Abstract:
A manually operated, vertically reciprocating liquid pump dispenser is removably connectable to a bottle containing liquid and simultaneously pumps liquid from the bottle and air from the exterior environment of the dispenser and mixes the liquid with the air to produce a foam that is dispensed from the dispenser. The dispenser includes a closure connector that provides a mechanism for venting the interior of the bottle to the exterior environment of the dispenser while avoiding leakage of the liquid from the bottle, and also incorporates a mechanism for locking the dispenser to prevent unintended pumping of liquid from the bottle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to a manually operated reciprocating liquid pump dispenser that is removably connectable to a bottle containing a liquid. Manual operation of the dispenser simultaneously pumps the liquid from the bottle and pumps air from the exterior environment of the dispenser, mixes the liquid with the air to produce a foam, and dispenses the foam from the dispenser. More specifically, the pump dispenser of the invention includes a closure connector that provides a mechanism for venting the interior of the bottle to the exterior environment of the pump dispenser while avoiding leakage of the liquid from the bottle, and also incorporates a mechanism for locking the pump dispenser to prevent unintended pumping of the liquid from the bottle. 
     (2) Description of the Related Art 
     Manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispensers are those types of dispensers that are typically oriented vertically in use, and have a plunger at the top of the dispenser that is manually pressed downwardly to dispense the liquid contents of a bottle connected to the dispenser. The typical construction of such a dispenser includes an elongate pump housing and an elongate plunger that is received inside the pump housing for reciprocating movements between charge and discharge positions of the pump plunger in the pump housing. 
     The pump housing is inserted into the bottle neck opening of the bottle. A closure connector at the top of the pump housing removably secures the pump housing to the bottle neck. A dip tube connected at the bottom of the pump housing extends downwardly into the liquid in the bottle. The pump housing contains a liquid pump chamber and a check valve. The check valve controls the flow of liquid through the dip tube and into the pump chamber, and prevents the reverse flow of liquid. 
     The pump plunger has a tubular length with a liquid discharge passage extending through the center of the plunger. A liquid piston is mounted on the plunger and is received in the pump chamber for reciprocating movements. A dispensing head is provided at the top of the plunger. The dispensing head has a discharge outlet that communicates with the discharge passage of the plunger. A check valve in the liquid discharge passage controls the flow of liquid from the pump chamber and out through the dispensing head, and prevents the reverse flow of liquid. 
     A spring is positioned in the pump chamber. The spring biases the plunger upwardly to a charge position of the plunger relative to the pump housing. The upward movement of the plunger moves the piston upwardly in the pump chamber, which creates a vacuum in the pump chamber that draws liquid through the dip tube and into the pump chamber. 
     The pump plunger is manually depressed downwardly against the bias of the spring to a discharge position of the plunger relative to the pump housing. The downward movement of the plunger moves the piston downwardly in the pump chamber. The downward piston movement forces the liquid in the pump chamber through the liquid discharge passage of the plunger and out of the dispenser through the dispensing head. 
     In addition to the basic component parts of the manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispenser described above, many prior art pump dispensers are provided with a venting feature. The venting feature includes a vent opening that communicates the exterior environment of the dispenser with the interior of the bottle when the pump plunger is reciprocated in the pump housing. Air from the exterior environment of the dispenser is allowed to pass through the vent opening and enter the bottle interior to fill the volume in the bottle interior left vacant by the liquid being dispensed by the operation of the pump. Without such a vent opening, as liquid is dispensed from the bottle, a vacuum would be created in the bottle interior. The vacuum would eventually overcome the vacuum created by the pump piston moving to its charge position in the pump chamber, and prevent the pump from drawing liquid into the pump chamber. The increasing vacuum in the interior of the bottle could also possibly result in the inwardly collapsing of the bottle side walls. To overcome this problem, many prior art manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispensers are provided with constructions that allow air to vent into the interior of the bottle connected to the dispenser, while preventing liquid in the bottle from leaking out of the dispenser through the vent feature. 
     In addition to the above, many prior art manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispensers are provided with a locking feature. The locking feature would lock the plunger in its upward charge position relative to the pump housing or its downward discharge position relative to the pump housing. The locking feature would also close the liquid flow path through the pump. The locking feature thus prevents the unintended pumping of liquid from the bottle caused by unintended reciprocating movements of the pump plunger in the pump housing. 
