Dispenser, a pump engine for a dispenser and a container for a dispenser

Abstract

A pump engine or unit for pump-action fluid dispenser has a fluid storage chamber ( 16 ), a final fluid outlet nozzle and a manually actuated pump for delivering fluid from the fluid storage chamber to the outlet under pressure. The engine has a body comprising two parts ( 48, 50 ) which define between them the fluid storage chamber and least one chamber ( 64 ) of the pump. The fluid storage chamber is defined between opposing wall portions ( 52, 54 ) of the two parts of the body and at least one of the opposing wall portions ( 54 ) is flexible and is configured to conform closely to the contour of the other of the opposing wall portions ( 52 ), at least when the fluid storage chamber is empty.

1 . A pump engine for pump-action fluid dispenser, the engine comprising a fluid storage chamber, a fluid outlet and a manually actuated pump means for delivering fluid from the fluid storage chamber to the outlet under pressure, the engine having a body comprising two parts which define between them the fluid storage chamber and least one pump chamber of the pump means, characterised in that the fluid storage chamber is defined between opposing wall portions of the two parts of the body and in that at least one of the opposing wall portions is flexible and is configured to conform closely to the contour of the other of the opposing wall portions, at least when the fluid storage chamber is empty. 
   
   
       2 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the other of the opposing wall portions is rigid. 
   
   
       3 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 2 , in which the rigid opposing wall portion has an inner surface which is generally concave. 
   
   
       4 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the flexible wall portion is resiliently biased to conform closely to the contour of the other of the opposing wall portions. 
   
   
       5 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the fluid storage chamber has an inlet through which fluid can be introduced into the chamber. 
   
   
       6 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the inlet has a closure means that can be removed to allow the chamber to be refilled. 
   
   
       7 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the pump comprises a first pump chamber having an inlet fluidly connected to the fluid storage chamber through which a first fluid in the fluid storage chamber can enter the first pump chamber, and an outlet fluidly connected by means of a first fluid passage means to the fluid outlet, the pump further comprising one way valve means configured to permit fluid to enter the first chamber through the inlet from the fluid storage chamber only when the pressure in the first pump chamber is at a predetermined threshold value that is lower than the pressure of the first fluid in the fluid storage chamber and an outlet pre-compression valve means configured to permit fluid to pass from the first pump chamber through the first fluid passage means to the fluid outlet only when the fluid in the chamber is at or above a predetermined threshold value. 
   
   
       8 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 7 , in which the pump further comprises a second pump chamber for delivering a second fluid to the fluid outlet under pressure and having an inlet means through which the second fluid can enter the second pump chamber from a second fluid source, the inlet having a one way valve means arranged to permit fluid from the second fluid source to enter the second fluid chamber only when the pressure within the second chamber is below that of the fluid in the second fluid source and an outlet fluidly connected to fluid outlet by means of a second fluid passage means, the pump engine further comprising a second fluid pre-compression valve arranged to permit the second fluid to flow from the second pump chamber through the second passage means only when the second fluid in the second chamber is at, or above, a predetermined minimum value. 
   
   
       9 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 8 , in which the second fluid source comprises a further fluid storage chamber in the engine. 
   
   
       10 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 9 , in which the further fluid storage chamber is defined between opposing wall portions of the two parts of the body, at least one of the opposing wall portions being flexible and configured to conform closely to the other of the opposing wall portions, at least when the further fluid storage chamber is empty. 
   
   
       11 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 8 , in which the second fluid is air and the second pump chamber inlet is configured to enable ambient air to be drawn into the second pump chamber when the pressure inside the second pump chamber is at or below the ambient air pressure. 
   
   
       12 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 11 , in which the first fluid is a liquid and the first fluid passage includes a mixing chamber, the second fluid passage means fluidly connecting the outlet of the second pump chamber with the mixing chamber, the engine further comprising a third fluid passage means which fluidly connects the outlet of the second pump chamber with the first passage means at a position upstream from the mixing chamber, the arrangement being such that in use, the air flowing from the second chamber is divided into two portions, one portion flowing through the second fluid passage means directly into the mixing chamber to mix with the liquid flowing from the first pump chamber, and a second portion, which flows through the third fluid passage means into the first passage to assist in driving the liquid along the first fluid passage means into the mixing chamber. 
   
   
       13 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 12 , in which the first fluid passage means comprises a pre-compression chamber immediately downstream of the first pump chamber outlet pre-compression valve, and the third fluid passage means fluidly connects the outlet of the second pump chamber with the first pump chamber outlet pre-compression chamber. 
   
   
       14 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of  claims 7  to  13 , in which the first pump chamber is defined between a flexible member and a rigid wall portion of the engine, the flexible member being compressible towards the rigid wall portion to pressurise the fluid in the first chamber. 
   
