Refilling systems, refillable containers and method for refilling containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11220420-B2
Application number	US-202117184682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2021
Priority date	Mar 14, 2017
Publication date	Jan 11, 2022
Grant date	Jan 11, 2022

Abstract

Exemplary sanitary soap refilling systems and methods are disclosed herein. An exemplary refill refilling system includes a housing, a pump located within the housing, and a bulk storage tank connector. The bulk storage tank connector having a liquid outlet and an air inlet. A liquid inlet conduit is in fluid communication with the pump the liquid outlet. A refill connector is included. The refill connector has a liquid inlet and an air outlet. The refill connector air outlet and the bulk storage tank connector air inlet are in fluid communication with one another. The refill liquid inlet is in fluid communication with the pump.

First claim

We claim:

1. A portable soap refill system comprising:
a housing configured to be moved from station to station to refill a plurality of soap dispensers;
a concentrate refill container containing a concentrate fluid soap releasably secured to the housing;
a water inlet;
the concentrate refill container in fluid communication with a pump having an inlet for receiving fluid from the concentrate refill container and an outlet;
a static mixer in fluid communication with the water inlet and the pump outlet for providing a diluted mixture;
a hose in fluid communication with the static mixer;
a quick connect fitting on an end of the hose;
a dispenser;
a dispenser container releasably secured to the dispenser;
a refill port in fluid communication with the dispenser container;
wherein the refill port is configured to connect with the quick connect fitting to fill dispenser container with the diluted mixture.

2. The soap refill system of claim 1 further comprising a three-way valve, wherein an outlet of the three-way valve drives a piston to operate the pump.

3. The soap refill system of claim 1 further comprising a water piston.

4. The soap refill system of claim 1 wherein the water inlet is in fluid communication with a hose that is connectable to a restroom faucet.

5. The soap refill system of claim 1 further a limit switch for detecting compression of a pump chamber.

6. The soap refill system of claim 1 further comprising a biasing member configured to expand the pump chamber.

7. The soap refill system of claim 6 wherein the biasing member causes water to flow into the static mixer.

8. The soap refill system of claim 7 wherein the fluid soap comprises alcohol.

9. The soap refill system of claim 8 wherein the volume of alcohol is greater than about 5% and less than about 40% by volume of the fluid soap.

10. A portable soap refill system comprising:
a housing configured to be moved between a plurality of soap dispensers;
the housing including a concentrate fluid soap;
the housing having a water inlet;
a hose connected to the water inlet configured to be releasably connected to a plurality of faucets;
a water activated pump in fluid communication with the concentrate in the concentrate container;
wherein water pressure from water inlet cause the pump to pump a dose of concentrate into a static mixer;
wherein upon a loss of pressure from the water inlet, water is pumped into the static mixer;
wherein the concentrate soap and water mix in the static mixer and form a non-concentrated soap;
a hose in fluid communication with the static mixer;
a quick connect fitting on an end of the hose;
a dispenser;
a container located within the dispenser;
a refill port in fluid communication with the dispenser container;
wherein the refill port is configured to connect with the quick connect fitting to fill dispenser container with the diluted mixture; and
wherein the water pressure is turned on and off a plurality of times, thereby alternately pumping concentrate liquid and water into the static mixing chamber until a desired amount of non-concentrate soap is pumped into the dispenser container.

11. The soap refill system of claim 10 further comprising a three-way valve, wherein an outlet of the three-way valve drives a piston to operate the pump.

12. The soap refill system of claim 10 further comprising a water piston.

13. The soap refill system of claim 10 wherein the water inlet is in fluid communication with a hose that is connectable to a restroom faucet.

14. The soap refill system of claim 10 further a limit switch for detecting compression of a pump chamber.

15. The soap refill system of claim 10 further comprising a biasing member configured to expand the pump chamber.

16. The soap refill system of claim 15 wherein the biasing member causes water to flow into the static mixer.

17. A soap refill system comprising:
a bulk refill container containing a fluid soap;
a pump in fluid communication with the bulk refill container;
a first hose in fluid communication with the pump;
a quick connect fitting on an end of the first hose;
a second hose in fluid communication with the bulk refill container;
a second quick connect fitting on an end of the second hose;
a dispenser;
a dispenser container located in the dispenser;
a first dispenser fitting in fluid communication with the dispenser container;
the first dispenser fitting configured to releasably connect to the first quick connect fitting;
a second dispenser fitting in fluid communication with the dispenser container;
the second dispenser fitting configured to releasably connect to the second quick connecting fitting;
wherein when the first and second quick connect fittings are connected to the first dispenser fitting and the second dispenser fitting, air flows through one of the first and second hoses and soap flows through the other of the first and second hoses to fill the dispenser container with soap;
wherein air is transferred from the dispenser container to the bulk refill container and liquid soap is transferred from the bulk refill container to the dispenser container.

18. The soap refill system of claim 17 wherein air flows through the first hose and the pump pumps air out of the dispenser container and into the bulk refill container.

19. The soap refill system of claim 17 further comprising circuitry located proximate the bulk refill for reading information from a memory on the dispenser or dispenser refill unit.

20. The soap refill system of claim 17 further comprising circuitry located proximate the mobile bulk refill unit for writing information to memory located on the dispenser or a dispenser refill unit.

Assignees

• Gojo Ind Inc

Inventors

• Marshall Aaron D
• Ciavarella Nick E
• Mcnulty John J
• Archer Matthew J
• Kennedy Emily Barbara
• Lightner Bradley L
• Corney Richard E
• Fokens Jason
• Bonner Chet J

Classifications

• A47K5/1202 Primary

  dispensing dosed volume (A47K5/1201 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B67D7/74

  Devices for mixing two or more different liquids to be transferred (coin-freed apparatus G07F13/06) · CPC title

• B05B11/0056

  with an additional opening for filling or refilling · CPC title

• A47K5/12

  for liquid or pasty soap · CPC title

• A47K5/14

  Foam or lather making devices · CPC title