Discharge device with intermediate piece

Abstract

A discharge device having an actuating handle, a first pump system for conveying a first medium and a second pump system for conveying a second medium. The actuating handle can be moved between an initial position and an end position. The first pump system includes a first pump chamber and a first piston arranged in a displaceable manner in the first pump chamber. The second pump system includes a second pump chamber and a second piston arranged in a displaceable manner in the second pump chamber. The first piston and the second piston can be displaced via the actuating handle in the direction of actuation, and the actuating handle and the first piston are coupled to each other such that the actuating handle and the first piston can be displaced relative to each other in a direction of actuation via a free travel.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A discharge device comprising:
 an actuating handle movable a distance between a starting position and an end position, the distance between the starting position and the end position representing a total travel stroke of the actuating handle, the total travel stroke of the actuating handle having a first part and a second part which follows the first part; 
 a first pump system, actuable by the actuating handle, for conveying a first medium, the first pump system including a first pump chamber and a first piston slidably arranged in the first pump chamber, the first piston being displaceable relative to the first pump chamber in an actuating direction by the actuating handle, the actuating handle and the first piston being coupled together such that the actuating handle and the first piston are displaceable relative to one another in the actuating direction over a free travel distance corresponding to the first part of the total travel stroke, the total travel stroke of the actuating handle being greater than the free travel distance; 
 a first force element disposed between the first piston and a housing of the first pump chamber, the first piston being displaceable against a first restoring force of the first force element for reducing a volume of the pump chamber; 
 a second force element disposed between the first piston and the actuating handle and having a second restoring force which holds the first piston and the actuating handle at a distance from one another, the second restoring force being sufficient to permit displacement of the actuating handle and the first piston relative to one another over the free travel distance corresponding to the first part of the total travel stroke such that the first piston during the first part of the total travel stroke is not displaced relative to the first pump chamber and medium in the first pump chamber is not dispensed during the first part of the total travel stroke; and 
 a second pump system, actuable by the actuating handle, for conveying a second medium, the second pump system including a second pump chamber and a second piston slidably arranged in the second pump chamber, the second piston being displaceable relative to the second pump chamber in an actuating direction by the actuating handle, the actuating handle and the second piston being coupled together such that the second piston during the first and second parts of the total travel stroke is displaced relative to the second pump chamber and medium in the second pump chamber is dispensed during the first and second parts of the total travel stroke, the actuator handle displacing the first piston relative to the first pump chamber against the first restoring force of the first force element during the second part of the total travel stroke such that medium in the first pump chamber and medium in the second pump chamber are both dispensed during the second part of the total travel stroke. 
 
     
     
       2. The discharge device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first restoring force of the first force element is greater than the second restoring force of the second force element. 
     
     
       3. The discharge device according to  claim 2 , wherein the second piston is operatively connected to the actuating handle in a play-free manner such that the second piston moves together with the actuating handle over an entirety of the total travel stroke thereof. 
     
     
       4. The discharge device according to  claim 3 , further including an intermediate component disposed between the first piston and the actuating handle, the intermediate component interconnecting the first piston and the actuating handle to permit relative movement therebetween during the first part of the total travel stroke of the actuating handle. 
     
     
       5. The discharge device according to  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate component is sleeve-shaped and a portion of the actuating handle or a portion of the first piston is slidably disposed and guided within the intermediate component. 
     
     
       6. The discharge device according to  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate component is reversibly-deformable, and the actuating handle or the first piston is formed integrally with the intermediate component. 
     
     
       7. The discharge device according to  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate component is reversibly-deformable, and the actuating handle or the first piston is coupled with the intermediate component in a substantially play-free manner. 
     
     
       8. The discharge device according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuating handle and the first piston are disposed in a spaced-apart manner relative to one another when the actuating handle is in the starting position, and when the actuating handle reaches an end of the first part of the total travel stroke and begins the second part of the total travel stroke, the actuating handle and the first piston move together to cause a displacement of the first piston relative to the first pump chamber such that medium in the first pump chamber is dispensed during the second part of the total travel stroke. 
     
     
       9. A discharge device comprising:
 an actuating handle movable a distance between a starting position and an end position, the distance between the starting position and the end position representing a total discharge travel stroke of the actuating handle, the total discharge travel stroke of the actuating handle having a first part and a second part which follows the first part; 
 a first pump system for conveying a first medium, the first pump system including a first pump chamber and a first piston slidably disposed in the first pump chamber, the first piston being displaceable relative to the first pump chamber by the actuating handle, the actuating handle and the first piston being coupled together such that the actuating handle and the first piston are displaceable relative to one another over a free travel distance corresponding to the first part of the total discharge travel stroke, the total discharge travel stroke of the actuating handle being greater than the free travel distance; 
 a first force element disposed between the first piston and a housing of the first pump chamber, the first piston being displaceable against a first biasing force of the first force element for reducing a volume of the first pump chamber; 
 a second force element disposed between the first piston and the actuating handle and having a second biasing force which biases the first piston and the actuating handle away from one another such that the actuating handle and the first piston are spaced apart from one another when the actuating handle is in the starting position, the second biasing force permitting displacement of the actuating handle and the first piston relative to one another over the free travel distance corresponding to the first part of the total discharge travel stroke; and 
 a second pump system for conveying a second medium, the second pump system including a second pump chamber and a second piston slidably disposed in the second pump chamber, the second piston being displaceable relative to the second pump chamber by the actuating handle, the actuating handle and the second piston being coupled together such that the second piston is displaced relative to the second pump chamber to dispense medium in the second pump chamber during an entirety of the total discharge travel stroke; and 
 the second biasing force of the second force element is less than the first biasing force of the first force element such that the first piston, during the first part of the total discharge travel stroke, is not displaced relative to the first pump chamber and medium in the first pump chamber is not dispensed and such that the first piston, during the second part of the total discharge travel stroke, is displaced relative to the first pump chamber and medium in the first pump chamber is dispensed only during the second part of the total discharge travel stroke. 
 
