Product dispenser with pressure relief

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9730558-B2
Application number	US-201514711497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	May 15, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A fluid product dispensing system includes a liquid pump and a pneumatic pump that forces fluid product and pressurized air through a foaming device. The foam mixture forces a dispensing valve, located downstream, to open and thereby distribute product onto a user's hands. A control system turns off the pumps and open a pressure relief valve in the pneumatic conduit lines to relieve the buildup of pressure. The dispensing valve automatically resets, i.e. closes, to prevent the leakage of product from the nozzle.

First claim

It is claimed:

1. A system for dispensing foamed product, comprising:
a housing for supporting one or more components of the system;
a product dispensing nozzle received by the housing;
a reservoir for storing liquid product;
a mixing chamber operatively connected between the reservoir and the product dispensing nozzle;
a conduit operatively connected to an upstream side of the product dispensing nozzle and a downstream side of the mixing chamber;
a controller having one or more outputs;
a liquid pump operatively connected to convey liquid product from the reservoir to the mixing chamber, wherein the liquid pump is actuated by an output of the controller;
a liquid conduit having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liquid conduit is connected to the liquid pump and the second end of the liquid conduit is connected to the mixing chamber, and wherein liquid pump conveys liquid product through the liquid conduit and into the mixing chamber;

an air pump operatively connected to convey pressurized air to the mixing chamber;
an air valve operatively connected to the mixing chamber for selectively relieving air pressure in the system, wherein the air valve is actuated by an output of the controller; and,
a valve operatively connected to an upstream side of the conduit, the valve having an open state for allowing the foamed product to flow to the conduit and a closed state for the sealing the upstream side of the conduit with respect to the atmosphere, wherein the valve moves from the open state to the closed state upon relieving air pressure from the system;

wherein the valve is configured to create a negative pressure in the conduit when the valve moves from the open state to the closed state.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the valve is a self-actuating valve that opens when pressurized with foaming product and closes when pressure from the foaming product is relieved.

3. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the valve is a self-actuating valve that is at least partially constructed from elastomeric material, and
wherein the valve includes first and second elastomeric portions that are biased together to form the closed state of the valve, and
wherein the first and second elastomeric portions of the valve deflect when pressurized with foaming product to form the open state of the valve.

4. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the valve is a slit valve that includes a dome shaped valve head where the convex side of the valve head faces the upstream side of the foaming product, wherein the valve head is constructed from elastomeric material and includes at least one slit formed in the valve head, and
wherein the valve head automatically inverts when pressurized by foaming product to displace the elastomeric material thereby opening the valve.

5. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the valve is an electrically controlled valve, and
wherein the valve is actuated by the control system.

6. The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
an element for turbulently mixing air and liquid product.

7. The system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a one-way valve operatively connected between an outlet of the liquid pump and the mixing chamber for allowing liquid flow in a single direction from the liquid pump to the mixing chamber.

8. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the air valve is an electrically actuated solenoid valve.

9. The system as defined in claim 8 ,
wherein the air valve is operatively connected between an outlet of the air pump and the mixing chamber.

10. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the air pump is a diaphragm pump.

11. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control system is an electrical control system comprising digital electronic circuitry and a logic processor capable of executing a sequence of coded instructions.

12. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured for mounting to an associated countertop.

13. The system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the housing is constructed from first and second housing portions that close together to encapsulate the components of the system; and,
further comprising a latch for holding the first and second housing portions in fixed relationship.

14. A system for dispensing an associated product, comprising:
a housing for supporting one or more components of the system;
a product dispensing nozzle received by the housing;
a replaceable reservoir for storing associated liquid product;
a control system having one or more outputs;
a liquid pump operatively connected to pump liquid product from the replaceable reservoir for delivery through the nozzle, wherein the replaceable reservoir is upstream from the liquid pump, and wherein the liquid pump is actuated by an output of the controller;
an air pump operatively connected to pump pressurized air for delivery to the nozzle;
a self-actuating valve operatively connected to an upstream side of the product dispensing nozzle, the self-actuating valve including a dome-shaped valve head constructed from elastomeric material, wherein the valve head displaces axially to open the valve when pressurized by associated liquid product and automatically closes when pressure from the associated liquid product is relieved; and,
a pressure-relieving valve operatively connected between an outlet of the air pump and the self-actuating valve for relieving air pressure therebetween;

wherein activation of the pressure-relieving valve causes the air pressure to return to atmospheric air pressure after each actuation of the air pump, and wherein activation of the pressure-relieving valve causes the self-actuating valve to close.

15. The system as defined in claim 14 , wherein the self-actuating valve is a slit valve having a valve head that includes one or more slits, and
wherein the dome-shaped valve head inverts from a convex configuration to a concave configuration when the valve head displaces axially thereby opening the slits to allow fluid flow therethrough.

16. The system as defined in claim 14 , further comprising:
a mixing chamber having first and second inlets and an outlet, wherein the first inlet of the mixing chamber is connected by a conduit in a fluid tight manner between the self-actuating valve and the outlet of the pump,
wherein the second inlet of the mixing chamber is connected to an associated source of pressurized air, and
wherein the outlet of the mixing chamber is connected to the self-actuating valve.

17. A method of dispensing foaming product, comprising the steps of:
providing a dispensing system including:
a nozzle for dispensing foaming product;

a mixing chamber having an air inlet for receiving air and a liquid inlet for receiving liquid product, the mixing chamber also including an element for turbulently mixing the air and the liquid product to generate foaming product;
an air pump for pressurizing air and an air conduit operatively connected between the air pump and the air inlet of the mixing chamber, wherein the air pump pumps air through the air conduit and into the mixing chamber;
a liquid pump for conveying liquid product and a liquid conduit operatively connected between the liquid pump and the liquid inlet of the mixing chamber, wherein the liquid pump conveys the liquid product through the liquid conduit and into the mixing chamber;
a self-actuating valve operatively connected to the downstream side of the mixing chamber;
a pressure relief device

Assignees

• Gojo Ind Inc
• Gojo Ind Inc

Inventors

• Mcnulty John J
• Harris Donald R
• Marshall Aaron D

Classifications

• B67D3/043

  with a closing element having a linear movement, in a direction perpendicular to the seat · CPC title

• A47K2005/1218

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

• A47K5/1217

  Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism · 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

• B67D3/042

  operated by deforming a membrane-like closing element · CPC title