Dispenser with dual pump system

• US 8,083,103 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1Touch Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation US (Sealed Air)
• Inventors: LaFlamme, Roger J., Mileti, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas, Frederick C.
• Application Number:
  US12/046,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20080223875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 222 94- 95, 222/135, 222/136, 222/145.1, 222/145.5, 222/209, 222206-207, 222212-215, 222630-633, 222/491, 222/494, 222372-373, 222/383.1, 222/385
• US Class Current: 222/135
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1032 actuated without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke B05B11/103 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1084 each liquid or other fluent material being pumped by a separate pump
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3261 Flexible containers having several compartments

Abstract

A fluid dispenser is provided that includes a multiple chamber fluid storage region, each having a dispensing pump of its own such that the dispenser can dispense the fluids from within the multiple fluid storage regions. Further, the multiple fluid storage regions may each contain the same or different liquids. The dispensing pumps include a metering housing, which when depressed, generate a one-way flow from the interior fluid storage region of the container that serves to fill the predetermined volume of the chamber within the metering housing. When the metering housing is depressed a second time a substantially equal volume of each of the fluids is dispensed from the container, while upon release, the metering housings are refilled by drawing fluids from their respective fluid storage regions. The fluids are mixed in the exit port as they are dispensed from the metering pumps.

Claims

1. A fluid dispensing device, comprising:

a flexible pouch having a plurality of fluid reservoirs;

a plurality of metered dispensing pumps, each of the plurality of metered dispensing pumps in fluid communication with a respective one of the plurality of fluid reservoirs, configured to output a measured amount of fluid from the respective one of the plurality of fluid reservoirs, and comprising;

a hollow flexible button having an inner cavity,

the hollow flexible button being distortable from a first position to a second position and automatically returnable substantially to the first position,

the inner cavity of the hollow flexible button attached to an inlet port and an outlet port,

the inlet port being in fluid communication with the respective one of the plurality of fluid reservoirs,

the outlet port being in fluid communication with an exterior of the respective one of the plurality of fluid reservoirs,

the hollow flexible button being configured to draw fluid from the fluid reservoir through the inlet port and into the inner cavity when the hollow flexible button is returned from the second position to the first position,

the hollow flexible button being further configured to urge fluid from the inner cavity through the exit port when the hollow flexible button is distorted from the first position to the second position;

an exit aperture in fluid connection with each of the outlet ports through which the plurality of metered dispensing pumps deliver the measured amount of fluid from the plurality of fluid reservoirs.

2. The fluid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein for each of the plurality of metered dispensing pumps,

the inlet port between the respective one of the plurality of fluid reservoirs and the hollow flexible button is configured to permit unidirectional fluid flow from the respective one of the plurality of fluid reservoirs;

and

the outlet port, in fluid communication with the hollow flexible button and the exterior of the respective one of the plurality of fluid reservoirs is configured to permit unidirectional fluid flow of a volume of fluid substantially equal to a volume of the inner cavity from the inner cavity upon the hollow flexible button being distorted from the first position to the second position.

3. The fluid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the fluid in each of the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs is the same type of fluid as in others of the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs.

4. The fluid dispensing device of claim 3, wherein a user can selectively control an amount of fluid dispensed by depressing a selected number of the plurality of metered dispensing pumps.

5. The fluid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the fluid in each of the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs is a different type of fluid than in others of the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs.

6. The fluid dispensing device of claim 5, wherein the fluid output is mixed as the fluid output passes through the exit aperture.

7. The fluid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of metered dispensing pumps are positioned adjacent one another such that a user depresses the plurality of metered dispensing pumps simultaneously.

8. The fluid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs is a first and second fluid storage reservoir and the plurality of metered dispensing pumps is a first and second metered dispensing pump.

9. The fluid dispensing device of claim 8, wherein the fluid in the first fluid reservoir is the same type of fluid as in the second fluid reservoir.

10. The fluid dispensing device of claim 9, wherein a user can selectively control an amount of fluid dispensed by depressing one or both of the first and second metered dispensing pumps.

11. The fluid dispensing device of claim 8, wherein the fluid in the first fluid storage reservoir is a different type of fluid than in the second fluid storage reservoir.

12. The fluid dispensing device of claim 11, wherein the fluid output is mixed as the fluid output passes through the exit aperture.

13. The fluid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the flexible pouch and the plurality of fluid reservoirs are comprised of at least two film layers.

14. The fluid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the hollow flexible button is dome shaped.

15. The fluid dispensing device of claim 11, wherein the fluid output is mixed as the fluid output passes through the exit aperture.

16. A fluid dispensing device, comprising:

a flexible main body comprising at least two film layers, the at least two film layers further forming a plurality of fluid reservoirs;

a plurality of fluid conduits in the flexible main body, each of the plurality of fluid conduits extending from one of the plurality of fluid reservoirs to allow metered dispensing of fluid within the plurality of fluid reservoirs through a plurality of metered dispensing pumps attached to the plurality of fluid conduits;

each of the plurality of metered dispensing pumps comprising;

a hollow flexible button having an inner cavity;

the hollow flexible button distortable from a first position to a second position and automatically returnable substantially to the first position;

the inner cavity of the hollow flexible button in fluid communication to an intake port and an exit port;

the intake port also in fluid communication with the fluid conduit of the respective metered dispensing pump;

the exit port also in fluid communication with an exterior of the metered dispensing pumps respective fluid reservoir;

the flexible pump housing being configured to draw fluid from the fluid reservoir through the intake port and into the inner cavity when the hollow flexible button is returned from the second position to the first position; and

the flexible pump housing being further configured to urge fluid from the inner cavity through the exit port when the hollow flexible button is distorted from the first position to the second position; and

an exit aperture in fluid connection with each of the exit ports through which the plurality of metered dispensing pumps deliver the measured amount of fluid from the plurality of fluid reservoirs.

17. The fluid dispensing device of claim 16, wherein the fluid in each of the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs is the same type of fluid as in others of the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs.

18. The fluid dispensing device of claim 16, wherein the fluid in each of the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs is a different type of fluid than in others of the plurality of fluid storage reservoirs.

19. The fluid dispensing device of claim 18, wherein the fluid output is mixed as the fluid output passes through the exit aperture.

20. The fluid dispensing device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of metered dispensing pumps are positioned adjacent one another such that a user depresses the plurality of metered dispensing pumps simultaneously.

21. The fluid dispensing device of claim 20, wherein the fluid in the first and second fluid reservoirs is the same type of fluid.

22. The fluid dispensing device of claim 21, wherein the fluid in the first and second fluid storage reservoirs is a different type of fluid.

23. The fluid dispensing device of claim 16, wherein the hollow flexible button is dome shaped.

24. The fluid dispensing device of claim 16, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are made of a flexible material.

25. The fluid dispensing device of claim 16, wherein the hollow flexible button, the inlet port, and the outlet port are made of the same type of flexible material.

26. The fluid dispensing device of claim 16, wherein all the the flexible main body and the plurality of metered dispensing pumps are made of the same type of flexible material.