KR100638070B1 - Manual pump assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The finger pump device of the present invention has a base 64, 164 for supporting the outer housings 62, 162 and the inner housings 66, 166, and forms a first portion of the compression chamber 68 therebetween. Pump bodies 60, 160. The piston 82 is at least partially received within the pump body 60, 160 and can slide relative to the pump body 60, 160 along the inner surface of the outer housing 62, 162. The piston 82 has an annular lip for providing a sealing engagement with the pump bodies 60, 160, and the piston 82 has a piston outlet defined by a poppet valve seat. Poppet 98 is received by inner housings 66 and 166, which poppet 98 is biased by spring 104 from its base to engagement with poppet valve seat to close the piston outlet in normal condition and The poppet 98 and the inner housings 66, 166 form an inner cavity 100, and the outer circumferential passage 74 is a one-way valve that allows the product to flow along the passage 74 into the compression chamber 68. An internal cavity 100 includes an exhaust port 110, which allows the internal cavity 100 to operate at atmospheric pressure during operation of the poppet 98.

Pump Assembly, Atmospheric Pressure, Internal Cavity, Exhaust Port, Poppet, One Way Valve

Description

Manually actuated pump assembly

The present invention relates to an improved manual pump assembly classified as a pressure pump for dispensing products under high pressure. The pump assembly includes a compression chamber for pressurization of the product to be dispensed and a relief valve operating at substantial atmospheric pressure for controlling the release of the product through the piston outlet of the pump.

Various prior art handheld pump assemblies are well known and used for dispensing a variety of products, such as personal hygiene and formulation liquids, fragrance products and the like. This type of pump includes a housing body and a sliding piston, both of which together form a compression chamber for receiving and dispensing the product. The main body and the internal parts housed within the main body are held by the turret. The inlet of the base of the body communicates with the product to be dispensed via a dip tube. Conventional spray actuators communicate with the outlet of the piston to facilitate operation of the pump and provide a mechanical mechanism for dispensing the product as needed by the operator.

The directional flow of the product to be dispensed from the interior of the container into the compression chamber of the body is typically controlled by a first one-way valve located at or adjacent the engagement of the body inlet to the dip tube. The second one-way valve enables product to be dispensed from the compression chamber into the supply passage of the actuator via the piston outlet. Finally, the product is dispensed through the outlet orifice of the actuator.

In order to ensure that the product dispensed out of the discharge orifice exhibits constant and uniform spraying properties, it is suitable for the pump to reach a certain pressure before discharging the product to be dispensed from the compression chamber. By way of example, some sprays need to be composed of particles of uniform size, for example particles present in a narrow particle size range, for proper distribution of the product. It is also suitable to dispense a specific dose of product during one operation of the actuator. In order to achieve both good dosage and particle size conditions, the structure and function of the pump assembly requires precisely designed internal parts, which must be precisely controlled during operation of the pump assembly. Since the body, pistons, springs, valves, etc. determine the operating pressure and structure of the compression chamber, these parts are very important for the functional control of the pump assembly.

Product distribution conditions are becoming increasingly demanding. As the use of low volatility solvents as the main carrier component for products to be dispensed increases, and as the use of more viscous gelled liquids increases, the design conditions for dispensing such products become more stringent. In particular, low volatility solvents and viscous gelled liquids require higher discharge pressures to facilitate proper dispensing compared to products containing solvents that are readily converted to vapors upon dispensing. In an attempt to overcome this problem and to facilitate the control of the resulting spray structure, many prior art pump assemblies use a single spring to actuate the piston and also to facilitate the second one-way valve. This single spring returns the piston to its initial static position after the piston has been actuated and holds the second one-way valve closed until the desired operating pressure is reached.

Another prior art design includes a first spring for returning the piston and a second spring for biasing the second one valve independent of the piston. The desired advantage of the two-spring arrangement is that the second one-valve spring can be independently adjusted to facilitate opening of the piston at the desired operating pressure. In both cases, the second one-way valve and the spring (s) are both housed in the compression chamber of the body and subjected to the generated operating pressure in the compression chamber. The spring (s) (or other known conventional biasing members) are typically positioned to bias the second one valve relative to the piston valve seat. The amount of pressure required to compress the spring and thus move the second one-way valve away from its associated valve seat determines the operating pressure of the pump assembly. Thus, the structure of the spring determines the pressure at which the product is dispensed from the body through the discharge orifice. The spring pressure changes to a high reaction force acting on the product when the product is released by the second one-way valve to overcome the spring bias.

In order for the pump assembly to properly dispense the liquid, the pump portion of the assembly must first erase any air contained within the compression chamber, and this initial erasing step is commonly referred to as "priming" the pump. When the actuator is initially pressed by the operator, certain air contained in the compression chamber of the body must be released so that the product is not sucked into the compression chamber of the body via the dip tube. By pressing the actuator, the piston moves toward the base of the body, thereby compressing the spring and the predetermined air contained in the compression chamber. Compressed air helps to maintain the first one-way valve in the closed position. In addition, the compressed air induces an opening force on the second one valve, but in most cases, the induced force of the compressed air does not reach a pressure high enough to overcome the spring closing force of the second one valve. To this end, prior art pumps have a small rib (s) or some other mechanical position located near the end of the compression stroke, in order to break the seal between the interior of the body and the piston so that compressed air can escape from the compression chamber. It includes a device. Two methods are used to escape compressed air from the compression chamber. The first is to allow air to escape around the piston, which can cause the residual product to dry along the escape path and cause the piston to stick. The second method is to escape the air under the dip tube, which causes air and product to be dispensed during the reciprocating movement of the forward and backward in the tube, which is also undesirable.

Since both the second one-valve and the spring occupy the main body inner space, these parts perform the compression of air during the priming operation of the pump, and thus the operation of the second one-valve. This also means that the product sucked into the body via the dip tube will then be pushed back through the system back when the piston reciprocates. This air and product reciprocation reduces the pump's efficiency and increases the force required for system operation. In addition, the number of strokes required for the removal of the air contained in the compression chamber is increased.

To this end, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned problems and disadvantages associated with prior art pump assembly designs.

