Patent Publication Number: US-8118193-B2

Title: Dispensers e.g. for cosmetics

Description:
This application is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/GB2007/000582, filed Feb. 20, 2007, which claims the benefit of United Kingdom Application No. GB 0603416.9, filed Feb. 20, 2006, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     This application has to do with hand-operated dispensers. Preferred embodiments are dispensers which. with their container are of a size which can be held in the hand, and which contain or are intended to contain thick, viscous or creamy flowable products, especially cosmetics, skin treatments, ointments, lotions and the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There is a known kind of cosmetics dispenser, for a creamy product, consisting of a squat cylindrical jar to hold the product, with a dispensing top in the form of a circular plate with a dished central region having a small hole in the middle. The top plate as a whole can be pushed down with the fingers through a short pumping stroke, displacing a small volume of cream up through the central hole. The user can then pick up the dispensed product with a wiping action of the finger across the centre of the dished pick-up surface. Such a pick-up surface has an advantage (relative to a conventional nozzle or spout) that all or part of the dispensed amount can be picked up, and picked up without urgency because it lies stably on the surface rather than dropping off or running down as it would from a nozzle. This is particularly desirable with products dispensed in small-volume doses, say 1 ml or smaller, and which may contain high-value ingredients which the user will want to pick-up and apply with care and without waste. 
     Our new proposals relate to dispensers having a dished pick-up surface of this general kind. 
     OUR PROPOSALS: GENERAL 
     Generally speaking, our proposals relate to dispensers comprising a container, with an internal reservoir to hold a body of product. It is strongly preferred that the container be adapted for “airless” dispensing, i.e. it reduces its internal volume as product is progressively dispensed, e.g. by means of a collapsible liner or a follower piston (both of these being known technologies), so that product yet to be dispensed is not exposed to air in the container. 
     A dispenser mechanism is mounted at the top of the container. Normally the dispenser mechanism and container are discrete components and the dispenser mechanism, incorporated in a body, is fixed over a top opening or neck of the container. In preferred embodiments the container can stand freely on its own base surface and support the dispenser body on top. For convenience the following description assumes that the container opening is directed vertically upwardly and that the dispenser mechanism is on top, but it should be understood that concepts described herein are applicable for use in other orientations. Indeed, preferred embodiments described in this application are specifically adapted for use held in the hand without any specific orientation, although normally the pick-up surface will be directed generally upwardly in use. 
     As mentioned previously, the dispenser body incorporating the dispenser mechanism also features an external pick-up surface, being a surface adapted and positioned for pick-up of product, in the manner described above, from adjacent a discharge opening from a pump outlet. The discharge opening opens through the pick-up surface and is typically flush with it, so that no nozzle obstructs the wiping pick-up action. Typically the pick-up surface is present as an indentation, depression, localised region of concavity (in at least one and preferably two planes), or at least of lesser convexity. Conveniently it may be called “dished”. It may have a surrounding rim or edge demarcating it from adjacent regions of the dispenser body which are typically flat or (more) outwardly convex. The provision of a wipeable dished pick-up region around a discharge outlet is already known, as mentioned above, so this feature is readily understood. 
     The dispensing mechanism includes, in general terms, a displaceable actuating member which is manually movable in a dispensing stroke to drive a dose of product from the discharge opening. Desirably, to assure a positive pumping action, the mechanism includes a pump chamber separated from the main body of product by an inlet with a unidirectional inlet valve. Reduction of the pump chamber volume by actuation (particularly, depression) of the actuating member drives the product out of the pump chamber to the discharge opening via an outlet passage. The outlet passage may or may not have an outlet valve, and this is discussed later in relation to some specific versions of our proposals. As is well-known, outlet valves normally operate so that when an actuating member returns from an actuated to a rest condition (usually under the influence of a pump return spring), the pump chamber is refilled with product (primed) from the product reservoir rather than drawing air in through the outlet. However there are situations in which some backflow through the outlet may be desirable (e.g. to clear the opening of product residues, and to avoid or reduce the drying out of product with consequent waste) and/or in which an outlet valve is unnecessary. 
