Abstract:
A dispenser includes a dispenser body and a base, wherein the base is attached to the dispenser body and a piston in the base is seated in a fluid passage of the dispenser body to define a dispensing chamber which may be filled by movement of the dispenser body relative to the base and emptied by the return of the dispenser body to the original position relative to the base.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the invention relate to dispensers and more particularly to dispensers capable of dispensing a dose or continuous stream of liquid or pasty product onto a surface. 
       State of the Art 
       [0002]    Dispensers are well known and are used to dispense any variety of fluids. For example, dispensers are used to dispense soaps, perfumes, food additives, colorings and other liquids onto a surface, into the palm of one&#39;s hand, or into any other desired location. Often times, a dispenser may include a pump to move or transport a fluid through the dispenser for dispensing. 
         [0003]    While dispensers are well known, there is a need to create dispensers and dispensing products that are easier to make and/or are less costly to make. This is especially important as companies attempt to establish markets for their products using dispensers in less developed countries. It is also important as companies look for alternative ways to dispense liquid products at a lower cost. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a simple dispenser is provided. The dispenser may include a dispenser body and a base. The base may be attached to the dispenser body and a piston on the base may be sealingly engaged with a fluid passage in the dispenser body. The base piston and stem may define a dispensing chamber with the fluid passage and the dispensing chamber may be filled with fluid upon movement of the dispenser body closer to the base. Upon return of the base and dispenser body to the original position, fluid in the dispensing chamber may be dispensed. 
         [0005]    According to some embodiments of the invention, a dispenser includes a dispenser body and a base. The dispenser body includes walls forming a space or cavity within the dispenser body. A cap over a portion of the dispenser body may form a reservoir within the dispenser body. The base may include a piston which may be inserted in a fluid passage in the dispenser body. The piston may prevent fluid from flowing from the reservoir and out of the dispenser when the dispenser has not been actuated. The piston—in combination with the fluid passage and a stem of the base—may form a dispensing chamber. The dispensing chamber may be filled upon actuation of the dispenser and then emptied as actuation ends. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments of the invention, a dispenser uses a cup spring and one or more cup spring ribs to facilitate movement of the dispenser body relative to the base. In other embodiments of the invention, a spring may be used to facilitate movement of the dispenser body relative to the base. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming particular embodiments of the present invention, various embodiments of the invention can be more readily understood and appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art from the following descriptions of various embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of a dispenser according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a dispenser according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front cross-section view of a dispenser according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a dispenser according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates a front cross-section view of a dispenser according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates a side-cross sectional view of a dispenser according to various embodiments of the invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side-cross sectional view of a dispenser according to various embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a dispenser  100  may include a dispenser body  110  and a base  150 . 
         [0016]    A dispenser body  110  according to various embodiments of the invention may include a wall  112  and a cup spring  114 . A cap  120  or lid may be seated on an upper edge or rim of the wall  112  such that an open space or cavity is at least partially defined by the interior of the wall  112  and the interior of the cap  120 . The cup spring  114  may extend away from the wall  112  and may act as a spring when the dispenser  100  is in use. 
         [0017]    A base  150  of a dispenser  100  according to various embodiments of the invention may include one or more cup spring ribs  160 , a piston  152  or piston seal, a stem  154  and a fluid disbursement feature  156 . 
         [0018]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a dispenser  100  may be formed by inserting a portion of the base  150  into a portion of the dispenser body  110 . A cross-sectional image of an assembled dispenser  100  according to various embodiments of the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The cross-sectional view illustrated in  FIG. 2  shows a side-view of the dispenser  100  looking at the dispenser  100  from an edge of a cup spring rib  160 . The cross-sectional view illustrated in  FIG. 3  shows a front-view of the dispenser  100  looking at the dispenser  100  from the flat portions of the cup spring ribs  160 . In other words,  FIG. 3  is a view that is rotated ninety degrees from the view illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0019]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the base  150  is inserted into an interior channel formed in the dispenser body  110 . The wall  112  of the dispenser body  110  slopes from an outer wall portion towards an axis running through an interior of the dispenser  100  such that the sloping wall  112  forms a base wall or bottom of a space within the dispenser body  110 . A passage through the base wall of the dispenser body  110  is defined by walls formed therein. The passage may be circular, square, elliptical, or any other desired shape. According to some embodiments of the invention, the passage may extend into an interior space within the dispenser body  110  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The extension into the interior space may include one or more fluid inlet projections  116  and one or more fluid inlet openings  118  defined therein. The interior space defined by the interior of the wall  112 , the interior of the cap  120 , and the fluid passage area may act as a reservoir  130  for a fluid or pasty product. 