It is an object of the present invention to design a pump assembly that effectively primes and operates while using fewer parts and ensuring high dispensing efficiency for the pump assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a movable poppet which operates at atmospheric pressure such that the function of the poppet is substantially unaffected by the flow or circulation of the product to be dispensed in the compression chamber.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spring which is not blocked by the flow of the product to be dispensed, and which is not in communication with or located along the product distribution flow path so as to prevent or interfere with the flow of the product to be dispensed. To minimize the number of strokes required to "prime" the pump assembly and to improve the compression efficiency of the pump assembly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spray pump assembly which provides the same spraying properties for higher quality and efficiency, lower volatility solvents, water based products, alcohol based and / or other compositions at a simpler and lower cost. .

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a single dose of product of about 120 to 250 ml, operating force of about 2.5 to 3.4 kg (5.5 to 7.5 lbs) and operating pressure inside the compression chamber of about 45.4 to 77.2 kg (100 to 170 psi). It is to provide a pump assembly having a.

The manual pump assembly according to the invention can dispense a wide range of products. The highly efficient internal volume and priming system according to the invention makes this manual pump assembly ideal for use in personal care products, preparations, fragrances and the like. The main structural part of the hand pump according to the invention allows a small gap between the inward surfaces that form the compression chamber when it is located outside the compression chamber and has been completely moved to the operating position. This design of the pump assembly aids in both priming and normal operation of the pump assembly.

Priming is accomplished by evacuating the trapped air through the discharge orifice instead of around the compression piston or below the dip tube, or past the seal formed between the poppet and the inner cylindrical housing. Prior art dispensing systems where priming is through the tip tube are difficult when using long length dip tubes or when dispensing gels or high moisture content products. As mentioned above, pump assemblies that perform priming around the compression piston tend to be clogged or stuck due to drying of the product residue.

According to the invention, in normal operation, the pump assembly has a high operating pressure due to the ratio of the compression chamber to the piston planetary distance. At operating pressures of about 59 kg (130 psi), the manual pump according to the present invention operates about 30% higher than conventional pumps currently available commercially. Another advantage of the high compression design of the present invention is that uniform spraying is consistently achieved during each dispensing stroke. In addition, by placing the spring and valve components outside the compression chamber, less variation in the interior volume is brought about. Finally, the improved profile of the part provides substantial uncommitted flow of the product from the compression chamber to the discharge orifice.

Finally, the invention relates to a finger pump device comprising a container for containing a desired product to be dispensed, the container being closed at one end and having an outlet for facilitating the distribution of the product to be dispensed; A pump body, said pump body having a base for supporting an outer housing and an inner housing, said outer housing and inner housing at least partially forming a compression chamber therebetween; A closure supporting the pump body, the closure sealingly engaging the outlet of the container; A piston, the piston at least partially received within the pump body and slid relative to the pump body along the outer housing, the piston having an annular lip providing a sealing engagement with the pump body, The piston has a poppet valve seat defining a piston outlet; An actuator, the actuator coupled to the piston outlet, the actuator having a discharge outlet in communication with the piston outlet to facilitate dispensing of the product; A poppet received by the housing, the poppet being biased away from the base of the pump body by an upper spring to engage with the poppet valve seat to close the piston outlet in a normal state, through which the product Prevents flow of the poppet, the base and the inner housing to form an inner cavity and allow the inner cavity to communicate with the interior of the container such that the inner cavity operates at atmospheric pressure during operation of the poppet; A passage communicating with the compression chamber, the passage allowing flow of product along the passage towards the compression chamber; The inlet of the passage is coupled to the base portion of the container such that the container comprises a dip tube for pumping the product to be dispensed by the pump assembly.

1 is a schematic front perspective view of a container supporting an improved pump assembly according to the present invention.

2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of an improved pump assembly according to the present invention, shown in a static position without an overcap, actuator, closure, liner or dip tube fixed thereto.

3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of an improved pump assembly according to the invention, shown in a static position, having an actuator, a closure, a liner and a dip tube attached thereto;

4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the improved pump assembly of FIG. 3 shown in a partially depressed position with the poppet fully displaced from the poppet annular seat to begin dispensing the product.

5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the improved pump assembly of FIG. 3 showing the fully depressed position of the pump assembly.

FIG. 6 shows the improved pump assembly of FIG. 3, shown in a partially returned position with the poppet biased against the poppet annular seat to facilitate suction of product into the compression chamber during the return stroke of the improved pump assembly. Schematic cross section of the first embodiment.

7 is a schematic cross-sectional exploded view of a second embodiment of a pump body for an improved pump assembly according to the present invention.

8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of an improved pump assembly according to the present invention shown in a static position with an actuator, a closure, a liner and a dip tube attached thereto;

While the invention is susceptible to various embodiments, the specification and the annexed drawings describe two specific forms as embodiments of the invention. For ease of explanation, pump assemblies employing the present invention are described in the normal operating position, and terms such as top, bottom, horizontal, etc., are used with reference to this position. However, pumps and components employing the present invention may be manufactured, stored, transported, used and sold in orientations other than the locations described.

First, with reference to FIG. 1, a brief description is provided of an improved pump assembly 10 according to the invention, used in combination with a container 12 of the prior art. As can be seen in the drawing, the container 12 is generally a closed plastic container, which has an outlet (not shown in detail) formed on the top of the container. The outlet has male threads (not shown) and has openings or holes formed therein to communicate with the interior of the container 12. Container 12 contains liquid, fluid or other dispensing product 14 of desired quality. The product to be dispensed 14 is generally supplied to the inlet of the pump assembly 10 via the dip tube 16 from the interior space or region of the container 12. As is well known in the art, the lower end of the dip tube 16 is generally immersed in a liquid or product, as shown in FIG. 1, when the container is in a substantially upright orientation. Additional details regarding the function of the dip tube 16 are provided below.

The pump assembly 10 has a removable cap or closure 18 that receives a squeezable actuator 20 that is movable relative to the closure 18 to facilitate operation of the pump assembly 10 and Further details regarding the purpose of this pressing are given below. If necessary, the removable hood or overcap 22 may enclose or receive the actuator 20 to prevent its unintentional actuation. The overcap 22 is a hollow enclosure member and typically has a hollow annular skirt 24 extending from the top surface of the closure 18 and a peripheral edge having a frictional fit. This overcap shape is conventional and is well known in the art and will not be described in further detail herein.

