Abstract:
A simplified pump system including a bellow ( 310 ) having a suction valve ( 312 ), a stem ( 320 ), a fluid lock ( 330 ), and a tube retainer ( 380 ) having a vent element wherein the product flow into and out of a pump chamber formed by the bellow ( 310 ) and stem ( 320 ) is controlled by the suction valve ( 312 ) and fluid lock ( 330 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to pump devices and in particular to bellow-type pumps for dispensing fluids or other pasty products. 
         [0003]    2. State of the Art 
         [0004]    Pumps and pump devices are known. In addition, pumps using bellows systems as springs and pistons are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,793,803, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses a bellow-type pump and pump system which is known. 
         [0005]    Another type of pump is disclosed in PCT Application PCT/US11/066423, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0006]    While various bellow-type pump systems are known, the use of bellows for new delivery requirements and improvements in such pumps are desirable. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a pump system may include a bellow, a stem, a fluid lock, a base, a pump head and a tube retainer attached together to form a pump. In some embodiments, a portion of the base and tube retainer may act together to form a vent to allow a container attached to the pump system to vent. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments of the invention, a tube retainer may include one or more thin walled portions which may seal against a base of the pump system. Upon actuation of a pump and withdrawal of a product from within a container attached to the pump system, a pressure difference between the interior of the container and an exterior thereof may be sufficient to allow a flexing of the one or more thin walled portions such that they may unseat from the base and allow the container to vent. 
         [0009]    According to other embodiments of the invention, a tube retainer may include one or more valve posts which may fit in openings in a base and seal against the base. The one or more valve posts may be moved and unseated from the base upon actuation of a bellow and contact between the bellow and the one or more valve posts. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming particular embodiments of the present invention, various embodiments of the invention can be more readily understood and appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art from the following descriptions of various embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates a tube retainer according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates a blown apart, cross-sectional view of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  illustrates a blown apart view of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a pump system according to various embodiments of the invention; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  illustrates a cross-sectional, close-up view of a portion of  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    According to embodiments of the invention, a pump system may include a bellow, a stem, and a fluid lock acting together to form a pump for moving a product, such as a liquid or pasty material, from a container to a location outside of the container for use. In some embodiments of the invention, a bellow and stem may form a bellow chamber for holding a product and the stem may seal against the bellow until such time that the pump system is actuated when the seal between the bellow and stem may be broken, allowing product contained in the bellow chamber to flow out of the bellow chamber. In certain embodiments of the invention, the fluid lock or seal may be fitted with or attached to the stem such that as the stem moves, the fluid lock is seated or unseated, thereby blocking fluid flow into a bellow chamber or allowing fluid to flow therethrough when a vacuum or suction force is applied to a fluid in a container. In addition, various embodiments of the invention include one or more features to allow venting of a container attached to the pump system. 
         [0023]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a pump system  300  may include a bellow  310 , a stem  320 , a fluid lock  330 , a base  340 , a pump head  350  and a tube retainer  380  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . 
         [0024]    According to other embodiments of the invention, a pump system  300  may include a bellow  310 , a stem  320 , a fluid lock  330 , a base  340 , a pump head  350 , and a tube retainer  370  including one or more venting valves  375  as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 through 11 . 
         [0025]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a bellow  310  may be made of a silicon material. In other embodiments, a bellow  310  may be made of any desirable material and such material may be selected to be compatible with a product which will be pumped through the bellow  310  during use of the pump system  300 . Some other materials that may be used to construct, mold, or otherwise form a bellow  310  include TPU, TPE, or other elastomeric polymer materials. 
         [0026]    A bellow  310  according to embodiments of the invention may also take on varying shapes and sizes. The size of a bellow  310  may be adjusted to accommodate an amount of product which is desired for dispensing from the pump system  300 . In addition, the bellow  310  may be shaped or constructed to provide certain actuating forces and return forces based on the thickness of the walls, shapes of the walls, and other characteristics of the bellow  310 . 
         [0027]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a bellow  310  may include a suction valve  312  which may move during the actuation stroke of a pump system  300  and during the return stroke following actuation of the pump system  300 . The suction valve  312  may be attached to the body of the bellow  310  by legs, arms, or other configurations which include gaps between the suction valve  312  and the remainder of the bellow  310  such that product may pass into the bellow  310  when the pump system  300  is in use. 
         [0028]    Bellows  310  according to embodiments of the invention may also include an upper lip which contacts a pump head  350  any may be moved by the pump head  350  during actuation of a pump system  300 . In addition, portions of the upper lip of a bellow  310  may interact with portions of the stem  320  to form a valve or seal a compartment or pump chamber between an interior of a bellow  310  and the stem  320 . 
         [0029]    A stem  320  according to various embodiments of the invention may be configured in any desired shape. A stem  320  may also be made of any desirable material. For example, a stem  320  may be made of a moldable plastic or resin such as polypropylene or other material. 
         [0030]    According to embodiments of the invention, a stem  320  may include a top portion configured to interact with an upper portion or upper lip of a bellow  310 , a neck extending from the top portion to an end portion which may be configured to attach to or mate with a fluid lock  330 . The top portion may be configured in any desired shape to provide the characteristics desired for a pump system  300 . A portion of the neck may pass through a hole in a suction valve  312  of a bellow  310  and the end portion may extend outside the bellow  310 . The end portion of the stem  320  may be connected to, mated with, or otherwise attached to a fluid lock  330  as illustrated in the various Figures. 
