Dispensers for diluting a concentrated liquid and dispensing the diluted concentrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9027790-B2
Application number	US-201313787416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2013
Priority date	Oct 19, 2012
Publication date	May 12, 2015
Grant date	May 12, 2015

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of dispensers are disclosed herein. One exemplary dispenser is a soap or sanitizer dispenser. The dispenser includes a housing. A removable and replaceable concentrate container for holding concentrated soap or sanitizer is located within the housing. A concentrate pump is in fluid communication with the concentrate container. A diluent container for holding a liquid is also located within the housing and a diluent pump for pumping the diluent is also included. The dispenser includes a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the concentrate pump and the diluent pump. The dispenser includes an outlet. When concentrated soap or sanitizer is pumped from the concentrate container, it mixes with diluent pumped from the diluent container to form a diluted mixture. The diluted mixture is dispensed at the outlet of the dispenser.

First claim

We claim:

1. A soap or sanitizer dispenser comprising:
a housing;
a removable and replaceable concentrate container for holding concentrated soap or sanitizer located within the housing;
a concentrate pump in fluid communication with the concentrate container;
a diluent container for holding a liquid located within the housing;
a diluent pump with a biasing force for pumping the diluent;
a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the concentrate pump and the diluent pump; and
an outlet;
wherein concentrated soap or sanitizer pumped from the concentrate container mixes with diluent pumped from the diluent container to form a diluted mixture and the diluted mixture is dispensed at the outlet;
wherein the diluent is used to hydraulically move the concentrate pump.

2. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 1 wherein the concentrate container is removable and replaceable when empty.

3. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 2 wherein the concentrate pump is secured to the concentrate container and is removed with the concentrate container when the concentrate is empty.

4. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 1 wherein the diluent container is refillable.

5. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 4 wherein the diluent container is replaceable.

6. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 1 wherein diluent from the diluent container must be present in the dispenser for the concentrate pump to pump.

7. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 1 wherein diluent is used to hydraulically move the concentrate pump.

8. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 1 further comprising an air pump and a mix media, wherein the concentrate and diluent are mixed in the mixing chamber, pressurized air is added to the diluted mixture, the air and diluted mixture travel through the mix media and are dispensed out of the outlet as a foam.

9. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 1 wherein the diluent container and the concentrate container are two chambers of a single container.

10. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 1 wherein the diluent container is collapsible.

11. The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 1 wherein the diluent container is separate from the concentrate container.

12. A dispenser comprising:
a concentrate container for holding a concentrated liquid;
a concentrate pump in fluid communication with the concentrate container;
an inlet for a diluent;
a diluent pump with a biasing force in fluid communication with the diluent inlet;
a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the concentrate pump and the diluent pump wherein the concentrate and diluent are mixed together to form a diluted mixture;
a diluted mixture passageway from the mixing chamber to an outlet of the dispenser;
an air pump;
an air passageway in fluid communication with the diluted mixture passageway;
a mixing media located downstream of the mixing chamber;
wherein the diluted mixture is mixed with compressed air from the air pump and the air and diluted mixture flow through the mixing media and is dispensed at the outlet as a foam; and
wherein the diluent is used to hydraulically move the air pump.

13. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the diluent inlet connected to a diluent container.

14. The dispenser of claim 13 wherein the concentrate container and the diluent container are two portions of a single container and at least a portion of the diluent container is collapsible for shipping.

15. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the diluent inlet connects to a water source.

16. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein diluent is required to operate the concentrate pump.

17. A dispenser comprising:
a concentrate container for holding a concentrated liquid;
a concentrate pump in fluid communication with the concentrate container;
an inlet for a diluent;
a diluent pump with a biasing force in fluid communication with the diluent inlet;
a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the concentrate pump and the diluent pump wherein the concentrate and diluent are mixed together to form a diluted mixture;
a diluted mixture passageway from the mixing chamber to an outlet of the dispenser;
an air pump;
an air passageway in fluid communication with the diluted mixture passageway;
a mixing media located downstream of the mixing chamber;
wherein the diluted mixture is mixed with compressed air from the air pump and the air and diluted mixture flow through the mixing media and is dispensed at the outlet as a foam;
wherein diluent is used to hydraulically move the concentrate pump; and
wherein diluent is required to operate the concentrate pump.

18. A dispenser comprising:
a concentrate container for holding a concentrated liquid;
a concentrate pump in fluid communication with the concentrate container;
an inlet for a diluent;
a diluent pump with a biasing force in fluid communication with the diluent inlet;
a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the concentrate pump and the diluent pump wherein the concentrate and diluent are mixed together to form a diluted mixture;
a diluted mixture passageway from the mixing chamber to an outlet of the dispenser;
an air pump;
an air passageway in fluid communication with the diluted mixture passageway;
a mixing media located downstream of the mixing chamber;
wherein the diluted mixture is mixed with compressed air from the air pump and the air and diluted mixture flow through the mixing media and is dispensed at the outlet as a foam;
wherein diluent is used to hydraulically move the concentrate pump; and
wherein the concentrate pump is a piston pump and the pressure by the diluent moves the piston.

19. A dispenser comprising:
a container for holding a concentrated liquid;
a concentrate pump for pumping the concentrated liquid;
a concentrate passageway from the concentrate pump to a mixing chamber;
a diluent inlet;
a diluent pump with a biasing force for pumping the diluent;
a diluent passageway from the diluent pump to the mixing chamber;
wherein at least a portion of the diluent passageway is adjacent a concentrate pumping mechanism;
wherein movement of the diluent pump shuts off the diluent supply and causes movement of the concentrate pumping mechanism to pump the concentrate; and
wherein the diluent and concentrate are mixed together in the mixing chamber and dispensed at an outlet located downstream of the mixing chamber.

20. The dispenser of claim 19 further comprising a diluent container in fluid communication with the diluent inlet for holding a supply of diluent.

21. The dispenser of claim 19 wherein the diluent inlet is connectable to a water supply.

22. The dispenser of claim 21 wherein the water supply is a shower or a faucet water supply.

23. A dispenser comprising:
a container for holding a concentrated liquid;
a concentrate pump for pumping the concentrated liquid;
a concentrate passageway from the concentrate pump to a mixing chamber;
a diluent inlet;
a diluent pump with a biasing force for pumping the diluent;
a diluent passageway from the diluent pump to the mixing chamber;
wherein at least a portion of the diluent passageway is adjacent a concentrate pumping mechanism;
wherein movement of the diluent pump causes movement of the concentrate pumping mechanism to pump the concentrate; and
wherein the diluent and concentrate are mixed together in the mixing chamber and dispensed at an outlet located downstream of the mixing chamber;

Assignees

• Ciavarella Nick E
• Metcalfe Paul R
• Urban Scott E
• Gojo Ind Inc

Inventors

• Ciavarella Nick E
• Metcalfe Paul R
• Urban Scott E

Classifications

• B05B11/1087 Primary

  Combination of liquid and air pumps · CPC title

• B05B7/2443 Primary

  the carried liquid and the main stream of carrying liquid being brought together downstream of the container before discharge (B05B7/2454 takes precedence) · CPC title

• 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

• A47K5/1204

  by means of a rigid dispensing chamber and pistons · CPC title

• A47K5/14 Primary

  Foam or lather making devices · CPC title