METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING FOAM

• US 3,709,437 A
• Filed: 09/14/1970
• Issued: 01/09/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hershel Earl Wright
• Original Assignee: Hershel Earl Wright
• Inventors: Wright, Hershel Earl
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mar, Michael
• Application Number:
  US05/072,130
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 239/302,303,304,311,323,327,328,343,369,370,556 222/94,95,189,190,193,195,206,207,215
• US Class Current: 239/343
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0078 Arrangements for separately storing several components arrangements for pumping several liquids or other fluent materials from several containers B05B11/1081
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/043 designed for spraying a liquid B05B11/046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/046 the gas or vapour flow coming from a source where the gas or vapour is not in contact with the liquid or other fluent material to be sprayed, e.g. from a compressive bulb, an air pump or an enclosure surrounding the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/06 Gas or vapour producing the flow, e.g. from a compressible bulb or air pump
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0037 including sieves, porous members or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0055 Containers or packages provided with a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm for expelling the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/62 by membrane, bag, or the like containers in which the content is delivered by the contracting forces inherent in the bag B65D83/0061
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/68 Dispensing two or more contents , e.g. sequential dispensing or simultaneous dispensing of two or more products without mixing them

Abstract

A device for producing and dispensing foam including a deformable reservoir adapted to contain a quantity of foamable liquid and air, a discharge cap releasably secured to the reservoir and defining a discharge orifice in communicating relation with the interior of the reservoir, foam producing means supported within the reservoir in communicating relation with the foamable liquid, and a foam homogenizing overlay disposed for controlling the foam discharged. Selective air passage means are provided in a wall portion of the foam producing means defining a mixing chamber such that compression of the reservoir effects the introduction of foamable liquid and air into the mixing chamber wherein they are intermixed to produce foam which is thereafter discharged through the discharge orifice. Selected embodiments employ a ball check valve between the reservoir and the discharge orifice to maintain the liquid upwardly within the foam producing means, and air valve means to assist air return into the reservoir.

Claims

1. A foam dispensing device for use with foamable liquids and the like, comprising a deformable reservoir adapted to contain a quantity of foamable liquid and air, said reservoir having an opening thereiN in communicating relation with the interior thereof, cap means supported by said reservoir and defining a discharge orifice in communicating relation with said reservoir opening, and foam producing means supported within said reservoir, said foam producing means including depending nonporous hollow element means axially open at its lower end to provide fluid entry means for the entry of the foamable liquid, said foam producing means further including air passage means formed in said hollow element in an area of said reservoir above the foamable liquid, said air passage means comprising at least one restricted opening which simultaneously permits at least one discrete air stream to be introduced into said hollow element and liquid to be conveyed upwardly through said hollow element after entry through the axially open lower end by differential air pressure to establish a mixing chamber within said hollow element means above the foamable liquid such that an increase in air pressure within said reservoir by collapse of said reservoir effects intermixing of the foamable liquid and air within said mixing chamber to produce foam and discharge the foam through said discharge orifice, the cross-sectional area of said axial opening being substantially greater than that of any of the said restricted openings.

2. A foam dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said hollow element means includes an upper end portion supported within said reservoir opening and a lower tubular portion depending generally longitudinally within said reservoir in communicating relation with the foamable liquid in said reservoir to define a liquid flow path between said foamable liquid and said mixing chamber.

3. A dispensing device as defined in claim 2 wherein said air passage opening is provided in the wall of said lower tubular portion of said hollow element means, said air passage opening being disposed intermediate the foamable liquid within said reservoir and said upper end portion of said hollow element means.

4. A dispensing device as defined in claim 2 wherein said upper end portion of said hollow element means includes a wall portion defining said mixing chamber, and wherein said restricted opening is disposed in said wall portion and establishes communication between the interior of said reservoir and said mixing chamber such that compression of said deformable reservoir effects upward flow of foamable liquid within said lower tubular portion and air flow through said restricted opening in a manner to effect intermixing of the air and foamable liquid within said mixing chamber to produce foam.

5. A dispensing device as defined in claim 4 including valve means disposed within said upper portion of said hollow element means, said valve means being adapted to allow upward flow of foamable liquid within said lower tubular portion of said hollow element means upon compression of said reservoir and prevent downward flow of foamable liquid therein upon release of said reservoir.

6. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 including a foam homogenizing element supported by said foam producing means and adapted to homogenize the foam passed from said mixing chamber through said discharge orifice.

7. A dispensing device as defined in claim 4 including a foam homogenizing element supported by said upper end portion of said hollow element means between said mixing chamber and said discharge orifice, said homogenizing element being adapted to homogenize the foam passed from said mixing chamber to said discharge orifice.

8. A dispensing device as defined in claim 5 wherein said valve means comprises a ball check valve adapted to prevent communication between said mixing chamber and said lower tubular portion of said hollow element means when said reservoir is in a normal non-compressed state, said check valve being adapted for movement to a position allowing communication between said mixing chamber and said lower tubular portion of hollow element means upon compression of said rEservoir.

9. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 including a control nozzle supported by said cap means adjacent said discharge orifice therein.

10. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 including a generally closed deformable bag sealingly connected to said depending hollow element means within said reservoir such that the interior of said bag is in communicating relation with said mixing chamber, said deformable bag being adapted to contain a quantity of foamable liquid and effect flow of the foamable liquid upwardly through said hollow element means upon compression of said reservoir whereby to effect intermixing of the foamable liquid with air within said mixing chamber.

11. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said depending hollow element means includes a plurality of depending tubular members, and including generally closed deformable bag means sealingly connected to each of said depending tubular members such that the interior of each bag means is in communicating relation with said mixing chamber, each of said bag means being adapted to contain a foamable liquid and effect upward flow thereof through the corresponding tubular member upon compression of said reservoir whereby to effect intermixing of the foamable liquids with air within said mixing chamber.

12. A dispensing device as defined in claim 11 wherein said dispenser device includes two depending tubular members, each of said tubular members having a separable bag sealingly secured thereto and adapted to retain a foamable liquid therein.

13. A dispensing device as defined in claim 11 wherein said foam producing means includes a support element supported by said reservoir within said reservoir opening, said support element including a wall portion defining said mixing chamber and being adapted to support said depending tubular members with the inner flow passages therein in communicating relation with said mixing chamber, and wherein said restricted opening is disposed in said wall portion and provides communication between the interior of said reservoir and said mixing chamber such that compression of said deformable reservoir effects air flow through said restricted opening simultaneously with the flow of foamable liquid into said mixing chamber.

14. A dispensing device as defined in claim 13 including valve means operatively associated with said support member and adapted to preclude flow of foamable liquid downwardly within said depending tubular members upon release of compression forces from said reservoir.

15. A dispensing device as defined in claim 13 including a foam homogenizing element supported by said support element and adapted to homogenize foam passed from said mixing chamber to said discharge orifice.

16. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said cap means comprises a cap member having a discharge orifice therein, said cap member being releasably secured to said reservoir and movable between first and second positions, and wherein said foam producing means includes means adapted for cooperation with said cap member to prevent discharge of foam from said discharge orifice when said cap member is in said first position but allowing discharge of foam from said discharge orifice when said cap is in said second position.

17. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 including manually operable air supply means operatively associated with said reservoir to provide selective introduction of air into said reservoir whereby to increase the air pressure therein.

18. A foam dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said foam producing means is supported within said reservoir for longitudinal movement therein, said foam producing means including air return valve means allowing entry of air into the reservoir when the compressive forces are removed from the deformable reservoir.

19. A dispensing device as defined in claim 18 wherein said foam producing means includes a homogenizing element operatively associated therewith, such homOgenizing element being movable with said foam producing means and serving to homogenize foam produced within said mixing chamber prior to discharge of the film through said discharge orifice.

20. A foam dispensing device as defined in claim 19 wherein said air return valve means comprises an annular flange on the upper portion of said foam producing means, and wherein said reservoir includes a plurality of stop members adapted to selectively engage said annular flange and limit downward movement of said foam producing means within the reservoir.

21. A foam dispensing device as defined in claim 20 including a sealing member operatively associated with said reservoir and said cap means, said annular flange being movable between a first position abutting the sealing member and a second position abutting said stop members, and including spring means urging said annular flange to said first position.

22. A dispensing device as defined in claim 21 including a ball check valve disposed within said mixing chamber of said foam producing means and adapted to prevent air flow downwardly within said foam producing means upon release of the compression forces from the deformable reservoir.

23. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 including air return means to allow entry of air into the reservoir when the compressive forces are removed from the deformable reservoir.