Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D47/00—Closures with filling and discharging, or with discharging, devices
  • B65D47/04—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps
  • B65D47/20—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge
  • B65D47/2018—Closures with discharging devices other than pumps comprising hand-operated members for controlling discharge comprising a valve or like element which is opened or closed by deformation of the container or closure
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1028—Pumps having a pumping chamber with a deformable wall
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1028—Pumps having a pumping chamber with a deformable wall
  • B05B11/1035—Pumps having a pumping chamber with a deformable wall the pumping chamber being a bellow

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a dispenser for a creamy substance and having a substantially tubular hollow pumping member manufactured from an elastic yielding material, and which is mounted freely pendent from a container, and which comprises an inlet valve and an outlet valve for inlet and outlet of substance from the pumping member, and which is designed for taking out the substance from the container.
• a dispenser for thin and paste-like substances is known from DE 1,017,080.
• Said publication discloses a dosing device consisting of three parts.
• the dispenser is preferably used for attaching on tubes and is provided with a check valve in the form of an inlet check valve which is mounted loosely inside the dispenser.
• the dispenser is preferably used for dosing a predetermined and desirable amount.
• the use of a dispenser of this kind will often be limited to dosing a material with a small volume. Due to the design and the construction of the dispenser, it will be necessary to apply an overpressure to the tube in order to get the desired amount of material into the dispenser.
• a dispenser for dosing a material with a creamy consistency is known from US 4,776,495.
• a dispenser which consists of three parts, a pump body and two check valves.
• the dispenser has a cylindrical shape and is used hanging freely from the container.
• the dispenser works by squeezing the pump body, which produces a discharge whereupon the pressure on the pump body is removed. This causes an underpressure to occur in the dispenser.
• This underpressure will result in an intake of a new amount of material from the container.
• the size of the returning force is insufficient to cause an intake of more viscous, creamy substances, eg. such as ketchup, mustard, remoulade etc.
• a dispenser of the type mentioned in the introduction which is characterized in that the pumping member has an undulated surface, and that at least part of one of the check valves is manufactured as an integral part of the tubular housing of the pumping member.
• the undulated surface of the pumping member improves the return power of the housing compared to a cylindrical housing and consequently also the ability to move back to its original position at the same time as the ability to suck viscous substances into the pumping member is increased.
• the dispenser will be well suited for efficient discharge of a viscous substance.
• This ability may be increased by varying the wall thickness in the pumping member so that a larger wall thickness is used in the wave troughs and crests. This increases the return power of the housing. This is especially significant in cases when the medium subjected to dosing is a substance with a very viscous consistency.
• the undulated surface of the pumping member ensures a user a stable hold of the pumping member as the number of troughs is preferably equal to the number of holding fingers, i.e. 4.
• the undulated surface of the pumping member is further assumed to cause the substance being dosed to be more liable to "let go" of the surface (due to draft angles) when the pumping member is being squeezed than a body having a plane surface.
• Dispensers are primarily intended for use for dosing creamy materials in industries related to the food industry. In those industries it is desirable to provide a dispenser which ensures an efficient, precise and hygienic discharge of a certain material from a container. Besides it is necessary that the dispenser is economical in trade and umcomplicated to clean and maintain.
• Dispensers accordding to the invention may also be used for discharging oil/fats, detergents, shampoo and the like. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
• fig. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view through an embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention, shows a longitudinal sectional view through an inlet valve shown in fig. 1, shows the inlet valve shown in fig. 2, seen from the bottom, shows a longitudinal sectional view through a second embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention, shows a partial view of a pumping member, shows a sectional view through the inlet valve shown in fig. 4, shows the inlet valve shown in fig 6, seen from the bottom, shows an enlarged partial view through the wall of a pumping member, shows an embodiment of an inlet valve for use in the pumping member, shows a partial view through the inlet valve shown in fig. 9, shows a partial view through the inlet valve shown in fig. 12, shows an embodiment of an inlet valve for use in the pumping member, shows the inlet valve shown in fig. 12 in its closed position, and shows a container with a lid which, upon opening, functions as an inlet valve.
• Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view through a dispenser 1 which consists of an undulated pumping member 2, an inlet valve 3, an outlet valve 4 and a mouthpiece 5.
• a dispenser 1 which consists of an undulated pumping member 2, an inlet valve 3, an outlet valve 4 and a mouthpiece 5.
• the dispenser 1 With a sleeve 6 the dispenser 1 is mounted on the lower part of a container 7 containing a creamy viscous substance 8.
• the check valves 3, 4 ensure that the substance 8 in the container 7 is only allowed one flow direction through the dispenser 1.
• the dispenser 1 functions by squeezing around the pumping member 2, which causes the valve 3 to close and thus to prevent the substance 8 in the pumping member 2 from penetrating back into the container 7.
• the result of squeezing the pumping member 2 is that the outlet valve 4 is opened and that the substance 8 in the pumping member is forced out through it.
• This torque will force the outlet valve 4 to bend downwards.
• safe opening of the outlet valve 4 is obtained by a combined dynamic and mechanical effect.
