Split engagement flange for soap dispenser pump piston

• US 8,272,540 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OP hygiene IP Gmbh
• Original Assignee: Gotohti.Com Inc.
• Inventors: Ophardt, Heiner, Jones, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): NICHOLS II, ROBERT K
• Application Number:
  US13/067,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20110297701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 222/181.3, 222/325, 222/383.1, 222/518, 222/181.2, 2223216-3219, 222/509, 222524-525, 403/329, 239/602, 239/DIG.12, 239/600
• US Class Current: 222/321.8
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1207 Dispensing from the bottom of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/025 with manually operated pistons G01F19/005 takes precedence

Abstract

A piston pump having a piston element slidable in a piston-chamber forming member with an outer end of a hollow stem of the piston element extending outwardly from the piston-chamber forming member. By relative reciprocal sliding of the piston element relative the piston-chamber forming member fluid is discharged out the outer end of the stem of the piston element. The piston element includes resiliently deformable fingers carried on the stem extending radially outwardly from the stem to distal ends which provide a radially remote portion which is resiliently deformable between an unbiased position and deflected portions. The remote end portion extends circumferentially about the stem to provide in the unbiased position an outer radial extent of a constant radius about the stem.

Claims

1. A fluid pump comprising

a piston chamber forming member defining a chamber therein with an inner end and an open outer end, the inner end having a fluid inlet to be placed in fluid communication with a source of fluid,

a piston forming element received in the chamber of the piston chamber forming member axially slidable inwardly and outwardly therein,

the piston forming element having an axially extending hollow stem which extends out of the open outer end of the piston chamber forming member,

the stem having a central passageway ending at a discharge outlet,

the piston forming element cooperating with the piston chamber forming member whereby in a stroke of inward and outward reciprocal sliding of the piston forming element in the chamber of the piston chamber forming member between a retracted position and an extended position the piston forming element pumps fluid from the inner end through the piston chamber forming member via the passageway in the stem and out the discharge outlet,

an engagement mechanism on the piston forming element adapted for coupling to an actuator for sliding of the piston forming element relative the piston chamber forming member,

the engagement mechanism extending radially outwardly from the stem outwardly of the open outer end of the chamber,

the engagement member comprising a resilient member extending radially outwardly from the stem in an unbiased inherent position, the resilient member being resiliently deflectable radially from the unbiased inherent position to a deflected position of a different radial extent than the unbiased inherent position and biased to return to the unbiased inherent position when deflected away from the unbiased inherent position toward the deflected position,

the resilient member including a radially remote end portion deflectable away from the unbiased inherent position toward the deflected position to biased positions with the radially remote end portion resiliently deformable from the unbiased inherent position to the biased positions,

the remote end portion of the resilient member extending circumferentially about the stem having in the unbiased inherent position an outer radial extent of a constant radius coaxially about the stem.

2. A pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radial extent of the resilient member in the deflected position is less than the radial extent of the resilient member in the unbiased inherent position.

3. A pump as claimed in claim 2, wherein the resilient member comprises a plurality of resilient finger members spaced circumferentially about the stem,

each finger member coupled to the stem at a radially inner end of the finger member and extending radially outwardly to a distal end of the finger member comprising the remote end portion on each finger member, each finger member being resiliently deformable from the unbiased inherent position to the biased positions.

4. A pump as claimed in claim 3 wherein axially directed surfaces of the distal end of each finger member comprises a camming surface for engagement to deflect the finger member radially.

5. A pump as claimed in claim 4 wherein a stop flange is provided on the stem axially spaced from the finger members, each finger member extending axially from its inner end to its distal end axially toward the stop flange.

6. A pump as claimed in claim 3 wherein each resilient finger member extends axially inwardly from its radially inner end to its distal end,

each finger member having an axially outwardly and radially outwardly directed camming surface for engagement to move the finger member radially inwardly,

each finger member having an axially inwardly facing catch surface axially inwardly of the radially outwardly directed camming surface.

7. A pump as claimed in claim 6 wherein the piston forming element comprises an element injection molded from plastic and having the resilient members formed from plastic as an integral element.

8. A pump as claimed in claim 6 wherein a stop flange is provided on the stem axially spaced inwardly from the distal ends of the resilient finger members,

the stop flange having an axially outwardly directed catch surface,

an annular radially outwardly opening slotway defined between the stop flange and the distal ends of the finger members.

9. A pump as claimed in claim 3 wherein the resilient finger members are formed from a plastic that loses its resiliency when deflected 25 times or less.

10. A pump as claimed in claim 3 wherein

each resilient finger member extends axially inwardly from its radially inner end to its distal end.

11. A pump as claimed in claim 10 wherein

each finger member having an axially outwardly and radially outwardly directed camming surface for engagement to move the finger member radially inwardly.

12. A pump as claimed in claim 10 wherein

each finger member having an axially inwardly facing catch surface axially inwardly of the radially outwardly directed camming surface.

13. A pump as claimed in claim 2, wherein the resilient member comprises a plurality of identical resilient finger members uniformly spaced circumferentially about the stem,

each finger member coupled to the stem at a radially inner end of the finger member and extending radially outwardly to a distal end of the finger member comprising the remote end portion on each finger member, each finger member being resiliently deformable from the unbiased inherent position to the biased positions.

14. A pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein the resilient finger members comprise an outer set of resilient outer finger members extending axially inwardly from their radially inner end to their distal end,

each outer finger member having an axially outwardly and radially outwardly directed camming surface for engagement to bias the outer finger member radially inwardly,

each outer finger member having an axially inwardly facing catch surface axially inwardly of the radially outwardly directed camming surface.

15. A pump as claimed in claim 14 wherein the resilient finger members further comprise an inner set of resilient inner finger members extending axially outwardly from their radially inner end to their distal end,

each inner finger member having an axially inwardly and radially outwardly directed camming surface for engagement to bias the inner finger member radially inwardly,

each inner finger member having an axially outwardly facing catch surface axially outwardly of the radially outwardly directed camming surface;

an annular radially outwardly opening slotway about the stem defined between the inwardly facing catch surfaces of the outer finger members and the outwardly facing catch surfaces of the inner finger members.

16. A pump as claimed in claim 14 wherein the resilient finger members are formed from a plastic that loses its resiliency when deflected 25 times or less.

17. A pump as claimed in claim 13 wherein the resilient finger members comprise an inner set of resilient inner finger members extending axially outwardly from their radially inner end to their distal end,

each inner finger member having an axially inwardly and radially outwardly directed camming surface for engagement to bias the inner finger member radially inwardly,

each inner finger member having an axially outwardly facing catch surface axially outwardly of the radially outwardly directed camming surface to engage the upper surface.