Patent Publication Number: US-6209760-B1

Title: Media dispenser

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a dispenser in which media of all possible aggregations may be stored in a tightly sealed condition or discharged. The dispenser is intended to be clasped, freely carried and/or actuated single-handedly. The medium may be liquid, pasty, powdered, gaseous and/or granular. It is precisely metered when discharged. The dispenser is composed mostly or completely of injection-molded or plastics parts. All internal surfaces coming into contact with the medium are made from polymeric material The medium is atomized or, where necessary, discharged in larger droplets. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which avoids the disadvantages of prior art configurations or contributes to the advantages cited below. A further object is to make the dispenser sealingly tight against leakage. Still a further object is to achieve reliable dispenser function or a simple construction. A still further object is to contribute to and facilitate assembly of the dispenser. A further object is to avoid contamination of the stored medium with soil or germs. A still further object is to contribute to fastening of the dispenser to a reservoir without damage, in particular to sensitive resilient members, like piston lips. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, the dispenser comprises a dispensing wall penetrated by a medium duct. The dispensing wall is substantially integral with two portions of a traveling member spaced from each other or from the wall. The traveling member includes a medium impeller such as a plunger, a base body closure such as a slidable cylinder cover, a valve body element, and a base body blocking member. Each traveling member includes a sliding or stopping face, particularly an inner or outer circumferential face, an edge face and/or an end face. This face can also be a single annular edge of a plunger lip sliding by this edge only. 
     The traveling member that is penetrated by the medium duct mounts between its ends or is spaced away from a runner body extending at least up to its external face or projecting therefrom. This body is axially and/or radially firmly connected to the runner and forms actuating handles. Such a body may also support a plunger lip against receiving excessive movements when this plunger lip is less thick than the remaining portions of the body carrying it. 
     The compression or pump chamber is bounded on the inner circumference by two separate components. One component forms the sole sealing face for one or two plunger lips. The other component forms a medium inlet body. Both parts together form two concentric, nested, annular end faces for common support on the end face of the bottleneck. 
     Also, means are provided to positively limit an operating position like the actuated end position by stops and to then hold the plunger lip free of axial and/or radial compressive forces. Thereby, the dispenser, when in the actuated end position, can be axially and forcibly brought into firm engagement with the reservoir or some other base support without the plunger lip being damaged by such compressive forces. Between the stop faces of the dispenser a separate stop member may also be provided which after assembly does not remain on the dispenser. 
     In including the features, such as configurations, effects etc. in the present invention, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,084, issued Aug. 17, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,559, issued Jul. 27, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,819, issued Mar. 23, 1999 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,150, issued May 9, 2000. The invention is also suitable for dispensers having a reservoir which is intended for a once-only use or for being emptied in a single operating stroke. Such dispensers may be provided for operation through a unidirectional, individual and interrupted or uninterrupted stroke. Thereby, the medium reservoir is a pressure chamber provided in a vessel, and the vessel has a cap with one or more traveling members. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Example embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following and illustrated in the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a partly axial loss-section of a dispenser according to the invention and when in a rest or initial position; and 
     FIG. 2 is a detail of the dispenser of FIG. 1 in the actuated end position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The dispenser  1  includes units  2 ,  3  axially movable against each other by a manual discharge actuating unit  5 . Base unit  2  includes base body  4  with a housing  7  of thrust piston pump  6 , a support body  8  and a pressure body  9  commonly forming housing  7  and located in the center dispenser axis  10 . The main flow direction  85  is parallel to axis  10  and directed from unit  2  through unit  3  outwardly. The direction  86  of the actuating motion of unit  3  is oriented opposite to direction  85 . The return motion in direction  85  ends in the rest position. 
     Body  8  has a cap which forms a support flange  11 . The end wall  12  is supported on its inside by both body  9  and a further annular face  22 . Only beyond the inside of end wall  12  and at the adjoining inner circumference thereof a shell-shaped cylindrical side wall  13  protrudes into body  9 . An upwardly extending cylindrical member  14  protrudes radially outside of the outer circumference of wall  13  beyond wall  12  only in direction  85  while being a shell-shaped upwardly extending end wall. Wall  14  juts into unit  3  and surrounds it commonly with its continuation wall  13  as a shield. The inside of wall  12  has a recessed reception  15  for engaging the upstream end of body  9  centered without radial clearance and axially abutted. 
     Unit  3  has a piston unit  16  including piston  17  of pump  6 , a piston or base body closure  18  for the downstream end of body  4  and a piston shaft  19  directly carrying annular and spaced plungers  17 ,  18 . The medium is conveyed by pressure through the interior of plungers  17 ,  18  in direction  85  to medium outlet  20  of unit  3  from which the medium emerges into the open while exiting from dispenser  1 . 
