Air-vented liquid dispensers and refill units therefor

Abstract

Air-vented liquid dispensers are disclosed herein, including refill units for use in connection with such dispensers. A cap is attached to the rigid container. A manifold of the refill unit is secured to the neck portion, and includes an air passage for air to enter into the container and a liquid passage for liquid to exit the container. In some embodiments, one of the cap and the container comprises a protrusion, and the other of the cap and the container comprises a seat for the protrusion, such that an interface between the protrusion and the seat forms an air vent pathway for the refill unit. In other embodiments, one of the cap and the container comprises a flexible and resilient valve member which in a rest position extends to contact the other of the cap and the container.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A refill unit for a liquid dispenser, the refill unit comprising:
 a rigid container comprising a neck portion and an interior portion for holding a liquid;   a cap attached to the rigid container so that the neck portion of the container extends into the cap; and   a manifold secured to the neck portion with the cap, wherein the manifold comprises an air passage leading from a space between the container and the cap to the interior portion of the container, and a liquid passage leading from the interior portion of the container to a liquid outlet of the manifold;   wherein one of the cap and the container comprises a protrusion, and the other of the cap and the container comprises a seat for the protrusion, such that an interface between the protrusion and the seat forms an air vent pathway for the refill unit.   
     
     
         2 . The refill unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cap is attached to the rigid container by a threaded connection or a snap-fit connection between the cap and the rigid container. 
     
     
         3 . The refill unit of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the cap comprises an inward flange portion and the container comprises an outward flange portion, such that when the cap is attached to the container, the inward flange portion engages the outward flange portion; and   the protrusion is formed on one of the inward flange portion and the outward flange portion, and the seat is formed on the other of the inward flange portion and the outward flange portion.   
     
     
         4 . The refill unit of  claim 1 , wherein the cap comprises an inward flange portion and the manifold comprises an outward flange portion, such that when the cap is attached to the container, the inward flange portion presses the outward flange portion against an outer lip of the container neck. 
     
     
         5 . The refill unit of  claim 4 , further comprising a gasket disposed between the inward flange portion and the outward flange portion. 
     
     
         6 . The refill unit of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises at least one of a soap, a sanitizer, a cleanser or a disinfectant. 
     
     
         7 . The refill unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid pump connected to the liquid outlet of the manifold, such that operation of the liquid pump draws liquid from the container into and then out of the liquid pump in order to dispense liquid from the refill unit. 
     
     
         8 . The refill unit of  claim 7 , wherein the liquid pump comprises an elastomeric dome pump. 
     
     
         9 . The refill unit of  claim 7 , wherein the liquid pump comprises a pump housing, and the manifold is part of the pump housing. 
     
     
         10 . The refill unit of  claim 1 , wherein one of the cap and the container comprises an orientation lug, and the other of the cap and the container comprises an orientation recess, such that the orientation lug is received within the orientation recess when the protrusion is fitted with the seat. 
     
     
         11 . The refill unit of  claim 1 , wherein the seat further comprises angled side members to receive the protrusion. 
     
     
         12 . A dispensing device comprising:
 a rigid container, a cap and a manifold, wherein:
 the container comprises a neck portion and an interior portion for holding a liquid; 
 the cap is attached to the container so that the neck of the container extends into the cap; and 
 the manifold is secured to the neck portion by the cap, and comprises an air passage leading from a space between the container and the cap to the interior portion of the container, and a liquid passage leading from the interior portion of the container to a liquid outlet of the manifold; and 
   wherein one of the cap and the container comprises a protrusion, and the other of the cap and the container comprises a seat for the protrusion, such that an interface between the protrusion and the seat forms an air vent pathway for the refill unit.   
     
     
         13 . The dispensing device of  claim 12 , wherein the manifold comprises a one-way outlet valve. 
     
     
         14 . The dispensing device of  claim 12 , wherein the air vent pathway is between about 0.015 and 0.040 inches. 
     
     
         15 . A dispensing device comprising:
 a rigid container comprising a neck portion and an interior portion for holding a liquid;   a cap attached to the rigid container so that the neck portion of the container extends into the cap; and   a manifold secured to the neck portion underneath the container, wherein the manifold comprises an air passage leading from a space between the container and the cap to the interior portion of the container, and a liquid passage leading from the interior portion of the container to a liquid outlet of the manifold;   wherein one of the cap and the container comprises a flexible and resilient valve member which in a rest position extends to contact the other of the cap and the container; and   wherein the resilience of the valve member may be overcome by a minimum vacuum pressure generated in the container by liquid being dispensed from the container, to move the valve member from the rest position to an open position separated from the other of the cap and the container, thereby allowing air to enter the container until the vacuum pressure falls below the minimum pressure thus permitting the valve member to return to the rest position due to its resiliency.   
     
     
         16 . The dispensing device of  claim 15 , wherein the cap is attached to the rigid container by a threaded connection or a snap-fit connection between the cap and the rigid container. 
     
     
         17 . The dispensing device of  claim 16 , wherein the cap comprises an inward flange portion and the container comprises an outward flange portion, such that when the cap is attached to the container, the inward flange portion engages the outward flange portion. 
     
     
         18 . The dispensing device of  claim 15 , wherein the cap comprises an inward flange portion and the manifold comprises an outward flange portion, such that when the cap is attached to the container, the inward flange portion presses the outward flange portion against an outer lip of the container neck. 
     
     
         19 . The dispensing device of  claim 15 , further comprising a liquid pump connected to the liquid outlet of the manifold, such that operation of the liquid pump draws liquid from the container into and then out of the liquid pump in order to dispense liquid from the refill unit. 
     
     
         20 . The dispensing device of  claim 19 , wherein the liquid pump comprises an elastomeric dome pump. 
     
     
         21 . The dispensing device of  claim 20 , wherein the liquid pump comprises a pump housing, and the manifold is part of the pump housing. 
     
     
         22 . The dispensing device of  claim 15 , wherein the flexible and resilient valve member is directed towards the air passage of the manifold in the rest position.