Container for use with a counter mounted dispensing system

The present disclosure relates to a container for flowable material configured to be installed in a counter below an access hole. The container includes a first deformable portion and a second deformable portion. The first deformable portion defines a first cavity and has a sealable first cavity inlet. The second deformable portion defines a second cavity and is in flow communication with the first cavity. The first deformable portion is configured to deform to fit into the access hole when substantially no flowable material is therein and the second deformable portion configured to deform to fit through the access hole when substantially no flowable material is therein. The disclosure also includes a method of installing a container of flowable material in a counter below an access hole.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to liquid dispensing systems and in particular containers for use with a counter mounted dispensing system.

BACKGROUND

Counter mounted soap and foam dispensers are becoming commonplace in modern away from home washroom environments. In fact many of the washroom counters produced are supplied complete with a predrilled 1″ diameter hole in close proximity to washbasin to allow for the easy installation of such systems. These dispensers are available as both manual pump activated and automatic sensor activated devices, with the dispensing head being installed in counter from above, and the cartridge of product installed below the counter. Systems are available that use both hygienically sealed collapsible cartridges as well as open refillable reservoirs. There are several reasons why a counter mounted system is preferable to a wall mounted system, examples being: a lack of wall space; maintaining the washroom aesthetic; and personal preference.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a container for flowable material configured to be installed in a counter below an access hole. The container includes a first deformable portion and a second deformable portion. The first deformable portion defines a first cavity and has a sealable first cavity inlet. The second deformable portion defines a second cavity and is in flow communication with the first cavity. The first deformable portion is configured to deform to fit into the access hole when substantially no flowable material is therein and the second deformable portion configured to deform to fit through the access hole when substantially no flowable material is therein.

The container may include a neck portion between the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion.

The container may include a removable clip configured to engage the neck portion and to inhibit flow from the first cavity to the second cavity when engaged on the neck portion.

The sealable first cavity inlet may be sealed with a pump. The pump may include a dip tube. The pump may be configured to be engaged by a dispenser.

The first deformable portion may have a liquid therein and further may include a seal affixed to the sealable first cavity inlet.

The pump may have a dip tube and the pump is connectable to the sealable first cavity inlet whereby the dip tube extends through the first deformable portion into the second deformable portion.

The seal may be removable prior to connecting the pump.

The dip tube may be insertable through the seal.

The first deformable portion may be detachable from the second deformable portion.

The first deformable portion may include a first neck portion and the second deformable portion may include a second neck portion and the first neck portion and the second neck portion may be releasably connectable together. The first neck portion and the second neck portion may be connected with a detachable neck joint wherein the neck joint is a perforated neck joint or a press fit neck joint. Alternatively the first neck portion and the second neck portion may be connected with a screw fit neck joint.

The container may further include a box for transporting the container. The box may include a removable portion.

The second deformable portion may be wound into a tube. The tube may be folded so that the tube rests against the first deformable portion.

The first deformable portion and the second deformable portion are resiliently deformable.

A cage may be attached to the counter below the access hole. The cage may include a lower portion removably attached to an upper portion.

The disclosure includes a method of installing a container of flowable material in a counter below an access hole, the container having a first deformable portion in flow communication with a second deformable portion, the method comprising the steps of:

feeding the second deformable portion having substantially no flowable material therein through the access hole;

urging the flowable material in the first deformable portion into the second deformable portion;

feeding the first deformable portion having substantially no flowable material therein into the access hole; and

positioning a pump in the access hole whereby the pump is in flow communication with the container.

The pump may be attached to the first deformable portion prior to the first feeding step.

The method may include the step of attaching a dispenser to the pump.

The first deformable portion may have a first cavity inlet and a seal attached thereto and the method may include the step of removing the seal and then performing the step of positioning a pump.

The first deformable portion may have a first cavity inlet and a seal attached thereto and method may include the step of piercing the seal with the pump and then performing the step of positioning a pump.

The container may further include a box and the box includes a removable portion, and the method may include the steps of removing the removable portion of the box; removing the first deformable portion from the box; squeezing the box to urge the flowable material in the first deformable portion into the second deformable portion; and removing the box.

Further features will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 11, a counter mounted dispensing system is shown generally at10. The counter mounted dispensing system10includes a deformable container12and a pump14. Dispensing system10is adapted to be positioned in a counter16through an access hole18. The access hole18may have a mount19extending upwardly from the hole. The deformable container12is for use in association with a liquid or other flowable material, typically hand cleaner or foamable hand cleaner.

The deformable container12includes a first deformable portion20which defines a first cavity22and a second deformable portion24which defines a second cavity26. The second cavity26is in flow communication with the first cavity22through a neck portion30. The first cavity22has a first cavity inlet28. The second deformable portion24is configured to deform to fit through the access hole18when substantially no flowable material is therein. The second deformable portion24may be wound into a tube as shown inFIG. 2. It may be wound into a tube during the manufacturing process prior to shipping and the tube configuration facilitates feeding the second deformable container24through the access hole18. Similarly, the first deformable portion20is configured to deform to fit through the access hole18when substantially no flowable material is therein. Second deformable portion24will unwind from the tube configuration as flowable material moves form the first deformable portion20into the second deformable portion24.

Optionally the first cavity inlet28is sealable first cavity inlet and is sealed with a pump14. Pump14may be any standard type of pump. An example of the pump used herein is shown in U.S. application Ser. No. 13/458,318, filed Apr. 27, 2012. An alternate example of a pump15is shown inFIGS. 10 to 14. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a wide variety of pumps may be used with deformable container12. The pump has a dip tube34that extends from the first cavity22into the second cavity26when the dispensing system10is positioned in the counter16. Optionally the pump14is adapted to be attached to or engaged by a dispenser32. Alternate pump15may also be adapted to engage a dispenser33. The dispenser may be attachable to the counter16.

Optionally the deformable container12may be housed in a removable box36, as shown inFIGS. 15 to 23. Box36is particularly useful for transporting the container. Box36may have a removable portion38that is easily removed from the box to provide access to the deformable container12inside, such that the seal is removed prior to connecting the pump. Optionally box36may include fold lines39as shown inFIGS. 21 to 23. Fold lines39are used to facilitate a controlled collapsing of the box36. Box36is designed to contain the deformable container12that includes a first deformable portion20filled with liquid and a second deformable portion24wound into a tube and then folded so that it rests against the first deformable portion20as can be seen inFIG. 17. The first deformable portion20may have a pump15attached to the first cavity inlet28as can be seen inFIG. 22.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, by shipping a container12with a pump sealed thereto, the liquid is shipped to the end user in a hygienic fashion and it minimizes the opportunity to contaminate the liquid from the manufacturer to the user. In addition, box36can provide further protection for the container12during shipping.

Optionally the deformable container12may include a removable seal40as shown inFIGS. 24 and 27. Removable seal40is designed to be affixed to the first cavity inlet28. Removable seal40may be removed after the deformable container12is positioned in the counter16. The pump14and dip tube34assembly is connectable to the sealable first cavity inlet whereby the dip tube extends through the first deformable portion and into the second deformable portion when the first deformable potion has been pushed into the access hole. The pump14is then installed in the access hole. Optionally the deformable container12may have seal42that is adapted to be pierced by pump14and dip tube34assembly whereby the dip tube is insertable through the seal as shown inFIG. 28.

Optionally a removable clip44may be included as shown inFIGS. 29 and 30. The clip44is configured to engage the neck portion30and to inhibit flow from the first cavity to the second cavity when the clip44is engaged on the neck portion30. The container mounted dispenser system10may also include a cage46below the counter16to contain the deformable container12once it is positioned in the access hole18in the counter. The cage46may include an upper portion48attached to the underside of the counter and a lower portion50removably attachable to the upper portion48.

Referring toFIGS. 33 to 38, container12may be configured such that first portion60may be detachable from second deformable portion62. In this configuration first portion60includes a first neck portion64and second deformable portion includes a second neck portion66. Second neck portion66has a collar68extending outwardly therefrom and the collar68is adapted to rest on the access hole18of the counter16. The first neck portion64and the second neck portion66are releasably connectable together. By way of example only, the first neck portion64is connected to the second neck portion66, as shown inFIGS. 35 and 36, with a detachable neck joint wherein the neck joint is a perforated neck joint or a press fit neck joint. Alternatively it may have a screw fit neck joint70as shown inFIGS. 37 and 38.

Note that in the embodiments shown inFIGS. 33 to 38the first portion60need not be a deformable portion since it is not being pushed through access hole18in the counter16.

Alternatively the container may be made from a resiliently deformable material as shown inFIGS. 29 to 32. When the container12is made from a resiliently deformable material the first deformable portion, neck and second deformable may appear to be one long balloon like structure and it is when the container is in use that the first deformable portion52and second deformable portion54are defined. The neck56is defined by the clip44. By way of example only, the first and second deformable portions may be manufactured from latex, silicone rubber, polyisoprene and mylar, In use the different embodiments of the container12are designed to facilitate providing or installing a liquid container at a location under the counter for use with a pump that is attached to the counter16. In use, the second deformable portion24of the container12is inserted or fed through the access hole18in the counter16. Once the second deformable portion24is fully inserted into the hole, the clip44, if present, is removed. Thereafter, pressure is exerted on the first deformable portion20such that the liquid in the first cavity is urged from the first cavity and starts to flow into the second cavity. Pressure may be exerted by hand as shown inFIGS. 10 and 11or by way of a controlled collapse which may be achieved with the box36. Once the liquid has been transferred into the second cavity the pump is positioned in the access hole18. In some embodiments the pump is attached to the first deformable portion prior to shipping as shown inFIGS. 1 to 23and29to32. Alternatively where the container includes a removable seal40, the seal is removed and the pump and dip tube assembly is positioned in the access hole as shown inFIGS. 24 to 27. As another alternative where the seal is a piercable seal42the dip tube pierces the seal42and the pump and dip tube assembly are positioned in the access hole18. A further alternative is shown inFIGS. 33 to 38wherein the second deformable container potion62includes a collar68which rests on the access hole18and the first deformable container portion60is detachable from the second deformable portion62. The container12may include a detachable neck joint66wherein the neck joint is a perforated neck joint or a press fit neck joint as shown inFIGS. 35 and 36. Alternatively the neck joint may be a threaded neck joint70as shown inFIGS. 37 and 38. Thereafter the pump and dip tube assembly are positioned in the access hole18. Optionally a dispenser32or33may then be positioned over or attached to the pump14or15and the dispenser is adapted to engage the pump such that activation of the dispenser engages the pump14or15and causes liquid to be drawn up the dip tube34into the pump14,15and dispensed through the dispenser32or33. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the dispenser may be a hand activated dispenser or the dispenser may include a motion sensor to automatically activate the dispenser.

As used herein, the terms “about” and “approximately” are meant to cover variations that may exist in the upper and lower limits of the ranges of values, such as variations in properties, parameters, and dimensions. In one non-limiting example, the terms “about” and “approximately” mean plus or minus 10 percent or less.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein are intended to have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art.