     A variable-volume pump chamber may be provided in a piston and cylinder format, or as a chamber with a flexibly deformable wall. 
     The following particular proposals are made in the context of the above general description. To some extent they are consistent with one another, and may be adopted in any effective combination. 
     Our first specific proposal is that, in a dispenser of the kind described, the top of the dispenser body presents an upwardly-directed pick-up surface at one side and an upwardly-directed actuator portion (for the dispensing mechanism) at the other side. Preferably the actuating portion is movable by depression. It may be or comprise a movable component such as a button or plunger shaped and positioned for manual engagement. 
     This proposal is directed to achieving a new kind of ergonomic performance, specially directed at one-handed operation with the dispenser held in the hand, actuating by a thumb or finger of the hand which is holding the dispenser (in the palm or in the fingers). 
     Preferably the actuating portion for the dispenser stands higher than the pick-up surface, relative to the dispenser base. Thus, the dispenser body may present an upward surface which is generally inclined down from the actuating side to the pick-up side. The pick-up surface itself may be generally inclined, typically downwards away from the centre of the body and/or away from the actuator. (This is talking about a general inclination, e.g. as determined with reference to the locus of a rim or edge of the dished pick-up surface, rather than about the inclination of specific areas within the pick-up surface arising from its concavity.) 
     In preferred embodiments the pick-up surface occupies only a minor part of the horizontally-projected area of the top of the dispenser body (which is typically circular or oval in plan, as is desirably the dispenser as a whole: desirably the plan outline of the dispenser body substantially covers that of the container). The pick-up surface itself is desirably circular or oval in shape. It may occupy e.g. less than 60%, or less than 40%, or less than 25% of the upwardly-projected area of the dispenser body&#39;s top outline. In line with this, the dispenser body may present a top surface including the pick-up surface, centrally or towards one side, a surround surface region which serves to house and cover but is not pick-up surface, and an offset actuator part (which may be an opening for a discrete actuator such as a button or plunger) towards the other side. The pick-up surface may or may not overlap a central axis of the body. A surround surface region (as mentioned above) is preferably itself downwardly inclined towards the side having the pick-up surface. 
     The actuating portion may as mentioned be a discrete button or plunger, movable relative to the top element of the dispenser body. However it is also possible to use a tilting action of a top body plate, including the pick-up surface, for actuation. This would be distinct from the prior art mentioned above in that the top body plate is specifically restrained at one side, opposite the actuating portion, e.g. at a pivot point, while the side having the actuating portion is movable through the actuating stroke. This tilting top plate dispensing action is a second independent proposal, and can be used with a centrally-disposed pick-up surface. Where the engagement with a pump actuating mechanism is between the pivot and the actuating portion, e.g. central, it gives a mechanical advantage. [The first proposal contemplates in general that the actuating portion and the pick-up surface are laterally offset from one another, without strictly requiring that one or the other will be off-centre although in practice it is usually more compact to have them both off-centre at opposite sides.] 
     A third specific proposal herein—which can be adopted as one suitable way of implementing the first proposal—is that in a dispenser of the kind described having a pick-up surface and pump chamber, the pump chamber is laterally offset relative to the discharge outlet (which opens through the pick-up surface). Thus, the pump has a transversely-extending outlet passage between an outlet opening from the pump chamber and the discharge opening at the pick-up surface. Desirably the plunger action that operates the pump is vertical or at least substantially upright. The discharge opening is desirably eccentric on the pick-up surface, i.e. positioned towards the pump chamber so as to reduce the necessary length of outlet passage. Typically (seen in plan) in this proposal the outlet of the pump chamber is outside the plan projection of the pick-up surface area. At least the operating axis of the pump will usually be outside that area. 
