Dispenser pump

Abstract

A dispenser pump is constituted by a closure body (2), a diaphragm body (3) which forms a pump chamber with the closure body and optionally a top actuator (4) for pressing the diaphragm body (4). The diaphragm body has a deformable wall (35) formed integrally in the same polymer as its annular mounting portion (31). An inlet valve (5) through the floor (21) of the closure body has a flap (52) which is formed and hinged integrally with that floor (21). An outlet valve may also be formed in the same polymer, either integrally with the diaphragm body or as a separate component. The deformable wall of the diaphragm body is shaped to generate a restoring force itself without a separate spring, so that the entire pump may be made from the same polymer e.g. polypropylene and without metal components.

Claims

1. A dispenser pump comprising: first and second pump body components opposed and joined together to define a pump chamber of variable volume therebetween; wherein said first body component includes a floor plate and a closure component which mounts on a container neck, and said second body component includes a diaphragm component including a deformable wall which can be deformed to change the volume of the pump chamber in a dispensing stroke of the pump; an outlet formed with the first body component, the outlet including an outlet passage extending from the pump chamber with an external discharge opening; an outlet valve including an outlet valve flap formed integrally with the first or second pump body component, said outlet valve for closing the outlet; an inlet integrally formed within the floor plate, said inlet admitting product from a container to enter the pump chamber in cooperation with (i) an inlet valve including an inlet valve flap formed integrally with the floor plate adjacent the inlet and (ii) at least one retaining post integrally formed with and extending axially away from said floor plate, said retaining post(s) positioned along a distal edge of the inlet valve flap and configured to hold said inlet valve flap folded down against the floor plate at the inlet opening while also allowing a remaining portion of the flap to swing unimpeded axially away from the floor plate for opening the inlet during use.

2. The dispenser pump of claim 1 wherein the first and second pump body components are molded components made from thermoplastic polymer.

3. The dispenser pump of claim 1 wherein the deformable wall has a plurality of bendable facets, each facet meeting a substantially rigid interrupter formation along a convex boundary into the facet, so that the deformable wall reduces the volume of the pump chamber when the interrupter formation forces at least one of the bendable facets to conform to the convex boundary until sufficient restoring force is generated to bias the deformable wall back towards a rest position thereof, without a separate pump spring.

4. The dispenser pump of claim 3 wherein the plurality of bendable facets are distributed around a central hub of the second body component.

5. The dispenser pump of claim 3 wherein an actuator is constituted by or fixed to the central hub of the second body component.

6. The dispenser pump of claim 1 wherein: the first body component has an annular retaining formation at a top surface thereof; the second body component has an annular mounting portion which engages the annular retaining formation of the first body component to define the pump chamber, with the deformable wall of the second body component spaced above the floor plate; and the outlet is formed-between the first and second body components, and the outlet valve flap, formed integrally with or attached to the first or second body component, extends across the outlet opening.

7. The dispenser pump of claim 1 wherein the outlet passage can be opened and closed by relative movement between the first and second body components.

8. The dispenser pump of claim 1 wherein the outlet valve, the outlet passage, and the discharge opening are defined between the first and second body components at a peripheral join therebetween.

9. The dispenser pump of claim 7 wherein said movement is rotational or axial sliding movement between the first and second body components.

10. The dispenser pump of claim 7 in which said movement is rotational or axial sliding movement between the first and second body components.

11. The dispenser pump of claim 1 wherein the closure component comprises an upward guide formation which encloses the diaphragm component and/or guides movement of an actuator component.

12. The dispenser pump of claim 1 wherein: the floor plate has an annular retaining formation at a top surface thereof; the second body component has an annular mounting portion which engages the annular retaining formation of the first body component to define the pump chamber, with the deformable wall of the second body component spaced above the closure component or the floor plate; the first body component has one or more vent openings communicating through the closure or the floor plate, adjacent the annular mounting portion and the annular retaining formation, and the annular mounting portion of the second body component is movable and/or deformable relative to the annular retaining formation of the first body component such that, when the deformable wall of the second body component is deformed for pumping, the annular mounting portion moves out of a sealing contact with the first body component, allowing venting between them to one or more said vent openings.

