Liquid soap dispenser for simplified replacement of soap reservoir
First Claim
1. A dispenser for dispensing fluid comprising,a housing,a reservoir,the housing supporting the reservoir in a dispensing position,the reservoir being insertable into said housing to assume said dispensing position and removable therefrom for replacement,the reservoir comprising,(i) a chamber for retaining fluid having an outlet, and(ii) valve means disposed across the outlet for dispensing fluid from the chamber, the valve means comprising a reciprocally movable element for reciprocal movement relative to the housing when the reservoir is in the dispensing position to dispense fluid,the reciprocally movable element including engagement means for engagement with the housing,the housing including actuator means for actuating the reciprocally movable element, the actuator means movable relative the housing between a first position and a second position,the actuator means including catch means for coupling the engagement means to the actuator means,the actuator means further having a cavity to receive the engagement means therein when the reservoir is in the dispensing position,the cavity having a first zone and a second zone,wherein on insertion of the reservoir into the housing into the dispensing position, the engagement means is located in the cavity disposed in one of:
- 1. a first orientation with the engagement means fully in the first zone,2. a second orientation with the engagement means partially in the first zone and partially in the second zone, and3. a third orientation with the engagement means fully in the second zone;
such that(a) when the engagement means is in one of the second orientation and the third orientation, on first cycling of the actuator means between the first position and the second position, the actuator means moves relative to the engagement means to assume the first orientation in which the engagement means is fully in the first zone, and(b) whenever the engagement means is in the first orientation, the catch means retains the engagement means in the first zone against movement to the second zone, thereby coupling the engagement means to the actuator means for reciprocal movement of the engagement means to dispense liquid with movement of the actuator means between the first position and the second position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A liquid soap dispenser is disclosed having a permanent housing which permits simplified insertion and replacement of disposable fluid reservoirs. The housing includes and actuator assembly which is cycled by a lever between first and second positions. The actuator assembly is configured to couple to a valve assembly on the reservoir so that when cycled, the valve assembly is actuated in sliding movement to dispense a quantity of fluid. The actuator assembly includes a pair of resiliently deformable fingers which act to secure the valve assembly to the actuator assembly for sliding movement therewith. If on insertion of a replacement reservoir, the reservoir is positioned uncoupled from the actuator assembly, on first cycling of the actuator assembly the fingers deform to permit movement of the actuator assembly relative to valve assembly and move towards a coupled orientation. In the coupled orientation, the fingers return to an undeformed configuration securing the valve assembly to the actuator assembly.
142 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A dispenser for dispensing fluid comprising,
a housing, a reservoir, the housing supporting the reservoir in a dispensing position, the reservoir being insertable into said housing to assume said dispensing position and removable therefrom for replacement, the reservoir comprising, (i) a chamber for retaining fluid having an outlet, and (ii) valve means disposed across the outlet for dispensing fluid from the chamber, the valve means comprising a reciprocally movable element for reciprocal movement relative to the housing when the reservoir is in the dispensing position to dispense fluid, the reciprocally movable element including engagement means for engagement with the housing, the housing including actuator means for actuating the reciprocally movable element, the actuator means movable relative the housing between a first position and a second position, the actuator means including catch means for coupling the engagement means to the actuator means, the actuator means further having a cavity to receive the engagement means therein when the reservoir is in the dispensing position, the cavity having a first zone and a second zone, wherein on insertion of the reservoir into the housing into the dispensing position, the engagement means is located in the cavity disposed in one of: -
1. a first orientation with the engagement means fully in the first zone, 2. a second orientation with the engagement means partially in the first zone and partially in the second zone, and 3. a third orientation with the engagement means fully in the second zone; such that (a) when the engagement means is in one of the second orientation and the third orientation, on first cycling of the actuator means between the first position and the second position, the actuator means moves relative to the engagement means to assume the first orientation in which the engagement means is fully in the first zone, and (b) whenever the engagement means is in the first orientation, the catch means retains the engagement means in the first zone against movement to the second zone, thereby coupling the engagement means to the actuator means for reciprocal movement of the engagement means to dispense liquid with movement of the actuator means between the first position and the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A dispenser for dispensing fluid comprising,
a housing, a reservoir, the housing supporting the reservoir in a dispensing position, the reservoir being insertable into said housing to assume said dispensing position and removable therefrom for replacement, the reservoir comprising, (i) a chamber for retaining fluid having an outlet, and (ii) valve means disposed across the outlet for dispensing fluid from the chamber, the valve means comprising a reciprocally movable element for reciprocal movement relative to the housing when the reservoir is in the dispensing position to dispense fluid, the reciprocally movable element including engagement means for engagement with the housing, the housing including actuator means for actuating the reciprocally movable element, the actuator means movable relative the housing between a first position and a second position, the actuator means including catch means to engage the engagement means and couple the reciprocally movable element to the actuator means, wherein when the reservoir is inserted into the dispensing position, the engagement means and catch means assume relative positions selected from, (a) a coupled orientation in which the catch means engages the engagement means for reciprocal movement of the element to dispense fluid with movement of the actuator means between the first position and the second position, and (b) an uncoupled orientation from which on a first cycling of the actuator means between the first position and the second position, the catch means and engagement means are moved relative to each other that they assume the coupled orientation.
Specification