Dispensing head for a squeeze dispenser

• US 5,273,191 A
• Filed: 07/17/1992
• Issued: 12/28/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dispensing Patents International LLC
• Original Assignee: Philip Meshberg
• Inventors: Meshberg, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAUFMAN, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US07/914,122
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 222/1, 222/105, 222/206, 222/212, 222/215, 222/402.1, 222/481.5, 222/482, 222/490, 222/491, 222/494, 222/496, 239/452, 239/533.1, 239/570, 137/493.8, 137/509, 137/510, 137/606, 137/895
• US Class Current: 222/105
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/00442 the means being actuated by the difference between the atmospheric pressure and the pressure inside the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0067 having a valve seat located downstream the valve element (take precedence)
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0072 A valve member forming part of an outlet opening
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0075 Two outlet valves being placed in a delivery conduit, one downstream the other
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/046 the gas or vapour flow coming from a source where the gas or vapour is not in contact with the liquid or other fluent material to be sprayed, e.g. from a compressive bulb, an air pump or an enclosure surrounding the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1016 the outlet valve having a valve seat located downstream a movable valve element controlled by a pressure actuated controlling element B05B11/1022, B05B11/1023 take precedence

Abstract

A dispensing head for a squeeze dispenser is disclosed. The dispensing head includes a mixing chamber where pressurized air and pressurized fluid are mixed to produce a fine spray. A valved gasketing arrangement is used to control the flow of air into the container and out of the dispensing head, as well as to control flow of liquid to the dispensing head and to prevent leakage when the dispenser is inverted. The dispensing head also includes a liquid flow control device. This device uses a spring-biased piston to shut off the liquid flow path when the liquid is not pressurized. The piston acts to seal off the liquid from the atmosphere, thus preventing drying or contamination of the liquid product. A collapsible bag is also disclosed for isolating the liquid in the container from the air in the container.

Claims

1. A dispensing unit for a fluid container partially filled with a liquid to be dispensed and partially filled with air comprising:

a dispensing head, said dispensing head including two passageways and a dispensing orifice, said two passageways leading from an interior of said fluid container to said dispensing orifice, one of said passageways being for the passage of liquid and the other of said passageways being for the passage air, a piston, one of said passageways including said piston, an outlet opening and a biasing device, an end of said piston being biased by said biasing device to close said outlet opening;

an upper venting member connected to the underside of said dispensing head, said upper venting member comprising at least one hole and at least one flap valve; and

a lower venting member connected to the underside of said upper venting member, said lower venting member comprising at least one hole and at least one flap valve, said at least one hole on said upper venting member being aligned with said at least one flap valve on said lower venting member so as to allow air flow from one of said passageways to an interior of said fluid container, and said at least one flap valve on said upper venting member being aligned with said at least one hole on said lower venting member so as to allow air flow from the interior of said fluid container to the other of said passageways.

2. The dispensing unit of claim 1, wherein:

said upper venting member is a resilient gasket and said lower venting member is a resilient gasket.

3. The dispensing unit of claim 1, wherein:

said upper venting member and said lower venting members include fluid flow passages cooperating with one another to allow fluid flow from said container to said one of said passageways.

4. The dispensing unit of claim 3, wherein:

said fluid flow passages are in fluid communication with a conduit extending below the level of said hole in said lower venting member.

5. The dispensing unit of claim 4 further comprising:

a collapsible bag for retaining fluid sealed to said conduit, said collapsible bag isolating fluid from air in said fluid container.

6. The dispensing unit of claim 1, wherein;

said upper venting member includes a second flap valve;

said lower venting member includes a second hole; and

said second flap valve is aligned with said second hole to allow fluid flow from said fluid container to said one of said passageways.

7. The dispensing unit of claim 1, wherein:

said passageways meet in a spray chamber adjacent to, and in fluid communication with, said dispensing orifice.

8. The dispensing unit of claim 7, wherein:

said upper venting member and said lower venting members further comprise fluid flow passages cooperating with one another to allow fluid flow from said container to said one of said passageways.

9. The dispensing unit of claim 8, wherein:

said fluid flow passages are in fluid communication with a conduit extending below the level of said hole in said lower venting member, wherein air passes through said other of said passageways, and liquid passes through said one of said passageways.

10. The dispensing unit of claim 1, wherein:

said piston is contained within a bore, said piston including a rim sealingly engaging said bore and defining therewith a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber, said one of said passageways communicating with said high-pressure chamber, said biasing device located in said low-pressure chamber, whereby fluid pressure in said high-pressure chamber acts against said rim against the bias of said biasing device.

11. The dispensing unit of claim 10, wherein:

said low-pressure chamber is in fluid communication with the atmosphere.

18. The dispensing unit of claim 10, wherein:

said low-pressure chamber is in fluid communication with the atmosphere.

12. A dispenser comprising:

a fluid container partially filled with a liquid to be dispensed and partially filled with air; and

a dispensing unit attached to an open end of said fluid container;

said dispensing unit comprising;

a dispensing head with two passageways and a dispensing orifice, one of said passageways being for the passage of liquid and the other of said passageways being for the passage of air, a first of said two passageways including a bore, said dispensing head further comprising a piston within said bore, said piston being biased by a biasing device to close said first of said passages; and

a venting member between said dispensing head and said fluid container;

said venting member including;

a first valve for allowing air to flow from said first of said two passageways to an interior of said container;

a second valve for allowing air to flow from an upper portion of said interior of said container to said first of said two passageways; and

a conduit for allowing liquid to flow from a lower portion of the interior of said container to a second of said two passageways.

13. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein:

said second valve has sufficient resiliency so as not to open when said container is inverted when filled with fluid.

14. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein:

said second valve is sufficiently restrictive so as to prevent complete exhaustion of pressure within said container when said container is squeezed.

15. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein:

said venting member comprises upper and lower gaskets;

said first and second valve are flap valves;

said upper gasket comprises a third flap valve disposed above said conduit;

said two passageways meet in a chamber in fluid communication with said dispensing orifice.

16. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein:

said container includes a collapsible bag, said collapsible bag isolating fluid in said container from air in said container.

17. The dispensing unit of claim 12, wherein:

said piston includes a rim sealingly engaging said bore and defining therewith a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber, said first passageway communicating with said high-pressure chamber, said biasing means located in said low-pressure chamber, whereby fluid pressure in said high-pressure chamber acts against said rim against the bias of said biasing device to thereby open said first passageway.

19. The dispensing unit of claim 12, wherein:

said container is made of a resilient material, such that hand pressure on said container pressurizes liquid and gas in the interior of said container to thereby dispense said liquid and air through said orifice.