13. The dispenser pump of claim 1 wherein the outlet valve is locked and unlocked by relative movement between the first and second body components.

14. The dispenser pump of claim 2 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is polypropylene.

15. The dispenser pump of claim 11 wherein the an actuator component is a sliding push button or cap connected to the diaphragm component.

Description

(1) Examples of our proposals are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of dispenser;

(3) FIG. 2 is a vertical diametral section through the pump of the dispenser;

(4) FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a closure body of the dispenser shown separately;

(5) FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively a vertical diametral cross-section, a perspective top view and a plan view of the closure body;

(6) FIGS. 7 and 8 are respectively top and bottom perspective views of a diaphragm body component of the pump shown separately;

(7) FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 are respectively a side view, a vertical diametral cross-section and a bottom view of the diaphragm body;

(8) FIG. 12 is an enlarged bottom view showing an outlet valve region of the diaphragm body;

(9) FIG. 13 is a horizontal cross-section through the assembled pump at the level of the outlet valve, showing an open condition;

(10) FIG. 14 is a corresponding view showing the closed condition of the outlet valve;

(11) FIGS. 15 and 16 are vertical diametral cross-sections through the pump in the rest (extended) and the depressed conditions of the actuator, showing the cooperation of parts forming a vent;

(12) FIG. 17 is an external perspective view of a second embodiment of dispenser pump with a tamper-evident ring in place;

(13) FIG. 18 is a vertical diametral cross-section of the FIG. 17 pump;

(14) FIG. 19 is a front view showing the tamper-evident ring lifted clear, and FIG. 20 is a corresponding cross-section;

(15) FIG. 21 is an underneath view of the diaphragm body of the second embodiment;

(16) FIG. 22 is a side view of the diaphragm body;

(17) FIG. 23 is a vertical diametral cross-section of a third embodiment of dispenser pump, omitting the actuator;

(18) FIG. 24 is a top oblique view of the same components as FIG. 23;

(19) FIG. 25 shows the diaphragm body and outlet valve element of the third embodiment;

(20) FIG. 26 is a fragmentary radial cross-section at the periphery of the diaphragm body showing the valve element in position, bisected at half-height;

(21) FIG. 27 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section showing the outlet portion of the third embodiment, and

(22) FIG. 28 is a corresponding enlarged cross-section but at a position opposite the outlet.

(23) FIGS. 1 and 2 show general features of a dispenser suitable for a readily-flowable product such as a cream or gel.

(24) The container 1 may be of e.g. LDPE and the pump 9 e.g. of polypropylene (PP); a particular feature of this embodiment is that the pump is made entirely of PP.

(25) Referring also to FIG. 2, the pump 9 consists essentially of three moulded components, namely a closure body 2, a diaphragm body 3 which forms a pump chamber with the closure body and an actuator 4 for controlled pressing of the diaphragm body 4.

(26) With reference also to FIGS. 3 to 6, the closure body 2 has a generally cylindrical outer wall providing a downward covering skirt 22 and downward retaining formations 23 (e.g. snap, push or thread) for engaging the container neck 12. The neck 12 has corresponding retaining formations 13. The closure body outer wall extends up as an upwardly-projecting cylindrical guide portion or sleeve 24 in which the actuator 4 can move as described later. A closure plate or floor 21 spans the middle of the closure body, held down against the container neck 12 to close it off except for inlet and vent openings to be described later. The body floor 21 is horizontal with a central lower or depressed area and a peripheral flat area. An annular retaining structure consisting of inner and outer upwardly-projecting retaining rings 29,30, for retaining the diaphragm body 3, extends around the peripheral region of the floor plate 21. At a front part, an outlet opening 26 opens through the side wall of the closure body just above the level of the floor 21, and extends back as a passage through a gap or gate of the retaining ring structure 30 described in more detail later. Diametrically opposite the inlet opening 26 an inlet opening 25 passes through the flat peripheral area of the floor 21 and has an integrally-moulded downwardly-projecting dip tube socket 27. [The dip tube is not shown, but can be the same as the dip tube 11 shown in FIG. 18 for the second embodiment described below.]

