Patent Publication Number: US-2023149964-A1

Title: Single use table top sanitizer dispensers and self-detaching dip tubes for same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to and any benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/280,252, filed Nov. 17, 2021, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to a device for preventing refilling of table-top sanitizer dispenser containers. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for detaching the dip tube to prevent removing and replacing the closure, pump and dip tube after refilling a single use table-top sanitizer dispenser container. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Current table-top hand sanitizer dispensers have a closure that screws onto the neck of a container. The closure connects a pump, a dip tube and dispenser nozzle to the container. Sometimes after the table-top hand sanitizer dispenser container is empty, a user unscrews the closure, removes the pump, dip tube and nozzle, refills the container, and screws the closure back on so the table-top dispenser can be reused. Often, the sanitizer that is used to refill the container is not the same as the original sanitizer. Accordingly, the ingredients in the table-top dispenser are not the ingredients listed on the container. Not only does this mislead and confuse customers as to the actual source of the sanitizer product, but it may be very harmful to users. For example, during the height of the corona virus pandemic, illegal, toxic and/or unregulated hand sanitizers were introduced into the market. Some of these illegal and unregulated hand sanitizers contain methanol, 1-propanol or other toxic additives, which are hazardous to consumers. Accordingly, a need exists to prevent refilling of containers of single use table-top dispensers. 
     SUMMARY 
     Exemplary table-top sanitizer dispensers and dip tube separation members are disclosed herein. An exemplary table-top sanitizer dispenser includes a container. The container has a neck that has an inside diameter. The container having an annular wall extending outward from the base of the neck. The table-top dispenser has pump that has a pump housing. The pump housing has an annular retention member at the bottom of the housing. A nozzle is secured to the pump housing. A closure is also secured to the pump housing. The table-top dispenser further includes a dip tube. The dip tube is secured to the annular retention member. A dip tube separation member extending outward from the dip tub is also included. The dip tube separation member has a biased state and an unbiased state. In the biased state the dip tube separation member has a diameter that is smaller than the inside diameter of the neck. When the separation member moves toward its unbiased state, the separation member is wider than the inside diameter of the neck. When the dip tube is connected to the annular retention member and the separation member is located inside of the container, removing the closure and the pump from the container causes the dip tube to separate from the annular retention member and the dip tube remains in the container. 
     Another exemplary table-top sanitizer dispenser includes a container. The container has a neck. The neck has an inside diameter. A container surface extends outward from the bottom of the neck. The pump has a pump housing that has a dip tube connector at the bottom of the pump housing. A nozzle and a closure are secured to the pump housing. A dip tube is secured to the dip tube connector. A dip tube separation member extends outward from the dip tube. The dip tube separation member has a resilient body. The resilient body compresses to fit through the neck of the container. The resilient body expands upon passing through the neck of the container. After the closure, pump, dip tube and nozzle have been connected to the container, upward movement of the closure, pump, nozzle and dip tube connector causes the resilient body to engage with the surface extending outward from the bottom of the neck and causes the dip tube to separate from the dip tube connector. 
     Another exemplary table-top sanitizer dispenser includes a container having a neck that has an inside diameter and an annular wall that extends outward from the base of the neck. A pump is also included. The pump has a pump housing that has an annular retention member at the bottom of the pump housing. A nozzle and a closure are secured to the pump housing. A dip tube is secured to the annular retention member. Two or more resilient wings extend outward and upward from the dip tube. The two or more resilient wings biased outward. In their outward un-biased position the distance between the two or more wings is greater than the inside diameter of the neck and when the closure and the pump are separated from the container, the dip tube separates from the annular retention member and the dip tube remains in the container. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, and accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a prospective view of a prior art table-top sanitizer dispenser; 
         FIG.  2    is a prospective view of the table-top sanitizer dispenser with the closure, pump, dip tube and nozzle removed from the container; 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a table-top sanitizer dispenser with a dip tube separation member; 
         FIG.  4    is a prospective view of an exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube separation member; 
         FIGS.  5  and  6    are partial cross-sectional views of the closure, pump, dip tube and nozzle being connected to a container with the dip tube separation member partially through the neck; 
         FIG.  7    is a partial cross-sectional views of the closure, pump, dip tube having the dip tube separation member and nozzle connected to a container; 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-section of the closure, pump and nozzle being removed from the container and the dip tube separated from the closure; 
         FIG.  9    is a prospective view of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube separation member; 
         FIG.  10    is a prospective view of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube separation member; 
         FIG.  11    is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube separation member; 
         FIG.  12    are two cross-sectional views of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube separation member; 
         FIG.  13    is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube separation member; 
         FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube separation member; and 
         FIG.  15    is a partial cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube separation member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The Detailed Description merely describes exemplary embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims in any way. Indeed, the invention is broader than and unlimited by the exemplary embodiments, and the terms used in the claims have their full ordinary meaning. In addition, the exemplar mythologies may include additional blocks or steps or may have some blocks or steps removed. Further, the blocks or steps may be performed in different orders. 
