation
wall to form said first check valve by cooperation with the
openings. After filling the container with the product to be
dispensed, insertion of the closure piston in sealing engagement
with the interior wall surface causes the product to flow through
the openings of the first check valve into the pump chamber, so
that the latter is substantially filled with the product in its
expanded state. For dispensing the product, an exterior pressure is
exerted on the membrane as with the thumb of a hand, causing the
volume of the pump chamber to be reduced, whereby the product
contained within the pump chamber is dispensed through the opened
second check valve and the outlet passage. During this reduction of
the pump chamber volume, the product cannot escape back towards the
container, since the resilient flaps are firmly pressed down over
the openings in the separating wall, so that the first check valve
is closed. After the product has been displaced out of the pump
chamber, the membrane is released, so that the volume of the pump
chamber is again increased, whereby a suction force is produced to
close the second check valve, preventing any outside air from
entering the pump chamber through the outlet passage. The vacuum
resulting from the increase of the pump chamber volume causes the
first check valve to open by lifting the resilient flaps off the
openings in the separation wall, so that the product may again flow
from the container into the pump chamber to replenish the product
supply therein. This known dispenser does not permit accurate
metering of the product dispensed at a single stroke, since the
membrane is returned to its original position only by virtue of its
inherent resiliency, is subjected to fatigue effects and restricts
the maximum volume of the pump chamber to a rather limited
value.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the dispenser
defined in the introduction, enabling it to dispense substantially
equal amounts of a product at each complete volume variation cycle
of the pump chamber even in case of a relatively great pump chamber
volume.
To attain this object, the invention provides a dispenser of the
type defined in the introduction, wherein the pump chamber is of
substantially cylindrical shape and is closed by a piston face
displaceable relative thereto, and wherein there is provided a
return spring for effecting said relative displacement in one
direction.
Due to the substantially cylindrical configuration of the pump
chamber, the volume of which is variable by the relative motion of
a piston face with respect to the interior wall surface of the
cylindrical pump chamber, the volume even of a relatively large
chamber can be reproducibly varied by controlling the stroke of the
piston face. The provision of a separate return spring for
effecting the relative movement between the piston face and the
cylindrical pump chamber in the direction of a volume increase
ensures accurate return of the dispenser to its rest position even
after repeated actuation.
In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention,
the cylindrical pump chamber is formed by a cap mounted for
longitudinal sliding motion on the container, the piston face in
this case being formed by the upper separation wall of the
container between it and the head member. In this case, the piston
face may thus be considered stationary, while the cap forming the
side wall and the upper end wall of the pump chamber are movable.
The volume of the pump chamber is thus reduced by sliding the cap
onto the container.
In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical
pump chamber is stationary and contains a piston adapted to be
manually depressed for reducing the pump chamber volume.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of
the invention in the rest position,
FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1, the lefthand half section
showing the pump chamber volume while it is being reduced, and the
righthand half section showing the pump chamber volume during
expansion thereof,
FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of a second embodiment of the
invention,
FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the head portion along the line
IV--IV in FIG. 3,
FIG. 5 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 4 in a state of maximum
reduction of the pump chamber volume;
FIG. 6 shows an enlarged sectional view of an injection molded
member forming two check valves,
FIG. 7 shows an enlarged top plan view of the injection molded
member, and
FIG. 8 shows a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in
FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a dispenser
comprises a substantially cylindrical container 1 formed of a
synthetic resin such as polypropylene, for receiving the product to
be dispensed. The lower end of container 1 is closed by a piston 2
slidably supported in sealing engagement with the interior wall
surface of container 1 for reducing the volume thereof during each
discharge of the product therefrom, so that the container retains
its outer shape while the formation of a vacuum or the accumulation
of air within the container is prevented. At its upper end,
container 1 carries a head member 3 in the form of a substantially
cylindrical cap slidingly supported on the outer sidewall surface
of container 1. To this effect, the container 1 shown in this
embodiment has the outer sidewall surface of its upper portion
slightly offset towards the center, so that the outer sidewall
surface of head member 3 extends in substantial alignment with the
outer sidewall surface of the main portion of the container 1.
The separation wall 4 between container 1 and head member 3
provides a piston face cooperating with slidably mounted head
portion 3, so as to vary the volume of a pump chamber defined by
said piston face and the interior faces of the cap 3 by relative
movement between cap 3 and separation wall 4. Separation wall 4 is
provided with an opening 5 formed with a valve seat for cooperation
with a valve closure member 6 retained by resilient webs 7.
Located within cap 3 and acting as a return spring is a resilient
sleeve 8 closely adjacent and parallel to the cap's peripheral
wall, the ends of sleeve 8 being fixedly attached to separation
wall 4 and cap 3, respectively.
