NL2016644B1

NL2016644B1 - Storage holder for a dispenser

Info

Publication number: NL2016644B1
Application number: NL2016644A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Everhardus Ganzeboom Wilhelmus
Original assignee: Gab Eng & Development B V
Priority date: 2016-04-20
Filing date: 2016-04-20
Publication date: 2017-11-07
Also published as: WO2017183974A1

Abstract

The invention is directed to a storage holder, destined for placement in a liquid or foam dispenser, comprising a liquid reservoir, a pump and a plug extension. The liquid reservoir is provided with a plug having a cylindrical opening and an oval shaped exterior surface. The pump is connected to the plug by a clamping connection between pump suction tube and the plug opening. The plug extension comprises means to couple the storage holder to the liquid or foam dispenser and is connected to the plug outer surface of the plug by means of a snap connection or a clamping connection. Furthermore any rotational movement of pump relative to the plug extension is avoided by making use of male and female members.

Description

STORAGE HOLDER FOR A DISPENSER

Field of the invention

The invention is directed to a storage holder, destined for placement in a liquid or foam dispenser. The invention is also directed to a liquid or foam dispenser.

Background of the invention US2005/0006408 describes a storage holder destined for placement in a foam dispenser. The storage holder described in this publication consists of a liquid reservoir, a foam pump and a coupling piece. The liquid reservoir has an opening provided with a plug. The coupling piece connects the foam pump to the plug, wherein the foam pump is screwed to the coupling piece. The coupling piece in turn is provided with a connecting element to connect the storage holder to the foam dispenser. A disadvantage of the storage holder of US2005/0006408 is that it is difficult to accurately position the foam pump to the coupling piece by means of screwing. It is important that the outlet for foam of the foam pump and the means to connect the storage holder to the foam dispenser are correctly positioned relative to each other. If this is not performed accurately the outlet for foam may not be in its operational position once the storage holder is placed in the foam dispenser.

The present inventions aims to provide a storage holder which does not have this disadvantage.

Summary of the invention

The invention is directed to a storage holder, destined for placement in a liquid or foam dispenser, comprising a liquid reservoir, a pump and a plug extension, wherein the liquid reservoir has an opening, which opening is provided with a tubular plug which plug is provided with a cylindrical opening having an axis and which cylindrical opening fluidly connects the interior space of the liquid reservoir with the exterior of the liquid reservoir, which plug further has an outer surface having an oval cross-section at its end part extending from and facing away from the liquid reservoir, the pump is provided with a pump section and a tubular inlet part extending from the pump section and having a smaller cross section than the pump section, which tubular inlet part is fixed into the cylindrical opening of the plug by a clamping connection, wherein the pump is provided with a female or male part and the plug extension comprises an opening for the pump and means to couple the storage holder to the liquid or foam dispenser and is connected to the outer surface of the plug by means of a snap connection or a clamping connection, and wherein the plug extension is provided with a female or male part suited to receive the respective male or female part of the pump such that a rotational displacement of the pump relative to the plug and plug extension is avoided.

The invention is also directed to a liquid or foam dispenser comprising a housing and a storage holder according to the invention, wherein the storage holder is fastened to the housing with the means to couple the storage holder to the liquid or foam dispenser.

In the storage holder according to the invention the pump is not connected to a coupling piece as in the prior art design. Instead the pump is directly connected to the plug. Because of the oval outer surface of the plug and because of the presence of the female and male members an assembly results wherein the pump can only be positioned in a well-defined position or positions relative to the plug extension and to the plug. This simplifies the assembly of such a storage holder and avoids positioning issues when placing the storage holder in a foam or liquid dispenser.

Brief description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows part of the storage holder according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows part of another storage holder according to the invention.

Figure 3 shows how the storage holder can be fastened into a dispenser

Figure 4 shows the storage holder according the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The storage holder according to the invention will be described in more detail below. The plug extension is provided with an opening for the pump. The opening in the plug extension is such that the pump can enter said opening and is suitably free to move in an axial direction within said opening. The plug extension is provided with a female or male part suited to receive the respective male or female part of the pump such that a rotational displacement of the pump relative to the plug and plug extension is avoided. Such a female or male part is suitably present in said opening of the plug extension.

