Cylindrical valve soap dispenser

• US 4,785,850 A
• Filed: 07/27/1987
• Issued: 11/22/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KDW Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Clyde Industries Ltd. (Downer EDI Limited)
• Inventors: Sanchez, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US07/077,754
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 137/625.29, 137/625.32, 137/894, 239/317
• US Class Current: 137/894
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/312 with Venturi elements; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/316 with containers for additional components fixed to the conduit
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87635 Single actuator operates flow control means located in both motivating fluid and aspirated fluid inlets

Abstract

A dispenser connectable to a source of high fluid pressure and including a housing having therein a three-position cylindrical valve which controls both a main passageway and an auxiliary passageway. The main passsageway extends through the housing and the cylindrical valve. The auxiliary passageway extends from the main passageway, through the cylindrical valve, through a passageway between the housing and cylindrical valve, through a fluid reservoir on the bottom side of the housing. The cylindrical valve is manually rotatable by a control knob to an "off" position where the main passageway is closed, to a "soap" position where both the primary and auxiliary passageways are open, dispensing fluid such as soap from the reservoir, and lastly, to a "rinse" position where the primary passageway is open and the auxiliary passageway is closed.

Claims

1. A fluid dispenser comprising:

a housing having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side comprising means for coupling to a container to form a fluid reservoir;

a valve cavity through the housing from the top side to the bottom side;

a cylindrical valve mounted and rotatable in the valve cavity, the cylindrical valve comprising a valve member extending outwardly beyond the valve cavity into abutting relation with the bottom side;

a main passage through the housing and cylindrical valve substantially transverse to the valve cavity;

means for coupling an upstream portion of the main passage to a high pressure fluid source;

an exposed control knob connected at the top side of the housing for manually rotating the cylindrical valve;

separate upstream and downstream housing grooves in the valve cavity, each of the grooves extending to a different position on the bottom side of the housing;

an upstream valve passage extending from an upstream portion of the main passage through the cylindrical valve to the upstream housing groove;

a downstream valve passage extending from a downstream portion of the main passage through the cylindrical valve to the downstream housing groove;

a first rotational position of the knob and cylindrical valve causing the cylindrical valve to block the flow of fluid through the main passageway of the housing;

a second rotational position of the control knob and cylindrical valve providing communication of fluid through the main passage of the housing and the cylindrical valve, and communication of fluid through the upstream valve passage and groove, through the reservoir and through the downstream groove and valve passage and back to the main passageway; and

a third rotational position of the control knob and cylindrical groove providing fluid communication through the main passageway of both the housing and cylindrical valve and the valve member obstructing the opening of at least one of the grooves to the reservoir.

2. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 1, wherein the third position of the cylinder valve and valve member obstruct both of the grooves in the reservoir.

3. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 1 wherein the main passageway through the cylindrical valve comprises upstream and downstream portions with the diameter of the upstream portion substantially larger than the diameter of the downstream portion, whereby flow in the main passageway produces a positive pressure differential between the upstream and downstream passageways when the second position exists.

4. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 1 further comprising an O-ring between the housing and cylindrical valve, around the main passageway on the upstream side of the cylindrical valve.

5. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 1 comprising means for urging the cylindrical valve and valve member towards the tops side of the housing thereby enhancing the seal between the valve member and bottom side.

6. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 5 wherein the urging means comprises a spring between the top side of the housing and the bottom side of the control knob.

7. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 5 wherein the valve member comprises a top side and a bottom side with the top side having a substantially flat and smooth surface and the bottom side of the housing having a substantially flat and smooth surface and the top side of the valve member urged and abutting against the bottom side of the housing to thereby enable the top side of the valve member to slide along the bottom side of the housing and maintain a tight seal therebetween.

8. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 5 further comprising reservoir grooves in the bottom side of the housing, a separate groove being in communication with each of the housing grooves.

9. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 5 wherein the urging means comprises an O-ring mounted on and around the cylindrical valve within the valve cavity to form a seal between the cylindrical valve and housing toward the top side from the main passage, fluid pressure in the main passage forcing the O-ring, cylindrical valve and valve member toward the top side relative to the housing to thereby enhance the seal between the valve member and bottom side.

10. A unitary cylindrical valve for a dispenser for controlling the passage of a fluid through upstream and downstream passages in the dispenser comprising:

a cylindrical valve body having a top side and a bottom side;

a valve member at the bottom side of the cylindrical valve body extending outwardly beyond the cylindrical valve body;

at least two spaced apart openings through the valve member for admitting fluid flow between such upstream and downstream passages;

a main passageway diametrically through the central portion of the cylindrical valve having upstream and downstream portions and the diameter of the upstream portion being substantially larger than the diameter of the downstream portion, whereby fluid flow in the main passageway produces a positive pressure differential between the upstream portion and the downstream portion;

a first passageway from the upstream portion of the main passageway extending substantially transversely through the cylindrical valve to such upstream passage; and

a second passageway from the downstream portion of the main passageway extending substantially transversely through the cylindrical valve to such downstream passage.

11. The cylindrical valve defined in claim 10 comprising a ring-shaped groove coaxial with and at the top side of the valve body for receiving an O-ring.