     All of the above-described features that are often included in the typical construction of a manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispenser add to the number of component parts of the dispenser and add to the complexity of the assembly of the dispenser. 
     Manually operated, vertically reciprocated liquid pump dispensers have been developed that not only pump liquid from a bottle through the dispenser, but also pump air from the exterior environment of the dispenser through the dispenser, mixing the air with the liquid to generate a foam that is dispensed from the dispenser. These types of dispensers not only include all of the component parts of a dispenser required to draw liquid from the bottle connected to the dispenser and pump the liquid from the dispenser, but also include the additional component parts required to draw air from the exterior environment of the dispenser into the dispenser, mix the air with the liquid being pumped through the dispenser to generate the foam, and dispense the foam from the dispenser. Dispensers of this type that pump both liquid and air have even more component parts and an even more complex assembly than dispensers that pump only liquid. To provide a dispenser of this type with a venting feature and a locking feature would even further increase the number of component parts and the complexity of the assembly of the dispenser. To manufacture such a dispenser economically, it is necessary to provide a unique design of the dispenser that reduces the number of separate component parts of the dispenser and simplifies the dispenser construction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The manually operated, vertically reciprocating air foaming pump dispenser of the invention provides a unique dispenser construction that includes both liquid and air pumps and also provides a venting features and a locking feature while minimizing the number of component parts and the complexity of the dispenser assembly. 
     The construction of the pump dispenser of the invention is basically comprised of a pump housing that contains a liquid pump chamber, a closure connector that incorporates the venting feature and the locking feature with an air pump chamber of the dispenser, a pump plunger that is received in the pump housing for reciprocating movements and supports both a liquid pump piston and an air pump piston, and a dispenser head that is mounted on the top of the pump plunger and seals the venting feature. All of the component parts of the dispenser are constructed of a plastic typically used in the construction of dispensers of this type, except for a coil spring and a pair of ball valves that could be constructed of metal or plastic. In the description of the pump dispenser provided herein, terms such as “upward” and “downward” are used to describe the dispenser in a vertically upright orientation shown in the drawing figures. This is the typical orientation of the dispenser when operated, but the dispenser could be operated in other orientations. Therefore, the terms “upward” and “downward,” and related terms should not be interpreted as limiting. 
     The pump housing of the dispenser has a tubular configuration that contains the liquid pump chamber. A top opening in the pump housing provides access to the pump chamber. A flat, annular ring is provided around a top portion of the pump housing. The ring is dimensioned to rest on the top of the neck of the bottle to which the pump dispenser is attached. A vent hole passes through the ring and forms a portion of the vent passage to the bottle interior. 
     A dip tube extends downwardly from the bottom of the pump housing and communicates the dispenser with liquid in a bottle to which the dispenser is attached. A ball check valve is positioned in the pump housing between the dip tube and pump chamber. The ball valve controls the flow of liquid into the pump chamber, and prevents the reverse flow of liquid. 
     The closure connector is attached to the top of the pump housing. The connector has a flat, circular base that extends over the top of the pump housing annular ring. A center hole through the base aligns with the top opening of the pump housing. A cylindrical side wall extends downwardly from the outer periphery of the base. The side wall has internal screw threading, a bayonet fitment, or other equivalent means of removably attaching the connector to the neck of the bottle, and thereby removably attaching the dispenser to the bottle. A cylindrical exterior wall extends upwardly from the connector base. A cylindrical air pump chamber wall also extends upwardly from the connector base. The air pump chamber wall is spaced radially inwardly from the exterior wall, thereby defining a cylindrical empty space or void between the air pump chamber wall and the exterior wall. A notch is formed in the bottom of the air pump chamber wall where it joins with the connector base, and a hole passes through the connector base below the notch in the air pump chamber wall. The notch communicates the empty space between the connector exterior wall and the air pump chamber wall with the hole through the connector base, and the hole through the connector base communicates with the hole through the pump housing annular ring. Thus, an air venting passage is provided from the exterior environment of the pump dispenser through the empty space between the connector exterior wall and the air pump chamber wall, through the notch in the air pump chamber wall, through the hole in the connector base, and through the hole in the pump housing annular ring to the interior of the bottle connected to the pump dispenser. A plurality of lock posts are also provided on the closure connector inside the air pump chamber wall. The plurality of posts project upwardly from the connector base and are positioned around the connector center hole. 
