Fluid dispensers for personal use

Abstract

Personal dispensers include collapsible containers that are associated with pump mechanisms for dispensing fluid from within the collapsible containers. The pump mechanisms are preferable selectively operable to dispense a unit dose of fluid. The collapsible containers are sealed such that they lose volume as fluid is dispensed. Clips and housing members for holding and wearing the personal dispensers are also provided.

1 . A personal dispenser comprising: 
 a collapsible container having flexible walls defining an internal volume holding a fluid for dispensing; and    a pump mechanism user operated by manipulation through said flexible walls, and including a dispensing nozzle extending external of said collapsible container, such that operating said pump mechanism dispenses at least some of said fluid from within said internal volume through said dispensing nozzle.    
   
   
       2 . A personal dispenser as in  claim 1 , wherein said pump mechanism, when operated by manipulation through said flexible walls, dispenses, at said dispensing nozzle, a unit dose of fluid.  
   
   
       3 . A personal dispenser as in  claim 2 , wherein said pump mechanism includes a collapsible dosing chamber residing within said internal volume that is manipulated through said flexible walls to dispense said unit dose of fluid, said collapsible dosing chamber defining a dose volume.  
   
   
       4 . A personal dispenser as in  claim 3 , wherein said pump mechanism includes: 
 an inlet communicating between said internal volume of said collapsible container and said dose volume;    an outlet communicating between said dose volume and an opening for dispensing fluid, said outlet extending through said dispensing nozzle;    an inlet valve in said inlet that permits said fluid to enter said dose volume upon expansion of said collapsible dosing chamber from a collapsed state; and    an outlet valve in said outlet that permits dispensing of said fluid upon collapsing said collapsible dosing chamber from an expanded state.    
   
   
       5 . The personal dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein said collapsible container is sealed such that dispensing said unit dose causes said interior volume of said collapsible container to decrease substantially by said unit dose.  
   
   
       6 . The personal dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein said inlet valve is a duckbill valve that opens to fluid flow in the direction into said dose volume and closes to fluid flow in the direction opposite thereto.  
   
   
       7 . The personal dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein said outlet valve is a duckbill valve that opens to fluid flow from within said dose volume toward said dispensing nozzle, and closes to fluid flow in the direction opposite thereto.  
   
   
       8 . The personal dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein said collapsible dosing chamber and said inlet and outlet thereof are a unitary blow-molded pump mechanism.  
   
   
       9 . The personal dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein said pump mechanism is formed of two substantially identical half sections mating to form said pump mechanism through male and female mating members.  
   
   
       10 . The personal dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein said half sections each comprise: 
 a body portion providing an inlet trough providing half of said inlet, an outlet trough providing half of said outlet, and an aperture between said inlet trough and outlet trough; and    an over mold portion of a flexible material providing half said duckbill valve in said outlet, half of said duckbill valve in said inlet, and half of said dosing chamber extending through said aperture.    
   
   
       11 . The personal dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener so that the user may carry the personal dispenser on his/her person.  
   
   
       12 . The personal dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing member that selectively receives said collapsible container with at least a portion of said dispensing nozzle extending exteriorly thereof, said housing member having a push plate extending over at least a portion of said collapsible container such that pushing on said push plate pushes on said collapsible container to dispense fluid.  
   
   
       13 . A personal dispenser comprising: 
 a collapsible container having flexible walls defining an internal volume holding a fluid for dispensing;    a pump mechanism communicating between said internal volume and an opening for dispensing fluid, said pump mechanism including a collapsible dosing chamber defining a dose volume, an inlet communicating between said internal volume of said collapsible container and said dose volume, and an outlet communicating between said dose volume and said opening for dispensing fluid, such that operating said pump mechanism dispenses at least some of said fluid from within said dose volume through said dispensing nozzle, wherein said pump mechanism is manipulated to dispense said fluid by direct manipulation of said collapsible dosing chamber by a hand of the user.    
   