(27) Just to the (radial) inside of the annular retaining formations 29,30 three small vent holes 28 penetrate the floor plate 21 and these are to allow compensation air into the container as described later.

(28) An inlet valve 5 is formed integrally with the floor plate 21, and includes a valve flap 52 and a retaining post 54. The flap 52 is hinged integrally to the plate 21 along a hinge line 53 next to the inlet opening 25, and as moulded projects vertically (axially) up from the plate 21. The retaining post 54 has a slight overhang (to the extent compatible with mould separation) relative to the swing path of the flap 52. On assembly, the flap 52 is pushed down past the top overhang of the retaining post 54 which subsequently holds it in the position shown, close to the inlet opening 25, so that it responds reliably to pressure in the pump chamber 7 by closing down against the plate 21 to shut the inlet.

(29) FIGS. 7 to 12 show in more detail the diaphragm body 3 which consists generally of an outer annular support portion 31, a central rigid hub or actuator connector 36 and a deformable wall 35 extending between them. It is a single moulding of polypropylene. The annular support or mounting portion 31 plugs in, with some snap retention, between the inner and outer retaining rings 29,30 of the closure body to define the pump chamber 7 between the floor plate 21 and the deformable wall 35. The outer retaining ring 30 is slightly turned in at the top for this retention. The deformable wall has a plurality—five in this version—of gently-inclined facets 351 forming a generally pyramidal shape around the hub 36. For each facet 351 the hub has a projecting cylindrical portion 353 which is downwardly angled, maintains its rigidity, and meets the facet 351 along a curved boundary so that, when the hub 36 is pushed down, the cylindrical formations 353 force heavy bending of the facet 351 along that boundary, creating a restoring force much greater than would arise from a general bending of the facets sufficient to accommodate the same distance of deformation. FIGS. 15 and 16 show the deformable wall 35 in its extended and depressed conditions respectively. Thicker radial ridges 352 extend between the facets 351. The hub 36 has radial fins 361 providing a rotational lock to the actuator 4 above.

(30) The actuator 4 is a simple cover and push button comprising a top plate 42 providing a push surface 421 and whose edge 43 fits into the cylindrical upper guide 24 of the closure body to cover the diaphragm and guide the dispensing movement along the pump axis. The connector socket 41 beneath the top plate connects to the hub 36 of the diaphragm body 3 with rotational locking. A turning tab 44 projects up from the top of the actuator near the edge: see FIGS. 1 and 15. The actuator again is a one-piece moulding of polypropylene.

(31) The annular support 31 of the diaphragm body 3 has a number of structural features of functional importance in its interaction with the corresponding support structure 29,30, vent structure 28 and outlet 26 of the closure body 2 and these are now described.

(32) The support ring 31 is thicker than the deformable wall 35 to provide firm mounting and support, but its fit into the annular channel between the body rings 29,30, while retained by some “snap” behind the top inward projection of the wall 30, also has some clearance. Thus, a projecting lip 32 extends around the top of the retaining ring 31 (see FIG. 15) and, in the rest position, forms a seal around the top of the retaining ring 30. Below this annular seal engagement the support ring 31 reduces in thickness and fits less tightly in the channel between the body rings 29,30. At the bottom of this channel the vent holes 28 penetrate the closure plate 21 (FIGS. 15, 16). When the actuator 4 is depressed in a dispensing stroke, as shown in FIG. 16, its hub 36 descends substantially beneath the periphery of the deformable wall 35, pulling in the top of the support ring 31 and tilting it slightly away from the outer ring 30 of the closure body that surrounds it. This disengages or relaxes the seal 32 between the top parts of these components, allowing venting air to enter along the vent path V (FIG. 16) and reach the vent openings 28 leading into the container interior.

(33) The support ring 31 also has downwardly-projecting nibs 312 and inwardly-projecting nibs 313 (FIGS. 9, 11). The nibs 312 locate it with slight clearance from the closure plate 21 to assure venting and also to reduce friction, so that the diaphragm body 3 can be rotated relative to the closure body 2 by turning actuator 4 using the tab 44. This is for locking/unlocking the outlet valve as described below.

(34) The outlet valve, generally indicated 6, is now described with reference particularly to FIGS. 7 and 12 to 15. Adjacent the outlet opening 26 the outer retaining ring 30 is interrupted at a gate opening and has outward extensions 303 where it connects to the outer wall of the body 2 forming an outlet channel (see FIG. 13). In register with this, the diaphragm body's support ring 31 has a corresponding gate opening 33 which can be covered by a valve flap 62. The flap 62 projects circumferentially in cantilevered fashion from an outwardly-crooked link portion 63 as a continuation from the annular support 31: see FIG. 12 especially. FIG. 13 shows the unlocked or open condition, with the actuator 4 rotated so that the outlet valve flap 62 and the gate opening 33 behind it lie in line with the outlet passage/opening 26. Pressure increase in the pump chamber 7 on depression of the deformable wall 35 causes the flap 62 to flex outwardly, allowing product to flow out through the outlet 26. When the actuator is released to rise under the resilient restoring force of the deformable wall 35, the negative pressure draws the valve flap 62 back against its seat over the gate 33 so that the pump chamber re-fills through the inlet valve 5. In this embodiment the valve flap 62 sits against the support portion 31 of the same component, but the skilled person will realise that, depending on the configuration of the outlet, it might seat against the part of the closure component, or against or between both.

(35) By turning the actuator 4 the diaphragm body 3 can be rotated relative to the closure body 2 to the position shown in FIG. 14, where the valve flap 62 has slid along behind the retaining wall 30 to a position where it can no longer flex outwardly. In this position the pump is locked and cannot dispense; both inward and outward leakage are prevented.

(36) FIGS. 17 to 22 show a variant embodiment. Instead of a lockable outlet valve, here a tamper evident ring 48 is provided, initially joined to the actuator button 204 through a set of thin frangible links 481 and engaging around the outside of the top of the closure body 224 so that the actuator 204 cannot be depressed until the ring 48 has been pulled clear. The ring 48 also carries a plug tab 482 at its front edge which can be plugged into the outlet opening 226 to prevent leakage. In this embodiment the actuator button 204 has an angled top plate surface 2421 for styling reasons, but can still operate the diaphragm 203 as before. The structures of the inlet valve 205 and outlet valve 206 are different, however. For the inlet valve 205, the inlet opening and dip tube arrangement are similar to the first embodiment. However, the valve flap 355 is formed as an integral part of the diaphragm body 203, moulded in one piece with it and then folded underneath on assembly to overlie the inlet opening. Thus, no additional component is involved.

(37) Accordingly, the diaphragm body 203 and closure body 202 are not relatively rotatable. Here, the outlet valve has a flap 262 of a “duck bill” form that projects radially outwardly from the edge of the diaphragm support ring into the outlet channel 226, where its tip extremity 263 can seal against the bottom surface of the outlet channel. As in the first embodiment, therefore, this embodiment provides a complete pump arrangement in only 3 components, all of which can be moulded from polypropylene.

(38) A third embodiment is shown in FIGS. 23 to 28. It includes a closure body 102 and diaphragm body 103, of the same general nature as in the first embodiment, defining a pump chamber 107. A top actuator is also included, operating within the outer guide 124 of the closure body, but is not shown here.

(39) Here the closure body 102 has the inlet valve 105, dip tube socket 127 and dip tube 111 at the front and in line with the outlet 126, and the inlet valve is generally central in the floor 121 of the closure plate. As in the first embodiment, the flap 152 of the inlet valve is integrally moulded with the closure floor 121, initially as a perpendicular upper projection from it (for withdrawal from the mould). On assembly of the components, the flap 152 is folded from the root down to the position shown, and the part near the root snapped down between a pair of opposed snap posts 154 so that this region 152a (see FIG. 24) is held down against the floor 121 while the main part of the flap can swing. A feature here is that the inlet opening has a slight tubular extension 1215 around it, above the floor 121, with an inclined planar edge providing a seat against which the flap 152 can lie flat at a slight inclination from the floor 121. By appropriate dimensioning of the snap formations on the retaining posts 154, this holds the valve flap 152 closed with pre-load against its seat, without a spring being needed. The flap 152 opens and closes in the direction indicated by arrow “A” in FIG. 27.

