Engagement flange for removable dispenser cartridge
First Claim
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1. A dispenser for dispensing fluid comprising:
- a housing,a replaceable cartridge containing material to be dispensed, the cartridge comprises;
(a) a fluid containing reservoir having an outlet, and(b) a valving mechanism disposed across the outlet for dispensing fluid from the reservoir,the housing supporting the cartridge in a dispensing position,the cartridge being insertable into said housing to assume said dispensing position for dispensing fluid and removable therefrom for replacement,the housing including a catch member,the cartridge including an engagement mechanism disposed about an axis to engage the catch member and releasably couple the cartridge to the housing in a coupled orientation,the engagement mechanism comprising a resilient member extending radially outwardly from the cartridge in an unbiased inherent configuration, the resilient member being resiliently deflectable radially from the inherent configuration to deflected configurations of different radial extents than the inherent configuration and biased to return to the inherent configuration when deflected from the inherent configuration,the valving mechanism comprising a reciprocally movable element for reciprocal movement along the axis relative to the housing when the reservoir is in the dispensing position to dispense fluid,the housing including an actuator mechanism for actuating the reciprocally movable element, the actuator mechanism movable relative the housing between a first position and a second position, the actuator mechanism carrying the catch member,the movable element carrying the engagement mechanism to engage the catch member and releasably couple the movable element to the actuator mechanism in the coupled orientation in which movement of the actuator mechanism between the first position and the second position results in axial reciprocal movement of the movable element,the movable element having a fluid discharge passageway axially therethrough through which fluid from the reservoir is dispensed axially through the movable element, the discharge passageway having an inner end which receives fluid from the outlet of the reservoir and an outer end out of which fluid is dispensed,wherein from the coupled orientation on moving the cartridge radially relative the catch member engagement between the catch member and the resilient member deflects the resilient member radially from the inherent configuration to one of the deflected configurations permitting the resilient member and catch member to move radially from the coupled orientation to a radial uncoupled orientation in which the cartridge may be removed from the housing,in the coupled orientation the resilient member while in the inherent configuration engaging with the catch member to prevent moving the movable element radially relative the catch member from the coupled orientation to the radial uncoupled orientation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved arrangement for removably coupling a replaceable cartridge to a housing of a dispenser with the cartridge including a resilient member which prevents radial movement relative a catch member of the housing from a coupled orientation unless the resilient member is deflected from an unbiased inherent configuration.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A dispenser for dispensing fluid comprising:
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a housing, a replaceable cartridge containing material to be dispensed, the cartridge comprises; (a) a fluid containing reservoir having an outlet, and (b) a valving mechanism disposed across the outlet for dispensing fluid from the reservoir, the housing supporting the cartridge in a dispensing position, the cartridge being insertable into said housing to assume said dispensing position for dispensing fluid and removable therefrom for replacement, the housing including a catch member, the cartridge including an engagement mechanism disposed about an axis to engage the catch member and releasably couple the cartridge to the housing in a coupled orientation, the engagement mechanism comprising a resilient member extending radially outwardly from the cartridge in an unbiased inherent configuration, the resilient member being resiliently deflectable radially from the inherent configuration to deflected configurations of different radial extents than the inherent configuration and biased to return to the inherent configuration when deflected from the inherent configuration, the valving mechanism comprising a reciprocally movable element for reciprocal movement along the axis relative to the housing when the reservoir is in the dispensing position to dispense fluid, the housing including an actuator mechanism for actuating the reciprocally movable element, the actuator mechanism movable relative the housing between a first position and a second position, the actuator mechanism carrying the catch member, the movable element carrying the engagement mechanism to engage the catch member and releasably couple the movable element to the actuator mechanism in the coupled orientation in which movement of the actuator mechanism between the first position and the second position results in axial reciprocal movement of the movable element, the movable element having a fluid discharge passageway axially therethrough through which fluid from the reservoir is dispensed axially through the movable element, the discharge passageway having an inner end which receives fluid from the outlet of the reservoir and an outer end out of which fluid is dispensed, wherein from the coupled orientation on moving the cartridge radially relative the catch member engagement between the catch member and the resilient member deflects the resilient member radially from the inherent configuration to one of the deflected configurations permitting the resilient member and catch member to move radially from the coupled orientation to a radial uncoupled orientation in which the cartridge may be removed from the housing, in the coupled orientation the resilient member while in the inherent configuration engaging with the catch member to prevent moving the movable element radially relative the catch member from the coupled orientation to the radial uncoupled orientation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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2. A dispenser as claimed in 1 wherein:
