Abstract
A pump dispenser for providing and withdrawing liquids including a bottle (1), having a bottle opening (3) for storing and providing the liquid, and a pump lid (2) on and/or in the bottle opening for metered withdrawal of the liquid. The pump lid has a metering pump (4) with a manually operated actuation element, and further includes a lid (6) for closing the bottle and an output device (7). The bottle has a replenishment opening (9) provided in addition to the bottle opening. A replenishment system includes a pump dispenser (33) per usage location (30) and a transportable storage tank (19) for liquids for replenishing the pump dispensers. A filling apparatus (13) withdraws the liquid from the storage tank (19) and introduces the liquid into the pump dispensers (33), the filling apparatus (13) being provided with a filling nozzle (14) or spike for the replenishment openings (9) of the bottles.
Claims
1. A pump dispenser for providing and withdrawing liquids, the pump dispenser comprising: a bottle (1) having a bottle bottom (8) and a bottle opening (3) for storing and providing the liquid, a pump lid (2) sitting on and/or in the bottle opening (3) for metered withdrawal of the liquid, the pump lid (2) comprises a metering pump (4) with a manually operated actuation element, a lid (6) for closing the bottle (1), an output device (7) for a metered liquid pumped out of the bottle (1), and a replenishment opening (9) in the bottle provided in addition to the bottle opening (3).
2. The pump dispenser as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a valve (10) that closes the replenishment opening (9).
3. The pump dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the valve (10) of the replenishment opening (9) is configured as a check valve.
4. The pump dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein the valve (10) is configured as an automatically closing membrane (12) that is penetratable from outside or as a duckbill valve.
5. The pump dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump lid (2) further includes a venting device (17).
6. The pump dispenser as claimed in claim 5, wherein the venting device (17) is formed by a vent opening (18) having a closure which is opened by a first actuation or by rotating of the pump lid (2).
7. The pump dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottle (1) of the pump dispenser is provided with a venting device (17), comprising a vent opening (18) in the bottle (1) or in the replenishment opening (9).
8. The pump dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the replenishment opening (9) is situated in the bottle bottom (8).
9. The pump dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump lid (2) is connected to the bottle (1) and is secured against removal.
10. A replenishment system for a plurality of usage locations (30), the system comprising at least one of the pump dispensers (33) according to claim 1 per usage location (30) and having at least one transportable storage tank (19) for liquids for replenishing the pump dispensers (33), a filling apparatus (13) for withdrawing the liquid from the storage tank (19) and introducing the liquid into the pump dispensers (33), wherein the filling apparatus (13) includes a filling nozzle (14) or spike configured for the replenishment openings (9) of the bottles (1) of the pump dispensers (33).
11. The replenishment system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the filling apparatus (13) comprises a filling pump (27) for the delivery of the liquid from the storage tank (19) to the pump dispensers (33).
12. The replenishment system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the filling pump (27) is actuatable by a force acting on the filling nozzle (14) or spike, or on a switching area (15) surrounding or adjacent to the spike.
13. The replenishment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filling apparatus (13) is configured as a functional unit which is loosenable from and connected to the storage tank (19).
14. The replenishment system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the filling apparatus (13) further comprises a port adapter configured to fit a port (25) on the storage tank (19).
15. The replenishment system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the storage tank (19) includes holding devices (24) for mating fastening elements (23) on the filling apparatus (13).
16. The replenishment system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a venting device (17) integrated in the filling nozzle (14) for venting the bottle (1).
17. A filling apparatus for a replenishment system, the filling apparatus comprising: a filling nozzle (14) or spike configured for a replenishment opening (9) of a pump dispenser (33), and a fluid-delivering filling pump (27) for delivering liquid from a storage tank (19) to the pump dispenser (33).
