Abstract:
A readily collapsible enclosure holding viscous fluid is housed within a non-elastic housing with relatively rigid members secured on one end and extending on opposite sides of the collapsible enclosure holding viscous fluid within the non-elastic housing so that pressure applied to the rigid members reduces the volume of the enclosure to discharge the viscous fluid. Various pressure applying points and assists are included with spring pressure balancing applications on said rigid members included. A strand dispensing spool can be housed within the resilient housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    Viscous fluid is dispensed by applying force to rigid members on opposite sides of a collapsible confined space within a non-elastic housing.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    The provision of devices that assist dispensing of pastes, lotions, creams, colors, paints, adhesives, etc. from rubber, flexible metal, plastic and other resilient tubes or containers is common in the art. Most of these devices apply force externally of the containers. U.S. Pat. No. 1,563,459, issued Dec. 1, 1925 to H. Volland, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,605, issued Jul. 26, 1966 to T. Madden et al, assist dispensing by use of slide members along the length of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 1,320,275, issued Oct. 28, 1919 to E. Roach, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,510,848, issued Oct. 7, 1924 to A. Hubbard, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,773,577, issued Aug. 19, 1930 to O. Eide, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,341, issued Oct. 12, 1965 to H. Bailey use pressure applied to rigid members, on either side of resilient collapsible tubes, that are secured together and pivoted about one end. U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,932 teaches making portions of the container more rigid so that applied pressure assists discharge. U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,213, issued Jun. 25, 1996 to R. Mack et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,966, issued Oct. 28, 1997 to R. Johnson are examples of an outer rigid or resilient housing with an inner collapsible or deformable container for the viscous material to be dispensed by pressure applied to the inner collapsible container.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    A viscous fluid dispenser has a non-elastic housing around a confined or collapsible viscous material container. Rigid side members that extend along opposite sides of the collapsible container within the non-elastic housing are pressed or pivoted together. By pressing against the rigid side members within the non-elastic housing, viscous fluid is dispensed. Springs placed selectively along the rigid side members balance viscous fluid pressures within the collapsible confined or space container. A twine dispenser can be housed within the resilient housing. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of a dispenser in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of a dispenser in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of a dispenser in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a partial vertical elevation of an alternate leverage device for use with the invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a partial elevation of an alternate pressure applying arrangement.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6( a ) is an exploded top view of a spring-loaded pressure applicator.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6( b ) is a sectional side view of the spring loaded pressure applicator of FIG. 6( a ) in its compressed configuration.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6( c ) is a sectional side view of the spring loaded pressure applicator of FIG. 6( a ) in its expanded configuration. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    It is well known to apply pressure onto collapsible tubes using contact members. Such provision typically has separate collapsible tube and pressure means and requires combining the two to dispense the fluid from the collapsible tube. The present invention combines a collapsible confined space or tube and pressure applying means into a single enclosed unit.  
         [0015]    As shown in FIG. 1, a dispenser  1  includes a collapsible confined space, lining or tube  2  containing a viscous fluid with a closure aperture shown as a threaded discharge  8  and a closure cap  9 . The collapsible tube is housed within a non-elastic housing  3 . Included within the non-elastic housing are rigid plates  4  hinged  5  together at their first lower end to form jaws for applying pressure against the sides of the collapsible tube. Pressure applicators  6 , in the shape of a push button, are attached adjacent to the rigid plates second upper end, farthest from the hinged end, for forcefully dispensing the fluid. Steady pressure applying springs  7  are provided at about the middle length of the rigid plates. These springs maintain a uniform pressure along the rigid plates and along the collapsible lining or tube  2 . With the components of the dispenser all housed together within one non-elastic housing  3 , the dispenser is readily available for quick use. A spool  10  for twine  11  is also housed within the non-elastic housing  3  and can be dispensed through an opening  13  and threaded through a cutting means  12 . If the viscous fluid is toothpaste, the twine can be dental floss. If the viscous fluid is an adhesive, the twine could be binding cord, etc. The non-elastic housing can be a rigid metal or plastic or a resilient material that is not stretchable to any appreciable degree.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a modification of the dispenser of FIG. 1. Rather than having both rigid plates of the dispenser  20  move about a common hinge, only one first rigid plate  24  is free to move about a hinge  25  while a second relatively stationary rigid side  17  is attached to the hinge. Also, the pressure applicators are in the form of a lever  26  that is hinged  15  at one end to provide leverage on the movable rigid plate  24  through a pressure pin  16  acting against return spring pressure  21 . Finger gripping irregularities  19  can be formed on the housing  23 . The closure aperture  28  from the collapsible lining or tube is shown closed by a pivoted cap  29 . A spring  27  is positioned between the non-elastic housing  23  and rigid plate  24  to maintain a steady pressure on the rigid plate and adjacent side of the collapsible lining or tube  22 . The second relatively rigid stationary side  17  can be either a rigid plate or a rigid housing or rigid housing side. The same spool  10 , twine  11 , opening  13  and cutting means  12  are provided. Rather than having the spool  10  and twine  11  attached to the rigid plate  24 , they are attached to a door  14  that is hinged  72  to the non-elastic housing  23  lower corner.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a further modification of the dispenser of FIG. 1. The same general collapsible liner or tube  32 , with viscous fluid, and non-elastic housing  33 , having a first rigid plate  34  and second rigid plate  73 , are used. A third rigid base plate  18  is provided between the first and second rigid plates. The third rigid base plate  18  permits the primary pressure plates  73 ,  34  to move toward each other in an essentially parallel manner, rather than arcuately. A second hinge  31  is added to join the rigid base plate  18  to the first rigid plate  34  to permit this movement. The first hinge  35  joins the base plate  18  to the second rigid plate  73 . A single pressure applicator  36 , closure aperture  38 , closure cap  39  with spool  10 , twine  11 , opening  13  and cutting means  12  are also used. The two hinges  31  and  35  on either end of the base plate permit that pressure plate  34  to float somewhat so as to accommodate a collapsible liner or tube  32  that has an essentially uniform cross-section along its length. The base plate does not apply much pressure onto the collapsible tube  32  but serves primarily to provide a support for the spool  10  and as a rigid connection between the second rigid plate  73  and the first rigid plate  34 . The pressure applied by the pressure plate  34  is essentially uniform along its extent due to the pressure applicator  36  location at the top end of the pressure plate and the spring  37  constant force applied at the lower end of the pressure plate. This force balancing and physical arrangement results in the discharge from the collapsible tube being essentially uniform along the collapsible container length rather than primarily from the bottom due to a pivotal movement of the rigid plates secured together at the bottom end. The hinge  31  is of the well known limited rotation type often used with doors where rotation between the hinge sections is due to flats on the hinges abutting sections, in this instance, so as to permit only about a 90 degree relative rotation between the sections. The preferred angle ⊖ between the base plate  18  and rigid plate  34  is in the range of 90 to 180 degrees. The plates remain coplanar when the angle ⊖ reaches it maximum 180 degree limit.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 discloses an alternate system for applying pressure against the rigid plates  44  of the dispenser  40 . In this embodiment, there is no liner or tube used. The viscous fluid  42  is confined between the relative rigid dispenser  40  walls  43  and the rigid plates  44 . The spring and pressure applicator are replaced by a pair of curved levers  46 ,  47  on either side of the rigid plates  44  that are hinged  45  together essentially centrally on a rigid lower base plate  49 . The lower end of the levers  46 ,  47  are hinged to either end  41 ,  48  of the rigid lower base plate  49 . Pressure against the upper ends of the curved levers  46 ,  47  presses the central area of the curved levers against the rigid plates  44  to press viscous fluid from the confined space  42 .  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 discloses another alternate system for applying pressure against the rigid plates  64  of the dispenser  60 . The upper areas of the non-elastic housing  63  are provided with resilient gripping areas  66 ,  67  at the upper areas of the rigid plates  64  for pressing the rigid plates against the viscous fluid within the confined space  62  to discharge the viscous fluid out of the closure aperture  68  that can be closed, with a pivot cap  69  shown.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6( a ) discloses a further alternate pressure applicator  50 , preferably made of plastic, for pressing on the rigid plate(s) of the invention. The outer pressure applicator  53  is similar to the push button  6  shown in FIG. 1. The outer end is provided with irregular gripping or pressing areas  54 , for non-slip pressure application, and the inner end is provided with a flange  55  around an opening provided for access to the hollow interior for passage of one end of a spring  52  into the empty space within the push button  53 . The flange  55  can be secured to the non-elastic housing inner or outer surface. Inner pressure applicator  51  outer end  56  is open providing for reception of the other end of the spring  52 , in the empty space within the inner pressure member  51 . The inner pressure applicator  51  inner end is provided with a flange  57  for pressing against the rigid plates. The outer pressure applicator  53  serves the same function as the pressure applicator  6  in FIG. 1. When pressed on, the flange  55  is forced against the flange  57  to press on the rigid plates. However, when pressure against the gripping outer end area  54  is released, return spring  52  presses the flange  55  outward against the non-elastic housing and the flange  57  inward against the rigid plate. This results in a constant spring pressure being applied against the rigid plates and the collapsible container. The spacing between the rigid plates and resilient housing limit the distance the inner pressure member  51  and outer pressure member  53  can separate. This distance is not enough to expose the spring  52  ends that are retained within the hollow inner and outer pressure members. Pop-out tabs  58  are provided by cutting a “U” shape through the inner applicator  51  and heating and bending the resulting tab to provide a spring action.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6( b ) shows the pressure applicator of FIG. 6( a ) in its compressed configuration. The tabs  58  are pressed into the space within the inner pressure member and the inner pressure member  51  is pressed against spring  52  pressure into the empty space within the outer pressure applicator  53  with the inner pressure applicator  51  flange  57  adjacent to the outer pressure applicator  53  flange  55 . In this configuration the flange  57  can be placed against a rigid plate while the flange  55  is placed against the non-elastic housing. While the flange  55  can be affixed to the outside of the non-elastic housing, it is preferred that both flanges  55 , 57  be place between the rigid plate(s) and non-elastic housing.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6( c ) shows the pressure applicator of FIG. 6( a ) in an extended configuration. As the rigid plates are pressed inward to dispense fluid, the distance between the non-elastic housing and rigid plates increases. To accommodate the increased distance, the inner pressure member is moved out from the outer pressure member under spring force. This compensates for increased distance between the non-elastic housing and pressure plates. When the inner pressure member has moved out far enough to uncover the tabs  58 , they spring out and prevent the inner pressure member from entering any further back into the outer pressure member. With the inner pressure member extended, pressure can still be easily applied to the pressure plates with minimum travel of the outer pressure member, the fluid being dispensed using the same pressure originally applied to the outer pressure area  54 . This is possible even though the rigid plate is no longer adjacent to the non-elastic housing.  
         [0023]    It is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative only and that changes, variations, substitutions, modifications and equivalents will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art and that such may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.