Patent ID: 8225965
Filing Date: 2012-07-24
Classification: B05B

Abstract:
1. A foamer pump for dispensing a foam, the foamer pump having an axial direction and a radial direction, the foamer pump having a first position and a second position, the foamer pump comprising a fluid chamber containing a foamable fluid and having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the fluid chamber being connected to a mixing chamber, an air chamber having an air channel, the air channel permitting air to enter and exit the air chamber, the air channel connecting the air chamber to the mixing chamber in the second position of the foamer pump, and the air channel connecting the air chamber to ambient air in the first position of the foamer pump, the air channel comprising an air chamber passageway, the mixing chamber providing a region for combining air from the air chamber with the foamable fluid from the fluid chamber to form an air/liquid mixture, the foamer pump further comprising: (a) a fluid bottle, the fluid bottle containing an additional volume of the foamable fluid; (b) a closure, the closure being shaped and dimensioned to connect to the fluid bottle, the closure having an upper edge; (c) an accumulator, the accumulator having an upper edge, the upper edge of the accumulator being connected to the upper edge of the closure, the accumulator having an inner surface, an outer surface, a circumference, and a lower end, the circumference being dimensioned to permit the accumulator to fit within the fluid bottle, the air chamber being within the accumulator; (d) a liquid conduit, the liquid conduit having a circumference that is less than the circumference of the accumulator, the liquid conduit further having an inner surface and an outer surface, the lower end of the accumulator tapering between the circumference of the accumulator and the circumference of the liquid conduit to form a generally continuous surface between the lower end of the accumulator and an upper end of the liquid conduit; (e) an actuator, the actuator being slidingly engaged with the closure, the sliding engagement being such that ambient air may pass between the actuator and the closure, the actuator having an internal passage, and an actuator outlet at an end of the internal passage; (f) a piston, the piston being connected to the actuator, the piston having an inner flange and an outer flange, the inner flange and the outer flange being connected by a generally radial portion of the piston, the outer flange contacting the inner surface of the accumulator to form a generally airtight seal, the inner flange of the piston enclosing an axial passage, the inner flange extending to and making contact with the inner surface of the liquid conduit to form a generally airtight seal, the inner flange of the piston and the fluid conduit enclosing the fluid chamber, the piston having a first sealing member, the air chamber passageway being in the radial portion of the piston; (g) an upper check valve, the upper check valve being in corresponding relation to an upper valve seat, the upper check valve in combination with the upper valve seat permitting the foamable fluid to flow from the fluid chamber to the mixing chamber while generally preventing the foamable fluid from flowing from the mixing chamber to the fluid chamber; (h) a lower check valve, the lower check valve being in corresponding relation to a lower valve seat, the lower valve seat being connected to the liquid conduit, the lower check valve in combination with the lower valve seat permitting the foamable fluid to flow from the fluid bottle to the fluid chamber while generally preventing the foamable fluid from flowing from the fluid chamber to the fluid bottle; (i) a spring, the spring generally extending between the lower check valve at a first end of the spring and the upper check valve at a second end of the spring; (j) a stem, the stem being connected to the actuator, the stem having a generally axial portion slidingly engaged with the piston and a generally radial portion, the generally radial portion having a second sealing member in corresponding relation to the first sealing member of the piston, the second sealing member of the stem cooperating with the first sealing member of the piston to form a generally airtight seal in the second position of the foamer pump, the second sealing member of the stem moving away from the first sealing member of the piston to permit air to pass between the second sealing member of the stem and the first sealing member of the piston in the first position of the foamer pump, the stem further having a central portion extending into the axial passage of the piston, the central portion contacting the upper check valve in the second position of the foamer pump, the central portion generally not contacting the upper check valve in the first position of the foamer pump, the stem having an internal axial passage and a radial passage, the radial passage connecting the internal axial passage to the mixing chamber, and the mixing chamber being within the generally axial portion of the stern; and (k) an aerator to promote foaming of the air/liquid mixture, the aerator being located within the internal passage of the actuator between the mixing chamber and the actuator outlet; wherein the first sealing member of the piston comprises, on the generally radial portion of the piston, a generally cylindrical ridge extending toward the actuator, and the second sealing member of the stem comprises, on the generally radial portion of the stem, a generally cylindrical ridge extending toward the radial portion of the piston, the cylindrical ridge of the stern overlapping the cylindrical ridge of the piston to form the generally airtight seal in the second position of the foamer pump, the cylindrical ridge of the stem moving away from the cylindrical ridge of the piston to permit air to pass between the cylindrical ridge of the stern and the cylindrical ridge of the piston in the first position of the foamer pump.