18. The filling apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the filling pump (27) is actuatable by a switch or by a force acting on the filling nozzle (14) or spike, or on a switching area (15) surrounding or adjacent to the spike.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] One exemplary embodiment each for a pump dispenser configured according to the invention and for a replenishment system designed according to the invention and for a filling apparatus configured according to the invention will be explained and described more closely below with the aid of the enclosed drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment for a pump dispenser configured according to the invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 shows the bottle of the pump dispenser of FIG. 1, in an exploded representation;
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional representation of the pump dispenser of FIG. 1 with part of a filling apparatus configured according to the invention;
[0023] FIG. 4 shows the pump lid of the pump dispenser of FIG. 1 in cross section;
[0024] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a filling apparatus configured according to the invention, shown with a storage tank;
[0025] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a replenishment system configured according to the invention with pump dispenser, filling apparatus and storage tank;
[0026] FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of a replenishment system according to the invention;
[0027] FIGS. 8A, 8B show two examples for the use of a replenishment system according to the invention;
[0028] FIG. 9 shows a schematic representation of the replenishment system according to the invention and its use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a pump dispenser configured according to the invention in a front view, slanted from below. This pump dispenser consists of a bottle 1, in the present case one made from a transparent material, and a pump lid 2, which is placed on a bottle opening 3, in the present case being screwed on, and which comprises a metering pump 4 with suction hose 5 for a liquid product located in the bottle 1, a lid 6 for closing the bottle 1, and a beak-shaped output device 7 for the withdrawal of a metered liquid pumped from the bottle 1.
[0030] According to the invention, a replenishment opening 9 is provided in a bottle bottom 8 of the bottle 1 and is closed with a check valve 10. This consists in the present instance of a silicone membrane, having a crosswise slit at the center, thereby forming four flaps, which can be penetrated by a spike or a filling nozzle from the outside. If such a spike or filling nozzle is pulled out from the check valve 10 once more, the membrane flaps will automatically close and prevent liquid from escaping from the bottle 1.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows the check valve 10 in an exploded representation together with the bottle 1 of the pump dispenser of FIG. 1, however the pump lid 2 has been removed, so that the bottle opening 3 is visible here. In the bottle bottom 8, there can be seen a circular replenishment opening 9, which is closed by the check valve 10. This consists of a valve body 11 for inserting the check valve 10 into the replenishment opening 9, as well as a silicone membrane 12 supported therein, as already described more fully with the aid of FIG. 1.
[0032] As FIG. 2 illustrates, a conventional pump dispenser can be altered by a few modifications to form a pump dispenser configured according to the invention.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows in a schematic sectional representation how the pump dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be filled through the replenishment opening 9 with a correspondingly configured filling apparatus 13. The filling apparatus 13 has a filling nozzle 14, which together with a switching area 15 encircling it as a ring, being configured as a plate in the present case, extends upward beyond a housing 16 of the filling apparatus 13. Since the filling nozzle 14 is oriented upward, the bottle 1 of the pump dispenser can be placed quite simply on the plate-shaped switching area 15, so that the filling nozzle 14 pierces the membrane 12 of the check valve 10 and penetrates into the interior of the bottle 1. The opening of the filling nozzle 14 is then situated inside the bottle 1, so that the filling of the bottle 1 with liquid can take place in a hygienically closed process with no danger of leakage, also on account of the sealing effect of the membrane 12 made from silicone, among other things.
[0034] The switching area 15 of the filling apparatus 13 is vertically movable and when pressed upon from above puts out a signal which activates a filling pump (not shown here) in the filling apparatus 13. Since the switching area 15 is spring-loaded and pretensioned upward, the filling pump and thus the replenishment process is halted as soon as no more force is exerted from above on the switching area 15 or the filling nozzle 14 firmly connected to it.
