Abstract:
Portable liquid dispensers are disclosed herein, including a bracket and a pouch. The pouch comprises a container portion, a flange portion surrounding the container portion, and a channel portion formed in the flange portion for providing fluid communication from an interior of the container portion through the flange portion. The bracket holds the flange portion of the pouch in order to form the liquid dispenser.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This non-provisional utility patent application claims priority to and the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/664,391 filed on Jun. 26, 2012, and entitled PORTABLE LIQUID DISPENSER. This application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to liquid dispenser systems and more particularly to a portable liquid dispenser, as well as a disposable refill/replacement pouch for using with such a dispenser. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Liquid dispenser systems, such as liquid soap and sanitizer dispensers, provide a user with an amount of liquid upon actuation of the dispenser. It is desirable to provide such a dispenser that is portable, easily recharged once the dispenser runs out of liquid to dispense, and inexpensive to produce. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Portable liquid dispensers are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a liquid dispenser comprises a bracket and a pouch. The bracket comprises a first portion and a second portion, such that the first portion may be releasably connected to the second portion in a closed bracket position. The pouch comprises a container portion, a flange portion surrounding the container portion, and a channel portion formed in the flange portion for providing fluid communication from an interior of the container portion through the flange portion. The first portion and the second portion of the bracket hold the flange portion of the pouch when in the closed bracket position in order to form the liquid dispenser. 
         [0005]    In this way, a simple and economical portable liquid dispenser including a replaceable pouch is provided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    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: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a portable liquid dispenser  100 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a pouch  200  for use in the dispenser  100 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a bracket  300  for use in the dispenser  100 , and partially shows how the valve member  208  of the pouch  200  fits within the bracket  300 ; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the dispenser  100 , with an attachment  400 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a portable liquid dispenser  100 . The dispenser  100  includes a pouch  200  and a bracket  300 , which are described further below. A slot  102  in the dispenser  100  provides a simple means of attaching the dispenser  100  to another item, such as a keychain, carabiner, necklace, bracelet, purse, book bag, identification card, IV stand, or the like. An outlet  104  of the dispenser  100  discharges a liquid upon actuation of the dispenser  100 . A pouch release  106  of the dispenser  100  may be operated to remove the pouch  200  from the bracket  300 , for example to replace a depleted pouch with a new liquid-filled pouch. 
         [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary pouch  200  for use in the dispenser  100 . The pouch  200  includes a flange portion  202  surrounding a container portion  204 . The container portion  204  provides a flexible bag-like container to store a supply of liquid within an interior of the pouch  200  and therefore the dispenser  100 . In various embodiments, the contained liquid could be for example a soap, a sanitizer, a cleanser, a disinfectant or some other dispensable liquid. The exemplary pouch  200  is composed of a flexible film material which is sealed around the edges in order to form the flange portion  202 . The seal may be a heat weld, an adhesive, or the like. The pouch  200  may advantageously be refillable, replaceable or both refillable and replaceable within the bracket  300 . In other embodiments the pouch  200  may be neither refillable nor replaceable within the bracket  300 . 
         [0013]    The flange portion  202  of the pouch  200  generally forms a seal around the container portion  204  so that liquid held within the container portion  204  will not leak out of the pouch  200 . However, an exit channel  206  is formed within the otherwise sealed flange portion  202 . When a user actuates the dispenser  100 , such as for example by squeezing the container portion  204 , liquid may escape from the container portion  204  through the exit channel  206 . 
         [0014]    A closure means may be placed within or next to the exit channel  206  in order to help ensure that liquid is not unintentionally dispensed from the container portion  204 . The closure means may comprise, for example, a valve member  208  held within the channel  206 , such as by heat welding. The valve  208  may be a slit valve or any other type of valve that has a desired cracking pressure. Preferably, the cracking pressure of the valve  208  is high enough so that the liquid contained within the pouch  200  is not accidentally dispensed. A suitable valve  208  is an LMS valve with a backing member. 
         [0015]    In alternative embodiments, the closure means may include a pumping mechanism (not shown), such as an elastomeric dome pump. U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,301 to Ciavarella et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0149666 to LaFlamme et al., and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0031278 to Han de Man each disclose a suitable elastomeric dome pump structure for use as a closure means in the pouch  200 . Those three references are each hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure for their respective teachings regarding elastomeric dome pump assemblies. 
         [0016]    The closure means may also include a cap  210  placed over the outlet  206  of the pouch  200 . In some embodiments, the cap  210  is removable from the pouch  200  but not replaceable. Such a cap  210  is useful, for example, to help ensure liquid does not escape from the container portion  204  during shipment and storage of the pouch  200  before it is placed within a bracket  300  to form a dispenser  100 . A removable but not replaceable cap  210  may comprise a tear off tab. In other embodiments, the cap  210  may be both removable and replaceable. Such a cap  210  remains in place over the channel  206  until it is removed by a user in order to actuate the dispenser  100 , and then re-installed by the user over the channel  206  after actuation. A removable and replaceable cap  210  may comprise a threaded element or a snap-fit element which fits over a mating element on a valve member  208  or a pumping mechanism. 
         [0017]    The closure means may include only a valve member  208 , only a pump mechanism (not shown), only a cap  210 , or any combination thereof. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize several other structures which will form or supplement a suitable closure means for the exit channel  206 . 
         [0018]    A foaming element (not shown) may also be disposed in the exit channel  206 . Such a foaming element mixes liquid from the container portion  204  together with air in a swirling motion to form a foamy mixture as the liquid is dispensed through the exit channel  206 . Suitable foaming elements include, for example, one or more screens, meshes, porous membranes, or sponges. In that event, the dispenser  100  may include an air pump (not shown) with an air conduit leading to a mixing chamber (not shown) disposed within the exit channel  206 . 
