Fluid Dispenser with Rotating Pump

Abstract

A fluid pump having a piston chamber forming body; a piston member that is moveable along a piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body between an extended position and a retracted position; and a piston rotator that is moveable along the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body between an expanded position and a contracted position. When the piston rotator is moved between the expanded position and the contracted position, the piston rotator rotates about the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body. On movement of the piston rotator from the expanded position to the contracted position, the piston rotator rotates the piston member about the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body from a loading position to an engagement position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A fluid pump comprising:
 a piston chamber forming body;   a piston member that is moveable along a piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body between an extended position and a retracted position; and   a piston rotator that is moveable along the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body between an expanded position and a contracted position;   wherein, when the piston rotator is moved between the expanded position and the contracted position, the piston rotator rotates about the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body;   wherein, on movement of the piston rotator from the expanded position to the contracted position, the piston rotator rotates the piston member about the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body from a loading position to an engagement position; and   wherein the fluid pump is configured to dispense fluid on movement of the piston member between the extended position and the retracted position.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston rotator is coupled to the piston member to effect rotational movement of the piston member relative to the piston chamber forming body, while permitting axial movement of the piston member relative to the piston rotator. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston member has a keyed portion that, when viewed in cross-section perpendicular to the piston axis, is non-circular. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid pump according to  claim 3 , wherein the keyed portion is rigid. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid pump according to  claim 3 , wherein the keyed portion has an oval shape. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid pump according to  claim 3 , wherein the piston member has a neck portion that is axially closer to the piston chamber forming body than the keyed portion is to the piston chamber forming body. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid pump according to  claim 6 , wherein the neck portion is cylindrical. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid pump according to  claim 3 , wherein the piston rotator has a housing engagement surface that faces away from the piston chamber forming body; and
 wherein the piston rotator is moveable from the expanded position to the contracted position by applying a force to the housing engagement surface that is directed axially towards the piston chamber forming body.   
     
     
         9 . The fluid pump according to  claim 8 , wherein the housing engagement surface is axially closer to the piston chamber forming body than the keyed portion is to the piston chamber forming body. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rotator bias member, which biases the piston rotator towards the expanded position. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , further comprising a piston bias member, which biases the piston member towards the extended position. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston chamber forming body comprises a cylindrical piston chamber wall having at least one pin that extends radially outwardly from the piston chamber wall;
 wherein the piston rotator comprises a cylindrical rotator wall having at least one rotator channel that extends diagonally through the rotator wall;   wherein the at least one pin extends radially through the at least one rotator channel; and   wherein, on movement of the piston rotator from the expanded position to the contracted position, the at least one pin moves axially relative to the at least one rotator channel, which causes the piston rotator to rotate about the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body.   
     
     
         13 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston rotator comprises at least one rotator shaft that extends axially;
 wherein the piston member comprises at least one piston channel that extends axially;   wherein the at least one rotator shaft is received by the at least one piston channel; and   wherein, on movement of the piston rotator from the expanded position to the contracted position, the at least one rotator shaft rotates about the piston axis, engaging with the at least one piston channel and causing the piston member to rotate about the piston axis from the loading position to the engagement position.   
     
     
         14 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston member is moveable axially relative to the piston chamber forming body between the extended position and the retracted position while the piston rotator remains stationary relative to the piston chamber forming body. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston rotator is moveable relative to the piston chamber forming body between the expanded position and the contracted position without moving the piston member axially relative to the piston chamber forming body. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid pump according to  claim 2 , wherein the piston member has a keyed portion that, when viewed in cross-section perpendicular to the piston axis, is non-circular;
 wherein the keyed portion is rigid;   wherein the keyed portion has an oval shape;   wherein the piston member has a neck portion that is axially closer to the piston chamber forming body than the keyed portion is to the piston chamber forming body;   wherein the neck portion is cylindrical;   wherein the piston rotator has a housing engagement surface that faces away from the piston chamber forming body;   wherein the piston rotator is moveable from the expanded position to the contracted position by applying a force to the housing engagement surface that is directed axially towards the piston chamber forming body;   wherein the housing engagement surface is axially closer to the piston chamber forming body than the keyed portion is to the piston chamber forming body;   wherein the fluid pump further comprises a rotator bias member, which biases the piston rotator towards the expanded position;   wherein the fluid pump further comprises a piston bias member, which biases the piston member towards the extended position;   wherein the piston chamber forming body comprises a cylindrical piston chamber wall having at least one pin that extends radially outwardly from the piston chamber wall;   wherein the piston rotator comprises a cylindrical rotator wall having at least one rotator channel that extends diagonally through the rotator wall;   wherein the at least one pin extends radially through the at least one rotator channel;   wherein, on movement of the piston rotator from the expanded position to the contracted position, the at least one pin moves axially relative to the at least one rotator channel, which causes the piston rotator to rotate about the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body;   wherein the piston rotator comprises at least one rotator shaft that extends axially;   wherein the piston member comprises at least one piston channel that extends axially;   wherein the at least one rotator shaft is received by the at least one piston channel;   wherein, on movement of the piston rotator from the expanded position to the contracted position, the at least one rotator shaft rotates about the piston axis, engaging with the at least one piston channel and causing the piston member to rotate about the piston axis from the loading position to the engagement position;   wherein the piston member is moveable axially relative to the piston chamber forming body between the extended position and the retracted position while the piston rotator remains stationary relative to the piston chamber forming body; and   wherein the piston rotator is moveable relative to the piston chamber forming body between the expanded position and the contracted position without moving the piston member axially relative to the piston chamber forming body.   
     
