CA1071589A - Squeeze bottle-type dispenser - Google Patents
Squeeze bottle-type dispenserInfo
- Publication number
- CA1071589A CA1071589A CA297,452A CA297452A CA1071589A CA 1071589 A CA1071589 A CA 1071589A CA 297452 A CA297452 A CA 297452A CA 1071589 A CA1071589 A CA 1071589A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- container
- dispensing
- valve body
- valve
- dispenser
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 47
- 230000009975 flexible effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 24
- 230000000295 complement effect Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000007921 spray Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000000047 product Substances 0.000 claims 3
- 244000273618 Sphenoclea zeylanica Species 0.000 description 8
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 7
- 238000000889 atomisation Methods 0.000 description 5
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 4
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 241000518994 Conta Species 0.000 description 2
- 238000010408 sweeping Methods 0.000 description 2
- BHMLFPOTZYRDKA-IRXDYDNUSA-N (2s)-2-[(s)-(2-iodophenoxy)-phenylmethyl]morpholine Chemical compound IC1=CC=CC=C1O[C@@H](C=1C=CC=CC=1)[C@H]1OCCNC1 BHMLFPOTZYRDKA-IRXDYDNUSA-N 0.000 description 1
- SUBDBMMJDZJVOS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 5-methoxy-2-{[(4-methoxy-3,5-dimethylpyridin-2-yl)methyl]sulfinyl}-1H-benzimidazole Chemical compound N=1C2=CC(OC)=CC=C2NC=1S(=O)CC1=NC=C(C)C(OC)=C1C SUBDBMMJDZJVOS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 101100345589 Mus musculus Mical1 gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000875 corresponding effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001746 injection moulding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004800 polyvinyl chloride Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000915 polyvinyl chloride Polymers 0.000 description 1
- BALXUFOVQVENIU-KXNXZCPBSA-N pseudoephedrine hydrochloride Chemical compound [H+].[Cl-].CN[C@@H](C)[C@@H](O)C1=CC=CC=C1 BALXUFOVQVENIU-KXNXZCPBSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010008 shearing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
- B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
- B05B11/04—Deformable containers producing the flow, e.g. squeeze bottles
- B05B11/042—Deformable containers producing the flow, e.g. squeeze bottles the spray being effected by a gas or vapour flow in the nozzle, spray head, outlet or dip tube
- B05B11/046—Deformable containers producing the flow, e.g. squeeze bottles the spray being effected by a gas or vapour flow in the nozzle, spray head, outlet or dip tube the gas or vapour flow coming from a source where the gas or vapour is not in contact with the liquid or other fluent material to be sprayed, e.g. from a compressive bulb, an air pump or an enclosure surrounding the container
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
- B05B11/0005—Components or details
- B05B11/0062—Outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed
- B05B11/0064—Lift valves
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
- B05B11/0005—Components or details
- B05B11/0062—Outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed
- B05B11/007—Outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed being opened by deformation of a sealing element made of resiliently deformable material, e.g. flaps, skirts, duck-bill valves
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
- B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
- B65D47/20—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge
- B65D47/2018—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge comprising a valve or like element which is opened or closed by deformation of the container or closure
- B65D47/2056—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge comprising a valve or like element which is opened or closed by deformation of the container or closure lift valve type
- B65D47/2081—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge comprising a valve or like element which is opened or closed by deformation of the container or closure lift valve type in which the deformation raises or lowers the valve port
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D51/00—Closures not otherwise provided for
- B65D51/16—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas
- B65D51/1633—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas whereby venting occurs by automatic opening of the closure, container or other element
- B65D51/1644—Closures not otherwise provided for with means for venting air or gas whereby venting occurs by automatic opening of the closure, container or other element the element being a valve
Abstract
Case 62-11003/GC 810 Canada SQUEEZE BOTTLE - TYPE DISPENSER
Abstract of the Disclosure A squeeze bottle type dispenser is described which comprises a resiliently squeezable container for the liquid to be dispensed, a cover on the container which cover has a resilient central portion flexible outwardly of the cover away from the container, and, when flexed away therefrom, having a dispensing orifice therein and having an interior surface about the orifice facing toward the container, a dispensing valve body fixed in position in the container adjacent and underneath the cover and having at its outer end an exterior surface about the orifice of the outwardly flexible cover portion and with which the interior sur-face of the latter portion engages with gas tight seal when the parts of the dispenser are in the non-dispensing position, the interior of the valve body being hollow and the valve body having product-dispensing apertures opening from the hollow interior through the exterior surface thereof and being normally covered by the said inner surface of the flexible cover portion when the parts of the dispenser are in the non-dispensing position. The dispenser further comprises air return valve means therein opening an air return flow path into the container when the pressure outside the container is greater than the pressure inside the container, and liquid delivery means within the container connected to the valve body and adapted for delivering liquid to the hollow interior of the valve body when the container is squeezed. The dispenser has a space around the outside of the valve body which space is in communication with the upper portion of the interior of the container and opens into the gap between the exterior surface of the valve body and the interior surface of the resilient central portion of the cover, when the latter portion is moved away from the valve body for permitting compressed gas from within the container to flow through the gap when the container is squeezed.
Abstract of the Disclosure A squeeze bottle type dispenser is described which comprises a resiliently squeezable container for the liquid to be dispensed, a cover on the container which cover has a resilient central portion flexible outwardly of the cover away from the container, and, when flexed away therefrom, having a dispensing orifice therein and having an interior surface about the orifice facing toward the container, a dispensing valve body fixed in position in the container adjacent and underneath the cover and having at its outer end an exterior surface about the orifice of the outwardly flexible cover portion and with which the interior sur-face of the latter portion engages with gas tight seal when the parts of the dispenser are in the non-dispensing position, the interior of the valve body being hollow and the valve body having product-dispensing apertures opening from the hollow interior through the exterior surface thereof and being normally covered by the said inner surface of the flexible cover portion when the parts of the dispenser are in the non-dispensing position. The dispenser further comprises air return valve means therein opening an air return flow path into the container when the pressure outside the container is greater than the pressure inside the container, and liquid delivery means within the container connected to the valve body and adapted for delivering liquid to the hollow interior of the valve body when the container is squeezed. The dispenser has a space around the outside of the valve body which space is in communication with the upper portion of the interior of the container and opens into the gap between the exterior surface of the valve body and the interior surface of the resilient central portion of the cover, when the latter portion is moved away from the valve body for permitting compressed gas from within the container to flow through the gap when the container is squeezed.
Description
~C17~58~
This mvention relates to squeeæe bottle type dispensers.
EPC~Rr~ND 0~ THE INUENTICN A~D P~IOR ART
The art of squeeze kottle dispensers is extremely well developed.
