Pumping dispenser

• US 8,746,510 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cittadino, Antonio M., Byl, Carolyn C., Wilcox, Matthew T., Paal, Alan P., Budz, Gregory D., Cornell, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nicolas, Frederick C
• Application Number:
  US13/610,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20130001247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 222/23, 222/52, 222/63, 222156-158, 222/333, 222/181.3, 222/181.2, 222/183, 222/181.1, 222/325, 222/385, 222/105, 222/321.7, 402/990.1
• US Class Current: 222/183
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1047 the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container

Abstract

A device for dispensing a flowable material is disclosed. The device includes a container holding the flowable material therein and a pumping assembly attached to the container. The pumping assembly includes a pump and a placard portion configured for displaying viewable information thereon associated with the flowable material.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing a flowable material, the device comprising:

a container holding the flowable material therein;

a pumping assembly comprising a pump, a collar portion, and a placard portion configured for displaying viewable information associated with the flowable material, the pumping assembly being attached to the container;

a housing cover enclosing the container and the pumping assembly, wherein the housing cover allows viewing of the placard portion; and

a chassis portion, wherein the collar portion is removably attached to the housing cover and to the chassis portion.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the viewable information on the placard portion comprises one of a plurality of colors indicating at least one of a type of the flowable material, an efficacy of the flowable material for a particular purpose, an attribute of the flowable material, and a type of facility that the flowable material can be used.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the flowable material comprises at least one of a liquid soap, a liquid lotion, a sanitizer liquid, and an antimicrobial liquid.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing cover comprises a transparent or translucent region for allowing viewing of the placard portion.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing cover comprises a transparent region for allowing viewing of the placard portion.

6. A pumping assembly adapted for use with a device for dispensing flowable material, the pumping assembly comprising:

a pump and a collar portion;

a placard portion disposed in physical communication with the pump, wherein the placard portion comprises viewable information indicating at least one of the following;

a type of flowable material, an efficacy of flowable material for a particular purpose, an attribute of flowable material, and a type of facility that the flowable material can be used;

a housing cover enclosing the pumping assembly, wherein the housing cover allows viewing of the placard portion; and

a chassis portion, wherein the collar portion is removably attached to the housing cover and the chassis portion.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the housing cover comprises a transparent or translucent region for allowing viewing of the placard portion.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the housing cover comprises a transparent region for allowing viewing of the placard portion.

9. A dispenser apparatus for dispensing a flowable material, the apparatus comprising:

a pumping assembly comprising a pump, a pump cover, a chassis portion, and a collar portion;

the collar portion being removably attached to the pump cover and to the chassis portion;

at least a portion of the pump being disposed within the pump cover; and

the pump being captivated between the pump cover and the collar portion;

wherein the pump cover comprises a placard portion disposed inside of the dispenser apparatus and configured for displaying viewable information thereon associated with the flowable material.

10. The dispenser apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the pumping assembly further comprises a container holding the flowable material therein, the container being removably coupled to at least one of the pump and the pump cover via a seal.

11. The dispenser apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the collar portion is removably attached to the pump cover via at least one snap-fit engagement feature.

12. The dispenser apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the collar portion is removably attached to the chassis portion via at least one snap-fit engagement feature.

13. The dispenser apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a housing cover movably coupled to the chassis portion; and

wherein the housing cover comprises a transparent or translucent region for allowing viewing of the placard portion.

14. The dispenser apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the pumping assembly further comprises a container holding the flowable material therein, the container being securely coupled to at least one of the pump and the pump cover via a seal in such a manner as to cause damage to at least one of the container and the pumping assembly in response to separation or attempted separation of the container from the pumping assembly.