Dispensing pump with polymer compression spring assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10794445-B2
Application number	US-201916544847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2019
Priority date	Jan 3, 2018
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A dispensing pump includes a polymer compression spring assembly. The dispensing pump includes a pump base, and a dispensing head having a piston stem. The polymer compression spring assembly includes a slotted tubular spring element and first and second loading cones received at opposing ends of the slotted tubular spring element. The first loading cone is fixed relative to the pump base while the second loading cone is axially movable with the piston stem and dispensing head. The tubular spring element is disposed coaxially about the piston stem between the cones. When the dispensing head is compressed, the loading cones axially compress toward each other whereby the slotted tubular spring element radially expands to create an opposing contraction force, and in turn, an axial extension force. When released, the spring element elastically contracts to its at rest shape, returning the loading cones and dispensing head to their at rest positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing pump comprising:
a pump base;
an accumulator within the pump base;
an inlet port within the accumulator;
a valve within the inlet port;
a dispensing head having an outlet nozzle and an inlet stem;
a piston stem having an interior flow passage, an upper end received with the inlet stem of the dispensing head and an opposing lower end with an inlet opening extending into said accumulator;
a piston seal at said lower end of said piston stem, said piston seal engaging said accumulator; and
a compression spring assembly comprising:
a slotted tubular spring element formed from a tensile polymer material;
a first loading cone disposed concentrically around the accumulator at a first end of said slotted tubular spring element; and
a second loading cone disposed concentrically around the piston stem at said second end of said slotted tubular spring element, said second loading cone being axially compressible with said piston stem and said dispensing head toward the first loading cone,

whereby said slotted tubular spring element radially expands to create an opposing extension spring force.

2. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein said first loading cone is annular and is integrally molded with the pump base.

3. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein said second loading cone is integrally molded with the piston stem.

4. The dispensing pump of claim 2 wherein said second loading cone is integrally molded with the piston stem.

5. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein said slotted tubular spring element has strain reducing ribs extending longitudinally along opposing slot edges.

6. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein said slotted tubular spring element has a longitudinal spine rib opposite said slot.

7. The dispensing pump of claim 6 wherein said slotted tubular spring element has circumferential ribs extending from said longitudinal spine toward said slot.

8. The dispensing pump of claim 7 wherein said circumferential ribs gradually reduce in height until merging with an outer surface of the spring wall.

9. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein said pump base include an outer skirt wall extending upwardly, and said dispensing head includes an outer shroud wall extending downwardly.

10. The dispensing pump of claim 9 wherein said outer shroud wall of said dispensing head is slidably received within said outer skirt wall of said pump base.

11. The dispensing pump of claim 4 wherein said pump base include an outer skirt wall extending upwardly, and said dispensing head includes an outer shroud wall extending downwardly.

12. The dispensing pump of claim 11 wherein said outer shroud wall of said dispensing head is slidably received within said outer skirt wall of said pump base.

13. The dispensing pump of claim 7 wherein said pump base include an outer skirt wall extending upwardly, and said dispensing head includes an outer shroud wall extending downwardly.

14. The dispensing pump of claim 13 wherein said outer shroud wall of said dispensing head is slidably received within said outer skirt wall of said pump base.

Assignees

• Silgan Dispensing Systems Corp

Inventors

• Deman Eelco H
• Koster Stefan

Classifications

• B05B11/1074

  located outside pump chambers · CPC title

• B05B11/1023

  having an outlet valve opened by deformation or displacement of the piston relative to its actuating stem · CPC title

• B05B11/1076

  Traction springs, e.g. stretchable sleeve · CPC title

• B05B11/1001

  Piston pumps (B05B11/1087, B05B11/1088, B05B11/109 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/105

  Sealing arrangements around pump actuating stem · CPC title