However, these dispensers have become mcreasingly complex as ways have been sought to imprD~e the ability of the dispensers to dispense h-ell atomized sprays of liquld, and yet to automatically seal at the end of a dispensing cycle and re~ain sealed between dispensing cycles. me initially described dispenser has been disclosed in United States Patent 3,160,32~ to Radic et al. in oombination wlth other mDre complicated structural features.
Another typical example of a squeeze bottle dispenser which is an attempt to achieve the above-described objects is shown in United States Patent 3,176,883 to Davis, Jr., in which a resiliently collapsible cDntainer has a dispensmg head thereon thrDugh which a dip tube with a chesk valve therein runs to a dispensing orifice, and which has valving means for permit-ting one-way flow of air from within the container upwardly to and over the mout~ of the dip tube to mixwithliquid from the container and flDw through the dispensing orifice. An air return passage with a valve therein allows air b~ flow back with the cont~iner after a dispensLng cycle. When the bottle is s~ueezed, ~he ~;r in the space abwe the liquid contained therein is comr pressed, and when sufficient pressure is built up, the liquid flows past the chck valve and up the dip tube and the air flow contxol valve opens and ~ompressed aLr flows past the valve to t~e mouth of the dip tlibe and atomizes the liquld flowing through the dip tuke as it passes ~ut through the dis-pensing orifice.
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Thus, the device requlres not only a valve member at the foot of the dip tube, as well as a valve member in the air flow path between the interior of the container and the mouth of the dip tube, but also requires a valve in the return air flow passage.
Since this typical squeeze bottle structure requires a large number of parts, including three valves, it is not only relatively expensive to make and sell 5 but it is not very reliable in operation.
Siinplification of such a structure can of course be achieved, but usually at the expense of omitting the function of one or more of the valve members or of parts helping to atomize the liquid.
An example is shown in U.S. Patent 3,474,936 to McDonell, in which the str~lcture has been somewhat simplified, but which stlll requires three valves, one for th~ dispensing aperture, one for the return air flow aperture, and one for the foot of the dip tube to completely seal the container between dispensing cycles. When one of the valves is omitted, as in Fig. 9, the inierior of the container is always in communication with the atmosphere. Moreover, in the McDonnell dispenser, these valves are spring-loaded valve members, thus requiring additional parts.
On the other hand, the art has re-ognized the desirability of several features to improve dispensing.
For example, the desirability of causing a flow of air to sweep across an aperture through which liquid is flowing .
s~
to improve atomiza~ion of the liquid, such as is shown in U.S. Patent 3,189,282 to Corsette. However, in this paten~, the passages for the ~low of the liquid and the air are unvalved so that no build up of pressure can occur prior to the start of flow of air or liguid, and separate cover means must be manually positioned te seal the squeeze bo~tle after each cycle of use.
It would be a distinct advance in the art if there could be provided a squeeze bottle dispenser which has a simplified si-ructure, yet in which the sealing effect and pressure build-up effect of the valve means nonnally provided in the flow paths for the air and the liquid is retained, and which also takes advan~age of ~he improved atomization caused by the sweeping of the air across the aperture through which the liquid is flowing.
OBJECTS AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIO~
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It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a squeeze bottle dispenser which is made of a minimum nu~ber of parts, and yet which is completely sealed when not dispensing and which produces extremely good atomization, in which, moreover, the ~low passages for both the liquid to be dispensed and the compressed air for atomizing said liquid are preferably automatically closed by a single valve means at the conclusion of che operation of the device.
~L~7~ 39 Theæ objects are achieved, according to the present invention, ~y a squeeze bottle tyFe disp~nær, comprising a resili~ntly collapsible oon-tainer for the liquid to be dispensed, a cover mean5 on the container, the CD~er means having a 1eKib1e resilient central portion flexible outwardly of the oover means away rom the con~ainer under gas pressure generabed in the container when the container is squeezed, a dispensLng valve nE~ber on the oover means having a dispensing orifice therein and an interior surace facing into the container, a dispensing valve bcdy fixed in position within the oontainer adjacent the cc~er and having an exterior surface oomplement-ary in shape to that of the interior surface of the dispensing valve memkerand with ~ich the interior surface of the valve m~er tightly engages when the parts of the dispenser are in the non~dispensing positions, the interior of the valve body being hollow a~d the v~lve body hav m g product dispensing apertures opening fnon the hollow interior thr~ugh the exterior surfaoe theneof and being normally covered by tbe valve memker when, the parts of the dispenser are in the non-dispensing positions, the dispen æ r having an air chamber therein surrounding the outside o~ the valve b~dy and ~eing in ccmm~nication with the upper portion of the interior of the container an~
openlng into ~he gap between the exter.ior surface of the valve body and the interior surface of the valve memker when the valve ~ember is m~ved away from the valve body for permitting co~pressed ~as from within the cont ~ r to flcw thLough the gap when the oonta mer is squeezed, the dispenser having an air return flow path therethrough and valve ~eans in th~ air return flow path opening the air return flcw path when the pressure on the outside of the container is greater than the pressure on th~ inside of the conta mer, and liquid delivery ~eans within the conta mer and oonnected $o the valve bcdy for delivering liquid bo the bollcw interior of the valve body when the container is collapsed.
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An i~portant advantage of the dispenser accordin,g to the invention resides in the fact that the co~pressed,air is first hrought up to a pre-determined pressure which suffices to produce good atomization and only then is caused to s~-eep across the product-dispensing apertures through which the liquid to ke dispensed is flawLng for im$r~v mg the atomization.
The exterior sur~ace of the dispensing valve body and the corres-ponding part of the interivr surfaoe of the resilient central cover portion are preferab~y out~ardly c~nical and the dispensing orifice in the central portion is formed at the apex of the conical part of its interior surface.
The product dispensing apertures are preferably disposed in a substantially transver~e plane relative to the a3nical exterior surface of the valve body.
The liquid delivery means can be either a dip tu~e or a collapsible bag.
A~cording to another aspect Gf the invention, there is pr~vided a valve msans or an atomized spray dispenser having a container, the valve means cc~prismg a flexible resilient oentral portion flexible in a direction which, when the valve means is m3unted on ~he oontainer, is outwardly of the oDntainer, a dispensing valve n~mker on the central portion and having a dispensing orifice therein and an interior surfaoe which, whe~ the valve means is mounted on a container, faces into the oDntainer, a dispensing valve bcdy fixed in p3sition on the mterior surface side of the valve m~ans and adjace~t the oentral portion and having an e~terior suxface oomplementary in shape to that of the interior surface of the dispensing valve member and ~ith which the interior surface of the valve mem~er tightly engages when the parts of the valve means are in the non-dispensing positions, the interior of the valve body being hollow and the valve body having product disp~nsing apertures openLng fro~ the h~llow interior through the exterior surface there-of and being normally covered ~y the val~e me~ber when the parts of the valve means are in the non-dispensing positions, the valve means havin~ an air B
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1al7~5~3~
return flow pa~h therethrough and a valve me~ber therein opening the air return flow path when the pressure on the outside of the valve means is greater than the pressure inside the oontainer, when the valve neans is mDunted on the container, and liquid delivery means conn~cted bo the valve body ~ox delivering liquid from wqthin the container bo the hollow interior of the valve bod~.
