Patent Description:
In particular, the subject of the present invention is a dispensing unit formed of a manually operated dispenser and a support device intended to be mounted to the wall and suitable to support the dispenser, provided with security means to prevent the unlawful removable of the dispenser.

These dispensing groups are particularly widespread in the hotel sector, as they allow staff to replace the empty dispenser with a new dispenser and at the same time prevent the dispenser from being unlawfully removed, for example by guests. Examples of known dispensing devices are disclosed in documents <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

However, the security means usually provided for are often insufficient, so that the dispenser is often unlawfully removed all the same. <CIT> discloses a fluid dispenser illustrating the state of the art.

The object of the present invention is to construct a dispenser unit that satisfies the requirements of the field and overcomes the drawbacks mentioned in reference to the prior art.

This object is achieved by a dispensing unit according to claim <NUM>. The dependent claims describe further advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The features and advantages of the dispensing unit according to the present invention will be apparent from the description given below, provided by way of nonlimiting example, in accordance with the accompanying figures, wherein:.

With reference to the accompanying figures, a dispensing unit is indicated collectively at <NUM> comprising a support device <NUM> suitable to be mounted to the wall, for example by screws or with double-sided adhesive tape, and a dispenser <NUM>', <NUM>", <NUM>‴ supported by the support device <NUM> and separable therefrom.

The dispenser <NUM>', <NUM>'', <NUM>‴ comprises a bottle <NUM>, e.g. circular or quadrangular in shape, and a dispensing head <NUM> applied to the bottle <NUM> in an engagement region, e.g. by threaded or bayonet attachment.

The dispensing head <NUM> is manually operable for dispensing the product contained in the bottle.

For example, the dispensing head <NUM> comprises a nozzle <NUM> which, manually lowered from an initial rest position, causes the product to be dispensed, and when released returns to the rest position.

The bottle <NUM> has a bottom 7a and a side wall 7b. In the bottom 7a a cavity <NUM> is obtained, which will be discussed hereinafter.

According to an embodiment, moreover, the bottle <NUM> comprises a label <NUM> applied to only one region of the side wall 7b; in other words, a further region of the side wall 7b, and in particular the one facing the wall to which the dispensing unit is mounted, does not have a label, so as to allow staff to verify the level of product contained, while this level is essentially hidden from the normal user.

In normal use of the dispensing unit, however, the label <NUM> is visible, so that the user may be informed about the contents of the bottle and the composition of the dispensable product. Furthermore, the entire bottle is visible, so as to be able to present various designs.

The support device <NUM> comprises a mounting body <NUM> and a covering body <NUM>.

The mounting body <NUM> (<FIG>) is substantially L-shaped and comprises a mounting plate <NUM>, intended to be mounted to the wall, having a predominant extension along a vertical direction Y between an upper end <NUM> and a lower end <NUM>, and a foot <NUM>, protruding from the mounting plate <NUM> at the lower end <NUM> thereof.

Preferably, the mounting body <NUM> is made as a single piece out of plastic material, obtained by injection molding.

The mounting plate <NUM> has lateral sides <NUM>, <NUM> extending along the vertical direction in each of which there is obtained an undercut <NUM>. Said undercuts <NUM> produce guide rails for coupling the mounting body <NUM> with the covering body <NUM>.

The support device <NUM> further comprises hooking means suitable for a snap-engagement of the mounting body <NUM> with the covering body <NUM>.

For example, said hooking means comprise a pair of flexible prongs <NUM>, <NUM>, arranged at the top end of the mounting plate <NUM>; said prongs <NUM>, <NUM> are suitably shaped at the free end to form a guide and form a fork <NUM>.

The foot <NUM> has a substantially flat upper surface <NUM>, and an engagement projection <NUM>, protruding from the upper surface <NUM>, intended for shape-coupling with the cavity <NUM> of the bottom 7a of the bottle <NUM>.

According to a preferred embodiment, the engagement projection <NUM> is circular cylindrical in shape; according to other embodiments, the engagement projection is frustoconical or prismatic in shape, and thus also is the cavity <NUM>. In any case, the cavity <NUM> of the bottom 7a of the bottle <NUM> and the engagement projection <NUM> of the foot <NUM> of the mounting body <NUM> form a shape-coupling so that the engagement projection <NUM> is insertable in the cavity <NUM>.

The frustoconical shape is particularly advantageous, as it allows the bottle to be kept in the correct position during normal use by virtue of the friction between the surface of the cavity and that of the projection, and, at the same time, to be able to rotate the bottle to view the level of the remaining product.