2 to 6, a detailed description is given of a first embodiment of an improved pump assembly 10 according to the invention. As shown in FIGS. 3-6, by way of example, the base of the closure 18 is an annular base flange 26 positioned to abut against a mating flange face (not shown in detail) of the container 12. It is provided. In addition, the closure 18 has a central through bore 28 extending through the closure 18 along the longitudinal axis of the improved pump assembly 10. The inward surface 29 of the base of the closure 18 is female thread 30 for engaging with a mating male thread (or any other conventional mating retaining recess, lip or mechanism) provided on the outlet of the container 12. (Or other conventional retention recesses, ribs or mechanisms). The closure 18 also has a radially inwardly extending horizontally closed annular flange 32 which is substantially centrally located, which separates the base of the closure 18 from the annular skirt 24. The closure annular flange 32 facilitates the retention of various components of the improved pump assembly 10, as will be described in further detail below.

The top surface of the actuator 20 has a finger recess 34 suitable for being shaped or shaped to facilitate engagement with the operator's index finger. Since such shape or appearance characteristics are well known in the art, no further explanation is given. The actuator 20 is configured such that the annular sidewall 36 of the actuator 20 moves relative to the annular skirt 24, i.e., no excessive friction or contact between these two parts occurs, and the closure 18 It is further provided with a downwardly extending annular sidewall 36 having a diameter somewhat smaller than the inner diameter of the annular skirt 24 of the closure 18 to allow movement in and out of the space enclosed by the annular skirt 24. . According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when pressed or actuated toward the closure 18, the inward surface of the annular skirt 24 and the outward of the annular sidewall 36 to facilitate guiding the actuator 20. There is a relative sliding motion between the facing surfaces. This sliding motion facilitates holding the actuator 20 in its correct upright dispensing orientation.

An inner longitudinal central bore 38 is formed in the interior of the actuator, and in turn, the central bore 38 communicates with the transverse radial bore 40. The transverse radial bore 40 terminates in an opening formed in the outer surface of the actuator sealed or closed by the insertion member 42. The insertion member 42 has a discharge orifice 44 formed therein. The discharge orifice 44 facilitates dispensing the product to be dispensed 14 out of the actuator to the external environment. The insertion member 42 is received in the transverse radial bore 40, the outer circumference of the insertion member 42 friction with the inner wall forming the transverse radial bore 40 to permanently retain the insertion member 42 therein. Has a food fitting. The inwardly surface located at the base of the insertion member 42 engages the outwardly facing planar end face of the central post 46 received in the radial bore 40. The end face of the post 46 has a plurality of conventional radial inwardly directed channels 48 leading to a conventional mixing chamber (not otherwise indicated by reference numerals) formed centrally on the end face of the post 46. do. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a plurality of radially inwardly directed channels 48 and mixing chamber may be placed on the inwardly facing base surface of the insertion member 42 instead of the posts 46 for engagement with the substantially planar end surface of the posts 46. It will be appreciated that it may be located in and supported by it. The mixing chamber communicates directly with the discharge orifice 44 to dispense the product to be dispensed 14 which is mixed and / or agitated outwardly through the discharge orifice 44. This dispensing arrangement is conventional and is well known in the art, and no further detailed description thereof is given.

The closed annular flange 32 of the closure 18 mates (eg see FIG. 3) with the annular flange of the turret 52 and also supports the gasket or liner 58. The gasket or liner 58 has a central opening and, when the closure 18 is secured to the container 12, the annular flange of the turret 52 with respect to the closed annular flange 32 of the closure 18. 50) for convenience. The closed annular flange 32 of the closure 18 and the gasket or liner 58 sandwich the annular flange 50 of the turret 52 between them when the closure 18 is secured to the outlet of the container. Wrapped This sandwich arrangement is conventional and is well known in the art.

The annular sidewall 54 of the turret 52 extends through a central opening provided in the annular flange 32, and the annular sidewall 54 extends substantially parallel to the annular skirt 24 of the closure 18. The annular sidewall 36 of the actuator 20 is spaced therefrom a distance sufficient to allow it to be easily received therebetween without unreasonable interference from the sidewall 54 during operation of the actuator 20. The upper free end of the turret 52 first has an annular retaining edge 56 which extends radially inward and then extends a short distance downward along the longitudinal axis 1 towards the base of the closure 18. Additional details regarding the purpose of the retaining edge 56 are provided below. An annular lip 59 (see FIG. 2) is provided on the inward surface of the annular sidewall 54 of the turret 52 to facilitate the retention of the pump body 60, an additional description of which purpose is provided below. Is provided.

As can be seen in further detail with reference to FIG. 2, the pump body 60 defines an outer cylindrical housing 62 connected to the base 64 of the pump body 60 to form a single unitary part or structure. Include. The inner cylindrical housing 66 is integrally connected to the base 64 of the pump body 60, and the inner cylindrical housing 66 is disposed concentrically with the outer cylindrical housing 62 but spaced therefrom. The outer surface of the pump body 60 is positioned to engage the annular lip 59 of the turret 52 and supports an annular nub 69 that secures the pump body 60 to the turret 52. The lower part of the pump body 60 has a cylindrical extension 70 having an inlet opening formed in its base end face. The first end of the dip tube 16 is frictionally received and retained in the inlet opening 72, as is conventionally done in the art.

The inlet opening 72 communicates via a longitudinal passageway 74 with the first portion of the compression chamber formed between the outer surface of the inner cylindrical housing 66 and the inward surface of the outer cylindrical housing 62. The longitudinal passage 74 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the pump assembly but is radially spaced therefrom. One valve is located along the longitudinal passage 74, and the one valve comprises a metal ball 76 captured and retained in the cage 78. The cage 78 allows limited reciprocation of the ball 76 to facilitate opening and closing of one valve. This one-way valve allows the product to flow along the longitudinal passage 74 when the ball 76 is spaced from the annular ball seat 80 (see FIG. 6). The ball 76 is typically placed against the annular ball seat 80 to block product flow through the longitudinal passage 74, as can be seen in FIGS. 3-5. Prior to inserting the dip tube 16 into the inlet opening 72, the metal balls 76 are forced into the inlet opening 72, pressurized into the cage 78 past the annular ball seat 80, and the cage The ball 76 is then permanently retained and used to operate one valve.