     A transverse portion of such an outlet passage presents issues for moulding, since in general the dispenser is desirably made from moulded plastics components, and the presence of a transverse passage is contrary to the general need to withdraw mould parts in an axial direction so as to create the otherwise generally annular features, with vertical axis, which are conventionally characteristic of such dispensers. This issue can be addressed by forming the transverse outlet passage portion with an open side and closing this off in the assembly using a separate component to make a conduit. A preferred layout has an outlet opening laterally through the wall of the pump chamber, leading into the transverse passage, to an upright chimney portion of the outlet passage and to the discharge opening. This chimney portion can be created by cooperation of fitting tubular elements on opposed (upper and lower) dispenser body parts, since it is generally necessary to have separable body parts in order to create and house the pump mechanism. 
     In preferred embodiments (also in other aspects) the dispenser body has a lower body plate whose lower surface delimits the product reservoir, i.e. it constitutes a lid or cover for the product container. In this aspect it includes a downwardly-open inlet opening and an upwardly-open outlet chimney portion, laterally spaced from one another. A transversely-extending conduit portion, defined integrally in one piece with the body part, extends to the chimney portion. Adjacent the inlet opening, there may be an upwardly extending sleeve formation which constitutes a pump cylinder (to interact with a plunger or piston), or receives a discrete pump cylinder component, or constitutes a piston component in relation to a plunger acting as a cylinder. A cover component fits against the transverse conduit portion from beneath to complete and close off the conduit from the container space. A circular cover portion is preferred (e.g. so that it need not be aligned for assembly). 
     A fourth specific aspect of our proposals is, in a dispenser of the kind described having a pick-up surface and a pump with a pump chamber, that both the inlet and the outlet of the pump are at a base of the pump, formed through or in the fixed component(s) thereof. This contrasts with conventional dispensers, in which typically the discharge passage runs through the movable element (plunger or nozzle head) of the dispenser. This proposal is also consistent with the “transverse feed” proposal above, in which desirably the dispenser body elements having the pick-up surface and feed passage components are fixed relative to the container, with a discrete movable actuator for the pump being a simple button, i.e. not having an outlet through it. 
     A fifth particular proposal is a dispenser of the kind described, having a pick-up surface and a pump with a pump chamber, in which a resilient restoring force for the pump actuating member is provided by the pump chamber having a wall which is resiliently deformable, so that preferably no discrete spring is used. It is preferred to form the resiliently deformable wall as a moulded plastics component (as opposed to an elastomer component) by appropriate three-dimensional conformation of that wall. For example, an upwardly-directed wall may be divided circumferentially into a set of facets separated by reinforcing ribs or troughs, giving a specific rest position and a strong restoring force when bent away from the rest position. Because the operating stroke may then be rather short, it is preferred for the pump chamber to be wider than it is deep. This proposal can be combined with any other herein, or can be used in dispensers having a pick-up surface conventionally (e.g. centrally) disposed, and optionally with a known type of actuation e.g. in which depression of the entire top plate drives the dispensing action. 
     A sixth specific proposal, in a dispenser of the kind described having a pick-up surface and a pump chamber, is a manner of use of a moulded plastics component as a discrete restoring spring for the pump plunger. In this proposal, the plastics restoring spring has a mounting portion and one or more resiliently flexible limbs extending from the mounting portion. The or each limb engages a corresponding cam abutment, so that as the pump parts move relative to one another in the dispensing stroke (the spring may be mounted on the moving portion or on the fixed portion) the flexible limb rides past the cam abutment, flexing it progressively further relative to its mounting/rest position. The limb surface is inclined to the cam abutment so that its tendency to flex resiliently back towards its starting position drives an axial displacement between the two components, restoring the position of the plunger. Preferably plural limbs, distributed around the plunger, are used to give a symmetrical action and sufficient force. Plural limbs may be all made parts of a common spring element. 
