Dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9867507-B2
Application number	US-201514923909-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2015
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

A dispenser includes a housing defining an internal volume. A cartridge is coupled with the housing. A tube extends into the internal volume of the housing. A first liquid is drawn from the internal volume into the tube through a first inlet in the tube when the pump assembly is actuated. A connecting member is positioned in the internal volume of the housing and coupled to the cartridge and the tube. A second liquid is drawn from the cartridge, through the connecting member, and into the tube through a second inlet in the tube when the pump assembly is actuated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispenser, comprising:
a housing defining an internal volume, wherein a first liquid is disposed within the internal volume of the housing;
a cartridge coupled with the housing, wherein the cartridge comprises a lower portion, and wherein a second liquid is disposed within the cartridge;
a pump assembly comprising a tube, the tube extending into the internal volume of the housing, wherein the first liquid is drawn from the internal volume into the tube through a first inlet in the tube when the pump assembly is actuated;
a connecting member positioned in the internal volume of the housing, wherein the lower portion of the cartridge is fluidly coupled to the connecting member, wherein a second inlet of the tube is fluidly coupled to the connecting member, and wherein the second liquid is drawn from the cartridge, through the connecting member, and into the tube through the second inlet when the pump assembly is actuated; and
a lid coupled to an upper end of the housing, wherein the tube extends through a first opening in the lid, and the cartridge extends through a second opening in the lid.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein no tube extends at least partially through the cartridge.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein neither the tube nor the cartridge is concentric with the housing.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge comprises a valve that prevents the second liquid from flowing out of the cartridge when the cartridge is decoupled from the connecting member.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is coupled to a bottom of the housing.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the first liquid comprises water, wherein the second liquid comprises concentrated soap, and wherein the first liquid and the second liquid are combined inside the tube to form a mixture.

7. The dispenser of claim 6 , wherein the mixture is ejected from the pump assembly as a foaming hand soap.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is positioned within a lower portion of the housing.

9. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is positioned at least partially within the connecting member.

10. A dispenser, comprising:
a housing defining an internal volume, wherein the housing comprises a housing lower portion, and wherein a first liquid is disposed within the internal volume of the housing;
a cartridge coupled with the housing, wherein the cartridge comprises a cartridge lower portion, and wherein a second liquid is disposed within the cartridge;
a pump assembly comprising a tube, the tube extending into the internal volume of the housing, wherein the tube comprises a T-shaped joint positioned in the housing lower portion, and wherein the first liquid is drawn from the internal volume into the tube through a first inlet in the tube when the pump assembly is actuated;
a connecting member positioned in the housing lower portion, wherein the cartridge lower portion is fluidly coupled to the connecting member, wherein a second inlet of the tube is fluidly coupled to the connecting member, and wherein the second liquid is drawn from the cartridge, through the connecting member, and into the tube through the second inlet when the pump assembly is actuated; and
a lid coupled to an upper end of the housing, wherein the tube extends through a first opening in the lid, and the cartridge is coupled to the lid.

11. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein neither the tube nor the cartridge is concentric with the housing.

12. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the first liquid comprises water, wherein the second liquid comprises concentrated soap, and wherein the first liquid and the second liquid are combined inside the tube to form a mixture.

13. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the T-shaped joint comprises:
a first side comprising the first inlet;
a second side comprising the second inlet; and
a third side extending upwardly toward an outlet of the tube.

14. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the first liquid and the second liquid are combined in the T-shaped joint.

15. A method for using a dispenser, comprising:
pouring a first liquid into an internal volume of a housing;
inserting a tube of a pump assembly into the internal volume of the housing, wherein the tube includes a first inlet and a second inlet that are positioned in the internal volume of the housing, the housing comprising a lid coupled to an upper end of the housing, wherein the tube extends through the lid;
coupling a cartridge with the housing, wherein a second liquid is disposed in the cartridge, wherein the cartridge is at least partially inserted into the lid; and
coupling a lower portion of the cartridge to a connecting member that is positioned within the internal volume of the housing, wherein the connecting member is positioned between the second inlet of the tube and the cartridge.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising actuating the pump assembly, thereby causing:
the first liquid to be drawn from the internal volume into the tube through the first inlet in the tube; and
the second liquid to be drawn from the cartridge, through the connecting member, and into the tube through the second inlet in the tube, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid are combined inside the tube.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first liquid is poured into the internal volume of the housing through an opening in the lid.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
removing the cartridge from the internal volume of the housing;
pouring additional first liquid into the internal volume of the housing after the cartridge has been removed; and
re-inserting the cartridge at least partially into the internal volume of the housing after the additional first liquid has been poured into the internal volume of the housing.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: removing the cartridge from the internal volume of the housing; pouring additional second liquid into the cartridge; and
re-inserting the cartridge at least partially into the internal volume of the housing after the additional second liquid has been poured into the cartridge.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Toh Kiat-Cheong

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

• B05B11/1083

  in adjustable proportion · CPC title

• B05B11/1047

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

• B65D83/682

  initially separated and subsequently mixed · CPC title

• B65D83/66

  initially separated and subsequently mixed, e.g. in a dispensing head · CPC title