         [0020]    A portion of the base  150  may be inserted into the fluid passage. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a piston  152  may be inserted into the fluid passage. The piston  152  may include a seal ring about an outer edge of the piston  152  such that the seal ring may seal against the inner walls or surface of the fluid passage. The seal formed between the piston  152  and the fluid passage may be sufficient to retain fluid or prevent fluid from passing by the piston  152  through the fluid passage. For instance, in the configuration illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , fluid in the reservoir  130  and upper portion of the fluid passage are prevented from flowing past the piston  152  due to the seal between the piston  152  and the walls of the fluid passage. 
         [0021]    Beneath the piston  152  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the base  150  may include a stem  154  having a wide diameter and a narrow diameter. The narrow diameter may be between the wide diameter and the piston  152  as illustrated. The narrow diameter may be narrower than—or have a smaller diameter than—the interior of the fluid passageway such that a dispensing chamber  132  is formed in the area between the wider diameter portion of the stem  154  and the piston  152  and as defined by the fluid passage walls. In some embodiments, the stem  154  may also include a seal ring about the wider diameter portion of the stem  154  and that seal ring may seal against a portion of the fluid passage interior walls. In some instances, the fluid passage may also act in combination with the stem  154  as a guide for movement of the dispenser body  110  relative to the base  150 . 
         [0022]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , one or more fluid outlet openings  158  may be located in and through the fluid passage walls within the dispensing chamber  132 . The one or more fluid outlet openings  158  may allow fluid within the dispensing chamber  132  to drain from the dispensing chamber  132  to atmosphere or down to a surface upon which the base  150  may be resting. 
         [0023]    According to various embodiments of the invention, the configuration, shape, size and other features of the dispensing chamber  132  may be altered such that the dispensing chamber  132  contains, or may contain, a desired quantity of fluid. Thus, the dispensing chamber  132  may be customized such that actuation of the dispenser  100  will dispense a relatively or substantially precise dose of fluid during each actuation. 
         [0024]    The base  150  may also include one or more fluid disbursement features  156  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . A fluid disbursement feature  156 —such as that illustrated—may direct fluid disbursed from or draining from the dispensing chamber  132  away from the base  150  or in a desired direction. In addition, a fluid disbursement feature  156  may be used to disburse the fluid being dispensed. 
         [0025]    The same embodiment of the dispenser  100  illustrated in  FIG. 2  is illustrated in  FIG. 3  from another angle. As illustrated, the sup spring  114  of the dispenser body  110  may rest on one or more cup spring ribs  160  of the base  150 . The cup spring ribs  160  may expand or deform the cup spring  114  as the dispenser body  110  is displaced closer to the base  150  or downward over the base  150 . For example, actuation of the dispenser  100  requires a user to apply force to the cap  120  or top of the dispenser  100 , pushing the dispenser body  110  and base  150  together. As the dispenser body  110  and base  150  are pushed closer together, the cup spring  114  may deform and slide over the outer edges of the cup spring ribs  160 . Upon release of the actuation force on the dispenser  100 , the deformation of the cup spring  114  is corrected by the nature of the cup spring  114  material—for example an elastomeric material—such that the cup spring  114  returns the dispenser body  110  to the original position. In this way, the cup spring  114  in combination with the cup spring ribs  160  acts as a spring for the dispenser  100  to return the dispenser  100  to a non-actuated state following actuation thereof. 
         [0026]    Upon actuation of the dispenser  100 , the dispenser body  110  is pushed closer to the base  150  and the position of the piston  152  relative to, or within, the fluid passage is changed as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Each of  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate a dispenser  100  according to embodiments of the invention during actuation. The illustration in  FIG. 4  corresponds to the same view as that of  FIG. 2  and the illustration in  FIG. 5  corresponds to the same view as that of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0027]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , when the dispenser body  110  is pushed downward, the cup spring  114  expands about the cup spring ribs  160 . The fluid passage is also moved relative to the piston  152  such that the one or more fluid inlet openings  118  are in communication with both the reservoir  130  and the dispensing chamber  132 . The fluid communication between the reservoir  130  and the dispensing chamber  132  allows fluid to flow from the reservoir  130  into the dispensing chamber  132 . As illustrated, in this position, the one or more fluid outlet openings  158  are not in fluid communication with the dispensing chamber  132 ; instead, they are below a seal with the stem  154  such that fluid from the dispensing chamber  132  cannot flow through the fluid outlet openings  158 . 
         [0028]    Upon release of the force on the dispenser body  110 , the cup spring  114  acts in combination with the cup spring ribs  160  to return the dispenser body  110  to the position illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . As the dispenser body  110  returns to that position, the piston  152  forms a seal with the interior wall of the fluid passageway, stopping inflow of fluid from the reservoir  130  into the dispensing chamber  132  and trapping fluid in the dispensing chamber  132 . As the dispenser body  110  continues to move, the one or more fluid outlet openings  158  are moved into the dispensing chamber  132 , opening a path for fluid from within the dispensing chamber  132  to drain through the one or more fluid outlet openings  158 . The fluid released from the dispensing chamber  132  may be disbursed by a fluid disbursement feature  156 . 
         [0029]    An alternate embodiment of a dispenser  100  according to various embodiments of the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  FIG. 6  illustrates the dispenser  100  in an “up” position and  FIG. 7  illustrated the dispenser  100  in a “down” position during actuation. As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , instead of a cup spring  114  and cup spring ribs  160  combination, a dispenser  100  may include a spring  260  to act upon the dispenser body  110  during operation of the dispenser  100 . A spring  260  may include any type of spring and may be made of any desired material. For example, a metal or plastic coil spring may be used as illustrated. A leaf spring or other spring could also be substituted and used with various embodiments of the invention. In addition, the dispenser  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7  does not include a fluid disbursement feature  156 . 
         [0030]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a dispenser  100  may be made of any desired material. In some embodiments, a dispenser  100  may be molded from resin. The dispenser body  110  and base  150  may be molded using the same resin or polymer or different resins or polymers. For example, both the dispenser body  110  and base  150  may be molded of high-density polypropylene, low-density polypropylene, or medium-density polypropylene, or any combination thereof. 
         [0031]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a dispenser  100  may be used to dispense a product such as a fluid or pasty product. A fluid contained in the reservoir  130  may be dispensed by actuating and releasing the dispenser body  110  such that the dispenser body  110  moves relative to the base  150  to fill the dispensing chamber  132  and dispense a quantity of fluid therefrom. A dispenser  100  according to various embodiments of the invention may be used with any fluid desired. For example, a dispenser  100  according to various embodiments of the invention may be used to dispense a lotion, a soap, a fragrance product, food products, cleaning agents, insecticides, pest control formulations or any other desired fluid product. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments of the invention, the cap  120  may be removable such that the reservoir  130  may be refilled with a desired fluid for dispensing. In other embodiments, the dispenser  100  may include a refillable cartridge that may be placed in the reservoir  130  such that a fluid will be dispersed from the refillable cartridge into the reservoir  130 . In other embodiments, a cartridge may be inserted into the reservoir  130  such that the cartridge is opened and fluid is allowed to disperse into the reservoir  130  for use with the dispenser  100 . 
         [0033]    Having thus described various embodiments of the invention it is understood that the invention is not limited by the embodiments described, by the illustrations, or by the claims herein.