     A seventh specific proposal herein is that, in a dispenser of the kind described having a pick-up surface and a dispenser body made of plastics material, incorporating a dispenser mechanism, the product container is a metal container, having a retaining neck or edge formation engaging the plastics dispenser body. Metal containers (e.g. aluminium) have particular utility with certain kinds of product ingredients which may be highly volatile or permeable with respect to plastics materials. In preferred embodiments the metal container incorporates an internal follower piston to give an “airless” operation as mentioned previously. On assembly, such a follower piston may be positioned in the container before an edge retaining formation is created on the container, i.e. while it still has a full-width opening. A typical retaining formation is an inturned portion. Preferred containers are pressed from sheet metal, e.g. impact extruded. 
     An eighth specific proposal relates to the discharge opening. In known dispensers having pick-up surfaces, the discharge opening is a simple opening. We propose to provide a valve at the discharge opening, so that air entry into the outlet passage is prevented or restricted. Preferably the valve is biased to the closed position by one or more resilient biasing elements. The biasing element(s) is/are preferably integral with the valve member, e.g. as a one-piece entity, for simplicity and economy. A poppet-type valve, having an enlarged head which can sit in the discharge opening to close it and a retaining shank which extends back into the passage to retain the valve, and which may additionally provide a resilient biasing action, is preferred. Desirably the valve head lies substantially flush with the pick-up surface in the closed position, so that the preferred wiping pick-up action is not interfered with. 
     OPTIONS AND PREFERENCES  
     The product container preferably includes a parallel-walled cylindrical portion to cooperate with a follower piston in use, to achieve an airless operation. The options for positioning the pick-up surface and pump actuator/pump offset from one another lend themselves to a distinctive appearance, for which it may be desired to provide a correspondingly contoured shape envelope for the (lower) container. In such a case the container may have an inner cylindrical part to hold the product, and an outer decorative shell portion, preferably formed in one piece with the inner part if these are of plastics material, with non-cylindrical walls meeting an outer wall of the dispenser body above to form an external decorative casing. 
     Regarding the overall size of the dispenser (including the container), preferably it fits into one hand as mentioned previously. Desirably the dispenser edge adjacent the actuator portion is free or unobstructed so that the thumb or a finger of a hand holding the dispenser can extend up around the edge to press the actuator portion. Maximum transverse dimension is desirably less than 100 mm, preferably less than 90 mm or 80 mm. Maximum height—especially where as preferred this corresponds to the height of the actuating portion for the dispenser (with any cover cap removed)—is preferably less than 70 mm and more preferably less than 60 mm. Thus, the transverse dimension is generally greater than the height, i.e. it is a squat dispenser. 
     Because the design is especially useful for small dispensers and high-value products, the preferred product volume in the container is below 100 ml, more preferably below 60 ml. Importantly, the “dose” corresponding to one actuation of the dispenser is usually small: preferably less than 2 ml and more preferably less than 1 ml. Naturally this will depend on the particular product. 
     Concerning dispenser pump chambers, an inlet valve is preferably a flap valve made as a moulded entity. A flap element overlies the inlet opening, and is held in position by one or plural limbs which are flexible so that the flap can rise under pressure to open the valve. Preferably there are plural limbs distributed around the flap, to give a centrosymmetric action, and with resilience to return the flap positively to the closed position. A preferred inlet valve is a one-piece moulding comprising an outer mounting ring, a circumferentially-distributed series of curved resilient connecting limbs, and a central circular closure plate or flap element. 
     Concerning an outlet valve, there is a choice. Where the product is thick and, as is usual, the outlet passageway is more restricted than the inlet passage, the pump chamber will often refill (prime) satisfactorily without any outlet valve. A certain amount of back-flow along the outlet passage during priming can be beneficial in this case, because such “suckback” clears product and avoids possible blockage by dried residues. With less viscous products, an outlet valve may be desirable to assure adequate priming of the chamber. For that purpose, a valve may be positioned anywhere between the pump chamber and the discharge opening. However as mentioned above, there is value in keeping air out of the outlet passage. For that purpose an outlet valve adjacent the discharge opening is preferred. 