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7~89 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in more detail in the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, ~aken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a broken sectional elevation view of a firs~ embodiment of a squeeze bottle dispenser according to the presen~ invention with the parts in the rest or non-dispensing positions Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the dispensing portions of the squeeze bottle of Fig. 1 showing the parts in positions for dispensing the liquid;
Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view of the squeeze bottle of Fig. 1 showing the parts in positions after conclusion of the dispensing of the liquid and during return air flow; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a second embodiment of the squeeze bottle disperser according to the present invention.
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'Detailed Description of the Invention Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the first embodiment of the present invention is constituted by a container 10 made of a resiliently compressible material,which container has a wall lOa of appropriate thickness so that it can be easily squeezed, yet which is sufficiently resilient to return to its original shape upon release of any p.-essure thereon.
The container can be made of a plastic material, such a poly-ethylene o,- polyvinylchloride. In this embodiment, the material of a container 10 should be inert to a liquid L contained there-in and which is to be dispensed.
The container 10 has a more rigid neck 11 having an open upper end lla and being provided with an external threading 12 for attachment of a cover or cap 13 thereto. The threading 12 may be replaced by some other securing means, or the neck 11 can be smooth and the cover 13 bonded to the neck 11.
The cap 13 has a cylindrical sidewall 14 with an enlarged rim portion 15 on the oute,-c, upper end thereof, i.e.
the end remote from the container 10, and a flexible roof portion 16 the periphery 17 of which is integral with the en-larged rim portion 15, but s toward its center sufficiently thin and resilient to be expansible so that, when a force is sxerted on the center of the flexible roof portion 16, it wil~. f~ex conically outwardly away from the interior of the container 10, with the periphery 17 acting somewhat like a hinge, whereby an orifice 31 is formed at the center of the roof portion 16.
The circumferential inner rim face 18 about the orifice 31, at the center of the flexible roof portion 16, is beve]led to leave, in closing position, a narrow opening 19 ~ 7 ~ S 8~
at the upper face 16a and a wider recess 19a in the under- -side 16b of roof portion 16, thus imparting to inner rim face 18, at least in closing position, a conical or frusto-conical configuration.
In a zone of the roof portion 16 intermediate the periphery and the center of the latter, there is provided an air return passage 20.
Inside the cap 13 there is prc~ided a transverse wall 21 across the opening lla of container 11 which transverse wall 21 is held by means of an upstanding flange 22 around the periphery thereof~ between the cover 13 and the top of the neck 11 of the container 10. A~ its center, transverse wall 21 bears a dispensing valve body 25 which comprises a hollow stem 23, at a fixed position at the center of the neck 11, a lower, inner portion of which stem 23 protrudes downwardly, i.e. in-~ardly into neck 11. To the lower end of the hollow stem 23 is attached a liquid supply means in the form of a dip tube 24 which extends into the container 10 to near the bottom lOb thereof.
An opposite, outer or upper portion of the hollow stem 23 protrudes from transverse wall 21 towards the center o cap roof portion 16,and ts upper end is of conical shape and closes the end of the hollow central duct 23a of the stem 23;and a plurality of, e . ~. two to four, product out-let orifices 26 open radially out of the external conical surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25, and are preferably equidistantly spaced circum~erentially around the latter surface. The conical surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25 is complementary in shape to ~he interior rim sur-face 18 at the center of the flexible roof portion 16 of the cap 13, and the tip of the conically bevelled outer end ~' ' ' .
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of valve body 25 projects, ln closing position, into or through ~he narrow opening 19 of valve body 25.
An air flow aperture 27 is provided in transverse wall 21 intermediate the outer periphery of the latter and the hollow stem 23, and leads into an air chamber 29 which is provided be~ween the upper side of transverse wall 21 and the underside 16b of the co~er 13 which are spaced from one another b~ the annular flange 22, the latter being upstanding in actual direction to provide the said air chamber 29 as an annular recess in the upper side of transverse wall 21.
The cap 13 is made of material similar to tha~
of the container 10, and whenever the flexible roof portion 16 of cap 13 flexes upwardly from the plane through its periphery 17 as air pressure is exerted on roof portion 16 from below, the enlarged rim portion 15 is sufficiently rigid as to remain fixed and hold the valve member 28 at the peripheral edge there-of tightly against the upstanding flange 22. The transverse ~all 21 is substantially rigid and can be made of the same material as the container 10 and the cap 13.
In operation, when the parts are in closing position) as shown in Fig. 1, the ;nner conical rim surface 18 of the roof portion 16 actir.g as a dispensing valve rests with a tight seal against the external conical surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25, thus obturating the product outlet orifices 26, and also sealing off the air chamber 29 from the narrow central opening 19, and hence ~rom the atmospher~
surrounding the dispenser. The~annular flexible member 28, on the other hand, is urged against the underside of the roof portion 16 due to its own resilience, thus obtura~ing the air return passage 20 and sealing the air chamber 29 from the atmosphere around the container.
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With the parts in these posi~ions 9 wllen pressure is exerted on the sidewall lOa of container 10 to compress it, for example by squeezing it bet~7eeen the fingers of a user's hand, the air in the space above the liquid L to be dispensed is compressed, and compressed air is caused to flow through the air flow aperture 27 and to increase the pressure in the air chamber 29. The resiliency of the roof portion 16 of cap 13 is such that, when adequate pressure has built up to produce the desired degree of a~omization, the increased pressure flexes and thereby expands the flexible roof por~ion 16 upwardly from the p;ane through its periphery 17, while the ~ransverse wall 21 remains substantially un~
deformed. Thus, the dispensing valve rim face 1~ is bent up-ward and away from the conical surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25 to form a cone at the apex of which the narrow opening 19 has become the unobturated orifice 31 through which compressed air can now rapidly escape.
The same increased pressure in the air chamber 29, on the other hand, urges the valve member 28 more tightly against the underside 16b of the flexible roof portion 16, thus keeping the air return passage 20 closed.
