Liquid dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11179739-B2
Application number	US-201816625411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jul 13, 2017
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

A discharge head for a liquid dispenser having a base, an actuation handle, a liquid inlet and a discharge opening. The discharge head has a pump mechanism which conveys liquid from a liquid store to the discharge opening. To control liquid to be discharged and/or inflowing air, the discharge head has a valve with a valve flap which closes a valve channel and transfers to an open position by a positive pressure that exceeds a threshold positive pressure. The discharge head has an effector element bearing on the handle and the base, which deforms when the handle is pressed down. The valve flap is designed and attached to the effector element such that the deformation of same acts on the valve flap so that the threshold positive pressure, beyond which the valve flap leaves its closed position, is at least 10% lower in an actuated end position than in a non-actuated end position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A discharge head for a liquid dispenser for discharging pharmaceutical or cosmetic liquids, said discharge head comprising:
a base;
an actuation handle, said actuation handle being configured for pressing downward in an actuation direction and movable relative to said base between a non-actuated end position and an actuated end position;
a liquid inlet for connection to a liquid store;
a discharge opening for dispensing liquid to an environment;
a pump mechanism including a pump chamber for conveying liquid from the liquid store to said discharge opening, said pump chamber being arranged between said actuation handle and said base;
a valve configured to open based on pressure, said valve being arranged in one of the following locations: between said pump chamber and said discharge opening; between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber; or in a ventilation channel connecting the environment to the liquid store, said valve having a valve flap which closes a valve channel in a closed position and is transferable to an open position, said valve flap being transferable to said open position by a positive pressure exceeding a threshold positive pressure, the threshold positive pressure being present in one of the following: said pump chamber when said valve is arranged between said pump chamber and said discharge opening; the liquid store when said valve is arranged between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber; or the environment when said valve is arranged in said ventilation channel; and
a deformable effector element disposed to bear on said actuation handle and said base, said deformable effector element deforming when said actuation handle is pressed downwardly in the actuation direction, said valve flap being attached to said deformable effector element at an attachment area, said valve flap and said attachment area being configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element acts on said valve flap to lower the threshold positive pressure by at least 10% in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the non-actuated end position of said actuation handle.

2. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said valve comprises one or more of the following: an outlet valve disposed between said pump chamber and said discharge opening, said outlet valve opening due to liquid pressure in said pump chamber as a size of said pump chamber decreases; an inlet valve disposed between said liquid inlet and said pump chamber, said inlet valve opening due to negative pressure in said pump chamber as a size of said pump chamber increases; and a ventilation valve disposed in said ventilation channel, said ventilation valve opening due to negative pressure in the liquid store.

3. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said valve has a valve seat and a valve channel defined between said valve flap and said valve seat, said valve flap being positioned relative to said valve seat to prevent flow of liquid through said valve in said closed position thereof, and said valve flap is positioned relative to said valve seat to permit flow of liquid through said valve in said open position thereof, and deformation of said deformable effector element adjacent said attachment area controls a force with which said valve flap presses against said valve seat to cause the threshold positive pressure to be at least 10% lower in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position of said actuation handle.

4. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said valve flap is configured and disposed to move in an opening direction in order to achieve said open position of said valve, and said valve flap and said attachment area are configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element induces a force into said valve flap, the force being oriented in the opening direction of said valve flap to decrease the threshold positive pressure.

5. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said valve flap and said attachment area are configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element acts on said valve flap such that the threshold positive pressure is one of: at least 30% lower in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position; or 30% lower in the actuated end position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position.

6. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said actuation handle is movable relative to said base into a middle position located between the non-actuated end position and the actuated end position, and said valve flap and said attachment area are configured and disposed such that deformation of said deformable effector element acts on said valve flap such that the threshold positive pressure is one of: at least 5% lower in the middle position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position; at least 15% lower in said middle position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position; or at least 20% lower in the middle position of said actuation handle as compared to the threshold positive pressure in the non-actuated end position.

7. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said valve flap and said attachment area are configured and disposed such that the threshold positive pressure does not fall to a value of 0 bar or below 0 bar, even in the actuated end position.

8. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said valve flap and said deformable effector element comprise a one-piece integral component.

9. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said pump mechanism comprises a pump chamber wall disposed in surrounding relation with, and defining, said pump chamber, said pump chamber wall comprising a hose component having an open inlet end secured to said base and an open outlet end secured to said actuation handle, said pump chamber wall, or a part of said pump chamber wall, defining said deformable effector element.

10. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said deformable effector element has a shape, said shape being curved or bent a plurality of times in opposite directions, said shape shortening in a manner of a concertina upon movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction.

11. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said pump mechanism comprises a pump chamber wall defining said pump chamber and said deformable effector element is formed by said pump chamber wall or a part of said pump chamber wall, said pump chamber wall being configured as a bellows having a shape, said shape being curved or bent a plurality of times in opposite directions such that said pump chamber wall shortens upon movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction.

12. The discharge head according to claim 1 , wherein said deformable effector element has a subportion oriented at a first angle relative to the actuation direction in the non-actuated end position, and said subportion being arranged on said deformable effector element such that upon movement of said actuation handle in the actuation direction said deformable effector element deforms and said subportion is swiveled or pivoted and is oriented at a second angle relative to the actuation direction, said second angle being greater than said first angle, said valve flap being disposed on said subportion and being configure

Assignees

• Aptar Radolfzell Gmbh

Inventors

• Baumann Tobias

Classifications

• B05B11/0044 Primary

  compensating underpressure by ingress of atmospheric air into the container, i.e. with venting means (venting means for deformable containers B05B11/047) · 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

• B05B11/1035 Primary

  the pumping chamber being a bellow · CPC title

• B05B11/1033 Primary

  the deformable wall, the inlet and outlet valve elements being integrally formed, e.g. moulded · CPC title

• A45D2200/057

  Spray nozzles; Generating atomised liquid · CPC title