The plug extension comprises means to couple the storage holder to the liquid or foam dispenser. Such means may be surfaces present at the exterior of the plug extension and suited to couple the storage holder to a liquid or foam dispenser. The plug extension may be one structural part or be separate connected parts. The separate parts may be the means to couple the storage holder to the liquid or foam dispenser and the part connected to the plug. These separate parts may be assembled by for example a snap connection. The advantage of using separate parts is that the assembled storage holder can be easily adapted for different designs of liquid or foam dispensers. For example by adding the required surfaces at a later stage or by replacing already assembled surfaces with a different design of surfaces suited to couple the storage holder to another liquid or foam dispenser.

The plug extension suitably has an end for connecting to the outer surface of the plug. The plug extension will have an oval formed opening which enables a clamping or snap connection with the outer surface of the plug. Preferably the plug extension is connected to the outer surface of the plug by means of a snap connection. Such a connection is advantageous because it avoids that the plug extension can disengage from the plug, even when a pulling force is exercised on the plug extension. A problem when using a clamping connection between the tubular inlet part of the pump and the cylindrical opening of the plug is that this connection may fail due to relaxation of the material of the plug. This especially occurs when the plug is made of a thermoplastic polymer, like polyethylene or polypropylene. These materials are however preferred because these materials are compatible with the materials typically used for the liquid containers. To avoid such relaxation it is preferred that at least part of the inner surface of the cylindrical opening of the plug where the inlet tube of the pump is fixed by a clamping connection is at the same axial position as where the plug extension is connected to the outer surface of the plug.

For example when the plug extension is connected by a clamping connection more material at the same axial position will be present. This will result in less radial enlargement of the cylindrical opening of the plug. This may be even enhanced by choosing a material for the plug extension which is less prone to relaxation than the material of the plug itself.

When a snap connection is used to connect the plug extension to the plug a rim extending from the outer surface may be present for enabling such a connection. This rim will avoid or at least minimise relaxation at that axial position of the plug.

The pump may be any liquid or foam pump provided it is provided with a pump section and a inlet tube extending from the pump section and having a smaller cross section than the pump section. Such pumps are well known for hand soap dispensers and hand foam dispensers as positioned on top of a bottle. The pump is suitably operated by the muscular energy of the operator or by means of an electro motor at the moment of use. It may be a liquid pump or a pump which combines liquid and air to create a foam.

The pump is suitably a piston pump wherein the pump comprises a pump section comprising a moveable operating part comprising a liquid piston, an optional air piston and a nozzle for dispensing a liquid or foam and a fixed part comprising of the inlet tube fluidly connected to a liquid chamber and optional air chamber positioned around the liquid chamber, wherein the fixed part further comprises of a cap through which the nozzle extends from the liquid or foam pump and which cap has a larger cross section that the inlet tube and which cap has a side which may or may not rests on the plug extension . Preferably pumps are used which are manufactured in large series for use on top of bottles. Such pumps will be provided with a cap with which the pump can be fixed to the bottle. Connection between the cap and bottle is typically achieved by means of a screw connection or by means of a snap connection. In the storage holder according to the invention no use is made of such connection means even if they are present in the commercially available and used pumps.

The pump may be a liquid pump or a foam pump. Examples of suitable liquid and foam pumps are described in US3359917, US5271530, EP0544549, US5443569, US2002000452, US6290145, US2003082243, US2001042761, US2002070238, US2004069807, US2004000567, US2004084481, US2006151538, US2005067435, US7004356B, US2006283887, US2006246013, US2007045350, US2011168739, W007083206, US2008093386, US2008118368, US2008268188, US2009062176, US2010314417, US2011297700, GB2484092, US2012104048, US2014097209, WO14119102, US6053364, US5110271, US5190192, US5176296, US6053364, US5725128, US2003197034, US2010038383.

The pump is be provided with a male or female part and the plug extension is provided with a corresponding female respectively male part. Male and female part are such that when assembled the male part sits within the female part and avoids rotation of the pump relative to the plug extension. The plug extension is non-rotatably connected to the plug because of the oval outer surface of the plug. Thus also a rotational displacement of the pump relative to the plug is avoided.

