PUMPING DISPENSER

• US 20090101671A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wilcox, Matthew T., Byl, Carolyn C., Cittadino, Antonio M., Paal, Alan P., Budz, Gregory D., Cornell, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/23
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1047 the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container

Abstract

A device for dispensing a flowable material is disclosed. The device includes a container holding the flowable material therein and a pumping assembly attached to the container. The pumping assembly includes a pump and a placard portion configured for displaying viewable information thereon associated with the flowable material.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing a flowable material, the device comprising:

a container holding the flowable material therein; and

a pumping assembly comprising a pump and a placard portion configured for displaying viewable information thereon associated with the flowable material, the pumping assembly being attached to the container.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the viewable information on the placard portion comprises one of a plurality of colors indicating at least one of a type of the flowable material, an efficacy of the flowable material for a particular purpose, an attribute of the flowable material, and a type of facility that the flowable material can be used.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the flowable material comprises at least one of a liquid soap, a liquid lotion, a sanitizer liquid, and an antimicrobial liquid.

4. A pumping assembly adapted for use with a device for dispensing flowable material, the pumping assembly comprising:

a pump; and

a placard portion disposed in physical communication with the pump, wherein the placard portion comprises viewable information indicating at least one of the following;

a type of flowable material, an efficacy of flowable material for a particular purpose, an attribute of flowable material, and a type of facility that the flowable material can be used.

5. A dispenser apparatus for dispensing a flowable material, the apparatus comprising:

a pumping assembly comprising a pump, a pump cover, and a collar portion;

the collar portion being removably attached to the pump cover;

at least a portion of the pump being disposed within the pump cover; and

the pump being captivated between the pump cover and the collar portion.

6. The dispenser apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the pump cover comprises a placard portion configured for displaying viewable information thereon associated with the flowable material.

7. The dispenser apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the pumping assembly further comprises a container holding the flowable material therein, the container being removably coupled to at least one of the pump and the pump cover via a liquid seal.

8. The dispenser apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the collar portion is removably attached to the pump cover via at least one snap-fit engagement feature.

9. The dispenser apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a chassis portion; and

wherein the collar portion is removably attached to the chassis portion.

10. The dispenser apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the collar portion is removably attached to the chassis portion via at least one snap-fit engagement feature.

11. The dispenser apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a housing cover movably coupled to the chassis portion;

wherein the pump cover comprises a placard portion configured for displaying viewable information thereon associated with the flowable material; and

wherein the housing cover comprises a transparent or translucent region for allowing viewing of the placard portion.

12. The dispenser apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the collar portion comprises first and second flexible arms disposed in spring-bias opposition to one another, the first and second flexible arms having first and second engagement features, respectively, the first and second engagement features being removably attached to third and fourth engagement features, respectively, of the chassis portion.

13. The dispenser apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the pumping assembly further comprises a container holding the flowable material therein, the container being securely coupled to at least one of the pump and the pump cover via a liquid seal in such a manner as to cause damage to at least one of the container and the pumping assembly in response to separation or attempted separation of the container from the pumping assembly.

14. A dispenser apparatus for dispensing a flowable material, the apparatus comprising:

a chassis portion comprising an actuator plate comprising first and second actuator finger portions, the actuator plate being movably captivated by the chassis portion and movable in a first direction and a second direction;

a pump comprising a nozzle comprising an engagement feature disposed between the first and second actuator finger portions such that movement of the actuator plate in the first direction causes the nozzle via the engagement feature to move in the first direction, and such that movement of the actuator plate in the second direction causes the nozzle via the engagement feature to move in the second direction.

15. The dispenser apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the chassis portion comprises a movable spacer portion comprising a spacer plate, the spacer portion being movably captivated by the chassis portion and movable to a first position and to a second position;

in response to the spacer portion being disposed at the first position, the spacer plate is disposed for non-engagement with the nozzle engagement feature; and

in response to the spacer portion being disposed in the second position, the spacer plate is disposed for engagement with the nozzle engagement feature.

16. The dispenser apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

in response to the spacer portion being disposed at the first position, and in response to the actuator plate being moved in the first direction, the nozzle is displaced a first distance by engagement of the first finger portion with the nozzle engagement feature; and

in response to the spacer portion being disposed at the second position, and in response to the actuator plate being moved in the first direction, the nozzle is displaced a second distance by engagement of the spacer plate with the nozzle engagement feature, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

17. The dispenser apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the spacer plate comprises at least one side leg disposed at a side of the nozzle of the pump such that the at least one side leg interferes with the nozzle of the pump when the spacer portion is urged to change position from one of the first and second position to the other, thereby preventing movement of the spacer portion from one of the first and the second position to the other when the pumping assembly is attached to the chassis portion.

18. A dispenser apparatus for dispensing a flowable material, the apparatus comprising:

a housing cover;

a sensor disposed proximate the housing cover for sensing a presence of an object;

a pump assembly;

a motor in operable communication with the pump assembly;

a maintenance switch conspicuously visible at the housing cover, the maintenance switch operably connected to the motor to disable the motor prior to opening the housing cover; and

a controller disposed in operable communication with the sensor and the motor.

19. The dispenser apparatus of claim 18, wherein the pumping assembly comprising a pump, a pump cover, and a collar portion;

the collar portion being removably attached to the pump cover;

at least a portion of the pump being disposed within the pump cover; and

the pump being captivated between the pump cover and the collar portion.