     In any event, it is preferred to have a supplementary cover, such as an outer cap, to keep the dispenser exterior clean as well as for shipping security. It is preferred that the outer cover includes a closure projection which, with the cover in place, keeps the discharge opening shut. This may be by a tip of the projection blocking the discharge opening. Or, a tip of the projection may engage the top of a discharge valve to stop it from opening. 
     When a pump return spring is provided, especially when of metal, it is desirably outside the pump chamber to reduce contamination. 
    
    
     
       Having set out our proposals in general terms, embodiments are now described by way of example with reference to the following drawings, in which: 
         FIGS. 1(   a ) and  1 ( b ) are respectively a radial cross-sectional view and an exploded view of a first embodiment; 
         FIGS. 2(   a ) and  2 ( b ) are respectively a radial cross-sectional view and an exploded view of a second embodiment; 
         FIGS. 3(   a ) and  3 ( b ) are respectively a radial cross-sectional view and an exploded view of a third embodiment; 
         FIGS. 4(   a ) and  4 ( b ) are respectively a radial cross-sectional view and an exploded view of a fourth embodiment; 
         FIGS. 5(   a ) and  5 ( b ) are respectively a radial cross-sectional view and an exploded view of a fifth embodiment; 
         FIGS. 6(   a ) and  6 ( b ) are respectively a radial cross-sectional view and an exploded view of a sixth embodiment, and 
         FIGS. 7(   a ) to ( e ) are oblique external views of the first, second and fourth to sixth embodiments. 
     
    
    
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7(   a ), a first embodiment of dispenser is dimensioned to be held easily in one hand, having a generally circular plan of about 85 mm diameter and about 55 mm overall height. The main system components are a container  1 , a follower piston  2 , a dispenser bottom plate  3 , a dispenser body top plate  4 , a cover cap  5 , and components constituting a pump  6  which are described later. All of these components (except a metal pump spring) are moulded in plastics. The container  1  has a cylindrical inner wall  11  defining a product reservoir space  14 , and a decorative outer wall  12  formed in one piece with it. The follower piston  2  sits inside the container  1 , with its seal  21  engaging around the inner container wall  11  and a lower support annulus  22  resting on the container floor initially. The container base has a vent hole  13  so that the follower piston  2  can rise freely. 
     The lower dispenser plate (or lower body component)  3  has a peripheral upstanding wall  31  so that it plugs sealingly into the container wall  11 . It consists generally of a closed web or wall  32 , defining the top of the product reservoir  14 , and conduit structure defining parts of the pump and outlet system. This latter includes an inlet opening  34  for the pump, a tubular outlet chimney  35 , a cylindrical seat formation  33  for a discrete pump cylinder  61 , and the roof  38  of a transverse outlet conduit  69  communicating between the cylinder seat  33  (which has an outlet hole) and the outlet chimney or riser  35 . The roof  38  of the transverse conduit is formed as a channel traversing a circular depression  36  moulded into the underside of the wall  32 . A circular cover component  37  fits flush into this depression, without the need for rotational alignment, closing the open channel side to form a closed conduit  69 . 
     A cylinder component  61  defining a pump chamber  68  sits on the bottom plate  3  in the seat  33  above the inlet opening  34 . An inlet valve  62  is here, moulded in this embodiment in one piece with the cylinder wall. 
     The dispenser&#39;s top body cover  4  is generally circular in plan, and its surround wall or skirt  44  marries smoothly with the decorative wall  12  of the container  1 . As shown, it is a generally stiff or rigid moulded component like the container  1  beneath. It presents a generally closed and upwardly convex contoured upper surface featuring a concave dished pick-up area  42 , a generally convex contoured surround region  41  and a seating  45  receiving a push button  8  for actuating the pump. As seen in  FIG. 7(   a ), the concave pick-up area meets the surround surface at an angled edge, and occupies less than a quarter of the plan area of the total top surface (i.e. the area up to the edge formed with the downward skirt  44 ). The top plate has the seating  45  and the button  8  projecting up as an eminence at one side (the right-hand side as shown), with a downward slope at the other side including the pick-up area  42 , which is itself generally downwardly sloping. A discharge opening  43  opens in the pick-up area on its upward slope, i.e. towards the dispenser button  8 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 1 , beneath the discharge opening  43  the top plate has a downward chimney  47  which couples with the outlet chimney  35  of the lower plate, completing the outlet passage. The top plate has a re-entrant cylindrical formation  64  inside the seating  45  which plugs into the top of the cylinder  61  and also provides a tubular guide for a plunger stem  63  fixed into the base of the button  8 . The return spring  66  is trapped between the button and the guide in a conventional way, outside the pump chamber. The entire pump engine (plunger, piston, cylinder) is positioned transversely offset from the pick-up area, and the outlet is brought to the pick-up area by means of the transverse feed passage  69  described previously. 
