FOAMING SOAP DISPENSERS

• US 20160256016A1
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Original Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Inventors: Wolbert, David, Chen, Hon-Lun, Yang, Frank, Yen, Kenneth, Cohen, Guy, Pirshafiey, Nasser, Sandor, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,076,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1208 by means of a flexible dispensing chamber
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1215 applied by a peristaltic action
• 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: B05B 11/1047 the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1087 Combination of liquid and air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/005 wherein ambient air is aspirated by a liquid flow

Abstract

Various dispensing devices, such as foaming soap pumps, are disclosed. The soap pump can include a fluid storage unit and a fluid handling unit. The fluid storage unit can include a reservoir that is configured to hold a quantity of product, such as liquid soap. The fluid handling unit can include a pumping assembly and dispensing assembly. The soap pump can be configured to withdraw liquid soap from the reservoir, convert the liquid soap to foamed soap, and dispense the foamed soap from the discharge assembly.

Claims

1. A foaming soap pump comprising:

a fluid storage unit comprising a reservoir configured to store liquid soap; and

a fluid handling unit comprising;

a pumping assembly configured to draw liquid soap from the reservoir, the pumping assembly comprising;

a pumping unit comprising a compartment having a resilient member, the resilient member being actuatable between a first state and a second state, the volume of the compartment being greater in the first state than in the second state;

a motor configured to drive an actuation member, the actuation member configured to engage and disengage with the resilient member of the pumping unit;

wherein, the pumping assembly is configured such that;

when the actuation member disengages from the resilient member, the resilient member moves from the second state to the first state, thereby increasing the volume in the compartment and drawing liquid soap into the compartment;

when the actuation member engages the resilient member, the resilient member moves from the first state to the second state, thereby decreasing the volume in the compartment and expelling liquid soap from the compartment; and

a dispensing assembly configured to receive a flow of soap from the pumping assembly, the dispensing assembly comprising;

a foaming unit configured to convert the soap into foamed soap; and

a discharge nozzle configured to dispense the foamed soap out of the foaming soap pump.

2. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, wherein the pumping unit further comprises a plurality of compartments, each with a respective resilient member.

3. The foaming soap pump of claim 2, wherein the plurality of compartments are about equally circumferentially spaced around an outlet conduit of the pumping assembly.

4. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, wherein the resilient member comprises a rubber diaphragm.

5. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, wherein in the first state the resilient member has a convex shape, and in the second state the resilient member has a concave shape.

6. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, wherein the foaming unit comprises a screen in the flow path of the soap.

7. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, wherein the discharge nozzle comprises an anti-drip valve.

8. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, further comprising a lighting assembly comprising a light source and a light pipe.

9. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, wherein the pumping unit further comprises a one-way valve configured to permit soap to enter the compartment through an inlet passage.

10. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, further comprising an air inlet assembly configured to allow ambient air to enter the flow of liquid soap.

11. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, wherein the fluid storage unit further comprises a sleeve threadably connected with the reservoir.

12. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, further comprising a sensor device configured to detect the presence of an object adjacent the dispensing assembly.

13. The foaming soap pump of claim 1, wherein the actuation member comprises an arm extending radially outward from a drive shaft connected with the motor.

14. A method of dispensing foamed soap, the method comprising:

drawing liquid soap from a reservoir;

mixing the liquid soap with air to form aerated soap;

encouraging the aerated soap into and out of a pumping assembly;

converting the aerated soap into foamed soap; and

dispensing the foamed soap through a nozzle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein converting the aerated soap into foamed soap comprises passing the aerated soap through a screen.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein encouraging the aerated soap into and out of the pumping assembly comprises:

expanding a portion of a compartment to introduce the aerated soap into the compartment; and

collapsing a portion of the compartment to expel the aerated soap from the compartment.

17. A dispensing device comprising:

a reservoir configured to store a liquid product;

a pumping assembly configured to draw the liquid product from the reservoir and to draw air through an air inlet, the liquid product and the air mixing to form an aerated product;

wherein the pumping assembly comprising a plurality of compartments and a plurality of resilient members, each of the compartments comprising at least one of the resilient members, each of the resilient members being movable between a convex state and a concave state;

wherein each resilient member extends outward of its respective compartment in the convex state and extends into its respective compartment in the concave state;

a motor configured to drive an actuation member, the actuation member configured to engage and disengage with the resilient members such that the resilient members are moved between the convex state and the concave state, thereby providing a flow of aerated product into and out of the compartments;

a foaming unit configured to convert the aerated product into a foamed product; and

a discharge nozzle configured to dispense the foamed product out of the dispensing device.

18. The dispensing device of claim 17, wherein the foaming unit comprises a screen in the flow path of the aerated product.

19. The dispensing device of claim 17, wherein the product comprises soap.

20. The dispensing device of claim 17, wherein the resilient member comprises a rubber diaphragm.

21. The dispensing device of claim 17, further comprising a lighting assembly comprising a light source and a light pipe.

22. The dispensing device of claim 17, wherein the discharge nozzle comprises an anti-drip valve.

23. The dispensing device of claim 17, wherein each compartment further comprises a one-way valve configured to permit aerated product to enter the compartment through an inlet passage.

24. A reservoir configured to removably engage with a pumping assembly, the reservoir comprising:

a top comprising an outlet, the outlet comprising a normally-closed valve;

a bottom;

a sidewall;

an inner chamber configured to contain a volume of liquid soap; and

wherein, when the reservoir is engaged with the pumping assembly, a projection of the pumping assembly is received in the valve of the top of the reservoir, thereby opening the valve and allowing liquid soap to flow out of the reservoir.

25. The reservoir of claim 24, wherein the top of the reservoir further comprises an engaging feature configured to engage with a corresponding engaging feature of the pumping assembly to couple the reservoir and the pumping assembly.

26. The reservoir of claim 25, wherein the engaging feature comprises a recess with a flange and the corresponding engaging feature comprises an arm with a tooth, the recess configured to receive the tooth, the flange configured to abut with the tooth to maintain the coupling of the reservoir and the pumping assembly.

27. The reservoir of claim 26, wherein the engaging feature is further configured to engage with a second tooth, such engagement deflecting the arm outward and removing the abutment of the flange and the tooth.

28. The reservoir of claim 24, wherein the top of the reservoir further comprises a recess that is configured to receive a portion of a motor when the reservoir is engaged with the pumping assembly.

29. The reservoir of claim 24, further comprising a conduit in fluid communication with the outlet, a lower end of the conduit being positioned adjacent a lower end of the chamber.

30. The reservoir of claim 24, wherein, when the reservoir is engaged with the pumping assembly, the reservoir supports the weight of the pumping assembly.

31. A combination of the reservoir of claim 24 and the pumping assembly.