Abstract:
A fluid pump dispenser includes a spring biased pump piston having a generally hollow stem and reciprocable between pressure and return strokes within a pump cylinder therewith defining a variable volume pump chamber for dispensing fluid through a discharge opening at an outer end of the stem. The stem defines a valve controlled discharge passage leading from the pump chamber to the discharge opening. A driver nut may be mounted adjacent the pump piston and include at least one flange engaged with at least one respective spiral turn on a spindle disposed within the pump chamber to thereby rotate the spindle during reciprocation of the pump piston. A dip tube may be disposable within a container and affixed to the spindle for rotation with the spindle. A figurine may be mounted onto the dip tube for complementary rotation with the dip tube and the spindle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     a. Field of Invention 
     The invention relates generally to fluid pump dispensers, and, more particularly to a fluid pump dispenser including a twirling dip tube and a figurine mountable thereon for complementary rotation. 
     b. Description of Related Art 
     Pump dispensers for containers are well known in the art. In an effort to market such dispensers, manufacturers often provide containers with a variety of ornamental features affixed to the container or incorporated within the container design. In addition to modifying the shape of container, the pump dispenser mechanism may also be modified to include an ornamental figurine mounted thereon, such as the pump dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,958 to Bitton (Bitton &#39;958). 
     Referring to Bition &#39;958, a pump dispenser is disclosed and includes an ornamental figurine mounted on a dip tube extending within a clear container. An actuating rod attached to a pump piston and routed through a screw cap is attached to the ornamental figurine such that the figurine reciprocates on the dip tube in an up and down motion in unison with the dispenser head. 
     In addition to the reciprocating figurine of Bitton &#39;958, the prior art also includes pump dispenser designs which enable the twirling action of a figurine upon reciprocation of a dispenser head. 
     The aforementioned pump dispenser designs however have impractical design constraints, such as, multiple components and/or complex manufacturing requirements, and are therefore economically unfeasible to manufacture. 
     Accordingly, there remains a need for a pump dispenser design, which enables twirling of an ornamental figurine, which is robust in design, efficient to operate, simple to assemble and disassemble, and which is economically feasible to manufacture. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The invention solves the problems and overcomes the drawbacks and deficiencies of prior art pump dispenser designs by providing a novel fluid pump dispenser including a twirling dip tube. 
     Thus, an exemplary aspect of the present invention is to provide a fluid pump dispenser which is usable with standard containers to provide a twirling figurine. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a fluid pump dispenser which is robust in design, efficient to operate, simple to assemble and disassemble, and economically feasible to manufacture. 
     Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a means for disturbing and/or stirring fluid within a container. 
     The invention achieves the aforementioned exemplary aspects by providing a fluid pump dispenser including a spring biased pump piston having a generally hollow stem and reciprocable between pressure and return strokes within a pump cylinder therewith defining a variable volume pump chamber for dispensing fluid through a discharge opening at an outer end of the stem. The stem defines a valve controlled discharge passage leading from the pump chamber to the discharge opening. A driver nut may be mounted adjacent the pump piston and include at least one flange engaged with at least one respective spiral turn on a spindle disposed within the pump chamber to thereby rotate the spindle during reciprocation of the pump piston. A dip tube may be disposable within a container and affixed to the spindle for rotation with the spindle. 
     For the fluid pump dispenser described above, the spring for biasing the pump piston may be disposed within the pump cylinder to negatively bias the pump piston during the pressure stroke and positively bias the pump piston during the return stroke. A frusto-conical seal may be disposed at an end of the spindle to define a valve for controlling an inlet passage extending into the pump cylinder and configured to prevent passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enable passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The frusto-conical seal may be disposable in mating engagement with a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke. The spindle may be reciprocable during the pressure and return strokes to respectively engage and disengage the frusto-conical seal from a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to respectively prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enable the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The frusto-conical seal may be engageable with a stop to thereby limit the reciprocation of the spindle during the return stroke. The stop may be the spring for biasing the pump piston. The dip tube may include a figurine mounted thereon for rotation with the spindle. The figurine may be configured to disturb fluid in the container and otherwise entertaining users of all ages. The valve controlled discharge passage may be controlled by a ball check valve. 
     The invention further provides a fluid pump dispenser including a spring biased piston having a generally hollow stem and reciprocable between pressure and return strokes within a pump cylinder therewith defining a variable volume pump chamber for dispensing fluid through a discharge opening at an outer end of the stem. The stem defines a valve controlled discharge passage leading from the pump chamber to the discharge opening. The fluid pump dispenser further includes means for rotating a spindle during reciprocation of the piston, and a dip tube affixed to the spindle for rotation with the spindle. 
     For the fluid pump dispenser described above, the spring for biasing the piston may be disposed within the pump cylinder to negatively bias the piston during the pressure stroke and positively bias the piston during the return stroke. The fluid pump dispenser further includes means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enabling passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder may include a seal disposable in mating engagement with a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke. The spindle may be reciprocable during the pressure and return strokes to respectively engage and disengage the means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder from a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to respectively prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enable the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder may be engageable with a stop to thereby limit the reciprocation of the spindle during the return stroke. The stop may be the spring for biasing the piston. The dip tube may be a figurine mounted thereon for rotation with the spindle. The fluid pump dispenser may be mounted onto a container and the figurine may be configured to disturb fluid in the container. The valve controlled discharge passage may be controlled by a ball check valve. 
     The invention yet further provides a method of twirling a dip tube operatively connected to a spring biased piston in a fluid pump dispenser. The method includes providing the spring biased piston having a generally hollow stem and reciprocating the piston between pressure and return strokes within a pump cylinder therewith defining a variable volume pump chamber for dispensing fluid through a discharge opening at an outer end of the stem. The stem defines a valve controlled discharge passage leading from the pump chamber to the discharge opening. The method further includes providing means for rotating a spindle during reciprocation of the piston and affixing the dip tube to the spindle for rotation with the spindle. 
     For the method described above, the method further includes providing the spring for biasing the piston within the pump cylinder to negatively bias the piston during the pressure stroke and positively bias the piston during the return stroke, and providing means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enabling passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder may include a seal disposable in mating engagement with a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke. The method yet further includes reciprocating the spindle during the pressure and return strokes to respectively engage and disengage the means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder from a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to respectively prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enable the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The method also includes engaging the means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder with a stop to thereby limit the reciprocation of the spindle during the return stroke. The stop may be the spring for biasing the piston. The method further includes providing a figurine mounted on the dip tube for rotation with the spindle, mounting the fluid pump dispenser onto a container, the figurine being configured to disturb fluid in the container, and controlling the valve controlled discharge passage by a ball check valve. 
     Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the detail description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
     FIG.1 is a front view of a container including a fluid pump dispenser having a twirling dip tube according to the present invention, illustrating the plunger head in its rest configuration before beginning the pressure stroke; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the fluid pump dispenser of FIG. 1, taken along a plane parallel to the front view of FIG.  1  and disposed at the central longitudinal axis of the dip tube, illustrating the pump piston and frusto-conical seal in their rest configuration, and the frusto-conical seal during the pressure stroke; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the fluid pump dispenser of FIG. 1, taken along a plane parallel to the front view of FIG.  1  and disposed at the central longitudinal axis of the dip tube, illustrating the pump piston and frusto-conical seal at the end of the pressure stroke; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the fluid pump dispenser of FIG. 1, taken along a plane parallel to the front view of FIG.  1  and disposed at the central longitudinal axis of the dip tube, illustrating the pump piston and frusto-conical seal just after the beginning of the upstroke (i.e. return stroke or suction stroke); 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of a spindle provided with the fluid pump dispenser of FIG. 1, including a partial cutout view of the frusto-conical surface of a frusto-conical seal; and 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the spindle of FIG. 5, illustrating the location of fluid passages. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1-6 illustrate a fluid pump dispenser (hereinafter pump dispenser) according to the present invention, generally designated  10 . 
     Before proceeding further with a description of pump dispenser  10 , the general operation of pump dispenser  10  will be briefly described in conjunction with exemplary container  12 , so as to provide a basis for the forthcoming detailed description of pump dispenser  10 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, pump dispenser  10  may be mounted on container  12  and include a figurine  14  affixed to dip tube  16  defining an inlet passage  17 . When plunger head  18  is pressed downward in the conventional manner, appropriate fluid  20 , i.e. a high viscosity fluid such as soap or another low viscosity fluid, disposed in container  12  may exit through discharge spout  22 . During the downward stroke of plunger head  18 , figurine  14  may twirl in a predetermined direction and thereafter twirl in the opposite direction upon the release and ensuing upward movement of plunger head  18 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2-6, pump dispenser  10  will be described in detail. 
     Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, pump dispenser  10  may include a spindle  24  projecting into pump chamber (i.e. accumulator)  26  and providing a valve controlled inlet passage from dip tube  16  into pump chamber  26 . A driver nut  28  including an engagement flange  32  may be provided concentric with pump piston  34  affixed to the bottom end of hollow stem  30  continuously defining a discharge passage  62  and operatively engaged with spiral turns  36  of spindle  24 . In this manner, during the pressure stroke in which pump piston  34  moves downward along the axial direction of pump cylinder  40 , driver nut  28  rotates spindle  24  and dip tube  16 , which is operatively connected to spindle  24  by collar  38 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that collar  38  may be formed with spindle  24 , or instead, may be formed separately and thereafter affixed to spindle  24 . Likewise, driver nut  28  may be formed integrally with pump piston  34 , or instead, may be formed separately and thereafter affixed to pump piston  34 . The lower end of spindle  24  may include frusto-conical seal  42  formed therewith for sealing complementary valve seat  44  of pump chamber  26  and thus providing the valve controlled inlet passage from dip tube  16  into pump chamber  26 . Frusto-conical seal  42  may include a chamfered edge  46  for permitting passage of fluid  20  through inlet port  47  during the ensuing return stroke of pump piston  34 , as described in greater detail below. One or more inlet ports  47  in fluid communication with dip tube  16  may be provided below frusto-conical seal  42  for permitting passage of fluid  20  from container  12  into pump chamber  26  via chamfered edge  46 . 
     A return spring  48  may be provided for positively biasing the automatic return of pump piston  34  to the rest configuration illustrated in FIG.  2 . Return spring  48  may also be configured to provide a predetermined negative bias during the initial pressure stroke of pump piston  34 , so as to control the rotation speed of dip tube  16  and/or to provide a means for controlling the amount of fluid dispensed through discharge spout  22 . The bottom-most coil of spring  48  may be disposed in contiguous engagement with nib  50  to maintain the bottom-most coil at a predetermined distance from upper surface  52  of frusto-conical seal  42  at rest and during the pressure stroke of pump piston  34 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. The upper-most coil of spring  48  may be disposed within circular channel  54  of pump piston  34  and frictionally and/or otherwise mechanically retained therein. One or more outlet ports  60  in fluid communication with pump chamber  26  may be provided adjacent an upper surface of circular channel  54  for permitting passage of fluid from pump chamber  26  to outlet passage  56 . 
     Outlet passage  56  may be controlled by a ball check valve  58  or the like. Outlet passage  56  may further be in fluid communication with discharge passage  62  to pump fluid through discharge spout  22  during the pressure stroke of pump piston  34 . Pump dispenser  10  may be mounted onto container  12  by means of a standard internally threaded closure cap  64 . 
     The aforementioned components of pump dispenser  10  may be made of plastic, ceramic, metal and the like. 
     The operation of pump dispenser  10  will now be described in detail. 
     Specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the configuration with pump piston  34  and frusto-conical seal  42  at the beginning of the pressure stroke (i.e. at rest), pump dispenser  10  may include engagement flange  32  for driver nut  28  in the topmost position of spiral turns  36  of spindle  24 . At the beginning of the pressure stroke, frusto-conical seal  42  may be disposed in sealing engagement with valve seat  44  of pump chamber  26 . Thus, the length of spindle  24  may be provided such that, at rest, when spring  48  biases pump piston  34  and driver nut  28  upwards, frusto-conical seal  42  remains in sealing engagement with valve seat  44  of pump chamber  26  to prevent passage of fluid  20  from pump chamber  26  back into container  12 . 
     Thereafter, during the pressure stroke when plunger head  18  is pressed downwards, while frusto-conical seal  42  remains in sealing contact with valve seat  44  of pump chamber  26 , ball check valve  58  begins to move upwards to allow fluid  20  to enter outlet passage  56  and discharge through discharge spout  22 . It should be noted that in transition from the rest configuration at the beginning of the pressure stroke (i.e. FIG.  2 ), where frusto-conical seal  42  is disposed in sealing engagement with valve seat  44  of pump chamber  26 , to the end of the pressure stroke (i.e. FIG.  3 ), frusto-conical seal  42  remains in sealing engagement with valve seat  44  of pump chamber  26  and prevents passage of fluid  20  from dip tube  16  into pump chamber  26 , as well as the leakage of fluid  20  present in pump chamber  26  back into dip tube  16 . 
     During translation from rest to the end of the pressure stroke, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, engagement flange  32  travels downward in the pathway created by-spiral turns  36 . At the same time, as engagement flange  32  travels downward, dip tube:  16  may rotate in a first direction to rotate figurine  14  therewith. Those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that spiral turns  36  of spindle  26  may be designed such that dip tube  16  and associated figurine  14  rotate in the desired direction and at a desired rotational speed. While engagement flange  32  travels downward, any fluid  20  present in pump chamber  26  may be discharged through discharge spout  22  via outlet port  60  and discharge passage  62 . During translation from the beginning of the pressure stroke (i.e. FIG. 2) to the end of the pressure stroke (i.e. FIG.  3 ), ball check valve  58  may completely disengage by moving upward from its position shown in FIG. 2 to allow the passage of fluid  20  through outlet passage  56 . 
     Referring next to FIG. 3, at the end of the pressure stroke of pump piston  34 , frusto-conical seal  42  may remain in contact with valve seat  44  of pump chamber  26  to seal the chamber. As respectively illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, from rest to the end of the pressure stroke of pump piston  34 , the bottom-most coil of return spring  48  may also remain at a predetermined distance away from upper surface  52  of frusto-conical seal  42 , the distance being defined by the vertical thickness of nib  50 . Thus the downward travel depth of plunger head  18  and associated components may be controlled by the compressed length of spring  48 . Alternatively, those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that the downward travel depth of plunger head  18  may be controlled by the mating engagement between complementary surfaces  68  and  72  provided on pump dispenser  10 . 
     After discharge of fluid  20  present in pump chamber  26 , plunger head  18  may be released to automatically translate from its position at the end of the pressure stroke (i.e. FIG. 3) back to the rest position at the beginning of the pressure stroke (i.e. FIG. 2) under the bias of spring  48 . Specifically, just after discharge of fluid  20  and release of plunger head  18 , as illustrated in FIG. 4, frusto-conical seal  42  may elevate dip tube  16  a predetermined distance defined by the thickness of nib  50  under the bias of spring  48  until upper surface  52  of frusto-conical seal  42  bears against the lower-most coil of spring  48 . In this manner, as engagement flange  32  continues to travel upward on spiral turns  36  of spindle  24 , fluid may enter into pump chamber  26  from dip tube  16 , through inlet port  47  and by chamfered edge  46  of frusto-conical seal  42 . At the same time, as flange  32  travels upward on spiral turns  36 , figurine  14  may rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation during downward travel of flange  32 . At the end of the return stroke, pump piston  34  and frusto-conical seal  42  may return to their axial positions illustrated in FIG. 2, with frusto-conical seal  42  resealing pump chamber  26 . 
     Once plunger head  18  reaches the rest position at the beginning of the pressure stroke (i.e. FIGS.  1  and  2 ), plunger head  18  may be repeatedly pressed and released, as discussed above, to discharge fluid through discharge spout  22  and to rotate figurine  14  as desired. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that the twirling action provided by figurine  14  may be utilized for entertainment purposes, as well as for stirring or otherwise disturbing fluid  20  in container  12 . Accordingly, it is foreseeable that fluid  20  may be provided with a variety of reflective objects such that the twirling action provided by figurine  14  acts to disturb such objects, and thus provide further entertainment. 
     For the configurations of pump dispenser  10  described above, it should be noted that instead of driver nut  28  operatively connected with external spiral turns  36  of spindle  24  as shown in FIG. 2, spindle  24  may be formed hollow with internal spiral turns (not shown). For a hollow spindle  24  including internal spiral turns, piston  34  may be provided with a flange (not shown) provided in operative engagement with internal spiral turns of spindle  24  to likewise rotate spindle  24  during reciprocation of pump piston  34 . In yet another alternative configuration, instead of driver nut  28  and flange  32  provided in operative engagement with spiral turns  36  of spindle  24 , piston  34  may be provided with a single or multiple flanges or protrusions (not shown) in operative engagement with spiral turns  36  of spindle  24 . With regard to the above-identified alternative configurations, those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that various other types of means may be provided for operatively rotating spindle  24  and dip tube  16  during reciprocation of pump piston  34  in pump chamber  26 . Spiral turns  36  of spindle  24  may also be designed in various configurations to operatively fully or partially rotate or vibrate dip tube  16  and figurine  14  therewith. It is also apparent that pump dispenser  10  may be utilized with a discharge head for spraying fluid through an orifice (not shown) instead of discharging fluid through discharge spout  22 . 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those particular embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.