Dispensing pump with locking structures and methods of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10870123-B2
Application number	US-201816163231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2018
Priority date	Jan 3, 2018
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A dispensing pump includes a spring assembly and a locking arrangement to prevent the dispensing head from being deployed and/or actuated during shipment, stocking and pre-purchase handling. The dispensing pump includes a pump base, and a dispensing head having a piston stem. The spring assembly includes a slotted tubular spring element and first and second loading cones received at opposing ends of the slotted tubular spring element. Various locking arrangements may include interacting rotatable lugs provided between the dispensing head and the pump base, snap beads to retain the piston and dispensing head in a secured shipping position, and recyclable locking rings disposed between the dispensing head and pump base which prevent an active dispensing head from being actuated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing pump comprising:
a pump base;
a dispensing head including a piston stem which is axially guided within the pump base between an extended position and a retracted position;
a spring assembly captured between the pump base and the piston stem biasing the dispensing head to said extended position; and
a releasable lock coupled between the pump base and the dispensing head, the releasable lock comprises:
a guide tube coupled between the spring assembly and the pump base, and a piston stem plug disposed at a terminal end of the piston stem, the piston stem plug slidably received within the guide tube and being slidably movable relative to the guide tube between a locked position when the dispensing head is retracted and a deployed position when the dispensing head is extended, said piston stem and piston stem plug being retained in the locked position by friction, and being retained in the deployed position by interfitting tabs.

2. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein the piston stem plug includes a sealing rim at a lower end thereof.

3. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein the pump base includes a closure ring, said releasable lock further comprising a frangible tear band releasably engaged between the closure ring and the dispensing head.

4. The dispensing pump of claim 2 wherein the pump base includes a closure ring, said releasable lock further comprising a frangible tear band releasably engaged between the closure ring and the dispensing head.

5. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein said piston stem plug includes an outwardly extending snap bead on a lower peripheral edge thereof, said snap bead engaging with a lower peripheral edge of said guide tube to retain the piston stem plug and piston stem in the locked position.

6. The dispensing pump of claim 1 wherein
said pump base includes an accumulator cup; and
said spring assembly comprises
a slotted tubular spring element formed from a tensile polymer material;
a first loading cone formed at the bottom of said accumulator cup and receiving a first end of said slotted tubular spring element; and

a second loading cone disposed on a terminal end of said guide tube and receiving a second end of said slotted tubular spring element.

7. The dispensing pump of claim 5 wherein
said pump base includes an accumulator cup; and
said spring assembly comprises
a slotted tubular spring element formed from a tensile polymer material;
a first loading cone formed at the bottom of said accumulator cup and receiving a first end of said slotted tubular spring element; and
a second loading cone disposed on a terminal end of said guide tube and receiving a second end of said slotted tubular spring element.

8. A dispensing pump comprising:
a pump base;
a dispensing head including a piston stem which is axially guided within the pump base between an extended position and a retracted position;
a spring assembly captured between the pump base and the piston stem biasing the dispensing head to said extended position; and
a releasable lock coupled between the pump base and the dispensing head, wherein said pump base includes a closure ring and the releasable lock comprises a slotted tubular band captured between the closure ring and the dispensing head, said slotted tubular band releasably maintaining said dispensing head in said extended position.

9. The dispensing pump of claim 8 wherein said slotted tubular band comprises a paper material.

10. The dispensing pump of claim 8 wherein said slotted tubular band comprises a plastic material.

11. A dispensing pump comprising:
a pump base;
a dispensing head including a piston stem which is axially guided within the pump base between an extended position and a retracted position;
a spring assembly captured between the pump base and the piston stem biasing the dispensing head to said extended position; and
a releasable lock coupled between the pump base and the dispensing head,
wherein said pump base includes a closure ring and the releasable lock comprises a frangible tubular band captured between the closure ring and the dispensing head, said frangible tubular band releasably maintaining said dispensing head in said extended position.

12. The dispensing pump of claim 11 wherein said frangible tubular band comprises a plastic material.

13. A dispensing pump comprising:
a pump base;
a dispensing head including a piston stem which is axially guided within the pump base between an extended position and a retracted position;
a spring assembly captured between the pump base and the piston stem biasing the dispensing head to said extended position; and
a releasable lock coupled between the pump base and the dispensing head,
wherein said spring assembly comprises:
a slotted tubular spring element formed from a tensile polymer material; a first loading cone received at a first end of said slotted tubular spring element, said first loading cone being fixed relative to said pump base; and
a second loading cone received at said second end of said slotted tubular spring element, said second loading cone being movable relative to said pump base.

14. A dispensing pump comprising:
a pump base including an accumulator cup and a closure ring;
a dispensing head including a piston stem which is axially guided within the closure ring between an extended position and a retracted position;
a spring assembly captured between the pump base and the piston stem biasing the dispensing head to said extended position; and
a rotatable lock coupled between the pump base and the dispensing head, the rotatable lock comprises:
a plurality of axially extending guide lugs disposed on the piston stem;
a chaplet received within the closure ring, the chaplet including a plurality of axially extending guide slots for guiding axial movement of the dispensing head between said retracted and said extended positions,
said dispensing head being rotatable relative to said chaplet between a locked position and an unlocked position,
said guide lugs and the chaplet including mating surfaces which are engaged in the locked position and disengaged in the unlocked position.

15. A dispensing pump comprising:
a pump base including an accumulator having a dip tube port within a bottom wall, and further having a ball valve within said dip tube port, said pump base further including a closure ring securing said accumulator to a neck of a container;
a dispensing head including a piston stem which is guided within the pump base and has a terminal end which extends into the accumulator;
a piston seal received about the piston stem and forming a seal with inner walls of the accumulator;
a spring assembly comprising:
a slotted tubular spring element formed from a tensile polymer material; and
first and second loading cones received at opposing first and second ends of said slotted tubular spring element,
said first loading cone formed with said bottom wall of said accumulator,
said second loading cone received at said terminal end of said piston stem and being movable with said dispensing head relative to said first loading cone; and
a releasable lock coupled between the pump base and the dispensing head.

16. The dispensing pump of claim 15 wherein the releasable lock comprises:
a guide tube coupled between the spring assembly and the pump base, and a piston stem plug disposed at a terminal end of the piston stem, the piston stem plug slidably received within the guide tube and being slidably movable relative to the guide tube between a locked position when the dispens

Assignees

• Silgan Dispensing Systems Corp

Inventors

• Deman Eelco H
• Jennette Jacqueline

Classifications

• B05B11/1076

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

• B05B11/105 Primary

  Sealing arrangements around pump actuating stem · CPC title

• B05B11/1023

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

• B05B11/1077

  characterised by a particular shape or material (B05B11/1076 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/1074

  located outside pump chambers · CPC title