Angled slot foam dispenser

• US 8,272,539 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OP hygiene IP Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Gotohti.Com Inc.
• Inventors: Ophardt, Heiner, Jones, Andrew, McDonagh, Padraig, Shi, Zhenchun (Tony)
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Tracie Y
• Application Number:
  US12/314,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20090145296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 222/181.3, 222/321.1, 417/259, 417/262, 417/491, 417/495
• US Class Current: 222/181.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1207 Dispensing from the bottom of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/14 Foam or lather making devices for shaving A45D27/02
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1097 with means for sucking back the liquid or other fluent material in the nozzle after a dispensing stroke
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0037 including sieves, porous members or the like

Abstract

The present invention provides a piston pump for liquid in which a sump is defined in a chamber into which sump liquid in the chamber flows due to gravity. A passageway leads from an outlet of the sump out of the chamber to a dispensing outlet. The dispensing outlet is at a height below the height of the sump outlet and fluid to exit the sump flows from the sump outlet upwardly in a first portion of the passageway to a height above the sump outlet then downwardly to the dispensing outlet. The chamber and its sump is defined between a piston chamber-forming member defining the chamber to be downwardly opening and a piston forming element axially slidable in the chamber.

Claims

1. A piston pump assembly having a first pump comprising

a piston chamber-forming member having a first chamber disposed about a first central axis and having a cylindrical side wall,

an axially outer open end of the first chamber being open downwardly,

a piston-forming element received in the first chamber axially slidable inwardly and outwardly therein between an outward extended position and an inward retracted position,

the piston-forming element having an axially extending stem,

a first disc spanning radially between the stem and the first chamber side wall preventing fluid flow outwardly there past,

a passageway through the stem providing communication from inside the first chamber outwardly past the first disc through the outer open end of the first chamber,

the passageway opening at an outer opening in the first chamber and at an outlet outwardly of the first disc,

the passageway having a central passageway portion and an inlet passageway portion,

the central passageway portion extending through the stem along the central axis, the central portion passageway extending inwardly from the outlet along the central axis to an inner end disposed at a height above the outlet,

the inlet passageway portion extending through the stem along an inlet axis which extends radially outwardly and axially outwardly relative the central axis, the inlet passageway portion opening into the central passageway portion at an inner opening proximate the inner end, the inlet passageway portion extending from the inner opening downwardly through the stem about the inlet axis to the outer opening

the outer opening disposed at a height below the inner opening, and

the outer opening disposed at a height above the outlet.

2. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the stem comprises a generally cylindrical central tubular member about the first central axis defining the inlet passageway portion of the passageway therein with the outlet of the passageway at an outermost end of the central tubular member,

the central tubular member carrying a branch tubular member extending from the central tubular member radially outwardly and axially outwardly about the inlet axis,

the branch tubular member defining the inlet passageway portion of the passageway therein with the outer opening of the passageway at an outermost end of the branch tubular member.

3. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first disc is carried on the stem and extending radially outwardly from the stem for engagement with the first chamber side wall to prevent fluid flow outwardly therepast.

4. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

in reciprocal sliding of the piston-forming element in the first chamber in a cycle of operation including an inward stroke from the extended position to the retracted position and an outward stroke from the retracted position to the outward position, in one of the inward stroke and outward stroke fluid in the first chamber is displaced from inside the first chamber through the passageway to exit via the outlet, and in the other of the inward stroke and outward stroke fluid is drawn through the outlet into the first chamber via the passageway.

5. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

the first chamber in normal use during or after operation to dispense fluid from the outlet by reciprocal sliding of the piston forming element relative the piston chamber-forming member both air from the atmosphere and liquid from a reservoir become simultaneously disposed in the first chamber,

the piston pump assembly including a foam generator disposed in the passageway comprising a porous member for generating turbulence in fluid passing there through to generate foam when air and liquid pass there through simultaneously, and

the piston pump assembly includes a liquid pump for providing liquid from the reservoir via a liquid outlet into the first chamber,

the liquid capable of foaming.

6. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein:

the liquid pump having a liquid outlet one way valve across the liquid outlet permitting flow outwardly and preventing flow inwardly.

7. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein:

the liquid pump is defined by the piston chamber-forming member having a liquid chamber and with the piston-forming element having a liquid disc received in the liquid chamber,

the liquid chamber disposed about the central axis and having a cylindrical liquid chamber side wall,

the liquid chamber having a liquid chamber inlet opening into the first chamber to the liquid chamber in communication with liquid from a liquid reservoir,

a liquid chamber inlet one way valve across the liquid chamber inlet permitting liquid flow therethrough outwardly into the liquid chamber,

the liquid outlet comprising an outlet from the liquid chamber,

the liquid disc received in the liquid chamber axially between the liquid chamber inlet and the liquid outlet, the liquid disc axially slidable with the piston-forming element inwardly and outwardly in the liquid chamber,

the liquid disc extending radially outwardly for engagement with the liquid chamber side wall to prevent fluid flow outwardly therepast,

wherein in reciprocal sliding of the liquid disc of the piston-forming element axially inwardly and outwardly in the liquid chamber in one stroke liquid is drawn from the liquid reservoir through the liquid chamber inlet into the liquid chamber, and in an opposite stroke, liquid in the liquid chamber is displaced from inside the liquid chamber out through the liquid outlet,

in reciprocal sliding of the liquid disc of the piston-forming element axially inwardly and outwardly in the liquid chamber in a cycle of operation (a) in a first of the inward stroke and the outward stroke simultaneously (i) fluid in the first chamber is displaced from inside the first chamber through the passageway to exit via the outlet and (ii) liquid is drawn from the liquid reservoir through the liquid inlet into the liquid chamber, and (b) in an opposite second of the inward stroke and outward stroke simultaneously (i) fluid is drawn through the outlet into the first chamber via the passageway and (ii) liquid in the liquid chamber is displaced from inside the liquid chamber out through the liquid outlet.

8. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 7 wherein one or both of the first chamber and the liquid chamber comprises a stepped cylinder.

9. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first pump and liquid pump are out of phase with, in reciprocal sliding of the piston-forming element axially inwardly and outwardly in a cycle of operation, (a) in a first of the inward stroke and the outward stroke simultaneously (i) fluid comprising air and liquid in the first chamber is displaced from inside the first chamber through the passageway to exit via the outlet, and (ii) liquid is drawn from the liquid reservoir into the liquid chamber, and (b) in an opposite, second of the inward stroke and the outward stroke simultaneously (i) fluid comprising air and liquid is drawn through the outlet into the first chamber via the passageway, and (ii) liquid in the liquid chamber is displaced from inside the liquid chamber out through the liquid outlet.

10. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first pump and liquid pump are in phase with, in reciprocal sliding of the piston-forming element axially inwardly and outwardly in a cycle of operation, (a) in a first of the inward stroke and the outward stroke simultaneously (i) fluid comprising air and liquid in the first chamber is displaced from inside the first chamber through the passageway to exit via the outlet, and (ii) liquid in the liquid chamber is displaced from inside the liquid chamber out through the liquid outlet, and (b) in an opposite, second of the inward stroke and the outward stroke simultaneously (i) fluid comprising air and liquid is drawn through the outlet into the first chamber via the passageway, and (ii) liquid is drawn from the liquid reservoir inlet into the liquid chamber.

11. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the outlet is at a height below a height of fluid in the chamber, the chamber is always open to the outlet, and the chamber is in operation to simultaneously have both liquid and air in the chamber.

12. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein in operation of the first pump, fluid between the chamber and the outlet is drawn back into the chamber via the passageway.

13. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the first pump is adapted to dispense from the outlet the liquid admixed with air as foam and in operation of the first pump fluid including foam between the chamber and the outlet is drawn back into the chamber via the passageway.

14. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein the chamber and passageway form a sump into which liquid in the chamber will flow due to gravity with a sump volume being a volume of fluid which can be accommodated in the sump without overflow out the passageway to the outlet due to gravity being defined by the cumulative volume in the chamber and in the passageway below the upper end.

15. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 14 in which the chamber has a chamber volume sufficient to accommodate any fluid in the chamber at the end of the draw back, plus any foam drawn back into the chamber via the passageway from between the chamber and the outlet, and with the sump volume being at least equal to the liquid in the chamber at the end of the draw back plus liquid resulting if all foam drawn back into the chamber was to coalesce into liquid.

17. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein

the inlet axis is in a flat plane including the central axis,

the inlet axis in extending radially outwardly and axially outwardly relative the central axis is in the flat plane disposed at an angle to the central axis.

18. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 17 wherein the inlet passageway portion is circular in any cross-section normal to the inlet axis.

19. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein

the inlet axis is in a flat plane including the central axis,

the inlet axis in extending radially outwardly and axially outwardly relative the central axis is in the flat plane disposed at an angle to the central axis.

20. A piston pump assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

the inner opening including an axially outermost portion where the inner opening opens into the central passageway portion,

the outlet opening having an axially innermost portion where the outer opening opens into the first chamber,

the axially innermost portion of the outer opening disposed at a height below the axially outermost portion of the inner opening.

16. In a piston pump for dispensing fluids including liquid from a chamber out an outlet which is at a height below a height of fluid in the chamber, and in which the chamber is always open to the outlet and the chamber is in operation to simultaneously have both liquid and air in the chamber,

the chamber defined between a piston chamber-forming member and a piston-forming element reciprocally slidable therein, the outlet provided on the piston-forming element, the improvement comprising a passageway through the piston-forming element from the chamber to the outlet, the passageway open to the chamber at an outer opening at a first height,

the passageway having a central passageway portion and an inlet passageway portion,

the central passageway portion extending through the stem coaxially along the central axis, the central passageway portion extending inwardly from the outlet coaxially along the central axis to a closed inner end disposed at a height above the outlet,

the inlet passageway portion extending downwardly through the stem from the central passageway portion to the chamber,

the inlet passageway portion opening into the central passageway portion at an upper end proximate the closed inner end,

the inlet passageway portion opening into the chamber at the outer opening,

an inlet axis which extends radially outwardly and axially outwardly from the central axis between the upper end of the inlet portion and the outer opening,

the inlet passageway portion extending from the central passageway portion downwardly through the stem about the inlet axis to the chamber,

the upper end at a second height higher than the first height and at a height above a height of the outlet.