DISPENSER FOR DISINFECTING GEL

• US 20070039976A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: George Saleh
• Original Assignee: George Saleh
• Inventors: King, Caleob, Saleh, George
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/608
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence

Abstract

Portable dispensers and methods of use are disclosed herein. A portable dispenser includes an output device and a housing having a receiving area configured to accept a container having an opening and housing a viscous fluid (i.e., a disinfecting gel). The housing also includes a fastener for selective attachment to an article of clothing. The output device is selectively coupled to the container so that the viscous fluid may selectively pass from the container through the container opening and the output device. An output device of another portable dispenser is selectively coupled to the container so that the fluid may selectively pass from the container through the container opening and the output device without first being transferred from the container to the dispenser for storage. Methods for using the portable dispensers are also provided.

Claims

1. A portable dispenser for a viscous fluid, the viscous fluid being housed in a container having an opening, said dispenser comprising:

a housing having a receiving area configured to accept the container and having a fastener for selective attachment to an article of clothing; and

an output device for selective coupling with the container, whereby the viscous fluid may selectively pass from the container through the container opening and the output device.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein:

the container includes threads adjacent the container opening;

the output device includes threads complementary to the threads of the container for selective attachment of the container and the output device; and

the output device includes a pump for selectively causing the viscous fluid to pass through the output device.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein:

the container includes threads adjacent the container opening;

the output device includes threads complementary to the threads of the container for selective attachment of the container and the output device; and

the output device is selectively receivable in the housing.

4. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein the output device includes a valve for selectively allowing the viscous fluid to pass through the output device.

5. The dispenser of claim 4, wherein the valve includes an outlet tube adjustable between a closed configuration and an open configuration.

6. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein:

a rocker is coupled to the housing and movable between a first configuration in which a first end of the rocker does not exert a force on the container and a second end of the rocker ensures the outlet tube is at the closed configuration and a second configuration in which the rocker first end exerts a force on the container and the rocker second end allows the outlet tube to be at the open configuration; and

the rocker is biased toward the first rocker configuration.

7. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein the housing has a front wall to shield the container from unwanted contact when the container is attached to the output device and the output device is received in the housing.

8. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein the front wall defines an opening to allow access to the container so that pressure may be exerted on a wall of the container.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein:

the container has a neck adjacent the container opening;

the output device includes a pump for selectively causing the fluid to pass through the output device;

the pump includes an inlet adjacent the container neck; and

a seal covers the container neck adjacent the pump inlet to allow all of the fluid in the container to selectively enter the pump inlet.

10. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein:

the container has a neck adjacent the container opening;

the output device includes a pump for selectively causing the fluid to pass through the output device;

the pump includes an inlet adjacent the container neck; and

a plug seals the container neck adjacent the pump inlet to allow all of the fluid in the container to selectively enter the pump inlet.

11. A dispenser for a disinfecting gel, the disinfecting gel being housed in a container having an opening, said dispenser comprising:

a housing having a receiving area configured to receive the container;

a fastener attached to the housing for selectively attaching the housing to an article of clothing; and

an output device for selective coupling with the container, whereby the gel may 10 selectively pass from the container through the container opening and the output device without first being transferred from the container to the dispenser for storage.

12. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the output device includes a pump for selectively causing the viscous fluid to pass through the output device.

13. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the output device is selectively receivable in the housing.

14. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the output device includes a valve for selectively allowing the viscous fluid to pass through the output device.

15. The dispenser of claim 14, wherein the valve includes an outlet tube adjustable between a closed configuration and an open configuration.

16. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein:

a rocker is coupled to the housing and movable between a first configuration in which a first end of the rocker does not exert a force on the container and a second end of the rocker ensures the outlet tube is at the closed configuration and a second configuration in which the rocker first end exerts a force on the container and the rocker second end allows the outlet tube to be at the open configuration; and

the rocker is biased toward the first rocker configuration.

17. A method for dispensing a disinfecting gel from a container having an opening, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a dispenser having an output device and a housing, the housing defining a receiving area configured for accepting the container and having a fastener for selective attachment to an article of clothing;

coupling the output device and the container; and

selectively releasing an amount of the disinfecting gel from the container through the output device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of joining the output device and the housing so that the container is located in the housing receiving area, whereby the container opening is below the gel when the housing is at a generally upright position;

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the step of selectively releasing an amount of disinfecting gel is accomplished by one hand operating the output device; and

the disinfecting gel is released from the output device to the one hand.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selectively releasing an amount of disinfecting gel is accomplished without exerting a force on a wall of the container.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the step of selectively releasing an amount of disinfecting gel is accomplished by one hand operating the output device; and

the disinfecting gel is released from the output device to the one hand.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of disassociating the container and the output device after all of the gel from the container is released through the output device.