• This torque will also have the effect that when the grip on the pumping member 2 is released, the closing efficiency of the inlet valve 4 is increased as a combined dynamic and mechanical effect on the inlet valve is created here as well.
• the pumping member 2 When the pumping member 2 is released, it will attempt to resume its original shape, which is the shape shown in the figure. Due to the unde ⁇ ressure existing inside the pumping member 2, the inlet valve 3 will be opened, which causes the pumping member 2 to become filled with the creamy substance 8 from the container 7.
• An undulated pumping member 2 of substantially conic design is seen in fig. 1 and has a design which gives its mechanical characteristics that are desirable for a dispenser 1.
• the undulated design means that after a compression the pumping member 2 has an improved returning force.
• the pumping member has a stronger tendency to resume its original shape than if the member had a cylindrical shape.
• This charac ⁇ teristic is important as it allows the dispenser 1 of the described type to be used for creamy substances 8 which have a viscous consistency. With this design it will also be possible to produce a dispenser 1 with the same suction force and a smaller consumption of plastic material than a dispenser with a cylindrical design.
• the pumping member 2 is shown here with four wave troughs 18 (see fig. 8). This makes the pumping member ergonomically correct as the wave troughs 18 serve as grips for the fingers of a user gripping the pumping member 2. Thus, due to the width of hands, the height of a pumping member 2 will often be between 10 and 15 cm.
• the undulated shape may be provided in the circumference of the pumping member 2, and not as shown in the longitudinal direction.
• dispensers 1 will often be elastic plastic materials which are approved for use in connection with food. In order to obtain the desired flexibility and toughness, silicone products will typically be used.
• Fig. 3 shows the inlet valve shown in fig. 1, seen from below.
• the hinges 10 may eg. be moulded hinges. However, it is important that the hinges 10 do not affect the ability of the valve flaps 9 to close the valve 3 efficiently.
• Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view through a second embodiment of a dispenser 1 wherein the undulated pumping member 2 does not have a substantially pointed conic design but a substantially cylindrical shape.
• the dispenser 1 is provided with a different kind of inlet valve 3.
• the inlet valve 3 consists of a body which has a substantially elliptic cross-section and which has a low specific gravity compared to the specific gravity of the substance 8 so that it will remain floating in the substance 8.
• the inlet valve 3 will be in contact with the container 7 and block off the substance 8 in the pumping member 2 so that the substance 8 in the pumping member 2 is forced out through the outlet valve 4.
• Fig. 5 shows a partial sectional view of a pumping member 2. Shown in the figure is the mouthpiece 5. Here the mouthpiece 5 is provided with slots 12. The use of slots 12 is optional. The number and dimensions of the slots 12 vary depending on the choice of materials for the pumping member 2. It only has to be ensured that the outlet valve 4 is able to open at a suitable squeeze force on the pumping member 2.
• the inlet valve 3 shown in fig. 4 is seen in figs. 6 and 7. As can be seen, the inlet valve 3 is provided with contact surfaces 11. The number of contact surfaces 11 depends on the consistency of the substance 8 and of the desired flow speed.
• the inlet valve 3 described under figure 4 will be pressed up against the container and ensure that the substance 8 in the pumping member 2 will not be pressed back into the container 7.
• the inlet valve 3 is pressed downward, and the substance 8 from the container 7 will be sucked down into the pumping member through the open sides existing between the contact surfaces 11.
• Fig. 8 shows an enlarged partial view through the walls of the pumping member 2.
• the wall thickness is largest at wave crests 17 and wave troughs 18. This ensures that the pumping member has a strong return power.
• a radius of curvature R and a rise H are also indicated in the figure.
• the design of the pumping member 2 must take into account that the relationship between the rise H and the radius of curvature R must be less than or equal to 1.
• the wave troughs must have soft curves in order to avoid that the wave troughs/crests collapse and prevent the return.
• the soft curves ensure an efficient return.
• Figs. 9 and 10 show an embodiment of an inlet valve 3 for use in a pumping member 2.
• the inlet valve 3 is produced from a soft and yielding integral foam having substantially the characteristic of a sponge. This provides the inlet valve 3 with flexible characteristics. Slots 13 in the inlet valve 3 are provided in order to enable the substance 8 from the container 7 to flow into the pumping member 2. When the pumping member 2 is squeezed, the inlet valve 3 will be slid upwards in a conic shape and thus block off so that the substance 8 in the pumping member 2 is unable to flow back into the container 7 but is forced out through the outlet valve 4.
• Seen in figs. 11, 12 and 13 is an inlet valve 3 in an embodiment for use in the pumping member 2.
• the inlet valve 3 is, like in figs. 9 and 10, also here made of integral foam.
• the functioning of the inlet valve is substantially identical with the one described under figs. 9 and 10 since a centrally positioned hole 19 is provided in the inlet valve 3 instead of the slots 13 under figs. 9 and 10.
• the inlet valve 3 will assume a conic shape when subjected to a pressure force. As described above, this will have the effect that when the pumping member 2 is squeezed, the inlet valve 3 assumes its conic shape and the hole 19 is closed so that the substance 8 in the pumping member 2 is forced out through the outlet valve 4.
• Fig. 14 shows an inlet valve 3 which also functions as a lid 14.
• the locking mechanism 15 is springy, and in a position where it is bended inwards, it will ensure that the inlet valve 3 is able to be slid in both upward and downward directions as it is able in a springy manner to be brought in contact with the neck of the container 7.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8105973

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (4)

Citations (4)

• 1992
  • 1992-12-23 DK DK155092A patent/DK169777B1/da not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1993
  • 1993-12-22 AU AU58320/94A patent/AU5832094A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-12-22 WO PCT/DK1993/000440 patent/WO1994014675A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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