Patent Publication Number: US-2018050359-A1

Title: Apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under presure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is based upon and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a) from Taiwan Patent Application No. 105212427 filed on Aug. 16, 2016, which is hereby specifically incorporated herein by this reference thereto. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids, and more specifically to an apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids free of antioxidants or preservatives under pressure to prevent air from flowing into a fluid-containing chamber in the apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art(s) 
     With the advance of science and technology and the improvement in living standards, skincare has gained much more attention recently, and thereby spurring the flourishing development of cosmetics industry. For convenience in use, cosmetic products are commonly filled in apparatuses for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , a conventional apparatus  90  for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure comprises a spout  91 , a container  92  having a softening point around 50° C., and a bottom cover  93 . The spout  91  is mounted on the top portion of the container  92 . The bottom portion of the container  92  is covered with the bottom cover  93 . A piston  921  is disposed inside the container  92 . The rim of the piston  921  contacts and is movable relative to the inner surface of the container  92 . A chamber  94  for containing cosmetic liquid is formed between the spout  91  and the piston  921 . 
     A dip tube  911  extends downwardly into the chamber  94  from the spout  91 . The bottom end of the dip tube  911  is dipped in the cosmetic liquid. The bottom cover  93  comprises a vent hole  931 . In use, the spout  93  is depressed to allow the cosmetic liquid to flow from the chamber  94  into the dip tube  911  and then out of the spout  93 . When the cosmetic liquid flows out from the chamber  94 , the ambient pressure pushes the piston  921  upward to reduce the volume of the chamber  94  so as to equalize the pressures within the chamber  94  and the ambient pressure. Meanwhile, the rest of the cosmetic liquid in the chamber  94  is moved upward by the piston  921 . When all of the cosmetic liquid flows out, the piston  921  is positioned at the uppermost of the chamber  94 . 
     However, the piston  921  must be movable relative to the container  92  such that the rim of the piston  921  cannot tightly and hermetically abut the inner surface of the container  92 . The ambient air may enter the unsealed chamber  94  through the gap between the rim of the piston  921  and the inner surface of the container  92 . Thus, the cosmetic liquid may leak out from the chamber  94  via the gap, causing a waste of the cosmetic liquid. 
     Besides, bacteria may enter the chamber  94  via the gap with air to contaminate the cosmetic liquid and damage the health of the user. As the softening point of the container  92  is around 50° C., the container  92  cannot be disinfected by water at a temperature higher than 50° C. Accordingly, to prevent the growth of bacteria in the cosmetic liquid, the cosmetic liquid must contain antioxidants or preservatives. But the antioxidants and preservatives may cause allergic reactions and cancer. 
     Further, the design of the piston  921  inside the container  92  results in the complicate structure and the increased cost of the conventional apparatus  90 , which thereby decreases the profit of selling the cosmetic liquid. Once the cosmetic liquid is used up, the conventional apparatus  90  is immediately disposed of. That is, the conventional apparatus  90  having the complicate structure is only used once before disposal, which is definitely a waste of resource. 
     To overcome the shortcomings, an apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems is provided. 
     SUMMARY 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure to overcome the technical limitation in preventing bacteria from entering a chamber filled with a liquid with the air, preventing the liquid in the chamber from leaking out, lowering manufacturing cost, increasing profit in selling a cosmetic liquid, and economizing resources. 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure comprises a bottle, an airless dispensing pump, and an inner bladder. The bottle comprises a top opening, a bottom opening, and a room connected between the top opening and the bottom opening. The airless dispensing pump is mounted on the top opening and fixedly connected with the top opening. The inner bladder is disposed in the room and comprises a bladder neck connected with the airless dispensing pump, a bottom part being sealed, a peripheral part disposed between the bladder neck and the bottom part, and a chamber. The peripheral part comprises multiple ribs extending longitudinally between the bladder neck and the bottom part. The chamber is surrounded by the bladder neck, the bottom part, and the peripheral part. The bladder neck, the bottom part, and the peripheral part are formed as one piece. 
     Sterilized liquid may be stored in the chamber without leaking out and the liquid is prevented from contacting and contaminated by bacteria outside the apparatus. Besides, the ribs strengthen the structural strength of the inner bladder in the longitudinal direction so that the inner bladder is not recovered by the gravity after transversely compressed, thereby facilitating easy access to the liquid. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the bladder neck is mounted through the top opening, and the chamber is connected with the airless dispensing pump via the bladder neck. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the airless dispensing pump comprises a conduit inserted into the room, fixed with the bladder neck, and inserted into the chamber. Accordingly, the liquid in the chamber is allowed to flow out via the conduit and the spout of the airless dispensing pump after the airless dispensing pump is depressed. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure further comprises a bottom cover covering the bottom opening and including at least one vent hole, and each of the at least one vent hole is connected with the room. Accordingly, the inner bladder is protected by the bottom cover from being punctured. Besides, When the airless dispensing pump is actuated and pushed, the air flows into the room via the at least one vent hole to compress the inner bladder, thereby enhancing the flowing of the liquid out of the chamber. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the inner bladder is made of a material that is plastic and thermostable. The material may be poly vinyl chloride (PVC) or polypropylene (PP). Accordingly, the inner bladder may be compressed by the ambient air and gradually decrease the volume of the chamber so as to enhance the flowing of the rest of the liquid out of the chamber. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the ribs protrude away from the chamber. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, each of the ribs has a width gradually decreased from a middle section of each of the ribs towards the bladder neck and the bottom part. As the ribs and the inner bladder are formed as one piece, the structural strength of the inner bladder in the longitudinal direction is further enhanced, thereby further preventing the longitudinal compression of the inner bladder. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the bottle comprises a bottle neck surrounding the top opening and comprising an outer surface and an outer thread. The outer thread is formed on the outer surface. The airless dispensing pump comprises an inner surface and an inner thread formed on the inner surface. The inner thread matches the outer thread. Also, the airless dispensing pump and the bottle are threaded together by the inner thread and the outer thread. Accordingly, the replacement of the inner bladder is convenient and the rest of the components of the apparatus, such as the airless dispensing pump, the bottle, and the bottom cover, are reusable. Thus, the resources are saved and the apparatus is environmentally friendly. 
     Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the embodiments of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of an apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially cross-sectional side view of the apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional top view of an inner bladder of the apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an operational cross-sectional side view of the apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure in  FIG. 1 , showing an actuated state; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of an apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a partially cross-sectional side view of a conventional apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure in accordance with the prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , in a first embodiment, an apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure in accordance with the present invention comprises a bottle  10 , an airless dispensing pump  20 , and an inner bladder  30 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the bottle  10  comprises a top opening  11 , a bottom opening  12 , and a room  13 . The top opening  11  and the bottom opening  12  are respectively disposed at the top side of the room  13  and the bottom side of the room  13 . The room  13  is connected between the top opening  11  and the bottom opening  12 . Specifically, the bottle  10  comprises a bottle neck  111  surrounding the top opening  11 . The bottle neck  111  comprises an outer surface and an outer thread  111 A. The outer thread  111 A is formed on the outer surface for mounting the airless dispensing pump  20 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the airless dispensing pump  20  is mounted at the top opening  11 . Specifically, the airless dispensing pump  20  comprises an inner surface and an inner thread  21  formed on the inner surface and matching the outer thread  111 A. The airless dispensing pump  20  is mounted on and fixed with the bottle  10  by combining the inner thread  21  and the outer thread  111 A. In other words, the airless dispensing pump  20  and the bottle  10  are threaded together. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the airless dispensing pump  20  comprises a bottom side facing the bottle and a conduit  22  disposed at the bottom side. The conduit  22  is inserted into the room  13  via the top opening  11 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the inner bladder  30  is made of plastic materials that are thermostable. The inner bladder  30  is disposed in the room  13 . The inner bladder  30  comprises a bladder neck  31 , a peripheral part  32 , a bottom part  33 , and a chamber  34 . The bladder neck  31  and the bottom part  33  are respectively disposed at the top side of the peripheral part  32  and the bottom side of the peripheral part  32 . The bladder neck  31 , the peripheral part  32 , and the bottom part  33  are formed as one piece. The chamber  34  is surrounded by the bladder neck  31 , the peripheral part  32 , and the bottom part  33 . Specifically, the bladder neck  31  is positioned in the top opening  11 . The peripheral part  32  is positioned in the room  13 . The bottom part  33  is positioned in the bottom opening  12 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the shape of the bladder neck  31  matches the shape of the top opening  11 . An inner face of the bladder neck  31  is fixed with the conduit  22 , so that the conduit  22  is inserted into the chamber  34  via the bladder neck  31  and connected with the chamber  34 . The shape of the bottom part  33  matches the shape of the bottom opening  12 . The bottom part  33  is sealed so as to fill fluids, such as lotion or emulsion, in the chamber  34 . The peripheral part  32  comprises multiple ribs  321  extending longitudinally between the bladder neck  31  and the bottom part  33 . Accordingly, the cross-section of the peripheral part  32  is a wavy structure. The ribs  321  protrude away from the chamber  34 . Each of the ribs  321  has a width gradually decreased from a middle section of each of the ribs towards the bladder neck  31  and the bottom part  33 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the inner bladder  30  is filled with liquid. With reference to  FIG. 4 , after the airless dispensing pump  20  is pushed many times to allow the liquid to flow out from the chamber  34  of the inner bladder  30 , the liquid contained in the inner bladder  30  is reduced and the inner bladder  30  is transversely compressed by the ambient pressure. Namely, the inner bladder  30  is not longitudinally deformed while in use, which is resulted from a sufficient longitudinally structural strength of the inner bladder  30 . With the sufficient longitudinally structural strength, the inner bladder  30  may not be longitudinally deformed, so as to ensure the smooth flowing of the liquid out of the chamber  34 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , in a second embodiment, an apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure in accordance with the present invention further comprises a bottom cover  40 . The bottom cover  40  covers and closes the bottom opening  12 . The bottom cover  40  may be, but not limited to, fitted or threaded with the bottle  10 . The bottom cover  40  comprises two vent holes  41  for air to flow into the room  13  via the bottom opening  12 . When the airless dispensing pump  20  is actuated, the air flows into the room  13  via the vent holes  41  to transversely compress the inner bladder  30 , thereby enhancing the smooth flowing of the liquid out of the chamber  34 . 
     Based on the above, with the combination of the inner bladder  30  and the airless dispensing pump  20 , the liquid is stored in the chamber  34  of the one-piece inner bladder  30  without leaking out and being wasted. Since the conduit  22  is fixed with the bladder neck  31 , the liquid in the chamber  34  is prevented from contacting and contaminated by bacteria in the ambient air, thereby maintaining the hygiene and stability of the liquid. 
     In addition, with the ribs  321  extending longitudinally between the bladder neck  31  and the bottom part  33 , the inner bladder  30  is transversely compressed, instead of being longitudinally compressed, by the ambient pressure after the airless dispensing pump  20  is pushed. The inner bladder  30  is not recovered by the gravity after transversely compressed, thereby facilitating easy access to the liquid. 
     Further, the overall structure of the apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure is simple. The liquid may be dispensed without a piston. Thus, the manufacturing cost of the apparatus for containing and dispensing fluids under pressure is low, the profit of selling the cosmetic liquid is increased, and the resource is saved.