Secured disposable liquid soap dispenser

• US 5,240,147 A
• Filed: 02/26/1991
• Issued: 08/31/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scott Paper Co. (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewis, Richard P., Frazier, Alan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pomrening, Anthoula
• Application Number:
  US07/661,273
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 222/153, 222/180, 222/181, 222/325, 222/463, 222/321, 222/383-385, 248/551, 248/553, 292/19, 292/303, 70/345, 70/387, 221/152, 221/154
• US Class Current: 222/153.03
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1205 Dispensing from the top of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0866 Multiple head

Abstract

Disclosed is a theft deterring countertop mounted fluid dispensing system for dispensing liquid soap or the like using a liquid soap dispenser which can be disposable. The system includes a base unit or module adapted to be permanently affixed to a countertop. The base unit includes a locking mechanism and at least one lug orifice. The base unit is used in conjunction with the fluid dispensing unit or module which includes a bottle for storing the liquid soap and a lug extending from the bottle. The lug is adapted to be received in the lug orifice of the base unit and releasably engaged by the locking mechanism therein. A key or series of movements which are not readily obvious to a casual user of the product are required in order to remove the fluid dispensing unit from the base unit.

Claims

1. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system comprising:

(a) a base unit adapted to be affixed to a supporting surface, said base unit including at least one lug orifice in a wall thereof;

(b) a fluid dispenser including a bottle and a lug extending from said bottle, said lug adapted to be received in said lug orifice;

(c) locking means including gate means within said base unit adjacent said lug orifice, said gate means normally biased to a closed position to lock said lug in said base unit, said locking means requiring a key to open said gate means overcoming the bias thereof.

2. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

a lug extending from a fluid dispenser bottle not locked into said base unit serves as said key for a fluid dispenser bottle locked in said base unit.

3. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 1 wherein:

said gate means include sloping engaging surfaces such that said gate means is openable by inserting said lug into said lug orifice when there is no fluid dispenser locked into said base unit.

4. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 3 wherein said lug comprises:

(a) a shaft;

(b) an engaging block projecting from said shaft, said engaging block including sloping surfaces for interacting with said sloping engaging surfaces and wedging between and spreading said gate means, said engaging block further including at least one gib extending therefrom for engaging an interior surface of said wall of said base unit when said lug is fully inserted in said lug orifice.

5. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 4 wherein:

said lug orifice is T-shaped having a stem opening and a cross opening so that said shaft resides in said stem opening of said T-shaped orifice once said engaging block is fully inserted therein with said gib residing in a substantially abutting position with said interior surface of said wall, said gate means then returning to said normally closed position adjacent said engaging block thereby locking said fluid dispenser to said base unit.

6. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 3 wherein said lug comprises:

(a) a shaft;

(b) an engaging block projecting from said shaft, said engaging block including sloping surfaces adapted to be inserted in a wide end of said lug orifice for spreading open said gate means, said engaging block further including at least one gib extending therefrom for engaging a bottom surface of said wall of said base unit when said lug is fully inserted in said lug orifice and said fluid dispenser is moved laterally on said base unit so that said shaft resides in a narrow end of said lug orifice.

7. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

(a) a keyway in a wall of said base unit;

(b) gate opening means extending from said gate means, said gate opening means aligned with said keyway and engagable with said key through said keyway.

8. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

(a) a secondary lug extending from said bottle;

(b) a secondary lug orifice in said base unit for receiving said secondary lug, said lug orifice and said secondary lug orifice both being T-shaped.

9. A disposable dispenser for dispensing liquid adapted to be used with a base unit affixed to a supporting surface, the base unit including a locking mechanism for affixing said dispenser to the base unit and a lug orifice, said dispenser comprising:

(a) a bottle;

(b) manually operable pump means attached to said bottle for delivering the liquid from said bottle;

(c) at least one lug extending from a bottom wall of said bottle, said lug including a shaft and an engaging block projecting from said shaft, said engaging block including sloping surfaces for interacting with the locking mechanism to move the locking mechanism from a closed position to an open position upon insertion of said engaging block into the lug orifice contained within the base unit affixed to the supporting surface, said lug preventing said bottle from standing in a vertical orientation without using the base unit.

10. A disposable liquid soap dispenser adapted to be used with a base unit affixed to a supporting surface, said base unit including a lug orifice, a locking means adjacent said lug orifice and a keyway aligned with means for unlocking said locking means, said disposable liquid soap dispenser comprising:

(a) a bottle for containing a fluid;

(b) manually operable pump means attached to said bottle for delivering said fluid from said bottle;

(c) a key extending from said bottle adapted to be lockingly engaged by the locking means in the base unit, another key extending from a bottle not locked into said base unit being insertable into said keyway to unlock said locking means.

11. A liquid soap dispenser comprising:

(a) a base unit adapted to be affixed to a supporting surface, said base unit having a lug orifice therein and including gate means normally biased to a locking position;

(b) a fluid dispenser having a lug extending therefrom, said lug including means for moving said gate means to an open position when said lug is inserted into said lug orifice;

(c) a keyway in a wall of said base unit;

(d) gate opening means extending from said gate means, said gate opening means aligned with said keyway.

12. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 11 wherein said lug comprises:

(a) a shaft;

(b) an engaging block projecting from said shaft, said engaging block including sloping surfaces for wedging between and spreading said gate means, said engaging block further including at least one gib for engaging said base unit when said lug is fully inserted in said lug orifice.