FOAM PRODUCING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20130032614A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bobrick Washroom Equipment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bobrick Washroom Equipment Incorporated
• Inventors: BABIKIAN, DIKRAN, Bem, Branko, Davila, Epitacio
• Granted Patent: US 9,554,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/190
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/06 Dispensers for soap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/14 Foam or lather making devices for shaving A45D27/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/16 with mechanical drive food mixers A47J43/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2215/0431 Numerical size values, e.g. diameter of a hole or conduit, area, volume, length, width, or ratios thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/235 for making foam
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4523 the components being pressed through sieves, screens or meshes which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/811 in two or more consecutive, i.e. successive, mixing receptacles or being consecutively arranged

Abstract

A foam dispenser includes a dispensing outlet, a pre-mixing chamber receiving liquid from a liquid source and air from an air source, a mixing chamber downstream of the pre-mixing chamber and proximate the dispenser outlet, and a first conduit coupling the pre-mixing chamber to the mixing chamber.

Claims

1. A foam dispenser comprising:

a dispensing outlet;

a pre-mixing chamber for receiving liquid from a liquid source and air from an air source;

a mixing chamber downstream of the pre-mixing chamber and proximate the dispenser outlet; and

a first conduit coupling the pre-mixing chamber to the mixing chamber.

2. The dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the pre-mixing chamber converts liquid received from the liquid source and air received from the air source into an air-liquid mixture, wherein the air-liquid mixture is delivered to the mixing chamber and converted into foam to be dispensed from said dispensing outlet.

3. The dispenser as recited in claim 2, wherein the air-liquid mixture is not in a foam state.

4. The dispenser as recited in any of claims 1, wherein each of said pre-mixing and mixing chamber comprises at least one screen.

5. The dispenser as recited in claim 4, wherein the pre-mixing chamber comprises a single 100 mesh size screen.

6. The dispenser as recited in claim 5, wherein the mixing chamber comprises a 200 mesh size screen and a 300 mesh size screen.

7. The dispenser as recited in claim 6, wherein the two screens in the mixing chamber are spaced apart by a distance not greater than ½

inch.

8. The dispenser as recited in claim 7, wherein the 300 mesh size screen is downstream of the 200 mesh size screen.

9. The dispenser as recited in claim 4, wherein the mixing chamber comprises a 200 mesh size screen and a 300 mesh size screen.

10. The dispenser as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second mixing chamber downstream of the pre-mixing chamber and upstream of the mixing chamber.

11. The dispenser as recited in claim 10, wherein the first conduit is connected between the pre-mixing chamber and the second mixing chamber and wherein a second conduit is connected between the second mixing chamber and the mixing chamber.

12. The dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the air source is ambient air.

13. The dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the first conduit has a length of at least six inches.

14. The dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the first conduit has a length of at least a foot.

15. The dispenser as recited in claim 1, wherein the first conduit has a length of at least two feet.

16. A method of forming soap foam comprising:

delivering liquid soap and air to a mixing chamber proximate a dispensing outlet;

converting said liquid soap and air into said foam at the mixing chamber; and

dispensing said foam from said outlet.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein delivering liquid soap and air to a mixing chamber comprises pre-mixing the liquid soap and air creating an air-liquid mixture, and delivering said air-liquid mixture to the mixing chamber.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising determining a time span between a previous dispensing of foam and a current dispensing of foam, wherein the amount of foam being dispensed is related to said time span.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising determining a time span between a previous dispensing of foam and a current dispensing of foam, wherein dispensing comprises dispensing said foam for a period of time, wherein said period of time is dependent on said time span.

20. A foam dispenser comprising:

a dispensing outlet;

a pre-mixing chamber for receiving liquid from a liquid source and air from an air source;

a mixing chamber downstream of the pre-mixing chamber and proximate the dispenser outlet; and

a first conduit coupling the pre-mixing chamber to the mixing chamber, wherein the pre-mixing chamber receives liquid from the liquid source and air from the air source and converts them into an air-liquid mixture, wherein the air-liquid mixture is delivered to the mixing chamber and converted into foam to be dispensed from said dispensing outlet, wherein the air-liquid mixture is not in a foam state, wherein the pre-mixing chamber comprises a single coarser screen, and wherein the mixing chamber comprises a second screen and a third screen, wherein the third screen has coarseness that is finer than said single coarser screen and wherein the second screen has a coarseness that is coarser than the third screen but finer than the single coarser screen.

21. The dispenser as recited in claim 20, wherein the third screen is downstream from the second screen.