Abstract:
A liquid dispensing massage device is provided with a liquid container having an externally threaded neck; a dispensing assembly comprising a retaining ring, a seal, a rotatable liquid dispensing outlet, a spring biased sliding plunger defining an axial channel therethrough; a cap; a vibration shell assembly; a vibration assembly in the shell and comprising a battery powered DC motor; and a switch. In a closed position of the device, the switch is locked. In an open position of the device, the switch is unlocked and read to move, and a fluid passage is not blocked by the plunger so that a manual movement of the switch activates the DC motor for generating vibration.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to vibration type liquid dispensers and more particularly to a liquid dispensing massage device having an arrangement for locking a switch when the device is in a closed inoperative position so as to prevent the device from being activated due to an inadvertent movement of the switch. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     There is a conventional type of liquid dispensing massage device commercially available. Although it enjoyed wide use due to convenience in use and portability, it has presented some problems. For example, switch of the conventional liquid dispensing massage device may be inadvertently turned on due to contact when it is placed in a pocket or bag. Further, battery of the conventional liquid dispensing massage device may quickly consume if a user did not notice the unintended activation of the switch and turned it off immediately. Thus, the user may find the conventional liquid dispensing massage device being inoperable due to battery low when such needs arises. Battery replacement is thus required. To the worse, electric motor of the conventional liquid dispensing massage device may malfunction due to a long period of continuous use. Thus, the need for improvement still exists. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a liquid dispensing massage device having an arrangement for locking a switch when the device is in a closed, inoperative position so as to prevent the device from being activated due to an inadvertent movement of the switch. 
     For achieving above and other objects, the invention provides a liquid dispensing massage device comprising a container for containing a quantity of liquid and including an externally threaded neck; a dispensing assembly comprising a retaining ring, a seal, a rotatable liquid dispensing outlet, a hollow sliding plunger defining an axial channel therethrough, the plunger including an annular protrusion on an outer surface proximate one end, the plunger being secured to the retaining ring together, a sleeve put on a portion of the plunger and including a passage at one end distal the liquid dispensing outlet, an externally extending annular flange at the other end, an internally extending annular flange adjacent the externally extending annular flange, and a space defined between and by the sleeve and the protrusion, and a biasing member put on the plunger and disposed in the space to urge against both the plunger and the sleeve toward opposite directions; a cap comprising an annular projection on an inner surface adjacent its opening, and a peg on the underside of its top wherein the dispensing assembly is covered by the cap and the peg is engaged with the liquid dispensing outlet when the liquid dispensing massage device is closed; a vibration shell assembly comprising a cup with the sleeve fastened therein and around an opening of the cup, a cylindrical shell, and a curved cover wherein the cup includes a disc-shaped base at one end fixedly secured to the other end of the shell, and the shell includes internal threads proximate one end, the internal threads being capable of threadedly securing to the externally threaded neck for fastening the shell and the container together, a circumferential opening with the cover complimentarily hingedly disposed thereon, and a passageway so that the liquid in the container is capable of flowing to the space via the passageway and the passage; a vibration assembly disposed in the shell and comprising a DC motor, a battery, a motor seat with the DC motor mounted thereon, and a battery seat wherein the DC motor is electrically connected to the battery seat; and a switch assembly comprising a first contact electrically connected to the battery, a second contact electrically connected to the DC motor, a switch including a curved base member, an outer knurled member spaced from the base member, and a tunnel defined by and between the base member and the knurled member, and an elongated sliding member slidably disposed through the tunnel and including two inclined shoulders, a narrow activation section proximate one end, and a stop section at the other end, wherein in a closed position of the liquid dispensing massage device, the cap is put on the cup, the shoulders are lockingly engaged with the tunnel to fasten both the sliding member and the switch, the biasing member is compressed to store an elastic force, the passage is blocked by the plunger, the switch is in a locked, off position, and the first contact is disengaged from the second contact to electrically disconnect the battery from the DC motor; and wherein in an open position of the liquid dispensing massage device, the cap is detached from the cup the shoulders are disengaged from the tunnel to unfasten both the sliding member and the switch, the biasing member is expanded to release the stored elastic force to push the protrusion until the protrusion is stopped by the internally extending annular flange adjacent, the passage is not blocked by the plunger, and the switch is in a moveable position so that a manual movement of the switch causes the base member to press the first contact which in turn engages with the second contact to electrically connect the battery to the DC motor. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a liquid dispensing massage device according to the invention with cap disengaged; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the liquid dispensing massage device; 
         FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper portion of the assembled liquid dispensing massage device; 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  with the cap removed so that fluid may flow out of the container via the ball for dispensing; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the vibration assembly and the switch assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the liquid dispensing massage device showing a cell replacement operation with the cap disengaged and the hinged cover open; 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of  FIG. 5  showing the switch being locked in an off position; 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7  showing the switch being unlocked in a ready to turn on position; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective exploded view showing the switch being in an off position due to disengagement of the first contact from the second contact; and 
         FIG. 10  is a detailed view of the area in  FIG. 9  showing the switch being in an on position due to the engagement of the first contact with the second contact by manually moving the switch in a direction as indicated by arrow. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 10 , a liquid dispensing massage device in accordance with the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below. 
     A container  10  comprises a reservoir  11  for storing a quantity of liquid (e.g., lotion) and an externally threaded neck  12  on the mouth of f the container  10 . A hollow dispensing assembly  20  comprises a retaining ring  21 , an O-ring  22  as seal, a ball  23  as liquid dispensing outlet, a hollow sliding plunger  25  defining an axial channel  24  therethrough and including an annular groove  251  on an outer surface, the groove  251  being proximate the other end of the plunger  25  with the O-ring  22  provided therein, and an annular protrusion  252  on the outer surface proximate one end, the plunger  25  being secured to the retaining ring  21  together with the ball  23  rotatably disposed in an opening of the retaining ring  21  and supported by the plunger  25 , a sleeve  26  put on a portion of the plunger  25  and including a passage  261  at one end distal the ball  23 , an externally extending annular flange  262  at the other end, an internally extending annular flange  263  adjacent the externally extending annular flange  262 , and a space  264  defined between and by the sleeve  26  and the protrusion  252 , and a torsion spring  27  put on the plunger  25  (i.e., in the space  264 ) to urge against both the plunger  25  and the sleeve  26  in opposite directions. 
     A cap  30  comprises an annular projection  31  on an inner surface adjacent its opening, and an annular peg  32  on the underside of its flat top, the peg  32  being engaged with the ball  23  when the liquid dispensing massage device is closed. 
     A vibration shell assembly  40  comprises a cup  41 , a cylindrical shell  42 , and a curved cover  43  hingedly secured to the shell  42 . The cup  41  includes a disc-shaped base  411  at one end fixedly secured to the other end of the shell  42 , and an annular riser  412  on an outer surface. The riser  412  can be complimentarily retained by the projection  31  to lockingly secure the cup  41  to the cap  30  when the cap  30  is put on the cup  41  by snapping. The shell  42  includes internal threads  421  proximate one end, the internal threads  421  being adapted to threadedly secure to the externally threaded neck  12  for fastening the shell  42  and the container  10  together, a circumferential opening  422  with the cover  43  complimentarily hingedly provided thereon, and a passageway  423  so that fluid may flow from the reservoir  11  to the channel  24  and further via the passageway  423  and the passage  261  in operation as detailed later (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     A vibration assembly  50  is provided in the shell  42  and comprises a DC (direct current) motor  51 , a battery  52 , a motor seat  53  with the DC motor  51  provided thereon, a battery seat  54  with the battery  52  mounted thereon, and an eccentric block  55  rotatably driven by the DC motor  51  for generating vibration. The DC motor  51  is electrically connected to the battery seat  54 . A user may open the cover  43  to replace the consumed battery  52  with a new one if such need arises ( FIG. 6 ). 
     A switch assembly  60  comprises a first contact  61  electrically connected to a negative terminal of the battery  52 , a second contact  62  electrically connected to a negative terminal of the DC motor  51 , a switch  63  including a curved base member  631 , an outer knurled member  632  spaced from the base member  631 , and a tunnel  633  defined by and between the base member  631  and the knurled member  632 , and an elongated sliding member  64  slidably disposed through the tunnel  633  and including two inclined shoulders  641 , a narrow activation section  642  proximate one end, and a stop section  643  at the other end. 
     The sliding member  64  (i.e., stop section  643 ) cannot be moved because the shoulders  641  are lockingly engaged with the tunnel  633  when the cap  30  is put on the cup  41  by snapping as shown in  FIG. 7  (i.e., the switch  63  being locked in an off position). Also, the sliding member  64  is slightly flexibly deformed to store an elastic force. Further, the sliding member  64  is compressed to store an elastic force. To the contrary, the sliding member  64  can be pushed back to its position of  FIG. 7  due to the release of the elastic force of the sliding member  64  and thus the disengagement of the shoulders  641  from the tunnel  633  when the cap  30  is removed as shown in  FIG. 8  (i.e., the switch  63  being unlocked to be ready to move to an on position). 
     The externally extending annular flange  262  is fastened at the opening of the cup  41 . The internally extending annular flange  263  is spaced from the protrusion  252 , the passage  261  is blocked by the plunger  25 , and the torsion spring  27  is compressed when the cap  30  is put on the cup  41  (see  FIG. 3 ). To the contrary, in response to removing the cap  30  in a dispensing operation the stored elastic force of the torsion spring  27  is released to push the plunger  25  outward until the protrusion  252  is stopped by the internally extending annular flange  263  (see  FIG. 4 ). Also, the passage  261  is no more blocked by the plunger  25  so that liquid stored in the reservoir  11  can flow to the channel  24  via the passageway  423  and the passage  261 . And in turn, a user may rotate the ball  23  which picks up liquid in the channel  24  and applies same to the body area on which the ball  23  is rolled. 
     Further, after removing the cap  30  the stored elastic force of the sliding member  64  is released to push back to its position of  FIG. 8  with the shoulders  641  disengaged from the tunnel  633 , i.e., the sliding member  64  being free (see  FIG. 8 ). Thus, a user may push the knurled member  632  and thus the base member  631  so that the base member  631  may urge the first contact  61  against the second contact  62  (i.e., contacting). That is, the switch  63  is disposed from an off position to an on position by moving as indicated by arrow in  FIG. 10 . Note that the first contact  61  is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery  52  and the second contact  62  is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the DC motor  5 . As such, power of the battery  52  may be supplied to the DC motor  51  for activation. The activated DC motor  51  can vibrate while the user rubs the skin by the dispensed liquid. As a result, a massage effect to the user is brought about. 
     To the contrary, after putting the cap  30  on the cup  41 , the sliding member  64  (i.e., stop section  643 ) is pushed by the cap  30  to lockingly engage the shoulders  641  with the tunnel  633 . That is, the switch  63  is locked in the off position. Also, the first contact  61  is disengaged from the second contact  62 . Thus, an electrical connection of the battery  52  and the DC motor  51  is cut as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9  (i.e., circuit open). Therefore, the switch  63  is prevented from inadvertent movement, for example, by the hand to close the circuit. This can prevent the battery  52  from supplying electric current to the DC motor  51  for vibration. This is a safe mechanism of the liquid dispensing massage device as envisioned by the invention. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.