       FIGS.  1  and  2    are a prospective views of a prior art table-top sanitizer dispenser  100 . Table-top sanitizer dispenser  100  includes a container  102 , a closure  104 , a pump  105 , dip tube  210  and an outlet nozzle  110 . Closure  104  has female threads (not shown) that engage with and screw onto male threads  206  of neck  202 . As can be seen in  FIG.  2   , closure  104  readily unscrews from neck  202  and the closure  104 , pump  105 , nozzle  110  and dip tube  210  separate from container  102 . Once separated, container  102  may be refilled and the closure  104 , pump  105 , nozzle  110  and dip tube  210  may be reconnected to the container  102 . 
       FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a table-top sanitizer dispenser  300  and  FIG.  4    is a prospective view of an exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having a dip tube separation member  332 . Table-top sanitizer dispenser  300  has a container or container  302 . Container  302  has a neck  304 . Neck includes male threads  306 . Located at the base of the neck is an annular wall  303 . Annular wall  303  extends outward from the base of the neck  304 . 
     Table-top sanitizing dispenser  300  includes a closure  310 , a pump  320 , an outlet nozzle  340 , dip tube  330  and a dip tube separation member  332 . Dip tube separation member  332  is an exemplary embodiment of an anti-refilling member. Pump  300  includes a pump housing  321 , a pump chamber  326 , a liquid inlet valve  322  and a liquid outlet valve  324 . Nozzle  340  is secured to an upper portion of pump housing  321 . Located at the bottom of pump housing  321  is a dip tube retention member  329 . Pump housing  321  is connected to closure  310  by a chaplet  311 . 
     Dip tube  330 , which is a single use dip tube, has an elongated conduit  331  that extends from the pump housing  321  to the bottom of container  302 . An upper portion  335  of the elongated conduit  331  extends into dip tube retention member  329 . Located at an upper end of the elongated conduit  331  is a dip tube separation member  332 . Dip tube separation member  332  is one or more members that have first position, which is at, or toward, un-biased position and a second position that is a biased position. In the first position, at least a portion of the one or more members have a width that is greater than the inside diameter of the neck  304 . In the second position, the one or more members are configured to pass through the neck  304 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, dip tube separation member  332  has a pair of resilient wings  332 A,  332 B that extend outward and upward. Resilient wings  332 A,  332 B are biased outward. Resilient wings  332 A,  332 B include engagement members  333 A,  333 B. resilient wings  332 A are configured to flex or deflect inward to a biased position to pass through neck  304 . Once resilient wings  332 A,  332 B pass through the neck  304 , they move outward toward their un-biased position. As resilient wings  332 A,  332 B move outward, engagement members  333 A,  333 B are located beneath annular wall  303 . In some embodiments, engagement members  333 A,  333 B are in contact with annular wall  303 . 
       FIGS.  5  and  6    are partial cross-sectional views of the closure  310 , pump  320 , dip tube  330  and nozzle  340  being connected to a container  302 . As seen in  FIG.  4   , wings  332 A,  332 B have an unbiased position wherein the engagement members  333 A,  333 B have a distance between them that is greater than the inside diameter of the neck  304 . As can be seen in  FIG.  6   , wings  332 A,  332 B deflect to a biased state as they pass through neck  304 .  FIG.  7    illustrates the wings  332 A,  332 B expanded to, or toward, an unbiased state with engagement members  333 A,  333 B located outward of the neck  304  and below annular wall  303 . 
     When closure  310  is unscrewed from neck  304 , dip tube  330  is prevented from moving upward because engagement members  333 A,  333 B contact annular wall  303 . As a result, upper portion  335  of elongated conduit  311  pulls out of dip tube retention member  329 , which is shown in  FIG.  8   , as the closure  310 , pump  320  and nozzle  340  are removed from the container  302 , dip tube  330  remains in the container and cannot be easily removed. Thus, it would be difficult to refill and reuse sanitizer dispenser  300 . 
     In some exemplary embodiments, dip tube separation member  332  has two or more wing members. In some embodiments, dip tube separation member  332  has three or more wing members. In some embodiments, dip tube separation member  332  has four or more wing members. 
     In some exemplary embodiments, dip tube separation member  332  has a single biased member, wherein the single biased member is configured to be biased inward to reduce its outside diameter or distance so that it fits through the neck, and expands or grows in outside diameter once it passes through the neck  304 . 
     In some exemplary embodiments, dip tube separation member  332  extends radially outward from elongated conduit  330  and in some embodiments, extends upward from the bottom of the elongated conduit  330 . In some exemplary embodiments, dip tube separation member  332  has a conical shape. In some exemplary embodiments, dip tube separation member  332  has a disc shape. 
     In some exemplary embodiments, dip tube  330  and/or dip tube retention member  329  has a fracture or plurality of partial fractures (not shown) in one of the upper portion  335  and the dip tube retention member  329 . In that embodiment, rather than separating by pulling out, the upper portion  335  and/or the dip tube retention member  329  breaks off so that the elongated conduit  331  cannot be reconnected to the pump housing  321 . 
