Abstract:
The dosing dispenser may have a body having a discharge path therein, the discharge path having an outlet and having a check valve, flow throttling structure, and on/off control therein for assuring against leakage of liquid or vapors from the dispenser when said on/off control is in the off position. The throttling structure allows for desired dosing of liquid from the outlet with the check valve acting to control escape of vapors or fumes from the liquid therein when the on/off control is in the on position. Also a spillage trap maybe provided to catch any drips from the outlet. The dispenser may bear one or more indicia, if desired, designating the particular liquid therein and the position of the throttle means structure and/or on/off valve. The dosing dispenser can be in the form of a bottle with an integral cap and/or preferably a separate, squeezable container and a separate cap. The dosing dispenser is particularly useful in, but not limited to, dispensing chemicals used to hand pre-treat cloth or clothing in a dry cleaning operation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a dosing dispenser and the use of same, the dispenser having an upper portion preferably including a multifunction cap which may be part of an integral container or used with a separate container or bottle. More particularly, the dispenser may comprise a body incorporating a liquid container, which dispenser can be used, for example, to spot pre-treat clothing manually prior to dry cleaning with a cap thereon, the dispenser dosing applications of the liquid therethrough in a controlled and/or multiple fashion, and providing not only closure to prevent leakage of fluid therefrom but also substantially reducing, if not altogether eliminating, the escape or evaporation of liquid vapors therefrom. If desired, multiple indicia may also be provided on the dispenser to the dispensing rate and/or to indicate the particular liquid therein. The first indicia may be positional and the second indicia in the form of color coding, indicating liquid being dispensed.  
         PRIOR ART  
         [0002]    Heretofore, numerous dosing dispensers have been proposed.  
           [0003]    However, none have been found to provide the combined effects produced by the structure of the herein proposed dosing dispenser.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    According to the invention there is provided a dosing dispenser for use in dispensing manually a controlled or desired dose of liquid. The dispenser may comprise a liquid containing body, a fill inlet opening into the body for filling the dosing dispenser with liquid, a liquid discharge opening in the body and a liquid discharge path within the body in communication with the discharge opening. The dispenser may have an integral liquid container portion and an upper dispenser, or the dispenser may be in the form of a separate cap cooperating with an associated container. The dispenser&#39;s upper portion or cap is provided with a discharge path from the container&#39;s portion, through the upper portions and/or cap. The dispenser in another form may include a throttling means, presumably in the form of a manually operated valve to control the rate of dispensing anywhere in between from zero to a maximum. A check valve is located in the discharge path which is operational to permit flow through discharge path to the discharge opening when in a first position, and to prevent flow to the discharge opening when in a second position, whereby the volatile liquid can be dispensed when the check valve is in the first position, but not when in the second position, the liquid being conserved and discharge or evaporation of volatile vapors from the liquid being substantially eliminated when the check valve is in the second position thereof.  
           [0005]    Further according to the invention, the dosing dispenser may as noted above include a cap for a body that is being used in dispensing manually a volatile liquid, the cap being engageable with the body to form a container. A liquid discharge opening is provided in the cap, a discharge path in the body terminating at the discharge opening, a check valve operating on the discharge path to permit flow through the discharge path to the discharge opening when in one position and to prevent flow through the discharge path when in a second position thereby conserving volatile liquid and minimizing discharge of vapors from the volatile liquid. The throttle means and/or dispensing valve can be provided on or in the cap.  
           [0006]    The dosing dispenser may be used for dispensing volatile dry cleaning chemicals used to manually pre-treat cloths or clothing to be dry cleaned after the manual pre-treatment. As noted above, the dispenser/cap can be given indicia to indicate the type of chemical therein. For example, different color drip or spill sponges or traps may be fitted to the dispenser/cap to so indicate a different chemical. The liquid can be dispensed from the container by means such as shaking, squeezing or both. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the dosing dispenser of the present invention, showing it at rest in an upright position.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway view into the dispenser, taken along line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1, showing the check valve and one drip sponge or spillage trap.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2, but shows an alternative embodiment with multiple spillage traps.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of the upper portion of the dosing dispenser, including the cap, and shows sponges of two spillage traps having first color indicia.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4B shows a second set of sponges having second color indicia.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view through the cap of the dosing dispenser showing the same in an upright “closed” position thereof.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 but shows the cap in an inverted “open” position thereof.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7A is an exploded perspective view of the upper portion of a further embodiment of the dosing dispenser, and show sponges of two spillage traps having first color indicia.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7B shows a second set of sponges for the embodiment of FIG. 7A having second color indicia.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view through the cap of the dosing dispenser showing same in an upright “closed” position thereof.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 5 but shows the cap in an inverted “open” position thereof.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is an enlarged, partial cross sectional view through the throttling means or structure of the embodiment of FIG. 7A view same from one circumferential point therealong.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 10 but viewed from an opposite circumferential point therealong. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    Referring now to the drawings in greater detail there is illustrated therein in this instance a preferred form of a dosing dispenser  10  having a separate container  14  and a separate cap  16  made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. As previously noted, the cap and container could have alternatively been made integral. Also the container could be of rigid construction, but preferably is of squeezable construction to permit it be squeezed to permit or cause discharge of fluid or liquid therefrom.  
         [0021]    Primarily, the dosing dispenser  10  comprises a body  12  formed, preferably, by a container  14  and a cap  16 . The container  14  has a fill inlet or opening  18  (see FIG. 4A) therein, in a neck  20  thereof, which neck  20  has a male threaded outer surface  22 . Onto this threaded outer surface  22  of the neck  20  of the container is engaged a female threaded inner surface  24  (FIG. 5) of a base  26  of the cap  16 , the thusly engaged container  14  and cap  16  forming the body  12  of the dosing dispenser  10 . Of course, the male and female threaded portions could be reversed on the container and cap.  
         [0022]    It will be understood, of course, that the exemplary embodiments of the dosing dispenser  10  illustrated and described herein should not be construed as limiting to the scope of the invention, but merely serves to present representative embodiments.  
         [0023]    For example, in this respect, the container  14  and cap  16  could just as easily be otherwise joined together, such as, in a snap fit, or other, manner which also will not allow for any leakage therepast. Also as noted above, the container  14  and cap  16  could be integrally formed as one piece.  
         [0024]    Once a desired liquid (not shown) is placed within the container  14 , via the fill inlet  18 , and the cap  16  is engaged onto the container  14 , the body  12  of the dosing dispenser  10  is created.  
         [0025]    It will be seen that once the liquid is placed into the body  12 , in this particular embodiment, only one point of operational egress is available. Such point of egress is in the form of an outlet  28  (FIG. 5) provided in a tip  30  of the cap  16 . Positionable over this outlet  28  is a replaceable cover or discharge tip  32 . The tip  32  could be made of metal, such as stainless steel, having an outlet port  34  of predetermined size therein, which outlet port  34  forms a decreased in diameter restriction for the outlet  28 . The cover or discharge tip  32  may be retained on the cap  16  by press fit or other means. The cover  32  may be selected to determine a desired flow, or replaced should it wear or be damaged, such as by dropping of the dispenser  10 . The tip can also be made of a cylinder of teflon with a reduced diameter lower portion with a discharge path therethrough, and say, a press fit of the lower portion into the outlet  28 . Such construction is shown in FIG. 7A.  
         [0026]    It will be understood of course that an outlet path  36  must be provided in the dosing dispenser  10  so that fluid can pass from the interior of the body  12 , and in this instance, to and out of the outlet port  34 , for dispensing thereof.  
         [0027]    As is apparent from FIG. 4A, the fill inlet or opening  18  into the container  14  also serves to allow for flow of liquid from the container  14 , into and through the cap  16 , toward the point of egress.  
         [0028]    Thus, the fluid path  36  extends through the dispenser  10 , beginning in the container  14  and continues through the cap  16 , to the outlet port  34 , as will now be described in greater detail.  
         [0029]    Examining the body  10  more closely, and most particularly the cap  16  thereof, it will first be seen that the cap  16  has a hollow conical tip  30  extending upwardly from the base  26 , when the dispenser  10  is viewed in an upright position thereof.  
         [0030]    The conical tip  30  decreases in diameter toward the outlet  28 , with a portion of the tip  30  adjacent the outlet  28  being provided with a plurality of radially inwardly directed flanges  40  (FIG. 5) therein.  
         [0031]    The lower area  42  of the tip  30  is hollow, and has a ball  44  of a check valve  46  therein, which ball  44  bears against the flanges  40  when the dispenser  10  is inverted (FIG. 6) and bears against a seat  48  therefore in the lower area  42  of the tip  30  when the dispenser  10  is righted (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5).  
         [0032]    The valve seat  48  is seen to surround a flowthrough port  50  extending through the material of the seat  48 , with an upper surface  52  of the seat  48  being radially inwardly downwardly angled (as shown in FIG. 5) to assure that the ball  44  seats over and seals the flowthrough port  50  by seating directly thereupon, with the ball  44  being sized to be larger than the flowthrough port  50 . Such sealing of flowthrough port  50  when the dispenser  10  is in the upright (closed) position acts to keep substantially all liquid vapors from unnecessarily escaping or evaporating from the dispenser  10  when in the upright position.  
         [0033]    Adjacent the flowthrough port  50  at end  54  thereof opposite the end on which the ball  44  seats is provided a throttling means or structure  56  which, in this instance, comprises a spherical throttling element  58  having a diametric bore  60  therethrough. This throttle means  56  is used to control the flow of dispensed fluid from the dispenser. Preferably, the throttle means function as an on-off valve and can control flow form zero to a maximum.  
         [0034]    This spherical throttling means or element  58  engages an actuator  62  (FIG. 4) which acts to rotate the spherical throttling means or element  58  from a first position where the diametric bore  60  (FIG. 5) therein is in full alignment with the flow through port  50 , producing a maximum flow through flow path  36 , through to a position where there is no alignment between the bore  60  and flow through port  50 , providing zero or no flow through flow path  36 .  
         [0035]    Obviously, levels of flow between zero (closed) and maximum (fully open) can be obtained by relative positioning between the bore  60  and flow through port  50 .  
         [0036]    To provide a visual indication of the flow level through the throttling structure  56 , a manipulatable lever  64  is provided, which engages a pin  65  which in turn engages the spherical throttling element  58 , via a flange  72  on the pin  65  which engages in a slot  74  (FIG. 4A) in the spherical throttling element  58 , the slot  74 , in this instance, being perpendicular to the diametric bore  60  in spherical structure  58 .  
         [0037]    Since the pin  65  is fixed to the lever  64 , by a suitable connector  76 , it rotates with the lever  64 .  
         [0038]    The lever  64  includes indicia means in the form of a pointer  80  which is associated with positioning indicia  82  (FIG. 1) which indicates the degree of alignment between the bore  60  and flow through port  50 , from extremes of fully unaligned (zero flow or closed) to fully aligned (maximum flow or fully open) and, of course, various degrees therebetween, creating a dispenser  10  where dosing is controllable.  
         [0039]    It will also be understood that the throttling structure  56 , thus, can not only be construed as merely used for throttling flow, but also serves as an on/off valve  56  for the dosing dispenser.  
         [0040]    It is of course also desired to bias the spherical throttling element  58  against movement away from its position contiguous to the flow through port  50 , to help serve its proposed function. To accomplish this goal, a disk  84  (FIGS. 4A or  5 ) creating a seat  85  is provided which is conformed to maintain the spherical throttling element  58  adjacent the flow through port  50 , and also to extend across the interior of the cap  16 . Thus, liquid flow passes through the required flow path  36  formed as described above.  
         [0041]    In a preferred embodiment, the disk  84  engages within the cap  16  in a snap fit manner, though other forms of engagement could equally well apply.  
         [0042]    Finally, in order for liquid to pass through the disk  84  from the container  14 , a bore  86  is provided therein through which liquid from the container  14  can be passed into the bore  60  of the spherical throttling element  58 .  
         [0043]    It has also been found preferable to keep any spillage from the discharge port  34  from coming into contact with the hand of a user of the dispenser  10 . To this end, at least one spillage well or trap  90  is provided between the tip  30  and base  26  of the cap  16 . In the preferred embodiment, the spillage trap  90  comprises a recess  92  within which a flat  94  is defined. Seated within the recess  92 , upon the flat  94 , is a liquid absorbing structure, such as a sponge  96  to trap any potential spillage droplets.  
         [0044]    In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, one spillage trap  90  is provided, while in another embodiment shown in FIG. 3, plural stacked concentric spillage traps  90 , here two, are shown.  
         [0045]    In FIG. 4A, one pair of sponges  96  are illustrated which are striated to show the sponges  96  to be orange, indicative of a particular liquid within the dispenser  10 .  
         [0046]    Conversely, FIG. 4B shows a pair of sponges  96 ′, striated to show the sponges  96 ′ to be blue in color, which, where used in another dispenser  10 , will provide an indication of another particular liquid being in the dispenser  10 . Alternatively, the dispenser  10 , bottle  12  or cap  16  or portions thereof could be color coded. For example, the dispenser  10  could be used to dispense dry cleaning liquids or pretreatments of “Tennin Formula” say with a color red, “Protein Formula” with a color blue, P.O.G. (Point, Oil Grease Formula”) with a color green, “Ammonia Formula” with a color yellow, etc. or other colors, for other cleaning formulas or pretreatment, such Hydrogen Peroxide, Acetic Acid, etc. This way the dry cleaning operator or user can quickly select the appropriate treatment chemical, economically use it, limit his/her exposure to vapors (which could be harmful), and greatly reduce loss to spillage and evaporation say by from 20 to 50 percent.  
         [0047]    Turning now to FIGS.  7 A- 11 , there is illustrated therein a further embodiment of the dosing dispenser  10 . For the sake of brevity, structures generally identical to those of the first embodiment will be identically numbered, avoiding the need to provide further lengthy description thereof Where there is differences, prime numerals or new reference numbers will be used.  
         [0048]    This embodiment of the dosing dispenser  10  also comprises a body  12  formed, preferably, by a container  14  and a cap  16 , with the container  14  having a fill inlet or opening  18  in a neck  20  thereof.  
         [0049]    It will be understood of course that an outlet path  36  must also be provided in this embodiment of the dosing dispenser  10  so that fluid can pass from the interior of the body  12 , to and out of the outlet port  34 , for dispensing thereof.  
         [0050]    The fluid path  36  extends through the dispenser  10 , beginning in the container  14  and continues through the cap  16 , to the outlet port  34 , as will now be described in greater detail.  
         [0051]    The cap  16  again has a hollow conical tip  30  extending upwardly from the base  26 , and decreasing in diameter toward the outlet  28 , with a portion of the tip  30  adjacent the outlet  28  being provided with a plurality of radially inwardly directed flanges  40  therein. The lower area  42  of the tip  30  is hollow, and again incorporates a check valve  46 . In this embodiment of the dosing dispenser  10 , a throttling structure  56  is also provided.  
         [0052]    Here, however, the throttling structure is a cylindrically shaped throttling element  58 ′ rather than being spherical. This throttling element  58 ′ engages the actuator  62  (FIG. 8) which rotates the throttling element  58 ′ from a first position producing a maximum flow through flow path  36 , through decreasing levels of flow to a position, providing zero or no flow through flow path  36 . A visual indication of the flow level through the throttling structure  56  is again provided by a manipulatable lever  64 . Since the throttling element  58 ′ is fixed to the lever  64 , by a suitable connector  76 , it rotates with the lever  64  and its associated pointer  80  which is further associated with positioning indicia  82 .  
         [0053]    This embodiment of the throttling element  58 ′ provides a throughbore  60 ′ therein which is comprised of two triangular or arrowhead shaped openings  100  which are diametrically opposed and which converge at a midpoint within a head  102  of the cylindrical shaped throttling element  58 ′. The openings  100  are oriented such that a tip  104  of each opening is opposite a base  106  of the opposed opening  100 . Thus the maximum degree of flow through the throughbore  60 ′ is achieved when center areas  108  of the openings  100  are aligned with the flowthrough port  50  in the check valve  46 , as best illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11.  
         [0054]    Obviously flowthrough decreases as throttling element  58 ′ is turned in either direction from the center point, until a position is attained as best shown in FIG. 9, where the throughbore  60 ′ is completely out of alignment with flowthrough port  50 , effectively closing off flowthrough the dosing dispenser  10 .  
         [0055]    It is of course also desired to bias the mushroom or cylindrically shaped throttling means or element  58 ′ against movement away from its position contiguous to the flow through port  50 , to help serve its proposed function. To accomplish this goal, a disk  110 ′ creating a seat  112 ′ is provided which is conformed to maintain the element  58 ′ adjacent the flowthrough port  50 , now extends through two disks  114 ′ and  116 ′, the disk  114 ′ creating a top seat for the element  58 ′ and the disk  116 ′ creating the valve seat  48  for the check valve  46 , as best illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. Thus, liquid flow passes through the required flow path  36  formed as described above.  
         [0056]    It will be seen in this embodiment that the cap  16  is formed as a two piece structure, with the tip  30  being engageable to the base  26  in a snap fit or other suitable manner. In this respect, the tip  30  incorporates a bottom flange  92  which forms the flat  94  of the spillage trap  90 , the flange  92  seating upon a seal ring  118  positioned over a shoulder  120  of the base  26 . A further seal ring  124  may, if desired, be provided for seating between the base  26  of the cap  16  and the neck  20  of the container  14 .  
         [0057]    Also, in this embodiment the seat  112 ′ for the throttling element  58 ′ is also seen to seat upon an internal shoulder  126  which surrounds a portion of the outlet path  36  through the base  26  of the cap  16 , the port  130  in the seat  112 ′ being of smaller diameter than the outlet path  36 , and corresponding approximately to a width of the base  106  of the triangular opening  100  in the throttling element  58 .  
         [0058]    The dispensers  10  can be used in the following manner. A plurality of dispensers  10  could be provided with different color indicia for the various above-mentioned cleaning fluids. If a dispenser has two indica for chemicals they could both be the same color or each a different color. Thus a Red-Red is different from a Red-Blue or even a Blue-Red, giving a large number of variations. The dispensers can be filled with the desired cleaning fluid and the on-off valve/throttle means can be set to permit the desired flow, the indicia facilitating this adjustment. The dispenser or dispensers are placed in the upright position (like that shown in FIG. 1), with the check valve in a closed position to prevent escape of vapor. The dispenser is then picked up by the dry cleaner and generally inverted and shook, to move the check valve off the seat to permit the desired rate of flow onto the spot or clothing or cloth to be pretreated before being dry cleaned. These dispensers could be used with a spotting gun and spot cleaning table like that described in my copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/566,362, filed May 8, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,686. After use, the dispenser can be set down and the check valve then closes to prevent escape of vapor, saving fluids and reducing exposure to vapors. If the dispenser is not likely to be used for awhile, the on-off valve/throttle means could be closed, which would also prevent spillage should the dispenser be unintentionally overturned.  
         [0059]    Thus, it will be understood that the dispenser  10  provides a number of advantages, as does the cap  16  thereof, some of the advantages being described above and others of which are inherent in the invention.  
         [0060]    Also modifications may be made including equivalent elements and/or steps without departing from the teachings herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims and their equivalents.