   
       15 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 14 , in which the flexible member is a dome-shaped member 
   
   
       16 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of  claims 7  to  15 , in which the second pump chamber is defined in part by means of a further flexible member which can be compressed or distorted to reduce the volume of the second chamber so as to pressurise the fluid inside the second chamber. 
   
   
       17 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the further flexible member is a rolling diaphragm. 
   
   
       18 . A pump engine consisting of two members that are assembled together to form the engine. 
   
   
       19 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 18 , in which one of the members comprises a rigid frame to which all the flexible components of the engine are mounted. 
   
   
       20 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 19 , in which the other of the members is formed entirely of a substantially rigid material. 
   
   
       21 . A pump engine as claimed in  claim 19 , in which said one of the members is formed from two or more plastics materials using bi-injection moulding techniques. 
   
   
       22 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of  claims 18  to  21 , in which the two members are moulded as a single integral component with the two members joined to one another by flexible hinge means so that they can be moved relative to one another for assembly. 
   
   
       23 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of  claims 18  to  22 , in which the two members are permanently fixed together in the assembled condition by welding. 
   
   
       24 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the final outlet comprises an outlet nozzle and the dispenser is configured to dispense a liquid as an atomised spray. 
   
   
       25 . A pump engine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, configured to dispense a set dose of fluid on each actuation of the pump. 
   
   
       26 . A pump-action dispenser comprising an engine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the dispenser further comprising an actuator member to which a user can apply a force to actuate the pump means. 
   
   
       27 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising a pump engine as claimed in  claim 14  and  claim 16 , in which the actuator member is configured to engage and compress the flexible member and the further flexible member when a force is applied by a user. 
   
   
       28 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 27 , in which the first and second pump chambers are laterally spaced from one another, the actuator member having two abutment means configured so that when a force is applied by a user, a first one of the abutment means contacts and compresses the flexible member defining the first pump chamber and a second one of the abutment means contacts and compresses the flexible member defining the second pump chamber. 
   
   
       29 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 28 , in which the dispenser is configured so that the second abutment means contacts and compresses the flexible member defining the second pump chamber to pressurise the fluid in the second chamber before first abutment means contacts and compresses the flexible member defining the first pump chamber. 
   
   
       30 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 28  or  claim 29 , configured so that, in use when a user applies a force to the actuator member, the flexible member defining the second pump chamber continues to be compressed for a short period after the flexible member defining the first pump chamber is fully compressed. 
   
   
       31 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 30 , in which the actuator member is configured to rock, tilt, deform or distort after the flexible member defining the first pump chamber has been fully compressed so as to continue compressing the flexible member defining the second pump chamber. 
   
   
       32 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in any one of  claims 26  to  31 , in which the actuator is formed integrally with or mounted to the engine. 
   
   
       33 . A pump-action dispenser comprising a pump engine as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  25  and an outer casing which covers at least part of the engine. 
   
   
       34 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 33 , in which the outer casing completely encases the pump engine and comprises an opening which corresponds with the fluid outlet of the engine. 
   
   
       35 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 33  or  claim 34 , in which the engine is removably mounted in the outer casing. 
   
   
       36 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 35 , in which the engine can be removed from the outer casing and replaced by a similar engine. 
   
   
       37 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in any one of  claims 33  to  36  and any one of  claims 26  to  31 , in which the actuator comprises part of the outer casing. 
   
   
       38 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 37 , in which the actuator member comprises an integral part of a wall portion of the outer casing and is attached to the wall portion by means of a flexible hinge. 
   
   
       39 . A fluid container for a pump-action dispenser, the container having a chamber for receiving a fluid to be dispensed, characterised in that the chamber is defined between a rigid wall portion of the container and a flexible wall portion of the container that is configured to conform closely to the contour of the rigid wall portion, at least when the container is empty. 
   
   
       40 . A fluid container as claimed in  claim 39 , in which the flexible wall portion is resiliently biased to conform closely to the contour of the rigid wall portion. 
   
   
       41 . A fluid container claimed in  claim 39  or  claim 40 , in which the inner surface of the rigid wall portion defines a generally concave recess. 
   
   
       42 . A pump-action dispenser having a fluid container as claimed in any one of  claims 39  to  41 . 
   
   
       43 . A pump-action fluid dispenser, the dispenser comprising a pump chamber at least partly defined by a flexibly resilient rolling diaphragm. 
   
   
       44 . A pump-action fluid dispenser as claimed in  claim 43 , in which the pump chamber is defined between the rolling diaphragm and a rigid wall portion. 
   
   
       45 . A pump-action fluid dispenser comprising an outlet nozzle, a first pump chamber for pressurising a liquid to be dispensed, a second pump chamber for pressurising air, a first fluid passage means for fluidly connecting the first chamber to the outlet nozzle, a second fluid passage means for fluidly connecting the second pump chamber to a mixing chamber forming part of the first passage means; characterised in that the dispenser further comprises a third fluid passage means for connecting the second chamber to the first fluid passage means at a position upstream from the mixing chamber. 
   
