Fluent Product Dispensing Package and Diaphragm Pump For Use Therein

Abstract

A diaphragm pump ( 12 ) is provided for a fluent product dispensing package ( 10 ), and includes a rigid pump base ( 22 ), a pumping dome ( 20 ), and an outlet valve ( 122 ). The dome ( 20 ) can include a mount ring ( 30 ) and a flexible dome member ( 32 ) that are permanently bonded to each other, with the ring ( 30 ) and the base ( 22 ) configured to provide a releasable connection for retaining the dome ( 20 ) to the base ( 22 ). The valve ( 122 ) can be part of an outlet valve cartridge ( 28 ) that includes the valve ( 122 ), a valve base ( 120 ) configured to releasably mount the outlet valve cartridge ( 26 ) to the base ( 22 ), and a retaining ring ( 124 ) for retaining the valve ( 122 ) to the base ( 120 ).

1 . A diaphragm pump ( 12 ) for a fluent product dispensing package ( 10 ), the diaphragm pump ( 12 ) comprising:
 a rigid pump base ( 22 ); and   a pumping dome ( 20 ), the pumping dome ( 20 ) comprising a mount ring ( 30 ) and a resilient, flexible dome member ( 32 ), the mount ring ( 30 ) and the dome member ( 32 ) being permanently bonded to each other, and wherein the mount ring ( 30 ) and the pump base ( 22 ) are configured to provide a releasable connection for retaining the pumping dome ( 20 ) to the base ( 22 ).   
     
     
         2 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 1  wherein the dome member ( 32 ) is made from thermoplastic elastomer material. 
     
     
         3 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 1  wherein the pumping dome ( 20 ) is a bi-injected construction with the dome member ( 32 ) overmolded onto the mount ring ( 30 ). 
     
     
         4 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 1  wherein the dome member has a convex outer surface ( 34 ) and a concave inner surface ( 36 ) with the dome member ( 32 ) in an un-compressed condition. 
     
     
         5 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 4  wherein the inner and outer surfaces ( 34 , 36 ) are semispherical in shape. 
     
     
         6 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 5  wherein the pump base ( 22 ) comprises a pump chamber ( 42 ) defined by a concave surface ( 44 ). 
     
     
         7 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 6  wherein the concave surface ( 44 ) of the pump base ( 22 ) is semispherical in shape. 
     
     
         8 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 7  wherein the concave surface ( 44 ) of the pump base ( 22 ) mirrors the geometry of the dome member ( 32 ) when the dome member ( 32 ) is inverted into a fully compressed condition so that the inner surface ( 36 ) of the dome member ( 32 ) conforms to the concave surface ( 44 ) of the pump base ( 22 ). 
     
     
         9 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet valve ( 24 ) in the form of a one-piece component that is snap-fit into the pump base ( 22 ). 
     
     
         10 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 1  further comprising an outlet valve cartridge ( 26 ) comprising a valve base ( 120 ) configured to releasably mount the outlet valve cartridge ( 26 ) to the pump base ( 22 ), a resilient, flexible outlet valve ( 122 ), and a retaining ring ( 124 ) for retaining the valve ( 122 ) to the base ( 120 ). 
     
     
         11 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 10  wherein the valve base ( 120 ) further includes a disk-shaped stop portion ( 136 ) that engages the outlet valve ( 122 ) to prevent the outlet valve ( 122 ) from opening in response to a negative pressure differential across the outlet valve ( 122 ) such as will occur when the pressure inside the pump ( 12 ) is lower than the atmospheric pressure outside of the pump ( 12 ). 
     
     
         12 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 11  wherein the outlet valve ( 122 ) includes a peripheral mount portion ( 150 ), a flexible, resilient head portion ( 152 ) having an orifice defined by at least one slit ( 154 ), and a flexible, resilient intermediate portion ( 156 ) that connects the peripheral mount portion ( 150 ) to the head ( 152 ), the head ( 152 ) being movable between a closed position wherein fluent product cannot flow through the outlet valve ( 122 ) and an open position wherein fluent product can flow through the outlet valve ( 122 ). 
     
     
         13 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet valve ( 24 ) and an outlet valve ( 122 ), and wherein the inlet valve ( 24 ), the outlet valve ( 122 ), and the pumping dome ( 20 ) are all snap-fit connected to the pump base ( 22 ). 
     
     
         14 . The diaphragm pump ( 12 ) of  claim 1  wherein the mount ring ( 30 ) and the pump base ( 22 ) are configured to provide a snap-fit connection for retaining the pumping dome ( 20 ) to the base. 
     
     
         15 . A diaphragm pump ( 12 ) for a fluent product dispensing package ( 10 ), the diaphragm pump ( 12 ) comprising:
 a rigid pump base ( 22 );   a pumping dome ( 20 ); and   an outlet valve cartridge ( 26 ) comprising a valve base ( 120 ) configured to releasably mount the outlet valve cartridge ( 26 ) to the pump base ( 22 ), a resilient, flexible outlet valve ( 122 ), and a retaining ring ( 124 ) for retaining the outlet valve ( 122 ) to the valve base ( 120 ).   
     
     
         16 - 30 . (canceled)