         [0019]    The flange portion  202  of the pouch  200  may have one or more apertures  212  formed therein. The particular embodiment of  FIG. 2  has a total of eight apertures  212  formed within the flange portion  202 . The flange portion  202  may also have a slot portion  214  formed therein. 
         [0020]    The container portion  204  of the pouch  200  may have a face  216  on which product information, advertising information, instructions, or the like are provided.  FIGS. 1 and 2  show two different exemplary embodiments of such a face  216 . The face  216  may contain identification information, so that the dispenser  100  may simultaneously serve as an identification card for use in large facilities such as hospitals, restaurants or factories in which employee sanitation is a particular concern. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary bracket  300  for use in the dispenser  100 . The exemplary bracket  300  is composed of a single member including a first portion  302  and a second portion  304  connected by a living hinge  306 . Other bracket embodiments (not shown) may be composed of separate first and second portions without any hinge or other element which permanently connects the two portions. The bracket  300  is formed of a relatively rigid material in comparison with the pouch  200 , such as an injection molded ABS plastic material.  FIG. 3  illustrates the bracket  300  in an open position. A releasable connection means permits the first bracket portion  302  to be connected to the second bracket portion  304  in a closed position so that the flange portion  202  of the pouch  200  is held in between to form a dispenser  100 .  FIGS. 1 and 4  illustrate the bracket  300  in a closed position. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, the releasable connection means includes one or more posts on one of the bracket portions  302  and  304  which snap-fit into mating receptacles in the opposite bracket portion. In the embodiment  300  shown in  FIG. 3 , eight posts  308  are formed in the second bracket portion  304 , while eight mating receptacles  310  are formed in the first bracket portion  302 . Of course, any number of post-receptacle combinations may be used, and the post-receptacle orientation between the two bracket portions may be reversed. When the bracket portions  302  and  304  are closed about the hinge  306 , the posts  308  are received within the receptacles  310  to releasably connect the bracket portions  302  and  304 . In some embodiments, the flange portion  202  of the pouch  200  may have apertures  212  which also receive the posts  308  upon connection of the first and second bracket portions  302  and  304 . This helps to ensure the pouch  200  is properly aligned between the two bracket portions  302  and  304  to form a dispenser  100 . 
         [0023]    In another embodiment, the releasable connection means includes outer edge elements on the bracket portions  302  and  304  which snap-fit together upon connection between the two bracket portions. Thus, in the embodiment  300  of  FIG. 3 , the first bracket portion  302  has a lip  312  which snap-fits into a socket  314  on the second bracket portion  304 . When the bracket portions  302  and  304  are closed about the hinge  306 , the lip  312  is received within the socket  314  to releasably connect the bracket portions  302  and  304 . In this way a pouch release  106  is also formed, such that a user may easily pull the lip  312  apart from the socket  314  to separate the two bracket portions  302  and  304  and thereby release the pouch  200 . 
         [0024]    The releasable connection means may include only the posts  308  and the receptacles  310 , or only the lip  312  and the socket  314 , or both structures. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize several other structures which will form or supplement a suitable connection means between the two bracket portions  302  and  304 . In this way the liquid dispenser  100  allows for a simple and inexpensive replacement of the liquid supply. Once the supply of liquid in the container portion  204  of the pouch  200  runs out, the now-empty disposable pouch  200  may be replaced with a new pouch  200  containing a supply of liquid. 
         [0025]    The two bracket portions  302  and  304  may have mating slot portions  316 . Upon connection between the two bracket portions  302  and  304 , the slot portions  316  align with the slot portion  214  of the pouch  200  in order to form the slot  102  of the dispenser  100 . 
         [0026]    When the two bracket portions  302  and  304  are connected together in a closed position, they form a common orifice  318  which receives the container portion  204  of the pouch  200 . In that way, the user may easily determine when the supply of liquid in the container portion  204  has run out. And, if the dispenser  100  is actuated by squeezing the container portion  204  to dispense liquid, this allows easy access by the user. 
         [0027]    The two bracket portions  302  and  304  have fitments  320  to form a channel which corresponds to the exit channel  206  of the pouch  200 . If the closure means of the pouch  200  is autonomous, such as a valve  208 , the fitments  320  may be shaped to completely enclose the closure means within the bracket  300 . If on the other hand the closure means of the pouch  200  require user interaction, such as a pumping mechanism or cap, the fitments  320  may be shaped to permit user access to and operation of the closure means. In one embodiment, a cap (not shown) is connected to the fitments  320  in order to close off the outlet  206 . 
         [0028]    In some embodiments, it may be useful to form the pouch  200  closure means as part of the bracket  300  rather than the pouch  200  itself. As discussed above,  FIG. 3  partially shows how the valve member  208  of the pouch  200  may fit within the bracket  300 . In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the slit valve or other type of valve may be placed in the fitments  320  of the bracket  300 . In that event, the valve  208  need not be incorporated with the disposable pouch  200 , decreasing the costs of making replacement pouches  200 . However, moving the valve to the bracket  300  can complicate the assembly of the dispenser  100 , because it requires making a liquid flow connection and not merely mechanical connections. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates an attachment  400  attached to the portable dispenser  100  via the slot  102 . The illustrated attachment  400  is a carabiner lanyard mechanism, which may in turn be attached to a person&#39;s belt, purse, coat, or other accessory or article of clothing. A lanyard string portion (not shown) of the attachment  400  is retractably stored within a housing  402  in order to permit easily portable use of the dispenser  100 . 
         [0030]    While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of embodiments thereof and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.