Selectable, multiple chamber container having single nozzle assembly
First Claim
1. An apparatus for dispensing a plurality of products, consisting of:
- a container;
a nozzle assembly coupled to the container having a single nozzle or orifice from which product is dispensed or sprayed from within one of two selectable bag-on-valve bags, wherein each bag is a pouch operable to isolate its contents from the contents in the other pouch;
two selectable bag-on-valve bags positioned within the container, said bag on valve bags manufactured from a mylar, polyethylene or polypropylene material having multiple layers of one or more flexible materials laminated together as an integral unit;
each of said bag-on-valve bags having a separate conduit from the interior thereof into the nozzle assembly, wherein the nozzle assembly has only one of 3 states;
(1) each conduit is simultaneously entirely closed, or (2) the conduit from the first bag-on-valve bag is entirely open for fluid communication with the single nozzle or orifice and the conduit from the second bag-on-valve bag is entirely closed to the single nozzle or orifice or (3) the conduit from the second bag-on-valve bag is entirely open for fluid communication with the single nozzle or orifice and the conduit from the first bag-on-valve bag is entirely closed to the single nozzle or orifice, the state of (1), (2) or (3) being determined by the position of the blocking/unblocking member via the switch/lever/dial;
an actuator appurtenant to the nozzle assembly operable to release product from the selected bag-on-valve bag;
a propellant sealed inside the container but external to the bag-on-valve bags; and
a switch/lever/dial movably coupled to the nozzle assembly and responsively coupled to a blocking/unblocking member, operable to open a conduit to the selected bag-on-valve bag from which the product is to be dispensed or sprayed when the actuator is depressed or otherwise actuated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A container, a support cup coupled to the top of the container, a nozzle orifice from which product is dispensed is integrated with a cap. A barrel is integrated in the cap in communication with the nozzle orifice. A valve assembly is supported by the support cup, the valve assembly having an outlet, the outlet directly or indirectly coupled to and in communication with the barrel, the valve assembly further having an inlet. Three are a plurality of chambers or bags, each having a bag outlet. A plurality of valve assembly inlets allows ingress into the valve assembly. A blocking member selectively blocks the pathway from a bag outlet to a corresponding valve assembly inlet. A selection switch/lever/dial integrated in the cap is operable to open a pathway through the valve assembly to the nozzle so as to release product from a selected bag.
23 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An apparatus for dispensing a plurality of products, consisting of:
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a container; a nozzle assembly coupled to the container having a single nozzle or orifice from which product is dispensed or sprayed from within one of two selectable bag-on-valve bags, wherein each bag is a pouch operable to isolate its contents from the contents in the other pouch; two selectable bag-on-valve bags positioned within the container, said bag on valve bags manufactured from a mylar, polyethylene or polypropylene material having multiple layers of one or more flexible materials laminated together as an integral unit; each of said bag-on-valve bags having a separate conduit from the interior thereof into the nozzle assembly, wherein the nozzle assembly has only one of 3 states;
(1) each conduit is simultaneously entirely closed, or (2) the conduit from the first bag-on-valve bag is entirely open for fluid communication with the single nozzle or orifice and the conduit from the second bag-on-valve bag is entirely closed to the single nozzle or orifice or (3) the conduit from the second bag-on-valve bag is entirely open for fluid communication with the single nozzle or orifice and the conduit from the first bag-on-valve bag is entirely closed to the single nozzle or orifice, the state of (1), (2) or (3) being determined by the position of the blocking/unblocking member via the switch/lever/dial;an actuator appurtenant to the nozzle assembly operable to release product from the selected bag-on-valve bag; a propellant sealed inside the container but external to the bag-on-valve bags; and a switch/lever/dial movably coupled to the nozzle assembly and responsively coupled to a blocking/unblocking member, operable to open a conduit to the selected bag-on-valve bag from which the product is to be dispensed or sprayed when the actuator is depressed or otherwise actuated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A valve assembly for a container having multiple chambers, comprising:
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a head having a nozzle from which product is dispensed or sprayed; a barrel in communication with the nozzle; a nozzle actuator, which may comprise the top of the nozzle or head or a pushbutton actuator; a valve assembly including a compressible spring; a hollow valve stem; the spring being axially inserted into the valve stem and seated so as to spring load the valve stem within a valve stem support cylinder or positioned so as to load the valve stem; a valve stem egress at the top of the valve stem, the valve stem egress coupled to the nozzle and in communication with the barrel, the valve stem egress acting as a conduit from the hollow valve stem into the barrel; a valve stem support cylinder in which the valve stem is movable vertically in a reciprocating manner when the nozzle actuator is depressed and then released; the valve stem further rotatable in a circular fashion within the valve stem support cylinder; a circular disk axially coupled to the bottom of the valve stem, operable to rotate when the valve stem is rotated; a disk chamber in which the disk is free to move vertically in a reciprocating manner when the valve stem is depressed and around its center when the valve stem is rotated; the valve stem further having a valve stem aperture on a side wall of the valve stem proximate the bottom of the valve stem, the aperture being closed off against the inner wall of the valve stem support cylinder when the nozzle actuator is in an undepressed position and exposed and open into the disk chamber when the valve stem is in a depressed position; the disk having at least one disk aperture therethrough; a first chamber egress (such as a hollow tube) acting as a conduit from a first chamber and a second chamber egress (also such as a hollow tube) acting as a conduit from a second chamber, wherein the disk aperture can be either in a closed position or in a first chamber open position or in a second chamber open position; and a selection switch/lever/dial coupled to the valve stem operable to rotate the valve stem, and hence the disk, and hence the disk aperture, so as to select which chamber from which product is to be ejected from the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification