Squeeze operated foam dispenser

• US 6,394,315 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DEB IP Limited (SC Johnson & Son Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DEB IP Limited (SC Johnson & Son Incorporated)
• Inventors: Banks, Stewart
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTAGENA, MELVIN A
• Application Number:
  US09/649,049
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 222/190,209,211
• US Class Current: 222/190
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0059 allowing operation in any orientation, e.g. for discharge in inverted position
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/043 designed for spraying a liquid B05B11/046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0037 including sieves, porous members or the like

Abstract

A foam dispenser for use in association with foaming liquid is disclosed. The squeeze operated foam dispenser includes a resiliently deformable bottle and a cap. The resiliently deformable bottle has an at rest position and an under pressure position. The bottle has an interior and a throat. The cap is attached to the throat and the cap has a nozzle extending inwardly into the interior of the bottle. The nozzle defines a nozzle fluid passageway. A nozzle cover is attached to the cap and spaced from the nozzle and a cap chamber is defined therebetween. An air tube defining an air passageway extends inwardly from the nozzle cover and the air passageway is in communication with the cap chamber and an interior portion of air formed between the liquid and the bottle in the interior thereof when the nozzle is positioned downwardly. A pressure actuated valve selectively opens and closes the air tube whereby the valve is closed when the bottle is in the at rest position and opens responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the pressure position. A cover port is formed in the nozzle cover to provide a fluid passageway between the interior and the cap chamber. The dispenser includes a method of sealing the nozzle when the bottle is in the at rest position. The sealing method may be a pressure retaining valve. Alternatively the cover port, the nozzle and the nozzle cover are arranged whereby, in the at rest position with the throat of the bottle positioned downwardly, there is an airlock between the nozzle and nozzle cover in the cap chamber and when the bottle is moved from the at rest position to the pressure position the air lock is broken.

Claims

1. A foam dispenser for use in association with foaming liquids comprising:

a resiliently deformable bottle having an interior and a throat, the resiliently deformable bottle having an at rest position and an under pressure position;

a cap attached to the throat, the cap having a nozzle extending inwardly into the interior and the nozzle defining a nozzle fluid passageway;

a nozzle cover attached to the cap and spaced from the nozzle defining a cap chamber therebetween;

an air tube defining an air passageway extending inwardly from the nozzle cover, the air passageway being in flow communication with the cap chamber and an interior portion of air formed between the liquid and the bottle in the interior thereof when the nozzle is positioned downwardly;

a pressure actuated valve for selectively opening and closing the air tube whereby the valve is closed when the bottle is in the at rest position and opens responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position such that air flows through the air passageway from the interior portion of the bottle into the cap chamber and responsive to the bottle being moved from the under pressure position to the at rest position a vacuum is formed in the interior of the bottle drawing up air from the cap chamber and closing the valve;

a cover port formed in the nozzle cover providing a fluid passageway between the interior of the bottle and the cap chamber; and

a means for sealing the nozzle when the bottle is in the at rest position.

2. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 1 further including a porous material positioned in the nozzle fluid passageway wherein the nozzle fluid passageway between the porous material and the nozzle cover defines a mixing chamber wherein in the under pressure position air and liquid are mixed and then forced through the porous material to form a foam.

3. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the valve includes a flexible portion covering the air tube and a connector connecting the flexible portion to the nozzle, the connector having a connector port formed therein, wherein the flexible portion is responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position.

4. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 3 wherein the cover port is a first cover port and further including a second cover port.

5. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 4 wherein the connector port is a first connector port and further including a second connector port.

6. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 3 wherein the sealing means includes the cover port, the nozzle and the nozzle cover arranged whereby in the at rest position with the throat of the bottle positioned downwardly there is an airlock between the nozzle and nozzle cover in the cap chamber and when the bottle is moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position the air lock is broken and the liquid in the interior of the bottle flows through the cover port into the cap chamber and out the nozzle fluid passageway.

7. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the valve includes a ball and a spring wherein the spring biases the ball into the closed position covering the air tube and the spring is responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position moving the ball and opening the air tube.

8. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 7 wherein the sealing means includes the cover port, the nozzle and the nozzle cover arranged whereby in the at rest position with the throat of the bottle positioned downwardly there is an airlock between the nozzle and nozzle cover in the cap chamber and when the bottle is moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position the air lock is broken and the liquid in the interior of the bottle flows through the cover port into the cap chamber and out the nozzle fluid passageway.

9. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the valve includes a stopper and a spring wherein the spring biases the stopper into the closed position covering the air tube and the spring is responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position moving the stopper and opening the air tube.

10. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 9 wherein the sealing means includes the cover port, the nozzle and the nozzle cover arranged whereby in the at rest position with the throat of the bottle positioned downwardly there is an airlock between the nozzle and nozzle cover in the cap chamber and when the bottle is moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position the air lock is broken and the liquid in the interior of the bottle flows through the cover port into the cap chamber and out the nozzle fluid passageway.

11. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the sealing means includes the cover port, the nozzle and the nozzle cover arranged whereby in the at rest position with the throat of the bottle positioned downwardly there is an airlock between the nozzle and nozzle cover in the cap chamber and when the bottle is moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position the air lock is broken and the liquid in the interior of the bottle flows through the cover port into the cap chamber and out the nozzle fluid passageway.

12. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cover port, the nozzle and the nozzle cover are arranged whereby in the at rest position with the throat of the bottle positioned downwardly there is an airlock between the nozzle and nozzle cover in the cap chamber and when the bottle is moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position the air lock is broken and the liquid in the interior of the bottle flows through the cover port into the cap chamber and out the nozzle fluid passageway.

13. A foam dispenser for use in association with foaming liquids comprising:

a resiliently deformable bottle having an interior and a throat, the resiliently deformable bottle having an at rest position and an under pressure position;

a cap attached to the throat, the cap having a nozzle extending inwardly into the interior and the nozzle defining a nozzle fluid passageway;

a nozzle cover attached to the cap and spaced from the nozzle defining a cap chamber therebetween;

an air tube defining an air passageway extending inwardly from the nozzle cover, the air passageway being in flow communication with the cap chamber and an interior portion of air formed between the liquid and the bottle in the interior thereof when the nozzle is positioned downwardly;

a pressure actuated valve for selectively opening and closing the air tube whereby the valve is closed when the bottle is in the at rest position and opens responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position;

a cover port formed in the nozzle cover providing a fluid passageway between the interior of the bottle and the cap chamber;

a porous material positioned in the nozzle fluid passageway such that the nozzle fluid passageway between the porous material and the nozzle cover defines a mixing chamber wherein in the under pressure position air and liquid are mixed and then forced through the porous material to form a foam; and

a means for sealing the nozzle when the bottle is in the at rest position including a pressure retaining valve positioned in the nozzle upstream of the porous material.

14. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 13 wherein the pressure retaining valve is an elastomeric valve.

15. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 13 wherein the valve includes a flexible portion covering the air tube and a connector connecting the flexible portion to the nozzle, the connector having a connector port formed therein, wherein the flexible portion is responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position.

16. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 13 wherein the valve includes a ball and a spring wherein the spring biases the ball into the closed position covering the air tube and the spring is responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position moving the ball and opening the air tube.

17. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 16 wherein the pressure retaining valve is an elastomeric valve.

18. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 13 wherein the valve includes a stopper and a spring wherein the spring biases the stopper into the closed position covering the air tube and the spring is responsive to the bottle being moved from the at rest position to the under pressure position moving the stopper and opening the air tube.

19. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 17 wherein the pressure retaining valve is an elastomeric valve.

20. A foam dispenser as claimed in claim 13 wherein the pressure retaining valve includes a piston slidably mounted in the nozzle and having a piston stopper, a piston stopper seat formed in the nozzle and a spring whereby squeezing the bottle causes the spring to deform and open the pressure retaining valve.