In the embodiment shown, applicator 9 has its outlet passage closed
adjacent its lower end by a resilient flap 11 connected to the
interior wall surface of the outlet passage by a first web portion
12 forming a resilient although relatively stiff hinge between the
flap and the interior wall surface of the applicator. Substantially
opposite web portion 12 there is provided a relatively thin second
web portion 13 designed to completely close the outlet passage.
As applicator 9 is completely inserted into sleeve portion 10 of
head member 3, the relatively thin second web portion 13 of
resilient flap 11 is severed by a cutting edge portion 14
projecting from the interior wall surface of sleeve portion 10, so
that the flap is movably supported within the outlet passage by the
hinge formed by first web portion 12. Resilient flap 11 thus acts
as a second check valve, a first check valve being formed by
closure member 6 and opening 5 in separation wall 4.
As particularly shown in the lefthand half section of FIG. 2,
depression of head member 3 causes the pump chamber volume to be
reduced, so that the product contained in the pump chamber is
forced outward through the outlet passage of applicator 9, the
pressure generated within the pump chamber causing the second check
valve to be opened by pivoting flap 11 about the hinge formed by
first web portion 12. The pressure increase resulting from the
reduction of the pump chamber volume results in closure member 6
being pressed down onto the valve seat formed around opening 5, so
that there is no communication between the interior of container 1
and the pump chamber. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, depression of
head member 3 for reducing the pump chamber volume results in the
return spring formed by resilient sleeve 8 being deformed so that
its intermediate portion bulges inwardly towards the pump
chamber.
As soon as the pressure urging head member 3 downwards is released,
head member 3 slides back upwards under the biasing force of the
return spring, whereby the pump chamber volume is again increased.
This increase of the pump chamber volume generates a vacuum causing
a portion of the product within the outlet passage of applicator 9
to be sucked back into the pump chamber, which results in flap 11
closing immediately. On the other hand, the vacuum within the pump
chamber causes closure member 6 to be lifted off opening 5 in
separation wall 4, so that the product may now flow from the
interior of container 1 into the pump chamber until it is again
filled with the product, whereupon the pressure differential
between the pump chamber and the interior of container 1
disappears, causing closure member 6 to drop back onto opening
5.
FIGS. 3 to 8 show a second embodiment of the invention, wherein
components corresponding to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are
designated by the same reference numerals.
The main difference between the two embodiments lies in the
construction of head member 3. The head member 3 of the second
embodiment contains a slidable piston 15 which may be depressed to
reduce the volume of a pump chamber 16. As clearly shown in FIGS. 3
and 4, the upper actuating portion of piston 15 is formed as a
generally rectangular push button, there being provided a return
spring 8a in the form of a leaf spring having its central portion
formed into a substantially conical profile projecting through an
opening of the piston face into a cavity formed by the generally
rectangular push button at the upper portion of piston 15.
In addition to the substantially cylindrical pump chamber 16, head
member 3 includes an outlet passage 17 connected to pump chamber 16
via a connecting passage 18.
As particularly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, connecting passage 18 is
formed by an integrally formed injection molded member 19 also
carrying the resilient flaps of the first and second check valves.
A first resilient flap 20 again covers a through opening 5 in
separation wall 4 between container 1 and head member 3. A second
resilient flap 21 serves to close outlet passage 17 upstream of
applicator 9. Integrally formed with injection molded member 19 is
a portion 22 acting as a leaf spring biasing resilient flap 20
towards its closed position. As shown in FIG. 7, the hinges between
flap 20 and the remainder of injection molded member 19 may be
formed by suitable recesses 23 at the underside of the injection
molded member.
As shown in FIG. 3, applicator 9 may be provided with a closure cap
24 for sealing the dispenser.
For facilitating the employ of the product contained in the
container, the applicator employed for the dispenser may be of any
suitable size, length, shape and construction. On the other hand,
the applicator may be integrally formed with the head member, while
in the case of very long applicators for particular use as in the
medical field for anal or vaginal medication, a two-piece
construction would be indicated, if only for ease of
production.
Operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 8 is essentially the same
as in the case of the first embodiment, the pump chamber volume
being reduced by depressing piston 15, and again increased by the
subsequent upward movement of piston 15 under the biasing force of
return spring 8a. The two check valves operate in the same manner
as in the first embodiment. The deformation of return spring 8a by
the movement of piston 15 is clearly evident from FIGS. 4 and
5.
The diagrammatic sectional view of FIG. 8 shows portions of return
spring 8a and the elastic flap 21 of the second check valve.
The return springs may be stainless steel or may be
injection-molded of Makrolen. The plastic parts of container 1,
head member 3, piston 15, and applicator 9 may be formed of
polyethylene or polypropylene. These materials ensure substantially
complete product stability within the dispenser, since they are
physically and chemically unaffected by practically any product to
be dispensed.
Examples for the employ of the dispenser are for instance hair and
skin cosmetics, oral hygiene, the medical field as well as
foodstuffs, it being possible to fill the container with products
of any suitable viscosity and composition and to dispense such
products.
* * * * *