In general, the ball 76 is sealed and positioned by gravity above the opening formed by the annular ball sheet 80 to prevent the compressed liquid from flowing back down into the dip tube 16. During operation of the actuator, ie during priming of the pump or dispensing of the product, the pressure generated in the pressure chamber further functions to keep the ball 76 in its sealed engagement position against the annular ball seat 80. . Another detailed description of its purpose is provided below.                 

The piston 82 is at least partially received within the body 60, and the piston 82 can be slidably moved relative to the body 60. The first lower end of the piston 82 has an annular sealing lip having an outer circumference that is somewhat larger than the inner dimension of the outer housing 62 to provide a tight sealing engagement between the annular sealing lip 86 and the inner surface of the outer housing 62. 86). As will be further described below, during operation of the piston 82, the pressure generated in the compression chamber 68 causes the annular sealing lip 86 of the piston 82 to seal engagement with the inward surface of the outer cylindrical housing 62. Help to make The outer surface of the piston 82 adjacent to the annular sealing lip 86 has an annular shoulder 88, which at least has a turret 52 to capture and retain at least the first lower end 84 of the piston 82 in the pump body 60. Abuts against the annular retaining edge 56.

The piston 82 is generally a substantially hollow member having an outer sidewall that is somewhat tapered from the first lower end 84 to the second remote end 90. The piston outlet 92 is formed adjacent to the second remote end 90 of the piston 82. The second remote end 90 of the piston 82, disposed adjacent to the piston outlet 92, is frictionally sized and housed in the central bore 38 of the actuator 20, while the actuator 20 and the piston are positioned. It has a reduced diameter annular cylindrical sidewall 94 that provides a fixed retention bond between the second remote ends 90 of 82. The annular surface of the piston 82 forming the piston outlet 92 forms the poppet valve seat 96. The piston outlet 92 is generally closed by the shoulder 106 of the substantially elongate cylindrical poppet 98 which is biased relative to the poppet valve seat 96 via the spring 104. When the cylindrical poppet 98 is spaced apart from the poppet valve seat 96 during the operation of the pump assembly, the piston outlet 92 is opened and the product to be dispensed 14 is removed from the compression chamber 68 of the actuator 20. Allowing flow to the central bore 38, additional details are provided below.

As described above, the first portion of the compression chamber 68 is formed between the inner cylindrical housing 66 and the outer cylindrical housing 62. The remaining second portion of the compression chamber 68 is formed between the outer surface of the poppet 98 and the inward surface of the piston 82. The hollow inner dimension of the piston 82 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner cylindrical housing 66, and either one of the piston 82 and / or the inner cylindrical housing 66 may have channel (s) formed thereon; Thus, the first portion of the compression chamber 68 may be in constant communication with the remainder of the compression chamber 68 regardless of the position of the piston 82 relative to the inner cylindrical housing 66.

Cylindrical poppet 98 is received in a central cavity 100 defined by an inner cylindrical housing 66. Poppet 98 is a substantially solid elongated cylindrical member that supports an annular seal and guide surface 102 adjacent its first lower end. The annular seal and guide surface 102 is sized to have a micro interference sliding fit with the inward surface of the inner cylindrical housing 66. The annular seal and guide surface 102 sealingly slides along the inward surface of the inner cylindrical housing 66 during operation of the pump assembly and maintains the poppet 98 aligned with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the pump assembly 10. do. Poppet 98 is biased into the normal closed position via spring 104 received in centrally placed inner cavity 100, so that shoulder 106 of poppet 98 blocks flow through piston outlet 92. A poppet valve seat 96 formed on the piston 82. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, poppet 98 extends through piston outlet 92, facilitating maintenance of proper alignment of poppet 98 with respect to outlet 92 during operation of the pump assembly. It has a tapered or smaller constant diameter attachment 108.

The base of the centrally disposed inner cavity 100 containing the spring 104 is disposed between the inner space of the container 12 and the centrally placed inner cavity 100 to exhaust the inner cavity such that the centrally placed inner cavity 100 is at atmospheric pressure. An exhaust port 110 is provided for providing communication. The exhaust port 110 prevents either excessive pressure or vacuum from being generated in the centrally placed interior cavity 100 during operation of the pump assembly 10. The lowermost portion of the poppet 98 opposite the appendages 108 has a cylindrical extension 112, which receives one end of the spring 104, and also between the spring 104 and the poppet 98. It further facilitates proper alignment and coupling.

In a preferred form of the present invention, the lower inward surface of the inner cylindrical housing 66 is characterized in that the residual pressure in the compression chamber 68 is reduced when the annular sealing guide surface 102 of the poppet 98 engages the nubs or other protrusions 114. One or more nubs or some other protrusion 114 to flow down and flow downward through the centrally disposed inner cavity 100 and into the interior of the container 12 through an exhaust port 110 provided in the base 64. Equipped. The nub or other protrusion 114 is positioned near the end of the stroke of the poppet 98, such as about 95 of the normal operating stroke in the inner cylindrical housing 66, so as not to significantly impair the pumping efficiency of the compression chamber 68. In the position after% to 98% shift, it is suitably formed on the inward surface of the inner cylindrical housing 66.