     The coaxially nested shells  13 ,  23  of stepped bodies  8 ,  9  bound a pressure or pump chamber  21  which is reduced on actuation and reaches valveless almost up to the downstream end of unit  3  or to outlet  20 . The upper end of body  9  forms a flange  22  or annular disk protruding beyond the outer circumference thereof. Flange  22  is fully countersunk and radially centered in reception  15 . Only the shell of body  9  forms an appendage  23  protruding beyond the open end of cap  11  in direction  86 . Body  8  has no parts protruding beyond this cap end. 
     Body  9  has a pin projection  24  freely protruding from its upstream end in direction  85  into parts  11 ,  13 ,  14 ,  17 ,  18 ,  19 . Pin  24  forms that portion of body  9  which protrudes furthest in direction  85  and beyond flange  22 . A riser tube  26  juts from this end of body  9  in direction  86  up to the bottom of a bottle-shaped reservoir or base support  29 . Tube  26  connects downstream to an inlet duct  25  traversing body  9 . Tube  26  is inserted into the end of body  9  in direction  85 . Duct  25  traverses pin  24  only over part of its length. Duct  25  emerges at the outer circumference of pin  24  with a slot so that the slimmer end section of spigot  24  has full cross-sections. Section  22  forms with an upstream end face and in the plane of the support face of wall  12  a radially inner support member  27  for direct support relative to reservoir  29 . The outer circumference of shell  13  adjoins the inner circumference of shell  23  coaxially over the full length of shell  13  so that pressure space  21  is sealed at this point. 
     A core body  70  is inserted in both units  3 ,  4  and is an oblong, one-part component. Body  30  extends from the upstream outermost wall of body  9  down to the downstream outermost wall of unit  3  which outlet  20  traverses. The upstream end forms a bellows-type valve spring  31  and in turn directly interconnected in direction  85  an annular disk-shaped valve element  32 , a bellows type return spring  33 , a sleeve-shaped actuating member  34 , and a bellows type valve spring  35  followed by a dimensionally rigid section  46  extending up to the core end. By its inner circumference the length-variable body  30  bounds a suction chamber  36  permanently valveless connecting to duct  25  and reservoir  29 . When shortened chamber  26  also serves as a compression chamber for returning the medium into reservoir  29 . The upstream end face of body  30 ,  31  forms an annular transition edge  37 , along which the medium flows while changing direction out of chamber  36  into an annular chamber or antechamber at the outer circumference of bellows  31 . This antechamber directly connects to chamber  21  at valve member  32 . Annular chamber  36  is also bounded by pin  24  and extends almost down to the downstream end of body  30 . At this end body  30  forms a stop  38  liftable from unit  3  in direction  86 . 
     Longitudinal sections  31 ,  33 ,  35  connect to each other and forms at the outer circumference a helically pitched guiding face  39  while forming at the inner circumference a correspondingly helical guiding face  40  extending over the full length of sections  31  to  35 . The outer circumference of section  35  forms a radially and axially elastically pliant centering member for centering body  30  on the inner circumference of unit  3 . The longest section  46  bounds almost over its full length the dimensionally rigid hollow chamber  41 . Section  46 , like sections  34 ,  35 , forms by its outer circumference a bound member  42  of an outlet duct  55  which is always subjected to the same fluid pressure as chamber  21 . Duct  55  begins at the end edge of lip  17  between this and body  30  and continues annularly and/or as a length groove up to the end wall of unit  3 . The upstream end of body  30 ,  31  forms a stop  43  for pretensioned support of sections  31  to  33  on body  9  with edge  37 . Resilient section  31  may be centered by its helical outer circumference at the inner circumference of shell  23 . Section  46  forms by its outer circumference a dimensionally rigid centering member  44  for movably guiding on inner circumferences of unit  3 . Section  33  may be radially spaced from the opposing walls. 
     The downstream end of body  30 ,  46  forms as part of an outlet valve  48 , a dimensionally rigid valve element  45  having a protuberance of reduced diameter. The dimensionally rigid closing faces of valve  48  may be formed by end and/or circumferential faces. When closed, the end face  38  of member  44 ,  45  adjoins the inside of end wall  49  which is traversed in one part by a stepped nozzle duct. The outer end of this nozzle duct has a diameter of less than one millimeter or half a millimeter and forms outlet  20  along a axis  10  the atomizer nozzle. The closing faces may bound swirler means for generating a rotational flow about axis  10  and may for this be provided with suitable depressions. Member  32  belongs to inlet valve  47  of pump  6 . The valve seat of valve  47  is formed by an inner or annular shoulder of shell  23 . Thus, the same pressure also substantially exists from valve  47  to valve  48  since, in between, all medium spaces are permanently interconnected. 
