Patent ID: 8678240

Claim:
A manually operated single product dispenser comprising a user interface for receiving a single stroke actuation by a user, a single dispenser mechanism for dispensing a predetermined quantity of product to the user on a full stroke of the dispenser mechanism and a linkage mechanism for transferring displacement of the user interface to the dispenser mechanism, wherein the linkage mechanism permits the user interface to be operated to the full extent permitted by the user interface and to transmit to the dispenser mechanism only as much of the operation of the user interface as is required to permit the dispenser mechanism to dispense the predetermined quantity of product wherein the linkage mechanism comprises a first plate connected to the user interface and arranged to move with the user interface, a second plate connected to the dispenser mechanism, and at least one resilient member arranged to act between the first plate and the second plate, the resilient member being selected such that it will cause the first plate and the second plate to be displaced together in response to any movement of the user interface to cause the dispenser mechanism to be operated, but which when the dispenser mechanism reaches the end of its travel, permits the first plate to continue to be displaced while the second plate remains substantially stationary, thereby absorbing substantially any excess movement of the user interface to prevent damage to the dispenser mechanism.