The use of protrusions or nubs 114 is very useful for "priming" the air typically contained within the compression chamber 68 of the pump assembly following the manufacturing process. Since the air is a compressible fluid, even after a full compression stroke of the actuator 20, the compressed air typically cannot generate enough pressure to bias the poppet shoulder away from the poppet valve seat 96, whereby Allows the release of compressed air into the central bore 38 of the actuator 20 outside the compression chamber 68. According to the invention, in the case where the actuator 20 is pressed substantially completely and the poppet shoulder 106 is still not biased in the direction away from the poppet valve seat 96, thereby opening the piston outlet 92, Once the annular seal and guide surface 102 engage the nub or protrusion 114, the air is opened by the opening of the seal formed between the annular seal and the guide surface 102 and the inward surface of the inner cylindrical housing 66. Released immediately. This released air is carried through the central cavity 100 and exits the exhaust port 110. However, upon return stroke of the actuator, the annular seal and guide surface 102 remove the nubs or protrusions 114 as soon as possible and again form a seal with the inner cylindrical housing 66 and the suction actuation compression chamber 68 And a large amount of product to be dispensed 14 are drawn into the compression chamber 68 via the dip tube 16 and the passage 74. This inhaled product eventually flows into the compression chamber 68, where there is a sufficient number of products that are substantially incompressible fluids, for example after four priming strokes, to the poppet 98 in its intended dispensing manner. Works.

If no replacement air is allowed to enter the vessel 12 during normal operation of the pump, and the volume of the dispensed product 14 is replaced, the vessel 12 is gradually evacuated and most of the product to be dispensed is Once sprayed, it eventually deforms and / or folds inward. To alleviate this problem, one or more grooves 116 are provided along either the outer surface of the body 60 or the inward surface of the turret 52. This groove 116 is typically sealed from the external environment by a piston shoulder 88 that engages the annular retaining edge 56 to provide a seal therebetween. Once the piston is fully depressed, the outer surface of the piston 82 is somewhat spaced from the annular retaining edge 56 such that ambient air is along the outer surface of the piston and around the retaining edge 56 and the turret 52. Flows down along the grooves 116 disposed between the inward surfaces of the < RTI ID = 0.0 >), < / RTI > This exhaust groove 116 also maintains pressure in the vessel at substantially the same pressure as the external surroundings.

A detailed description of the basic components of the pump assembly according to the invention has been provided, and a detailed description of the operation of the pump assembly is now described.

Initially, the pump assembly 10 first combines the mating screw and the screw 30 of the closure 18 on the outlet of the good container 12 containing the product to be dispensed 14, or the container 12. Is provided by any other conventional retaining mechanism provided on the outer surface of the outlet. Once this is done, the dip tube 16 of the pump assembly is immersed in the product to be dispensed 14, so that the inlet of the dip tube is positioned adjacent the bottom of the container 12. The pump assembly 10 is now ready for operation.

When operation is required, the operator places his or her index finger on the finger recess 34 and presses the actuator in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3 so that the actuator 20 moves down along the longitudinal axis L. FIG. This is biased toward the closure 8. Pressing of this actuator 20 results in pressing of the piston 82 in sequence, which causes the annular sealing lip 86 to be sealed along the inward surface of the outer cylindrical housing 62 and to the base 64 of the body 60. Slide toward). This operation causes the product to be dispensed 14 contained in the compression chamber 68 to be pressurized. In other words, it should be noted that the liquid is substantially incompressible. When the pressure of the product to be dispensed increases, this increase in pressure functions to bias the ball 76 relative to the annular ball seat 80, whereby the desired product moves downwardly along the dip tube 16. Prevent it from going back. As described above, the inward surfaces of the piston 82 are spaced a sufficient distance away from the outward facing surface of the inner cylindrical housing 66 such that the product to be dispensed 14 is therebetween regardless of the position of the piston 82. Allow to flow continuously in. Once the pressure in the compression chamber 68 has increased to a sufficient pressure, for example an operating pressure of about 130 psi, the resulting pressure of the product to be dispensed 14 overcomes the convenience of the spring 104 and the poppet 98 Force downward against the action of the spring 104 toward the base 64 of the inner cavity 100. This movement causes compression of the spring 104, which causes the poppet shoulder 106 to be separated from the poppet valve seat 86, whereby the product flow path through the piston outlet 92 as shown in FIG. 4. Is established.

The poppet shoulder 106 is sufficiently spaced apart from the poppet valve seat 96, and the product to be dispensed 14 is pushed through the piston outlet 92 to direct the central bore 38, the radial bore 40, and the inward direction. It flows upwardly through the channel 48 and exits through the discharge orifice 44 in a manner that produces a substantially uniform discharge spray structure from the actuator 20. The piston 82 is further downwardly moved by the actuator 20 in the direction of arrow A until the annular lip 86 of the piston 82 contacts the base 64 of the body 60, as shown in FIG. 5. During the movement, the product to be dispensed 14 is continuously forced out through the actuator 20. Once the pump assembly has reached its fully depressed position, the inward surface of the base 64 of the pump body 60 tightly receives and substantially mirrors the inward surface or profile of the annular sealing lip 86 of the piston 82. It is contoured to be symmetrical, thereby minimizing the amount of product 14 to be dispensed still remaining in the compression chamber 68, for example the volume of the compression chamber is minimized by this arrangement. As is apparent from FIG. 5, the volume of the compression chamber 68 has been significantly reduced such that most of the product to be dispensed 14 already stored in the compression chamber 68 is dispensed by the operating stroke of the actuator 20.

When the annular seal and guide surface 102 shown in FIG. 5 engages with a nub or protrusion 114 formed near the bottom of the inner cylindrical housing 66, a seal therebetween occurs and most of the remaining product to be dispensed or Air during the initial priming of the pump assembly is carried through the interior cavity 100 and exits the exhaust port 110 to rapidly relieve the pressure created in the compression chamber 68.

Once the operating planet is completed, the operator's finger operating pressure is relieved, for example, the operator's finger is removed from the finger recess 34. The spring 104 then immediately biases the poppet 98 towards him against the poppet valve seat 96 of the piston 82 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 6, thereby quickly closing the piston outlet 92, whereby Further flow of the product 14 to be dispensed through it is prevented. The spring also biases the piston 82 and actuator 20 in an upward direction away from the closure 18 due to the bias of the poppet 98. During the return stroke of this pump assembly 10, additional dispensing product 14 is sucked into the inlet formed at the second end of the dip tube 16. The suctioned dispensing product 14 flows along the dip tube 16 and moves or displaces the ball 76 in a direction away from the ball seat 80 such that the passage of the dispensing product passes past the longitudinal passage 74. To be followed.

