Abstract:
A dispenser bottle assembly ( 12 ) is adapted for attachment to a mounting base ( 14 ) fixed to a surface. The assembly ( 12 ) includes a dispenser bottle ( 24 ) having a base and a projection extending outwardly from the base, an externally threaded collar ( 28 ) mounted for rotation about the projection, and a drive member ( 26 ) mounted about the projection between the collar and the base of the bottle. The threaded collar ( 28 ) is received in a threaded recess ( 18 ) in the mounting base to secure the bottle to the base. Corresponding formations on the drive member ( 26 ), the base and the collar ( 28 ) allow the collar to be screwed into and out of the mounting base ( 14 ) by rotating the bottle whilst allowing a limited degree of rotational freedom between the bottle and the collar so that the angular orientation of the bottle can be adjusted after fitting.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to U.K. Patent Application No. 1508261.3, filed May 14, 2015, entitled “Dispenser,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes except for those sections, if any, that are inconsistent with this specification. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a liquid dispenser and in particular to a liquid dispenser including dispenser bottle assembly for mounting to a surface. 
       BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is known to mount a liquid dispenser to a fixed surface for use in mobile passenger carriers such as tour buses, aeroplanes and water craft. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,948 discloses a dispenser for liquid soap which includes a mounting base for securing to a horizontal surface such as counter top in a washroom and a bottle with a dispensing arrangement for holding and dispensing liquid soap which is removably mountable to the mounting base. In an embodiment, the mounting base has a cup member with an internal thread and the bottle has a protrusion on its base with a corresponding external thread. The dispenser bottle is secured to the base by screwing the protrusion into the cup member. This arrangement secures the bottle to the fixed surface so that it is not thrown around by movement of the carrier but allows for removal of the bottle for replacement or refilling. 
         [0005]    In confined washrooms, such as airplane toilets, noxious odours can be unpleasant. To help overcome this problem in a convenient manner, it is known to combine an air freshener with a liquid soap dispenser. GB 2414466 A discloses a combined soap and air freshener dispenser which has a similar mounting arrangement to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,948. 
         [0006]    Use of a common mounting arrangement is advantageous as it allows a range of different dispensers to be mounted using the same type of mounting base. In many passenger carriers, especially aircraft, the screw type mounting base has become a commonly used fitting. However, the position of the threads of the mounting base can vary from aircraft to aircraft, resulting in the known dispenser bottles being mounted in unpredictable rotational orientations. This problem has been overcome in the past by using dispenser bottle assemblies which are substantially symmetrical so that they look the same in any rotational orientation. This though severely restricts the design and construction for an effective product. For example, it can be advantageous for a dispenser to have air freshener components mounted only to one side of the bottle, giving rise to a non-symmetrical design. Where a dispenser bottle assembly is not rotationally symmetrical, it is desirable that it can be positioned in a particular rotational orientation. For example, it may be desirable that the dispenser bottle is positioned so that the air freshener faces away from the user at the rear with any brand labelling towards the front. 
         [0007]    GB2495716 A discloses a combined liquid soap and air freshener dispenser having the air fresher on one side of the soap bottle and which includes a screw thread arrangement that allows the rotational orientation of the bottle to be adjusted after is it mounted to a mounting base. The bottle has a generally cylindrical projection extending from its base, the projection having a radial ridge or lip at its lower end. A threaded collar is mounted to the projection and is retained by the ridge. The collar has an external thread for engagement with the internal thread in a mounting base and can rotate about the projection. The collar and the bottle have corresponding abutments which come into contact at specific relative rotational orientations between the two so as to limit the freedom of the collar to rotate about the projection in either direction. To mount the dispenser bottle assembly, the projection and collar are inserted into the threaded cup in the mounting base. The bottle is rotated in a first direction to screw the collar into the base, typically this is a clockwise direction. The bottle projection initially rotates within the collar until the abutments come into contact. Further rotation of the bottle in the first direction causes the collar to be rotated in the same direction due to engagement of the abutments and screws the collar into the mounting base. Once the collar is tight in the base, the rotational orientation of the bottle can be adjusted by turning it in the opposite direction. The abutments are arranged so that the bottle can be rotated by a significant amount in the opposite direction, almost up to 360 degrees, before the abutments come into contact again. This provides a high degree of rotational freedom to reposition the bottle. To remove the bottle from the mounting base, the bottle is rotated in the opposite direction. As the bottle is rotated, the abutments will again come into contact but on the opposite sides and continued rotation of the bottle rotates the collar so that it is unscrewed from the base. 
         [0008]    The dispenser bottle mounting arrangement as disclosed in GB2495716 A firmly secures the dispenser bottle to the mounting base whilst allowing a significant degree of rotational freedom of the mounted bottle for repositioning. Whilst the arrangement works well, it has been found that under certain circumstances the abutment on the collar may slip over the abutment on the bottle so that the bottle can be rotated fully through 360 degrees without the abutments engaging correctly to drive the collar. This can result in an inability to correctly mount the bottle to a mounting base and/or an inability to remove a bottle after it has been mounted. 
         [0009]    There is a need then for an improved dispenser bottle assembly which overcomes, or at least mitigates, some or all of the disadvantages of the known dispenser bottle assemblies. 
         [0010]    In particular, there is a need for an improved dispenser bottle assembly which can be reliably mounted/de-mounted to a screw threaded mounting base and which can be rotationally repositioned when mounted. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a dispenser bottle assembly comprising: a dispenser bottle having a base and a projection extending outwardly from the base; an externally threaded collar mounted for rotation about the projection; and a drive member mounted about the projection between the collar and the base of the bottle, the drive member and one of the bottle and the collar having corresponding formations which cooperate to hold the drive member rotationally fast with said one of the bottle and the collar, the drive member and the other of the bottle and the collar having corresponding abutments which contact one another at specific relative rotational orientations so that the drive member and said other of the bottle and the collar have a limited degree of rotational freedom relative to one another. 
         [0012]    The corresponding abutments may be configured so that the drive member and said other of the bottle and the collar are able to rotate relative to one another through a range of at least 270 degrees but less than 360 degrees, or more preferably through a range of at least 300 degrees but less than 360 degrees, or even more preferably a range of at least 350 degrees but less than 360 degrees, or yet more preferably through a range of at least 355 degrees but less than 360 degrees. 
         [0013]    In an embodiment the corresponding formations comprise a recess in the base of the bottle and a corresponding lug on the drive member which is received in the recess. The corresponding formations may comprise two recesses in the base of the bottle and two lugs on the drive member, each lug being received in a respective one of the recesses. 
         [0014]    In an embodiment, the drive member comprises an annular disc which locates about the projection, the disc having a first opposed surface directed toward the base of the bottle and a second opposed surface directed toward the collar, at least one said formation being associated with one of the opposed surfaces of the disc and at least one said abutment being associated with the other of said opposed surfaces. Where the formation comprise a recess in the base of the bottle and a corresponding lug on the drive member, the, or each, lug may project beyond the first opposed surface of the disc and the at least one abutment may project beyond the second opposed surface of the disc. The collar may have an annular surface aligned generally parallel to and facing the second opposed surface, an abutment projecting from the annular surface of the collar towards the second opposed surface of the disc. In which case, the abutment on the collar may be circumferentially offset from the abutment on the disc, the two abutments configured to contact one another to limit relative rotational movement between the collar and the member. 
         [0015]    An air freshener dispenser may be incorporated into the bottle. The dispenser bottle may have a main chamber for holding a liquid to be dispensed and a secondary chamber for holding an air freshener. 
         [0016]    In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a dispenser bottle assembly comprising: a dispenser bottle having a base and a projection extending outwardly from the base; an externally threaded collar mounted for rotation about the projection; and a drive member in the form of an annular disc mounted about the projection between the collar and the base of the bottle, the disc having a first opposed surface directed toward the base of the bottle and a second opposed surface directed toward the collar, the base of the bottle defining at least one recess and the drive member having a corresponding lug on said first opposed system receivable in the recess to hold the drive member rotationally fast with the bottle; the disc having a first collar drive abutment on said second opposed surface which engages a corresponding second collar drive abutment on the collar only at specific relative rotational orientations of the drive member and the collar. 
         [0017]    In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a dispenser comprising a dispenser bottle assembly in accordance with the first aspect and a mounting base for attachment to a surface, the mounting base having a recess with an internal thread into to which the threaded collar can be screwed to mount the dispenser bottle to the mounting base. The dispenser may have a liquid dispensing pump mounted to the bottle for dispensing a liquid contained in the bottle. 