The increased pressure within the resiliently compressible wall lOa of container 10 also acts on the upper -surface of the liquid L to be dispensed, forcing this li~uid up the dip tube 2~ and through the hollow stem 23 to the apertures 26. The liquid under pressure is forced to flow through the apertures 26 substantially perpendicular to the exterior surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25. The ~low of liquid is immediately intermingled with the compressed air flowing along the surface 25a, which exerts a shearing action thereon and atomizes the liquid extremely well. The ' ~ ~ 7~ 5~9 atomized liquid is then dispensed from the dispenser through the dispensing orifice 31~
When the pressure on the resiliently compressible container wall lOa is released or the compressed air which has been produced by the initial compression is used up, the pressure of the air within the air chamber 29 and the interior of the container 10 decays rapidly to atmospheric pressure, and then as the pLessure on the underside 16b of the flexible roof portion 16 falls below the pressure necessary for good atomizing, this portion again flexes downwardly so as to bring the rim surface 18 about the central opening 19 of the roof portion 16 into tight con.act with the external surface 25a of the dispensing -~alve body 25, thus obturating the air flow through opening 19 and product flow through apertures 26.
As the container wall lOa continues to expand to its normal condition, a vacuum is created within the container 10 and pressure of the surrounding air is exerted on the flexible valve member 28 through the air return passage 20, thus ~lexing the valve member 23 away from the underside 16b of the roof portion 16, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, air is ad-mitted into the air chamber 29 and through ~he air flow aper-ture 27 into the interior o~ the container 10 until the pressure within the container reaches ambient pressure.
At this point, the valve member 28 will, due to its own resilience, again be sealingly pressed against the under-side 16b of the roof portion 16, again obturating the air return passage 20, and the parts will again be in the positions shown in Fig. 1, ready for another dispensing cycle.
~ n the embodiment of ~ig. 4, the dip tube 24his replaced with a collapsible bag 32 which is secured to/lower end of the the hollow stem 23, and which, in the initial con~
~ 7~ 5 ~9 dition when ~il]ed with liquid,occupies about half ~hecontainer 10. The operation o~ ~he dispenser of Fig. 4 is identical with that of the embodirnent of ~igs. 1 to 3, except that each time the container sidewall lOa is squeezed, liquid is forced from the bag 32 upward into duct 23a, and when the pressure is released, the bag 32, instead of expanding again, remains collapsed, while air is caused to flow into the space 30 within the container 10 which surrounds the bag 32.
There are several advantages of using a bag.
Its use makes the dispenser spillproof, and permits operation of the dispenser regardless of the position in which it is held, e.g. upslde down. Moreover, the bag can be used to dis-pense liquids which are incompatible with the material from which the container wall is made or which would deteriorate when contacted by air during storage.
It will thus be seen that the device of tne present invention consists only of five parts, the con~ainer, the cover, the dispensing valve body and its mounting structure, the annular flexible valve member, and either the dip tube or the collapsible bag. Never~heless, the interior of the container is normally completely sealed from the atmosphere by the engagement of the conical rim face 18 of roof portion 16 with the dispensing valve body 25 and the action of valve member 28 covering air return passage 20 when the parts are at rest.
A single valve thus seals both the air flow passage through the air flow aperture 27, the air chamber 2~, as well as the apertures 26 of the liquid flow passage through the hollow stem 23 The same valve means causes bild-up of pressure within the container 10, opening only when a pressure sufficient to produce good atomizing has been built up therein. Only one second annular flexible valve member 28 is needed to control ~ 7 ~ ~ ~9 the flow of air through the air return passage 70.
Nevertheless, these simple valve means suffice to achieve the desirable effect of the air sweeping across the aperture through which the liquid is emitted, thus improving atomization.
Because of the very simple structure and small number of parts, aLl of which can be easily molded in a conventional injection molding machine~ the dispenser can be made very inexpensively, yet it is reliable in operation.
Spitting a~ the start of dispensing is avoided.
When pressure is inltially e~erted on the compressible con-tainerwall lOa, the pressure will first build up without separating the valve rim face 1~ from the conical surface 25a of dispensing valve body 25, and only after pressure has built up to a predetermined desirable level will the valve open. Although ou~let orifice 31 and apertures 26 physically open at the same time, due to the inertia of the liquid, air will actually be flowing across apertures 26 at the time liquid is emitted in a significant amount. This operation takes place whether the container is squeezed rapidly or slowly. Thus, atomizing becomes independent of the strength with which the user squeezes the container.
Moreover, ~he dispenser is substantially self-cleaning. When the pressure on the container 10 is released, the liquid will practically immediately stop 10wing through the hollow stem 23 and apertures 26, yet there will still be sufficient compressed air flowing through the outlet orifice 31 to carry away residual liquid. Moreover, there is no flow control or atomizing structure downstream of ~he valve in which solution can collec~ and the liquid evaporate and leave solute as residue. Further, since the ~7~ 5~9 top Gf the conical top portion of valve body 25 preferably extends through the opening 19, it will physically clean it at the end of each operaLion of the device. The force for opening the valve is sufficient to break away any adhesive force tending to hold the parts of the valve toge~her, since the large pressure area on the underside of the flexible roof portion 16 is much larger than the contac~ing areas of the parts 18 and 25a of the valve.
It is thought that the invention and its ad-vantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts wit'nout de~
parting from the spirit and scope of the inven~ion or sacrificing i~s material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described and illus~ra~ed in the drawings being merely pre-frred embodiments thereof.
Thus, the air return valve can be devised as disclosed in UOS. Pa~ent 4,057,177 to Laau~e.
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This mvention relates to squeeæe bottle type dispensers.
EPC~Rr~ND 0~ THE INUENTICN A~D P~IOR ART
The art of squeeze kottle dispensers is extremely well developed.
However, these dispensers have become mcreasingly complex as ways have been sought to imprD~e the ability of the dispensers to dispense h-ell atomized sprays of liquld, and yet to automatically seal at the end of a dispensing cycle and re~ain sealed between dispensing cycles. me initially described dispenser has been disclosed in United States Patent 3,160,32~ to Radic et al. in oombination wlth other mDre complicated structural features.
Another typical example of a squeeze bottle dispenser which is an attempt to achieve the above-described objects is shown in United States Patent 3,176,883 to Davis, Jr., in which a resiliently collapsible cDntainer has a dispensmg head thereon thrDugh which a dip tube with a chesk valve therein runs to a dispensing orifice, and which has valving means for permit-ting one-way flow of air from within the container upwardly to and over the mout~ of the dip tube to mixwithliquid from the container and flDw through the dispensing orifice. An air return passage with a valve therein allows air b~ flow back with the cont~iner after a dispensLng cycle. When the bottle is s~ueezed, ~he ~;r in the space abwe the liquid contained therein is comr pressed, and when sufficient pressure is built up, the liquid flows past the chck valve and up the dip tube and the air flow contxol valve opens and ~ompressed aLr flows past the valve to t~e mouth of the dip tlibe and atomizes the liquld flowing through the dip tuke as it passes ~ut through the dis-pensing orifice.
