Abstract:
A dispensing pump including a pump mechanism and a pump bead is provided. The dispensing pump head includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion has a structure for attaching the dispensing pump to the container. The upper portion and the lower portion each has: (1) an internal area combining to form an enclosed space for containing a second product, and (2) a respective peripheral wall. The pump mechanism also includes a dispensing channel for the first product that extends between the upper and the lower portion. There is an aperture in either peripheral walls or a space between the respective peripheral walls. Upon the actuation of the dispensing pump, the upper portion passes into the lower portion to force air from the enclosed space and the second product is emitted through one of the apertures in either peripheral walls or the space therebetween.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a National Stage entry under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/US2007/087351, filed Dec. 13, 2007, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     This invention relates to a pump head for a dispensing pump where the pump head contains a fragrance. More particularly the invention relates to the structure for a fragrance dispensing pump head. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are many devices for delivering a fragrance to a room or other space. Many of these are designed solely to deliver a fragrance. These range from potpourri, scented candles and units that utilize an electrical source. There also are fragrance units that are a part of another article. These other articles can be bottles and other containers such as are set out in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,165,603 and 6,769,631. Each of these patents discloses having a fragrance dispensing unit attached to the upper or the lower part of a container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,348 discloses an aerosol container with a fragrance dispensing unit attached to the top part of the aerosol container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,706 discloses a fragrance unit that can be adhesively attached to the inside of a waste container. A fragrance unit can also be a part of the closure for a container. Such closures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,131,975; 4,858,758 and 6,394,264. However, there is no disclosure of a structure whereby the fragrance is incorporated into a dispensing pump unit, such as a palm top pump unit. Containers that utilize palm top pumps are used mainly in the bathroom and in the kitchen. These are two areas where fragrances are useful in maintaining a fresh scent environment. Further since the fragrance unit would be a part of the dispenser pump that is in motion during use, there is an induced flow of air through the dispensing pump head during each dispensing which aids in the flow of the fragrance into the room. 
     Except for units that are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,631, the prior art units where the fragrance is a part of the container are of the passive type. The fragrance is dispensed into a room solely by the convection of the air in the room. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,631 there is disclosed a base unit which is actuated during a dispensing to assist in the flow of the fragrance from the base unit. However, this requires a costly unit to be added to the container. The dispensing unit of this application has a dynamic flow of air through the fragrance unit when a part of the contents of the container are dispensed, but requires no additional physical structure to the container or to the pump for the dynamic flow. The pump actuator functions to dispense product from the container and in addition as the holder and the dynamic dispenser for a fragrance. Optionally the dispenser pump also can have a passive fragrance delivery section. This present dispensing pump is a cost effective way to deliver a fragrance to a kitchen or a bathroom. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a dispensing pump that functions to dispense a first product from a container and which also emits a volatile substance such as a fragrance as a second product. In addition, the invention is directed to such a dispensing pump in combination with a container. The dispensing pump is comprised of a pump head, a pump mechanism, a dip tube and a closure which attaches the dispensing pump to the container. The pump head is on one end of the pump mechanism and the dip tube on the other end of the pump mechanism. The container closure usually is associated with the pump head and attaches and seals the assembly of the pump head, dip tube and pump mechanism to the container. 
     The pump head is comprised of an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion has an actuator top surface to be contacted by a person&#39;s hand to actuate the pump mechanism and dispense a first product from the container. The lower portion usually includes the pump mechanism and the container closure. Either the upper portion or the lower portion, or both, have an internal area for containing the second product, which preferably is a fragrance. There is a first product dispensing channel extending through the internal area of the pump head to the pump mechanism and dip tube at one end and to an exit to the exterior at a second end. This dispensing channel flows the first product from the container through the pump mechanism and pump head to the exterior. The pump mechanism receives the first product from the container through the dip tube. The upper portion internal area has a top wall actuator surface, and an upper portion peripheral sidewall depending downwardly from the top wall. The lower portion internal area has a lower portion bottom wall and a lower portion peripheral sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The upper portion internal area and the lower portion internal area combine to form an enclosed space. The upper portion peripheral sidewall and the lower portion peripheral sidewall can overlap, but with a space between the peripheral sidewalls. Upon depressing the upper portion actuator surface the first product is dispensed from the container and the second product from the upper portion internal area and/or the lower portion internal area through the space between the peripheral sidewalls, and optionally through apertures that may be provided in the peripheral sidewalls. After an initial use, and when not dispensing the first product, some second product will flow to the exterior through the space between the upper portion peripheral sidewall and the lower portion peripheral sidewall and through any optional peripheral sidewall apertures that may be provided. The lower portion also may have one or more auxiliary areas for containing additional second product. These auxiliary areas can have apertures through which the second product is released to the exterior and/or it can be released to the lower portion internal area and from the lower portion internal area. 
