MXPA98010046A - Liquid dispenser with seat for valve skirt - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid dispenser assembly (10) for personal hygiene liquids includes a container (14) and a dispenser valve (16). Each valve includesa valve plunger (60) with a head (62) having a flexible peripheral skirt (64) that provides increased bypass of liquid upon harder pressing and faster motion of the plunger. The valve (16) has an annular seat (85) that has a tapered seat surface (88) that presses the flexible skirt (64) against the valve inner cylindrical wall (54) of the valve bore (52) at the end of the return stroke.

Description

LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR APPARATUS FOR PERSONAL HYGIENE, IMPROVED WITH A VALVE SEAT, IMPROVED TECHNICAL FIELD The field of this invention relates to a fluid dispensing apparatus for use with liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner and other liquids for personal hygiene.

ANTECEDENTS OF THE DESCRIPTION The usefulness of liquid products for personal hygiene such as soap, shampoo, hair tonic, skin cream, hair conditioner, and baby oil is known and many types of dispensing devices have been developed to house liquids for Personal hygiene. While these personal care fluids are often used with simple, gravity feed valve dispensing devices, the viscosity of many of these products prevents a satisfactory flow of the container. As a result, they have REF: 28556 developed pumps of the piston type that discharge the liquid under pressure energetically. These piston-type pumps are used with a one-way check valve. The check valve allows the liquid from the dispensing vessel to flow into the valve cylinder at each return stroke of the piston, but prevents retention of liquid within the dispensing vessel container during the piston drive stroke such that the Liquid is then forced out through a discharge nozzle. These valves expel fluids for personal hygiene with each stroke. It has recently been found that a flexible skirt or edge works well on the piston head to allow liquid to pass through the piston head when the valve is pushed. The skirt flexes radially inward to allow fluid to flow around the skirt flexed inward as the skirt sinks forward. During the return stroke, the skirt resumes its radially outer position with its periphery abutting the wall of the supply cylinder such that the skirt expels the liquid at the outlet. It has also been found that if the skirt is formed radially outward during rest, its outer periphery can function as a seal against the cylinder wall to prevent undesirable leakage of liquid out of the nozzle. The positive pressure to push the skirt outwards 14 is particularly beneficial if the inside diameter, cylindrical, due to manufacturing tolerances, is slightly out of true roundness. In this situation, the skirt is biased or decentered outward as necessary until it is fully supported by the cylindrical wall. If the skirt does not retain its resilience or is not biased or outwardly offset, the operation of the valve can be detrimentally affected during the return stroke and can cause a leak. A common arrangement for these pistons is to have the supply container on the top, the supply piston and cylinder horizontally positioned and located below the container, and an outlet nozzle facing downward. The outlet nozzle is often moved axially forward of the inlet connected to the container to provide a more convenient location for liquid discharge. This arrangement is particularly useful where the dispensing apparatus is mounted on a wall and the push button of the piston faces the user so that the discharge outlet is spaced a sufficient distance from the wall to allow a person's hand to be completely low. the discharge nozzle in order to receive the soap. In this arrangement, the entrance of the container to the cylinder of the valve is axially spaced from the discharge outlet by a sufficient amount. It has been desirable to seat the piston head near the inlet such that when it is actuated, the piston head, it moves under the inlet to provide a flow for the discharge outlet. Accordingly, the valve seat for stopping the piston head in its rest, biased or off-center position is significantly spaced from the axial, front end of the valve cylinder. While the teeth may extend from a cap to form a seat for the valve skirt, the teeth may be prone to rupture due to the lack of support of their distal ends. What is needed is a durable, piston-driven liquid dispensing device that has the piston skirt seated on a durable, annular seat that forces the skirt outward to seal against the cylinder wall such that the nozzle is sealed against leakage when it is not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention, a valve of the liquid dispensing apparatus includes a housing having an inlet port that can be connected to a supply container, a cylinder sized to receive a piston head, and a discharge nozzle. axially placed forward in the cylinder. A check valve is mounted in the inlet to restrict the flow of liquid upstream out of the inlet. A piston is mounted for axial movement back and forth in the cylinder. A return spring is interposed between the piston and an axial, closed end of the cylinder. The return spring is resiliently biased or off-set and moves the piston forward for a carriage back to a first axial position between the inlet opening and the discharge outlet but allows a movement of turns of the piston to a second axial position, towards back away from the discharge outlet. The piston has a head with a flexible periphery commonly referred to as a skirt or edge which when resting in the first axial position abuts against the wall of the cylinder to form a seal against leakage of liquid from the container to the discharge nozzle. When the piston is pushed back to the second position, the skirt flexes inward to allow liquid to flow through the head of the piston and flow from the inlet orifice to the discharge conduit. To perform this function, the flexible skirt has an edge or edge that is defined as radially outward and axially forward. The piston has a piston rod connected to the head which extends out of a front end of the cylinder and which can be attached to a push button for manual operation of the piston. A closure cap is removably connected to a front end of the housing and around the piston rod. The closure cap has seals interposed between itself, the cylinder wall, and the piston rod. An annular seat is mounted on the cylinder to abut an inner wall of the skirt when the piston head is in the first axial position. The seat is annular to provide structural support of the seat. The seat biases or decentrates the flexible skirt outwardly such that the skirt abuts the wall of the cylinder and forms a seal within the cylinder to prevent fluid from passing to the discharge nozzle when the piston rests in the first axial position. The surface of the annular seat has a cut or notch in it that allows liquid on the downstream side of the skirt to flow from between the skirt and the surface of the seat to the nozzle. Desirably, the seat surface is tapered such that its distal end is made to rest against the inner surface of the skirt to press the outer wall of the skirt to exert pressure against the cylinder wall. As such, the seat surface is also inclined to extend radially outward and axially forward. Desirably, the