Abstract:
A dispensing apparatus that provides for selectively controlling discharge quantity. The dispensing apparatus may include a pump and a housing. The pump includes a first portion and a second portion linearly movable relative to the first portion, and the housing is for securing the portion of the pump. A distance of movement of the second portion toward the first portion is the pump stroke, and the pump stroke may be selectively varied. A dispensing module may include a pump, a rotatably mounted stroke selector including a plurality of arms that allow movement of a stop member associated with a moveable portion of the pump for predetermined and different distances depending on which arm of the stroke selector, if any, engages the stop member, with the distance of allowed movement of the stop member being variable depending on the angular position of the stroke selector.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/388,213, filed Sep. 30, 2010, entitled “DISPENSER WITH DISCHARGE QUANTITY SELECTOR,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The dispenser disclosed herein relates generally to the field of materials discharged from a container with a pump, and particularly to control of the quantity of material discharged by a dispenser. 
         [0003]    Dispensers are known that include a pump for discharging material, such as soap, hand sanitizer, or lotion, from a pouch or other container. Such dispensers for soap are commonly found, for example, mounted to walls in restrooms of restaurants, commercial offices, and other buildings. Such dispensers for hand sanitizer are found in many other areas of buildings. In mechanically actuated dispensers, the pump may be actuated by a handle at the lower end of the dispenser, and the material is discharged at an outlet from the pump proximate to the bottom of the dispenser. However, conventional dispensers lack the ability to control or vary the amount of material discharged. Differences in applications and locations of use may make it desirable to increase or decrease the default amount discharged from the pump. For example, a restroom in a restaurant may have a different need for quantity of soap than an automotive repair shop. Further, different materials may have different viscosities, and depending on pump design, one stroke of a pump for a thin material may discharge more material than the same stroke of a thick material. The difference in viscosities of soap and sanitizer, or even within the same categories of materials, may result in different quantities being discharged from the same pump. 
         [0004]    An improved dispenser that allows selection and varying of the quantity of material to be discharged is desired. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In accordance with one embodiment described herein, a dispensing apparatus is provided. The dispensing apparatus includes a pump and a housing. The pump includes a first portion and a second portion linearly movable relative to the first portion, and the housing is for securing the portion of the pump. A distance of movement of the second portion toward the first portion is the pump stroke, and the pump stroke may be selectively varied. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another embodiment described herein, a dispensing apparatus for discharging a material from a reservoir is provided. The dispensing apparatus includes a mounting structure, a dispensing module, and an actuator. The dispensing module includes a module housing with a first portion mounted to the mounting structure and a second portion that is movable relative to the first portion along a longitudinal axis and is resiliently biased away from the first portion. A pump is mounted to the module housing first portion and is adapted to receive the material from the reservoir. The pump includes an outlet adapted to discharge the material and a bearing surface adapted to receive a force exerted by the module housing second portion to result in a pump stroke. A stop member extends from the module housing second portion parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction of the module housing first portion. A stroke selector is rotatably mounted to the module housing first portion and includes a plurality of arms of varying length. The stroke selector allows movement of the stop member for predetermined and different distances depending on which arm, if any, engages the stop member, with the distance of allowed movement of the stop member being variable depending on the angular position of the stroke selector. The actuator operatively engages the module housing second portion. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another embodiment described herein, a method of operating a dispensing apparatus for discharging a material from a reservoir is provided. The method includes selecting between a plurality of positions of a member that varies a stroke of a pump, applying force to an actuator, and receiving the material in a quantity as discharged by the pump depending on the selected stroke. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    For a more complete understanding of the dispenser described herein, reference should now be had to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. In the drawings: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispenser mounted to a wall. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is side elevation view of the dispenser shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the dispenser shown in  FIG. 1  with the cover open. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the dispenser shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an exploded front perspective view of an embodiment of a dispensing module of the dispenser shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the dispensing module shown in  FIG. 5 , assembled. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a partially exploded rear perspective view of the dispensing module shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a restrictor element of the dispensing module shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a rear elevation view of an embodiment of a handle of the dispenser shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of the handle, dispenser, and back plate of the dispenser shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of the dispensing module shown in  FIG. 5 , assembled. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 12A ,  12 B, and  12 C are partial section side views of various positions of the restrictor element of the dispensing module shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the embodiments described. For example, words such as “top”, “bottom”, “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “upward,” and “downward” merely describe the configuration shown in the figures. Indeed, the referenced components may be oriented in any direction and the terminology, therefore, should be understood as encompassing such variations unless specified otherwise. 