     In the embodiment where either, or both, the upper portion peripheral sidewall and the lower peripheral sidewall have one or more apertures the dispensing of the second product will be accelerated when the first product is being dispensed from the container by the flow of the second product also through the apertures. After a dispensing of the first product there will be a flow of the second product through the space between the sidewalls and through the apertures for a passive delivery of the second product. 
     The pump head upper portion internal area and lower portion internal area will be of a size and shape to accommodate the second product, which preferably is a fragrance. These internal areas preferably will be cylindrical, in a generally circular, oval or multi-sided shape. The auxiliary areas will be areas available in the structure of the lower portion. The second product preferably will be a solid or a semi-solid fragrance or a fragrance adsorbed or absorbed onto or into a solid material which can be an organic or an inorganic material. It also can comprise bead-like particles. The second product can be located above and/or below the dispenser spout channel that delivers the first product to the exterior for use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevation view partially in section of the container and dispensing pump with a fragrance second product in an upper portion internal area of the pump head. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the dispensing pump of  FIG. 1  in cross-section. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view partially in section of the container of  FIG. 1  with a fragrance second product in the upper portion internal area and also in the lower portion auxiliary area of the pump head 
         FIG. 3A  is a top plan view of the space between the upper peripheral wall and the lower peripheral wall. 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of the lower portion along with the structure to attach the lower portion to the container. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view partially in section of the pump head shown in  FIG. 1  with solid and bead fragrance units in the lower portion and a fragrance solid unit in the upper portion along with apertures in the lower portion. 
         FIG. 5  is a modified embodiment of the pump head of  FIG. 1  with apertures in the upper portion peripheral sidewall and lower portion peripheral sidewall, bead units in the lower portion auxiliary area and a compressible fragrance unit in the lower portion internal area. 
         FIG. 6  is an alternate embodiment to the pump head of  FIG. 5  with bead fragrance units in the lower portion internal area and a solid fragrance unit in the upper portion internal area along with apertures in the upper portion peripheral sidewall and the lower portion peripheral sidewall. 
         FIG. 7  is an embodiment where the second product is located in the upper portion of the dispenser below the spout channel that delivers the first product to the exterior of the pump. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will be described in its preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. These preferred embodiments can be modified but such modifications remain within the concept of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view in partial cross-section showing the container  12  and the dispensing pump  10 .  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing pump  10  alone without container  12 . The dispensing pump  10  is shown in each view in a closed position. This is the position in which the container  12  and the dispensing pump  10  are shipped and sold. It also is the fully actuated position during use when the dispensing pump  10  is completing a dispensing stroke. The container  12  has a container sidewall  13 . The dispensing pump  10  is comprised of a pump head having a lower portion  14  and upper portion  16 . The upper portion top actuating surface  18  has a depending upper portion peripheral sidewall  28 . Contained in the upper portion is a spout  20 , spout channel  21  and a second product  30  contained within region  31  of upper internal area  11 . Second product support wall  35  supports part of the second product  30 . This support wall  35  will be discontinuous and can be spoke-like to support the second product  30  but not to separate it from the remainder of upper internal area  11 , and/or have apertures  43 . The second product optionally is a fragrance unit and is shown as a solid substance. However, it can be in other forms. When a fragrance unit, the fragrance will permeate into upper internal area  11  from which it can be dispensed. The upper portion  16  is integrally connected to the lower portion  14  which in turn is attached to the neck of container  12 . The lower portion  14  has a lower portion bottom wall  25  and an upwardly extending lower portion peripheral sidewall  29  from the bottom wall. Lower portion inner wall  23  also extends upwardly from the lower portion bottom wall  25 . The lower portion inner wall  23  is in a circular cross-section to form a cylindrical shape with threads  19  on an inner surface. It can be of other shapes. The threads  19  mate with the threads  27  on the neck of container  12  to attach the pump dispensing pump  10  to the container  12  Passing through the lower portion  14  is first product channel  22  which is connected to pump mechanism  15 , which in turn is connected to dip tube  26  which extends into container  12 . The pump mechanism is comprised of an accumulator chamber, a piston that traverses the accumulator chamber, an inlet valve and an outlet valve. The inlet valve is adjacent to a dip tube that delivers a liquid through this valve to the accumulator chamber. The outlet valve is at the other end of the accumulator chamber and adjacent to the first product channel  22 . The first product channel  22  passes through lower portion internal area  32  and upper portion internal area  11 , and at an upper end connects to spout channel  21  which terminates in spout  20 . Also a part of lower portion  14  is auxiliary area  24  formed by lower portion peripheral sidewall  29 , auxiliary area lower wall  35  and lower portion bottom wall  25 . The lower portion internal area  32  and/or the auxiliary area  24  also can contain second product. When both contain second product, and the second product is a fragrance, more fragrance can be delivered to a room. This can be in a higher concentration for a shorter period of time or in a lower concentration over a longer period of time. 
     In the dispensing pump  10  position that is shown in  FIG. 1  the lower edge  33  of upper portion peripheral sidewall  28  is in a close to contacting state with the lower portion bottom wall  25 . This arrangement of the upper portion peripheral sidewall  28  and the lower portion bottom wall  25  creates a seal for the second product  30  in the upper portion internal area  11  prior to sale. When the second product  30  is a fragrance, some of the fragrance will escape the dispensing pump  10  around the upper portion peripheral sidewall edge  33  and pass between the lower portion peripheral sidewall  29  and the upper portion peripheral sidewall  28  to the exterior. However, this will not be a significant amount. Further, prior to the first use of the dispensing pump the pump head can be sealed with a shrink-wrap or other seal around its periphery to prevent fragrance loss prior to purchase. 
     The dispensing pump  10  in an open condition and ready for dispensing is shown in  FIG. 3 . The parts of the container and the pump head remain the same as in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and will not be described again. Suffice it to say that the pump head is adjusted for use in the usual way by a rotation of the upper portion  16 . This unlocks dispensing pump  10  with the upper portion  16  extending upward. In order to dispense some of the first product from the container  12  the top actuation surface  18  is depressed which causes the upper portion  16  to pass into lower portion  14  and for the pump mechanism  15  to be actuated to thereby dispense the first product from container  12  through first product channel  22  and spout channel  21 . Concurrently, some of the second product  30  is forced through gap  34  between upper portion peripheral sidewall  28  and lower portion peripheral side wall  29 . This portion of the second product is forced out through gap  34  by the air from the upper portion internal area  11  and the lower portion internal area  32  being forced out through the gap  34 . This gap  34  between the lower portion peripheral sidewall  29  and the upper portion peripheral wall  28  is shown in more detail in  FIG. 3A . In this embodiment the lower portion  14  will also contain some second product. This is shown a second product  37  in the form of a strip in auxiliary area  24 . This auxiliary area  24  is created by lower portion peripheral wall  29 , lower portion auxiliary area wall  17  and lower portion bottom wall  25 . There are optionally a series of apertures  42  in lower peripheral sidewall  29  to vent the space  24 . There also are a series of apertures  40  and  41  in lower portion bottom wall  25  as more specifically shown in  FIG. 3B . These apertures  40 / 41  vent a second strip product  37  from lower portion auxiliary area  24  to the lower portion internal area  32 . When the second product in auxiliary area  24  is a fragrance these apertures  40 / 41  and  42  will vent the fragrance respectfully to the lower portion internal area  32  and to the exterior. 
       FIG. 4  is an embodiment of the container  12  and the dispensing pump  10  of  FIG. 3  whereby there is an amount of second product  37  in lower portion auxiliary area  24  and an additional amount  45  of second product  30  is formed around lower portion inner wall  23  in the lower portion internal area  32 . Upon the actuation of the dispensing pump  10  of  FIG. 4  the second product  30 / 45 / 37 , which preferably is a fragrance, will be emitted to the exterior of the dispenser pump  10  through lower peripheral wall apertures  42  and through the gap  34  between the inner portion peripheral sidewall  28  and the upper portion peripheral sidewall  29 . Also some second product will be dispensed through apertures  44  in the bottom portion peripheral wall  29  and apertures  47  in the upper portion peripheral wall  28 . This view shows the lower portion peripheral wall apertures  42 / 44  and the lower portion bottom wall  25  apertures  40 / 41 . The apertures  42 / 44 / 47  exit directly to the exterior of the dispensing pump  10  and the latter apertures  40 / 41  to the lower portion internal area  32 . From lower portion internal area  32  the second product will vent through space  34  and apertures  44 . The threads  17  on the lower portion inner wall  23  attach the dispensing pump  10  to the neck of container  12  through mating threads  27  on the exterior surface of the neck of the container  12 . 
       FIG. 5  is an alternate embodiment of the assembly of the container  12  and the dispensing pump  10 . In this embodiment the container  12  is the same as in the other embodiments. The primary modifications from the prior Figures is that a compressible fragrance retainer  50  is located in the lower portion internal area  32  and there is a plate  58  with apertures located in the upper portion internal area  11 . This plate  58  will serve to compress the compressible second product retainer  50 . This second product retainer can be an organic compressible foam with the second product in the cell structure of the foam. The fragrance beads  56  in the space  57  above the plate  58  will increase the fragrance content of the dispensing pump  10 . Upon the actuation of the dispensing pump  10 . by depressing top actuator surface  18 , the fragrance will be expelled from the dispensing pump  10  through the gap  34  between the upper peripheral wall  28  and the lower peripheral wall  29  and through one of a plurality of vents  54  in lower peripheral wall  29 . These vents are larger than the apertures  42  which vent auxiliary area  24 . There can be a fragrance band  37  in the auxiliary  24  defined by lower portion peripheral wall  29 , lower portion auxiliary wall  17  and lower portion bottom wall  25 . The beads  56  above the apertured plate  58  and the second product  30  will vent to the exterior primarily through vents  54  in lower portion peripheral wall  29  and will provide a continual flow of fragrance into a room. Upon the actuation of the dispensing pump, there will be an added burst of fragrance to a room through space  34  between peripheral walls  28  and  29 . Fragrance can be continuously emitted through apertures  42  from auxiliary area  24 . 
       FIG. 6  discloses a further embodiment of the container and dispensing pump  10  of  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment there are fragrance beads  63  in the lower portion auxiliary area  24  with the upper portion peripheral side wall  28  having a lower part  28 ( a ) that is collapsible in a folded arrangement. It folds onto itself. This allows for fragrance containing beads  60  to be in the lower portion internal area  32 . In this way the beads will not interfere with pushing top actuator  18  downward to dispense the first product and the second fragrance product. The lower part of upper portion of peripheral wall  28  does not move downward but rather collapses in an accordion fashion. If it had a decreased length and had to move downward it would conflict with the beads  60  in the lower portion internal area  32 . During a dispensing stroke the fragrance from the fragrance unit  30  and the beads  60  will be emitted from the dispensing pump  10  through apertures  47  in upper portion peripheral wall  28  and some from space  34 . Fragrance will be continually emitted from the dispensing pump  10  through apertures  42  from the beads  63  in auxiliary area  24 . Other structures are possible for a fragrance source in dispensing pumps. However, those structures are within the present concepts. 
       FIG. 7  discloses an additional embodiment where the second product unit  30 , which preferably is a fragrance, is located below the spout channel  21 . Otherwise the structure of the upper portion  16  in this  FIG. 7  is the same as that in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The lower portion  14  is the same as that in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The second product unit  30  is supported by support wall  35  which has apertures  43  for the passage of some of the second product into the upper portion internal area  11 . This lower wall  35  also can be discontinuous with measured gaps to provide for a calculated dispensing of the second product. Once in this upper portion internal area  11  the second product can be dispensed from the pump head  10  in the same manner as in the pump head of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Although the pump head of this  FIG. 7  is shown with the second product only in the upper part of upper portion  16 , additional second product can be in lower portion  14  as is shown in any of  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . This includes auxiliary area  24 . The lower portion  14  of the pump head  10  is the same as in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and has been disclosed in detail with reference to those Figures. 
     The fragrance units can be solid formed units, a gel or polymer beads which contain a fragrance and which are available from International Flavors and Fragrances in Hazlet, N.J. and from Firmenich Incorporated, in Plainsboro, N.J. They also can be in the form of fragrance containing fibers and various forms of gelled fragrances. In addition the fragrances can be adsorbed into various inorganic carriers such as aluminas, silicas and aluminosilicates. They also can be absorbed into the cellular structure of organic foam materials. In any of these forms the fragrances can be incorporated into the pump head structures of the present invention. Further, there are other suppliers of fragrances and fragrance units that can be utilized in the present pump heads. 
     The pumps and pump bodies are available from pump manufacturers such as Saint Gobain Calmar, Owens-Ill., and AFA Incorporated. The containers can be various blow molded containers of essentially any shape and utilizing various thermoplastics that are conventionally blow molded. These thermoplastics include polyethylenes, polypropylenes, ethylene copolymers, propylene copolymers, polyethylene terephthalate polymers and polyethylene napthalate polymers. The parts usually will be made by injection molding. These are the most useful materials for the construction of the dispensing pump parts with the most useful technique being injection molding.