Liquid dispenser with framed refill receiving bay

• US 10,568,467 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conopco, Inc. (Unilever PLC)
• Original Assignee: Conopco, Inc. (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Enga, Agnete, Exposito Sanchez, Ivan, Nicholson, Jamie Mark, Lozeau, Kevin Richard, Krishnan, Srinivasan
• Primary Examiner(s): Durand, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bainbridge, Andrew P
• Application Number:
  US15/515,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20180168407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 222 63, 222129, 222154-159, 222164-165, 222182, 2221811, 2221851, 222325-327
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/12 for liquid or pasty soap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1204 by means of a rigid dispensing chamber and pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/14 Foam or lather making devices for shaving A45D27/02
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0054 Cartridges, i.e. containers specially designed for easy attachment to or easy removal from the rest of the sprayer attachment arrangements between pump and container B05B11/1043
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1087 Combination of liquid and air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0018 with devices for making foam

Abstract

A liquid dispenser has a bay surrounded by a shaped frame that is sized to receive a shaped refill inserted at an acute angle of 75 degrees or less in relation to the dispenser'"'"'s lateral central axis. This unique arrangement is designed to maintain consistent quality of liquids dispensed by preventing the substitution of product refills having different shapes whose contents are of uncertain quality. Refills may be readily manufactured and at low cost. Mechanical and motorized dispensers with optional proximity detection of a user'"'"'s hand may be used with the inventive dispenser and refill arrangement. Liquid or foam may be dispensed depending on the design of the dispenser pump.

Claims

1. A liquid dispenser (10) for dispensing a fluid (80), comprising:

a. a housing (20) having a height H and a central axis AA extending between side walls 43 parallel to a housing bottom floor (44) and disposed at the midpoint of the housing height H;

wherein the housing includes a first housing wall (22), a second housing wall (42) opposite the first housing wall (22), a shaped inner frame (90) having a first inner frame side (92) and a shaped outer frame (24);

wherein the outer frame (24) connects the first housing wall (22) with the second housing wall (42);

b. wherein the housing contains a pump (26) configured for pumping the fluid (80), wherein the pump (26) is connected to a pump inlet conduit (28) and a pump outlet conduit (30);

c. wherein the housing (20) contains a refill bay (70) defined by the shaped inner frame (90) and configured to receive a refill (60) comprising a refill reservoir (40) and a refill adapter (50) that is inserted into the refill bay (70) through the first inner frame side (92) at the rear of the dispenser along either the vector R or R′

wherein the vector R and the vector R¹ are both in the same plane defined by the height H and the axis AA and wherein both vectors intersect the central axis AA on opposite sides at a point midway between the first housing wall (22) and the second housing wall (42);

wherein the vector R intersects the central axis AA at an angle α

between 0 and 75 degrees and the vector R′

intersects the central axis AA at an angle α

′

between 0 and minus 75 degrees; and

d. wherein the refill (60) includes an outlet interface (48) in fluid communication with the refill reservoir (40) and wherein the outlet interface (48) and a pump inlet conduit interface (53) are configured to sealingly engage with each other when the refill (60) is fully inserted into the refill bay (70),

and wherein the refill is substantially surrounded by the outer frame,

and wherein the refill (60) passes into the refill bay (70) on the opposite side of the dispenser (10) from where a dispenser outlet (12) is located, the dispenser outlet being located at the front of the dispenser.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the outer frame (24) and the inner frame (90) are spaced apart over an arc defined by at least a 120 degree angle of rotation β

around the central axis AA of a line P drawn perpendicular to the axis AA.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the angle α

is less than 10 degrees.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the refill reservoir (40) is transparent or translucent.

5. The dispenser of according to claim 1 wherein the pump (26) has an entrainment mechanism which entrains air or gas into the fluid (80) prior to dispensing.

6. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the refill reservoir (40) is sealingly engaged via a liquid tight coupling (47) to the refill adapter (50) and the refill adapter 50 includes a refill interface (48) in fluid communication with the refill reservoir (40).

7. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the junction between the first housing wall (22) and the outer frame (24) and between the second housing wall (42) and the outer frame (24) comprise a smooth, three dimensional surface.

8. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the first housing wall (22) defines an open, transparent or translucent window (100) coinciding with at least a portion of the refill reservoir (40).

9. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the refill bay (70) is sized to receive the refill (60) in a pressing engagement with the inner frame (90).

10. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the refill bay (70) is sized to receive the refill assembly (60) in a pressing engagement via a plurality of protuberances (33) rigidly connected to the inside frame and extending into the refill bay.

11. The dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the refill bay (70) is further defined by a bulkhead (39) connected to the inner frame 90 opposite the first inner frame side (92).

12. A liquid dispenser kit comprising:

a. A liquid dispenser according to claim 1; and

b. a refill (60) containing a composition comprising;

i. 1 to 60% by wt. of one or more lathering surfactant(s) selected from soap, synthetic anionic surfactant(s), amphoteric surfactant(s), nonionic surfactant(s), cationic surfactant(s) or a blend thereof;

ii. 10 to 99% by wt. of water, and

iii. 0.1 to 30% by wt. of one or more skin conditioning agent(s) selected from hydrophobic conditioning agent(s), hydrophilic conditioning agent(s) or a blend thereof.