12. A fluid dispenser for a source of high pressure fluid and a further fluid comprising:

a housing having a top side and a bottom side;

a valve cavity through the housing from the top side to the bottom side;

a rotatable cylindrical valve rotatable in the valve cavity and comprising an integral valve member extending outward into opposed rotation with the housing bottom side around the valve housing;

a main passage through the housing and the cylindrical valve having upstream and downstream portions;

connector means for connecting the upstream portion of the main passage to such a source of high pressure fluid;

means for connecting the bottom side of the housing to a fluid container to form a reservoir for such further fluid;

an exposed control knob at the top side of the housing connected for rotation of the cylindrical valve;

an auxiliary passage extending from the upstream cylindrical portion of the main passage, through the cylindrical valve, between the cylindrical valve and housing to the reservoir, then from the reservoir between the cylindrical valve and the housing and through the cylindrical valve back to a downstream side of the main passage; and

a first rotational position of the cylindrical valve blocking the flow of high pressure fluid through the main passage, a second rotational position of the cylindrical valve passing the high pressure fluid through the main passage in the housing and cylindrical valve while passing a secondary flow of such high pressure fluid through the auxiliary passage to thereby dispense the further fluid into the fluid flowing through the main passage and a third rotational position of the cylindrical valve for passing the high pressure fluid through the main passage in the housing and cylindrical valve while blocking any flow of fluid through the auxiliary passage.

13. The fluid dispenser of claim 12 comprising seal means between the housing and cylindrical valve at the upstream portion, for sealing therebetween when in the first position.

14. The fluid dispenser of claim 12 wherein the auxiliary passage comprises a groove between the housing and cylindrical valve.

15. The fluid dispenser of claim 14 wherein the groove comprises first and second spaced apart grooves extending to the reservoir.

16. The fluid dispenser of claim 14 comprising a valve member connected to and rotated with the cylindrical valve for simultaneously opening both grooves to the reservoir when the second position exists and for closing at least one of the grooves to the reservoir when the third position exists.

17. The fluid dispenser of claim 16 wherein the bottom side of the housing comprises at least one surface through which each of the grooves open to the reservoir and over which the valve member slides and closes at least one of the grooves to the reservoir when the third position exists.

18. The fluid dispenser of claim 16 wherein the valve member comprises first and second openings through the valve member for opening, respectively, the first and second grooves to the reservoir when the second position exists.

19. The fluid dispenser of claim 15 wherein the cylindrical valve comprises a first passage positioned for communication between the first groove and the main passage in the cylindrical valve and a second passage positioned for communication between the second groove and the main passage in the cylindrical valve when the second position exists.

20. The fluid dispenser of claim 19 wherein the main passage between the first and second passage comprise a restriction causing greater pressure at the upstream portion of the main passage adjacent the first passage.

21. The fluid dispenser of claim 17 comprising means for urging the valve member toward the bottom side of the housing.

22. The fluid dispenser of claim 21 wherein the means for urging comprises a spring.

23. The fluid dispenser of claim 21 wherein the means for urging comprising an O-ring around the cylindrical valve.

24. The fluid dispenser of claim 21 wherein the cylindrical valve and valve member are a unitary part.

25. The fluid dispenser of claim 24 wherein the valve member, cylindrical valve and housing are all plastic.

26. A fluid dispenser comprising:

a housing having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side comprising means for coupling to a container to form a fluid reservoir;

a valve cavity through the housing from the top side to the bottom side;

a cylindrical valve insertable from the bottom side into the valve cavity and mounted and rotatable in the valve cavity, the cylindrical valve comprising a valve member extending outwardly beyond the valve cavity into closely spaced opposed relation with the housing bottom side, the cylindrical valve and valve member being integrally formed as a unit;

a main passage through the housing and cylindrical valve substantially transverse to the valve cavity;

means for coupling an upstream portion of the main passage to a high pressure fluid source;

an exposed control knob connected to the cylindrical valve at the top side of the housing for manually rotating the cylindrical valve and for securing the cylindrical valve, relative to the housing, so that the substantially opposed relation between the housing bottom side and the valve member is maintained;

a groove around the cylindrical valve in the valve cavity having an O-ring in the groove forming a fluid seal between the housing and cylindrical valve toward the housing top side from the main passage;

an auxiliary passageway extending from an upstream position in the main flow passage, through the reservoir, to the main flow passage at a position which is downstream from the upstream position, the auxiliary passageway comprising;

upstream passage and downstream passage extending from the main flow passage to the valve member at locations between the valve member and the housing bottom side,

further upstream passage and further downstream passage in the valve member alignable with, respectively, the upstream passage and the downstream passage;

a first rotational position of the control knob and cylindrical valve causing the cylindrical valve to block the flow of fluid through the main passageway of the housing;

a second rotational position of the control knob and cylindrical valve providing communication of fluid through the main passage of both the housing and the cylindrical valve, and communication of fluid through the auxiliary passageway and the reservoir between the upstream and the downstream positions; and

a third rotational position of the control knob and cylindrical valve providing fluid communication through the main passageway of both the housing and the cylindrical valve, and an obstruction by the valve member of the flow of fluid through the auxiliary passageway.

27. The fluid dispenser defined in claim 26 further comprising an O-ring between the housing and cylindrical valve, around the main passageway on the upstream side of the cylindrical valve.

28. The fluid dispenser of claim 26 wherein the valve member comprises a disk shape.

29. The fluid dispenser of claim 26 further comprising a further groove provided in the bottom side of the housing around valve cavity having an O-ring in the further groove forming a fluid seal between the bottom side of the housing and the valve member.