Patent Publication Number: US-8523474-B2

Title: Liquid dispensing device with ratchet mechanism

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to liquid dispensers and more particularly to a liquid (e.g., lotion) dispensing device having a ratchet mechanism so that a dispensing is made possible only by turning the liquid dispensing device, for example, clockwise and further lotion is prevented from leaking after closing the cap after use. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional liquid (e.g., lotion) dispenser, as a prior work of the present inventor, is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and comprises a hollow, cylindrical guide member  81 , a sleeve  80  lockingly fastened on the guide member  81 , a hollow, cylindrical first container  82  having one end fastened by the guide member  81  and the sleeve  80 , and a hollow, cylindrical second container  83  spaced from the first container  82  and having the other end fastened by the guide member  81  and the sleeve  80 . For using the second container  83 , a person may push the sleeve  80  toward the first container  82  to disengage teeth  801  on an inner surface of the sleeve  80  from teeth  831  on an outer surface of the second container  83  until the teeth  801  are lockingly engaged with teeth  821  on an outer surface of the first container  82 . Next, turning the second container  83  may turn a toothed positioning ring  923  which in turn turns a threaded bar  921  engaging through the positioning ring  923 . Thus, the threaded bar  921  moves to push a plunger  922  which in turn pushes out lotion contained in the second container  83  out of a second application head  830  of the second container  83  to, for example, the face of the person for dispensing. 
     While the conventional liquid dispensers continue to enjoy market success, a number of drawbacks have been found by the present inventor. For example, the container and the application head thereof always communicate each other. Thus, lotion remained on the application head may flow back into the container after use. This can contaminate lotion stored in the container. Further, no leak proof means is provided to each container. Hence, lotion may leak out of the container when shaking the liquid dispenser. Furthermore, both the first and second containers can be turned clockwise or counterclockwise. But only a clockwise turning of the container can dispense lotion. This, however, may jam the components of the liquid dispenser or even cause damage to the liquid dispenser if a person turns the container counterclockwise due to carelessness or other reasons. Thus, the need for improvement still exists. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a liquid dispensing device comprising a container comprising a space for containing a quantity of liquid, and a pawl member on a projecting opening; a transmission assembly disposed in the space and comprising a sleeve, a rotation ring fastened in the sleeve, an externally threaded pipe, and an internally threaded plunger wherein the rotation ring comprises a ratchet wheel, the sleeve is rotatably secured onto the container by engaging the ratchet wheel with the pawl member, one bare end of the externally threaded pipe is partially retained in the rotation ring, the plunger is engagement secured to the externally threaded pipe, and the externally threaded pipe comprises an axial channel; a dispensing assembly comprising a hollow mounting member, an elongated hollow carrier, an application head, and an exterior case wherein the mounting member is partially disposed in the sleeve and comprises an inlet opening at one end, the carrier comprises an axial passage and is capable of axially moving in the mounting member in a predetermined range, and the application head is partially anchored in both the carrier and the exterior case which is disposed at one end of the carrier distal the mounting member; and a cap comprising a capping section on an inner surface proximate its open end and a locking section extending inward from the capping section distal the open end wherein in a closed state of the container, a forward portion of the sleeve is lockingly, sealingly concealed by the capping section and the carrier is lockingly, sealingly concealed by the locking section; wherein a pulling of the cap away from the container bounces the carrier outward due to removal of a force exerted by the locking section on the carrier, and unblocks the inlet opening; and wherein a turning of the sleeve toward a predetermined direction co-rotates both the rotation ring and the externally threaded pipe to move the plunger toward bottom of the container along the externally threaded pipe in order to push the liquid to flow to the application head via the channel, the inlet opening, and the passage. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a liquid dispense according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  where the cap is dislodged and lotion is flowing out of the application head for dispensing; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a conventional liquid dispenser; and 
         FIG. 6  is a longitudinal sectional view of the liquid dispenser shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a liquid dispenser in accordance with the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below. 
     A cylindrical container  1  has a closed bottom and comprises a space  11  for containing a quantity of lotion, and a pawl member  12  on a projecting opening distal the bottom. 
