Secured disposable liquid soap dispenser

• US 5,480,068 A
• Filed: 06/27/1994
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOUGLAS, LISA ANN
• Application Number:
  US08/265,830
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 222/153.03, 222/173, 222/180, 222/184, 222/181, 222/325, 222/463, 222/321, 222/383.1, 222/384, 222/385, 292/164, 292/174, 292/302, 292/163, 292/4, 292/57, 292/59, 70/345, 70/387, 221/152, 221/154, 248/500, 248/551, 248/553, 248/506, 248/510
• 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 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 receivable 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 base unit adapted to be affixed to a countertop, said base unit including a locking means and at least one lug orifice;

said base unit further comprising an upper base section having a top wall with said lug orifice therethorough;

slide members affixed within said upper base section;

a lower base section including a top plate;

and track means mounted to said top plate of said lower base section for slidably engaging slide members so that said upper base section is moveable from an aligned position with said lower base section to an unaligned position with said lower base section; and

a fluid dispenser including a bottle and a lug extending from said bottle, said lug adapted to be received in said lug orifice and engaged by said locking means.

2. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 1, said further comprising:

a primary gib and a secondary gib, each extending from said lug.

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

said primary gib is larger than said secondary gib so that said lug can be inserted into said lug orifice with a single orientation.

4. A countertop mounted fluid dispensing system as recited in claim 1, said locking means comprising:

a gib engaging plate supported from said top plate of said lower base section to reside in a fixed position in close proximity to said top wall of said upper base section such that said lug can be inserted through and extracted from said lug orifice only when said upper base section is in said unaligned position.

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

said gib engaging plate resides between at least one of said gibs and at least one of said gib slots when said upper base section is in said aligned position.

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

a travel stop means affixed to said lower base section for limiting the amount of lateral travel which can be imparted to said upper base section as a result of said slide members moving in said track means.

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

releasable catch means for fixing said upper base section in said aligned position.