         [0031]    A fluid lock  330  according to various embodiments of the invention may be configured in any desired shape and made of any desired material. In some embodiments, a fluid lock  330  may be made of a moldable polymer or resin. 
         [0032]    A fluid lock  330  may attach to an end portion of a stem  320  which projects through a suction valve  312  of a bellow  310 . In some embodiments of the invention, a fluid lock  330  is attached to an end portion of a stem  320  which passes through a portion of a base  340 . The attachment of a fluid lock  330  to a stem  320  may serve to hold a bellow  310  on a base  340  for assembly of a pump system  300 . When assembled with a stem  320 , a fluid lock  330  may seal against a portion of the base  340 , forming a seal and closing access to an opening in the base such that liquid, fluid, or other product may not pass by the fluid lock  330  and into an interior space of the bellow  310 . 
         [0033]    While a fluid lock  330  is shown with various embodiments of the invention, a pump system  300  having no fluid lock  330  may also be used. In such embodiments, an alternative means for stopping fluid or product flow into the bellow  310  upon application of a force to a container may be needed. For example, an additional valve could be molded with or integrated with the base  340 . 
         [0034]    A base  340  according to various embodiments of the invention may be configured in any desirable shape or size. For example, the base  340  illustrated in  FIG. 1  differs from the base  340  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . A base  340  may include an opening in the base  340  through which product—such as a liquid or fluid—may pass during operation of the pump system  300 . According to some embodiments of the invention, a suction valve  312  of a bellow  310  may seat in an opening, forming a seal therewith during actuation of a pump system  300  such that a fluid or product may not pass into an interior space of the bellow  310  during actuation. Following actuation, the suction valve  312  may unseat from the opening in the base  340  and allow fluid or product to enter an interior space of the bellow  310  until a fluid lock  330  engages and seals with the base  340 , preventing additional fluid or product flow. 
         [0035]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a pump system  300  may include one or more venting features. In some embodiments of the invention, a base  340  may be configured as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . As illustrated, a base  340  may include a fitment into which a tube retainer  380  may be seated or fitted. According to embodiments of the invention, a tube retainer  380  may include one or more thin walled portions  382  or seal portions which may seal against a portion of the base  340  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The base  340  may also include one or more openings  342  adjacent to the one or more thin walled portions  382  as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . As shown, the one or more thin walled portions  382  form a valve or gate between an interior portion of a container  900  and an exterior thereof when the pump system  300  is attached to a container  900 . The one or more openings  342  in the base  340  may allow atmospheric pressure to act on the one or more thin walled portions  382  such that when a pressure difference between an interior of a container  900  and an exterior thereof is different, the atmospheric pressure may unseat or unseal the one or more thin walled portions  382  from the base  340 , allowing the container  900  to vent. 
         [0036]    According to various embodiments of the invention, a tube retainer  380  may be made of a flexible material such that the one or more thin walled portions  382  may flex as desired to allow a container to vent. 
         [0037]    According to other embodiments of the invention, a pump system  300  may include a tube retainer  370  having one or more integral valve posts  375  as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 through 10 . In such embodiments, a base  340  may include one or more valve openings  345  into which one or more integral valve posts  375  may fit or seat. The one or more valve posts  375  may include one or more grooves to facilitate bending or deformation of the valve post  375 . In addition, a valve post  375  may include a ball-shaped or rounded vent seal  378  which may press against a conical opening  348  in the base  340 , thereby sealing an interior of a container  900  attached to a pump system  300  from an exterior thereof. 
         [0038]    For example, a close-up view of a valve post  375  seated in a valve opening  345  according to various embodiments of the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , a valve post  375  may include a vent seal  378  seated against a conical opening  348  in the base  340 . As bellow  310  is actuated and it is pushed down over an end portion of the valve post  375 , the bellow  310  may cause the valve post  375  to move, which in turn may unseat the vent seal  378  portion of the valve post  375  from the conical opening  348 . The unseating of the vent seal  378  opens a vent path from an interior of a container  900  attached to the pump system  300  to an exterior thereof, allowing the container  900  to vent. 
         [0039]    According to various embodiments of the invention, any of the configurations illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 11  may be used to form a vent path for a pump system  300  according to embodiments of the invention. 
         [0040]    A base  340  according to various embodiments of the invention may also include additional features for securing a pump system  300  to a container. For example, a base  340  may include threads for attaching the base, and pump system  300 , to a container having a threaded closure. A base  340  may also include lugs or bayonet closure mechanisms and features to secure the base  340 , and the pump system  300 , to a container. Other snap-fitment, plug-fitment, threaded closures, welds or other attachment systems may be incorporated with a base  340  to allow a pump system  300  to be attached to a container  900 . 
         [0041]    A pump system  300  according to embodiments of the invention may be configured to attach to any desired container. For example, a pump system  300  according to embodiments of the invention may be attached to a bottle using a conventional screw-type fitment system. In other embodiments, a base  340  may be welded or otherwise attached to an opening in the tube. Various embodiments of the invention may be attached to other conventional containers such as bottles, bags, tubes, or other containers from which a product may be drawn or pumped. In addition, attachment of a pump system  300  to a container may be by any conventional methods. 
         [0042]    According to some embodiments of the invention, one or more locking features may be added to a pump system  300  to allow a user to lock the pump system  300  and prevent or allow actuation of the pump system  300  as desired. 
         [0043]    Having thus described certain particular embodiments of the invention, it is understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not to be limited by particular details set forth in the above description, as many apparent variations thereof are contemplated. Rather, the invention is limited only be the appended claims, which include within their scope all equivalent devices or methods which operate according to the principles of the invention as described.