     The pump plunger has a tubular length that extends downwardly through the center hole of the connector base and through the top opening of the pump housing. A liquid discharge passage of the pump dispenser extends through the center of the plunger. The pump plunger is received in the pump housing for reciprocating movements of the pump plunger in the pump housing. The pump plunger is moved downwardly through the pump housing to a discharge position of the pump plunger relative to the pump housing, and is moved upwardly through the pump housing to a charge position of the pump plunger relative to the pump housing. 
     A ball check valve is positioned in the liquid discharge passage adjacent the top of the plunger. The ball valve controls the flow of liquid from the pump chamber through the plunger, and prevent the reverse flow of liquid. 
     A liquid piston is mounted to the lower end of the plunger. The liquid piston engages in a sealed, sliding engagement in the liquid pump chamber of the pump housing. 
     An air piston is also mounted on the plunger above the liquid piston. The air piston engages in a sealed, sliding engagement in the air pump chamber on the closure connector. A center portion of the air piston has a conical configuration that is dimensioned to receive the plurality of lock posts when the air piston reciprocates with the plunger. 
     A plurality of flanges project radially outwardly from the plunger. The flanges are rotatable with the plunger relative to the pump housing and the closure connector. Rotating the plunger rotates the flanges between locked and unlocked positions of the flanges relative to the lock posts. In the locked positions of the flanges, the flanges are positioned upwardly of the lock posts. In the unlocked positions of the flanges, the flanges are positioned between adjacent lock posts. In the locked positions of the flanges, the lock posts prevent the flanges and the pump plunger from being reciprocated relative to the pump housing. When the flanges are in the unlocked positions the flanges are reciprocated between adjacent lock posts as the pump plunger is reciprocated relative to the pump housing. 
     A dispensing head is mounted on the top of the pump plunger. The dispensing head contains a spout having an outlet passage that communicates with the liquid discharge passage of the plunger. The dispensing head also has a cylindrical sleeve that extends downwardly into the cylindrical empty space between the closure connector exterior wall and the air pump chamber wall. The thickness of the sleeve increases as it extends downwardly. The dimensions of the dispensing head sleeve cause a downward portion of the sleeve to engage in a sealing engagement between the closure connector exterior wall and the air pump chamber wall when the plunger is moved upward to the charge position of the pump plunger. This seals closed the vent air flow path through the pump dispenser. The dimensions of the dispensing head sleeve also allow the sleeve to disengage from the closure connector exterior wall and the air pump chamber wall when the pump plunger is moved downward to the discharge position of the pump plunger. This opens the air flow path through the pump dispenser. 
     Thus, the pump dispenser of the invention comprises both a liquid pump and an air pump that mix liquid and air pumped through the dispenser to create a foam dispensed by the dispenser. In addition, the novel construction of the pump dispenser incorporates the closure connector with a venting feature and a lock feature of the dispenser, thereby reducing the number of component parts of the dispenser and simplifying the dispenser construction. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       Further features of the air foaming pump dispenser of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the pump dispenser and in the drawing figures of the pump dispenser. 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of the air foaming pump dispenser with the pump plunger in the upward, charge position of the pump plunger relative to the pump housing. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the air foaming pump dispenser with the pump plunger in the downward, discharge position of the pump plunger relative to the pump housing. 
         FIG. 3  is a side sectioned view of the air foaming pump dispenser along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side sectioned view of the air foaming pump dispenser along the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial view of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the dispensing head. 
         FIG. 7  is a top sectioned view along the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The basic component parts of the pump dispenser that comprise the novel features of the invention are the pump housing  12 , the closure connector  14 , the pump plunger  16  and the dispenser head  18 . These four basic component parts, as well as most of the other component parts of the dispenser to be described, are constructed of a plastic material typically used in the construction of pump dispensers of this type. The exceptions are the coil spring of the dispenser and a pair of ball valves of the dispenser, which could be constructed of plastic, but are usually constructed of metal. 
