Dual soap and fragrance dispenser

• US 5,379,917 A
• Filed: 03/01/1993
• Issued: 01/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fresh Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fresh Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Scherger, David F., Brown, Douglas S., Brown, Robert B., Heilman, George C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US08/024,448
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 222/4, 222/105, 222/135, 222/180, 222/181, 222/325, 222/642, 222/129, 261/26, 261/30, 261/DIG. 65
• US Class Current: 222/4
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/12 for liquid or pasty soap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1209 with chamber in the form of a cylindrical tube
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1215 applied by a peristaltic action
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/122 comprising a fan
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/088 using a deformable conduit-like element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/65 Vaporizers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/88 Aroma dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2467 Sulphur containing

Abstract

A dual dispenser dispenses both soap and fragrance for washrooms. The dispenser has a mounting plate for mounting on a surface in the washroom and has a lower support for a box containing a flexible bag of soap with the bag having a flexible tube extending out of the box. A container with a fragrance source is mounted in the top of the box and a fan is located thereabove which is driven by a small motor mounted on an upper support of the mounting plate. A battery is also located on the box adjacent the fragrance container. Switch contacts are in circuit with the motor and the battery for operating the motor and fan when the switch contacts are closed. A cover for the mounting plate has a hand-operated actuating plate which squeezes the tube to dispense soap and closes the contacts to operate the fan when the actuating plate is pushed, thus dispensing both soap and fragrance in a single motion.

Claims

1. A dual dispenser for soap and fragrance comprising a mounting plate for mounting the dispenser on a surface in a washroom, said mounting plate having a lower support and an upper support, a box containing a flexible bag of soap supported on said lower support, said bag having a flexible tube extending out of said box, a container of fragrance gel above said box, a motor mounted on said upper support, a fan driven by said motor, a battery, switch contacts in circuit with said motor and said battery, a cover for said mounting plate, and a hand-operated actuating plate carried by said dispenser, said actuating plate being effective to squeeze said tube to dispense soap and to close said contacts to operate said fan said actuating plate is moved.

2. A dual dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said fragrance container is mounted on an upper portion of said box as a unit.

3. A dual dispenser according to claim 2 wherein said battery is mounted on said box adjacent said fragrance container.

4. A dual dispenser according to claim 1 wherein a time delay component is mounted in circuit with said contacts and said battery whereby said circuit is completed for a period of time longer than said actuating plate is actuated.

5. A supply unit for a dual dispenser for soap and fragrance, said unit comprising a box containing a flexible bag of soap, a source of fragrance on a top of said box, and a battery mounted on the top of said box.

6. A supply unit according to claim 5 wherein said box is of generally rectangular parallelepiped configuration and said flexible bag of soap has a flexible tube communicating therewith.

7. A supply unit according to claim 5 wherein said box has a recess in which said battery is located.

8. A supply unit according to claim 7 wherein said recess has a length exceeding the length of the battery whereby said recess can receive contact means extending thereinto for making electrical contact with said battery.

9. A dual dispenser for soap and fragrance comprising a mounting plate for mounting the dispenser on a surface, said mounting plate having a support extending therefrom, a box containing a bag of soap supported on said support, said bag having a flexible tube extending out of said box, a container of fragrance-emitting material in said dispenser, a motor in said dispenser, a fan near said container and driven by said motor, a source of power for operating said motor, switch contacts in circuit with said motor and said power source, a cover for said dispenser, an actuating plate carried by said dispenser, said actuating plate being effective to squeeze said tube to dispense soap and to close said contacts to operate said fan when said actuating plate is moved.

10. A dual dispenser according to claim 9 wherein said mounting plate has an upper support, said motor being supported on said upper support, and said container of fragrance-emitting material being above said box.

11. A dual dispenser according to claim 9 wherein said power source is a battery.

12. A dual dispenser according to claim 9 wherein said fragrance container is mounted on an upper portion of said box as a unit.

13. A dual dispenser according to claim 12 wherein said battery is mounted on said box adjacent said fragrance container.

14. A dual dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said box has an upper recess in which said battery is located.

15. A dual dispenser according to claim 14 wherein said recess has a length exceeding the length of said battery whereby said recess can receive contact means on said mounting plate and extending into said recess for making electrical contact with said battery.

