Foam- Forming Assembly, Squeeze Foamer And Dispensing Device

• US 20100001024A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• 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 8,360,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/190
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0037 including sieves, porous members or the like

Abstract

The invention relates to a foam-forming assembly for forming a foam, comprising a housing having an air passage and a liquid passage which each end in a mouth and which are in communication with a dispensing passage which ends in a dispensing opening, and a valve body. The invention is characterized in that the mouth of the liquid passage is annular and the mouth of the air passage and an entry port of the dispensing passage are substantially provided on the circumference of an imaginary circle, in which between the annular mouth of the liquid passage and the mouth of the air passage and/or the entry port of the dispensing passage an annular sealing surface is provided, against which, in rest position, the valve body sealingly engages, and in which during dispensing the valve body becomes detached of the sealing surface such that the mouth of the air passage, the mouth of the liquid passage and the entry port of the dispensing passage substantially simultaneously come in fluid communication with each other.

Claims

1. 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 mouth of the liquid passage is annular and in that the mouth of the air passage and an entry port of the dispensing passage are substantially provided on the circumference of an imaginary circle, wherein between the annular mouth of the liquid passage and the mouth of the air passage and/or the entry port of the dispensing passage an annular sealing surface is provided, against which, in rest position, the valve body sealingly engages, and wherein during dispensing the valve body becomes detached from the sealing surface such that the mouth of the air passage, the mouth of the liquid passage and the entry port of the dispensing passage substantially simultaneously come in fluid communication with each other.

2. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein the air passage comprises two or more mouths which are provided on the circumference of the imaginary circle.

3. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 2, wherein the two or more mouths are evenly distributed about the circumference of the imaginary circle.

4. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 2, wherein the air passage comprises three mouths, which are provided on the circumference of an imaginary circle, and wherein between each two mouths an entry port of the dispensing passage is provided.

5. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body is substantially conical.

6. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises a through-opening which forms a part of the dispensing passage.

7. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body is elastic.

8. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein the foam-forming assembly is substantially circular-symmetrical about a center axis of symmetry and the liquid to be dispensed, during dispensing, moves in a direction relative to the direction of the center axis of symmetry.

9. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein the valve body is made from a silicone material.

10. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein the foam-forming assembly 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.

11. The foam-forming assembly according to 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.

12. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein a constriction is arranged in the dispensing passage.

13. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, wherein the constriction is arranged upstream of a porous element or sieve element in the dispensing passage.

14. The foam-forming assembly according to claim 7, wherein the elastic valve body comprises an arcuate section, which arcuate section extends in the mouth of the liquid passage or the mouth of the air passage in such a way that, initially, when the pressure in the container increases, the arcuate section improves the sealing of the mouth of the liquid passage and air passage, respectively.

16. A squeeze roamer for dispensing a foam, comprising a manually compressible container for storing a liquid and air, and foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, mountable on or in an opening of said container, the air passage and liquid passage being in fluid communication with the container.

17. A dispensing device for dispensing a foam comprising a foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, in which 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.

18. A dispensing device for dispensing a foam comprising a foam-forming assembly according to claim 1, in which 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.

15. 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 a constriction is arranged in the dispensing passage, preferably upstream of a porous element or sieve element arranged in the dispensing passage.