Cartridge and docking port for a cleaning device

• US 4,676,287 A
• Filed: 04/16/1986
• Issued: 06/30/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oreck Holdings LLC (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Regina Co., Inc. (Diamantis Diamantidis)
• Inventors: Fitzwater, Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/854,712
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1, 141/18, 141/35, 141/290, 141/309, 141/329, 141/330, 141/363, 141/384, 141/2, 141/19, 141/20, 141/20.5, 141/98, 141/250, 141/285, 141/301, 141/311 R, 141/319, 141/325, 215/6, 215/222, 215/14, 215/329, 222/325, 222/424, 285/130, 285/137 R, 285/396, 285/395, 15/320, 134/198, 134/201
• US Class Current: 141/285
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/30 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4083 Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/49 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams

Abstract

A cleaning fluid cartridge having a collar with defined entry and locking positions rotatably thereon to be received in a docking port of a cleaning device such that a pair of orifices on the container are initially aligned and axially advanced by rotation of the collar towards apertures of the docking port without rotation of the container and locked into the docking port. The collar includes a handle received in indentures on the body to define the initial entry and the locked position. The collar has a camming surface which cooperates with lugs on the docking port to produce the axial motion and locking. The cartridge and the recess in the housing provide container alignment and rotation prohibiting elements.

Claims

1. A dispenser comprising:

a body;

a docking recess in said body;

a pair of spaced apertures in a base wall of said docking recess;

a container having a top wall and mountable in said docking recess with said top wall opposed to said base wall;

a pair of laterally spaced orifices in said top wall of said container and extending inwardly of said container from said top wall, said orifices having the same spacing with respect to said container as said pair of apertures has with respect to said docking recess; and

a collar rotatably mounted to said container and engaging said docking recess, said collar being rotatable without rotation of said container, said container having means utilizing said collar for advancing said container in said docking recess to bring said top wall into abutting relationship with said base wall and said apertures and orifices in communication with each other without substantial entry of one of said walls into the other and with said apertures and orifices in alignment for aligning and mating said apertures and orifices when said collar is rotated without rotation of said container and for locking said container onto said body.

2. A dispenser according to claim 1 including a non-circular cross-section cavity extending from said docking recess, said collar and said advancing means extending beyond said cavity, and said container having a non-circular cross-section at least in said cavity and being prevented from rotating by engaging the walls of said cavity.

3. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said recess includes at least one longitudinal key and said container includes a longitudinal keyway for aligning and limiting rotation of said container in said docking recess.

4. A dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said container is transparent and visible from the exterior of said body.

5. A container according to claim 4 wherein said dispenser has a back wall with alignment keys and is open opposite to said back wall, said body of container having front, back, top and bottom walls, a pair of spaced keyways in said back wall of said body and extending down from the top wall of said body for receiving the alignment keys on said dispenser.

6. A dispenser comprising:

a body;

a docking recess in said body, said docking recess having a base wall;

a pair of spaced apertures in the base wall of said docking recess;

said body having a non-circular cross-section cavity extending from said docking recess;

a container in said docking recess;

said container having a non-circular cross-section and being prevented from rotating by engaging the walls of said cavity;

a pair of laterally spaced orifices in said container having the same spacing with respect to said container as said pair of apertures has with respect to said docking recess;

a collar rotatably mounted on said container and engaging said docking recess;

said container having means including said collar for advancing said container in said docking recess with said apertures and orifices in alignment for aligning and mating said apertures and orifices when said collar is rotated without rotation of said container and for locking said container onto said body;

said container having a neck portion in said docking recess;

said advancing means encompassing said neck portion and including a handle extending from said collar and accessible from the exterior of said cavity; and

means included in said advancing means for providing movement of said container from unlocked to locked position with a rotation of said handle of less than 360°

.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6 wherein said container has four lateral walls, said cavity encompasses three of the lateral walls of said container and exposes a portion of the fourth lateral wall and a portion of said collar, and wherein said collar includes a portion in said docking recess and a portion in said cavity and said handle extends from said collar.

8. A dispenser comprising a body, a docking recess in said body, said docking recess having a base wall, a pair of spaced apertures in the base wall of said docking recess, a container in said docking recess, a pair of laterally spaced orifices in said container having the same spacing with respect to said container as said pair of apertures has with respect to said docking recess, a collar rotatably mounted to said container and engaging said docking recess, said collar being rotatable without rotation of said container, means including said collar for advancing said container in said docking recess with said apertures and orifices in alignment for aligning and mating said apertures and orifices when said collar is rotated without rotation of said container and for locking said container onto said body, said advancing means having a pair of opposed radially extending lugs in said docking recess and a circumferential camming recess in said collar to receive said lugs and axially advance said container when said collar is rotated.

