Venting system

Abstract

A connecting system comprising a hollow transfer tube having at least two openings and one or more walls defining an aperture sealed at one end with a polymeric seal, the aperture being large enough to accommodate the transfer tube. The invention is also directed to a refill cartridge and to a dispenser. The dispenser includes a housing having an opening suitable for accommodating the refill cartridge. The housing includes at least one of i) one or more walls defining an aperture sealed at one end with a polymeric seal, the aperture being large enough to accommodate a transfer tube, the opening being in fluid communication with a conduit within the housing or ii) a hollow transfer tube, having at least two openings, extending from the housing, one opening being in communication with a conduit in the housing and the second opening in fluid communication with the exterior of the dispenser housing. The dispenser may include a u-shaped vent tube and a double valve liquid pump.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . The dispenser according to  claim 3  wherein said reservoir is removable. 
     
     
         3 . A dispenser comprising a housing, the housing comprising a reservoir suitable to contain fluid, a vent opening in the housing in fluid communication with the interior of the reservoir adapted to permit venting of air into and out of the reservoir wherein the reservoir has a bottom end and a top end, and the reservoir has a height extending from the bottom end to the top end, the dispenser vent opening being in fluid communication with the interior of the reservoir through a conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end being in fluid communication directly or indirectly with the vent opening and the conduit extending to its second end in the upper third of the height of the reservoir and having an air permeable opening into the interior of the reservoir at the second end, the dispenser further comprising a foam generator comprising i) a foam generator housing, ii) an inlet for washing fluid directly or indirectly from the reservoir, iii) an inlet for air, and iv) a meeting point for combining the air and the washing liquid to create foam, the vent opening not being in fluid communication, other than through ambient air, with the foam generator inlet for air. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser according to  claim 3  wherein the second end of the conduit is in the upper 1/10 of the height of the reservoir. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein air vents into the reservoir through the conduit when liquid is evacuated from the reservoir and air vents out of the reservoir through the conduit when there is a build up of pressure within the reservoir. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the conduit is a flexible tube that floats within the refill such that its breathing or vent opening is always exposed to a column of air in the headspace of the cartridge. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 1  wherein the conduit is rigid. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled)