High quality non-aerosol hand sanitizing foam

• US 10,441,115 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Ciavarella, Nick E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buechner, Patrick M.
• Application Number:
  US15/429,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20170231437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/14 Foam or lather making devices for shaving A45D27/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/045 Hydroxy compounds, e.g. alcohols; Salts thereof, e.g. alcoholates
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/122 Foams; Dry foams edible foams A61K9/0056
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0416 with arrangements for mixing one gas and one liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2402 Apparatus to be carried on or by a person, e.g. by hand; Apparatus comprising containers fixed to the discharge device B05B7/0012 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 13/02 of two or more fluids at the same time
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/06 Pumps for delivery of both liquid and elastic fluids at the same time wet gas pumps F04B37/20
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/06 the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/026 each plate-like pumping flexible member working in its own pumping chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/04 Pumps having electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/043 two or more plate-like pumping flexible members in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/047 Pumps having electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04

Abstract

High quality non-aerosol foam sanitizers include a liquid mixture that includes an alcohol, water and a surfactant mixed with and entrapping air to form a plurality of foam bubbles. Wherein more than about 50 percent of the foam bubbles have a size of between about 50 μm and about 250 μm.

Claims

1. A non-aerosol foam sanitizer comprising:

a liquid mixture that includes c1-c8 alcohol in an amount of between 40% and 85% by weight, water and a surfactant mixed with and entrapping ambient air sourced from the atmosphere to form a plurality of foam bubbles;

wherein more than about 50 percent of the foam bubbles have a diameter of between about 50 μ

m and about 250 μ

m;

wherein the foam bubbles are generated using a liquid pump portion for pumping the liquid mixture that includes c1-c8 alcohol, water and a surfactant and two or more air pump portions for pumping atmospheric air into a mixing chamber for mixing the foamable the liquid mixture with the atmospheric air to form the bubbles having the above size as the bubbles are dispensed; and

wherein the liquid pump portion and the two or more air pump portions are activated sequentially.

2. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 1 wherein the foam bubbles have a density of greater than about 0.10 grams/millimeter.

3. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 1 wherein the surfactant comprises a compound containing silicone.

4. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 1 wherein the surfactant comprises silane.

5. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 1 wherein the surfactant comprises dimethicone.

6. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 1 wherein the alcohol by volume greater than about 60%.

7. A non-aerosol foam sanitizer comprising:

a liquid mixture that includes at least about 40% of a c1-c8 alcohol, water and a surfactant mixed with and entrapping ambient air sourced from the atmosphere to form a plurality of foam bubbles;

wherein when the liquid mixture is passed through an non-aerosol foam pump, the average diameter of the foam bubbles are less than about 190 μ

m;

wherein the non-aerosol foam pump comprises a liquid pump portion for pumping the liquid mixture that includes c1-c8 alcohol, water and a surfactant and two or more air pump portions for pumping atmospheric air into a mixing chamber for mixing the foamable the liquid mixture with the atmospheric air to form the bubbles having the above size as the bubbles are dispensed; and

wherein the liquid pump portion and the two or more air pump portions are activated sequentially.

8. The high quality non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 7 wherein the average diameter of the foam bubbles are between about 160 μ

m and 190 μ

m.

9. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 7 wherein the average diameter of the foam bubbles is about 180 μ

m.

10. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 7 wherein the foam bubbles have a density of greater than about 0.10 grams/millimeter.

11. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 7 wherein the surfactant comprises a compound containing silicone.

12. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 7 wherein the alcohol by volume greater than about 70%.

13. The non-aerosol foam sanitizer of claim 7 wherein the alcohol by volume greater than about 60%.

14. A non-aerosol foam pump for producing foam sanitizer comprising:

a liquid pump portion for pumping a foamable sanitizer containing c1-c8 alcohol, water and a surfactant;

two or more air pump portions for pumping atmospheric air;

a mixing chamber for mixing the foamable sanitizer with the atmospheric air to form a foam having foam bubbles that is dispensed from the pump;

wherein more than about 50 percent of the dispensed foam bubbles have a diameter of less than about 250 μ

m;

wherein the liquid pump portion and the two or more air pump portions are activated sequentially.

15. The non-aerosol foam pump for producing foam sanitizer of claim 14 wherein more than about 50 percent of the dispensed foam bubbles have a diameter of between about 50 μ

m and about 250 μ

m.

16. The non-aerosol foam pump for producing foam sanitizer of claim 14 wherein the liquid pump portion and air pump portions are diaphragms.

17. The non-aerosol foam pump for producing foam sanitizer of claim 14 further comprising a foam cartridge that includes a plurality of sponges, wherein at least two sponges have different properties.

18. The non-aerosol foam pump of for producing foam sanitizer claim 17 wherein the different properties are firmness properties.