Portable two-liquid dispenser
First Claim
1. A hand-held, portable liquid dispenser for selectively dispensing one of two different liquids from a single container, said dispenser comprising:
- a base forming first and second separate horizontally disposed compartments separated by a liquid-impermeable barrier;
a neck secured to said base, mounting a handle at one side and forming a spout on an opposite side thereof, said neck having a central opening through which liquid may be introduced into the base and dispensed from the base;
valve means mounted in said neck and having a sleeve forming valve seats at a bottom portion thereof and first and second valve elements rotatable in unison in said neck between first and second positions, said first valve element is in seating contact with one of said seats, blocking communication between said first compartment and said spout, when in said first position and is adjacent said barrier, opening communication between said first compartment and said spout, when in said second position, said second valve element is adjacent said barrier, opening communication between said second compartment and said spout when in said first position and is in sealing contact with the other of said seats, blocking communication between said second compartment and said spount, when in said second position;
said liquid-impermeable barrier comprising a wall which extends up to said valve seats; and
actuator means coupled to said valve means for moving said valve elements between said first and second positions and mounted on said neck in close proximity to said handle so that said actuator means can be operated by the thumb of a user whose hand grips the dispenser by the handle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable liquid dispenser for dispensing one of two liquids from a single vessel has a base with first and second separate horizontally disposed compartments separated by a liquid-impermeable barrier, a neck secured to the base and mounting handle, a valve assembly including first and second valve elements rotatably mounted in the neck for swinging between open and blocking relationship with the compartments and a valve seat in snap-fit relationship with the valve assembly. The valve elements swing downwardly for alternate abutment with the impermeable barrier and into sealing engagement with the valve seat. An actuator is coupled to the valve elements through a shaft and is positioned for actuation by the thumb of a user which grips the handle. The base can be formed in separate injection-molded sections which are secured together and which have a stainless steel bottom integrally molded into the bottom of the section.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A hand-held, portable liquid dispenser for selectively dispensing one of two different liquids from a single container, said dispenser comprising:
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a base forming first and second separate horizontally disposed compartments separated by a liquid-impermeable barrier; a neck secured to said base, mounting a handle at one side and forming a spout on an opposite side thereof, said neck having a central opening through which liquid may be introduced into the base and dispensed from the base; valve means mounted in said neck and having a sleeve forming valve seats at a bottom portion thereof and first and second valve elements rotatable in unison in said neck between first and second positions, said first valve element is in seating contact with one of said seats, blocking communication between said first compartment and said spout, when in said first position and is adjacent said barrier, opening communication between said first compartment and said spout, when in said second position, said second valve element is adjacent said barrier, opening communication between said second compartment and said spout when in said first position and is in sealing contact with the other of said seats, blocking communication between said second compartment and said spount, when in said second position; said liquid-impermeable barrier comprising a wall which extends up to said valve seats; and actuator means coupled to said valve means for moving said valve elements between said first and second positions and mounted on said neck in close proximity to said handle so that said actuator means can be operated by the thumb of a user whose hand grips the dispenser by the handle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a liquid dispenser having an open-top base for holding liquid and an annular neck secured to said base, said neck forming a spout on one side and a handle on another side thereof, the neck having a central opening through which liquid may be introduced into the base and dispensed from the base;
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the improvement which comprises; a liquid-impermeable barrier dividing said base into two separate horizontally disposed compartments; valve means mounted in said neck and comprising valve seats disposed in said central opening and valve elements mounted in abutting relationship with said barrier and adapted to alternately seat against said valve seats to close off one of said two compartments, while opening the other, and vice versa, said valve means further comprising means to rotatably mount said valve elements in said neck for rotational movement to swing downwardly into said base between said seats and said barrier; and actuator means coupled to said valve elements to rotate said valve elements between said two alternate positions. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A hand-held, portable liquid dispenser for selectively dispensing one of two different liquids from a single container, said dispenser comprising:
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a base forming first and second separate horizontally disposed compartments separated by a liquid-impermeable barrier, said base having a metal bottom portion and a molded plastic upper portion forming said barrier, said metal base being integrally molded to said plastic upper portion; a neck secured to said base, mounting a handle at one side and forming a spout on an opposite side thereof, said neck having a central opening through which liquid may be introduced into the base and dispensed from the base; valve means mounted in said neck and having first and second valve elements rotatable in unison in said neck between first and second positions, said first valve element blocking communication between said first compartment and said spout when in said first position and opening communication between said first compartment and said spout when in said second position, said second valve element opening communication between said second compartment and said spout when in said first position and blocking communication between second compartment and said spout when in said second position; and actuator means coupled to said valve means for moving said valve elements between said first and second positions and mounted on said neck in close proximity to said handle so that said actuator means can be operated by the thumb of a user whose hand grips the dispenser by the handle. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification