Personal dispensing system

A personal dispensing system allows various cleansing or sanitizing products to be carried on the body of a user. Often, the product to be dispensed will be a viscous liquid, such as soap, waterless hand cleaner, waterless hand sanitizer or skin lotion. A dispenser made according to the invention includes a product container having a mounting element, such as a mounting clip, located thereon. In many cases, the mounting element will be oriented such that the product container will be inverted when worn on the body of a user. In addition, the mounting element may be removable from the product container so that a new product container can be substituted when the contents of a prior product container are depleted. According to another advantageous aspect of the invention, multiple product containers of different types may be used with a common mounting element. Various interlocking arrangements are contemplated to effect the removable securement of the mounting element to the product container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates generally to dispensers which contain and
 dispense a predetermined viscous liquid. More particularly, the invention
 relates to an improved dispenser which is adapted for wear on the body of
 an individual user.
 Many professions and occupations require the use of hand cleaners or other
 skin care products on a frequent basis. For example, health care providers
 such as nurses must sanitize their hands after each patient. Often, the
 nurse must return to the nurses' station to perform this hand sanitizing,
 which can cause additional time pressure in an already busy schedule.
 Similarly, the hands of an employee working in a printing, manufacturing or
 other such industry can become soiled at the work station. Frequent trips
 to the washroom for the purpose of hand cleaning are inefficient and
 unproductive. In other situations, such as in the case of a utility or
 similar outside worker, there may be no washroom facility available if the
 worker's hands become soiled.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention recognizes and addresses the foregoing disadvantages,
 and others, of the prior art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present
 invention to provide a novel product dispenser that is wearable by a
 worker.
 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wearable
 product dispenser that allows viscous liquid to be dispensed without
 removing the dispenser from a user's body.
 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wearable
 product dispenser that includes a removable mounting element for
 facilitating substitution of one product container for another.
 It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a wearable
 dispenser system in which multiple types of product dispensers can be used
 with a common mounting element.
 Some of these objects are achieved by a viscous liquid dispenser comprising
 a product container having therein a quantity of a predetermined viscous
 liquid. A container opening is located at one end of the product
 container. The product container further includes a flexible sidewall,
 depression of which causes the viscous liquid to be forced through the
 container opening. A mounting element is located on the product container,
 and is oriented such that the product container will be inverted when worn
 on a user's body.
 In many embodiments, the mounting element will comprise a mounting clip
 suitable for wear on the body. Such a mounting clip may be configured as a
 separate element having a base portion fixedly attached to the product
 container. Alternatively, the clip may be made integral with the product
 container in certain embodiments.
 Where the mounting clip is a separate element, the product container may
 advantageously define a configured recess into which the base portion of
 the mounting clip is received. In some cases, the mounting clip may
 include a clip portion pivotally connected to the base portion.
 Alternatively, the mounting clip may comprise a clip portion integrally
 extending from the base portion.
 In some exemplary embodiments, the mounting clip may be removably attached
 to the product container using any one of various interlocking
 arrangements. For example, an interlocking head-in-slot arrangement can be
 provided for this purpose. Such an arrangement can include at least one
 dovetail head received in a corresponding mortise slot. Alternatively, the
 mounting clip may be removably attached to the product container using an
 interlocking tongue-in-groove arrangement.
 Other objects of the present invention are achieved by a wearable dispenser
 comprising a mounting clip having a base portion and a clip portion. The
 dispenser includes a product container having a product to be dispensed
 located therein. An interlocking arrangement is also provided, having
 first and second interlocking portions on the base portion of the mounting
 clip and on the product container, respectively. As a result, the mounting
 clip can be removably attached to the product container.
 In some presently preferred embodiments, the product container contains a
 predetermined viscous liquid and is removably attached to the mounting
 clip in an inverted orientation. Depending on the desired usage, the
 viscous liquid may be selected from a group consisting of soap, waterless
 hand cleaner, waterless hand sanitizer or skin lotion. In other
 embodiments, the product container may be removably attached to the
 mounting clip in an upright orientation. The upright product container may
 contain a plurality of fabric wipes.
 The interlocking arrangement may comprise a head-in-slot arrangement. For
 example, a first interlocking portion of the head-in-slot arrangement may
 include a plurality of mortise slots defined in the base portion of the
 mounting clip. The second interlocking portion may comprise a plurality of
 dovetail heads received in respective mortise slots. Often, head-slot
 combinations of the head-in-slot arrangement may be differently sized such
 that the mounting clip can be attached to the product container in only
 one orientation.
 Additional objects of the present invention are achieved by a wearable
 dispenser system comprising a first product container having therein a
 predetermined viscous liquid. A second product container is also provided,
 having a plurality of fabric wipes therein. The first product container
 has a first pair of differently-sized attachment heads located thereon,
 with the second product container having a second pair of
 differently-sized attachment heads located thereon. The dispenser system
 includes a wearable mounting element having a base portion defining a pair
 of differently-sized slots for receipt of respective attachment heads
 therein. The first pair of differently-sized attachment heads are arranged
 such that the first product container will be attached to the mounting
 element in an inverted orientation. The second pair of differently-sized
 attachment heads are arranged such that the second product container will
 be attached to the mounting element in an upright orientation.
 Still further objects of the present invention are achieved by a product
 container comprising a container body containing therein a product to be
 dispensed. The container body, having a flattened cross section, includes
 a pair of differently-sized attachment heads located on a side surface
 thereof. Each of the attachment heads is configured as a dovetail head for
 receipt in a complementary mortise slot.
 Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are achieved
 by various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed elements,
 which are discussed in greater detail below.

Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and
 drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements
 of the invention.
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present
 discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not
 intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention, which
 broader aspects are embodied in the exemplary constructions.
 Referring now to FIG. 1, a wearable dispenser 10 includes a product
 container 12 having a mounting element attached thereto. In this case, the
 mounting element is configured as a mounting clip 14. The body of product
 container 12 includes a main container portion 16 and a cap portion 18. A
 quantity of a predetermined viscous liquid is located inside of main
 container portion 16 to be dispensed by a user when desired. Depending on
 the user's requirements, the viscous liquid may be one of several
 different types of cleansing or skin care products. For example, the
 viscous liquid may be soap, waterless hand cleaner, waterless hand
 sanitizer, skin lotion, or the like.
 Mounting clip 14 permits product dispenser 12 to be worn on the user's
 body, such as on the user's belt, pocket or waistband. In this case,
 mounting clip 14 is oriented so that product container 12 will be inverted
 when the dispenser is worn. In other words, the "top end" of product
 container 12, defined by cap portion 18, will be directed toward the floor
 when dispenser 10 is worn. As a result, the user will typically be able to
 dispense the viscous liquid into a cupped hand without first removing the
 product dispenser from the user's body.
 In other applications, it may be desirable to orient the product container
 in an upright configuration. Irrespective of the orientation, however,
 product container 12 is preferably configured having a flattened cross
 section so that it will not excessively protrude from the side of the
 user's body. For example, product dispenser 12 has a generally oval cross
 section in the illustrated embodiment.
 As shown, mounting clip 14 includes a base portion 20 fixedly attached to
 the side of product container 12. In this case, base portion 20 is
 attached using a suitable adhesive compound 22. It should be distinctly
 understood, however, that other appropriate means of attaching base
 portion 20, such as sonic welding, may also be utilized for this purpose.
 Mounting clip 14 further includes a rigid clip portion 24 connected to
 base portion 20 such that it will pivot about pivot location 26. A
 suitable spring may be provided to urge clip portion 24 into a normally
 closed position.
 FIG. 2 illustrates a dispenser 40 that is similar in many respects to
 dispenser 10, but which has an alternative mounting clip. Dispenser 40
 includes a product container 42 having a main container portion 44 and a
 cap portion 46. A predetermined viscous liquid, located inside of main
 container portion 44, is dispensed through a container opening at cap
 portion 46.
 Mounting clip 48 has a base portion 50 integrally folding into an opposed
 clip portion 52. Base portion 50 is suitably attached to the outside of
 main container portion 44, such as by an adhesive compound 54. As shown, a
 configured recess may be defined in the outer surface of main container
 portion 44 for receipt of base portion 50 therein. Preferably, mounting
 clip 48 will be manufactured from a suitable plastic material having
 sufficient flexibility to permit it to be easily slipped into position on
 the user's clothing, while remaining securely in place once it has been so
 positioned.
 Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, dispensers 10 and 40 are both equipped
 with an identical valve mechanism which eliminates the need to repeatedly
 open and close the container's cap each time that a user decides to
 dispense some of the viscous liquid. Valve 60 remains normally closed to
 retain the viscous liquid inside of the product container even though the
 cap is otherwise opened. When the flexible sidewall of main container
 portion 16, 44 is depressed by a user, a "shot" 62 of the viscous liquid
 is dispensed (as shown in FIG. 3B).
 While various types of check valves and the like may be used, valve 60 may
 be formed as a simple diaphragm valve directly at the container opening.
 The diaphragm valve operates similarly to a heart valve, opening when
 fluid is pushed through it from behind, then resuming its normally closed
 condition.
 The dispenser is fully closed when a lever member 64, pivotally carried by
 cap portion 18, 46, is moved into a closed position. In this position, as
 shown in FIG. 3A, a stopper element 66 will engage valve 60. Stopper
 element 66 will thus block the container opening, and prevent the viscous
 liquid from being dispensed.
 In some cases, it may be advantageous to utilize a mounting element that is
 easily removable from the product container. For example, it may be
 desirable to transfer a new product container to the mounting element when
 a prior product container is empty. Similarly, a common mounting element
 may be used with multiple product containers, each of which contains a
 different type of consumable product.
 Toward this end, FIG. 4 illustrates a dispenser system in which a common
 mounting element is used with multiple product containers. While it is
 contemplated that various types of mounting elements, such as belt-loop
 structures may be used, the illustrated embodiment utilizes a mounting
 clip 80. In this example, a first product container 82 is used to dispense
 a predetermined viscous liquid. A second product container 84, on the
 other hand, dispenses fabric wipes 86, which are preferably saturated with
 a cleansing or sanitizing solvent. In many cases, the user may substitute
 one product container for the other while mounting clip 80 remains in
 position on the user's body.
 A suitable interlocking arrangement is provided to allow mounting clip 80
 to be easily attached to the desired product container. In this case, each
 of the product containers includes a pair of attachment heads 88, 90
 located on its outer surface. Attachment heads 88, 90 are received in
 respective slots 92, 94 defined through the base portion of mounting clip
 80. Head 90 and its corresponding slot 94 are larger than head 88 and its
 corresponding slot 92 in order to ensure that the product container will
 be attached only in the correct orientation. In the illustrated
 embodiment, product container 82 can be attached only in an inverted
 configuration, whereas product container 84 can be attached only in an
 upright orientation.
 Referring now also to FIGS. 5-7, attachment heads 88, 90 are preferably
 configured as dovetail heads tapering out from the outer surface of the
 product container. Each of slots 92, 94 may be thought of as a mortise
 having a taper generally complementary to that of the corresponding
 dovetail head.
 To attach the product container, attachment heads 88, 90 are first inserted
 into a respective receiving hole 96, 98. As indicated at 100, a recessed
 relief may be defined in the outer surface of mounting clip 80 to guide
 the attachment heads into the receiving holes. The heads are then slid
 along the corresponding slot to form a relatively secure, but removable
 attachment between the product container and mounting clip 80.
 FIG. 8 illustrates in detail the particular closure arrangement used in
 product container 82. As shown, a pivotal closure 104 reveals the
 container opening 106 when moved into its open position. The viscous
 liquid is dispensed when the user moves closure 104 to its open position,
 and depresses the flexible sidewall of product container 82.
 While a head-in-slot arrangement has been shown in the preceding
 embodiment, the invention contemplates the use of any suitable arrangement
 for effecting attachment of the product container to the mounting element.
 For example, FIGS. 9 through 11 illustrate a dispenser 110 utilizing a
 tongue-in-groove arrangement for attaching product container 112 to a
 removable mounting clip 114. In this case, the tongue element is formed as
 an elongate dovetail tongue 116 located on the outer surface of product
 container 112. The groove, defined in mounting clip 114, is configured as
 a mortise groove 118. The complementary tapers of the dovetail and mortise
 create a relatively secure engagement that can be easily disconnected when
 desired.
 It can thus be seen that the present invention provides various product
 dispenser arrangements that are adapted for wear on the body. While
 preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described,
 modifications and variations may be made thereto by those of ordinary
 skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the
 present invention, which is more particularly set forth in the appended
 claims. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various
 embodiments may be interchanged both in whole or in part. Furthermore,
 those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing
 description is by way of example only, and is not intended to be
 limitative of the invention so further described in such appended claims.