     In use, the dispenser can be held in one hand and the button  8  pushed with the thumb or finger of the same hand. This dispenses a dose of product (0.5 ml in this particular example) from the discharge opening  43  onto the pick-up area  42  where it can be picked up with a fingertip as desired. 
     The cover cap  5  has a central downward peg  51  whose end plugs into the discharge outlet  43  when the cover cap is fitted, as shown in  FIG. 1(   a ). This prevents leakage of product during shipping. 
       FIG. 2  and  FIG. 7(   b ) show a second embodiment in most respects the same as the first. One difference is that a poppet valve  49  is provided as an outlet valve in the discharge opening  243 . This valve has a head constituting a closure disc  491  which lies generally flush with the pick-up surface  242  in the closed position, and a set of spaced legs  492  with downwardly-divergent outer surfaces, acting against the tubular retaining surround  2431  of the top plate. These divergent legs, resiliently outwardly biased, urge the valve to its closed position by a sliding cam action. For shipping, a central downward peg  251  of the cover cap  250  engages the valve head  491  and holds it shut. In use, particularly with less viscous products, the poppet valve blocks the outlet during return of the pump plunger, ensuring good fill of the pump chamber  68 . It also keeps dirt out. 
     A further difference is that the inlet valve  262  is formed as a component separate from the pump cylinder  261 , having its own discrete mounting ring. Instead of being a discrete component, the pump cylinder  261  is formed as part of the re-entrant formation of the top plate  240  surrounding the plunger button  280 . 
     Finally, this second embodiment shows a more compact construction than the first, with the product chamber  14  being higher in relation to its diameter so that the diameter is less for the same product capacity (50 ml in this example). The pot fits comfortably into one hand. 
     The characteristic inclined disposition of the pick-up area  242  with the higher plunger button  280  on the top of the dispenser is generally similar to that in the first embodiment. 
       FIG. 3  shows a third embodiment the same as the second as regards external contour (i.e. as in  FIG. 7(   b )), but using a different kind of pump spring to avoid a metal component. Instead, a plastics spring component  366  is used, having a set of resilient limbs  368  projecting down from a top mounting plate  367  fitting around the plunger stem. The ends of these limbs ride onto a downwardly-divergent (conical) cam surface  363  around the bottom of the cylinder and are pre-tensioned, i.e. displaced outwardly against their resilience even in the uppermost (rest) condition of the button  380 . When the button is depressed, the limbs  368  are forced further outwardly on the cam surface  363 , providing an increasing restoring force to return the button positively to the top when it is released. For durability and restoring force, the spring component  366  should be of a durable and resilient plastics such as acetal. 
     In the fourth embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 7(   c ), the pump engine and the outer and inner top plate are generally as in the third embodiment. However there is a radical change in that an aluminium container  410  is used. Metal containers have better barrier properties, particularly for volatiles such as perfume components, than simple plastics containers. They also allow further scope for the kind of exterior decoration to be applied. In this embodiment, the container or can  410  is formed by impact extrusion, and the top edge is crimped in to form a convergence  413  and edge lip  414 . The dispenser&#39;s lower body plate  430  plugs down into this, as before. Because a follower piston  420  is used, this must be positioned in the can  410  before the top edge is crimped in. 