Cage 78 holds ball 76 trapped and, for example, opens ball 76 but completes the pump assembly return stroke to close this valve. The ball 76 is retained so that it can fall back onto the ball valve seat 80 due to the effect of gravity. The dispensing product 14 continues to flow into the compression chamber 68 along the longitudinal passage 74, where the dispensing product 14 is accumulated and stored as shown in FIG. 3. After the spring 104 biases the poppet 98 by a sufficient distance in the direction of arrow B, the shoulder 88 of the piston 82 abuts against the annular retaining edge 56 and the ball 76 is again a ball valve. Settled on the seat 80 to prevent further flow and allow pressurization of the compression chamber 68 when the actuator 20 is pressed again.

7 and 8, a second embodiment of the present invention is described. Since this second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment in many aspects, only the differences between the first and second embodiments are described in detail. In fact, the closure 18, the actuator 20, the ball 76, the piston 82, the poppet 98 and the spring 104 are the same in both embodiments, and thus additional descriptions thereof Not provided.

The main difference between the two embodiments can be easily seen in FIG. The first difference is that the pump body 60 consists of two separate components. That is, the first component is the outer cylindrical housing 162 integrally formed with the base 164 of the pump body 160 to form a single component or structure while the second cylindrical housing 166 is a completely separate component. ). The pump body 160 has three separate sections, each of which has a different diameter. That is, the first small diameter portion 177 positioned adjacent to the base of the pump main body 160, the third large diameter portion 179 and the small diameter portion 177 positioned adjacent to the open end of the pump main body 160 are large. It is the second middle neck portion 178 located between the neck portions 179. The lower cylindrical portion 180 of the inner cylindrical housing 166 is sized to have an interference fit with the second medium diameter portion 178 of the pump body 160, eg, several thousand inches, so that the inner cylindrical housing 160 may be positioned concentrically with respect to the outer cylindrical housing 162 and thereby retained, thereby engaging the pump body 160.

The second difference is that the lower sidewall portion of the pump body 160 has an opening 184, and once the inner cylindrical housing 166 is received within the inner diameter of the base 164 of the pump body 160, the opening 184. ) Is positioned coincident with the exhaust port 110 formed on the sidewall of the inner cylindrical housing 166. As in the first embodiment, the exhaust port 110 provides communication between the centrally arranged inner cavity 100 and the interior space of the container 12 to exhaust the internal cavity, so that the centrally arranged inner cavity 100 ) Is at atmospheric pressure and prevents excess pressure or vacuum from being generated in the centrally placed internal cavity 100 during operation of the pump assembly 10.

The third difference relates to the retention of the metal balls 76. According to this embodiment, the metal balls 76 are first placed in the pump body 160 prior to placing the inner cylindrical housing 166 within the inner diameter of the base of the pump body 160 during assembly, and the first. It is received by the small diameter bore 177. Thereafter, once the inner cylindrical housing is received within the inner diameter of the base 164 of the pump body 160, the base 181 of the inner cylindrical housing 166 has a metal ball 76 from the first small diameter bore 177. It acts as a stop that prevents it from moving and thus eliminates the need for a cage 78 as in the embodiment described above.

The fourth difference relates to the arrangement of the centrally placed inner cavity 100 with respect to the first small diameter bore 177 and the inlet opening 72. In the first embodiment, the centrally disposed inner cavity 100 has a longitudinal axis, which coincides with the longitudinal axis L of the pump assembly, and each of the bores receiving the inlet opening 72 and the metal balls 76 are pumps. It has a longitudinal axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the assembly and extends in parallel. According to the second embodiment, both the centrally arranged inner cavity 100 and the inlet opening 72 and the first small bore 177 both have a longitudinal axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis L of the pump assembly.

The outer surface of the pump body 160 supports an annular nub 69 arranged to engage the annular lip 59 of the turret 52 to secure the pump body to the turret 52. The lower n minutes of the pump body 160 have a cylindrical extension 70 having an inlet opening 72 formed in its base end face. The first end of the dip tube 16 is received and retained in the inlet opening 72, as is commonly done in the art.

The inlet opening 72 communicates via the longitudinal passageway 74 with the first portion of the compression chamber 68 formed between the outer surface of the inner cylindrical housing 166 and the inward surface of the outer cylindrical housing 162. The longitudinal passage 74 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pump assembly but spaced radially apart. The metal ball 76 reciprocates in the first small diameter portion of the pump main body 60 and forms one valve. This one-way valve allows the product to flow along the longitudinal passage 74 when the ball 76 is spaced from the annular ball seat 80. As in the previous embodiment, the ball 76 is seated relative to the annular ball seat 80 to block product flow through the longitudinal passage 74.

The piston 82 is at least partially received in the pump body 160, and the piston 82 is slidable relative to the pump body 160. The first lower end 84 of the piston 82 has an annular sealing lip 86 and has an outer circumference that is slightly larger than the inner dimension of the outer housing 62, so that it is annular with the inner surface of the outer housing 162. Provide a tight sealing bond between the sealing lips 86. During operation of the piston 82, the pressure generated in the compression chamber 86 causes the annular sealing lip 86 of the piston 82 to be in sealing engagement with the inward surface of the outer cylindrical housing 162. The outer surface of the piston 82 adjacent to the annular sealing lip 86 has an annular shoulder 88, which turrets to trap and retain at least the first lower end 84 of the piston 82 in the pump body 160. Abuts against the annular retaining edge 56 of 52.

As in the first embodiment, the first portion of the compression chamber 68 is formed between the inner cylindrical housing 166 and the outer cylindrical housing 162. The remaining second portion of the compression chamber 68 is formed between the inward surface of the piston 82 and the outer surface of the poppet 98. The hollow inner dimension of the piston 82 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner cylindrical housing 166, either one of the piston 82 and / or the inner cylindrical housing 166 may have channel (s) formed thereon and Thus, the first portion of the compression chamber 68 is in constant communication with the remainder of the compression chamber 68 regardless of the position of the piston 82 relative to the inner cylindrical housing 166.