In a preferred embodiment the pump is a foam pump. Such a foam pump suitably comprises a pump section comprising a moveable operating part comprising a liquid piston, an air piston and a nozzle for dispensing a foam and a fixed part comprising of the inlet tube fluidly connected to a liquid chamber and an air chamber positioned around the liquid chamber. The fixed part further comprises of a cap through which the nozzle extends from the liquid or foam pump and which cap has a larger cross section that the inlet tube. If the pump is a foam pump it is preferred that air can be sucked in by the air piston. For this reason the plug extension is preferably provided with openings which fluidly connect the exterior of the storage holder with the inlet of the air piston. The opening of the plug extension suitably encompasses part of the inlet tube and part of the air chamber of such a foam pump.

The liquid reservoir may be any container suitably to hold a liquid. Preferably the liquid reservoir is a reservoir having a flexible wall. This is advantageous because when liquid is discharged from the reservoir via the pump no replacement air is required to be added to the reservoir in order to avoid a vacuum. The reservoir having a flexible wall is preferably made of a thermoplastic polymer such as polypropylene or polyethylene.

The plug has a tubular opening in which the inlet tube of the pump is fixed by a clamping connection. The exterior surface of the plug is suitably provided at its exterior with a rim having a larger diameter than the plug and wherein at least part of the inner surface of the cylindrical opening of the plug where the inlet tube of the pump is fixed is at the same axial position as the rim. When the plug extension is connected by means of a snap connection it may be preferred to have at least two rims to be provided at the exterior of the plug. A first rim allows a snap connection with the plug extension and a second rim, located nearer to the fluid reservoir, avoids that these means further move towards said reservoir.

The plug may also be provided with two extension surfaces extending radially outward at either side of the tubular body of the plug. These two surfaces are in one plane and form an anchor for the plug when connected with the flexible fluid reservoir. Preferably the plug and its extension surfaces are positioned in a larger opening of a reservoir having a flexible wall. By sandwiching the extension surfaces and tubular plug body within two surfaces of the flexible reservoir and welding the resulting sandwiched layers a closed reservoir may be obtained provided with the plug in the opening of the reservoir. Preferably the plug and fluid reservoir are made of the same material, for example both made of polyethylene or both made of polypropylene to obtain a strong welded connection.

The invention is also directed to a fluid or foam dispenser comprising a housing and a storage holder according to the invention. Suitable dispensers have a housing comprising a rear body which is suited to be fixed to a vertical wall and a front cover. The front cover may be pivotally engaged to the rear body along a horizontal axis or provided with a push pad which is pivotally engaged to the front cover. Between the rear body and the front cover a space is defined for the storage holder according to this invention. The storage holder is fastened to the housing with the means to couple the storage holder to the liquid or foam dispenser. Preferably the storage holder is engaged with the fluid or foam dispenser at the lower end of the above referred to space. The dispenser will at that position be provided with means for engaging with the means to couple the storage holder to the liquid or foam dispenser. Suitable storage holders will have some sort of means to actuate the liquid or foam pump by muscular energy and preferably some resilient means to bring the pump back to its closed position. The latter to avoid leakage. Examples of suitable fluid and foam dispensers are described in US7611033, US5445288, US5638989, US6082586, US2002005414, US2005205608, US2011127290 and US2013105519.

Detailed description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows part of the storage holder according to the invention. Figure 1 shows a pump 1, a plug extension 2 and a plug 3. The plug 3 as provided in an opening of a liquid reservoir is not shown in this Figure. The plug 3 is provided with a cylindrical opening 4 having an axis 5. This opening 4 fluidly connects the interior space of the liquid reservoir with the exterior of the liquid reservoir. The plug 3 has a outer surface 6 at its end part 7 extending from and facing away from the liquid reservoir. The pump 1 is provided with a pump section 8 and a tubular inlet part 9 extending from the pump section 8 and having a smaller cross section than the pump section 8. The tubular inlet part 9 is fixed into the cylindrical opening 4 of the plug 3 by a clamping connection.

Figure 1 also shows a snap connection between the plug extension 2 and the plug 3. Plug 3 is provided with a rim 11 for enabling the snap connection and a rim 13 avoiding that the plug extension 2 moves towards the liquid reservoir. Rims 11 is at the same axial position as where the tubular inlet part 9 of the pump 1 is fixed by a clamping connection with the part 10 of the inner surface of the cylindrical opening 4 of the plug 3.

