Dispenser and refill package

• US 4,349,133 A
• Filed: 09/12/1979
• Issued: 09/14/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inpaco
• Original Assignee: Trinity Associates A Partnership of
• Inventors: Christine, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Application Number:
  US06/074,736
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 222/207, 222/214, 222/380, 222/490, 222/185, 222/183, 251/7, 417/474, 417/479
• US Class Current: 222/183
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1215 applied by a peristaltic action
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/088 using a deformable conduit-like element

Abstract

A dispenser is provided that includes a hollow housing in which is mounted a disposable container that holds materials such as fluidic material to be dispensed. There is provided a service unit which consists of a package or bag holding the fluidic material and wherein the bag has an accordion type construction. The service unit includes a pump tube which is molded as part of the container, and a check valve forms part of the service unit, with the check valve being mounted on an end of the pump tube. An operating lever or mechanism is provided for selectively dispensing metered quantities of material from the accordion package.

Claims

1. A dispenser for dispensing a predetermined metered quantity of fluidic material, said dispenser comprising:

housing means;

means, removably mounted in said housing means, for holding said fluidic material;

cover means attached to said housing means for covering said holding means when the latter is in said housing means;

peristaltic-acting tube means depending from said holding means including valve means operatively connected thereto;

first lever means pivoted to said housing means for compressing said tube means;

second lever means biased away from said cover means for engaging said tube means when said first lever means compresses said tube means;

said first and second lever means moving in the same direction when said tube means is compressed, so that said tube is initially pinched therebetween thereby trapping said predetermined quantity of material.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein

said holding means collapses as said material is dispensed therefrom, and

said tube means unitarily depends from said holding means.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said first lever means is normally spaced from said tube means and said second lever means is pivotally attached to the cover means.

4. The dispenser of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said first and second lever means move in the same direction to facilitate expansion of said tube means.

5. The dispenser of claim 4 wherein expansion of said tube means is further facilitated by ring means carried by said tube means.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 wherein said ring means comprise a plurality of members of memory material encircling said tube means at spaced locations therealong, said holding means being of a non-memory material.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said first lever means comprises a manually movable member having a portion projecting from said housing means engageable by a user'"'"'s fingers, and said first and second lever means carry blocks thereon substantially facing each other, each block having a resilient pad affixed thereto for engagement with said means when the latter is compressed therebetween.