Water-driven dispensing systems employing concentrated product

• US 8,851,335 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Ciavarella, Nick E., Metcalfe, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buechner, Patrick M
• Application Number:
  US13/448,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20130270300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 137/564.5, 222/133, 222/190, 222/334, 222/63, 222/173, 222/325, 222/145.6, 222/335, 222/373, 222/372, 222/129.2, 222/61
• US Class Current: 222/325
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1205 Dispensing from the top of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1211 using pressure on soap, e.g. with piston A47K5/1201 takes precedence; by squeezing A47K5/122
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/14 Foam or lather making devices for shaving A45D27/02

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing a diluted form of a concentrated product includes: a supply of concentrated product; a dilution chamber; an actuation assembly and a product pump mechanism having a water staging chamber. The actuation assembly receives water under pressure from a pressurized water supply. In a staging state, water from the pressurized water supply is fed to the water staging chamber, increasing the volume thereof and causing the actuating of the pump mechanism thereby driving a dose of product into the dilution chamber. In a return state, (a) water within the water staging chamber exits the water staging chamber, (b) water is advanced to the dilution chamber and mixes with the dose of product to create diluted product, and (c) a dose of concentrated product is drawn from the supply of concentrated product into the product pump mechanism.

Claims

1. A refill unit for a product dispenser, the refill unit comprising:

a supply of concentrated product;

a dilution chamber having an inlet for said concentrated product and an inlet for water;

a product pump mechanism including;

a product chamber that fluidly communicates with said supply of concentrated product and fluidly communicates with said dilution chamber, said product chamber structured to decrease in volume upon actuation of said product pump mechanism to thereby drive a dose of product from said product chamber toward said dilution chamber, said product chamber further structured to increase in volume after actuation of said product pump mechanism to thereby draw a dose of product from said supply of concentrated product into said product chamber, wherein said supply of concentrated product, said dilution chamber, said product pump and said product chamber form an entire unit suitable for removal and replacement as a unit from a product dispenser.

2. The refill unit of claim 1, wherein said concentrated product is concentrated soap.

3. The refill unit of claim 1, wherein said dilution chamber includes a tortuous mixing path having a soap inlet, a water inlet and an exit.

4. The refill unit of claim 1, wherein the product chamber is defined by a plug maintained in a plug housing.

5. The refill unit of claim 1, wherein said product chamber is defined by a flexible dome moveable toward a base to decrease the volume of said product chamber.

6. The refill unit of claim 1, further comprising a housing, said supply of concentrated product and said product pump mechanism being held within said housing.

7. The refill unit of claim 6, wherein said housing is faucet-shaped to provide a common faucet-type appearance in use in a counter-mounted product dispenser.

8. The refill unit of claim 6, further comprising a dispensing tube fluidly communicating with said dilution chamber and extending through said housing to a dispensing outlet.

9. The refill unit of claim 8, further comprising a foaming chamber, said dilution chamber fluidly communicating with said foaming chamber.

10. The refill unit of claim 9, further comprising an air inlet communicating with an air passage that bypasses said dilution chamber to fluidly communicate with said foaming chamber.

11. A refill unit for a product dispenser, the refill unit comprising:

a supply of concentrated product;

a dilution chamber having an inlet for said concentrated product and an inlet for water;

a product pump mechanism including;

a product chamber that fluidly communicates with said supply of concentrated product and fluidly communicates with said dilution chamber, said product chamber structured to decrease in volume upon actuation of said product pump mechanism to thereby drive a dose of product from said product chamber toward said dilution chamber, said product chamber further structured to increase in volume after actuation of said product pump mechanism to thereby draw a dose of product from said supply of concentrated product into said product chamber, further comprising a retention plate member having a piston aperture therein, said piston aperture providing access to said product chamber.

12. A dispenser for dispensing a diluted form of a concentrated product, the dispenser comprising:

a supply of concentrated product;

a dilution chamber;

a product pump mechanism including;

a product chamber that fluidly communicates with said supply of concentrated product and fluidly communicates with said dilution chamber, and

a water staging chamber; and

an actuation assembly having a rest state, a staging state and a return state, said actuation assembly receiving water under pressure from a pressurized water supply, wherein, in said staging state, water from said pressurized water supply is fed to said water staging chamber, increasing the volume thereof and causing the actuating of said pump mechanism by decreasing the volume of said product chamber and thereby driving a dose of product into said dilution chamber, and, in said return state, (a) water within said water staging chamber exits said water staging chamber, (b) water is advanced to said dilution chamber and mixes with said dose of product to create diluted product, and (c) said product chamber increases in volume and draws a dose of product from said supply of concentrated product into said product chamber.

13. The dispenser of claim 12, further comprising a housing, said supply of concentrated product and said product pump mechanism being held within said housing.

14. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein said actuation assembly includes a valved manifold, wherein, in said rest state, said valved manifold blocks the passage of water under pressure from said pressurized water source to said staging chamber, and, in said staging state, said valved manifold provides fluid communication between said staging chamber and the water under pressure from said pressurized water source, such that water under pressure from said pressurized water source enters said staging chamber, and, in said return state, said valved manifold provides fluid communication between said staging chamber and said dilution chamber, such that the water within said staging chamber advances toward said dilution chamber.

15. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein said housing, said supply of concentrated product, said dilution chamber and said product pump mechanism are provided in a refill unit that is removable as a unit from the dispenser so as to be replaced with a new refill unit.

16. The dispenser of claim 12, a dispensing tube fluidly communicating with said dilution chamber and extending to a dispensing outlet.

17. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein said product pump mechanism includes a piston assembly having a product piston reciprocally received in said product chamber said product piston being biased toward a rest position, and in said staging state, increasing the volume of said staging chamber results in the actuating of said pump mechanism by moving said product piston to decrease the volume of said product chamber and drive a dose of product into said dilution chamber.

18. The dispenser of claim 17, further comprising a plug in said product chamber, wherein said product piston contacts said plug to move said plug.

19. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein said actuation assembly includes a control rod reciprocally movable within a drive-water sleeve that holds water under pressure from said pressurized water supply, said control rod having a staging chamber inlet passage and a staging chamber outlet passage, wherein, in said rest state said control rod blocks the passage of water from said drive-water sleeve to said staging chamber, and, in said staging state, said control rod is moved so that said staging chamber inlet passage provides fluid communication between said staging chamber and the water within the said drive-water sleeve, such that water under pressure from said pressurized water supply enters said staging chamber, and, in said return state, said control rod is moved to be returned to its rest position and said staging chamber outlet passage provides fluid communication between said staging chamber and said dilution chamber, such that the water within said staging chamber advances through said staging chamber outlet passage toward said dilution chamber.

20. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein said actuation assembly is driven by a solenoid, gearbox or eccentric.

21. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein said actuation assembly includes a manually-driven plunger, said plunger operatively connected to said control rod such that manually pressing said plunger moves said control rod to said staging state.

22. The dispenser of claim 12, further comprising an air pump mechanism.

23. The dispenser of claim 22, further comprising a foaming chamber, said dilution chamber fluidly communicating with said foaming chamber.

24. The dispenser of claim 23, wherein said air pump mechanism includes:

an air chamber that fluidly communicates with ambient air and fluidly communicates with said foaming chamber, said foaming chamber receiving and mixing said diluted product and air from said air pump mechanism to create a foam product.