       FIG.  9    is a prospective view of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube  900  having dip tube separation member  933 . In this exemplary embodiment dip tube separation member  933  includes a plurality of legs or wings  933 A,  933 B and  933 C. Dip tube separation member  933  is located on an upper portion of elongated conduit  930 . 
       FIG.  10    is a prospective view of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube  1000  having dip tube separation member  1033 . In this exemplary embodiment dip tube separation member  933  includes a plurality of legs or wings  1033 A,  1033 B,  1033 C and  1033 D. Dip tube separation member  1033  is located on an upper portion of elongated conduit  1030   
       FIG.  11    is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube  1100  having dip tube separation member  1133 . Dip tube  1100  includes an elongated conduit  1130 . Dip tube separation member  1133  has a conical shaped body  1150 . Conical shaped body  1150  has a solid continuous upper surface  1151 . Continuous upper surface  1151  has a circular shape. The conical shaped body  1150  is made of a flexible resilient material and compresses to pass through a neck of a bottle and expands so it cannot be easily pulled back up through the neck and causes the straw to separate from the pump. 
       FIG.  12    are two cross-sectional views of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube  1200  having dip tube separation member  1233 . Dip tube  1200  includes an elongated conduit  1230 . Dip tube separation member  1233  has a body  1250 . Body  1250  has a solid continuous upper surface  1251 . Continuous upper surface  1251  has an oval shape. The body  1250  is made of a flexible resilient material and compresses to pass through a neck of a bottle and expands so it cannot be easily pulled back up through the neck and causes the straw to separate from the pump. 
       FIG.  13    is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube  1300  having dip tube separation member  1333 . Dip tube has an elongated conduit  1330 . Separation member  1333  is located on an upper portion of the elongated conduit  1330  and has a cylindrical disk  1333 A. The body of cylindrical disk  1333 A is made of a flexible resilient material and compresses to pass through a neck of a bottle and expands so it cannot be easily pulled back up through the neck and causes the straw to separate from the pump. 
       FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube having dip tube  1400  separation member  1433 . Dip tube  1400  includes an elongated conduit  1430 . Dip tube separation member  1433  has a conical shaped body  1450 . Conical shaped body  1450  has a solid continuous upper surface  1451 . Continuous upper surface  1451  has a circular shape. The conical shaped body  1450  is made of a flexible resilient material and compresses to pass through a neck of a bottle and expands so it cannot be easily pulled back up through the neck and causes the straw to separate from the pump. In this exemplary embodiment, separation member  1433  is located at a lower position on dip tube  1430  but performs the same function and prevents the removal of the dip tube  1400 . 
       FIG.  14    is a partial cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a dip tube  1600  having dip tube separation member  1633 . This exemplary embodiment may take the form of any of the other embodiments. Dip tube  1600  includes an elongated conduit  1630 . Elongated conduit  1630  has a lower portion  1631  and an upper portion  1635 . Upper portion  1635  connects to the pump housing (not shown). Upper portion  1635  is designed to break away and/or separate from lower portion  1631 . In this exemplary embodiment, one or more scores  1650  circle or at least partially circle elongated conduit  1630 . The one or more scores  1650  are continuous, however, they may be intermittent or perforations. The one or more scores  1650  may be located below the receiving portion of the pump housing (not shown) when the dip tube  1600  is connected to the pump housing. In some embodiments, the one or more scores  1650  are located just above the receiving portion of the pump housing when dip tube  1600  is connected to the pump housing. Such a positioning may prevent leakage even if a portion of the one or more scores  1650  pass completely through the elongated conduit  1630 . In some embodiments, the one or more scores  1650  are in the receiving portion of the pump housing (not shown). In some embodiments, the one or more scores  1650  are located on both the elongated conduit  1630  and the receiving portion of the pump housing. In some embodiments, the one or more scores  1650  are located in both the elongated conduit  1630  and the receiving portion of the pump housing and are aligned with each other. In some embodiments, the one or more scores  1650  are located in both the elongated conduit  1630  and the receiving portion of the pump housing and are off-set from one another. When the closure and pump (not shown) are removed from the container (not shown), the dip tube separation member  1630  prevents removal of the dip tube  1600  from the container. In some embodiments, the upper portion  1635  of the elongated conduit  1630  separates from the lower portion  1631 . In some embodiments, a lower portion of the receiving portion of the pump housing (not shown) separates from an upper portion (not shown). In some embodiments, the upper portion  1635  of the elongated conduit  1630  separates from the lower portion  1631  and a lower portion of the receiving portion of the pump housing may separate from an upper portion. 
     While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the inventions may be described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects, concepts and features of the inventions—such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, circuits, devices and components, software, hardware, control logic, alternatives as to form, fit and function, and so on—may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the present inventions even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein. Additionally, even though some features, concepts or aspects of the inventions may be described herein as being a preferred arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Still further, exemplary or representative values and ranges may be included to assist in understanding the present disclosure; however, such values and ranges are not to be construed in a limiting sense and are intended to be critical values or ranges only if so expressly stated. Moreover, while various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being inventive or forming part of an invention, such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully described herein without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific invention. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases, nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly so stated.