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Thus, the device requlres not only a valve member at the foot of the dip tube, as well as a valve member in the air flow path between the interior of the container and the mouth of the dip tube, but also requires a valve in the return air flow passage.
Since this typical squeeze bottle structure requires a large number of parts, including three valves, it is not only relatively expensive to make and sell 5 but it is not very reliable in operation.
Siinplification of such a structure can of course be achieved, but usually at the expense of omitting the function of one or more of the valve members or of parts helping to atomize the liquid.
An example is shown in U.S. Patent 3,474,936 to McDonell, in which the str~lcture has been somewhat simplified, but which stlll requires three valves, one for th~ dispensing aperture, one for the return air flow aperture, and one for the foot of the dip tube to completely seal the container between dispensing cycles. When one of the valves is omitted, as in Fig. 9, the inierior of the container is always in communication with the atmosphere. Moreover, in the McDonnell dispenser, these valves are spring-loaded valve members, thus requiring additional parts.
On the other hand, the art has re-ognized the desirability of several features to improve dispensing.
For example, the desirability of causing a flow of air to sweep across an aperture through which liquid is flowing .
s~
to improve atomiza~ion of the liquid, such as is shown in U.S. Patent 3,189,282 to Corsette. However, in this paten~, the passages for the ~low of the liquid and the air are unvalved so that no build up of pressure can occur prior to the start of flow of air or liguid, and separate cover means must be manually positioned te seal the squeeze bo~tle after each cycle of use.
It would be a distinct advance in the art if there could be provided a squeeze bottle dispenser which has a simplified si-ructure, yet in which the sealing effect and pressure build-up effect of the valve means nonnally provided in the flow paths for the air and the liquid is retained, and which also takes advan~age of ~he improved atomization caused by the sweeping of the air across the aperture through which the liquid is flowing.
OBJECTS AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIO~
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It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a squeeze bottle dispenser which is made of a minimum nu~ber of parts, and yet which is completely sealed when not dispensing and which produces extremely good atomization, in which, moreover, the ~low passages for both the liquid to be dispensed and the compressed air for atomizing said liquid are preferably automatically closed by a single valve means at the conclusion of che operation of the device.
~L~7~ 39 Theæ objects are achieved, according to the present invention, ~y a squeeze bottle tyFe disp~nær, comprising a resili~ntly collapsible oon-tainer for the liquid to be dispensed, a cover mean5 on the container, the CD~er means having a 1eKib1e resilient central portion flexible outwardly of the oover means away rom the con~ainer under gas pressure generabed in the container when the container is squeezed, a dispensLng valve nE~ber on the oover means having a dispensing orifice therein and an interior surace facing into the container, a dispensing valve bcdy fixed in position within the oontainer adjacent the cc~er and having an exterior surface oomplement-ary in shape to that of the interior surface of the dispensing valve memkerand with ~ich the interior surface of the valve m~er tightly engages when the parts of the dispenser are in the non~dispensing positions, the interior of the valve body being hollow a~d the v~lve body hav m g product dispensing apertures opening fnon the hollow interior thr~ugh the exterior surfaoe theneof and being normally covered by tbe valve memker when, the parts of the dispenser are in the non-dispensing positions, the dispen æ r having an air chamber therein surrounding the outside o~ the valve b~dy and ~eing in ccmm~nication with the upper portion of the interior of the container an~
openlng into ~he gap between the exter.ior surface of the valve body and the interior surface of the valve memker when the valve ~ember is m~ved away from the valve body for permitting co~pressed ~as from within the cont ~ r to flcw thLough the gap when the oonta mer is squeezed, the dispenser having an air return flow path therethrough and valve ~eans in th~ air return flow path opening the air return flcw path when the pressure on the outside of the container is greater than the pressure on th~ inside of the conta mer, and liquid delivery ~eans within the conta mer and oonnected $o the valve bcdy for delivering liquid bo the bollcw interior of the valve body when the container is collapsed.
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An i~portant advantage of the dispenser accordin,g to the invention resides in the fact that the co~pressed,air is first hrought up to a pre-determined pressure which suffices to produce good atomization and only then is caused to s~-eep across the product-dispensing apertures through which the liquid to ke dispensed is flawLng for im$r~v mg the atomization.
The exterior sur~ace of the dispensing valve body and the corres-ponding part of the interivr surfaoe of the resilient central cover portion are preferab~y out~ardly c~nical and the dispensing orifice in the central portion is formed at the apex of the conical part of its interior surface.
The product dispensing apertures are preferably disposed in a substantially transver~e plane relative to the a3nical exterior surface of the valve body.
The liquid delivery means can be either a dip tu~e or a collapsible bag.
A~cording to another aspect Gf the invention, there is pr~vided a valve msans or an atomized spray dispenser having a container, the valve means cc~prismg a flexible resilient oentral portion flexible in a direction which, when the valve means is m3unted on ~he oontainer, is outwardly of the oDntainer, a dispensing valve n~mker on the central portion and having a dispensing orifice therein and an interior surfaoe which, whe~ the valve means is mounted on a container, faces into the oDntainer, a dispensing valve bcdy fixed in p3sition on the mterior surface side of the valve m~ans and adjace~t the oentral portion and having an e~terior suxface oomplementary in shape to that of the interior surface of the dispensing valve member and ~ith which the interior surface of the valve mem~er tightly engages when the parts of the valve means are in the non-dispensing positions, the interior of the valve body being hollow and the valve body having product disp~nsing apertures openLng fro~ the h~llow interior through the exterior surface there-of and being normally covered ~y the val~e me~ber when the parts of the valve means are in the non-dispensing positions, the valve means havin~ an air B
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1al7~5~3~
return flow pa~h therethrough and a valve me~ber therein opening the air return flow path when the pressure on the outside of the valve means is greater than the pressure inside the oontainer, when the valve neans is mDunted on the container, and liquid delivery means conn~cted bo the valve body ~ox delivering liquid from wqthin the container bo the hollow interior of the valve bod~.
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7~89 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in more detail in the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, ~aken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a broken sectional elevation view of a firs~ embodiment of a squeeze bottle dispenser according to the presen~ invention with the parts in the rest or non-dispensing positions Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the dispensing portions of the squeeze bottle of Fig. 1 showing the parts in positions for dispensing the liquid;
Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view of the squeeze bottle of Fig. 1 showing the parts in positions after conclusion of the dispensing of the liquid and during return air flow; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a second embodiment of the squeeze bottle disperser according to the present invention.