   
       46 . A pump-action fluid dispenser as claimed in  claim 45 , in which the mixing chamber is an expansion chamber having a cross sectional area larger than that of the fluid passageways leading into it and is located upstream of the outlet nozzle. 
   
   
       47 . A pump-action fluid dispenser as claimed in  claim 45  or  claim 46 , in which the dispenser is configured to dispense the liquid in the form of an atomised spray and the outlet nozzle comprises one or more control means configured to affect the quality of the spray. 
   
   
       48 . A pump-action fluid dispenser as claimed in  claim 47 , in which the control means comprises one or more selected from the following group: a swirl chamber; an expansion chamber; an inner orifice configured to generate a spray or jet of the liquid inside the nozzle; a dog leg; or multiple flow passageways. 
   
   
       49 . A pump-action fluid dispenser comprising an outlet nozzle, a first pump chamber for pressurising a liquid to be dispensed, a second pump chamber for pressurising air, a first fluid passage means for fluidly connecting the first chamber to the outlet nozzle, a second fluid passage means for fluidly connecting the second pump chamber to a mixing chamber forming part of the first passage means, characterised in that the dispenser is configured such that during use when the pump is actuated, pressurised air from the second pump chamber enters the mixing chamber through the second fluid passage means before liquid from the first pump chamber enters the mixing chamber through the first fluid passage means. 
   
   
       50 . A pump-action fluid dispenser as claimed in  claim 49 , in which the dispenser is configured such that, during use when the pump is actuated, air from the second pump chamber continues to enter the mixing chamber for a short period of time after the liquid from the first pump chamber has stopped flowing into the mixing chamber. 
   
   
       51 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 49  or  claim 50 , in which the dispenser comprises a third fluid passage means for connecting the second chamber to the first fluid passage means at a position upstream from the mixing chamber. 
   
   
       52 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in any one of  claims 49  to  51 , in which the mixing chamber is positioned immediately upstream of an outlet nozzle arrangement. 
   
   
       53 . A pump-action fluid dispenser comprising a manually actuated pump having a first pump chamber defined in part by a first flexible member which can be distorted from an initial configuration to a second configuration in order to reduce the volume of the first chamber and evacuate a fluid from the first chamber and a second pump chamber laterally spaced from the first, the second pump chamber being defined in part by a second flexible member which can be distorted from an initial configuration to a second configuration in order to reduce the volume of the second chamber and evacuate a fluid from the second chamber, characterised in that the dispenser further comprises an actuator member configured to engage and distort the first and second flexible members when a force is applied by a user to actuate the pulp means; characterised in that the actuator member is configured to rock, tilt, deform or distort in order to fully evacuate both chambers. 
   
   
       54 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 53 , in which the actuator member has a first, free end and a second end which is mounted to a support by means of a flexible hinge, the actuator member or lever being configured to rock, tilt, deform or distort at a position between the two ends in order to fully evacuate both chambers. 
   
   
       55 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 53  or  claim 54 , in which the actuator member has two abutment means configured so that when a force is applied by a user, a first one of the abutment means contacts and distorts the first flexible member and a second one of the abutment means contacts and distorts the second flexible member. 
   
   
       56 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 54  or  claim 55 , in which the dispenser is configured so that, in use when a user applies a force to the actuator member to actuate the pump means, the second abutment means contacts and distorts the second flexible member before first abutment means contacts and distorts the first flexible member. 
   
   
       57 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in any one of  claims 53  to  56 , configured so that, in use when a user applies a force to the actuator member to actuate the pump means, the first pump chamber is fully evacuated before the second pump chamber. 
   
   
       58 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in any one of  claims 55  to  57  when dependent on  claim 54 , in which the first abutment is positioned between the second abutment and the hinge and the actuator member is configured to rock, tilt, deform or distort about the first abutment member. 
   
   
       59 . A pump-action dispenser comprising a pump unit having an outlet nozzle, a fluid storage chamber and a manually actuated pump means for delivering a fluid from the fluid storage chamber to the outlet nozzle, characterised in that the dispenser further comprises a separate casing which at least partially encases the pump unit. 
   
   
       60 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 59 , in which the casing completely encases the pump unit. 
   
   
       61 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in  claim 59  or  claim 60 , in which the casing is separable from the pump unit, so that the pump unit can be replaced by a similar pump unit. 
   
   
       62 . A pump-action dispenser as claimed in any one of  claims 59  to  61 , in which the casing comprises an actuator member to which a user can apply a force to actuate the pump. 
   
   
       63 . A fluid dispenser substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 9  or  FIGS. 10 and 11  or  FIGS. 12 to 15  of the accompanying drawings.