High output mini foamer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040365-B2
Application number	US-201715999293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2017
Priority date	Feb 17, 2016
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A foamer for use in dispensing a dosage of a product which has a foam consistency is disclosed. The foamer is described as having a high output and as being a mini foamer such that the associated pump engine is able to deliver a dosage for each stroke which is in excess of that dosage normally associated with mini foamers. The receptacle to which the pump engine is assembled has a neck finish which is smaller than those neck finishes normally associated with higher output foamers. The resulting combination as set forth herein is to provide a higher output dosage without changing the size benefits and preferences of a mini foamer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A foamer for use in dispensing a dosage of a product, the dosage having a foam consistency, said foamer comprising:
a pump engine having an air piston contained within a housing defining an air chamber, a liquid piston contained within the air chamber that delivers liquid to a mixing chamber adjacent to the liquid piston, and an air valve that admits air from the air chamber into the mixing chamber wherein the pump engine is constructed and arranged to deliver a dosage for each complete stroke of between 0.9 and 1.1 cc wherein the dosage consists of a foam having an air to liquid ratio, by volume, of approximately 7:1;
a receptacle, which is constructed and arranged to retain an amount of liquid product for use in creating said dosage, having a neck finish with an outer diameter between 33 and 36 mm; and
a closure element having an internally threaded collar, an actuator, a foaming element interposed between the mixing chamber and the dispensing orifice, and a sleeve coupled to an offset formed in an inner annular wall of the actuator;
wherein: (i) the actuator includes an outer neck wall spaced apart from and surrounding the inner annular wall, (ii) the actuator is coaxially received within a central aperture of the collar to accommodate approximately 22 mm of downward axial movement so that the sleeve and outer neck wall are received and disposed within the air chamber at a down-most position, (iii) a spring urges the air piston, the liquid piston, and the actuator axially upward and (iv) the pump engine is coupled to the closure element and the closure element is assembled to the neck finish.

2. The foamer of claim 1 wherein the downward axial movement of the actuator causes the sleeve to urge the air piston downward.

3. The foamer of claim 2 wherein the air piston urges the liquid piston downward.

4. The foamer of claim 3 wherein the housing further comprises a lower sleeve associated with the housing and wherein the lower sleeve receives a liquid valve stem attached to the liquid piston.

5. The foamer of claim 1 wherein the liquid piston includes an annular radial flange and wherein an abutment surface formed in the housing at a lower end of the air chamber prevents further downward axial movement.

Assignees

• Rieke Packaging Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Yen Kean

Classifications

• B05B11/1087 Primary

  Combination of liquid and air pumps · CPC title

• B05B11/1059

  Means for locking a pump or its actuation means in a fixed position (B05B11/1091 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B11/1047

  the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container · CPC title

• A47K5/1205

  Dispensing from the top of the dispenser with a vertical piston · CPC title

• A47K5/14 Primary

  Foam or lather making devices · CPC title