The plug extension 2 is provided with surfaces 14 suited to couple the storage holder to a foam or liquid dispenser. In Figure 1 an embodiment is shown wherein these surfaces 14 is a separate part which may be connected to plug extension 2 by a snap connection as shown. The end of plug extension which is connected to the plug 3 is provided with a corresponding oval opening provided with inwardly directed inclined rim 19 which rim 19 can move outwardly when the plug extension is forced onto the plug enabling that rim 11 can be passed. The same rim 19 avoids that plug extension 2 can disengage from plug 3, even under a pulling force as will be clear from Figure 1.

Figure 1 also shows a male part 17 as part of the pump 1. This male part 17 fits in female part 18 which is provided in plug extension 2. When assembled the male part 17 fits in female part 18 and avoids a rotational movement between pump 1 and plug extension 2 as is more clearly shown in Figure 2b.

Figure 2a-2c show the same plug extension 15 combined with pump 1. The surfaces 16, suited to couple the storage holder to a foam dispenser, form one structural part with the plug extension 15. No plug is shown in Figure 2. The other numbers have the same meaning as in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows how the plug extension 15 and plug 3 is coupled with a dispenser 20. Only half of dispenser 20 is shown as a cut through along a vertical plane. Liquid reservoir is not shown in Figure 3. Dispenser 20 is provided with a housing 21 comprising a rear body 22 which is suited to be fixed to a vertical wall and a front cover 23. Figure 3 further shows a push pad 24, pivotally engaged to the housing 21 along a horizontal axis. Push pad 24 when pressed by muscular energy by a user will push the pump 1 towards the plug extension 15 resulting in discharge of liquid or foam from the liquid reservoir. A resilient part 25 will bring push pad 24 and pump 1 back to its starting position. The dispenser 20 is provided with a sleeve 26 into which surface 16 of plug extension 15 fits. In this manner the storage holder is fastened to the dispenser.

Figure 4 shows the assembled storage holder 28 wherein the pump 1, plug extension 15 and fluid reservoir 27 is shown.

Claims

1. Opslaghouder, bedoeld om in een vloeistof- of schuimverdeler aangebracht te worden, met een vloeistofreservoir, een pomp, en een dopverlenging, waarbij het vloeistofreservoir is voorzien van een opening, waarbij de opening is voorzien van een dop, waarbij de dop is voorzien van een cilindrische opening met een as, en waarbij de cilindrische opening een fluïdumverbinding vormt tussen de inwendige ruimte van het vloeistofreservoir en de omgeving van het fluïdumreservoir, waarbij de dop bovendien is voorzien van een buitenoppervlak met een ovale dwarsdoorsnede ter hoogte van het einddeel daarvan dat zich uitstrekt ten opzichte van en is weggericht van het vloeistofreservoir, waarbij de pomp is voorzien van een pompsectie en van een buisvormig Maatdeel dat zich uitstrekt vanaf de pompsectie en dat in het bezit is van een kleinere dwarsdoorsnede dan de pompsectie, waarbij het buisvomüge Maatdeel is bevestigd in de cilindrische opening van de dop met behulp van een klemverbinding, waarbij de pomp is voorzien van een vrouwelijk of mannelijk deel, en de dopverlenging een opening omvat voor de pomp, alsook middelen om de opslaghouder te verbinden met de vloeistof- of schuimverdeler, en is verbonden met het buitenoppervlak van de dop door Mddel van een klikverbinding of van een klemverbinding, en waarbij de dopverlenging is voorzien van een vrouwelijk of mannelijk deel dat geschikt is om het respectievelijke mannelijke of vrouwelijke deel van de pomp op te nemen, op een zodanige wijze dat een rotatieverplaatsing van de pomp ten opzichte van de dop en van de dopverlenging voorkomen wordt.A storage container, intended to be arranged in a liquid or foam distributor, with a liquid reservoir, a pump, and a cap extension, wherein the liquid reservoir is provided with an opening, wherein the opening is provided with a cap, the cap being provided of a cylindrical aperture with a shaft, and wherein the cylindrical aperture forms a fluid communication between the interior of the fluid reservoir and the environment of the fluid reservoir, the cap additionally having an outer surface with an oval cross-section at the end portion thereof which extending with respect to and directed away from the liquid reservoir, the pump being provided with a pump section and with a tubular part extending from the pump section and having a smaller cross-section than the pump section, the tubular part being part attached in the cylindrical opening of the cap with the aid of a clamp connection, where the pump is provided with a female or male part, and the cap extension comprises an opening for the pump, as well as means for connecting the storage container to the liquid or foam distributor, and is connected to the outer surface of the cap by Mddel of a snap connection or with a clamp connection, and wherein the cap extension is provided with a female or male part suitable for receiving the respective male or female part of the pump in such a way that a rotational displacement of the pump relative to the cap and of the cap extension is prevented.