The covering body <NUM> (<FIG>) is essentially L-shaped and comprises a covering portion <NUM> and a gripping portion <NUM>.

The covering portion <NUM>, which extends between an upper end <NUM> and a lower end <NUM>, has a substantially flat front surface <NUM>, configured to cover the mounting plate <NUM> when the covering body <NUM> is applied to the mounting body <NUM>, and a back surface <NUM>.

At the back, moreover, the covering portion <NUM> comprises a pair of side guides <NUM>, <NUM> extending along the vertical direction Y, shaped to achieve a slidable engagement with the side panels <NUM>, <NUM> of the mounting plate <NUM>.

Moreover, the covering portion <NUM> comprises a hooking element <NUM>, protruding from the rear surface <NUM>, to form a snap-engagement with the fork <NUM> of the mounting plate.

In other words, the hooking means comprise said hooking element <NUM>.

The gripping portion <NUM> protrudes from the covering portion <NUM> at the top end <NUM>.

Said gripping portion <NUM> comprises a gripping collar <NUM>, which delimits a gripping opening 62a suitable for inserting the bottle <NUM> near the neck thereof or near the dispensing head <NUM>.

Said gripping portion <NUM> also moreover has a key opening <NUM> which makes the rear part of the covering portion accessible from above.

In particular, said key opening <NUM> makes it possible to insert a security key suitable to deactivate the hooking means, i.e. suitable to disengage the fork <NUM> from the hooking element <NUM>.

For the wall installation of the support device <NUM>, the mounting plate <NUM> of the mounting body <NUM> is applied to the wall, typically by means of screws or anchors.

When the dispenser <NUM>', <NUM>'', <NUM>''' is arranged, moreover, the nozzle <NUM> is passed through the gripping collar <NUM> of the covering body <NUM>.

The covering body <NUM> is then slidable coupled with the mounting body <NUM> (in particular, the lateral guides <NUM>, <NUM> of the covering body <NUM> slide along the lateral sides <NUM>, <NUM> of the mounting body <NUM>, until reaching an engagement configuration (<FIG>) wherein the fork <NUM> is snap-engaged with the hooking element <NUM>) and at the same time the bottom 7a of the bottle <NUM> is inserted on the engagement projection <NUM> of the foot <NUM> of the mounting body <NUM>, so as to be accommodated in the cavity <NUM> of the bottom 7a of the bottle <NUM>.

In other words, the bottle <NUM> is insertable vertically on the foot <NUM> of the mounting body <NUM>, so that the engagement projection <NUM> is inserted vertically into the cavity <NUM> of the bottom 7a of the bottle <NUM>.

According to a further embodiment of the invention (<FIG>), the dispensing unit <NUM> comprises a security collar <NUM> applicable to the gripping collar <NUM> so as to cover at least partially the engagement region of the dispensing head <NUM> with the bottle <NUM>.

Preferably, the security collar <NUM> is cup-shaped and comprises a cylindrical collar wall <NUM>, a collar edge <NUM> protruding radially externally from a lower end 102a of the collar wall <NUM>, and a collar crown <NUM> protruding radially internally from an upper end 102b of the collar wall <NUM>.

The security collar <NUM> has a longitudinal split <NUM> which, in a predefined angular position, interrupts the annular continuity of the collar edge <NUM>, the collar wall <NUM> and the collar crown <NUM>.

The gripping opening 62a has, in a predefined angular position, a projection <NUM> suitable to couple with the split <NUM> of the security collar <NUM> so as to block the rotation of the security collar <NUM> inserted in the gripping opening 62a.

For the assembly of the dispensing unit, the security collar <NUM> is applied to the gripping collar <NUM> of the covering body <NUM>; then the dispensing head <NUM> is inserted through the security collar <NUM>, so that the engagement region is at least partially covered by the security collar <NUM>; finally, the bottle <NUM> is positioned so that the engagement projection <NUM> is inserted in the cavity <NUM> and the covering body is coupled to the mounting body <NUM>.

The security collar <NUM> is bound axially to the gripping collar <NUM> by virtue of the collar edge <NUM> and rotationally by virtue of the gripping projection <NUM> inserted in the split <NUM>; the engagement area wherein the dispensing head is screwed or otherwise engaged with the bottle is therefore not accessible to a user.