(40) The diaphragm component 103—shown separately in FIG. 25—has the same general elements as in the first embodiment with a deformable wall 135, already described, and a peripheral annular support portion 131. The annular support 131 plugs into the channel 1293 between the inner and outer retaining rings 129,130 of the closure body.

(41) Unlike the first embodiment, the diaphragm component 103 is not rotatable in its mounting. Indeed, it has a circumferentially-spaced set of internal spring legs 139 engaging in slots 1239 of the closure plate floor (see FIG. 23) to prevent rotation. However it is movable axially (up and down) in the mounting channel, so that its outer annular bottom edge 1312 (FIG. 28) is either off the bottom of the channel in the up position (shown) or, in the down position, pressed against the bottom of the channel and at the same time blocking of the vent openings 128. The spring legs 139 bias it towards the up position. A top inward lip 1301 of the outer retaining ring (FIG. 28) holds it down in place.

(42) A further difference in this embodiment is the mechanism of the outlet valve, generally indicated at 106. The outlet valve member 160 is a separately-moulded (polypropylene) component for ease of moulding the diaphragm component 103, although the mechanism described below can also be used with an integrated valve flap (as indeed the mechanism of the first embodiment can be used with a discrete valve member). Still, the polymer can be the same. The outlet valve member 160 comprises a closure flap 161 with, to either side, a retaining piece 162 which clips to the diaphragm annular support 131 at a clip 1319 thereof and a crooked flexible link 163. The flap 161 overlies a sliding gate opening 1322 through the diaphragm's annular support 131. Obviously other mountings or fixings of a flap or other blocking member, optionally with integral formation, might be used. The inner and outer retaining rings 129,130 (FIG. 27) have aligned inner and outer outlet openings 1291,1301, the latter leading through to the external outlet 126 of the closure body. The outlet valve flap 161 lies in an external recess of the annular support 131 so that it is carried up and down with it between the mentioned up and down positions. In the up position of FIGS. 23 and 27 the top of the flap 161 engages inside the outer retaining ring 130 so that the flap cannot lift off the gate opening 1322. Also, the gate opening 1322 is out of line with the fixed inner and outer outlet openings 1291,1301 so that the outlet path is securely blocked and closed. This is the normal rest position, with the actuator up.

(43) When the actuator is depressed with the pump chamber full of product, the diaphragm component 103 is pushed down, with both indenting deformation of its diaphragm wall 135 and bodily downward sliding of its annular mounting portion 131 in the fixed channel 1293, against the return force of the spring legs 139. See arrow “B” in FIG. 27. This slides the gate opening 1322 down into line with the inner and outer outlet openings 1291,1301 so that forward fluid pressure pushes the valve flap outwardly—with extension of the valve member links 163—and product is dispensed from the pump chamber through the three aligned openings and the outlet nozzle 126.

(44) The up and down (axial) movement of the annular mounting portion 131 not only operates the outlet valve release but also actuates the venting of the pump. As mentioned, the vent openings 128 to the container interior are at the bottom of the channel 1293. When the actuator is initially released, the bottom edge 1312 of the mounting ring 131 comes clear of the vent holes 128 (FIG. 28) and a bottom abutment 164 of the valve flap 161 comes clear of an abutment shelf 1268 along the bottom of the outlet path (FIG. 27), opening up a path for venting air around the bottom of the ring 131 and into the container, while the sliding gate action quickly seals the pump chamber outlet to drive refilling of the pump chamber through the inlet valve 105.

(45) The skilled reader will understand that the concepts put forward herein can be applied over a range of different designs and dispenser types. The distinctive vent design may be used in any kind of pump using a deformable walled component. The distinctive integrated inlet valve features described herein may be used in a wide variety of pumps with moulded components. The same is true for the outlet valve concepts which may be used in a variety of pumps with relatively rotatable components. Similarly, the adaptations put forward herein for the diaphragm body may be used in other pumps of the general kind described, without necessarily incorporating other characterising features disclosed herein.