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'Detailed Description of the Invention Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the first embodiment of the present invention is constituted by a container 10 made of a resiliently compressible material,which container has a wall lOa of appropriate thickness so that it can be easily squeezed, yet which is sufficiently resilient to return to its original shape upon release of any p.-essure thereon.
The container can be made of a plastic material, such a poly-ethylene o,- polyvinylchloride. In this embodiment, the material of a container 10 should be inert to a liquid L contained there-in and which is to be dispensed.
The container 10 has a more rigid neck 11 having an open upper end lla and being provided with an external threading 12 for attachment of a cover or cap 13 thereto. The threading 12 may be replaced by some other securing means, or the neck 11 can be smooth and the cover 13 bonded to the neck 11.
The cap 13 has a cylindrical sidewall 14 with an enlarged rim portion 15 on the oute,-c, upper end thereof, i.e.
the end remote from the container 10, and a flexible roof portion 16 the periphery 17 of which is integral with the en-larged rim portion 15, but s toward its center sufficiently thin and resilient to be expansible so that, when a force is sxerted on the center of the flexible roof portion 16, it wil~. f~ex conically outwardly away from the interior of the container 10, with the periphery 17 acting somewhat like a hinge, whereby an orifice 31 is formed at the center of the roof portion 16.
The circumferential inner rim face 18 about the orifice 31, at the center of the flexible roof portion 16, is beve]led to leave, in closing position, a narrow opening 19 ~ 7 ~ S 8~
at the upper face 16a and a wider recess 19a in the under- -side 16b of roof portion 16, thus imparting to inner rim face 18, at least in closing position, a conical or frusto-conical configuration.
In a zone of the roof portion 16 intermediate the periphery and the center of the latter, there is provided an air return passage 20.
Inside the cap 13 there is prc~ided a transverse wall 21 across the opening lla of container 11 which transverse wall 21 is held by means of an upstanding flange 22 around the periphery thereof~ between the cover 13 and the top of the neck 11 of the container 10. A~ its center, transverse wall 21 bears a dispensing valve body 25 which comprises a hollow stem 23, at a fixed position at the center of the neck 11, a lower, inner portion of which stem 23 protrudes downwardly, i.e. in-~ardly into neck 11. To the lower end of the hollow stem 23 is attached a liquid supply means in the form of a dip tube 24 which extends into the container 10 to near the bottom lOb thereof.
An opposite, outer or upper portion of the hollow stem 23 protrudes from transverse wall 21 towards the center o cap roof portion 16,and ts upper end is of conical shape and closes the end of the hollow central duct 23a of the stem 23;and a plurality of, e . ~. two to four, product out-let orifices 26 open radially out of the external conical surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25, and are preferably equidistantly spaced circum~erentially around the latter surface. The conical surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25 is complementary in shape to ~he interior rim sur-face 18 at the center of the flexible roof portion 16 of the cap 13, and the tip of the conically bevelled outer end ~' ' ' .
~ ~ 7~
of valve body 25 projects, ln closing position, into or through ~he narrow opening 19 of valve body 25.
An air flow aperture 27 is provided in transverse wall 21 intermediate the outer periphery of the latter and the hollow stem 23, and leads into an air chamber 29 which is provided be~ween the upper side of transverse wall 21 and the underside 16b of the co~er 13 which are spaced from one another b~ the annular flange 22, the latter being upstanding in actual direction to provide the said air chamber 29 as an annular recess in the upper side of transverse wall 21.
The cap 13 is made of material similar to tha~
of the container 10, and whenever the flexible roof portion 16 of cap 13 flexes upwardly from the plane through its periphery 17 as air pressure is exerted on roof portion 16 from below, the enlarged rim portion 15 is sufficiently rigid as to remain fixed and hold the valve member 28 at the peripheral edge there-of tightly against the upstanding flange 22. The transverse ~all 21 is substantially rigid and can be made of the same material as the container 10 and the cap 13.
In operation, when the parts are in closing position) as shown in Fig. 1, the ;nner conical rim surface 18 of the roof portion 16 actir.g as a dispensing valve rests with a tight seal against the external conical surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25, thus obturating the product outlet orifices 26, and also sealing off the air chamber 29 from the narrow central opening 19, and hence ~rom the atmospher~
surrounding the dispenser. The~annular flexible member 28, on the other hand, is urged against the underside of the roof portion 16 due to its own resilience, thus obtura~ing the air return passage 20 and sealing the air chamber 29 from the atmosphere around the container.
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With the parts in these posi~ions 9 wllen pressure is exerted on the sidewall lOa of container 10 to compress it, for example by squeezing it bet~7eeen the fingers of a user's hand, the air in the space above the liquid L to be dispensed is compressed, and compressed air is caused to flow through the air flow aperture 27 and to increase the pressure in the air chamber 29. The resiliency of the roof portion 16 of cap 13 is such that, when adequate pressure has built up to produce the desired degree of a~omization, the increased pressure flexes and thereby expands the flexible roof por~ion 16 upwardly from the p;ane through its periphery 17, while the ~ransverse wall 21 remains substantially un~
deformed. Thus, the dispensing valve rim face 1~ is bent up-ward and away from the conical surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25 to form a cone at the apex of which the narrow opening 19 has become the unobturated orifice 31 through which compressed air can now rapidly escape.
The same increased pressure in the air chamber 29, on the other hand, urges the valve member 28 more tightly against the underside 16b of the flexible roof portion 16, thus keeping the air return passage 20 closed.
The increased pressure within the resiliently compressible wall lOa of container 10 also acts on the upper -surface of the liquid L to be dispensed, forcing this li~uid up the dip tube 2~ and through the hollow stem 23 to the apertures 26. The liquid under pressure is forced to flow through the apertures 26 substantially perpendicular to the exterior surface 25a of the dispensing valve body 25. The ~low of liquid is immediately intermingled with the compressed air flowing along the surface 25a, which exerts a shearing action thereon and atomizes the liquid extremely well. The ' ~ ~ 7~ 5~9 atomized liquid is then dispensed from the dispenser through the dispensing orifice 31~
When the pressure on the resiliently compressible container wall lOa is released or the compressed air which has been produced by the initial compression is used up, the pressure of the air within the air chamber 29 and the interior of the container 10 decays rapidly to atmospheric pressure, and then as the pLessure on the underside 16b of the flexible roof portion 16 falls below the pressure necessary for good atomizing, this portion again flexes downwardly so as to bring the rim surface 18 about the central opening 19 of the roof portion 16 into tight con.act with the external surface 25a of the dispensing -~alve body 25, thus obturating the air flow through opening 19 and product flow through apertures 26.
