Squeeze Foamer

• US 20080314931A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rexam Airspray Incorporated (Ball Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rexam Airspray Incorporated (Ball Corporation)
• Inventors: van der Heijden, Edgar Ivo Maria
• Granted Patent: US 8,020,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/190
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/122 using squeeze bottles or the like A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/14 Foam or lather making devices for shaving A45D27/02
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/043 designed for spraying a liquid B05B11/046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0025 with a compressed gas supply

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispensing device for dispensing a foam, comprising a manually compressible container (2) for storing a liquid and air, which container comprises an opening (3), a rigid housing (4, 5) to be fitted in or on the opening, the housing comprising an air passage (11, 12) and a liquid passage (9), which are in communication with a dispensing passage (14) which ends in a dispensing opening (8), and a valve body (6) which, in a rest position, covers a mouth of the liquid passage and a mouth of the air passage (10) in a sealing manner in order to prevent a flow from the liquid passage and the air passage to the dispensing passage, and which, during dispensing, opens the mouth of the liquid passage and the mouth of the air passage in order to allow mixing of air and liquid to take place in the dispensing passage. The invention is characterized in that the elastic valve body comprises an arcuate section (6c), which arcuate section extends in the mouth of the liquid passage in such a way that, initially, due to the liquid pressure in the liquid passage on the valve body, the arcuate section improves the sealing of the mouth of the liquid passage.

Claims

1. A dispensing device for dispensing a foam, comprising:

a manually compressible container for storing a liquid and air, and

a foam-forming assembly to be attached in or on an opening in the container for forming a foam, the foam-forming assembly comprising

a housing having an air passage and a liquid passage, each of which ending in a mouth and being in communication with a dispensing passage which ends in a dispensing opening, and

a valve body which, in a rest position, covers the mouth of the liquid passage and the mouth of the air passage in a sealing manner in order to prevent a flow from the liquid passage and the air passage to the dispensing passage, and which, during dispensing, opens the mouth of the liquid passage and the mouth of the air passage in order to allow mixing of air and liquid to take place in the dispensing passage,

wherein the elastic valve body comprises an arcuate section, which arcuate section extends in the mouth of the liquid passage in such a way that, initially, due to the liquid pressure in the liquid passage on the valve body, the arcuate section improves the sealing of the mouth of the liquid passage.

2. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein a top of the arcuate section of the valve body is situated close to one of the edges of the mouth in which it extends than to the other edge.

3. The dispensing device of claim 2, wherein the arcuate section comprises a second top which is closer to the other edge of the mouth.

4. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the mouth in which the arcuate section extends is annular.

5. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the valve body is substantially conical.

6. The dispensing device claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises an edge which extends freely on all sides and which serves as a valve for an aeration opening in the housing for aerating the container.

7. The dispensing device of according to claim 1, wherein the mouth of the air passage and the mouth of the liquid passage are substantially annular and are arranged substantially concentrically with respect to one another.

8. The dispensing device of claim 7, wherein the diameter of the annular mouth of the liquid passage is greater than the diameter of the annular mouth of the air passage.

9. The dispensing device of claim 7, wherein the valve body comprising an annular clamping section with which the valve body is clamped in the housing, and in which the diameter of the clamping section is larger than the diameter of the annular mouth of the liquid passage and the annular mouth of the air passage.

10. The dispensing device of claim 9, wherein the dispensing passage is arranged concentrically with respect to the annular mouth of the liquid passage and the air passage.

11. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the valve body is elastic.

12. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing device is substantially circular-symmetrical about a centre axis of symmetry and the liquid to be dispensed, during dispensing, moves in one direction relative to the direction of the centre axis of symmetry.

13. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein in which the valve body is made from a silicone material.

14. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the annular mouth of the liquid passage and/or the air passage comprises one opening.

15. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the annular mouth of the liquid passage and/or the air passage comprises several openings.

16. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein in which the valve body is mounted with an axial prestress in the housing so that the valve body is pressed against the mouth of the liquid passage and the mouth of the air passage.

17. The dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing device comprises a sealing cap, which can be moved between an open position, in which a foam can be dispensed by squeezing the container, and a closed position, in which the dispensing opening is sealed.

18. A foam-forming assembly for forming a foam, comprising:

a housing having an air passage and a liquid passage, each of which ending in a mouth and being in communication with a dispensing passage which ends in a dispensing opening, and

a valve body which, in a rest position, covers the mouth of the liquid passage and the mouth of the air passage in a sealing manner in order to prevent a flow from the liquid passage and the air passage to the dispensing passage, and which, during dispensing, opens the mouth of the liquid passage and the mouth of the air passage in order to allow mixing of air and liquid to take place in the dispensing passage,

wherein the elastic valve body comprises an arcuate section, which arcuate section extends in the mouth of the liquid passage in such a way that, initially, due to the liquid pressure in the liquid passage on the valve body, the arcuate section improves the sealing of the mouth of the liquid passage.

19. A dispensing device for dispensing a foam comprising a foam-forming assembly according to claim 18, wherein the liquid passage and air passage are connected with a liquid source comprising a liquid under pressure and a gas source comprising a gas under pressure, respectively.

20. A dispensing device for dispensing a foam comprising a foam-forming assembly according to claim 18, wherein the liquid passage and the air passage are in fluid communication with a container comprising a foamable liquid and a gas, in particular air, wherein the foamable liquid and gas are pressurized or can be pressurized.