Metered dispenser with pull fill mechanism

• US 6,443,331 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2001
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Silgan Dispensing Systems Corporation (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Calmar Incorporated (Meadwestvaco Corporation)
• Inventors: DeJonge, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US09/983,357
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 222/153.13, 222/309, 222/321.7, 222/383.1, 222/485.1
• US Class Current: 222/153.13
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1001 Piston pumps B05B11/1087, B05B11/1088, B05B11/109 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1008 by adjusting or modifying the pump end-of-dispensing-stroke position
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/106 in a retracted position, e.g. in an end-of-dispensing-stroke position

Abstract

A hand-operated pump dispenser for dosing liquid product from a container includes a rotatable plunger assembly which is manually lifted upwardly relative to the dispenser body for drawing product into a pump chamber in a preselected amount depending on the rotational setting of the plunger, and which is manually depressed for completely discharging the contents of the chamber.

Claims

1. A hand-operated pump dispenser for dosing liquid product from a container, comprising a dispenser body having a closure for mounting the body to the container, a hollow valved piston on said body, and a rotatable plunger assembly mounted on said body for reciprocating movement between at least one extended position outwardly of said body and a fully retracted position toward said body in a substantially upright attitude of the dispenser, the plunger assembly including a cylinder in sliding sealing engagement with said piston to therewith define a variable volume pump chamber in communication with the liquid product through the hollow piston, the body having a plurality of limit stops for limiting movement of the assembly to a selected one of said stops outwardly of the body upon rotation of the plunger assembly for drawing a predetermined amount of product into the chamber upon movement thereof to the at least one extended position, the predetermined amount being dispensed from the assembly upon movement thereof to the fully retracted position while in the upright attitude.

2. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the plunger assembly further includes a valved discharge passage in communication with said chamber.

3. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder has at least one projection lying in the path of one of said limit stops to effect the limiting movement of the assembly.

4. The pump dispenser according to claim 3, wherein said cylinder is rotatable about its axis relative to the body for moving the projection into the path of said a selected one of the limit stops to effect the limiting movement of the assembly.

5. The pump dispenser according to claim 4, wherein said limit stops and said at least one projection are located on a liner mounted within a sleeve extending from the closure of the dispenser body.

6. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder is rotatable about its axis relative to the body and has at least one projection lying in the path of one of said stops to effect the limiting movement of the assembly.

7. The pump dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the dispenser body has an inwardly located abutment with which the projection engages upon rotation of the cylinder for locking the plunger assembly in the retracted position.

8. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder is rotatable about its axis relative to the body for moving a projection on the assembly into engagement with an inwardly located abutment provided on the dispenser body for locking the plunger assembly in the full retracted position.

9. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said limit stops are located on a liner mounted within a sleeve extending from the closure of the dispenser body.

10. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder is rotatable about its axis relative to the body, and a single marking provided on said assembly aligns with one of a selection of indicia on the body for selecting one of the limit stops upon rotation of the cylinder.

11. The pump dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder is rotatable about its axis relative to the body for moving a projection on the assembly into engagement with an inwardly located abutment provided on the dispenser body for locking the plunger assembly in the full retracted position.

12. A hand-operated pump dispenser for dosing liquid product from a container, comprising a dispenser body having a closure for mounting the body to the container, a hollow valved piston on said body, and a rotatable plunger assembly mounted on said body for reciprocating movement between at least one extended position outwardly of said body and a fully retracted position toward said body in a substantially upright attitude of the dispenser, the plunger assembly including a cylinder in sliding sealing engagement with said piston to therewith define a variable volume pump chamber in communication with the liquid product through the hollow piston, the body having at least one limit stop for limiting movement of the assembly outwardly of the body for drawing a predetermined amount of product into the chamber upon movement thereof to the at least one extended position, said cylinder having at least one projection lying in the path of said limit stop to effect the limiting movement of the assembly, the predetermined amount being dispensed from the assembly upon movement thereof to the fully retracted position while in the upright attitude, and the closure having an upper wall with a container vent port covered in the fully retracted position by the projection on the cylinder.

13. The pump dispenser according to claim 12, wherein the dispenser body has an inwardly located abutment with which the projection engages for locking the assembly in the fully retracted position at which the vent port is sealed closed.