         [0022]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or similar elements throughout the several views, an embodiment of a dispenser is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and is generally designated at  20 . The dispenser  20  is shown mounted to a wall  22 , though other mounting configurations, such as to a post or pole, are possible. The dispenser includes a cover  24 , a window  26  in an aperture  28  in the cover  24  to provide viewing through the cover  24  of the dispenser material contents, a handle  30 , and a back plate  32 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a drip tray  34  positioned beneath the dispenser outlet may be provided that is mounted to the bottom of the dispenser  20 ; one location for such a mounting may be to the back plate  32  of the dispenser  20 . The working material in the dispenser may be substances such as soap, shampoo, shower gel, detergent, exfoliating scrub, lotion, sanitizer, other skin care product, a combination thereof, any material used on a person&#39;s hands, or any flowable material. Such materials may take forms including but not limited to liquid, gel, foam, spray, or solid, such as powder or flakes. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows the pivotal mounting  36  of the cover  24  to the back plate  32 . The cover  24  is rotated to the open position, exposing the inside of the cover  24 , the inside of the handle  30 , the front  38  of the back plate  32 , and latches  50  on the back plate  32  to receive tabs  52  on the cover  24  when the cover  24  is closed. The back plate  32  is securely mounted to the wall  22  using mounting screws or other fasteners through a keyhole opening  54 . The handle  30  is mounted to the inside of the walls of the cover  24  at pivotal mountings  56 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a reservoir holder  60  for supporting a reservoir  62  of material to be dispensed is provided. The reservoir  62  may be, for example, a container or a flexible pouch. The holder  60  may be mounted to the back plate  32  with hooks (not shown) integral to the holder  60  that may be inserted into slots  63  in the back plate. A dispensing module  64  is in communication with the container  62 ; such communication may be fluid communication if the material in the container  62  is a liquid, foam, gel, spray, or other flowable material, or may also be in communication with the container if the material is a solid such as a powder or flakes. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the dispensing module  64  is mounted to the back plate  32  beneath the container holder  60 .  FIG. 4  shows a lock  66  and optional lock cover  68  that may be used to secure the cover  24  to the back plate  32 . 
         [0024]      FIGS. 5-8  show the various components of an embodiment of the dispensing module  64 . A pump  80  is mounted to a two-piece housing, with one piece being a stationary housing piece  82  that serves as a base and the other piece being a movable housing piece  84 . The pump  80  may be, for example, a linearly actuated pump known to one of ordinary skill in the art having a body, a portion that moves relative to the body, an inlet  81  for connecting to a container of material to be pumped, and an outlet (not visible). As shown in  FIG. 4 , the stationary housing piece  82  is mounted to the back plate  32  through holes  88  and is kept in place with snaps  86  in the back plate  32 . The stationary housing piece  82  includes a collar portion  90  with an interior horizontal channel  92  extending along the sides  94 . An adapter  96  extends around the pump  80  and is received in the channel  92 . A substantially U-shaped adapter lock  100  has two legs  102  that are received in the back side  104  of the stationary housing piece  82  and into the channel  92 . Clips  106  at the ends of the legs  102  latch onto the adapter  96  to secure the pump  80  to the stationary housing piece  82 . The portion of the pump  80  that is secured to the stationary housing piece  82  is in a fixed position. 
         [0025]    Vertical legs  110  extend downward from the collar portion  90  of the stationary housing piece  82 . The vertical legs  110  include vertical channels  112  in which tabs  114  of the movable housing piece  84  are slidably received. The movable housing piece  84  has a base  116 , side walls  118  and a back wall  120  extending upward from the base  116 , bearing members  122  extending laterally from the side walls  118 , and stops  124  extending upward from the rear of the side walls  118 . The base  116  includes a channel  126  that receives an annular flange  128  proximate to the lower end of the pump  80 . Springs  130  are disposed around posts  132  that extend downward from the collar portion  90  of the stationary housing piece  82  and posts  134  that extend upward from the base  116  of the moveable housing piece  84 , and resiliently bias the movable housing piece  84  away from the stationary housing piece  82 . 
