Pump style dispense mechanism for flowable product packaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10493476-B2
Application number	US-201815925944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2018
Priority date	Mar 20, 2017
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A dispenser includes a body having a an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first chamber, a first opening in fluid communication with the first chamber and extending through the body, a second opening in fluid communication with the first chamber and extending through the body, a first valve and a second valve disposed on the body, the valves having a closed and an open configuration, and an actuator disposed at least partially within the first chamber. The actuator may be configured to increase and decrease pressure in the first chamber such that the first valve and the second valve change from their respective closed configurations to their respective open configurations and from their respective open configurations to their respective closed configurations. When in the closed configuration, flow through the valves is impeded.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A dispenser for dispensing a fluid, the dispenser comprising:
a body having an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a first chamber;
a first opening extending through the body between the exterior surface and the interior surface, the first opening being in fluid communication with the first chamber;
a second opening extending through the body between the exterior surface and the interior surface, the second opening being in fluid communication with the first chamber;
a first valve disposed on the body, the first valve having a closed configuration and an open configuration;
a second valve disposed on the body, the second valve having a closed configuration and an open configuration;
an actuator disposed at least partially within the first chamber, the actuator configured to operatively increase and decrease pressure in the first chamber such that the first valve and the second valve change from their respective closed configurations to their respective open configurations and from their respective open configurations to their respective closed configurations; and
a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber,
wherein when the first valve is in the closed configuration, the first opening is substantially impeded such that fluid does not pass through the first opening, and when the first valve is in the open configurations, the first opening is substantially unimpeded such that the fluid can pass through the first opening,
wherein when the second valve is in the closed configuration, the second opening is substantially impeded such that fluid does not pass through the second opening, and when the second valve is in the open configurations, the second opening is substantially unimpeded such that the fluid can pass through the second opening.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a handle operatively connected to the actuator, the handle configured to convey a pushing force on the actuator in a first direction toward a distal end of the body and a pulling force on the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction toward a proximal end of the body.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a plunger having a plunger head, wherein the plunger head slidably contacts the interior surface of the body.

4. The dispenser of claim 3 , further comprising a sealing member disposed adjacent the plunger head and the interior surface of the body, the sealing member being configured to prevent the fluid from moving past the sealing member.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the first valve and the second valve include an elastically deformable element configured to deform in the application of a pressure greater than a threshold deformation pressure, and further configured to return to its un-deformed state upon such a decrease of applied pressure below the threshold deformation pressure.

6. The dispenser of claim 5 , wherein when the deformable element of the first and second valves is in the deformed state, the first and second openings, respectively, are unimpeded such that fluid can flow therethrough, and when the deformable element is in the un-deformed state, the first and second openings are impeded such that fluid cannot flow therethrough.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising a spring element configured to bias the actuator in a first direction toward a distal end of the body or in a second direction opposite the first direction toward a proximal end of the body.

8. The dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the spring element is a helical spring.

Assignees

• Liqui Box Corp

Inventors

• Micnerski Kenneth

Classifications

• B05B11/1015 Primary

  actuated without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke (B05B11/1011 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/1067

  actuated by pressure · CPC title

• B67D1/1277 Primary

  Flow control valves · CPC title

• B05B11/026

  Membranes separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container · CPC title

• B05B11/1069

  the valve being made of a resiliently deformable material or being urged in a closed position by a spring · CPC title