     
         17 . A fluid dispenser comprising:
 a fluid pump for dispensing a fluid; and   a dispenser housing;   wherein the fluid pump comprises:
 a piston chamber forming body; 
 a piston member that is moveable along a piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body between an extended position and a retracted position; and 
 a piston rotator that is moveable along the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body between an expanded position and a contracted position; 
   wherein, when the piston rotator is moved between the expanded position and the contracted position, the piston rotator rotates about the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body;   wherein, on movement of the piston rotator from the expanded position to the contracted position, the piston rotator rotates the piston member about the piston axis relative to the piston chamber forming body from a loading position to an engagement position;   wherein the dispenser housing comprises:
 a lock-out body comprising a rotator engagement surface and a piston receiving opening; 
 a piston engagement body; and 
 a pump activation mechanism that, on activation of the fluid dispenser, moves the piston engagement body between a first position and a second position; 
   wherein the piston member has a keyed portion that is configured to pass through the piston receiving opening when the piston member is in the loading position;   wherein, on assembly of the fluid dispenser, the fluid pump is moved relative to the dispenser housing from a disassembled condition to an assembled condition;   wherein, on movement of the fluid pump from the disassembled condition to the assembled condition:
 the keyed portion of the piston member is passed through the piston receiving opening while the piston member is in the loading position; and 
 the piston rotator engages with the rotator engagement surface, which moves the piston rotator from the expanded position to the contracted position, rotating the piston member from the loading position to the engagement position after the keyed portion of the piston member has passed through the piston receiving opening; 
   wherein, when the fluid pump is in the assembled condition and the fluid dispenser is activated, the piston engagement body moves between the first position and the second position, engaging with the piston member and moving the piston member between the extended position and the retracted position, which causes the fluid pump to dispense the fluid.   
     
     
         18 . The fluid dispenser according to  claim 17 , wherein the piston rotator is coupled to the piston member to effect rotational movement of the piston member relative to the piston chamber forming body, while permitting axial movement of the piston member relative to the piston rotator. 
     
     
         19 . The fluid dispenser according to  claim 17 , wherein, when the fluid pump is in the assembled condition, the engagement of the piston rotator with the rotator engagement surface holds the piston rotator at the contracted position, which in turn holds the piston member at the engagement position. 
     
     
         20 . The fluid dispenser according to  claim 18 , wherein, when the fluid pump is in the assembled condition, the engagement of the piston rotator with the rotator engagement surface holds the piston rotator at the contracted position, which in turn holds the piston member at the engagement position;
 wherein the keyed portion, when viewed in cross-section perpendicular to the piston axis, is non-circular;   wherein the fluid dispenser further comprises a rotator bias member, which biases the piston rotator towards the expanded position;   wherein the fluid dispenser further comprises a piston bias member, which biases the piston member towards the extended position;   wherein the keyed portion of the piston member is unable to pass through the piston receiving opening when the piston member is in the engagement position;   wherein the piston member is unable to engage with the piston engagement body when the piston member is in the loading position;   wherein, when the fluid pump is in the assembled condition and the fluid dispenser is activated, the piston member moves axially relative to the piston rotator;   wherein the keyed portion is rigid;   wherein the keyed portion has an oval shape;   wherein the piston receiving opening has an oval shape;   wherein the piston member has a neck portion that extends through the piston receiving opening when the fluid pump is in the assembled condition;   wherein the neck portion is able to pass through the piston receiving opening when the piston member is in the loading position and when the piston member is in the engagement position;   wherein the neck portion is cylindrical; and   wherein the fluid dispenser further comprises a fluid reservoir containing a supply of the fluid.