Horizontal pumps, refill units and foam dispensers with integral air compressors

Abstract

Foam dispensers having integral air compressors with connectors to connect with a disposable refill unit, disposable refill units and liquid pumps are disclosed herein. A refill unit includes a container and a liquid pump. The liquid pump includes a liquid chamber defined at least in part by a liquid inlet valve and a liquid outlet valve. A piston that reciprocates horizontally in the liquid chamber. A mixing chamber is located downstream of the liquid chamber. The mixing chamber is in fluid communication with the liquid chamber and has an air inlet. A sanitary seal is located proximate the air inlet to prevent liquid from contaminating the air compressors.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A disposable refill unit for a foam dispenser that has an integral air compressor comprising;
 a container;   a liquid pump secured to the container;
 the liquid pump having a liquid chamber defined at least in part by a liquid inlet valve and a liquid outlet valve; 
 a liquid piston that reciprocates horizontally in the liquid chamber; 
 a mixing chamber located downstream of the liquid chamber; 
 an air inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; 
 a sanitary seal located proximate the air inlet, the sanitary seal allows air to enter the mixing chamber and prevents liquid from exiting the mixing chamber through the air inlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 1  further comprising a sleeve located at least partially within the liquid chamber and at least a portion of the liquid piston reciprocates within the sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 2  further comprising one or more ribs located on the sleeve or on one or more walls of the liquid chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 1  wherein the liquid inlet valve and the liquid outlet valve are offset from one another. 
     
     
         5 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 1  wherein the liquid outlet valve is located closer to the front of the disposable refill unit than the liquid inlet valve. 
     
     
         6 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 1  further comprising a connector for connecting the liquid pump air inlet to an air outlet of an air compressor. 
     
     
         7 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 1  wherein the refill unit is configured to be lowered into a dispenser along a vertical axis. 
     
     
         8 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 1  wherein the liquid pump further comprises one or more sealing members that form at least a part of a channel for delivering air to the air inlet when the refill unit is installed in a foam dispenser. 
     
     
         9 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 1  wherein the liquid piston is movable to a plurality of positions within the liquid chamber and a head of the piston is located on one side of the outlet valve when the piston is in a first position and the head of the piston is located on the opposite side of the outlet valve when the piston is in a second position. 
     
     
         10 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 1  further comprising a suck back chamber in fluid communication with the mixing chamber. 
     
     
         11 . A disposable refill unit for a foam dispenser that has an integral air compressor comprising;
 a container;   a liquid pump secured to the container;
 the liquid pump having a liquid chamber defined at least in part by a liquid inlet valve and a liquid outlet valve; 
 a mixing chamber located downstream of the liquid chamber; 
 an air inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; 
 a sanitary seal located proximate the air inlet, the sanitary seal allows air to enter the mixing chamber and prevents liquid from exiting the mixing chamber through the air inlet; 
   wherein the container, the liquid pump and the sanitary seal are disposable.   
     
     
         12 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 11  wherein the liquid inlet valve and the liquid outlet valve are offset from one another. 
     
     
         13 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 11  wherein the liquid outlet valve is located closer to the front of the refill unit than the liquid inlet valve. 
     
     
         14 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the inlet valve and outlet valve are located off of a center line of the container. 
     
     
         15 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 11  wherein the liquid pump comprises one or more sealing members, wherein when the disposable refill unit is installed in a foam dispenser, the one or more sealing members form at least a portion of an air passageway. 
     
     
         16 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 11  further comprising a suck back chamber in fluid communication with the mixing chamber 
     
     
         17 . A disposable refill unit comprising:
 a container of foamable liquid;   a pump secured to the container;   the pump having a pump housing;
 an aperture through an upper surface of the pump housing; 
 a liquid inlet valve;
 the liquid inlet valve including a stem portion; 
 the stem portion having a projection member; 
 the liquid inlet valve including a sealing member; 
 
 a pump chamber located within the pump housing, wherein the aperture extends from the upper surface of the pump housing to the pump chamber; 
 wherein the projection member of the liquid inlet valve stem is located at least partially within the pump chamber and the sealing member of the liquid inlet valve is located above the upper surface of the pump housing; and 
 one or more liquid inlet passages located in the housing between the upper surface and the pump chamber; 
 wherein the sealing member is located upstream of the one or more liquid inlet passages. 
   
     
     
         18 . A disposable refill unit for a foam dispenser that has an integral air compressor comprising;
 a container for holding a foamable liquid;   a liquid pump secured to the container;
 the liquid pump having a liquid chamber defined at least in part by a liquid inlet valve and a liquid outlet valve; 
 a sleeve located at least partially within the liquid chamber; 
 a liquid piston that reciprocates horizontally in the liquid chamber and in contact with the sleeve; 
 a mixing chamber located downstream of the liquid chamber; 
 an air inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; 
 wherein the center of the liquid outlet valve is off-set from the center of the liquid inlet valve. 
   
     
     
         19 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 18  further comprising a member having a first wiper valve oriented in a first direction and a second wiper valve oriented in s second direction that is different then the first direction and wherein the first wiper valve is the liquid outlet valve and the second wiper valve is an air inlet valve. 
     
     
         20 . The disposable refill unit of  claim 19  wherein the movement of the piston is substantially normal the direction of the fluid flow.