     The pump housing  12  has a tubular length with a hollow center bore having a center axis  22 . The length of the pump housing  12  extends from a dip tube connector  24  at the bottom of the pump housing to an opposite top end  28  of the pump housing that surrounds a top opening into the pump housing. The dip tube connector  24  connects to a dip tube (not shown) that extends into the interior of a bottle, the neck and shoulder of which are represented by dashed lines  26  in  FIG. 3 . The pump housing  12  contains a liquid pump chamber  32  having a cylindrical liquid pump chamber wall  34 . A valve seat  36  is provided at the bottom of the pump housing  12  between the dip tube connector  24  and the liquid pump chamber  32 . The valve seat  36  supports a ball valve  38 . The ball valve  38  controls the flow of liquid through the dip tube and the dip tube connector  24  into the liquid pump chamber  32 , and prevents the reverse flow of liquid. A sealing plug retainer  44  extends axially upwardly from the bottom of the liquid pump chamber  32 . The sealing plug retainer  42  retains an elongate stem  44  of a sealing plug  46  in the pump housing  12 . The engagement of the retainer  42  with the stem  44  allows for some limited axial movement of the sealing plug  46  in the pump housing  12 . A radially enlarged portion  48  of the pump housing  12  extends axially upwardly from the liquid pump chamber wall  34 . This portion  48  of the housing extends upwardly to the top end  28  of the pump housing surrounding the top opening. An annular lip  52  is formed on the exterior surface of the pump housing  12  around the top opening. Spaced below the annular lip  52  is a flat annular ring  54  that projects radially outwardly from the pump housing  12 . A circular trough  56  is formed into the top surface of the annular ring  54 . The trough  56  functions as a portion of the air vent flow path through the pump dispenser. A vent hole  58  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) passes through the trough  56  and also functions as a portion of the air vent path. The vent hole  58  is positioned to communicate the interior volume of the annular ring trough  56  with the interior of the bottle when the pump housing  12  is positioned in the bottle neck  26 . 
     The closure connector  14  has a general cylindrical configuration that is coaxial with the pump housing  12 . A center tubular stem  62  of the connector  14  is inserted into the opening at the pump housing top end  28 . A circular rim  64  projects inwardly from the interior of the stem  62 . An annular shoulder  66  of the connector extends over the pump housing top  28  and downwardly over the pump housing annular lip  52  securing the closure connector  14  to the pump housing  12 . A flat circular base  68  extends radially outwardly from the closure connector shoulder  66 . A cylindrical connector side wall  72  extends axially downwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the connector base  68 . The side wall  72  has internal screw threading  74  that is used to removably attach the pump dispenser to the neck of a bottle. Other equivalent connectors, for example a bayonet connector, could be used. A cylindrical exterior wall  76  extends axially upwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the connector base  68  and upwardly from the connector side wall  72 . A cylindrical air pump chamber wall  78  extends upwardly from the closure connector base  68  at a position spaced radially inwardly from the exterior wall  76 . The radial spacing between the exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78  defines a cylindrical empty space or void  82  that extends axially upwardly between the two walls from the closure connector base  68 . At the bottom of the air pump chamber wall  78  where it joins with the closure connector base  68 , a portion of the wall surface is recessed  84  forming a notch in the wall. Just below the recessed wall notch  84 , a vent hole  86  passes through the closure connector base  68 . The vent hole  86  communicates with the interior of the trough  56  formed in the top surface of the pump housing annular ring  54 . Thus, together the empty space  82  between the closure connector exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78 , the recessed surface notch  84 , the closure connector vent hole  86 , the interior of the pump housing trough  56  and the pump housing vent hole  58  form a venting air flow path from the exterior environment of the pump dispenser to the interior of the bottle  26  connected to the pump dispenser. The connector  14  also includes a pair of lock posts  92  that extend axially upwardly from the closure connector shoulder  66  to top distal end surfaces  94  of the posts. The posts  92  are circumferentially spaced from each other by gaps  96  between the pair of posts. Each post  92  has a limit tab  98  on its top distal end surface  94 . 
     The pump plunger  16  is mounted in the interior of the pump housing  12  for reciprocating movements between an upward, first charge position of the pump plunger  16  relative to the pump housing  12  shown in  FIG. 3 , and a downward second discharge position of the pump plunger  16  relative to the pump housing  12  shown in  FIG. 4 . The pump plunger  16  is also rotatable in the pump housing  12 . The pump plunger  16  has an elongate tubular length with a center bore  102  that is coaxial with the center axis  22  of the pump housing. The plunger center bore  102  forms a liquid discharge passage through the pump plunger. A liquid piston  104  is formed at the bottom end of the pump plunger  16 . The liquid piston  104  engages in a sliding sealing engagement with the liquid pump chamber wall  34 . A sealing plug seat  106  is formed on an intermediate portion of the pump plunger  16 . The sealing plug seat  106  is positioned to engage in a sealing engagement with the sealing plug  46  when the pump plunger  16  is moved to its upward, charge position relative to the pump housing  12 . An annular retainer ring  108  extends radially outwardly from the pump plunger  16  just below the sealing ring  106  and below the interior rim  64  of the closure connector  14 . The engagement of the pump plunger retainer ring  108  with the closure connector rim  64  prevents the pump plunger  16  from being removed from the pump housing  12 , and positions the pump plunger  16  in the charge position relative to the pump housing  12 . From the retainer ring  108 , the pump plunger  16  extends axially upwardly to a top end  112  of the plunger that surrounds a top opening of the plunger. 
     A coil spring  114  is positioned over the pump plunger  16  and engages on top of the closure connector interior rim  64 . The spring  114  biases the pump plunger  16  toward its upward, first charge position relative to the pump housing  12 . 
     A tubular spring holder  116  is inserted into the top end  112  of the pump plunger  12  and is held firmly in the plunger. The spring holder  116  has an annular ring  118  that projects radially outwardly from the spring holder  116  and engages against the top end  112  of the plunger and the top of the coil spring  114 . The coil spring  114  acts against the spring holder ring  118  in biasing the pump plunger  16  upwardly to the first, charge position of the plunger  16  relative to the pump housing  12 . A pair of lock flanges  122  extend radially outwardly from the spring holder ring  118 . The lock flanges  122  extend radially outwardly over and engage against the lock post distal end surfaces  94  in a first rotated position of the pump plunger  16  relative to the pump housing  12 , and extend radially outwardly over the gaps  96  between the pair of lock posts  92  in a second rotated position of the pump plunger  16  relative to the pump housing  12 . When rotated to the first, locked position, the lock flanges  122  engage against the sides of the limit tabs  98  at the top end surfaces  94  of the lock posts to prevent further rotation of the flanges  122  relative to the lock posts  92 . In the first, locked position, the engagement of the flanges  122  with the lock post distal ends  94  prevents the plunger  16  from being reciprocated relative to the pump housing  12  when manually depressed toward the housing. To unlock the pump plunger  16 , the plunger must be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction relative to the pump housing  12  to axially align the lock flanges  122  with the gaps  96  between the lock posts  92 . When the flanges  122  are rotated to the second, unlocked position where the flanges  122  are axially aligned with the gaps  96 , the pump plunger  16  can be manually pressed downwardly into the pump housing  12  and the flanges  122  will move axially through the gaps  96 . This allows the pump plunger  16  to be reciprocated in the pump housing  12 . Above the lock flanges  122 , an air seal ring  124  projects axially upwardly from the top of the spring holder ring  118 . Radially inside the air seal ring  124 , a plurality of air path grooves  126  are formed in the exterior surface of the spring holder  116 . The grooves  126  extend axially upwardly from the annular ring  118  to the top end of the spring holder  116 . A valve seat  128  is provided inside the tubular spring holder  116  adjacent the top end of the spring holder. A ball valve  132  is positioned on the valve seat  128 . The ball valve  132  controls the flow of fluid upwardly through the spring holder  116  as part of the liquid discharge passage  102  of the pump plunger, and prevents the reverse flow of liquid. 