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the catch member having a central cavity formed therein coaxially about the axis, and wherein in the coupled orientation the movable element located coaxially within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20)
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6. A dispenser as claimed in 5 wherein:
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the catch member including an axial entranceway extending circumferentially about the axis axially into the cavity for passage of the movable element in moving from an axial uncoupled orientation in which the movable element is axially aligned with the cavity axially spaced therefrom to the coupled orientation, the entranceway having a diametrical extent which permits movement of the movable element axially relative the catch member through the entranceway when the resilient member is in one of the deflected configurations yet preventing movement of the movable element axially relative the catch member through the entranceway when the resilient member is in the inherent configuration. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A dispenser as claimed in 7 wherein:
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the resilient member comprises a plurality of resilient finger members spaced circumferentially of the axis about the movable element, each finger member coupled to the movable element at a radially inner end of the finger member and extending radially outwardly to a distal end portion, each, finger member assuming in the inherent configuration an unbiased position, each finger member being resiliently deformable from its unbiased position to biased positions;
(a) in which the distal end portion is moved radially inwardly sufficiently to let the distal end portions move radially through the radial exitway of the catch member in a radial direction, and (b) in which the said distal end portions is moved radially inwardly sufficiently to let the distal end portions move axially through the axial entranceway of the catch member in an axial direction.
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11. A dispenser as claimed in 1 wherein the resilient member comprises an annular ring member about the axis,
one or more axially extending slots are provided in the annular ring member assisting deflection of the resilient member from the unbiased inherent configuration to the deflected configurations, wherein each slot is selected from the group consisting of: - (a) a slot which extends axially through the resilient member, and (b) a slot which extends axially from an axially open end of the slot on an axially directed surface on the resilient member to a blind end of the slot in the resilient member.
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12. A dispenser as claimed in 1 wherein the resilient member comprises an annular ring member about the axis,
an axially extending annular slot provided in the annular ring member assisting deflection of the resilient member from the unbiased inherent configuration to the deflected configurations, the slot extending axially from an axially open end of the slot on an axially directed surface on the resilient member to a blind end of the slot in the resilient member, and the slot extending annularly about the axis, and the slot defined between a pair of radially spaced opposed slot side walls with each side wall extending from the blind end to the open end, wherein in deflection of the resilient member from the unbiased inherent configuration to the deflected configurations the spaced side walls are displaced relative to each other.
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13. A dispenser as claimed in 1 wherein:
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the catch member having a central cavity formed therein coaxially about the axis, and wherein in the coupled orientation the movable element located coaxially within the cavity, the catch member including a radial exitway extending radially from the cavity for passage of the movable element in moving from the coupled orientation to the radial uncoupled orientation, the exitway having a circumferential extent relative the axis which permits movement of the movable element radially relative the catch member through the exitway when the resilient member is in one of the deflected configurations yet preventing movement of the movable element radially relative the catch member through the exitway when the resilient member is in the inherent configuration, the resilient member comprises a plurality of resilient finger members spaced circumferentially of the axis about the movable element, each finger member coupled to the movable element at a radially inner end of the finger member and extending radially outwardly to a distal end portion, each finger member assuming in the inherent configuration an unbiased position, each finger member being resiliently deformable from its unbiased position to biased positions;
(a) in which the distal end portion is moved radially inwardly sufficiently to let the distal end portions move radially through the radial exitway of the catch member in a radial direction, and (b) in which the said distal end portions is moved radially inwardly sufficiently to let the distal end portions move axially through the axial entranceway of the catch member in an axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification