CN111741703B

CN111741703B - Foam pump actuator with folding nozzle suitable for electronic commerce

Info

Publication number: CN111741703B
Application number: CN201880089774.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: A·阿米纳克
Original assignee: A Aminake
Current assignee: A Aminake
Priority date: 2018-04-05
Filing date: 2018-10-09
Publication date: 2021-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 2038-10-09
Also published as: CN111741703A; EP3638086A4; WO2019194864A1; CA3070487C; EP3638086B1; EP3638086A1; CA3070487A1

Abstract

An actuator for a manually operated foam dispensing pump utilizing a folding nozzle is disclosed. The folding spout of the actuator is configured to lock the actuator in place and prevent operation of the pump when the spout is folded. The actuator greatly reduces pump closure loosening (retraction) and nozzle breakage during shipping of the filled product by eliminating a trigger handle or other conventional nozzle type protruding from the side of the actuator. Thus, the new actuator is particularly well suited for e-commerce, where transportation of unpackaged products is becoming more and more common. The actuator is configured such that no actuator depression (actuation) occurs when the folding nozzle is in the folded position.

Description

Foam pump actuator with folding nozzle suitable for electronic commerce

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/150,147 entitled "Foam Pump Actuator With Folding Nozzle for E-Commerce" filed on 2018, 10/2, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/946,436 entitled "Hand Pump With Folding Nozzle for Manual Pump Actuator With Folding Nozzle" filed on 2018, 4/5, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/532,940 entitled "A Hand Pump Actuator With Folding Nozzle for Ecommerce" filed on 2017, 7/14, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to actuators for manually operated dispensing pumps, and in particular to actuators for manually operated dispensing pumps for frothing a dispensed fluid without the use of an aerosol propellant.

Background

Manually operated foam pump dispensers are well known in the personal care industry for dispensing foam products. This type of pump requires that the liquid and air be mixed under pressure in the dispenser bottle. Manually operated foam pumps typically include a liquid pump chamber and an air pump chamber. Typically, the pistons move between charge and discharge positions in the air and liquid pump chambers to draw air or liquid into the respective chambers and force the air or liquid from the chambers into a mixing zone where the mixed air and liquid create a foam, and the foam product then exits the nozzle of the actuator.

Manually operated foam pumps of the prior art typically operate by a triggering action requiring a trigger handle or a linear action requiring a push button actuator. Both types of mechanisms feature a fixed nozzle that protrudes from the side of the actuator. The protruding fixed nozzle or trigger of the prior art manually operated foam pump actuator requires packaging to prevent nozzle breakage during shipping. This limitation makes prior art manually operated foam pumps generally unsuitable for use in e-commerce, where the product is typically shipped without packaging to prevent breakage, and more commonly, without any packaging at all.

Therefore, to meet the needs of electronic commerce, there is a need for an actuator assembly having a nozzle design that does not protrude from the actuator and thus allows for the shipping of filled products with little or no packaging. It would be further desirable if the actuator were configured such that it could be easily locked into place to prevent actuation during transport.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a new design for an actuator assembly for a manually operated foam pump. The new actuator assembly includes an actuator, a folding nozzle, and a pump closure. The folded spout of the new actuator assembly eliminates the protrusion or trigger handle of conventional spouts and thereby helps prevent the closure of the actuator assembly from loosening or unlocking during shipping. The folding spout of the actuator assembly of the present invention is configured to lock the actuator in place and prevent operation of the manual pump when the spout is folded. The folded spout of the actuator assembly greatly reduces the tendency of the pump closure to loosen, i.e., loosen or separate (i.e., recede) from the dispenser bottle, due to vibration during shipping. As such, the folding spout also greatly reduces the likelihood of part breakage during shipping of the filled product by eliminating a trigger handle or other conventional spout type protruding from the side of the actuator.

The ability of the actuator assembly of the present invention to resist loosening and unlocking during shipping is further enhanced by configuring the folding spout to be locked to the actuator by the snap tabs when the folding spout is in the folded position. The folding spout is unfolded after package delivery and ready for use. The ability of the actuator assembly of the present invention to resist loosening and unlocking during shipping is further enhanced by providing an actuator assembly that is free of any sharp edges, surface discontinuities or protrusions that may catch on other containers or packaging during shipping.

The above and other advantages of the manually operated pump of the present invention will be described in more detail below.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the actuator assembly of the present invention showing the nozzle in a deployed position.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the actuator assembly of FIG. 1, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a deployed position.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the actuator of FIG. 1, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a deployed position.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the actuator of FIG. 1, showing the actuator in a fully depressed position and the nozzle in a deployed position.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the actuator of FIG. 1, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a collapsed position.

FIG. 6 is a second front perspective view of the actuator of FIG. 1, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a collapsed position.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the actuator of FIG. 1, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a deployed position.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the actuator assembly of the present invention having an alternative means for locking the spout to the closure, showing the spout in an open position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the actuator assembly of FIG. 8, showing the nozzle in a closed position.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the actuator assembly of FIG. 8, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a deployed position.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the actuator assembly of FIG. 8, showing the actuator in a fully depressed position and the nozzle in a deployed position.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the actuator assembly of FIG. 8, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a collapsed position.

FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of the second embodiment of the actuator assembly of FIG. 8, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a deployed position.

FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of the second embodiment of the actuator assembly of FIG. 8, showing the actuator in a normally extended position and the nozzle in a collapsed position.

FIG. 15 is a front perspective view of the closure of the second embodiment of the actuator assembly of FIG. 8.

FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of a nozzle of the second embodiment of the actuator assembly of FIG. 8.

FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a nozzle for use with the actuator assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of the nozzle of FIG. 18.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle of FIG. 18 taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 18.

Detailed Description

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

First embodiment

Referring to fig. 1-7, the actuator assembly 10 of the present invention includes an actuator 12, a folding nozzle 14, and a pump closure 16. The actuator assembly 10 is typically mounted on a common prior art manually operated foam pump 18 by a snap fit between the pump closure 16 and a pump body 20 of the manually operated foam pump 18. One such suitable prior art foam pump for use with the actuator assembly 10 of the present invention is pump number F2 (pump No. (r))https://www.albea-group.com/en/products/ product-catalog/f2.html) The pump is manufactured by the Abel (Albea) group (Avdu G ran de gaule/ZAC des Barbanniers, Le Signac/92635 Genevilliers Cedex, France, David general ave No. 1/ZAC Banbonesence/Hot turner Zip code 92635).

With continued reference to fig. 1-7, and with particular reference to fig. 2 and 3, the pump closure 16 of the actuator assembly 10 is an injection molded part having a generally cylindrical body 22 and a generally arcuate top 24. As shown in fig. 2 and 3-5, the pump closure 16 is hollow, having a generally cylindrical inner wall 26 featuring a plurality of threads 28. The plurality of threads 28 allow the pump closure 16 to be screwed onto a dispenser bottle (not shown). The pump closure includes a circular groove 30 that engages a circular lip 32 on the pump body 20, i.e., the pump body 20 is attached to the closure 16 via a snap fit between the circular lip 32 of the pump body 20 and the circular groove 30 of the closure 16.

With particular reference to fig. 2, the generally arcuate top portion 24 of the pump closure 16 includes a raised retention wall 34 having a generally elliptical perimeter, wherein the retention wall 34 has an open section 44 bounded by a first retention member 36 at one end of the retention wall 34 and a second retention member 38 at the other end of the retention wall 34. A first snap element 40 is formed at the junction of the retention wall 34 and the first retention feature 36, and a second snap element 42 is formed at the junction between the retention wall 34 and the second retention feature 38.

As best shown in fig. 2-5, an area of the arcuate top 24 of the closure 16, interior of the retention wall 34, is cut away to form a generally oval-shaped opening 46 that corresponds to a generally oval-shaped outer wall 50 of the actuator 12. Received within the opening 46 is the actuator 12. The generally dome-shaped top 24 of the pump closure 16 further includes a recess 48 for allowing a user to more easily release the folded spout 14 when the spout is in the folded position.

With continued reference to fig. 1-7, the actuator 12 is also an injection molded component having a hollow interior. The actuator 12 has an outer wall 50 with a generally oval perimeter with a recessed portion 52 at the forward end. The recessed portion 52 is bounded at one end by the first engagement wall 54, and the second engagement wall 56, and by an abutment wall 106 extending between the first engagement wall 54 and the second engagement wall 56. The recess 52 is configured to receive the spout 14 when the spout is in the folded position.

The actuator is configured such that it may be slidably received within the opening 46 of the pump closure 16, wherein the outer wall 50 of the actuator slides within the retention wall 34 of the pump closure 16, and the first engagement wall 54 of the actuator 16 slidably engages the first retention member 36 of the pump closure 16; and wherein the second engagement wall 56 of the actuator 12 slidably engages the second retention member 38 of the pump closure 16.

The actuator 12 also features a top portion 62 having a front edge portion 58 and a rear edge portion 60, wherein the top portion 62 slopes downwardly from the front edge portion 58 to the rear edge portion 60. (as best shown in fig. 3-5.) the angled top portion 62 assists the user in pressing the actuator with a finger or thumb. Formed within the actuator 12 is a generally centrally located vertical tube 64 having a wall 72. The wall 72 has a cylindrical inner surface 82. A portion of wall 72 forms a face 80 of recess 52. Wall 72 has sufficient thickness in this area so that face 80 of recess 52 is a generally rectangular planar surface. Wall 72 is open at lower inlet end 68, radially closed at upper end 70, and has a rectangular opening 66 disposed adjacent upper end 70 of tube 64, wherein rectangular opening 66 extends through a face 80 of recess 52 and a cylindrical inner surface 82 of wall 72.

Referring to fig. 1, the first side engagement wall 54 and the second side engagement wall 56 of the actuator 12 are each provided with a dimple or small circular depression 78 adjacent the top edge 58 of the actuator 12. (see fig. 1.) the dimples 78 engage a generally circular protrusion 84 at an inlet end 86 of the nozzle 14. When assembled, the generally circular protrusion 84 of the nozzle 14 snaps into the recess 78 of the actuator 12. The inlet end 86 of the nozzle 14 is rounded so as to be rotatable within a matching rounded portion 96 of the actuator 12.

Referring to fig. 1-7, the nozzle 14 of the actuator assembly 10 has a hollow, generally rectangular body 92 having an inlet end 86, an outlet end 88, and a flow passage 90 between the inlet end and the outlet end. The inlet end 86 has an inlet flow area 87 and the outlet end 88 has an outlet flow area 89. In one embodiment, the flow channel 90 has a constant rectangular cross-section, and in this case, the inlet flow area 87 and the outlet flow area 89 are the same. The flow passage 90 may also have a circular or square cross-section, and other cross-sectional shapes may be used if desired. In alternative embodiments, the flow passage 90 of the nozzle 14 may have a varying cross-section such that, for example, the outlet area 89 is greater than the inlet area 87. Fig. 17-19 depict such an alternative embodiment.

With continued reference to fig. 1-7, the outlet end 88 of the nozzle 14 has a front face 98. When the nozzle 14 is in the folded position, the front face 98 engages the first and

second snap elements

40, 42 of the pump closure 16. When assembled to the actuator, the inlet end 86 of the nozzle 14 is in fluid communication with the rectangular opening 66 of the tube 64 of the actuator 12.

Referring to fig. 3-5, the actuator assembly 10 is assembled and mounted on a manually operated foam pump as follows. First, the generally circular protrusion 84 of the nozzle 14 is snapped into the recess 78 of the actuator 12. The inlet end 86 of the nozzle 14 is rounded and fits within the rounded portion 96 of the actuator 14. The nozzle is collapsible between an open position (see fig. 3) and a closed position (see fig. 5). In the closed position, the front face 98 of the nozzle 14 engages the first and

second snap elements

40, 42 of the pump closure 16.

The actuator 12 is then slid into the opening 46 of the pump closure 16. The actuator is configured such that the outer wall 50 of the actuator slides within the retention wall 34 of the pump closure 16. The first engagement wall 54 of the actuator 12 slidably engages the first retention member 36 of the pump closure 16, and the second engagement wall 56 of the actuator 12 slidably engages the second retention member 38 of the pump closure 16.

Subsequently, the stem 100 of a prior art manually operated pump 18, such as the F2 pump (r) ((r)) is press-fitted into the inlet end 68 of the centrally located tube 64 of the actuator 12https://www.albea-group.com/en/products/ product-catalog/f2.html) Manufactured by the abelian (albea) group (avedu gre general ave No. 1/ZAC bamboneseneri/thermal turner zip code 92635(av du gre ral de gaule/ZAC des barbanies, Le Signac/92635Gennevilliers Cedex, France)). The stem 100 of the prior art manually operated pump 18 typically will include a shoulder 102. The rod 100 is pressed into the centrally located tube of the actuator 12 until the centrally located tube 64 bottoms out on the shoulder 102 of the rod 100. The pump closure 16 is then snap-fitted over the circular lip 32 of the pump body 20 such that the circular lip 32 engages the circular groove 30 of the pump closure 16 and thereby secures the pump closure 16 to the pump body 20. Gasket 104 is then placed on the underside of circular lip 32 of pump body 20 and manual pump 18 is inserted into a dispenser bottle (not shown). The dispenser bottle will typically include external threads and be secured to the pump closure by mating internal threads 28 formed on the pump closure 16And (3) a member 16.

Typically, the pump actuator assembly 10 of the present invention will be shipped with the nozzle 14 in the closed position mounted on the manual pump 18 and the resulting assembly attached to a dispenser bottle (not shown). This configuration is shown in fig. 5. It should be noted that with the spout 14 folded and locked in place, i.e., the front face 98 of the spout 14 has engaged the first and

second snap elements

40, 42 of the pump closure 16, the actuator 12 cannot be depressed and thus the manual pump cannot be operated because the first, second and third abutment faces 108, 110 and 112 (see fig. 2) of the spout 14 abut the respective first, second and third abutment faces 114, 116 and 118 (see fig. 2) on the pump closure 16. This ensures that unintentional operation of the manual pump is prevented during transport.

During operation, the nozzle 14 is deployed or opened. Actuator 12 may then be depressed to operate manual pump 18. Fig. 4 shows the actuator 12 in its fully depressed position. The amount of depression of the actuator 12 is determined by the stroke limit of the manual pump 18. The nozzle 14 is in fluid communication with the centrally located tube 64 of the actuator 12, and the centrally located tube 64 of the actuator 12 is in fluid communication with the manual pump 18 via the stem 100 of the manual pump, which is in fluid communication with the contents of the dispenser bottle.

An actuator assembly 10 including a pump closure 16, an actuator 12, and a folding nozzle 14 has been proposed. The new actuator assembly 10 eliminates the protrusion created by the conventional nozzle or trigger handle of prior art actuators. The folded spout 14 of the new actuator assembly 10 helps prevent the closure 16 of the actuator assembly 10 from loosening and unlocking during shipping. The folding spout 14 of the actuator assembly 10 of the present invention is configured to lock the actuator 12 in place and prevent operation of the manual pump when the spout 14 is folded. Folding spout 14 also greatly reduces the likelihood of parts breakage during shipping of the filled product by eliminating a trigger handle or other conventional spout type protruding from the side of the actuator.