According to a further embodiment (<FIG>), the gripping projection <NUM> has a greater angular extension than in the embodiment mentioned with reference to <FIG>, and correspondingly the split <NUM> of the security collar <NUM> is larger.

Preferably, moreover, the security collar <NUM> has a security projection <NUM> protruding from an upper surface 104a of the security edge <NUM>; correspondingly, the gripping collar <NUM> has a gripping seat <NUM> obtained on a lower surface 62b of the gripping collar <NUM>. The gripping seat <NUM> is suitable to accommodate the security projection <NUM>.

According to a still further embodiment (<FIG>), the security collar <NUM> has limited angular extension, and the security wall <NUM>, the security edge <NUM> and the security crown <NUM> consist of cylindrical sectors.

Moreover, the security projection <NUM> has greater angular extension than in the embodiment shown in <FIG> and the gripping seat <NUM> passes through the thickness of the gripping collar <NUM>.

Moreover, the gripping projection <NUM> extends over most of the angular extension of the gripping opening 62a, so that the security wall <NUM> may be inserted into the remaining space 110b.

In this embodiment, the engagement region between the dispensing head <NUM> and the bottle <NUM> may be reached by a user, but in any case, the dispensing head <NUM> is not separable from the bottle <NUM> by virtue of the retention enacted by the security crown <NUM>.

Innovatively, the dispensing unit <NUM> according to the present invention meets the needs of the sector and overcomes the drawbacks mentioned with reference to the prior art because the dispenser may no longer be unscrewed and unlawfully removed, as it is blocked at the top by the collar and below by the coupling with the engagement projection.

Moreover, the bottle is exposed as well as the label, so that the user may be informed about the nature of the product to be dispensed and the composition. In other words, between the foot <NUM> and the gripping collar <NUM> a compartment is defined for the reception of the bottle and the compartment is free of panels, so as to leave the bottle exposed.

Advantageously, moreover, by properly configuring the engagement projection and the cavity, a univocal match is created between the dispenser and the support device, so that each dispenser may be coupled to a respective support device, in such a way that the service personnel may distribute the various products without making mistakes.

Another advantage of the dispensing unit according to the present invention is that it allows one to limit the use of counterfeit dispensers and products which are at times dangerous, because only dispensers containing original products have a cavity corresponding to a predefined engagement projection.

Advantageously, moreover, by modifying the aesthetics of the dispenser bottle alone, the aesthetics of the entire dispensing unit are modified. This is particularly appreciated, for example, by hoteliers, who may introduce new elements into the aesthetics of a room by changing the aesthetics of the bottle alone.

Furthermore, the support device may be mounted to the wall by means of screws or anchors or by means of double-sided adhesive tape; advantageously, this allows an application to the wall according to various needs.

According to an even more advantageous aspect, the dispensing unit provides that the dispensing head is separable from the bottle only by the staff in charge of the arrangement of the hotel rooms, equipped with the release key, while it is not separable by the users.

Claim 1:
Device (<NUM>) mountable to the wall to support a dispenser (<NUM>',<NUM>",<NUM>‴) consisting of a bottle (<NUM>) and a dispensing head (<NUM>) coupled in an engagement region, comprising:
- a mounting body (<NUM>) having a mounting plate (<NUM>), intended to be mounted to the wall, and a foot (<NUM>), projecting from the mounting plate (<NUM>), wherein the foot (<NUM>) has an upper surface (<NUM>) and an engagement projection (<NUM>) protruding from the upper surface (<NUM>);
- a covering body (<NUM>) comprising a cover (<NUM>), configured to cover at least partially the mounting plate (<NUM>), and a gripping portion (<NUM>), projecting from the cover (<NUM>) and comprising a gripping collar (<NUM>) engageable with the dispenser, wherein the covering body (<NUM>) may be slidably coupled with the mounting body (<NUM>), wherein between the foot (<NUM>) and the gripping collar (<NUM>) a compartment is defined for accommodating the bottle;
- security means (<NUM>,<NUM>;<NUM>;<NUM>;<NUM>) adapted to obtain a snap engagement between the covering body (<NUM>) and the mounting body (<NUM>), said security means being releasable and comprising an opening (<NUM>) obtained through the covering body (<NUM>), adapted to insert a key for releasing the security means;
- wherein the engagement projection (<NUM>) has a predefined configuration for univocally coupling with a bottom (7a) of the bottle (<NUM>) of the dispenser (<NUM>', <NUM>", <NUM>‴);
- wherein said compartment of the device is free of panels, so as to leave the bottle visible.