PUMP SPOUT HAVING DRIP VALVE

Abstract: A mechanical pump dispenser spout (10) has an inlet end (16), an outlet end (18) and a fluid-containing portion (14) therebetween. The fluid-containing portion (14) is angled upward from the inlet end (16) to the outlet end (18). The spout (10) also has a first one-way discharge valve (20) located at the inlet end of the spout (10). The first one-way discharge valve (20) is adapted to minimize air entering the pump from the spout (10). A second one-way discharge valve (24) is located at the outlet end of the spout (10) to minimize dripping of fluid from the fluid-containing portion (14) of the spout (10). The second one-way valve (24) faces downward. The first and the second one-way discharge valves open when the pump is actuated and close when the pump actuation is completed.

Description: PUMP SPOUT HAVING DRIP VALVE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to pump spouts, and more particularly to pump spouts used with pumps for low viscosity fluids or fluids with surfactants wherein dripping from the spout is a problem. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to such pump spouts wherein there is an inlet valve to the spout intended to prevent ambient air from entering the pump. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Mechanical pump packages are common in the dispenser art. Pumps are primarily used with high viscosity fluids which do not readily drain from their containers. The pump provides the user assistance in dispensing the fluid. Such pump packages are typically bottles intended to rest on their bottoms while a user presses downwardly on a pump spout to actuate the pump to dispense fluid from the spout. The spout has a portion against which it is easy to press with fingers or the palm of a hand. The spout typically has a radially extending portion which overhangs the bottle. Inside the radially extending portion is a tubular passageway. At the outer end of the tubular passageway is an orifice, which typically faces outwardly or downwardly, so that fluid dispensed by pressing with one hand may be received in the palm of the user's other hand. Many pump packages have one-way valving associated with the discharge end of the pump or the inlet of the spout. Such valving acts to prevent ambient air from entering the pump or the container. Air may oxidize or otherwise contaminate the fluid in the pump or container. Air entry may also require the pump to be reprimed. When one-way valves prevent air entering the pump or container, they also prevent residual fluid in the spout from reentering the pump or container. Thus, fluid remains in the radially extending portion of the spout. Fluid left in the spout may tend to dry out. The tubular passageway may then clog. Some spouts are designed to have minimal volume in the tubular passageway in order to minimize the amount of fluid subject to drying out. This may actually increase clogging. When such spouted pump packages are used with fluids that have low viscosities or surfactants, the fluids have been found to wet spout surfaces and easily drip from the spout after a pumping actuation is completed. Dripping from the spout after pumping is undesirable because drips usually result in a mess around the base of the container or fluid running down the sides of the container. Some pump packages are intended to be hand-held and manipulated so that a spout is not necessary. In some of these packages, the pump discharge valve is located at the outermost discharge point. Dripping is generally not an issue, however, because such discharge valves have no reason to be aimed downward when not in use. The package is tilted downward when the user dispenses fluid, but it is otherwise set upright when not in use. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a spout for a mechanical pump package which has a second one-way valve at the outermost, downward-facing end of the spout in order to minimize dripping of residual fluid from the spout. Another object of the present invention is to provide a second one-way valve at the outermost end of the spout to minimize dryout of the fluid remaining in the spout when the primary one-way pump discharge valve is closed. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a second one-way valve at the outermost end of the spout to enable enlarging the cross-section of the fluid-containing portion ofthe spout so that dispensing pressure drop is reduced, without fear of excess fluid dryout. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid-containing portion having most of its length aimed upward and only a very short length facing downward, so that any fluid in the tubular portion of the spout will tend to drain toward the pump and away from the outermost end of the spout. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect of the present invention, a pump dispenser spout comprises means for connecting the spout to a pump. The spout has an inlet end, an outlet end, and a fluid-containing portion therebetween. The spout also has a first one-way discharge valve located at the inlet end of the spout. The first one-way discharge valve is adapted to minimize air entering the pump from the spout. A second one-way discharge valve is located at the outlet end of the spout to minimize dripping of fluid from the fluid-containing portion of the spout. The first and the second one-way discharge valves open when the pump is actuated and close when the pump actuation is completed. The second one-way discharge valve preferably opens under a threshhold pressure of about 72 mm Hg., and it is preferably a quadralobe valve made of silicone rubber. In another aspect of the present invention, a pump dispenser spout comprises means for connecting the spout to a pump. The spout has an inlet end, an outlet end. and a fluid-containing portion therebetween. The fluid-containing portion is angled upward from the inlet end to the outlet end. The spout also has a first one-way discharge valve located at the inlet end of the spout. The first one-way discharge valve is adapted to minimize air entering the pump from the spout. A second one-way discharge valve is located at the outlet end of the spout to minimize dripping of fluid from the fluid-containing portion ofthe spout. The second one-way valve faces downward. The first and the second one-way discharge valves open when the pump is actuated and close when the pump actuation is completed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with claims which particularly point out and distinctly claim the present invention, it is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify identical elements and wherein: FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the pump spout having a drip valve of the present invention, disclosing a pressable portion and a fluid-containing portion; FIG. 2 is a sectioned side elevation view thereof, taken along section line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing a ball check one-way valve at the spout inlet end and a quadralobe one-way valve at the spout outlet end; and FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof, disclosing another view of the quadralobe one-way valve and other features ofthe spout. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, there is shown a first preferred embodiment of the present invention: a pump spout having a drip valve, which is generally indicated as 10. Pump spout 10 has a manually pressed portion 12, a fluid- containing portion 14, an inlet end 16, and an outlet end 18. At inlet end 16 is located a one-way discharge valve 20, shown as a ball check valve. Flapper style valves and other one-way valves may also be employed at the spout inlet end in order to avoid air entrance to the pump or suck back of fluid into the pump. Valve 20 may also be connected to the discharge end of the pump instead of to the inlet end of the spout. The mechanical pump to which pump spout 10 is typically attached is not shown, since it is common in the art. Further details concerning such a pump may be found in a copending application serial no. 08/441 ,173, entitled "Collapsible Pump Chamber Having Supply Container Venting System and Integral Shipping Seal", filed on 5/15/95. and assigned to the assignee of the present application. Inlet end 16 may be heat sealed, clamped, or otherwise attached in an air-tight manner to the discharge end of a mechanical pump, thereby establishing fluid communication between spout 10 and the fluid discharge end of the pump. Fluid from the pump flows past valve 20 into a tubular passageway 22 of spout 10 when portion 12 of spout 10 is manually pressed downwardly. Pressure developed in the pump opens valve 20, by lifting the ball off its seat, for example. Once pump pressure is dissipated, the ball returns against its seat under the influence of gravity and/or pump chamber vacuum to close valve 20. Any fluid in tubular passageway 22 remains there after valve 20 has closed. At outlet end 18 is located a one-way discharge valve 24, shown as a quadralobe valve. Other one-way valves may also be employed at the spout outlet end instead of a quadralobe valve in order to prevent fluid remaining in passageway 22 from dripping out of spout 10 at outlet end 18. A quadralobe valve is essentially a "duckbill" valve commonly known in the art. However, a duckbill valve has only a single linear slit which opens radially when pressure is developed behind the slit. A quadralobe valve has a double slit in the form of a cross. The quadralobe valve opens radially in two directions peφendicular to the slits when pressure is developed behind the slits. The double slit arrangement allows the quadralobe valve to open wider and under a lower threshhold pressure than can a typical duckbill valve. However, both valves are made of resilient material, such as rubber, so that when they close, their resilience maintains them closed. In a particularly preferred embodiment, discharge valve 24 is a quadralobe valve designated as part no. P-4763-4 , made by West Company of Lionville, PA. The construction of quadralobe valve 24 is generally in accordance with the teachings of commonly assigned U.S. Patent No. 4,533,069 issued to Drobish on 8/6/85, which is hereby incoφorated by reference. Passageway 22 is preferably sloped upward from inlet end 16 to near outlet end 18. This reduces puts fluid head pressure on valve 20 to hold it closed and maintains a fluid "air-lock" around valve 20 to keep ambient air from entering the pump. The sloping passageway also tends to drain fluid away from valve 24 to minimize the fluid available for dripping therefrom. A preferred angle is from about 3° to about 6° as measured from horizontal. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, spout 10 is made of polyurethane. Passageway 22 is preferably about 100 mm long and has a relatively constant cross-sectional area of 1 1.5 square mm. Drip valve 24 is preferably a quadralobe valve made of silicone rubber and has a flange which holds it in position within outlet end 18. The outside diameter of valve 24 is about 9 mm and slit length is about 7 mm. The fluid dispensed in the preferred embodiment is Era™, a liquid detergent made by The Procter & Gamble Company of Cincinnati. OH. The fluid has a viscosity of about 300 cps, yet valve 24 effectively prevents dripping from spout outlet end 18. A minimum threshhold pressure of 1.4 psig (72 mm Hg.) is developed in passageway 22 to open valve 24 and thereby dispense liquid detergent therefrom. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications that are within the scope of the invention.

Claims: 1. A pump dispenser spout characterized by: a) means for connecting said spout to a pump, said spout having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a fluid-containing portion therebetween; b) a first one-way discharge valve located at said inlet end of said spout, said first one¬ way discharge valve adapted to minimize air entering said pump from said spout; and c) a second one-way discharge valve located at said outlet end of said spout to minimize dripping of fluid from said fluid-containing portion of said spout, said first and said second one¬ way discharge valves opening when said pump is actuated and closing when said pump actuation is completed. 2. A pump dispenser spout characterized by: a) means for connecting said spout to a pump, said spout having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a fluid-containing portion therebetween; b) a first one-way discharge valve located at said inlet end of said spout, said first one¬ way discharge valve adapted to minimize air entering said pump from said spout; and c) a second one-way discharge valve located at said outlet end of said spout to minimize dripping of fluid from said fluid-containing portion of said spout, said second one-way valve facing downward, said first and said second one-way discharge valves opening when said pump is actuated and closing when said pump actuation is completed. 3. A pump dispenser spout characterized by: a) means for connecting said spout to a pump, said spout having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a fluid-containing portion therebetween, said fluid-containing portion angled upward from said inlet end to said outlet end; b) a first one-way discharge valve located at said inlet end of said spout, said first one¬ way discharge valve adapted to minimize air entering said pump from said spout; and c) a second one-way discharge valve located at said outlet end of said spout to minimize dripping of fluid from said fluid-containing portion of said spout, said second one-way valve facing downward, said first and said second one-way discharge valves opening when said pump is actuated and closing when said pump actuation is completed. 4. The pump dispenser spout according to any of Claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said second one-way discharge valve opens under a threshhold pressure of about 72 mm Hg. 5. The pump dispenser spout according to any of Claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said second one-way discharge valve is a quadralobe valve made of silicone rubber.

Inventors: NORCOM JOHN DAVID, NORCOM, JOHN, DAVID
Applicants: PROCTER & GAMBLE, THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B65D47
IPC codes: B05B11, B65D47