Vented refill units and dispensers having vented refill units

• US 9,596,963 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Harris, Donald R., Marshall, Aaron D., Ciavarella, Nick E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LONG, DONNELL ALAN
• Application Number:
  US14/811,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 222/481.5, 222/190
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1207 Dispensing from the bottom of the dispenser with a vertical piston
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/14 Foam or lather making devices for shaving A45D27/02
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/00442 the means being actuated by the difference between the atmospheric pressure and the pressure inside the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1047 the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1087 Combination of liquid and air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0037 including sieves, porous members or the like

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of vented refill units and dispensers having vented refill units are disclosed herein. An exemplary refill unit includes a non-collapsing inverted container. The container has a neck located at the bottom of the container. A pump is secured to the neck. The pump has a housing that has a cylindrical outside surface. In addition, the housing has an attachment mechanism for attaching the pump to a venting insert. The venting insert has a cylindrical inside surface and a cylindrical outside surface. At least a portion of the venting insert is located within the neck. An air passage is located between the pump housing and the cylindrical inside surface of the venting insert. One or more apertures are located through the venting insert. A one-way air inlet valve is located proximate the one or more apertures.

Claims

1. A refill unit for a soap, sanitizer or lotion comprising:

a non-collapsing inverted container;

the non-collapsing inverted container having a neck located at the bottom of the container;

a pump secured to the neck;

the pump having a housing;

the housing having a cylindrical outside surface;

the housing having an attachment mechanism for attaching the pump to a venting insert;

the venting insert having a cylindrical inside surface and a cylindrical outside surface;

at least a portion of the venting insert is located within the neck;

air passage is located between the pump housing and the cylindrical inside surface of the venting insert;

the venting insert includes one or more apertures therethrough;

a one-way air inlet valve is located proximate the one or more apertures;

the one-way air inlet valve opens when the vacuum pressure in the container exceeds the cracking pressure of the one-way air inlet valve to allow air to vent the container.

2. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the venting insert includes a central opening for allowing liquid to flow into a liquid pump chamber.

3. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the pump is a foam pump and includes both a liquid pump chamber and an air pump chamber.

4. The refill unit of claim 3 further comprising an aperture through a wall of the pump housing.

5. The refill unit of claim 4 wherein a wiper seal of the foam pump seals off the aperture when the foam pump is in its rest position.

6. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the one-way air inlet valve is a diaphragm valve.

7. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the one-way air inlet valve comprises a wiper seal.

8. The refill unit of claim 7 further comprising a shroud at least partially surrounding the one-way air inlet valve.

9. The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the pump housing includes a guide ring, and wherein the guide ring includes one or more openings for allowing air to flow through.

10. The refill unit of claim 1 further comprising a sealing member to seal between the pump and the venting insert.

11. A refill unit for a soap, sanitizer or lotion comprising:

a non-collapsing container;

the non-collapsing having a neck located at the bottom of the container;

a foam pump secured to the neck;

the foam pump having a housing;

the housing having a cylindrical inside surface and a cylindrical outside surface;

an air piston movable back and forth within in the housing;

a sealing member of the air piston in contact with the cylindrical inside surface;

a venting insert having an inside cylindrical surface and an outside cylindrical surface;

the outside cylindrical surface of the venting insert located at least partially within the neck;

at least a portion of the outside cylindrical surface of the housing extending along at least a portion of the cylindrical inside surface of the venting insert;

an air passage located between the cylindrical outside surface of the housing and the cylindrical inside surface of the venting insert;

an aperture located through the venting insert to allow air to pass from a first side of the venting insert to the inside of the non-collapsing container; and

a one-way valve located proximate the aperture.

12. The refill unit of claim 11 wherein the venting insert further comprises a collar.

13. The refill unit of claim 11 wherein the one-way valve is a diaphragm.

14. The refill unit of claim 11 wherein the one-way valve has a wiper seal.

15. The refill unit of claim 11 further comprising one or more apertures located in the housing that form a passage from the air passage to the atmosphere.

16. The refill unit of claim 15 wherein the sealing member of the air piston seals the one or more apertures.

17. A refill unit for a soap, sanitizer or lotion comprising:

a non-collapsing container;

the non-collapsing container having a neck located at the bottom of the container;

a pump having a liquid pump chamber and an air pump chamber;

the air pump chamber having a housing;

the housing having an outside cylindrical surface;

a venting insert;

the venting insert located at least partially within the neck of the container;

an air passage located between the outside cylindrical surface of the housing and an inside surface of the venting insert;

an air vent chamber located above the air pump chamber and in fluid communication with the air passage;

an aperture located at least partially above the air vent chamber extending through the venting insert placing the air vent chamber in fluid communication with the inside of the non-collapsing container; and

a one-way valve located proximate the aperture for allowing air into the container and preventing liquid from flowing out of the container.

18. The refill unit of claim 17 further comprising a guide ring having one or more passages for ambient air to flow into the air passage.

19. The refill unit of claim 17 further comprising one or more apertures through the air pump chamber.

20. The refill unit of claim 19 further comprising an air pump wiper seal that intermittently seals the one or more apertures through the air pump chamber.

21. A venting insert comprising:

a cylindrical housing;

a closure for connecting the venting insert to a neck of a container;

the cylindrical housing having an upper side;

a first cylindrical projection extending downward from the upper side;

an aperture through the upper side and located within the first cylindrical projection;

a second aperture located in the upper side; and

a one-way air inlet valve located proximate the second aperture.