As the container wall lOa continues to expand to its normal condition, a vacuum is created within the container 10 and pressure of the surrounding air is exerted on the flexible valve member 28 through the air return passage 20, thus ~lexing the valve member 23 away from the underside 16b of the roof portion 16, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, air is ad-mitted into the air chamber 29 and through ~he air flow aper-ture 27 into the interior o~ the container 10 until the pressure within the container reaches ambient pressure.
At this point, the valve member 28 will, due to its own resilience, again be sealingly pressed against the under-side 16b of the roof portion 16, again obturating the air return passage 20, and the parts will again be in the positions shown in Fig. 1, ready for another dispensing cycle.
~ n the embodiment of ~ig. 4, the dip tube 24his replaced with a collapsible bag 32 which is secured to/lower end of the the hollow stem 23, and which, in the initial con~
~ 7~ 5 ~9 dition when ~il]ed with liquid,occupies about half ~hecontainer 10. The operation o~ ~he dispenser of Fig. 4 is identical with that of the embodirnent of ~igs. 1 to 3, except that each time the container sidewall lOa is squeezed, liquid is forced from the bag 32 upward into duct 23a, and when the pressure is released, the bag 32, instead of expanding again, remains collapsed, while air is caused to flow into the space 30 within the container 10 which surrounds the bag 32.
There are several advantages of using a bag.
Its use makes the dispenser spillproof, and permits operation of the dispenser regardless of the position in which it is held, e.g. upslde down. Moreover, the bag can be used to dis-pense liquids which are incompatible with the material from which the container wall is made or which would deteriorate when contacted by air during storage.
It will thus be seen that the device of tne present invention consists only of five parts, the con~ainer, the cover, the dispensing valve body and its mounting structure, the annular flexible valve member, and either the dip tube or the collapsible bag. Never~heless, the interior of the container is normally completely sealed from the atmosphere by the engagement of the conical rim face 18 of roof portion 16 with the dispensing valve body 25 and the action of valve member 28 covering air return passage 20 when the parts are at rest.
A single valve thus seals both the air flow passage through the air flow aperture 27, the air chamber 2~, as well as the apertures 26 of the liquid flow passage through the hollow stem 23 The same valve means causes bild-up of pressure within the container 10, opening only when a pressure sufficient to produce good atomizing has been built up therein. Only one second annular flexible valve member 28 is needed to control ~ 7 ~ ~ ~9 the flow of air through the air return passage 70.
Nevertheless, these simple valve means suffice to achieve the desirable effect of the air sweeping across the aperture through which the liquid is emitted, thus improving atomization.
Because of the very simple structure and small number of parts, aLl of which can be easily molded in a conventional injection molding machine~ the dispenser can be made very inexpensively, yet it is reliable in operation.
Spitting a~ the start of dispensing is avoided.
When pressure is inltially e~erted on the compressible con-tainerwall lOa, the pressure will first build up without separating the valve rim face 1~ from the conical surface 25a of dispensing valve body 25, and only after pressure has built up to a predetermined desirable level will the valve open. Although ou~let orifice 31 and apertures 26 physically open at the same time, due to the inertia of the liquid, air will actually be flowing across apertures 26 at the time liquid is emitted in a significant amount. This operation takes place whether the container is squeezed rapidly or slowly. Thus, atomizing becomes independent of the strength with which the user squeezes the container.
Moreover, ~he dispenser is substantially self-cleaning. When the pressure on the container 10 is released, the liquid will practically immediately stop 10wing through the hollow stem 23 and apertures 26, yet there will still be sufficient compressed air flowing through the outlet orifice 31 to carry away residual liquid. Moreover, there is no flow control or atomizing structure downstream of ~he valve in which solution can collec~ and the liquid evaporate and leave solute as residue. Further, since the ~7~ 5~9 top Gf the conical top portion of valve body 25 preferably extends through the opening 19, it will physically clean it at the end of each operaLion of the device. The force for opening the valve is sufficient to break away any adhesive force tending to hold the parts of the valve toge~her, since the large pressure area on the underside of the flexible roof portion 16 is much larger than the contac~ing areas of the parts 18 and 25a of the valve.
It is thought that the invention and its ad-vantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts wit'nout de~
parting from the spirit and scope of the inven~ion or sacrificing i~s material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described and illus~ra~ed in the drawings being merely pre-frred embodiments thereof.
Thus, the air return valve can be devised as disclosed in UOS. Pa~ent 4,057,177 to Laau~e.
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Claims (7)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A squeeze bottle type dispenser, comprising a resiliently collapsible container for the liquid to be dispensed, a cover means on said container, said cover means having a flexible resilient central portion flexible out-wardly of the cover means away from the container under gas pressure gener-ated in said container when said container is squeezed, a dispensing valve member on said cover means having a dispensing orifice therein and an inter-ior surface facing into said container, a dispensing valve body fixed in posi-tion within said container adjacent said cover and having an exterior surface complementary in shape to that of the interior surface of said dispensing valve member and with which the interior surface of said valve member tightly engages when the parts of the dispenser are in the non-dispensing positions, the interior of said valve body being hollow and said valve body having pro-duct dispensing apertures opening from said hollow interior through said exterior surface thereof and being normally covered by said valve member when the parts of the dispenser are in the non-dispensing positions, said dispenser having an air chamber therein surrounding the outside of said valve body and being in communication with the upper portion of the interior of said container and opening into the gap between said exterior surface of said valve body and the interior surface of said valve member when the valve member is moved away from said valve body for permitting compressed gas from within the container to flow through said gap when the container is squeezed, said dispenser having an air return flow path therethrough and valve means in said air return flow path opening said air return flow path when the pressure on the outside of the container is greater than the pressure on the inside of the container, and liquid delivery means within said container and connected to said valve body for delivering liquid to said hollow interior of said valve body when the container is collapsed.
2. A squeeze bottle type dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said exterior surface of said dispensing valve body and said dispensing valve member are outwardly conical and the apex of said dispensing valve member projects through said dispensing orifice in said dispensing valve member.
3. A squeeze bottle type dispenser as claimed in claim 2 in which said product dispensing apertures are substantially transverse to the exterior surface of said dispensing valve member.
4. A squeeze bottle dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said air return flow path is constituted by an air return passage in said cover, and said valve means in said air return flow path is an annular resilient flex-ible valve member against the under side of said cover and covering said air return passage, the peripheral edge of said valve member being held between said cover and the remainder of the structure of said dispenser.
5. A squeeze bottle dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said liquid delivery means comprises a dip tube extending into said container from said dispensing valve body.
6. A squeeze bottle dispenser as claimed in claim 1 in which said liquid delivery means comprises a non-resiliently collapsible bag having the neck attached to said dispensing valve body.
7. A valve means for an atomized spray dispenser having a container, said valve means comprising a flexible resilient central portion flexible in a direction which, when the valve means is mounted on the container, is out-wardly of the container, a dispensing valve member on said central portion and having a dispensing orifice therein and an interior surface which, when the valve means is mounted on a container, faces into the container, a dis-pensing valve body fixed in position on the interior surface side of said valve means and adjacent said central portion and having an exterior surface complementary in shape to that of the interior surface of said dispensing valve member and with which the interior surface of said valve member tightly engages when the parts of the valve means are in the non-dispensing positions, the interior of said valve body being hollow and said valve body having product dispensing apertures opening from said hollow interior through said exterior surface thereof and being normally covered by said valve member when the parts of the valve means are in the non-dispensing positions, said valve means having an air return flow path therethrough and a valve member therein opening said air return flow path when the pressure on the outside of the valve means is greater than the pressure inside the container, when the valve means is mounted on the container, and liquid delivery means connected to said valve body for delivering liquid from within the container to said hollow interior of said valve body.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US05/770,759 US4102476A (en) | 1977-02-22 | 1977-02-22 | Squeeze bottle dispenser with air check valve on cover |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1071589A true CA1071589A (en) | 1980-02-12 |
Family
ID=25089599
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA297,452A Expired CA1071589A (en) | 1977-02-22 | 1978-02-22 | Squeeze bottle-type dispenser |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4102476A (en) |
| JP (1) | JPS53104379A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1071589A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2807204A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2382275A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1579213A (en) |
| IT (1) | IT7848116A0 (en) |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4245788A (en) * | 1978-03-20 | 1981-01-20 | Wright Hershel E | Dispensing device for fluid material |
| US4266941A (en) * | 1979-01-12 | 1981-05-12 | Corning Glass Works | Method of assuring the quality of the results obtained from a blood gas analyzer |
| DE2933134A1 (en) * | 1979-08-16 | 1981-03-26 | AHK Alkohol Handelskontor GmbH & Co KG, 4780 Lippstadt | Container for light inflammable liq. - consists of flexible container with compressible walls and safety membrane controlled cone valve and covering gap |
| JPS5814362U (en) * | 1981-07-20 | 1983-01-28 | 株式会社吉野工業所 | squeeze container with valve |
| US4533068A (en) * | 1981-08-17 | 1985-08-06 | Health Care Concepts, Inc. | Sterile solution delivery and venting devices |
| US4420101A (en) * | 1981-11-18 | 1983-12-13 | Diamond International Corp. | Squeeze bottle with self-venting dispensing closure |
| US4506809A (en) * | 1982-06-25 | 1985-03-26 | Calmar, Inc. | Dispensing fitment for squeeze bottles |
| US4705420A (en) * | 1983-03-24 | 1987-11-10 | Sani-Fresh International, Inc. | Cleaning system having cleaning fluid capsule |
| US4640638A (en) * | 1983-03-24 | 1987-02-03 | Sani-Fresh International, Inc. | Cleaning system |
| US4705195A (en) * | 1983-03-24 | 1987-11-10 | Sani-Fresh International, Inc. | Valve apparatus for liquid dispensers |
| JPS59168355U (en) * | 1983-04-25 | 1984-11-10 | 東洋製罐株式会社 | packaging container |
| JPS60161049U (en) * | 1984-03-30 | 1985-10-25 | 福岡 加奈恵 | extruded container |
| JPS60188151U (en) * | 1984-05-23 | 1985-12-13 | ライオン株式会社 | squeeze container |
| WO1986001489A1 (en) * | 1984-08-23 | 1986-03-13 | Hafina Treufinanz Ag | Container provided with a closure |
| DE3432253A1 (en) * | 1984-09-01 | 1986-03-13 | Coronet - Werke Heinrich Schlerf Gmbh, 6948 Wald-Michelbach | Dispenser for liquid or pasty substances |
| US4646945A (en) * | 1985-06-28 | 1987-03-03 | Steiner Company, Inc. | Vented discharge assembly for liquid soap dispenser |
| DE3525449C2 (en) * | 1985-07-17 | 1995-02-02 | Pfeiffer Erich Gmbh & Co Kg | Output device for flowable media |
| US4760937A (en) * | 1986-06-16 | 1988-08-02 | Evezich Paul D | Squeezable device for ejecting retained materials |
| JPH037310Y2 (en) * | 1986-09-12 | 1991-02-22 | ||
| GB2198418A (en) * | 1986-10-17 | 1988-06-15 | Hilcrest Design Ltd | Cap for a flexible container |
| US5255826A (en) * | 1988-10-07 | 1993-10-26 | Ryder International Corporation | Liquid dispenser nozzle assembly |
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| CN104029903B (en) * | 2014-06-01 | 2016-06-22 | 济南大学 | Environmental protection coating material basin |
| CN104029904B (en) * | 2014-06-01 | 2016-06-22 | 济南大学 | The anti-drying ecological degradable fluid reservoir of lotus type |
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| JP7441655B2 (en) * | 2020-01-22 | 2024-03-01 | 三菱鉛筆株式会社 | applicator |
Family Cites Families (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR1314002A (en) * | 1961-11-24 | 1963-01-04 | Method and device for dispensing a non-compacted substance | |
| US3160329A (en) * | 1963-02-26 | 1964-12-08 | Radic Frank | Dispensing device |
| US3189282A (en) * | 1963-04-15 | 1965-06-15 | Calmar Inc | Atomizing device having an annular aspirating zone |
| US3176883A (en) * | 1963-04-15 | 1965-04-06 | Jr George B Davis | Fluid dispenser |
| US3794247A (en) * | 1972-11-22 | 1974-02-26 | Corsette Douglas Frank | Spray fitment for squeeze bottles |
| SE392820B (en) * | 1976-06-10 | 1977-04-25 | B Nilson | SPRAY BOTTLE |
-
1977
- 1977-02-22 US US05/770,759 patent/US4102476A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1978
- 1978-02-20 DE DE19782807204 patent/DE2807204A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1978-02-20 IT IT7848116A patent/IT7848116A0/en unknown
- 1978-02-21 FR FR7804947A patent/FR2382275A1/en active Pending
- 1978-02-21 GB GB6872/78A patent/GB1579213A/en not_active Expired
- 1978-02-22 JP JP1861478A patent/JPS53104379A/en active Pending
- 1978-02-22 CA CA297,452A patent/CA1071589A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2382275A1 (en) | 1978-09-29 |
| JPS53104379A (en) | 1978-09-11 |
| US4102476A (en) | 1978-07-25 |
| IT7848116A0 (en) | 1978-02-20 |
| GB1579213A (en) | 1980-11-12 |
| DE2807204A1 (en) | 1978-08-24 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| MKEX | Expiry |