     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7(   d ) takes a different approach, although the use of a metal container  510  as seen in the fourth embodiment is maintained. In this dispenser, the top plate  540  takes a conventional centrosymmetric form, with a large circular central dished pick-up zone  542 . The lower plate  530  sits down plug-fashion inside the container rim as before, but the pump chamber inlet  534  is central. A distinctive feature here is that instead of a piston and cylinder, the pump chamber  568  is delimited from above by a resiliently deformable pump chamber wall component  561 , with a central outlet spigot  535  connecting axially directly up to the central discharge opening  543 , connected via a downward socket  547  of the top plate. An outlet ball valve  549  is used in this embodiment. 
     The deformable pump chamber wall component  561  is generally circular in plan and has an outer retaining wall which is axially short, snapping into the underlying plate  532 . Unlike a bellows wall (which would be axially long), deflection is provided in the top wall of the component. To provide adequate restoring force in this situation, using conventional moulded plastics rather than elastomer, this top wall is segmented into a plurality of generally triangular facets  566  separated from one another and from the central spigot  535  by troughs  567 . These troughs  567  reinforce the wall against bending, creating high resilience so that the pump will restore and prime its own chamber without a discrete return spring being needed. Because the stroke is short, the pump chamber  568  is made wide. The inlet valve element  562  is essentially the same as in previous embodiments. 
     An upper plate  540  has a circular top wall with a downwardly-dependent skirt  541  all around, which sits in a retaining groove  533  around the top of the underlying plate  532 . The downward skirt  541  is free to move down, by the same distance all around, in a dispensing stroke of the entire upper plate  540 , to deform the chamber wall  561  downwardly and dispense product. 
     The use of the resilient wall reduces the number of components in the pump. The ball-type valve is an option. A poppet valve could be used instead, e.g. as above. In this example, the substantial travel of the ball between its closed and fully open positions provides for a volume of product to be sucked back into the pump chamber before the valve closes. This helps to keep the outlet passage clear. 
     It is generally preferable for the pump chamber to be substantially cleared by each stroke. In the present proposal, this can be achieved if desired by making the floor of the pump chamber—provided in this case by the disc surrounding the inlet valve  562 —generally complementary to the underside of the top wall. 
     Additionally or alternatively, the specially shaped resiliently deformable chamber wall  561  can be formed in one piece with the lower body plate  530  (because it can be made from conventional moulding plastics), providing the floor and inlet arrangement as a separate insert from beneath. This could reduce leakage by having a simpler joint. 
     An issue with a deformable wall of this kind is that its maximum resistance to deformation is at the beginning of the stroke. This might inhibit or surprise users. 
       FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7(   e ) show a way of ameliorating this, which will be useful with other kinds of pump action, with or without a deformable wall as illustrated. Here, the top plate  640  returns to the inclined conformation of the earlier embodiments, with a push actuator or button portion  680  at an eminence to one side, with a downward slope from the button to the opposite side including the pick-up surface area  642  which itself is correspondingly inclined. However the pick-up area is central, as in the previous embodiment, although smaller, and with its discharge opening  643  in the centre, i.e. above the outlet of a central deformable pump chamber as in the fifth embodiment. As mentioned, another kind of pump, e.g. piston/cylinder could be used. The distinctive feature here is that, at the side of the top plate  640  opposite the actuator button formation  680  (which is not discrete but simply a fixed integral eminent portion shaped for engagement by a thumb or finger) the downward surround skirt  641  has a circumferentially located tooth  647  for hook engagement beneath a corresponding shoulder in the receiving groove  633  of the upstanding surround of the bottom dispenser component  630 . An engagement recess or shoulder in which the tooth  647  engages pivotably can be created simply by a small cut-away. Because the actuator button portion  680  is nearly twice as far from this pivot point as the line of action down onto the pump chamber spring wall  666 , a mechanical advantage of nearly 2:1 is available. With a deformable wall pump chamber this reduces unexpected sensation for the user. With other kinds of pump spring it would further reduce the effort required.