     
     
       10. The discharge device according to  claim 9 , wherein the actuating handle and the first piston are displaced relative to one another in opposition to the second biasing force of the second force element when the actuating handle is initially actuated and moves from the starting position and through the first part of the total discharge travel stroke, and when the actuating handle reaches an end of the first part of the total discharge travel stroke and begins the second part thereof, the actuating handle and the first piston move together in opposition to the first biasing force of the first force element to cause a displacement of the first piston relative to the first pump chamber such that medium in the first pump chamber is dispensed during the second part of the total discharge travel stroke. 
     
     
       11. The discharge device according to  claim 10 , wherein the actuating handle and the second piston are coupled to one another such that a metering stroke of the second pump system corresponds to the total discharge travel stroke of the actuating handle. 
     
     
       12. The discharge device according to  claim 11 , wherein a metering stroke of the first pump system corresponds to the second part of the total discharge travel stroke. 
     
     
       13. The discharge device according to  claim 12 , further including an intermediate component interconnecting the actuating handle and the first piston in a relatively movable manner to permit displacement of the actuating handle and the first piston relative to one another during the first part of the total discharge travel stroke, the actuating handle being disposed to displace the first piston during the second part of the total discharge travel stroke. 
     
     
       14. The discharge device according to  claim 13 , wherein the intermediate component comprises a sleeve and one of the actuating handle or the first piston is slidably disposed in the sleeve. 
     
     
       15. A discharge device comprising:
 an actuating handle, a first pump system for conveying a first medium and a second pump system for conveying a second medium, wherein the actuating handle is movable between a starting position and an end position, and wherein the first pump system and the second pump system are actuatable together by the actuating handle;   the first pump system includes a first pump chamber and a first piston which is slidably arranged in the first pump chamber, wherein the first piston is displaceable in an actuating direction by the actuating handle relative to the first pump chamber;   the second pump system includes a second pump chamber and a second piston which is slidably arranged in the second pump chamber, wherein the second piston is displaceable in an actuating direction by the actuating handle relative to the second pump chamber;   the actuating handle and the first piston are coupled together in such a manner that the actuating handle and the first piston are displaceable relative to one another in the actuating direction over a first free travel, wherein the distance between the starting position and the end position is greater than the first free travel, such that there is no movement transmission to the first piston at the start of a movement of the actuating handle between the starting position and the end position;   an intermediate piece between the first piston and the actuating handle, wherein the actuating handle and the first piston are coupled so as to be relatively movable over the first free travel by the intermediate piece; and   the intermediate piece comprises a sleeve, wherein at least a portion of the actuating handle is guided slidably in the intermediate piece;   a first piston force element, the first piston being displaceable against a first piston force of the first piston force element for reducing a volume of the pump chamber; and   a restoring force element having a restoring force, the restoring force being sufficient to permit displacement of the actuating handle and the first piston relative to one another over the free travel distance such that the first piston during a first part of the total travel stroke is not displaced relative to the first pump chamber and medium in the first pump chamber is not dispensed during the first part of the total travel stroke.    
     
     
       16. The discharge device according to claim 15, further including a force element disposed between the second piston and a housing of the second pump chamber, the second piston being displaceable against a restoring force of the force element for reducing a volume of the second pump chamber.  
     
     
       17. The discharge device according to claim 15, wherein:
 the first piston force element is disposed between the first piston and a housing of the first pump chamber; and   the restoring force element is disposed between the first piston and the actuating handle and has the restoring force which holds the first piston and the actuating handle at a distance from one another, the free travel distance corresponding to the first part of the total travel stroke.    
     
     
       18. The discharge device according to claim 17, further including a third force element disposed between the second piston and a housing of the second pump chamber, the second piston being displaceable against a third restoring force of the third force element for reducing a volume of the second pump chamber.  
     
     
       19. The discharge device according to claim 15, wherein the second piston is operatively connected to the actuating handle in a play-free manner such that the second piston moves together with the actuating handle over an entirety of the total travel stroke thereof.  
     
     
       20. The discharge device according to claim 15, wherein the actuating handle and the first piston are disposed in a spaced-apart manner relative to one another when the actuating handle is in the starting position, and when the actuating handle reaches an end of the first part of the total travel stroke and begins the second part of the total travel stroke, the actuating handle and the first piston move together to cause a displacement of the first piston relative to the first pump chamber such that medium in the first pump chamber is dispensed during the second part of the total travel stroke.  
     
     
       21. The discharge device according to claim 15, wherein the restoring force element is disposed between the first piston and the actuating handle.