Cylindrical poppet 98 is received in a centrally disposed inner cavity 100 defined by an inner cylindrical housing 166. Poppet 98 is a solid elongated substantially cylindrical member that supports an annular seal and guide surface 102 adjacent its first lower end. The annular seal and guide surface 102 has a slightly indirect slide engagement with the inward surface of the inner cylindrical housing 166. The annular seal and guide surface 102 sealingly slides along the inward surface of the inner cylindrical housing 166 during operation of the pump assembly and maintains the poppet 98 aligned with the longitudinal axis L of the pump assembly 10. do. Poppet 98 is conveniently biased into the closed position via spring 104 received in centrally disposed inner cavity 100, so that the shoulder of poppet 98 has a poppet valve seat 96 formed on piston 82. ) To block flow through the piston outlet 92.

In a preferred form of the invention, the bottom inward surface of the inner cylindrical housing 166 has one or more nubs or some other protrusion 114, such that the annular sealing guide surface 102 of the poppet 98 is nub or predetermined. When combined with the other protrusions of, the residual pressure in the compression chamber 68 is relieved and flows downward through the centrally placed internal cavity 100 to open the opening 184 and the exhaust port 110 provided in the base 164. Through the interior space of the container (12).

According to a preferred form of the invention, the compression chamber has a maximum transverse dimension or diameter of between 5.175 and 6.986 mm (0.225 and 0.275 inches), more preferably about 6.35 mm (0.250 inches), and the piston has about 6.985 and 8.325 It has a stroke length between mm (0.275 and about 0.325 inches), more preferably about 7.62 mm (0.300 inches). This results in a compression chamber diameter ratio for piston strokes of about 4 to 5 and about 2 to 3 that facilitates achieving operating pressures of about 59 kg (130 psi).

According to the design of the present invention, if the finger operating pressure is unstable for some reason while the actuator 20 is pressed toward the closure 18, once the flow is formed through the piston outlet 92, the spring ( 104 immediately biases poppet 98 toward and against poppet valve seat 96 in the direction of arrow B of FIG. 6. This biasing action quickly closes the piston outlet 92, thereby preventing further flow of the product to be dispensed 14 therethrough.

According to the invention, the passage 74 leading to the compression chamber 68 extends along a second longitudinal axis LP which is biased with respect to the longitudinal axis L of the pump assembly but extends substantially parallel thereto. This arrangement facilitates the evacuation of the base 12 of the central cavity 100 into the interior space of the container 12, so that the central cavity 100 operates at atmospheric pressure or is not a predetermined operating pressure of the compression chamber. At different pressures.

Since specific modifications may be made to the above-described finger operated pump assembly without departing from the scope and concept of the invention, all of the subject matter shown in the foregoing description or the accompanying drawings is merely illustrative of the concept of the invention and the invention. It is not intended to be limiting.

Claims (25)

