Container for surgical soap dispenser

• US 4,946,072 A
• Filed: 02/16/1989
• Issued: 08/07/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Albert, Stephen B., Thomas, W. Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): HUPPERT, MICHEAL
• Application Number:
  US07/312,019
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 222/92, 222/94-95, 222/105, 222/206, 222/212-214, 222/181, 222/541, 222/491, 222/494
• US Class Current: 222/105
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1215 applied by a peristaltic action
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed which dispenses a metered quantity of a liquid. The apparatus uses a roller and base pad to form a nip which receives a dispensing leg of a container. Movement of the roller along the base pad causes liquid within the dispensing leg to be dispensed through a pressure responsive valve. The roller travels along a D-shaped path, the straight portion of the path is the nip forming portion. The apparatus operates in response to an object reflecting a beam of electromagnetic energy in the form of infrared light. A container is also disclosed which has a housing, preferably cardboard, and an envelope of flexible plastic contained therein. The envelope holds the liquid and the dispensing leg is accessed through a tear-away opening in the cardboard housing.

Claims

1. A container, for holding product to be dispensed from a dispenser, comprising:

(a) a pair of thin flexible walls in face-to-face position having a top and bottom wherein;

(i) said walls have a first width adjacent their top; and

(ii) a second width less than 30 percent of said first width adjacent their bottom;

(b) said walls being sealed about their perimeter to define a reservoir portion at their top and a depending dispensing leg in communication with said reservoir portion defined by said second width at their bottom; and

(c) a normally closed valve means comprising a plastic clip having a body which surrounds said depending leg and an integrally formed plastic tongue which is cantilevered resiliently from said body and cooperates with said body to pinch a portion of the depending leg between a lip on the distal end of said tongue and said body.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) a top marginal portion of said walls defines a pair of openings for receiving pins to suspend said container.

3. A container according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) a valve means is provided adjacent the bottom of said depending leg and said valve means is biased into a closed position to prevent passage of said product from said depending leg.

4. A container according to claim 3 wherein:

(a) said valve means opens to permit passage of product in response to increased pressure within the depending leg above a predetermined level.

5. A container according to claim 4 wherein:

(a) said valve means has lugs for engaging positioning means on a dispenser.

6. A container according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said walls are encased substantially within a housing and said depending leg extends from said housing through an opening defined therein.

7. A container according to claim 6 wherein:

(a) said opening is provided by a tear-away wall.

8. A container, for holding product to be dispensed from a dispenser, comprising:

(a) a pair of thin flat flexible walls in face-to-face position having a top and bottom wherein;

(i) said walls have a first width adjacent their top; and

(ii) a second width less than 30 percent of said first width adjacent their bottom;

(b) said walls being sealed about their perimeter to define a reservoir portion at their top and a depending dispensing leg in communication with said reservoir portion defined by said second width at their bottom;

(c) a top marginal portion of said walls defining a pair of openings for receiving pins to suspend said container;

(d) a valve means provided adjacent the bottom of said depending leg having lugs for engaging positioning means on a dispenser, and being a plastic clip having a body which surrounds said depending leg and an integrally formed plastic cantilevered resilient tongue having a lip on the distal end thereof which is biased into a position where it cooperates with the body to pinch a portion of the legged closed and said tongue is resilient to bend to an open position in response to an increase in pressure within the depending leg.