seat is fixed to or formed as part of the closure cap. In a construction of the dispensing apparatus in this manner, an expeditiously constructed seat provides support for the proper seating of the piston head skirt to seal against the cylinder wall when the dispensing apparatus is not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevation, side view illustrating a mounting of the dispensing apparatus container and the valve of the dispensing apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic rear perspective view of the valve of the dispensing apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an elevation, segmented, side view of the valve of the dispensing apparatus shown in Figure 2 with the valve in the rest or unused position; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the valve of the dispensing apparatus shown in the intermediate position during a driving stroke; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the valve of the dispensing apparatus shown in the fully depressed position; Figure 6 is an enlarged, lateral, enlarged view of the valve seat and spacer member shown in Figure 2; Figure 7 is a rear elevation view of the sleeve and spacer member shown in Figure 6; and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 8-8 shown in Figure 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODE With reference now to Figure 1, a mounting of the liquid dispensing apparatus 10 includes a container 14 connected to a valve of the dispensing apparatus 16. The container 14 can be mounted directly on a wall or can be housed in a housing (not shown) with other identical dispensing apparatus assemblies 10. The container 14 is preferably made of a transparent plastic to allow easy visualization of the quantity of liquid in the container 14. The upper part has an opening to refill 38 which press fit a plastic cap 40 having a small air opening 42 through it.The container 14 also has a small side window, embossed 44. The bottom of the container has a portion of outlet neck 48 that adheres to an inlet 50 of the valve body 46. Such adhesion can be formed by an adhesive rubber. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the valve body 46 has the inlet hole 50 axially spaced from the discharge conduit 34. The hole 50 and the conduit 34 are connected by means of a diameter The interior of the cylinder 52 with an inner wall 54. The inner diameter has a rear end, closed 56 and a front end, open 58. A piston 60 has a head 62 with a flexible periphery then referred to as a skirt or edge 64 connected to a piston rod 66. The flexible head 62 is dimensioned to have its skirt 64, when in a rest position to abut the cylindrical wall 54 as shown in Figure 3. The skirt is generally inclined to extend both radially outward and axially forward. A return spring 68 is interposed between the head 62 and the closed end 56 to bias or de-center the piston 60 to the position shown in Figure 3. A cover assembly 70 has a seat and a spacer member 72 which provides a stop for the piston. The cap assembly seals the open, open end 58 of the valve and has an inner, central diameter 71 that allows the bar 66 to extend through the cap assembly 70 and out of the valve body 46.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 6, the seat and spacer member 72 have an internal seat 76 that seats in the o-ring to seal the seat and the spacer member with the bar 66. The seat and the member spacer also have a circumferential, external sample 79 that sits on the o-ring, external 80. ' The o-ring 80 seals the seat and the spacer member with the wall 54. As marked in FIG. 4, the seat and the spacer member 72 have strips 82 outwardly from the notch of the o-ring. The strips 82 that press fit within the openings 84 to retain the Tiontaje of the lid 70 in place against normal forces encountered from the drive of the bar 66 and the deformation of the return spring 68. The seat and the spacer member 72 have a projection 75 that snaps into a cap cover 86 to retain the o-ring, internal 78 in place. The operating button 15 is attached to the front end of the bar 66. The seat and the spacer member 72 include an annular seat 85 for engagement with the skirt. The axially inner end of the seat 85 has a tapered surface 88 having its distal end 87 that abuts an inner surface 89 of the flexible skirt 64. The tapered surface of the seat 88 is shaped to push and seat in the flexible skirt against the cylinder wall 54 such that the skirt forms a seal against the cylindrical wall 54 when the skirt is in the seated and resting position shown in Figure 3. In other words, the surface 88 is generally also inclined to extend both radially towards outside and axially forward. The surface 88 has at least one cut or indentation 100 therein to promote the flow of liquid from the inner surface 89 of the skirt and the tapered surface of the seat 88 to the inner diameter, central 71. A pair of openings 74 pass through the annular seat 85 on opposite sides of the seat 85. The openings 74 provide a better flow to the discharge conduit 34. The outer diameter of the annular seat 85 is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 52 such that the liquid can flow through an annular opening 102 formed between the annular seat 85 and the inner wall 54 of the inner diameter of the cylinder 52. The annular seat 85 has the appropriate axial length of the notch 72 for positioning suitably the seating surface 88. A check valve 90 is mounted in the inlet 50 to restrict the flow of the valve body 46 back to the container 14. The check valve has a ball element 92 seated in a box 94 The ball is normally in the position shown in Figure 9 with the ball 92 in the open position allowing the relatively unrestricted flow through the seat box 96 to through the lower outlet 98 and into the valve body 46. The check valve also prevents substantial flow back into the container when the piston is being pushed as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Initially, when the button 15 is at rest, the spring 68 pushes the bar 66 forward to the position shown in Figure 3 to force the flexible skirt 64 against the tapered surface of the seat 88 such that the skirt 64 forms a seal against the cylindrical, interior wall 54. The seal closes the communication between the container and the discharge conduit and prevents leakage of the container 14 through the discharge conduit 34. The operation of the distributor apparatus is extremely convenient. The operator simply presses the button 15 when liquid is desired from the discharge conduit 34. With the pressure of the button shown in Fig. 4, the elevation in pressure within the inner diameter of the cylinder 52 forces the ball 92 up against the seat 96 In addition to pressing the button, it moves the piston within the inner diameter of the cylinder 52 which causes the liquid in the rear section 101 of the inner diameter of the cylinder 52 to flow through the head of the piston 62 outwardly through the discharge conduit 34. The flexible skirt also flexes radially inward to accommodate the passage of liquid through the head of the piston 62. When the piston head is pressed beyond the forward end 103 of the inlet 50 as shown in Figure 5, the liquid can also pass through the upper end of the skirt along section 105 to be discharged through conduit 34. At the end of the a, the 90 ball falls again as shown in figure 5.

With the release of the button 15, the spring 68 pushes the piston 62 forward thereby increasing the size of the rear section 101 of the inner diameter 52 and the liquid in the container passes through the inlet opening, 98 open to refill the inner diameter of the cylinder 52. The small air opening 42 in the lid 40 of the container 14 prevents an increase of the vacuum within the container to maintain the flow of the liquid, suitable within the valve 16 of the container 14 in the return stroke of the container. piston. The spring returns the piston to the position shown in figure 3 and allows for the repeated, immediate driving of the button 15. The return stroke of the piston head 62 also provides a cleaning action of the inner diameter of the cylinder 52 by means of the skirt flexible 64 of the head 62. The cleaning prevents any viscous fluid from remaining on the inner diameter 52 by adhering to the wall and freezing therein which would otherwise eventually render the valve mechanism unusable. The inner diameter of the cylinder 52 is refilled with fresh liquid from the container with each full stroke of the piston. Further, the cleaning action provides that the liquid or fluid within the front section 107 of the inner diameter of the cylinder 52 in front of the head 62 is expelled through the discharge conduit 34 during the return stroke. The flexible skirt 64 virtually eliminates the possibility of excessive pressure increasing within the valve body. The faster the piston is pushed, the more the skirt is flexed radially inward, providing a larger opening for the discharge conduit that provides a greater flow passage from section 101 and off to discharge conduit 34. When pressing the annular seat against the inner surface of the skirt ensures a complete seal between the skirt and the cylindrical wall. This seal occurs even if the cylindrical wall is, due to manufacturing tolerances, out of roundness. This seal prevents leakage of the container 14 to the conduit 34. In this way, a strong and durable dispensing apparatus also provides a leak-free seal of the liquid within the container and proper and easy delivery of the liquid when desired. The distributor apparatus is built quickly, easily operated and easily maintained. Variations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it relates.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (9)

CLAIMS The modalities in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a valve of the liquid dispensing apparatus, characterized by: a housing having an inlet that can be connected to a supply container, a cylinder sized to receive a piston head and a discharge nozzle axially positioned along a position front in the cylinder; a check valve mounted on the inlet to restrict the flow of liquid upstream out of the inlet; a piston mounted for axial movement in the cylinder; a return spring interposed between the piston and an axial, closed end of the cylinder to resiliently skew or decenter and move the piston forward for a return stroke to a first axial position between the discharge inlet and outlet and to allow a movement of stroke to a second axial position, backward, toward the entrance; the piston having a head with a skirt or flexible edge with an inner wall and an outer wall, the flexible skirt when in the first axial position has its outer wall which rests against the wall of the cylinder to form a seal against leakage of the liquid from a supply container to the discharge nozzle and when it moves back to the second position that flexes inwardly to allow liquid to flow through the piston head from the inlet to the discharge conduit; the piston having a piston rod connected to the head that extends out of a front end of the cylinder and for manual access to push the piston; a closure cap removably connected to a front end of the locker and around the piston rod and having seals interposed between itself and the cylinder wall and the piston rod; the improvement comprises: an annular seat for the inner wall of the skirt for the support on the inner wall of the periphery of the piston head when the piston head is in the first axial position to bias or de-center the skirt outwardly to support in the wall of the cylinder such that a seal is formed between the skirt and the wall of the cylinder to prevent fluid from passing to the discharge nozzle when the piston rests in the first axial position.

2. A valve of the liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, and further characterized in that it comprises: the skirt having an inclination that is radially outwardly and axially forward; the seat including a substantially annular and tapered seat surface for sealing the skirt against the inner wall of the cylinder with the taper extending radially outward and axially forward.

3. A valve of the liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: the substantially annular seat surface having a cut in it to provide for the passage of liquid therethrough.

4. A valve of the liquid dispensing device according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises: the annular seat which is fixed to the closure cap to form an assembly of the closure cap.

5. A valve of the liquid dispensing device according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises: the annular seat which is fixed to the closure cap to form a mounting of the closure cap.

6. A valve of the liquid dispensing device according to claim 2, further characterized in that: the annular seat has an outer diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the cylinder such that an annular opening is formed between the inner wall of the cylinder and the annular seat .

7. The spacer and the seat member for a valve of the liquid dispensing apparatus, the spacer and the seat member are characterized by: a section of the annular body having a circumferential, outer notch for seating in an o-shaped ring;; the section of the annular body constructed to receive a second ring in the form of or about an inner diameter, central in the annular section; a valve seat section of the distributor, annular, integrally formed and extending axially from the body section; the seat section of the valve which is annular in shape with an inner, central diameter; and the seat section of the valve having an annular, distal surface having a small diameter, sufficient to penetrate a piston skirt.

8. A valve seat and spacer member according to claim 7, further characterized by: the surface of the valve seat that is tapered and has a cut in it.

9. A valve seat and spacer member according to claim 8, further characterized by: the annular valve seat section having an aperture extending radially therethrough.