Sanitizable piston pumps and dispensing systems incorporating the same

• US 6,945,431 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fluid Management Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fluid Management Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US10/626,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 222/144, 222/383.1, 222/388, 222/518
• US Class Current: 222/144
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1204 by means of a rigid dispensing chamber and pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/841 with component receptacles fixed in a circular configuration on a horizontal table, e.g. the table being able to be indexed about a vertical axis

Abstract

A sanitizable piston pump for dispensing ingredients of cosmetic preparations and other sanitary mixtures is shown and described. The pump includes a valve block including an inlet port threadably connected to a nipple which is detachably connected to an outlet port of a flexible package. The valve block further includes a piston port threadably connected to cylinder and an outlet port that sealably receives a valve stem. The inlet port, the outlet port and the piston port are in fluid communication with one another upon removal of the valve stem from the valve block. The valve stem includes an intake passage and an output passage. The cylinder slidably receives a piston. Both the piston and valve stem are connected to separate actuators. The actuator connected to the valve stem moves the valve stem into one of either an intake position for withdrawing fluid into the cylinder or a dispense position for pumping fluid out of the cylinder and out the outlet of the valve stem. A disposable plastic piston pump is also disclosed. Further, a lever mechanism for quickly and easily releasing a flexible package from the nipple connected to the valve block of the disclosed piston pumps is also shown and described.

Claims

1. A piston pump for dispensing ingredients of cosmetic preparations and that is easy disassembled for cleaning and sanitization purposes, the piston pump being detachably connected to an outlet port of a cosmetic ingredient package, the piston pump comprising:

a valve block comprising an inlet port threadably connected to a nipple which is detachably connected to the outlet port of the cosmetic ingredient package, the valve block further comprising a piston port threadably detachably connected to a cylinder and an outlet port that sealably receives a valve stem, the inlet port, outlet port and piston port being in fluid communication with one another upon removal of the valve stem from the valve block,

the valve stem comprising an intake passage and an output passage,

the cylinder slidably receiving a piston, the cylinder comprising a distal end threadably connected to the piston port of the valve block and a proximal end, the valve stem being detachably connected to an actuator,

the actuator capable of moving the valve stem to an intake position where the valve stem blocks the outlet port of the valve block and the valve block blocks the output passage of the valve stem and intake passage of the valve stem provides communication between the nipple and the piston port thereby permitting flow from the package, through the nipple, through intake passage of the valve stem, through the piston port and into the cylinder upon movement of the piston towards the proximal end of the cylinder,

the actuator further being capable of moving the valve stem to a dispense position where the valve stem blocks the inlet port of the valve block and the valve block blocks the intake passage of the valve stem and the output passage of the valve stem is in communication with the cylinder thereby permitting flow from the cylinder, through the output passage of the valve stem and out the valve stem upon movement of the piston towards the distal end of the cylinder.

2. The pump of claim 1 wherein the proximal end of the cylinder is threadably connected to a lock nut, the lock nut preventing the piston from exiting the proximal end of the cylinder.

3. The pump of claim 1 wherein the piston is connected to a distal end of a rod, the rod further comprising a proximal end that is threadably connected to a lock fastener, the lock fastener preventing the proximal end of the rod from entering the cylinder.

4. A cosmetics ingredient dispensing system comprising;

a plurality of piston pumps as defined by claim 3 with each pump being connected to a different ingredient package, each lock fastener being connected to an actuator, and the actuators connected to the lock fasteners and the actuators connected to the valve stems each being linked to a programmable controller, and the pumps all being mounted on a movable table to permit movement of each pump over a container to be filled with ingredients, the table being connected to a drive system which is linked to the controller, movement of the actuators and table being controlled by the controller.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein each outlet for each package extends through a horizontal flange, each pump being pivotally connected to a lever, each lever being connected to a vertical rod, wherein downward pressure on one of the rods results in upward pivotal movement of the lever against an underside of the flange to dislodge the outlet of the package from the nipple of its respective pump.

6. The pump of claim 1 wherein the nipple accommodates a check valve that permits flow from the package through the inlet port and not vice versa.

7. The pump of claim 1 wherein the valve block further comprising an intake passage and an output passage, the intake and output passages of the valve block being disposed within the piston port,

in the intake position, the valve stem blocks the output passage of the valve block and the valve block blocks the output passage of the valve stem and the intake passage of the valve stem is in alignment with the intake passage of the valve block thereby permitting flow from the package, through the nipple, through intake passages of the valve stem and valve block and into the cylinder upon movement of the piston towards the proximal end of the cylinder,

in the dispense position, the valve stem blocks the intake passage of the valve block and the valve block blocks the intake passage of the valve stem and the output passage of the valve stem is in alignment with the output passage of the valve block thereby permitting flow from the cylinder, through the output passages of the valve block and valve stem and out the valve stem upon movement of the piston towards the distal end of the cylinder.