     The dispenser head  18  is mounted on the pump plunger  16  by being mounted onto the top end of the spring holder  116 . The dispenser head  18  has a center tube  134  inside the dispenser head that is press fit over the top end of the spring holder  116 . The engagement of the dispenser head center tube  134  with the spring holder  116  securely holds the dispenser head to the pump plunger  16 . The air path grooves  126  in the spring holder  116  provide an air path between the spring holder  116  and the dispenser head center tube  134 . A discharge nozzle  136  projects radially outwardly from the dispenser head center tube  134 , and an outlet passage  138  in the discharge nozzle  136  communicates with the interior of the center tube  134  and forms a portion of the discharge passage of the pump dispenser. A circular air seal rim  142  is formed in an interior surface of the dispenser head  18  and extends around the dispenser head center tube  134 . A cylindrical sleeve  144  extends axially downwardly from the dispenser head  18  and is spaced radially outwardly from the center tube  134  and the air seal rim  142 . As the cylindrical sleeve  144  extends downwardly from the dispenser head  18 , the thickness of the sleeve  144  increases as it approaches a bottom portion  146  of the sleeve. The thickness of the sleeve bottom portion  146  is dimensioned to engage in sealing engagement between the closure connector exterior wall  76  and the closure connector air pump chamber wall  78  when the pump plunger  16  is in the upward, first charge position relative to the pump housing  12 . This engagement closes the air vent flow path through the empty space  82  between the closure connector exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78 , and prevents liquid from leaking from the bottle through the pump housing vent hole  58 , the pump housing trough  56 , the closure connector vent hole  86 , the air pump chamber wall notch  84 , and the empty space  82  between the exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78  to the exterior of the dispenser. 
     An air pump piston  152  is mounted on the pump plunger  16  and engages in a sliding sealing engagement in the air pump chamber wall  78 . The air piston  152  has a conically shaped center portion  156  that extends from the outer sealing portion of the air piston  152  radially inwardly toward the pump plunger  16 . The conical shaped portion  156  of the air piston receives the lock posts  92  on the closure connector  14  when the pump plunger  16  is moved downwardly to the second, discharge position of the pump plunger  16  relative to the pump housing  12 . A cylindrical upper end  158  of the air piston conical portion  156  is dimensioned to engage in a sealing engagement in the air seal rim  142  of the dispenser head  18 . The conical portion upper end  158  is joined by a plurality of radial spokes  162  to a center tubular column  164  of the air piston. The spacings between the radial spokes  162  provide air flow paths between the air piston upper end  158  and the air piston center column  164 . The air piston column  164  is mounted for limited axial sliding movement on the dispenser head center tube  134 . When the air piston column  164  moves downwardly relative to the dispenser head center tube  134 , a bottom annular edge  166  of the column engages in a sealing engagement inside the spring holder air seal ring  124 . This closes an air flow path from the interior of the air pump chamber inside the air pump chamber wall  78  through the air path grooves  126  between the spring holder  116  and the dispenser head center tube  134  to the dispenser head outlet passage  138 . The downward movement of the air piston  152  on the dispenser head center tube  134  causes the upper end  158  of the air piston conical portion  156  to disengage from the air seal rim  142  of the dispenser head. This opens an air flow path from the exterior of the dispenser head through the spacing between the dispenser head sealing rim  142  and the air piston upper end  158  allowing air from the exterior environment of the dispenser pump to enter the air pump chamber inside the air pump chamber wall  78 . 
     In use of the air foaming pump dispenser of the invention, with the dispenser initially in the locked position shown in  FIG. 3 , the pump plunger  16  is in the first, charge position relative to the pump housing  12 . With the pump plunger  16  moved upwardly, the bottom portion  146  of the dispenser head sleeve  144  engages in sealing engagement between the closure connector exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78 . This closes the venting air flow path from the exterior environment of the dispenser through the cylindrical spacing  82  between the closure connector exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78 , the recessed notch  84  in the air pump chamber wall, the closure connector vent hole  86 , the pump housing annular ring trough  56 , and the pump housing vent hole  58  to the interior of the bottle  26  connected to the dispenser. This also prevents the unintended leakage of liquid from the container  26  through the air vent flow path to the exterior of a dispenser. 
     With the pump plunger  16  turned clockwise so that the lock flanges  122  on the spring holder  16  engage against the limit tabs  98  on the lock post  92 , the positioning of the lock flanges  122  axially above the lock post distal end surfaces  94  prevents the pump plunger  16  from being pushed downwardly and reciprocated relative to the pump housing  12 . To reciprocate the pump plunger  16  relative to the pump housing  12 , the plunger must first be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as indicated by the indicia on the top surface of the dispenser head  18  shown in  FIG. 6 . The pump plunger  12  is rotated counter-clockwise to align the lock flanges  122  on the spring holder  116  with the gaps  96  between the lock post  92 . With the lock flanges  122  axially aligned with the gaps  96 , the pump plunger  16  can now be manually pushed downwardly into the pump housing  12  to operate the liquid pump and air pump of the dispenser. 