The ability of the actuator assembly 10 of the present invention to resist loosening and unlocking during shipping is further enhanced by providing the actuator assembly 10 without any sharp edges, surface discontinuities or protrusions that may become caught on other containers or packaging during shipping.

Second embodiment

Referring now to fig. 8-16, a second embodiment 210 of the actuator assembly of the present invention is set forth. The second embodiment 210 differs from the first embodiment 10 in the manner in which the spout is locked to the closure. In all other respects, the first and second embodiments function identically, and the individual components (i.e. the nozzle, closure, and actuator) have the same features.

Referring to fig. 8-16, a second embodiment of an actuator assembly 210 of the present invention includes an actuator 212, a folding nozzle 214, and a pump closure 216. The actuator assembly 210 is typically mounted on a common prior art manually operated foam pump 218 by a snap fit between the pump closure 216 and a pump body 220 of the manually operated foam pump 218. One such suitable prior art foam pump for use with the actuator assembly 10 of the present invention is pump number F2 (pump No. (r))https://www.albea- group.com/en/products/product-catalog/f2.html) The pump is manufactured by the Abel (Albea) group (Avdu G ran de gaule/ZAC des Barbanniers, Le Signac/92635 Genevilliers Cedex, France, David general ave No. 1/ZAC Banbonesence/Hot turner Zip code 92635).

With continued reference to fig. 8-14, and with particular reference to fig. 9 and 10, the pump closure 216 of the actuator assembly 210 is an injection molded part having a generally cylindrical body 222 and a generally arcuate top 224. As shown in fig. 9 and 10-12, the pump closure 216 is hollow, having a generally cylindrical inner wall 226 featuring a plurality of threads 228. The plurality of threads 228 allow the pump closure 216 to be screwed onto a dispenser bottle (not shown). The pump closure includes a circular groove 230 that engages a circular lip 232 on the pump body 220, i.e., the pump body 220 is attached to the closure 216 via a snap fit between the circular lip 232 of the pump body 220 and the circular groove 230 of the closure 216.

With particular reference to fig. 9, the generally arcuate top 224 of the pump closure 216 includes a raised wall 234 having a generally oval perimeter, wherein the raised wall 234 has a vertical plate portion 236. Vertical plate portion 236 includes a locking bead 238.

As best shown in fig. 9-12, an area of the arcuate top 224 of the closure 216 that is interior of the raised wall 234 is cut away to form a generally oval-shaped opening 246 that corresponds to a generally oval-shaped outer wall 250 of the actuator 212. Received within the opening 246 is the actuator 212. The generally arcuate top 224 of the pump closure 216 further includes a recess 248 for allowing a user to more easily release the folded spout 214 when the spout is in the folded position.

With continued reference to fig. 8-14, the actuator 212 is also an injection molded component having a hollow interior. The actuator 212 has an outer wall 250 with a generally oval perimeter with a recessed portion 252 at the front end. The recessed portion 252 is bounded at one end by a first engagement wall 254, and a second engagement wall 256, and by a vertical wall portion 236 extending between the first engagement wall 254 and the second engagement wall 256. The recessed portion 252 is configured to receive the nozzle 212 when the nozzle is in the folded position.

The actuator is configured such that it may be slidably received within the opening 246 of the pump closure 216, with the outer wall 250 of the actuator sliding within the raised wall 234 of the pump closure 216.

The actuator 212 is further characterized by a top portion 262 having a front edge portion 258 and a rear edge portion 260, wherein the top portion 262 slopes downwardly from the front edge portion 258 to the rear edge portion 260. (as best shown in fig. 10-12.) the angled top portion 262 assists the user in pressing the actuator with a finger or thumb. Formed within the actuator 212 is a generally centrally located vertical tube 264 having a wall 272. The wall 272 has a cylindrical inner surface 282. A portion of the wall 272 forms a face 280 of the recess 252. The wall 272 has sufficient thickness in this area so that the face 280 of the recess 252 is a generally rectangular planar surface. The wall 272 is open at the lower inlet end 268, radially closed at the upper end 270, and has a rectangular opening 266 disposed adjacent the upper end 270 of the tube 264, wherein the rectangular opening 266 extends through a face 280 of the recessed portion 252 and a cylindrical inner surface 282 of the wall 272.