9. A dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said camming recess includes two camming recesses, one for each lug.

10. A dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said camming recess includes a pair of entry slots at the top of said collar to receive a respective lug.

11. A dispenser according to claim 10 wherein said camming recess includes a pair of incline portions extending from a respective entry slot to produce the axial motion upon rotation of said collar.

12. A dispenser according to claim 11 wherein said camming recess includes a pair of level portions extending from a respective incline portion to produce said locking.

13. A dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said lugs are made of a material different from said docking recess and are mounted therein.

14. A dispenser comprising a body, a docking recess in said body, said docking recess having a base wall, a pair of spaced apertures in the base wall of said docking recess, a container in said docking recess, a pair of laterally spaced orifices in said container having the same spacing with respect to said container as said pair of apertures has with respect to said docking recess, a collar rotatably mounted to said container and engaging said docking recess, said collar being rotatable without rotation of said container, means including said collar for advancing said container in said docking recess with said apertures and orifices in alignment and aligning and mating said apertures and orifices when said collar is rotated with rotation of said container and for locking said container onto said body, said advancing means having a handle extending from said collar and accessible from the exterior of said docking recess for providing movement of said container between locked and unlocked positions in said docking recess with a rotation of less than 360°

.

15. A dispenser according to claim 14 wherein said handle and said container are shaped so that said handle engages said container in an entry angular position and in a locked angular position.

16. A dispenser comprising a body, a docking recess in said body, said docking recess having a base wall, a pair of spaced apertures in said base wall of said docking recess, a container in said docking recess, a pair of laterally spaced orifices in said container having the same spacing with respect to said container as said pair of apertures has with respect to said docking recess, a collar rotatably mounted to said container and engaging said docking recess, said collar being rotatable without rotation of said container, means including said collar for advancing said container in said docking recess with said apertures and orifices in alignment for aligning and mating said apertures and orifices when said collar is rotated without rotation of said container and for locking said container onto said body, said container having a neck portion encompassed by said collar, a pair of nozzles, said orifices each being in a respective nozzle and extending above said container neck portion, and each of said nozzles extending into a respective aperture when said collar is rotated and said container is thereby advanced.

17. A dispenser according to claim 16 further comprising a deformable seal layer which presents a surface to said base wall, said layer being disposed between said body and said nozzle, and said apertures also being in said deformable seal layer.

18. A dispenser comprising:

a body having a chamber therein, said chamber having opposite ends and sides, said chamber having a surface at one of the ends thereof, said chamber being open at the end thereof opposite to said one end, said chamber also being open along one of the sides thereof;

a pair of laterally spaced apertures in said surface of said chamber providing access to said body;

a container insertable into said chamber from its said open end and being removably mounted in said chamber, said container having a surface abutting said surface of said chamber at said one end thereof when mounted in said chamber;

means on said body for preventing rotation of said container when mounted in said chamber;

a pair of laterally spaced orifices extending into said container from said surface thereof and aligned with said pair of apertures and providing communication between said container and said body;

a first cam surface in said chamber; and

a collar rotatably mounted to said container, said collar being engageable from said open one of said sides of said chamber, said collar having a second cam surface engageable with said first cam surface for axially advancing said container in said chamber when said collar is rotated without rotation of said container.

19. A dispenser according to claim 18 wherein said container has a non-circular cross-section, and said preventing means includes a non-circular cross-section portion of said chamber for engaging and preventing rotation of said container.

20. A dispenser according to claim 18 wherein said collar has a handle extending away from said body and accessible from the exterior of said chamber.

21. A dispenser according to claim 18 wherein said chamber is closed on the side thereof opposite to said open side, at least one longitudinal key extending from said closed side, and said container having a longitudinal keyway in the side thereof opposite to said closed side of said chamber, said key and said keyway aligning and limiting the rotation of said container in said chamber.

22. A dispenser comprising a body having a chamber therein, a pair of laterally spaced apertures in said chamber providing access to said body, a container removably mounted in said chamber, means on said body for preventing rotation of said container in said chamber, a pair of laterally spaced orifices in said container aligned with said pair of apertures, a first cam surface in said chamber, a collar rotatably mounted to said container and having a second cam surface cooperative with said first cam surface for axially advancing said container in said chamber when said collar is rotated without rotation of said container, one of said cam surfaces including a pair of opposed lugs extending radially into said chamber and said other cam surface including a circumferential camming recess for receiving said lugs, and said circumferential recess extending axially and then being angularly inclined with respect to the direction of axial movement of said container.

