Discharge device with discharge stroke which reduces volume of media and dosage chambers

• US 8,348,096 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aptar Radolfzell GmbH (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ing. Erich Pfeiffer GmbH (AptarGroup Incorporated)
• Inventors: Greiner-Perth, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buechner, Patrick M
• Application Number:
  US12/798,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20100252581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 128/203.28, 222/41, 222/47, 222/49, 222/50, 222/105, 222/207, 222209-212, 222/214, 222/319, 222/320, 222/321.1, 222/321.2, 222/321.5, 222/321.6, 222/339, 222377-380, 222/383.1, 222/385, 222/386.5, 222/398, 222/162, 222/321.9, 222/386, 239/73, 239/323, 239/338, 239/350, 604/246, 604/298, 604/407
• US Class Current: 222/50
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0067 having a valve seat located downstream the valve element
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/026 Membranes separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1004 comprising a movable cylinder and a stationary piston
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/107 Gate valves; Sliding valves

Abstract

A discharge device for liquid media having housing sections movable relative to one another along a total stroke between a non-actuated rest position and an actuated end position and together forming a manual actuating device. A media reservoir stores the medium prior to discharge, and a conveying device includes a discharge opening and a dosage chamber. The actuating and conveying devices are operatively coupled such that during a first partial stroke of the discharge actuation starting from the rest position the media reservoir and the dosage chamber are in communicating connection and during a second partial stroke of the discharge actuation following the first partial stroke the media reservoir and the dosage chamber are separated, the volume of the dosage chamber and the media reservoir being reduced by the second partial stroke of the discharge actuation.

Claims

1. A discharge device for a liquid media, having

first and second housing sections movable relative to one another along a total stroke between a non-actuated rest position and an actuated end position and together forming an actuating device for manual discharge actuation,

a media reservoir for storage of liquid media prior to discharge, the media reservoir containing liquid media and having a liquid-free portion containing air, the media reservoir being partially limited by:

a first wall which is stationary relative to the first housing section;

a second wall which is stationary relative to the second housing section; and

a third wall formed by a variable-shape intermediate component fastened to the first housing section and to the second housing section, and

a conveying device with a discharge opening and a dosage chamber,

wherein the actuating device and the conveying device are operatively coupled such that

during a first partial stroke of the manual discharge actuation starting from the rest position the media reservoir and the dosage chamber are in communicating connection, and

during a second partial stroke of the manual discharge actuation following the first partial stroke the media reservoir and the dosage chamber are separated from one another, while the volume of the dosage chamber is reduced by the second partial stroke of the manual discharge actuation such that the media is pressed out of the dosage chamber to the discharge opening, the media reservoir being operatively coupled with the actuating device such that the manual discharge actuation of the actuating device during the second partial stroke, simultaneously with the reduction of the volume of dosage chamber, causes a volume reduction of the media reservoir by compressing the air in the media reservoir.

2. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge device is designed such that a reduction of the liquid media contained in the media reservoir and/or of the air contained in the media reservoir causes a reduced distance between the first and second housing sections in the rest position.

3. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein

the media reservoir is connected to an environment only indirectly via the dosage chamber, and

an outlet valve is provided between the dosage chamber and the discharge opening which prevents any inflow of air into the dosage chamber through the discharge opening.

4. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein a scale or an indicator is provided in a contact area of the first and second housing sections by which the respective positions of the first and second housing sections relative to one another can be measured.

5. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate component is connected in an all-round sealing manner to the first housing section and to the second housing section.

6. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate component is elastic and in the end position applies a force to the first and second housing sections, said force pushing the first and second housing sections in the direction of the rest position.

7. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate component comprises a bellows.

8. The discharge device according to claim 7, wherein the bellows has a pair of open ends on respective opposite sides thereof, one of the open ends being connected in a generally circular manner to the first housing section and the other of the open ends being connected in a generally circular manner to the second housing section.

9. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein

the dosage chamber is formed by a cavity provided in one of the first and second housing sections that is open in the direction of the other of the first and second housing sections, and

a piston section is provided on the other of the first and second housing sections and is designed to be in all-round contact with a rim of the cavity during the manual discharge actuation and during a transition from the first partial stroke to the second partial stroke to thereby separate the dosage chamber from the media reservoir.

10. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the dosage chamber is arranged relative to the media reservoir such that the media from the media reservoir flows into the dosage chamber as a result of the weight of the media when there is a communicating connection between the dosage chamber and the media reservoir.

11. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second housing sections are guided in a manner permitting movement relative to one another by direct contact.

12. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the first housing section comprises the discharge opening and the second housing section comprises a bottom of the discharge device.

13. A discharge device for a liquid media comprising:

a discharge opening for discharging liquid media from said discharge device;

a dosage chamber;

first and second housing sections movably disposed relative to one another for manual actuation along a total stroke between a non-actuated rest position wherein liquid media is contained within said discharge device and an actuated end position wherein liquid media is discharged from said dosage chamber through said discharge opening;

a deformable intermediate section disposed between and interconnecting said first and second housing sections, said intermediate section having an hollow interior; and

a media reservoir for storage of liquid media prior to discharge from said discharge opening and containing both liquid media and air, said first housing section, said second housing section and said hollow interior of said intermediate section all defining respective portions of said media reservoir, said media reservoir and said dosage chamber being in fluid communication with one another during manual actuation of said first and second housing sections along a first partial stroke starting from said non-actuated rest position, said media reservoir and said dosage chamber being out of fluid communication with one another during manual actuation of said first and second housing sections along a second partial stroke following said first partial stroke, a volume of each of said dosage chamber and said media reservoir being reduced during said second partial stroke such that the liquid media in said dosage chamber is forced out of said dosage chamber and through said discharge opening and such that the air in said media reservoir is compressed.

14. The discharge device according to claim 13, wherein said first housing section includes a cavity which defines said dosage chamber and said second housing section includes a piston non-movably connected thereto, wherein during a transition from said first partial stroke to said second partial stroke said piston contacts a portion of said first housing section disposed adjacent said cavity and separates said cavity from said media reservoir to prevent fluid communication therebetween.

15. The discharge device of claim 14, wherein said piston has a first end non-movably connected to said second housing section and a second end disposed in said first housing section adjacent said cavity, said portion of said first housing section defining an annular shoulder located within and defining part of said cavity and said first housing section including an end wall which defines a lower extent of said cavity, said second end of said piston being disposed in contact with said annular shoulder during the transition from said first partial stroke to said second partial stroke and moving towards said end wall during said second partial stroke, and said second end of said piston being disposed in contact with said end wall at an end of said total stroke.

16. The discharge device of claim 14, wherein said piston defines therein a channel in fluid communication with said discharge opening and said cavity, wherein liquid media is discharged from said cavity through said channel and outwardly through said discharge opening during said second partial stroke.

17. The discharge device of claim 13, wherein said first housing section includes said dosage chamber and said second housing section includes said discharge opening.

18. The discharge device of claim 13, wherein said intermediate section comprises a bellows connected adjacent one end portion thereof to said first housing section and connected adjacent another end portion thereof to said second housing section, said bellows and the air in said media reservoir compressing during movement of said first and second housing sections towards one another from said rest position to said actuated end position, said bellows and the air in said media reservoir decompressing upon the cessation of manual actuation and exerting a resetting force on said first and second housing sections towards said rest position.