Abstract:
Exemplary pumps, nozzles and refill units are disclosed herein. An exemplary refill unit includes a container, a pump and an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle has a lower conical shaped portion that reduces in cross-sectional area in the direction of fluid flow. The conical shaped portion has a helical groove about its inner surface and the helical groove has an end proximate an outlet. Another exemplary refill unit includes a container, a pump and an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle has a lower portion that has a passage. At least a portion of the walls of the passage contain a plurality of partial conical shapes that intersect and the passage has a cross-sectional area that reduces along the fluid flow path. The outlet has a multi-lobed cross-section.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This non-provisional utility patent application claims priority to and the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/868,281 filed on Aug. 21, 2013 and entitled ANTI-CLOG PUMP NOZZLES, PUMPS AND REFILL UNITS. This application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to pump nozzles, and more particularly to pump nozzles, pumps and refill units having anti-clog pump nozzles. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Liquid dispenser systems, such as liquid soap and sanitizer dispensers, provide a user with an amount of liquid upon actuation of the dispenser. Such dispensers are prone to output misdirection. Output misdirection is the dispensing of a product in an orientation or direction that differs from the intended orientation or direction and may result in the product partially or fully missing the target. Misdirection of, for example, hand sanitizer gel occurs when gel dries, hardens, or collects at or near the tip of a pump nozzle as the pump dispenses gel sanitizer from the product refill unit over the life of the refill unit. The builds up at the tip forms layers that block or clog the pump nozzle. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Exemplary pumps, nozzles and refill units are disclosed herein. An exemplary refill unit includes a container, a pump and an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle has a lower conical shaped portion that reduces in cross-sectional area in the direction of fluid flow. The conical shaped portion has a helical groove about its inner surface and the helical groove has an end proximate an outlet. 
         [0005]    Another exemplary refill unit includes a container, a pump and an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle has a lower portion that has a passage. At least a portion of the walls of the passage contain a plurality of partial conical shapes that intersect and the passage has a cross-sectional area that reduces along the fluid flow path. The outlet has a multi-lobed cross-section. 
         [0006]    Another exemplary refill unit for a gel hand sanitizer includes a container, a pump and an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle has a passage formed of a first material and an outlet tip that contains an additive that is not included in the first material. 
         [0007]    Another exemplary refill unit includes a container, a pump and an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle has a lower portion that has a passage. At least a portion of the walls of the passage reduce in cross-sectional area along the fluid flow path, and the outlet is has a non-circular cross-section. 
         [0008]    Yet another exemplary refill unit includes a container, liquid gel in the container, a pump and an outlet nozzle. The outlet nozzle has an outlet tip, wherein the outlet tip comprises a performance enhancing substance that reduces the ability for the liquid gel to adhere to the outlet tip. 
         [0009]    In this way, a simple and economical air-vented liquid dispenser system including a refill unit is provided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a refill unit having a container and a pump; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of an anti-clog nozzle; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a view looking up at the outlet of the nozzle of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of an anti-clog nozzle; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a plan view looking down of the lower interior portion of the nozzle of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a view looking up at the outlet of the nozzle of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of an anti-clog nozzle; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a plan view looking down of the lower interior portion of the nozzle of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a view looking up at the outlet of the nozzle of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of an anti-clog nozzle; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the exemplary tip of the nozzle of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of an anti-clog nozzle; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the exemplary tip of the nozzle of  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]      FIG. 1  illustrates a refill unit  100 . Refill unit  100  includes a container  102 , a pump  104  and an anti-clog nozzle  106 . Pump  104  is a piston pump; however, pump  104  may be any type of pump. Anti-clog nozzle  106  attaches to pump  104 . Anti-clog nozzle  106  includes an outlet  110  and an actuator engagement member  112 . When refill unit  100  is inserted in a dispenser (not shown), actuator engagement member  112  is engaged by an actuator (not shown) on the dispenser. Movement of the actuator moves anti-clog nozzle  106  upward to dispense a product and anti-clog nozzle  106  is moved downward to re-prime pump  104 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary anti-clog nozzle  200  that may be utilized in refill unit  100 .  FIG. 3  is a view looking upward at the bottom  210  of anti-clog nozzle  200 . Anti-clog nozzle  200  has a lower portion  220 . The interior wall of lower portion  220  has a conical shape wall  221  that reduces in cross-sectional area along the flow path of the lower portion  220 . Along the length of the conical shaped wall  221  is helical groove  222 . Helical groove  222  ends at edge  224  near the end of cylindrical opening  226 . In some embodiments, edge  224  is at the bottom of the cylindrical opening  226 . 
         [0026]    As liquid or gel flows through the lower portion  220  of anti-clog nozzle  200 , the velocity of the liquid or gel increases and has a rotational motion caused by helical groove  222 . As the liquid or gel passes edge  224 , the geometry causes the liquid or gel to shear thin. In addition, the geometry provides less surface area for the liquid or gel to adhere to and minimizes buildup that may cause output misdirection. During operation, any hardening of the gel peels off of the edge  224 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary anti-clog nozzle  400  that may be utilized in refill unit  100 .  FIG. 6  is a view looking upward at the bottom  410  of anti-clog nozzle  400 . Anti-clog nozzle  400  has a lower portion  420 .  FIG. 5  is a plan view looking downward at the top of lower portion  420 . 
         [0028]    In this exemplary embodiment, lower portion  420  of nozzle  400  has a passage  432 . Passage  432  has walls formed by three cones  332 A,  332 B and  332 C. Cones  332 A,  332 B and  332 C are close enough so that the walls intersect one another to form a single passageway. In addition, cones  332 A,  332 B and  332 C are angled toward one another and have a single multi-lobed outlet  424 . Multi-lobed outlet  424  is non-cylindrical outlet that has a cross-section in the form of six arcuate shaped segments  424 A,  424 B,  424 C,  424 D,  424 E,  424 F and  424 G. The arcuate shapes  424   424 A,  424 B,  424 C,  424 D,  424 E,  424 F and  424 G intersect with one another and form edges  440 . Multi-lobed outlet  424  ends slightly above the outlet opening  426  which is slightly larger than the multi-lobed outlet  424 . Accordingly, gel does not contact and/or build up on the outlet opening  426 . In some embodiments, the multi-lobed outlet  424  may have more than six arcuate shapes forming the multi-lobed outlet. In other embodiments, the multi-lobed outlet  424  may have less than six arcuate shapes forming the multi-lobed outlet  424 . 
         [0029]    As liquid or gel flows through the lower portion  420  of anti-clog nozzle  400 , the velocity of the liquid or gel increases as the cross-sectional area of the anti-clog nozzle  400  reduces. As the liquid or gel passes through multi-lobed outlet  424 , the geometry causes the liquid or gel to shear thin. Any buildup or hardening of the gel that occurs on the multi-lobed outlet  424  peels off of the edges  440  more readily than it would peel off of a circular opening. Thus, the non-circular outlet with edges minimizes buildup that may cause output misdirection. 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary anti-clog nozzle  700  that may be utilized in refill unit  100 .  FIG. 8  is a view looking upward at the bottom  710  of anti-clog nozzle  700 . Anti-clog nozzle  700  has a lower portion  720 .  FIG. 8  is a plan view looking downward at the top of lower portion  720 . In this exemplary embodiment, lower portion  720  of nozzle  700  has a passage  732  formed by three cones  732 A,  732 B and  732 C. The cones  732 A,  732 B and  732 C are close enough so that the walls intersect one another to form a single passageway. 
         [0031]    In addition, cones  732 A,  732 B and  732 C are angled toward one another and have a single multi-lobed outlet  724 . Multi-lobed outlet  724  is a non-cylindrical outlet that has a cross-section that has three arcuate shaped segments  726 A,  726 B and  726 C. Arcuate shaped segments  726 A,  726 B and  726 C intersect to form edges  740 . In some embodiments, the outlet  724  may have more than three arcuate shapes forming the multi-lobed outlet. In other embodiments, the outlet  724  may have less than three arcuate shapes forming the multi-lobed outlet. 
         [0032]    As liquid or gel flows through the lower portion  720  of anti-clog nozzle  700 , the velocity of the liquid or gel increases as the cross-sectional area of the anti-clog nozzle  700  reduces. As the liquid or gel passes through multi-lobed outlet  724 , the geometry causes the liquid or gel to shear thin. Any buildup or hardening of the gel that occurs on the multi-lobed outlet  724  peels off of the edges  740  more readily than it would peel off of a circular opening. Thus, the non-circular outlet with edges minimizes buildup that may cause output misdirection. 
         [0033]      FIG. 10  illustrates another exemplary anti-clog nozzle  1000 . Anti-clog nozzle  1000  has a cylindrical outlet passage  1022 . An outlet tip  1024 , which is best seen in the enlarged partial cross-section of  FIG. 11 , is located at the end of cylindrical outlet passage  1022 . The outlet tip  1024  includes an additive that prevents or minimizes the ability of gel sanitizer to adhere to the surface. Such an additive is a performance enhancer. One suitable performance enhancer is salt. In some embodiments, the outlet tip  1024  has a salt additive. Sanitizing gels container carbomer. Salt dissolves the carbomer and causes the gel to become more fluid. In some embodiments, the performance enhancer comprises 20% of the outlet tip  1024 . In some embodiments, the performance enhancer comprises up to 25% of the outlet tip. In some embodiments the performance enhancer comprises less than 15% of the outlet tip. 
         [0034]    The outlet tip  1024  may be over-molded onto the end of passage  1022  or may be secured to outlet passage  1022  by any means, such as a snap-fit connection, and adhesive connection, a friction-fit connection, or the like. In this exemplary embodiment, the exemplary outlet tip  1024  has an inner surface  1025  that is flush with the inner surface  1023  of outlet passage  1022 . 
         [0035]    Similarly,  FIG. 12  illustrates another exemplary anti-clog nozzle  1200 . Anti-clog nozzle  1200  has a cylindrical outlet passage  1222 . An outlet tip  1224 , which is best seen in the enlarged partial cross-section of  FIG. 13 , is located at the end of cylindrical outlet passage  1222 . The outlet tip  1224  includes an additive or performance enhancer as described above that prevents or minimizes the ability of gel sanitizer to adhere to the surface. 
         [0036]    The outlet tip  1224  may be over-molded into nozzle  1000  or may be secured to outlet passage  1222  by any means, such as a snap-fit connection, and adhesive connection, a friction-fit connection, or the like. In this exemplary embodiment, the exemplary outlet tip  1224  has an inner surface  1225  that fits up within a notched portion of the inner surface  1223  of outlet passage  1222  sot that the inside surface  1225  of outlet tip  1224  is flush with the inner surface  1223  of outlet passage  1222 . 
         [0037]    While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of embodiments thereof and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.