     
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
         [0018]    In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a dispenser bottle assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a dispenser bottle forming part of the dispenser bottle assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the dispenser bottle assembly of  FIG. 1  but showing internal details of an air freshener dispensing arrangement; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 4, 5 and 6  are a plan view from above, a side view, and a plan view from below respectively of a drive member forming part of the dispenser bottle assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are a plan view from above and a side view respectively of a threaded collar forming part of the dispenser bottle assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the bottle of  FIG. 2  and the drive member of  FIGS. 4 to 6  prior to fitment of the drive member to the bottle; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a view of the bottle of  FIG. 2  and the drive member of  FIGS. 4 to 6  fitted to the bottle; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 10  but also showing the threaded collar of  FIGS. 7 and 8  and a dispenser pump fitted to the bottle, the collar being shown partly in section; and, 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is a side view of a dispenser comprising the dispenser bottle assembly of  FIG. 1  secured to a mounting base, in which the mounting base is shown in section. 
       
    
    
       [0028]    A dispenser  10  in accordance with an aspect of the invention comprises a dispenser bottle assembly  12  in accordance with a further aspect of the invention and a mounting base  14 . 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the mounting base  14  has a body  16  with a generally cylindrical recess or cup  18  with an internal thread  20 . The body  16  has a mounting hole  22  in a lower wall  17  of the body by means of which it can be firmly secured to a suitable surface by means of a fastener (not shown). The mounting base  14  is typically secured to a generally horizontal surface such as a counter top surrounding a washbasin in a washroom of a mobile passenger carrier such as an aircraft or coach or the like. However, the invention is not limited to application in mobile passenger carriers. 
         [0030]    The dispenser bottle assembly  12  includes a dispenser bottle  24 , a drive member  26  and a threaded collar  28 . 
         [0031]    The dispenser bottle  24  has a base  30 , a substantially cylindrical side wall  32  extending upwardly from the base and a top  34  including a neck opening  36  with an external thread  38 . The interior of the bottle  24  defines a main chamber  40  for holding a liquid to be dispensed which can be accessed via the neck opening  36 . Typically, it is expected that the dispenser bottle assembly  12  will be used to dispense a liquid soap from the main chamber. However, the dispenser could be used to dispense other liquid products including but not limited to products such as hand cream, cleansing gel or the like. The term liquid should therefore be understood as encompassing a cream or gel or any similar type of flowable product which can be dispensed from a bottle. In the present embodiment, a conventional manual dispenser pump arrangement  42  is mounted to the bottle by means of the threaded neck in a known manner to dispense the liquid in the main chamber  40 . Other suitable dispensing pump arrangements could be used, including electric powered dispenser pumps for example. 
         [0032]    The dispenser bottle assembly  12  has an air freshener dispenser  44  mounted to the outside of the bottle  24  on one side. A spoon shaped groove or indentation  46  is formed on the outer surface of the side wall  32 . The groove has a pocket shaped lower region  48  and a narrower elongate region  50  extending upwardly from the pocket shaped region. The air freshener dispenser  44  has a pouch-like container  52  which is located in the pocket shaped region  48  of the groove. The container  52  defines an internal volume for holding a liquid air freshener composition. The container has an opening at its upper end which closed by means of a duck-billed valve  54  to retain the liquid air freshener composition inside. To dispense the air freshener, a wick  56  is inserted into the composition through the valve  54 . An upper region of the wick extends along the side of the bottle within the elongate region  50  of the groove  46 . When the wick  56  is inserted, the air freshener composition travels up the wick from where it evaporates into the atmosphere. A vented plate  58  is attached to the upper end of the container  52  and extends upwardly to cover the elongate region  50  of the groove and the wick  56 . The plate  58  has vent holes  60  to allow air to circulate about the wick. 
         [0033]    Whilst the present invention is particularly advantageous for use with dispenser bottle assemblies incorporating an air freshener dispenser  44  non-symmetrically disposed on one side of the bottle, the nature of the air freshener dispenser itself does not form a part of the present invention and other air freshener dispensing arrangements could be adopted. For example an air freshener dispenser which holds a solid air freshener composition could be used. Indeed, the invention is not limited to dispensers and dispenser bottle assembles in which an air freshener dispenser is non-symmetrically disposed about the bottle but can be adopted in dispensers which have a symmetrical air freshener arrangement or which do not incorporate an air freshener dispenser at all. 
         [0034]    A cylindrical projection  62  projects outwardly (downwardly when the bottle is upright) from the base  30  of the bottle. The projection has a longitudinal axis X, which in this embodiment is concentric with a longitudinal axis of the remainder of the bottle. The projection has a first radial lip  64  at its end distal from the base  30  and a second radial lip  66  at is end proximal the base  30 . The first and second radial lips  64 ,  66  have similar outer diameters which are larger than the outer diameter of a central portion  67  of the  62  projection in between the two lips. 
         [0035]    The drive member  26  comprises an annular disc  68  which is mounted about the projection  62  of the bottle. It has an internal diameter which is a close sliding fit about the second radial lip  66  proximal to the base  30  of the bottle. The disc  68  has a first opposed surface  70  which is directed towards the base  30  of the bottle and a second opposed surface  72  which is directed away from the base  30  when the drive member is assembled to the bottle. A pair of drive lugs  74 ,  76  project from the first opposed surface  70  of the disc. The lugs  74 ,  76  are diametrically opposed on the disc and are configured to engage snugly in a corresponding pair of recesses  78 ,  80  in the base  30  of the bottle. Engagement of the lugs  74 ,  76  in the recesses  78 ,  80  holds the drive member  24  fast with the bottle for rotation about the longitudinal axis X of the projection  54 . A first collar driving abutment  82  projects outwardly from the second opposed surface  72  of the disc. The first collar driving abutment  82  occupies only a relatively small circumferential extent of the disc. 
         [0036]    The threaded collar  38  is mounted about the projection below the drive member  26  and is held axially in position by first radial lip  64 . The collar has cylindrical tubular portion  86  having an external thread  88  which mates with the internal thread  20  in the mounting base. The threads  88 ,  20  are right-hand threads configured so that the collar  28  is rotated in a clockwise direction when looking from above in order to screw it into the base  14  and is rotated anticlockwise to unscrew it from the base. It will be appreciated though that a left hand thread could be used in which case the directions of rotation to screw and unscrew the collar as described herein will be reversed. A flange  90  extends radially outwardly from the end of the tubular portion  86  proximal to the base  30  of the bottle. A lip  92  projects axially towards the base of the bottle about the outer edge of the flange  90 . 
         [0037]    To allow the collar  28  to be fitted about the projection, it has an axial split  94  and is made of a resilient, but relatively hard material such as PET. In its relaxed state, the inner diameter of the collar  28  is smaller than the outer diameter of the radial lip  64  on the projection but the split allows the collar to be expanded radially to allow it to pass over the first radial lip  64 . Once past the lip  64 , the collar retracts radially and is a close sliding fit about the central portion  67  of the projection. The collar  28  is held axially in position on the projection by engagement of the first radial lip  64  with the end of the tubular portion opposite from the flange  90 . The outer diameter of the radial flange  90  and lip  92  are substantially the same as the outer diameter of the annular disc  68  of the drive member. When the threaded collar is fitted to the projection, the upper surface of the lip  92  abuts an outer diameter portion of the second opposed surface  72  of the disc and holds the first opposed surface  70  of the disc in contact with the base  30  of the bottle. This holds the lugs  74 ,  76  firmly their respective recesses  78 ,  80  with the radial flange  90  spaced by the depth of the lip  92  from the disc  68 . 
         [0038]    A second collar drive abutment  95  projects upwardly from the surface  96  of the flange  90  proximal to the disc  68  and is received in the gap between the flange and the disc. The second collar drive abutment  95  occupies only a relatively small circumferential extent of the flange  92 . When the threaded collar  28  and drive member  26  are mounted to the projection, the first and second collar drive abutments  82 ,  95  are offset circumferentially and both are located in the gap between the flange  90  and the disc  68 . The two collar drive abutments  82 ,  95  overlap axially and radially so that side edges of the abutments come into contact with one another when the collar  28  and drive member  26  are rotated relative to one another about the longitudinal axis X of the projection. The abutments  82 ,  95  provide a limited degree of relative rotational freedom between the collar and the drive member. Ideally, the collar and the drive member are able to rotate relative to one another though a range of at least 270 degrees, or more preferably through a range of at least 300 degrees, or even more preferably a range of at least 350 degrees, or yet more preferably through a range of at least 355 degrees between positions at which the abutments  82 ,  95  come into engagement. 
         [0039]    In order to mount a dispensing bottle assembly  12  to a mounting base  14 , the projection  62  and threaded collar  28  are inserted into the recess  18  to engage the respective threads  18 ,  88 . The bottle  24  is rotated about the axis X of the projection in a clockwise direction. As the bottle is rotated, the drive member  26  is constrained to rotate with the bottle  24  due to the engagement of the drive lugs  74 ,  76  in their respective recesses  78 ,  80 . Initially, the drive member  26  and the bottle  24  may rotate about the axis X relative to the threaded collar  28  until the first collar driving abutment  82  is brought into contact with the second collar driving abutment  95  on one side. Once the abutments  82 ,  95  are in contact, further rotation of the bottle  24  and drive member  26  in the same direction will cause the threaded collar  28  to be rotated in the clockwise direction so that the collar is screwed into the mounting base  14 . Once the threaded collar  14  is fully and firmly engaged in the mounting base  14 , the bottle can be rotational re-positioned by turning it in the opposite, anti-clockwise, direction. This results in the drive member  26  rotating anti-clockwise with the bottle  24  so that the collar driving abutments  82 ,  95  separate from one another. The bottle can be rotated in the anti-clockwise direction until it is placed in a suitable rotational position. The amount of adjustment available is determined by range of movement between the drive member and the threaded collar between the collar driving abutments coming into contact in either rotational direction. Ideally, the collar driving abutments  82 ,  95  are configured so that the bottle  24  and drive member can be rotated through a significant range which is close to but less than 360 degrees between the collar driving abutments engaging to allow for maximum adjustment. 
         [0040]    Whilst the bottle  24  can be rotated relative the threaded collar  28  and mounting base  14  to a limited extent, it is prevented from being removed axially from mounting base by engagement of the first radial lip  64  with the inner end of the tubular portion of the threaded collar  28 . The collar  28  is prevented from expanding radially by its engagement in the mounting base so that the lip  64  cannot be drawn through the threaded collar. 
         [0041]    In order to de-mount the bottle assembly  12  from the mounting base  14 , the bottle is rotated anti-clockwise about the axis X of the projection until the first collar driving abutment  82  engages with the other side of the second collar driving abutment  95 . Further rotation causes the threaded collar  28  to rotate anti-clockwise unscrewing it from the mounting base. 
         [0042]    The mounting base  14  in the embodiment shown is arranged so that the bottle assembly  12  is angled relative to the plane of the surface on which the mounting base  14  is attached when it is fitted to the mounting base. To this end, the central axis of the thread  20  and the upper surface  98  of the body is angled relative to the plane of the lower wall  17  of the body. However, this need not be the case and the bottle assembly  12  and mounting base  14  could be configured so that the axis of the bottle assembly is perpendicular to the surface on which the mounting base is attached. 
         [0043]    For the avoidance of doubt, references to rotation or relative rotation of the bottle assembly, the bottle, the drive member and/or the treaded collar refer to rotation about the axis X of the projection, this being the axis of rotation about which the collar is turned in order for it to be screwed into or out of the mounting base. 
         [0044]    The components of the dispenser  10  can be made from any suitable materials but are typically made from plastics materials such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle is made from PET and is blow moulded from a preform. 
         [0045]    The above embodiment is described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, whilst in the present embodiment the drive member  26  is rotationally fast with the bottle  24  and has a limited degree of rotational freedom relative to the threaded collar  28 , this arrangement could be reversed so that the drive member is held rotationally fast with threaded collar and has a limited degree of rotational freedom relative to the bottle to allow for repositioning of the bottle. It will also be appreciated that the corresponding formations which hold the drive member rotationally fast with the bottle, or with the threaded collar, could take many forms. Examples might include using more or less than two drive lugs and/or the lugs could be provided on the bottle/threaded collar to engage in recesses in the drive member. 
         [0046]    Alternately or in addition, the inner opening of the drive member  26  and the corresponding region of the projection  62  could be shaped to hold the drive member  26  rotationally fast with the bottle. The second radial lip  66  could have flats which engage with corresponding flats provided on the inner opening of the drive member disc  68 . Similarly, the driving abutments which allow for limited rotational freedom between the drive member  26  and the threaded collar/bottle  24  can take many different forms. In one alternative, an abutment might project from one of the drive member and the threaded collar/bottle for engagement in an arcuate slot in the other of the drive member and the threaded collar/bottle collar.