23. A dispenser according to claim 22 wherein said camming recess is provided by a pair of camming recesses, a pair of entry slots each in a respective one of said camming recesses to receive a respective lug.

24. A dispenser according to claim 23 wherein a pair of incline portions extend from a respective entry slot of a respective one of said camming recesses to produce the axial motion upon rotation of said collar.

25. A dispenser according to claim 24 wherein a pair of level portions extend from a respective incline portion to provide a lock.

26. A dispenser comprising a body having a chamber therein, a pair of laterally spaced apertures in said chamber providing access to said body, a container removably mounted in said chamber, means on said body for preventing rotation of said container in said chamber, a pair of laterally spaced orifices in said container aligned with said pair of apertures, a first cam surface in said chamber, a collar rotatably mounted to said container and having a second cam surface cooperative with said first cam surface for axially advancing said container in said chamber when said collar is rotated without rotation of said container, said collar having a handle extending from said collar away from said body and being accessible from the exterior of said chamber, said handle and said container being shaped so that said handle engages said container at an entry angular position and at a locked angular position.

27. A container mountable to a dispenser which provides a cam surface, said container comprising:

a body;

a pair of laterally spaced orifices;

a collar encompassing and rotatable about a portion of said body, said collar having its inner periphery spaced from the outer periphery of said portion, means capturing said collar on said portion while preventing axial movement of said collar with respect to said body;

a cam surface on said collar for cooperating with said cam surface of the dispenser, said cam surface on said collar being inclined with respect to the axis of rotation thereof; and

means on said collar utilizing said cam surface thereof and the cam surface of said dispenser for defining an initial entry angular position of said collar on said body when said container is mounted on said dispenser and for defining a final locked angular position of said collar on said body when said container is mounted on said dispenser and for advancing said container and mating said orifices with said dispenser when said collar is in said final locked angular position; and

wherein said body includes a neck portion, said collar encompasses said neck portion and said orifices are on the top of said neck portion.

28. A container according to claim 27 wherein said neck includes a circumferential ridge for engaging said collar and preventing axial motion of said collar relative to said body.

29. A container according to claim 27 including a cap threadably mounted to said neck and covering said orifices.

30. A container according to claim 27 wherein said cam surface on said collar is a circumferential camming recess having a pair of entry slots in the top of said collar.

31. A container according to claim 30 wherein said camming recess includes a pair of portions inclined to said axis and extending from a respective slot, and said camming recess having a pair of level portions extending from a respective inclined portion.

32. A container according to claim 27 wherein said body is transparent.

33. A container mountable to a dispenser which is provided with a cam surface, said container comprising a body, a pair of laterally spaced orifices, a collar encompassing and rotatable about a portion of said body, a cam surface on said collar for cooperating with said cam surface of the dispenser, means on said collar including said cam surface on said collar and said cam surface of said dispenser defining an initial entry angular position of said collar on said body when said container is mounted on said dispenser and defining a final locked angular position of said collar on said body when said container is mounted on said dispenser and for advancing said container and mating said orifices with said dispenser when said collar is in said final locked angular position, said body including a neck portion, said collar encompassing said neck portion and said orifices being at the top of said neck portion, said neck portion including an interior key, a lid having said orifices therein, said lid being mounted in said neck portion and having a keyway aligned with said key.

34. A container according to claim 33 further comprising a pair of nozzles having said orifices therein, said nozzles extending from said lid.

35. A container mountable to a dispenser which is provided with a cam surface, said container comprising a body, a pair of laterally spaced orifices, a collar encompassing and rotatable about a portion of said body, a cam surface on said collar for cooperating with said cam surface of the dispenser, means on said collar including said cam surface on said collar defining an initial entry angular position of said collar on said body when said container is mounted on said dispenser and defining a final locked angular position of said collar on said body when said container is mounted on said dispenser and for advancing said container and mating said orifices with said dispenser when said collar is in said final locked angular position, and said defining means includes a handle extending from said collar and engaging said body at a first point to define said entry position and at a second point to define said locked position, said positions being less than 360°

apart.

36. A container according to claim 35 wherein said collar and handle are unitary and include two halves connected at a first end by a lying hinge and at a second end by a latch.

37. A container according to claim 35 wherein said body includes a pair of indentures for receiving said handle, one of said pair of indentures being located at said first point and the other of said pair of indentures being located at said second point.

38. A container according to claim 37 wherein said indentures have a depth sufficient to receive a substantial portion of said handle.