Foam generating dispenser having a movable and stationary porous element

• US 4,044,923 A
• Filed: 05/19/1976
• Issued: 08/30/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Glasrock Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Glasrock Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Gardner, Jack C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Drayton E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Application Number:
  US05/687,762
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 239/326, 239/327, 239/343, 222/189, 222/190, 222/211
• US Class Current: 222/190
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0059 allowing operation in any orientation, e.g. for discharge in inverted position
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/043 designed for spraying a liquid B05B11/046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0037 including sieves, porous members or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/323 the container comprising internally a dip tube through which the contents pass
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/1644 the element being a valve B65D51/1661 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved nozzle assembly for manually actuated foam generating and dispensing units in which a tapered bottle cap fitted at its interior end with a dip tube subassembly, is provided with a movable porous element which, upon discharge of foam from the dip tube subassembly, effects a further reduction in bubble size in the foam thereby to provide a stiffer and more consistent foam. The movable porous element floats in the nozzle between a position of seating against the tapered internal nozzle surfaces and a retracted position allowing air to return about the member back to the interior of the generating and dispensing unit.

Claims

1. In a low pressure foam generating and dispensing device having a receptacle for containing foamable liquid and air, a nozzle near one vertical extremity of the receptacle and having internal surfaces to define a discharge passageway open at one end to the receptacle interior and to a foam discharging opening at its other end, at least a portion of the discharge passageway being defined by an outwardly converging frusto-conical interior surface, a mixing subassembly connected to the one end of the discharge passageway and having an imperforate tube extending to and opening near the other vertical extremity of the receptacle, and a one-way air return passage operative to pass air into the receptacle upon a reduction of pressure within the receptacle to below atmospheric pressure, the improvement comprising:

a movable form sustaining porous element positioned in the discharge passageway between the mixing subassembly a frusto-conical portion of the discharge passageway, said movable porous element being larger than the small end of the frusto-conical portion and smaller than the transverse area of the discharge passageway at the mixing subassembly, whereby said movable porous element moves against the internal frusto-conical surfaces of the nozzle upon discharge of a foamable liquid and air mixture from the receptacle to cause passage of the discharged mixture through the movable porous element and whereby the movable porous element moves toward the mixing subassembly to allow air to return to the interior of the receptacle around said movable porous element and through the air return passage.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said movable porous element is a frusto-conical exterior configuration the surfaces of which converge at an angle greater than that of the frusto-conical interior surface of the nozzle.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein said movable porous element is of cup-shaped configuration having a frusto-conical wall portion closed by a base at the small end thereof.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 3 including an open cylindrical portion merging with the large end of said frusto-conical wall portion, said cylindrical portion having notches formed therein for return air passage.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said movable element is spherical.

6. In a low pressure foam generating and dispensing device having a receptacle for containing foamable liquid and air, a nozzle near one vertical extremity of the receptacle and having internal surfaces to define a discharge passageway open at one end to the receptacle interior and to a foam discharging opening at its other end, at least a portion of the discharge passageway being defined by an outwardly converging frusto-conical interior surface, a stationary porous element mounted in and closing the one end of the discharge passageway and having an air return port extending therethrough, an imperforate tube connected at one end to the return port and opening at its other end near the other vertical extremity of the receptacle, and a ball check in the air return port operative to block fluid flow from the receptacle through the port but to pass air into the receptacle so that an increase of pressure within the receptacle will force foamable liquid and air through the stationary porous element to the discharge passageway and so that a reduction of pressure within the receptacle to below atmospheric pressure will cause air to return to the receptacle, the improvement comprising:

a movable form sustaining porous element positioned in the discharge passageway between the stationary porous element and a frusto-conical portion of the discharge passageway, said movable porous element being larger than the small emd of the frusto-conical portion and smaller than the transverse area of the discharge passageway at the stationary porous element, whereby said movable porous element moves against the internal frusto-conical surfaces of the nozzle upon discharge of a foamable liquid and air mixture from the receptacle to cause passage of the discharge mixture through the movable porous element and whereby the movable porous element moves toward the stationary porous element to allow air to return to the interior of the receptacle around said movable porous element and through the air return port.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 6 including means to prevent blockage of the air return port in the stationary porous element by said movable porous element.

8. A hand actuated foam generating and dispensing device comprising in combination:

a collapsible bottle for containing foamable liquid and air, said bottle having an externally threaded mouth at one end thereof;

a cap element having an internally threaded skirt portion for engaging the threads on said bottle mouth and a frusto-conical discharge nozzle having a large diameter inner end and a relatively small opening at its outer end;

a stationary porous element mounted in the large end of the nozzle and having a concentric air return port therein;

an imperforate dip tube connected at one end to said stationary porous element and opening at its other end near the end of the bottle opposite said mouth, said one end of said dip tube forming one end of a valve chamber in said stationary porous element, said valve chamber communicating at its other end through a seat with said air return port;

a ball check in said valve chamber operative to block fluid flow from the receptacle through said air return port but to pass air into the receptacle through said dip tube upon a reduction of pressure within the bottle below atmospheric; and

a movable form sustaining porous element position in said nozzle between said stationary porous element and the outer end of said nozzle, said movable porous element having an effective diameter larger than the small end of the nozzle and smaller than the transverse area of the interior nozzle passage at said stationary porous member, whereby said movable porous element moves against the internal frusto-conical surfaces of the nozzle upon discharge of foam through said stationary porous element and against said stationary porous element to allow air to return to the interior of said receptacle around said movable porous element and through said air return port.

9. THe apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein both said porous members are formed of a sintered polymeric material.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said movable porous member is of cup-shaped configuration.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said movable porous member is a solid sphere.