   
       14 . A personal dispenser comprising: 
 a collapsible container having flexible walls defining an internal volume holding a fluid for dispensing;    a dispensing nozzle having an opening for dispensing fluid, and an outlet communicating between said internal volume of said collapsible container and said opening for dispensing fluid;    a one-way valve in said outlet that permits dispensing of said fluid at said opening and prohibits air from entering said collapsible container through said outlet, said one-way valve responding to an increase in pressure in said outlet to permit dispensing of said fluid.    
   
   
       15 . The personal dispenser of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a housing member having a dispensing nozzle aperture and a push plate, said housing member selectively receiving said collapsible container such that said push plate overlies said collapsible container and said dispensing nozzle extends outwardly of said housing member through said dispensing nozzle aperture, wherein pressing on said push plate presses on said collapsible container and increases the pressure against said collapsible container to permit dispensing of said fluid.    
   
   
       16 . The personal dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein said housing member further includes an identification badge holder.  
   
   
       17 . A method for monitoring the maintenance of a sanitized work environment comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of personal disposable personal dispensers to workers at said work environment, wherein said personal dispensers hold a plurality of unit doses of hand sanitizing fluid;    monitoring, on a consistent periodic basis, the number of empty personal dispensers exchanged for new personal dispensers;    determining, after a plurality of said monitoring steps, an average number of exchanges that correlates with a sanitized work environment; and    after said step of determining an average number of exchanges that correlates with a sanitized work environment, comparing the number of empty personal dispensers exchanged in subsequent said steps of monitoring with the average number of exchanges.    
   
   
       18 . A method for creating a pump mechanism having an inlet path and an outlet path communicating with a dosing chamber, wherein both the inlet and outlet paths include one-way valves, the method comprising the steps of: 
 molding a first half of a body portion from rigid material, the first half of the body portion providing a first half of an inlet path, a first half of an outlet path, and a dosing chamber aperture;    molding a second half of a body portion from rigid material, the second half of the body portion providing a second half of an inlet path, a second half of an outlet path, and a dosing chamber aperture;    over molding a flexible material on the first half of the body portion to provide a first half of a duct bill valve in the inlet path, a first half of a duct bill valve in the outlet path, and a first half of a dosing chamber extending through the dosing chamber aperture;    over molding a flexible material on the second half of the body portion to provide a second half of a duct bill valve in the inlet path, a second half of a duct bill valve in the outlet path, and a second half of a dosing chamber extending through the dosing chamber aperture; and    joining the first and second halves of the body portion such that said first and second halves of the inlet path create a complete inlet path with a duct bill valve therein, said first and second halves of the outlet path create a complete outlet path with a duct bill valve therein, and said first and second halves of a dosing chamber create a complete dosing chamber.    
   
   
       19 . A method for creating a pump mechanism having an inlet path and an outlet path communicating with a dosing chamber, wherein both the inlet and outlet paths include one-way valves, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a mold having an inside dimension configuration that provides a domed dosing chamber shape, an inside-out duck bill valve shape extending from the domed dosing chamber shape at an open end of the duck bill valve shape and extending to a closed end of the duck bill valve shape, and an outlet conduit shape extending from the domed dosing chamber shape at an open end of the outlet conduit shape and extending to an open fill end of the outlet conduit shape;    placing a tube of plastic material in the mold;    blowing air through the open fill end of the outlet conduit shape of the mold to force the tube of plastic material to contact the inside dimensions of the mold, and thereby forming a pump mechanism having a dosing chamber from which a sealed inside-out duck bill valve extends and from which an outlet conduit extends;    removing the pump mechanism from the mold; and    pushing the inside-out duck bill valve inside of the dosing chamber to create an inlet conduit closed by a duck bill valve.    
   
   
       20 . A clip device comprising: 
 a first clamp member having a first grip portion and a catch;    a second clamp member having a second grip portion and a latch, said second clamp member being joined to said first clamp member at a hinge such that said first and second grip portions are opposed to one another and said latch is opposed to said catch, wherein said first and second grip portions move about said hinge to make contact with one another and said latch engages said catch when said first and second grip portions make contact.