Metered dosing bottle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9731307-B2
Application number	US-201514824760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2015
Priority date	Jul 26, 2010
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus and method for accurately measuring and dispensing a predetermined amount of product from a dispensing system to a given surface area is disclosed. The dispensing system ( 100 ) includes a container ( 102 ) having a main chamber ( 106 ) to hold product and a dosing chamber ( 108 ) having an opening ( 110 ) in communication with the main chamber ( 106 ). The dosing chamber ( 108 ) is configured to hold a metered amount of product ( 112 ) received from the main chamber ( 106 ). A spray head ( 128 ) when connected to the container ( 102 ) is brought into operable and fluid communication with a dip tube ( 114 ), optionally cut to a selected length, which is positioned within the dosing chamber ( 108 ) for dispensing by activation of a trigger ( 136 ) product ( 112 ) to a given surface area or air space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing system comprising:
a container body extending upward and terminating in a neck portion, the container having:
a) a main chamber to hold product;
b) a dosing chamber having an opening in communication with the main chamber, the dosing chamber configured to hold a metered amount of product received from the main chamber, the metered amount corresponding to a single dose of the product; and
c) a divider having a portion substantially transverse for an upper portion that separates, in part, the main chamber and the dosing chamber;

a spray nozzle removably connected to the container body; and
a dip tube connected in fluid communication with the spray head and positioned within the dosing chamber.

2. The dispensing system of claim 1 wherein the dip tube further comprises a float valve within the dosing chamber and configured to prevent air from entering the dip tube.

3. The dispensing system of claim 2 wherein the float valve includes an inlet in communication with the dip tube closeable by a float.

4. The dispensing system of claim 1 wherein the neck portion includes a nozzle interface having a first opening in communication with the main chamber separated from a second opening in communication with the dosing chamber.

5. The dispensing system of claim 4 wherein the second opening includes an interface adapted to receive a tube nozzle associated with the spray head.

6. The dispensing system of claim 4 wherein the first opening is configured and arranged to receive a filling tube from a product dispenser.

7. The dispensing system of claim 1 wherein the spray head includes a pickup tube terminating in a nozzle removably coupled to the dip tube.

8. A bottle for a dispensing system comprising:
a container body extending upward and terminating in a neck portion;
a main chamber to hold product; and
a dosing chamber having a chamber opening in communication with the main chamber, the dosing chamber configured to hold a metered amount of product received from the main chamber, the metered amount corresponding to a single correct dose of the product; and
a divider separating the main chamber and the dosing chamber with an opening passing therethrough, the divider including a substantially vertical upper portion, lower portion, and a chamber opening in communication with the main chamber, and a substantially horizontal portion at an upper end of the upper portion.

9. The bottle of claim 8 further comprising a dip tube positioned within the dosing chamber and affixed at the neck portion.

10. The bottle of claim 8 wherein the neck portion includes a first opening in communication with the main chamber separated from a second opening in communication with the dosing chamber.

11. The bottle of claim 10 wherein the second opening includes a nozzle interface adapted to selectively receive a pickup tube associated with a spray head.

12. The bottle of claim 10 wherein the first opening is configured and arranged to receive a filling tube from a product dispenser.

13. The bottle of claim 8 wherein the dosing chamber is removably attached within the container body.

14. A combination of a spray head and a spray bottle for a dispensing system comprising:
a neck having a coupler for selectively attaching the spray head to a dispensing bottle;
a spraying nozzle configured to dispense product;
a pickup tube connected in fluid communication with the spraying nozzle;
a bottom end of the pickup tube having a nozzle configured for selective coupling to a dip tube; and
a spray bottle having a main chamber to hold product, the main chamber having a top and a bottom, and a dosing chamber in the main chamber having a divider, the divider including an upper portion, a lower portions, and a chamber opening in communication with the main chamber, the upper portion being adjacent the top of the main chamber, and wherein the divider including a portion substantially transverse the upper portion, the dosing chamber configured to hold only a metered single dose of product received from the main chamber.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the dosing chamber includes the dip tube.

16. A method for a dispensing system comprising:
providing a bottle having a neck, a main chamber, the main chamber having a top and a bottom, an interchangeable dosing chamber in the main chamber, the dosing chamber having a divider with an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being adjacent the top of the main chamber, wherein the divider including a portion substantially transverse the upper portion, and a dip tube within the dosing chamber and including a float valve, wherein the length of the dip tube and position of the float valve are adjustable to provide a variable amount of product in the dosing chamber that is able to be dispensed;
filling the main chamber with a product;
taking a spray nozzle having a pickup tube terminating in a connector nozzle;
removably securing the spray nozzle to the bottle for coupling the connector nozzle to the dip tube; and
tipping the spray bottle from a generally upright position to fill the dosing chamber with a single correct dose of the product from the main chamber.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising dispensing product from the dosing chamber.

18. The method of claim 16 comprising preventing air from entering the dip tube when the dosing chamber is emptied by closing a float valve secured to the dip tube within the dosing chamber.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising adjusting the length of the dip tube to control an amount of the product dispensed from the dosing chamber.

20. The method of claim 16 comprising filling the main chamber through a first opening in the bottle and dispensing product with the spray nozzle through a second opening in the bottle.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Chernik Ryan A
• Carlson Brian Philip
• Mehus Richard J

Classifications

• B05B11/1047

  the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container · CPC title

• B05B11/3047

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B05B11/0089

  Dispensing tubes · CPC title

• B05B15/005

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B05B11/0037 Primary

  Containers (for several components B05B11/0078) · CPC title