16. A dual dispenser for soap and fragrance comprising a mounting plate for mounting the dispenser on a surface in a washroom, a source of soap supported in said dispenser, a source of fragrance above said soap source, a motor mounted on said mounting plate, a fan driven by said motor, a battery, circuit means connecting said motor and said battery, a cover for said mounting plate, and hand-operated actuating means carried by said dispenser and effective to dispense soap when actuated manually.

17. A dual dispenser according to claim 16 wherein switch contacts are in said dispenser and closed when said actuating means is moved to connect said battery and said motor through said circuit means.

18. A dual dispenser according to claim 16 wherein said source of soap is a box containing a flexible bag of soap and said bag has a flexible tube extending out of said box and squeezed when said actuating means is actuated.

19. A supply unit for a dual dispenser for soap and fragrance, said unit comprising:

a receptacle defining a cavity and a channel connected to the lower portion of said cavity through which soap is dispensed to the hands of the user;

a supply of soap within said receptacle;

a container connected to said receptacle defining an opening through which fragrance is dispensed through evaporation; and

a source of fragrance within said container other than said supply of soap, said unit sized and shaped to be insertable into a dual dispenser for soap and fragrance.

20. The supply unit of claim 19, further comprising a top which forms a seal which prevents said source of frangrance from evaporating through said opening, wherein when said seal is released fragrance within said container evaporates through said opening.

21. The supply unit of claim 20, wherein said receptacle further comprises a spout.

22. The supply unit of claim 19, wherein said receptacle is larger than said container.

23. A supply unit for a dual dispenser for soap and fragrance, said unit comprising:

a receptacle capable of securing a supply of soap to said unit;

a container connected to said receptacle defining an opening through which fragrance is dispensed through evaporation;

a source of fragrance within said container other than said supply of soap; and

a power source connected to said unit, said unit sized and shaped to be insertable into a dual dispenser for soap and frangrance.

24. The supply unit of claim 23, further comprising a seal for said container which is opened to enable said supply unit to dispense fragrance.

25. The supply unit of claim 24, wherein said receptacle further comprises a spout.

26. The supply unit of claim 25, further comprising a supply of soap.

27. A supply unit for a dual dispenser for soap and fragrance, said unit comprising:

a receptacle;

a first container within said receptacle;

a supply of soap within said first container;

a second container within said receptacle defining an opening through which fragrance is dispensed through evaporation;

a source of fragrance within said second container other than said supply of soap, said unit sized and shaped to be insertable into a dual dispenser for soap and fragrance; and

a top which forms a seal which prevents frangrance from evaporating through said opening, wherein when said seal is removed fragrance within said container evaporates through said opening.

28. The supply unit of claim 27, wherein said first container further comprises a spout.

29. The supply unit of claim 27, wherein said first container is larger than said second container.

30. A dispenser, comprising:

a housing defining a cavity sized and shaped to receive a supply of soap and a space sized and shaped to receive a source of fragrance, said housing defining an opening through which fragrance in said space is dispensed and a channel through which soap within said cavity is dispensed, said dispenser further comprising an actuator to dispense the soap from said dispenser.

31. The dispenser of claim 30, further comprising a mounting element for securing said dispenser to a surface.

32. The dispenser of claim 30, further comprising a mechanism to accelerate the dispensement of fragrance from a source of fragrance within said housing.

33. The dispenser of claim 32, wherein said mechanism comprises a fan.

34. The dispenser of claim 33, wherein said actuator activates said mechanism.

35. A dispenser, comprising:

a housing defining a cavity sized and shaped to receive a supply of soap, said housing defining a space sized and shaped to receive a source of fragrance, said housing further defining an opening allowing a source of fragrance in said space to dispense fragrance through said opening and a channel through which a supply of soap within said cavity is dispensed;

an actuator to dispense soap from said dispenser;

a mechanism to accelerate the dispensement of fragrance through said opening from a source of fragrance within said housing, wherein said actuator activates said mechanism.

36. The dispenser of claim 35, wherein said mechanism is electrical.

37. The dispenser of claim 36, wherein said mechanism further comprises a normally open circuit arranged to cooperate with a power source, said circuit closable by said actuator.

38. A dispenser, comprising:

a housing defining a cavity sized and shaped to receive a supply of soap, said housing defining a space sized and shaped to receive a source of fragrance;

an actuator to dispense soap from said dispenser;

a mechanism to accelerate the dispensement of fragrance from a source of fragrance within said housing, wherein said actuator activates said mechanism and said mechanism includes a fan.

39. The dispenser of claim 38, wherein said mechanism further comprises a motor and a circuit arranged to cooperate with a power source to drive said fan.