Referring to fig. 8, the first and second

side engagement walls

254, 256 of the actuator 212 are each provided with a dimple or small circular depression 278 adjacent the top edge 258 of the actuator 212. (see fig. 1.) the dimples 278 engage a generally circular protrusion 284 at an inlet end 286 of the nozzle 214. When assembled, the generally circular protrusion 284 of the nozzle 214 snaps into the recess 278 of the actuator 212. The inlet end 286 of the nozzle 214 is rounded so as to be rotatable within a matching rounded portion 296 of the actuator 214.

Referring to fig. 8-16, the nozzle 214 of the actuator assembly 210 has a hollow, generally rectangular body 292 having an inlet end 286 and an outlet end 288, and a flow passage 290 therebetween. The inlet end 286 has an inlet flow area 287 and the outlet end 288 has an outlet flow area 289. In one embodiment, the flow channel 290 has a constant rectangular cross-section, and in this case, the inlet and

outlet flow areas

287 and 289 are the same. The flow channel 290 may also have a circular or square cross-section, but other cross-sectional shapes are possible if desired. In alternative embodiments, the flow channel 290 of the nozzle 214 may have a varying cross-section such that, for example, the outlet area 289 is greater than the inlet area 287. Fig. 17-19 depict such an alternative embodiment.

The hollow, generally rectangular body 292 of the nozzle 214 is equipped with left and right locking slots 240, 242 (see fig. 16) at its outlet end 288. The nozzle 214 also features a centrally located raised semi-circular portion 243 at its outlet end 288. A raised semi-circular portion 243 is formed on the front face 298 of the nozzle 214 and is configured so that a user can slide his or her finger tip under the raised semi-circular portion 243 to lift or pry the nozzle from its closed position.

When the nozzle 214 is in the collapsed position, the left and right locking

slots

240, 242 engage the locking bead 238 of the pump closure 216. When assembled to the actuator, the inlet end 286 of the nozzle 214 is in fluid communication with the rectangular opening 266 of the tube 264 of the actuator 212.

Referring to fig. 10-12, the actuator assembly 210 is assembled and mounted on a manually operated foam pump as follows. First, the generally circular protrusion 284 of the nozzle 214 is snapped into the recess 278 of the actuator 212. The inlet end 286 of the nozzle 214 is rounded and fits within the rounded portion 296 of the actuator 212. The nozzle is collapsible between an open position (see fig. 10) and a closed position (see fig. 12). In the closed position, the left and right locking

slots

240, 242 of the nozzle 214 engage the locking tab 238 of the pump closure 216.

The actuator 212 is then slid into the opening 246 of the pump closure 216. The actuator is configured such that the outer wall 250 of the actuator slides within the raised wall 234 of the pump closure 216.

Subsequently, the rod 300 of a prior art manually operated pump 218, such as the F2 pump (r), is press fit into the inlet end 268 of the centrally located tube 264 of the actuator 212https://www.albea-group.com/en/ products/product-catalog/f2.html) Manufactured by the abelian (albea) group (avedu gre general ave No. 1/ZAC bamboneseneri/thermal turner zip code 92635(av du gre ral de gaule/ZAC des barbanies, Le Signac/92635Gennevilliers Cedex, France)). The stem 300 of the prior art manually operated pump 218 typically will include a shoulder 302. The rod 300 is pressed into the centrally located tube of the actuator 212 until the centrally located tube 264 bottoms out on the shoulder 302 of the rod 300. The pump closure 216 is then snap-fitted over the circular lip 232 of the pump body 220 such that the circular lip 232 engages the circular groove 230 of the pump closure 216 and thereby secures the pump closure 216 to the pump body 220. The gasket 304 is then placed on the underside of the rounded lip 232 of the pump body 220 and the manual pump 218 is inserted into a dispenser bottle (not shown). The dispenser bottle will typically include external threads and be secured to the pump closure 216 by mating internal threads 228 formed on the pump closure 216.