     As the pump plunger  16  is moved downwardly into the pump housing  12 , the lock flanges  122  move axially downwardly through the gaps  96 . Additionally, the bottom portion  146  of the dispenser head sleeve  144  disengages from a sealing engagement between the closure connector exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78  and moves axially downwardly through the spacing  82  between these two walls. This opens the air vent flow path through the spacing  82  between the exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78 , through the notch  84  in the air pump chamber wall, through the vent hole  86  in the closure connector  14 , through the annular ring trough  56  on the pump housing annular ring  54 , and through the vent hole  58  in the pump housing annular ring  54  to the interior of the bottle  26  connected to the dispenser. This vents the interior of the bottle to the exterior environment of the dispenser. In addition, with the bottom portion  146  of the dispenser head sleeve  144  disengaging from the closure connector exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78 , an air flow path is established through the cylindrical spacing  82  between the exterior wall  76  and the air pump chamber wall  78  and through the spacing between the dispenser head air seal rim  142  and the air pump piston upper end  158  providing air into the air pump chamber surrounded by the air pump chamber wall  78 . This air flow path exists for the short period of time before the air piston  152  moves upwardly relative to the dispenser head center tube  134  and the air piston upper end  158  engages in a sealing engagement with the dispenser head air seal rim  142 . Simultaneously, the bottom edge  166  of the air pump piston tubular column  164  disengages from the air seal ring  124  of the spring holder  116 . This opens an air flow path from the air pump chamber through the grooves  126  in the spring holder  116  to the dispenser head outlet passage  134 . Further downward movement of the pump plunger  16  into the pump housing  12  causes downward movement of the air piston  152  in the air pump chamber surrounded by the air pump chamber wall  78 , which causes air to be forced from the air pump chamber through the spring holder grooves  126  to the dispenser head outlet passage  138 . 
     Additionally, as the pump plunger  16  moves downward through the pump housing  12 , liquid in the liquid pump chamber  32  is pumped out of the chamber by the downward movement of the liquid piston  104  through the liquid pump chamber. The liquid is forced upwardly through the pump plunger liquid discharge passage  102  and mixes with the air pumped from the air pump chamber, generating a foam. The foam is dispensed through the dispenser head outlet passage  138  from the dispenser. 
     After the pump plunger  16  has been moved downwardly to its second, discharge position relative to the pump housing  12  shown in  FIG. 4 , the manual pressure on the pump plunger  16  is removed and the coil spring  114  pushes the pump plunger  16  upwardly in the pump housing  12 . The spring pushes the plunger  16  upwardly in the housing  12  to the first, charge position of the pump plunger  16  relative to the pump housing  12  shown in  FIG. 3 . This causes the liquid piston  104  to move upwardly through the liquid pump chamber  32  drawing liquid into the liquid pump chamber, and causes the air piston  152  to first be stationary as the plunger moves upwardly and the dispenser head air seal rim  142  disengages from the air piston upper end  158 , and then moves upwardly with the plunger through the air pump chamber surrounded by the air pump chamber wall  78  drawing air into the air pump chamber. With the pump plunger  16  in its first, charge position relative to the pump housing  12  shown in  FIG. 3 , the plunger is ready for additional manual reciprocating movements relative to the pump housing  12 , or is in position to be rotated clockwise relative to the pump housing  12  back to the lock position of the plunger  16 . 
     As described above, the pump dispenser of the invention comprises both a liquid pump and an air pump that mix liquid and air pumped through the dispenser to create a foam dispensed by the dispenser. In addition, the novel construction of the pump dispenser incorporates the closure connector with a venting feature and a lock feature of the dispenser, thereby reducing the number of component parts of the dispenser and simplifying the dispenser construction. 
     Although the air foaming pump dispenser of the invention has been described above by reference to a specific embodiment shown in the drawing figures, it should be understood that modifications and variations could be made to the air foaming pump dispenser without departing from the intended scope of the following claims.