2. Opslaghouder volgens conclusie 1, waarbij de dopverlenging is verbonden met het buitenoppervlak van de dop door middel van een klikverbinding.A storage container according to claim 1, wherein the cap extension is connected to the outer surface of the cap by means of a snap connection.

3. Opslaghouder volgens conclusie 1 of conclusie 2, waarbij ten minste een deel van het binnenoppervlak van de cilindrische opening van de dop waarin de inlaatbuis van de pomp is bevestigd door middel van een klemverbinding, zich bevindt ter hoogte van dezelfde axiale positie als deze waar de dopverlenging is verbonden met het buitenoppervlak van de dop.A storage container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface of the cylindrical opening of the cap in which the inlet tube of the pump is secured by means of a clamp connection is located at the same axial position as that where the cap extension is connected to the outer surface of the cap.

4. Opslaghouder volgens een der conclusies 1 tot en met 3, waarbij het vloeistofreservoir en de dop bestaan uit hetzelfde type thermoplastische polymeer.A storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the liquid reservoir and the cap consist of the same type of thermoplastic polymer.

5. Opslaghouder volgens conclusie 4, waarbij de thermoplastische polymeer polyethyleen of polypropyleen is.The storage container of claim 4, wherein the thermoplastic polymer is polyethylene or polypropylene.

6. Opslaghouder volgens een der conclusies 1 tot en met 5, waarbij de pomp een schuimpomp is die voorzien is van een vloeistofzuiger en van een luchtzuiger, en waarbij de dopverlenging is voorzien van openingen die een fluïdumverbinding vormen tussen het uitwendige van de opslaghouder en de luchtzuiger.A storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pump is a foam pump which is provided with a liquid piston and with an air piston, and wherein the cap extension is provided with openings that form a fluid connection between the exterior of the storage container and the air piston.

7. Opslaghouder volgens een der conclusies 1 tot en met 6, waarbij het buitenoppervlak van de dop op de buitenzijde ervan is voorzien van een rand met een grotere diameter dan deze van de dop, en waarbij ten minste een deel van het buisvormige inlaatdeel van de pomp is bevestigd ter hoogte van dezelfde axiale positie als de rand.A storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer surface of the cap is provided on its outside with an edge with a larger diameter than that of the cap, and wherein at least a part of the tubular inlet part of the cap pump is mounted at the same axial position as the rim.

8. Opslaghouder volgens een der conclusies 1 tot en met 7, waarbij de pompsectie van de pomp is voorzien van een beweegbaar werkzaam deel dat een vloeistofzuiger omvat, een optionele luchtzuiger, en een spruitstuk voor het afgeven op het verdelen van een vloeistof of een schuim, en een vast deel dat de inlaatbuis omvat die in fluïdumverbinding staat met een vloeistofkamer en een optionele luchtkamer die rond de vloeistofkamer is gepositioneerd, waarbij het vaste deel bovendien een deksel omvat waardoor het spruitstuk zich uitstrekt vanaf de schuimpomp, en waarbij het deksel een grotere dwarsdoorsnede bezit dan de inlaatbuis.A storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pump section of the pump is provided with a movable operative part comprising a liquid piston, an optional air piston, and a manifold for dispensing to distribute a liquid or a foam and a fixed portion comprising the inlet tube in fluid communication with a fluid chamber and an optional air chamber positioned around the fluid chamber, the fixed portion additionally including a cover through which the manifold extends from the foam pump, and wherein the lid has a larger cross-section then has the inlet tube.

9. Vloeistof- of schuimverdeler, met een behuizing en met een opslaghouder volgens een der conclusies 1 tot en met 8, waarbij de opslaghouder bevestigd is op de behuizing met behulp van middelen om de opslaghouder te verbinden met de vloeistof- of schuimverdeler.A liquid or foam distributor, with a housing and with a storage holder according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the storage holder is mounted on the housing by means of means for connecting the storage holder to the liquid or foam distributor.