Typically, the pump actuator assembly 210 of the present invention will be shipped with the nozzle 214 in the closed position mounted on the manual pump 218 and the resulting assembly attached to a dispenser bottle (not shown). This configuration is shown in fig. 12. It should be noted that the actuator 212 cannot be depressed as the nozzle 214 folds and locks into place, i.e., the left and right locking

slots

240, 242 of the nozzle 214 have engaged the locking bead 238 of the pump closure 216 (see fig. 12). This feature ensures that unintentional operation of the manual pump is prevented during transport.

During operation, the nozzle 214 is deployed or opened. The actuator 212 may then be depressed to operate the manual pump 218. Fig. 11 shows the actuator 212 in its fully depressed position. The amount of depression of the nozzle 212 is determined by the stroke limit of the manual pump 218. The nozzle 214 is in fluid communication with the centrally located tube 264 of the actuator 212, and the centrally located tube 264 of the actuator 212 is in fluid communication with the manual pump 218 via the lever 300 of the manual pump, which is in fluid communication with the contents of the dispenser bottle.

A second embodiment of an actuator assembly 210 including a pump closure 216, an actuator 212, and a folding nozzle 214 has been proposed. The new actuator assembly 210 eliminates the protrusion created by the conventional nozzle or trigger handle of prior art actuators. The folded spout 214 of the new actuator assembly 210 helps prevent the closure 216 of the actuator assembly 210 from loosening and unlocking during shipping. The folding nozzle 214 of the actuator assembly 210 of the present invention is configured to cause the actuator 212 to lock in place when the nozzle 214 is folded and prevent operation of the manual pump. Folding spout 214 also greatly reduces the likelihood of parts breakage during shipping of the filled product by eliminating a trigger handle or other conventional spout type protruding from the side of the actuator.

The ability of the actuator assembly 210 of the present invention to resist loosening and unlocking during shipping is further enhanced by providing the actuator assembly 210 without any sharp edges, surface discontinuities or protrusions that may catch on other containers or packaging during shipping.

Referring to fig. 17-19, an alternative embodiment of the nozzle 314 is shown. The general principles of the arrangement described in this embodiment may be used with both

actuator assemblies

10 and 210. The nozzle 314 has an inlet end 386 and an outlet end 388. Inlet end 386 has an inlet flow area 387 and outlet end 388 has an outlet flow area 389. In nozzle 314, the outlet flow area 389 is larger than the inlet flow area 287, i.e., the flow passage 390 of the nozzle 314 has a varying cross-section, in this case a tapered cross-section 392 as shown in FIG. 19. This configuration, where the outlet flow area is larger than the inlet flow area, results in a pressure drop from the inlet to the outlet, which results in the foam being dispensed at the outlet at a reduced velocity compared to the case of a nozzle with a constant flow channel cross-section. For certain types of foam, it is generally desirable to reduce the exit velocity of the foam being dispensed, as for certain foams, a lower exit velocity will improve the quality of the foam being dispensed.

Industrial applicability

The present invention is an actuator assembly for a manual pump that may be used industrially to package and ship threaded containers or bottles containing a foamable liquid. The actuator assembly includes an actuator, a collapsible spout, and a closure, wherein the assembly includes a snap-lock retention feature that prevents the spout from being inadvertently opened when in a collapsed position.

While the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that other variations of the invention may be devised without departing from the inventive concept.