         [0026]    An embodiment of a stroke restrictor  140  is received in openings  142  in the sides  94  of the stationary housing piece  82 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the stroke restrictor  140  includes a rod  144  with levers  146  at each end  148 , and a long arm  150  and a short arm  152  proximate to each end  148 . The levers  146 , long arms  150 , and short arms  152  extend radially from the rod, with the long arms  150  substantially parallel to the levers  146  and the short arms  152  offset at an angle from the long arms  150 . When inserted into the openings  142 , the levers  146  continue to be externally visible when the cover  24  is removed. There are three detents  154  centrally located on the rod  144  that provide registration with an adjacent edge of the adapter lock  100  and secure the stroke restrictor  140  in each of three positions. The stroke restrictor  140  is effectively a blocking member that impedes upward progress of the moveable housing piece  84  through contact with the stops  124 . Other embodiments of a stroke restrictor are possible for blocking the stops  124 . For example, a sliding, linear moving stroke restrictor could be implemented that is vertically oriented, or a series of horizontally oriented sliding stroke restrictors could be provided. 
         [0027]      FIG. 9  shows the back side of the handle  30 . Mounting holes  160  are provided at each side of the handle. Two lifting members  162  each having a top surface  164  extend rearward out of the handle  30  inside of each side.  FIG. 10  shows the handle  30  in place relative to the dispensing module  64  where a discharge outlet  166  may be seen. The top surface  164  of the lifting member  162  abuts the bottom surface  168  of the bearing member  122 . 
         [0028]    When the handle  30  is pressed, the handle  30  rotates around the mounting holes  160  and the lifting members  162  move upward. The top surface  164  of the lifting member  162  applies force to the bottom surface  168  of the bearing member  122 , urging the bearing member  122  and the moveable housing piece  84  upward. As the moveable housing piece  84  moves upward, the flange  128  proximate to the lower end of the pump  80  is moved upward, and the pump is actuated. The moveable housing piece  84  is effectively a force translation member or hammer that translates the force from the handle  30  to the moveable portion of the pump  80 , which in the embodiment shown includes the flange  128 . The distance of the movement of the flange  128  is equal to the pump stroke. 
         [0029]      FIG. 11  shows the dispensing module  64  in the state of non-use, with the moveable housing piece  84  spaced the maximum distance from the stationary housing piece  82 .  FIGS. 12A ,  12 B, and  12 C show the operation of the stroke restrictor  140 . The position of rotation of the stroke restrictor  140  allows a user to select the pump stroke, thereby selecting the relative amount of material to be discharged by the pump  80 . In  FIG. 12A , the long arm  150  is horizontal, withdrawing both arms  150 ,  152  from the path of the stop  124 . The moveable housing piece  84 , unobstructed by the stroke restrictor  140 , may move upward until impacting the stationary housing piece  82 , which is the maximum pump stroke. In  FIG. 12B , the stroke restrictor  140  is rotated counterclockwise such that the short arm  152  is vertical. The moveable housing piece  84  may therefore move upward only to the point where the stop  124  impacts the short arm  152 , and the pump stroke is restricted by the short arm  152  to be shorter than the maximum stroke. In  FIG. 12C , the stroke restrictor  140  is rotated further counterclockwise such that the long arm  150  is vertical. The moveable housing piece  84  may move upward only to the point where the stop  124  impacts the long arm  150 , and the pump stroke is additionally restricted by the long arm  150  to a yet shorter stroke. The amount of material discharged by the pump  80  is greatest at the maximum pump stroke, is reduced with the stroke restricted by the short arm  152 , and is the least with the stroke restricted by the long arm  150 . 
         [0030]    The materials of the cleaning material dispenser  20  may generally be expected to be molded plastic for most parts, in particular polyethylene, polypropylene, talc filled polypropylene (PP talc), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyoxmethylene (POM), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), or other polymer, and metal for fasteners, possibly for some hinges, and for springs, in particular steel alloy, but may be as selected by one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0031]    Although the present invention has been shown and described in considerable detail with respect to only a few exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that there is no intent to limit the invention to the embodiments since various modifications, omissions, and additions may be made to the disclosed embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. For example, some of the novel features of the dispenser could be applied to any type of mechanical or electromechanical dispenser, whether related to skin care products or otherwise. Accordingly, it is intended to cover all such modifications, omission, additions, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.