A device (10) for packaging and dispensing a product comprises a container (12), a moveable piston (16) mounted inside the container (12) and delimiting one compartment (22) containing the product, and a dispensing member (14) mounted on the container (12) and comprising at least one outlet orifice (24) in communication with the compartment (22). The device (10) further comprises a pump system (18) mounted on the container (12) axially on the side opposite to the dispensing member (14) and comprising a push-button (28). Said pump system (18) is configured so that exerting a pressure on the push-button (28) results in a forward displacement of the piston (16) inside the container (12) towards the dispensing member (14) and subsequent releasing of said push-button (28) results in a backward displacement of said piston (16) away from said dispensing member (14).

Exemplary foam-at-a-distance systems include a spout, a container, and a foam generator having a suck-back mechanism located within the spout. The system includes a liquid pump chamber, an air pump chamber, a liquid conduit and an air conduit. The foam generator has a differential bore housing. The differential bore housing has a first portion with a first inside bore and a second portion with a second inside bore, wherein the first inside bore has a smaller diameter than the second inside bore. A piston having a seal extending from the piston that is in contact with the second inside bore is also included. A mixing chamber is located in the large bore. Movement of the seal in an upstream direction provides negative pressure in the second mixing chamber and draws in fluid from the outlet.

To implement a complex math function, i.e. a math function with multiple input variables, a configurable computing array comprises at least an array of configurable computing elements. Each configurable computing element comprises at least a memory which stores a look-up table (LUT) for a math function with a single input variable.

An exemplary system for dispensing foam includes a container holding a foamable liquid, a pump, and a suck-back device. The suck back device has a housing having a small bore with first diameter and a large bore with a second diameter; a dual body piston with a first piston that reciprocates in the small bore and a second piston that reciprocates in the large bore; a flow restrictor located proximate the dual body piston, a suck back chamber formed at least in part by the large bore and the second piston, and a foam outlet. The flow restrictor is configured so that fluid flow into the suck back device causes the suck back chamber to compress and when the fluid flow stops, a biasing member causes the suck back chamber to expand and suck back residual foam into the suck back chamber.

In one general aspect, a flow control valve includes: a housing including a tubular wall surrounding an interior passage, and a flow control section in which the tubular wall includes a conical inner wall surface; a protrusion disposed on an exterior surface of the tubular wall at the flow control section; a sealing member disposed in the housing and configured to be selectively moved to a sealing position in which the sealing member engages the conical inner wall surface to restrict flow of a fluid through the interior passage; and a recess disposed the conical inner wall surface and configured to allow the fluid to flow past the sealing member through the recess when the sealing member is in the sealing position, wherein the recess and the protrusion are radially aligned on the tubular wall.

A retractable nozzle assembly is configured for dosing or dispensing highly viscous materials. The retractable nozzle assembly may be fitted to a delivery device containing a highly viscous chemical product to be dispensed. The retractable nozzle assembly may be actuated by hand, by mechanical action, or by any electromechanical device such as a dispenser. The retractable nozzle assembly includes a first path through a central bore in which the material moves at relatively slower flow rate and a secondary flow path in which the material moves at a relatively faster flow rate. The difference in flow rates at the outlet of the nozzle between the two flow paths helps to eliminate stringing and tailing of the high viscosity chemical product during dispensation.

A push-type nozzle assembly includes a cylinder, a check valve, a plunger, a piston, a spring, a rotating member, a locking member, an upper push rod, a suction valve and a push head. When pushing the push head downward, and the outer chamber contact the locking member, the liquid in the cylinder is pushed out. When releasing the push head, the piston moves back by the spring to create a vacuum suction force to suck the liquid left in the nozzle back. When the outer chamber locks with the locking member, the bottom end of the piston rod seals the plunger to seal the cylinder so as to prevent leakage. When the outer chamber is separated from the locking member, the upper push rod seals the suction valve to avoid liquid from leakage. The inlet valve avoids the liquid from being accumulated in the cylinder and the top of the piston.

An actuator for a hand operated foam dispensing pump that utilizes a folding nozzle is presented. The folding nozzle of the actuator is configured so as to lock the actuator in place and prevent operation of the pump when the nozzle is folded. The actuator substantially reduces pump closure loosening (back-off) and nozzle breakage during shipping of a filled product by eliminating trigger handles or other conventional nozzle types which protrude from the side of the actuator. As such, the new actuator is particularly well-suited for use in e-commerce where the shipping of unboxed products is becoming increasingly common. The actuator is configured such that actuator depression (actuation) cannot occur when the folding nozzle is in a folded position.

A foamer dispenser including a mesh filter that is disposed in a mixture flow path of a jet ring to allow a mixture to pass is provided. A connecting flow path area between a liquid flow path and the mixture flow path and a connecting flow path area between an ambient air flow path and the mixture flow path have the relation 2.8S.sub.1/S.sub.23.8, and/or, a smallest flow path area of the mixture flow path is located on an immediately upstream side of the mesh filter, and the smallest flow path area and a flow path area of the mesh filter have the relation 4S.sub.4/S.sub.310.3.

A pump engine assembly includes an output cylinder that may be customized to include a stop portion limiting the stroke of a piston to produce a particular output such that customized pump systems may be produced from similar parts with the exchange of only a single partthe output cylinder, and wherein movement of a fluid lock in a product chamber creates a suck-back feature capable of pulling product away from a dispensing head opening.