8. The pump of claim 1 wherein the valve block is free of check valves.

9. The pump of claim 1 wherein the valve stem is free of check valves.

10. The pump of claim 1 wherein the valve block, valve stem, cylinder and piston are all capable of being sanitized.

11. A piston pump for dispensing ingredients of cosmetic preparations and that is easy disassembled for cleaning and sanitization purposes, the piston pump being detachably connected to an outlet port of a cosmetic ingredient package, the piston pump comprising:

a valve block comprising an inlet port threadably connected to a nipple which is detachably connected to the outlet port of the cosmetic ingredient package, the valve block further comprising a piston port threadably connected to a cylinder and an outlet port that sealably receives a valve stem, the valve block further comprising an intake passage and an output passage, the intake and output passages of the valve block being disposed within the piston port, the inlet port, outlet port, piston port and intake and output passages of the valve block being in fluid communication with one another upon removal of the valve stem from the valve block,

the valve stem comprising an intake passage and an output passage,

the cylinder slidably receiving a piston, the cylinder comprising a distal end threadably connected to the piston port of the valve block and a proximal end, the valve stem being detachably connected to an actuator,

the actuator capable of moving the valve stem to an intake position where the valve stem blocks the output passage of the valve block and the valve block blocks the output passage of the valve stem and the intake passage of the valve stem is in alignment with the intake passage of the valve block thereby permitting flow from the package, through the nipple, through intake passages of the valve stem and valve block and into the cylinder upon movement of the piston towards the proximal end of the cylinder,

the actuator further being capable of moving the valve stem to a dispense position where the valve stem blocks the intake passage of the valve block and the valve block blocks the intake passage of the valve stem and the output passage of the valve stem is in alignment with the output passage of the valve block thereby permitting flow from the cylinder, through the output passages of the valve block and valve stem and out the valve stem upon movement of the piston towards the distal end of the cylinder.

12. The pump of claim 11 wherein the proximal end of the cylinder is threadably connected to a lock nut, the lock nut preventing the piston from exiting the proximal end of the cylinder.

13. The pump of claim 11 wherein the piston is connected to a distal end of a rod, the rod further comprising a proximal end that is threadably connected to a lock fastener, the lock fastener preventing the proximal end of the rod from entering the cylinder.

14. The pump of claim 11 wherein the nipple accommodates a check valve that permits flow from the package through the inlet port and not vice versa.

15. The pump of claim 11 wherein the valve block is free of check valves.

16. The pump of claim 11 wherein the valve stem is free of check valves.

17. The pump of claim 11 wherein the valve block, valve stem, cylinder and piston are all capable of being sanitized.

18. A piston pump for dispensing ingredients of cosmetic preparations and that is easy disassembled for cleaning and sanitization purposes, the piston pump being detachably connected to an outlet port of a cosmetic ingredient package, the piston pump comprising:

a valve block comprising an inlet port detachably connected to a nipple which is detachably connected to the outlet port of the cosmetic ingredient package, the valve block further comprising a piston port detachably connected to a cylinder and further comprising an outlet port that sealably receives a valve stem,

the valve stem comprising an intake passage and an output passage, the valve stem being detachably connected to an actuator,

the actuator capable of moving the valve stem to an intake position where the valve stem blocks the outlet port of the valve block and the valve block blocks the output passage of the valve stem and intake passage of the valve stem provides communication between the nipple and the piston port thereby permitting flow from the package, through the nipple, through intake passage of the valve stem, through the piston port and into the cylinder,

the actuator further being capable of moving the valve stem to a dispense position where the valve stem blocks the inlet port of the valve block and the valve block blocks the intake passage of the valve stem and the output passage of the valve stem is in communication with the cylinder.

19. The pump of claim 18 further comprising a piston that is connected to a distal end of a rod, the rod further comprising a proximal end that is threadably connected to a lock fastener, the lock fastener preventing the proximal end of the rod from entering the cylinder.

20. A cosmetics ingredient dispensing system comprising;

a plurality of piston pumps as defined by claim 19 with each pump being connected to a different ingredient package, each lock fastener being connected to an actuator, and the actuators connected to the lock fasteners and the actuators connected to the valve stems each being linked to a programmable controller, and the pumps all being mounted on a movable table to permit movement of each pump over a container to be filled with ingredients, the table being connected to a drive system which is linked to the controller, movement of the actuators and table being controlled by the controller.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein each outlet for each package extends through a horizontal flange, each pump being pivotally connected to a lever, each lever being connected to a vertical rod, wherein downward pressure on one of the rods results in upward pivotal movement of the lever against an underside of the flange to dislodge the outlet of the package from the nipple of its respective pump.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein at least some of the packages comprises a flexible bag.

23. The pump of claim 18 wherein the nipple accommodates a check valve that permits flow from the package through the inlet port and not vice versa.

24. The pump of claim 18 wherein the valve block further comprises an intake passage and an output passage, the intake and output passages of the valve block being disposed within the piston port,

in the intake position, the valve stem blocks the output passage of the valve block and the valve block blocks the output passage of the valve stem and the intake passage of the valve stem is in alignment with the intake passage of the valve block thereby permitting flow from the package, through the nipple, through intake passages of the valve stem and valve block and into the cylinder,

in the dispense position, the valve stem blocks the intake passage of the valve block and the valve block blocks the intake passage of the valve stem and the output passage of the valve stem is in alignment with the output passage of the valve block thereby permitting flow from the cylinder, through the output passages of the valve block and valve stem and out the valve stem.

25. The pump of claim 18 wherein the valve block is free of check valves.

26. The pump of claim 18 wherein the valve stem is free of check valves.

27. The pump of claim 18 wherein the valve block, valve stem, cylinder and piston are all capable of being sanitized.

28. The pump of claim 18 wherein the cosmetic ingredient package comprises a flexible bag.