Fluid dispensing system with adapter for a table top dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12208402-B2
Application number	US-202318347252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2023
Priority date	Dec 7, 2020
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

A fluid dispensing system including a fluid dispenser that is operable in a stand-alone mode, and a housing that is configured to removably receive the fluid dispenser for operation of the fluid dispenser in a housed mode. When the fluid dispenser is placed on top of a horizontal support surface for operation of the fluid dispenser in the stand-alone mode, a pump mechanism of the fluid dispenser is manually activatable to dispense an allotment of fluid by manually depressing an activation member of the pump mechanism. When the fluid dispenser is received by the housing for operation of the fluid dispenser in the housed mode, the pump mechanism is activatable by activating an actuation mechanism of the housing.

First claim

We claim:

1. A fluid dispensing system comprising:
a housing;
a first fluid dispenser; and
a second fluid dispenser;
wherein the first fluid dispenser comprises:
a first bottle containing a supply of a first fluid;
a first dispenser outlet; and
a first pump mechanism for dispensing an allotment of the first fluid from the first bottle out the first dispenser outlet upon activation of the first pump mechanism;

wherein the first pump mechanism has an activation member that is movable relative to the first bottle between a raised position and a depressed position;
wherein the first pump mechanism has a first biasing mechanism that biases the activation member towards the raised position;
wherein the first bottle has a bottom surface that engages with a horizontal support surface when the first fluid dispenser is placed on top of the horizontal support surface for operation of the first fluid dispenser in a stand-alone mode;
wherein, when the first fluid dispenser is placed on top of the horizontal support surface for operation of the first fluid dispenser in the stand-alone mode, the first pump mechanism is manually activatable to dispense the allotment of the first fluid by manually depressing the activation member from the raised position to the depressed position;
wherein the housing is configured to removably receive the first fluid dispenser for operation of the first fluid dispenser in a housed mode;
wherein the housing comprises:
an actuation mechanism; and
a support member that engages with a support surface of the first fluid dispenser when the first fluid dispenser is received by the housing;

wherein the actuation mechanism comprises an engagement member that moves relative to the support member between a first position and a second position upon activation of the actuation mechanism;
wherein, when the first fluid dispenser is received by the housing for operation of the first fluid dispenser in the housed mode, and the engagement member is moved from the first position to the second position, the engagement member depresses the activation member from the raised position to the depressed position, to thereby activate the first pump mechanism to dispense the allotment of the first fluid;
wherein the second fluid dispenser comprises:
a second bottle containing a supply of a second fluid;
a second dispenser outlet; and
a second pump mechanism for dispensing an allotment of the second fluid from the second bottle out the second dispenser outlet upon activation of the second pump mechanism;

wherein the second pump mechanism has a piston forming element and a piston chamber forming body;
wherein the piston chamber forming body defines a piston chamber that slideably receives the piston forming element;
wherein the piston forming element is slideable along a pump axis relative to the piston chamber forming body between an extended position and a retracted position;
wherein the housing is configured to removably receive the second fluid dispenser for operation of the second fluid dispenser when the first fluid dispenser is absent from the housing, without removal of the engagement member from the housing;
wherein the housing further comprises a support element that engages with the piston chamber forming body to prevent the piston chamber forming body from moving axially relative to the support element;
wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a catch member that moves relative to the support element between an elevated position and a lowered position upon activation of the actuation mechanism;
wherein the piston forming element has a catching member that engages with the catch member;
wherein, when the catching member is engaged with the catch member and the support element is engaged with the piston chamber forming body, movement of the catch member between the elevated position and the lowered position moves the piston forming element relative to the piston chamber forming body between the extended position and the retracted position, to thereby activate the second pump mechanism to dispense the allotment of the second fluid; and
wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a second biasing mechanism that biases the catch member towards the elevated position.

2. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be mounted to a vertical support structure.

3. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 1 , wherein the support surface of the first fluid dispenser comprises the bottom surface of the first bottle.

4. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises an actuation plate;
wherein the engagement member attaches to the actuation plate; and
wherein the engagement member is detachable from the actuation plate.

5. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 4 , wherein the catch member has two catch arms that extend from the actuation plate for engagement with the catching member;
wherein the engagement member attaches to the actuation plate at at least one attachment point; and
wherein the at least one attachment point is spaced from the two catch arms.

6. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 5 , wherein the two catch arms are resiliently deflectable from an unbiased position to a deflected position;
wherein the two catch arms move from the unbiased position to the deflected position upon engagement of the catch member with the catching member; and
wherein the engagement member is sufficiently spaced from the two catch arms to permit movement of the two catch arms from the unbiased position to the deflected position.

7. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 5 , wherein the actuation plate has a left side attachment opening and a right side attachment opening;
wherein a left one of the two catch arms extends through the left side attachment opening;
wherein a right one of the two catch arms extends through the right side attachment opening;
wherein the engagement member as a left side attachment arm and a right side attachment arm;
wherein the left side attachment arm extends through the left side attachment opening, and is spaced laterally outwardly from the left one of the two catch arms; and
wherein the right side attachment arm extends through the right side attachment opening, and is spaced laterally outwardly from the right one of the two catch arms.

8. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 7 , wherein, when the catch member engages with the catching member, the catching member is positioned between the two catch arms; and
wherein, when the catch member engages with the catching member, the catching member is spaced from the left side attachment arm and the right side attachment arm of the engagement member.

9. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 4 , wherein the piston forming element has an elongated spout tube, the second dispenser outlet located at a terminal end of the elongated spout tube;
wherein the engagement member has a spout tube opening; and
wherein the elongated spout tube extends through the spout tube opening when the catching member is engaged with the catch member and the engagement member is attached to the actuation plate.

10. The fluid dispensing system according to claim 4 , wherein, upon activation of the actuation mechanism, the actuation plate moves downwardly relative to the support element and relative to the support member;
wherein the downward movement of the actuation plate moves the catch member downwardly from the elevated position to the lowered position;
wherein the downward movement of the actuation plate moves the engagement member from the first position to

Assignees

• Op Hygiene Ip Gmbh

Inventors

• Ophardt Heiner
• Mcdonagh Padraig

Classifications

• B05B11/1081

  Arrangements for pumping several liquids or other fluent materials from several containers, e.g. for mixing them at the moment of pumping · CPC title

• B05B11/1011

  without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke · CPC title

• A47K2005/1218

  Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap · CPC title

• A47K5/1211

  using pressure on soap, e.g. with piston (A47K5/1201 takes precedence; using squeeze bottles or the like A47K5/122) · CPC title

• B05B11/1077

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