[0035] As shown by FIG. 4 in a schematic cross-sectional representation, the venting of the interior space of the bottle 1 during the replenishment process occurs via the pump lid 2. This is modified such that it contains a venting device 17, which is symbolized in FIG. 4 by means of an elliptical line. For this, an additional vent opening 18 is provided in the exemplary pump lid 2 depicted, having an upwardly extending venting pipe 34 like a chimney. The venting pipe 34 prevents water from being able to get into the vent opening 18, which is constantly open. Depending on the design of the pump lid used, other venting devices 17 can also be provided, which for example can be opened or closed as desired by rotating the pump lid 2 about the vertical axis. In this case, it can also be provided that such a rotation is only required during the first use of the pump dispenser, after which the vent opening 18 then remains open. This ensures that one cannot forget to open the vent opening 18 during the replenishing process.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a filling apparatus 13 according to the invention, which can be placed on a storage tank 19. One can see the housing 16 of the filling apparatus 13, the filling nozzle 14 rising above the housing 16 with plate-shaped switching area 15, an On/Off switch 20, an operating display 21, a charge state display 22 for a storage battery (not shown here) installed in the housing 16, and fastening elements 23 configured as holding rails, by which the filling apparatus 13 can be inserted to fit in correspondingly configured holding devices 24 on the storage tank 19. The storage tank 19, for its part, is provided with a port 25, to which only a mating suction line 26 of the filling apparatus 13 can be connected by the lock and key principle (see FIG. 6).
[0037] FIG. 6 shows in a schematic representation the interworking of the pump dispenser 33 with the storage tank 19 and the filling apparatus 13 connected in between, having been placed here on the storage tank 19 and being ready to operate. The individual elements of these components of a replenishment system according to the invention are given the reference numbers already explained in the case of FIGS. 1 to 5, so that reference can be made to the above description in this respect. FIG. 6 furthermore shows the “inner workings” of the filling apparatus 13, namely, a filling pump 27 operated by an electric motor and configured as a membrane pump, being supplied with electric energy by a storage battery 28 and pumping liquid from the storage tank 19 to the bottle 1 by means of the suction line 26 and a pressure line 29. This is the case as long as an operator presses the pump dispenser 33 down onto the filling nozzle 14 or the switching area 15, so that the switching area 15 is moved downward against a spring force. Once no further force is applied to the switching area 15 or the filling nozzle 14, the filling pump 27 halts the replenishment process. The pump dispenser 33 can then be removed simply and cleanly from the filling nozzle 14, whereupon the valve 10 closes once more.
[0038] FIG. 7 shows yet again in a symbolic representation the replenishment system according to the invention with pump dispenser 33, filling apparatus 13 and storage tank 19. After placing the filling apparatus 13 on the storage tank 19, a transportable replenishment module is formed, which can be transported from room to room in a hotel, for example, and for the replenishing of the pump dispensers 33 it can be simply placed or pressed down onto the switching area 15.
[0039] The transport of the replenishment module from room to room is symbolized by FIG. 8B, while FIG. 8A shows another kind of use, namely, a centralized replenishing of pump dispensers 33, which are positioned at a plurality of usage locations 30, here being hotel rooms, and which are collected for the replenishing process.
[0040] FIG. 9 is another symbolic representation of a replenishment system configured according to the invention, where a manufacturer 31 delivers both the pump dispensers 33 and the storage tanks 19 to a user 32, here a hotel, where the pump dispensers 33 are constantly filled once more from the storage tanks 19 by means of the filling apparatus 13 and therefore do not end up in the trash. The empty storage tanks 19 can likewise be filled once more at the manufacturer 31.
[0041] As FIG. 9 makes clear, the replenishment system according to the invention is a highly sustainable system, which is not only eminently advantageous from environmental aspects, but also offers cost benefits for all involved. Furthermore, a contact between the liquid products, which are provided in the pump dispenser 33 at the user, and the surroundings is largely prevented, so that the replenishment system according to the invention is also especially advantageous from hygiene standpoints. When the pump lids 2 of the pump dispensers 33 are firmly connected to the bottle 1, i.e., cannot be unscrewed as in the case of customary pump dispensers, an especially advantageous closed system is realized also under hygiene standpoints.