     A transmission assembly  2  is disposed in the space  11  and comprises a sleeve  23 , a rotation ring  21  in the sleeve  23 , an externally threaded pipe  25 , a plunger  27 , and a sealing ring  28 . The sleeve  23  is rotatably secured onto the pawl member  12  and adapted to turn about the container  1 . The sleeve  23  comprises internal teeth  231  on an inner surface. The rotation ring  21  comprises an externally toothed section  211  at one end adapted to engagement secure to the internal teeth  231  to anchor the rotation ring  21  within the sleeve  23 . One bare end of the externally threaded pipe  25  is partially retained in the rotation ring  21 . The sealing ring  28  is put on the externally threaded pipe  25  adjacent one end of the externally threaded pipe  25 . The plunger  27  is put on both the externally threaded pipe  25  and the sealing ring  28 . Both the plunger  27  and the sealing ring  28  have internal teeth engagement secured to the threads of the externally threaded pipe  25  so that lotion stored in the container  1  is prevented from flowing out of the container  1  through the surface of the externally threaded pipe  25  contacting both the plunger  27  and the sealing ring  28 . The externally threaded pipe  25  comprises an axial channel  251 . Both the sleeve  23  and the rotation ring  21  may co-rotate to turn the externally threaded pipe  25 . The plunger  27  is sealingly engaged with the inner surface of the space  11 . Further, both the plunger  27  and the sealing ring  28  may move axially toward bottom of the space  11  by engagement moving along the externally threaded pipe  25 . The rotation ring  21  further comprises a ratchet wheel  212  on the other end. The ratchet wheel  212  is engaged with the pawl member  12  together they form a ratchet so that the rotation ring  21  is allowed to turn in only one direction about the container  1 . 
     A dispensing assembly  3  comprises a hollow, cylindrical mounting member  31 , an elongated hollow carrier  32 , an application head  33 , and a hollow, conic exterior case  34 . The mounting member  31  is partially disposed in the sleeve  23  and comprises an inlet opening  310  at one end and an outwardly extending rim  312  on the other end. The carrier  32  comprises an axial passage  321 , a shroud  322  extending outward and toward the mounting member  31  for receipt a portion of the mounting member  31  not disposed in the sleeve  23 , and an inward extending annular stop member  323 . The carrier  32  may axially move in the mounting member  31  in a range from the rim  312  contacting the blind end of the shroud  322  to the position when the rim  312  contacts the stop member  323  and being stopped by the stop member  323  (i.e., preventing the carrier  32  from disengaging from the mounting member  31 ). The bullet shaped application head  33  is partially anchored in both the carrier  32  and the exterior case  34  which is disposed at one end of the carrier  32  distal the mounting member  31 . The application head  33  is either a sponge or a brush. The mounting member  31  comprises an internal block member  311  proximate the bottom end. The carrier  32  may axially move to have its bottom end (i.e., passage  321 ) not being sealed by the block member  311  in an open state of the liquid dispenser as shown in  FIG. 4  (i.e., the inlet opening  310  being not blocked). Alternatively, the bottom end of the carrier  32  is blocked by the block member  311  when the liquid dispenser is closed as shown in  FIG. 3  (i.e., the inlet opening  310  being blocked). As a result, lotion contained in the container  1  is prevented from leaking. 
     A cup-shaped cap  4  comprises on its inner surface a capping section  41  proximate its open end and a locking section  42  extending inward from the capping section  41  a short distance. In a closed state of the liquid dispenser, a forward portion of the sleeve  23  is lockingly, sealingly concealed by the capping section  41  and the shroud  322  is lockingly, sealingly concealed by the locking section  42  (see  FIG. 3 ). As such, the carrier  32  is retained. To the contrary, a removal of the cap  4  can pull the carrier  32  away from the sleeve  23  a short distance until the rim  312  contacts the stop member  323  and being stopped by the stop member  323  (see  FIG. 4 ). As a result, the inlet opening  310  is open. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , for opening the liquid dispenser a person may pull the cap  4  away from the sleeve  23 . And in turn, the carrier  32  bounces outward due to the removal of the force exerted by the locking section  42  on the carrier  32 . Thus, the passage  321  disengages from the block member  311  to communicate with the inlet opening  310 . The bouncing of the carrier  32  will be stopped when the shroud  322  contacts the rim  312 . Next, the person may turn the sleeve  23  toward a predetermined direction (i.e., allowed direction such as clockwise direction). And in turn, the rotation ring  21  co-rotates with the externally threaded pipe  25 . Then both the plunger  27  and the sealing ring  28  move toward bottom of the container  1  along the externally threaded pipe  25 . And in turn, lotion contained in the space  11  is pushed to flow to the application head  33  via the channel  251 , the inlet opening  310 , and the passage  321  as indicated by arrows. The person may apply pushed out lotion to his or her body. It is envisaged by the invention that the sleeve  23  is allowed to turn about the container  1  in only one direction (e.g., clockwise direction) due to the ratchet engagement of the ratchet wheel  212  and the pawl member  12 . The amount of pushed out lotion for dispensing can be fairly controlled when turning the sleeve  23 . 
     After use, the person may close the cap  4  onto the sleeve  23  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Thus, the carrier  32  is pressed toward the sleeve  23  due to the force exerted thereon by the locking section  42 . As such, the passage  321  engages the block member  311  to block the flow from the inlet opening  310  to the passage  321 . As a result, lotion in the space  11  is prevented from leaking into the application head  33  via the inlet opening  310 . 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.