Claims

1. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump, comprising:

an actuator having a hollow body, a nozzle having an inlet end and an outlet end with a flow passage therebetween, and a closure having a hollow body;

wherein the nozzle is configured for attachment to the actuator and folding between an open position and a closed position;

wherein the actuator is configured with a generally oval-shaped perimeter having a recessed flat rectangular front surface for receiving the nozzle when the nozzle is in a closed position, the actuator having a closed, sloped top end and an open bottom end;

wherein the actuator comprises an inner vertically oriented tube having a circular inner wall, a radially closed upper end, and a radially open bottom end, wherein the tube further comprises an opening in fluid communication with the flow channel of the nozzle at the inlet end of the nozzle;

wherein the closure includes a generally elliptical opening configured to correspond to the perimeter of the generally elliptical actuator, wherein the actuator is slidably received within the generally elliptical opening of the closure;

means for preventing depression of an actuator when the spout is in a closed position, wherein an abutment surface on the closure engages an abutment surface on the spout when the spout is in the closed position;

means for attaching the actuator to a fluid outlet of a manually operated pump;

means for attaching the closure to a manually operated pump; and

means for retaining the nozzle in the closed position to prevent inadvertent opening of the nozzle.

2. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for retaining said nozzle in said closed position to prevent inadvertent opening of said nozzle includes a snap tab on said closure, wherein said snap tab engages said nozzle when said nozzle is in said closed position.

3. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for attaching the closure to the manually operated pump includes a circular groove formed on an interior surface of the closure, the circular groove engaging a circular lip of a body of the manually operated pump.

4. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as set forth in claim 1, wherein said generally elliptical central opening of said closure is bounded by a retaining wall about said periphery of said generally elliptical central opening.

5. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the inlet end of the nozzle has an inlet flow area and the outlet end of the nozzle has an outlet flow area, wherein the outlet flow area is greater than the inlet flow area.

6. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as defined in claim 1, wherein the inlet end of the nozzle has an inlet flow area and the outlet end of the nozzle has an outlet flow area, wherein the outlet flow area is the same size as the inlet flow area.

7. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flow passage of the nozzle has a generally rectangular cross-section.

8. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as defined in claim 1, wherein said nozzle has a raised semi-circular portion at its outlet end, wherein said raised semi-circular portion acts as a finger tab to allow a user to pull said nozzle away from its closed position.

9. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the spout is in the collapsed condition, the actuator, closure, and spout are free of any sharp edges, surface discontinuities or protrusions that might catch on other containers or packaging during transport.

10. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump, comprising:

wherein the actuator is configured with a perimeter having a curvature with a recessed front surface for receiving the nozzle when the nozzle is in a closed position, the actuator having a closed end and an open bottom end;

wherein the nozzle has a raised semicircular portion at its outlet end, wherein the raised semicircular portion acts as a finger tab to allow a user to pull the nozzle away from its closed position;

wherein the closure includes a curved opening configured to correspond to a curved opening of the actuator, wherein the actuator is slidably received within the curved opening of the closure;

means for preventing depression of the actuator when the nozzle is in the closed position;

means for attaching the actuator to a fluid outlet of a manually operated pump;

means for attaching the closure to a manually operated pump; and

11. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as set forth in claim 10, wherein said means for retaining said nozzle in said closed position to prevent inadvertent opening of said nozzle includes a snap tab on said closure, wherein said snap tab engages said nozzle when said nozzle is in said closed position.

12. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as set forth in claim 10, wherein said inlet end of said nozzle has an inlet flow area and said outlet end of said nozzle has an outlet flow area, wherein said outlet flow area is greater than said inlet flow area.

13. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as set forth in claim 10, wherein said inlet end of said nozzle has an inlet flow area and said outlet end of said nozzle has an outlet flow area, wherein said outlet flow area is the same size as said inlet flow area.

14. An actuator assembly for a manually operated pump as claimed in claim 10, wherein when the spout is in the collapsed condition, the actuator, closure, and spout are free of any sharp edges, surface discontinuities or protrusions that might catch on other containers or packaging during transport.