A pump body having a base for supporting an inner housing and an outer housing coaxial with each other, at least partially forming a compression chamber therebetween; A closure for supporting the pump body, having a mechanism for promoting engagement with the outlet of the container, A piston, which is at least partially received within the pump body, can slide about the pump body along the outer housing between the coaxial outer and inner housings and provide a sealing engagement with the pump body, the piston A piston having a poppet valve seat defining an outlet; An actuator coupled to the piston outlet, the actuator having an outlet outlet in communication with the piston outlet to facilitate distribution of product; Received by the inner housing and biased in a direction away from the base of the pump body by a spring, engaging with the poppet valve seat to close the piston outlet in normal condition to prevent flow of product therethrough; A poppet forming an inner cavity with the base and the inner housing, A passage having a one-way valve and an inlet in communication with said compression chamber and allowing flow of product along it directly into said compression chamber without passing through said internal cavity, And the inner cavity has an exhaust port that allows the inner cavity to operate at normal pressure during operation of the poppet. The finger pump assembly of claim 1, wherein the poppet has an annular seal and a guide surface to facilitate slidable sealing engagement of the poppet along an inward surface of the inner housing. The finger pump of claim 1, wherein the poppet has a poppet shoulder that engages the poppet valve seat forming the piston outlet, and an accessory extending through the piston outlet to facilitate alignment of the piston outlet with the poppet. Assembly. The finger pump assembly of claim 1, wherein an end of the poppet received in the inner housing supports an extension that engages the first end of the spring to promote orientation of the poppet along the longitudinal axis of the finger pump assembly. The method of claim 1, wherein the pump body is coupled to the turret, The turret is coupled to the closure, the remote free end of the closure supporting an annular skirt extending in a direction away from the base of the closure. 6. The turret of claim 5, wherein the turret has an annular sidewall, And the free end of the annular side wall has an annular retaining edge for rigidly connecting the pump body to the turret. 6. The finger pump assembly of claim 5, wherein the actuator has an annular sidewall that engages the annular skirt of the closure to facilitate operation of the actuator along the longitudinal axis of the pump assembly. 6. The closure of claim 5 wherein the closure has an annular flange, the turret has a mating annular flange, and the annular flange and gasket of the closure sandwich the annular flange of the turret sandwiched therebetween. A finger pump assembly that facilitates sealing engagement of the vessel and the finger pump assembly. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuator has a central bore in communication with the discharge orifice, The piston has an annular housing sidewall, And the annular housing sidewall frictionally engages with the central bore of the actuator to couple the piston to the actuator to facilitate supply of the dispensed product from the piston to the discharge orifice. The inward surface of the inner housing includes one or more nubs to facilitate relief of pressure created in the compression chamber after the poppet is substantially completely displaced along the inward surface of the inner housing. and, The reduced pressure is exhausted through an internal cavity and exits through an exhaust port provided at the base of the pump body. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein one or more grooves are provided between the outer surface of the pump body and the inward surface of the turret to allow at least partially vacuum pressure balance once the vessel is attached and operated on the finger pump assembly. A finger pump assembly that prevents at least partially evacuation of a vessel attached to the finger pump assembly. The finger pump assembly of claim 1, wherein the passageway in communication with the compression chamber is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pump assembly but extends radially spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of the pump assembly. 13. The valve of claim 12, wherein a valve is disposed along the passageway in communication with the compression chamber, the valve including a ball held in a cage, The ball is placed in a steady state on the ball valve seat to prevent flow of product along the passageway, and during the suction action of the pump assembly, the ball is displaced from the valve seat to allow flow of product therethrough. Pump assembly. 13. The finger pump assembly of claim 12, wherein a dip tube is coupled to the inlet of the passageway to facilitate suction of the product to be dispensed from the base of the container. A container for containing a predetermined product to be dispensed, which is closed at one end and has an outlet for promoting the distribution of the product to be dispensed; A pump body having a base for supporting an inner housing and an outer housing coaxial with each other, at least partially forming a compression chamber therebetween; A closure for supporting the pump body, having a mechanism for promoting engagement with the outlet of the container, Has an annular lip at least partially received within the pump body, slid relative to the pump body along the outer housing, between the coaxial outer and inner housings and providing a sealing engagement with the pump body, A piston having a poppet valve seat defining a piston outlet, An actuator coupled to the piston outlet, the actuator having an outlet outlet in communication with the piston outlet to facilitate distribution of product; Received by the inner housing, biased in engagement with the poppet valve seat by a spring, in normal condition, closing the piston outlet and preventing the flow of product therethrough, and forming an inner cavity with the inner housing Poppet to say, A passage in communication with the compression chamber, the passage having a one-way valve and an inlet that permits the flow of product along it directly into the compression chamber without passing through the internal cavity; A dip tube connecting the inlet of the passage to the base of the vessel to facilitate suction of the product to be dispensed by the pump assembly from the interior of the vessel, And an exhaust port formed in the pump body to facilitate communication between the inner cavity and the inside of the container during operation of the poppet so that the inner cavity operates at normal pressure. The poppet of claim 15, wherein the poppet has an annular seal and a guide surface to promote a slidable sealing engagement of the poppet along an inward surface of the inner housing, The poppet has a poppet shoulder for engaging with the poppet valve seat forming the piston outlet, and an accessory extending through the piston outlet to facilitate alignment of the piston outlet with the poppet, An end of the poppet received in the inner housing engages with a first end of the spring to support an extension that is engaged with the first end of the spring to promote orientation of the poppet along the longitudinal axis of the finger pump assembly. . The pump body of claim 15, wherein the pump body is coupled to a turret, the turret is connected to the closure, and the remote free end of the closure supports an annular skirt extending from the base of the closure, The turret has an annular sidewall, the free end of the annular sidewall has an annular retaining edge for rigidly connecting the pump body to the turret, The actuator having an annular sidewall engaging the annular skirt of the closure to facilitate operation of the actuator along the longitudinal axis of the pump assembly. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the closure has an annular flange, the turret has a mating annular flange, and the annular flange and gasket of the closure sandwich the annular flange of the turret sandwiched therebetween. A finger pump device for facilitating sealing engagement of a container with the finger pump assembly. The method of claim 15 wherein the actuator has a central bore in communication with the discharge orifice, The piston has an annular housing sidewall, And the annular housing sidewall frictionally engages with the central bore of the actuator to couple the piston to the actuator to facilitate supply of the dispensed product from the piston to the discharge orifice. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the inward surface of the inner housing has one or more nubs to facilitate relief of pressure created in the compression chamber after the poppet is substantially completely displaced along the inward surface of the inner housing. and, The relief pressure is exhausted through an internal cavity and exits through an exhaust port provided at the base of the pump body. A pump body having a base for supporting an inner housing and an outer housing coaxial with at least partially forming a compression chamber therebetween, the pump body defining a longitudinal axis; A closure for supporting the pump body, having a mechanism for promoting engagement with the outlet of the container, An annular lip for receiving at least partially within the pump body and slid relative to the pump body along the outer housing between the coaxial outer and inner housings and providing a sealing engagement with the pump body; A piston having a poppet valve seat defining an outlet; An actuator coupled to the piston outlet having an outlet outlet in communication with the piston outlet to facilitate dispensing of the product, Received by the inner housing and biased in a direction away from the base of the pump body by a spring, engaging with the poppet valve seat to close the piston outlet in normal condition to prevent flow of product therethrough; A poppet forming an inner cavity with the base and the inner housing, A passageway in communication with the compression chamber and having a one-way valve and an inlet that permits the flow of product along the direct passage into the compression chamber without passing through the inner cavity, the passage being biased from and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis; , The inner cavity has a single spring finger pump assembly having an exhaust port that allows the inner cavity to operate at constant pressure during operation of the poppet. 16. The finger pump apparatus of claim 15, wherein the passageway in communication with the compression chamber is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pump assembly but extends radially spaced apart from the longitudinal axis of the pump assembly. 23. The valve of claim 22, wherein a valve is disposed along the passageway in communication with the compression chamber, the valve including a ball retained in a cage, The ball is placed in a steady state on the ball valve seat to prevent flow of product along the passageway, and during the suction action of the pump assembly, the ball is displaced from the valve seat to allow flow of product therethrough. Pump device. 23. The finger pump apparatus of claim 22, wherein a dip tube is coupled to the inlet of the passage to facilitate suction of the product to be dispensed from the base of the container. A container for storing a desired product to be dispensed, closed at one end and having an outlet at the opposite end for facilitating the distribution of the product to be dispensed; A pump body comprising a base for supporting an inner housing and an inner housing at least partially forming a compression chamber therebetween; A closure for supporting the pump body and sealingly engaging the outlet of the container; A poppet valve seat at least partially received in the pump body, slid relative to the pump body along the outer housing, having an annular lip to provide a sealing engagement with the pump body, and forming a piston outlet A piston to be provided, An actuator coupled to the piston outlet, the actuator having an outlet outlet in communication with the piston outlet to facilitate distribution of product; At least partially received by the inner housing and biased in engagement with the poppet valve seat by a spring in a direction away from the base of the pump body to close the piston outlet in the normal state and prevent flow of product therethrough; A poppet forming an inner cavity with the base and the inner housing; A passage in communication with the compression chamber, the passage having a one-way valve allowing flow of product along the compression chamber; A dip tube connecting the inlet of the passage to the bottom of the vessel to facilitate suction of the product to be dispensed by the pump assembly, And the inner cavity has an exhaust port that allows the inner cavity to operate at normal pressure during operation of the poppet.

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