     Wall  49  belongs, like parts  17  to  19 , to a one-part traveling member  50 . The runner shell  51  directly adjoins wall  49  only in direction  86  and forms lip  17 . Piston  18  protrudes over the outer runner circumference in direction  85  and is spaced from lip  17 . Piston  18  is shorter than its diameter, and is always located within wall  14 . Shell  51  has a shoulder  52  which is spaced in the direction  85  from cup piston  18 , located at the outer circumference, annularly protruding and pointing in direction  85 . A corresponding shoulder  53  is provided in the same length portion and on the inner circumference of shell  51 . Face  53  points in direction  86 . A sleeve or valve body  54  protrudes in direction  86  from the inside of wall  49  and is radially spaced from while being located within shell  51 . Member  44 ,  45  is guided and radially centered within element  54 . Thereby, it is provided that in the abutting position the free end of body  54  abuts on that shoulder of body  40  which envelopes members  44 ,  45 . Between the slidingly interengaged circumferential faces of members  45 ,  54  and with valve  48  open, the medium is able to flow through, for example, through length or swirl grooves. In the rest position face  38  sealingly closes the inner end of the nozzle duct. 
     The inner circumference of shell  51  bounds duct  55  opposite to body  30 . Section  46  may have one or more circumferentially distributed flats  56  at the outer circumference and connecting upstream to shoulder  53  up to member  35 . At flats  56  duct  55  then includes flared duct cross-sections to mollify the flow. The inner circumference of continuous shell  19 ,  51  forms a counter member  51 , which is juxtaposed downstream directly with lip  17 . Member  57  fixedly receives fastener  34  inserted into member  57  in direction  85 . 
     Member  18  simultaneously forms a movable valve body of a valve  56  for a second fluid, particularly air for venting reservoir  29  through body  4 . Thereby, air does not gain access to the medium spaces of pump  6 . The inner circumference of wall  14  forms an annular shoulder or control edge  59  of a stationary valve body  76 . In the rest position the sealing lip of member  18  is in pressure tight contact with member  46 . After a first partial stroke sealing lip  18  jumps over edge  59  so that the sealing contact is cancelled and air is able to flow in direction  86  through shell  14  when space  29  is evacuated. 
     Unit  3  has in axis  10  a one-part runner body  60 . Body  60  forms at its upstream end one or more locking members  61  jutting radially inwardly, an actuating member  62 , such as a handle. Downstream thereof body  60  has a centering member  63  centering relative to traveling member  50 , a protection member  64  for traveling member  50 , a stop  66  for axial support on traveling member  50 , a support member  63  for piston  18 , an end wall  68  tapered in direction  85  as a truncated cone and a stop member  65  as the upstream outermost face for abutting on wall  12 . Body  60  is mounted on traveling member  50  in direction  86  until its stop  66  located within wall  68  firmly comes into contact with shoulder  52 . Downstream thereof, the outer circumference of shell  51  and the inner circumference of wall  68  are in contact with each other in a tight press fit. Upstream thereof, the shell shaped duct and centering member  63  freely protrudes from wall  68  in direction  86 . Thus the free end of member  63  is a support member  67  located directly adjacent to the bottom wall of piston  18  and protecting piston  18  from excessive deformation. Also shell  64  projects only in direction  86  over wall  68  while being radially spaced from shell  63 . At its end shell  64  translates into members  61 ,  62 ,  65  which jut over the inner and/or outer circumference of shell  64 . The end wall forming members  62 ,  65  may be circular or oblong in axial view. Thus the smallest width of this finger shield corresponds to the outer width of shell  64 . Shell  51  traverses and juts in direction  85  beyond body  60  as a slim stud which may be introduced into a body or nasal opening. on completion of being introduced wall  68  abuts against the bound of the patients opening which it may flare or sealingly close. 
     Valve  58  belongs to a second fluid guide separate from the medium guide, namely a vent  70 . The vent chamber  71  adjoins the valve  58  downstream in direction  86  and is annularly bounded by walls  14 ,  19  while being sealingly closed by valve  58  with respect to the associated fluid supply, in this case the environmental atmosphere. The other end of chamber  71  adjoins an axial duct  72  traversing the wall  12 . Duct  72  is located between walls  13 ,  14 . Duct  72  translates radially outwards into a significantly narrower, angular duct  73 . Duct  73  is bounded by the bottom and inner circumference of space  15  and by the outer end face and the outer circumference of flange  22 . Thus duct  73  has a radial and a shorter axial duct leg porting by one end directly between the concentrical support faces of the two bodies  8 ,  9 . This port is covered by a germ filter  74  or annular disk. The cited support faces rest on filter  74  which sealingly rests on the outer circumference of shell  23  with radial compressure. Filter  74  is located between walls  12 ,  22  and an annular disk or elastomeric seal  75 . Seal  75  directly sealingly supports on filter  74 . Thus air flows from the port of duct  73  into filter  74 , therewith in radially against axis  10  and then between the outer circumference of shell  23  and the inner circumference of seal  75  into the interior of reservoir  29 . 
     Wall  14  juts permanently in direction  85  between walls  63 ,  64 . Wall  14  has at the outer circumference a locking or centering member  77  for positively abutting locking member  61  in the rest position. Thus unit  3  is prevented from being withdrawn from unit  2 . The outer circumference of wall  14  forms an outer guide  78  on which during the operating stroke body  60  is slidingly guided with members  61  independent from body  50 . 
     Piston  17  is permanently guided only by shell  13 . In the actuated end position radial pressure relief means are effective for plunger lip  17  like for lip  18 . Lip  17 , therefore, runs into an abruptly flared annular space  80  over the end edge  81  of wall  13 . Space  80  is bounded at the outer circumference and on one end side by shell  23  and at the other end side by edge face  81 . As in FIG. 2 the sealing edge of lip  17  overlaps edge  81  just short before reaching the end position so that it is then located within space  80  free of any contact and without axial abutting. In the end position end face  65  of the finger shield abuts around wall  14  on the outside of wall  12 . Face  65  is remote from handle  62 . Thus, in this position cap  11  may be axially pressed onto the neck of reservoir  29  until being firmly connected although thereby the pressing force is fed into face  62 . 
     Body  9  bounds between parts  23 ,  24  a reception space  82  accommodating springs  31 ,  33  and dimensionally rigid valve body  32 . Space  80  is then bounded by shell  13  in an axially adjoined zone. The shell of cap  11  comprises on the inner circumference a projecting locking member  84  for positively engaging a complementary counter member of the outer circumference of the reservoir neck. Member  84  may be caused to engage the counter member simply by axial motion. Thereby, the cap shell is primarily and resiliently flared before then springing back when in the axial end position. Member  84  is a snap member, but could also be a female thread, a metalic crimp ring or the like. The upstream end wall of cup body  9  has at its inside radial stop projections  83 , such as ribs, distributed about the projection  24 . Stop  43  supports against elements  83  between which the medium flows from chamber  36  into the antechamber. 
     Except for plunger lips  17 ,  18  and members  31 ,  33 ,  35  all other components of the dispenser  1  are dimensionally stable in operation. The dimensional relationships as depicted are particularly favorable. The length of the dispenser  1  between the upstream end of housing  7  and wall  49  in FIG. 1 is less than 15 cm, 10 cm or 8 cm. While discharging medium the dispenser  1  is held so that one finger supports on the bottom of reservoir  29  and two fingers rest on the actuating member  62  on both sides of shell  64 . 
     By compressing member  62  in direction  86  chambers  21 ,  36  are volumetrically reduced so that after a first partial stroke valve  47  closes counter spring  31  as a function of the travel motion path. Also, thereafter medium continues to be further pumped from chamber  36  back into reservoir  29 . Pin  24  emerges over a partial length into space  41  and displaces medium therefrom. In chamber  21  a fluid pressure is built up effective up to face  38  until this pressure causes section  44  to  46  to be shifted as a control plunger in direction  86  and counter spring  35 . Thereby, projection  44 ,  45  may always remain in valve body  48  or emerge out therefrom. In the latter case also the circumferential faces of valve bodies  45 ,  48  may sealingly interact in the closed state. 
     As soon as valve  48  has opened the medium flows from chamber  21  through outlet duct  55  into the nozzle duct and out of outlet  20 . Due to the single or double helical guiding faces  39 ,  40  the medium is caused to swirl in the associated chambers. The helical pitch is for this purpose steep, particularly steeper than 300, 450 or 600. Thus, upon length changes also a torsional stress is built up and depleted in the springs. This torsion is superimposed on the axial spring action. 
     On release of handle  62  the dispenser  1  is reversed to its rest position by spring  33  and valve  48  closes immediately whilst chambers  21 ,  36  are flared and valve  47  opened. Thus, medium is permitted to flow from reservoir  29  directly into chamber  36  and therefrom via edge  37  and valve  47  into chamber  21 . Thus, all chamber or medium spaces are always entirely filled with medium. 
     The cited features, such as properties, effects, configurations etc. may be provided precisely as described, or merely substantially or approximately so and may also greatly deviate therefrom depending on the particular requirements. 
     Pin  24  reaches permanently up to section  46  so that chamber  36  is always annular from spring  31  up over the full length of spring  35 . Bodies  8 ,  9  on the one hand, and bodies  50 ,  60  on the other, may also be in one part with each other. A few up to all components of the dispenser  1  are made of polyethylene so that gamma ray sterilization of the dispenser  1  is possible. Parts  50 ,  30  may be preassembled so that already thereafter the closing force of the valve  48  is preset.