Soap dispenser

Abstract

The present invention provides a housingless liquid soap dispenser, comprising: a) an elongated chamber in which liquid soap is contained, wherein the length of the chamber is at least 25 cm and its width or diameter is ranging from 28-45 mm; b) a shoulder protruding laterally from the chamber at an upper end thereof; c) a neck portion extending upwardly from the shoulder; d) a manual pumping device fitted on top of the neck portion and in fluid communication with the chamber; and e) a discharge tube extending from the pumping device for dispensing a dose of liquid soap from the chamber. The shoulder has a slanted profile for enhancing the stability of the dispenser after its installation in removable abutting relation with, but not coupled to, a planar support surface of a countertop or a sink, such that the shoulder rests on top of the support surface while the chamber is inserted by a maximum extent through an aperture formed in the support surface.

Claims

1. A housingless disposable liquid soap dispenser, comprising: a) an elongated cylindrical chamber in which liquid soap is contained, wherein the length of said chamber is at least 25 cm and the diameter of said chamber is ranges from 28-45 mm; b) an integrated shoulder, protruding radially from said chamber at an upper end thereof the shoulder having a width ranging from 30 to 55 mm; c) a neck portion extending upwardly from said shoulder, the neck portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the chamber; d) a manual pumping device fitted on top of said neck portion, the pumping device positioned coaxially with the chamber and having only a conduit extending downwardly from the pumping device in fluid communication with said chamber; and e) a discharge tube extending from said pumping device for dispensing a dose of liquid soap from said chamber, wherein said shoulder has a slanted profile for enhancing the stability of the dispenser after installation thereof, in removable abutting relation with, but not coupled to a planar support surface of a countertop or a sink, such that said shoulder rests on top of said support surface after said chamber is inserted by a maximum extent through an aperture formed in said support surface, said aperture is circular and the chamber is of circular cross section wherein the removable abutting relation of the shoulder with the support surface constitutes the support for the soap dispenser without requiring any housing member, the soap chamber and pumping device being made of a disposable plastic material and the chamber being transparent or translucent, and wherein the dispenser is replaced upon raising the dispenser above said support surface, the dispenser discarded, and a replacement dispenser replacing the discarded dispenser.

2. The soap dispenser according to claim 1, further comprises an elastic layer adapted to fit at least part of said shoulder abutting said support surface, the elastic layer serving to prevent scratches or other damages to said support surface and to enhance stability of the dispenser at said support surface.

3. The soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the length of the chamber is no more than 55 cm.

4. The soap dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the length of the chamber ranges from 25 to 45 cm.

5. The soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein a conduit through which pressurized soap is drawable extends downwardly from the pumping device into the chamber.

6. The soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the soap chamber has a wall thickness ranging from 0.3 to 1.2 mm.

7. The soap dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the discharge tube has an upward inclination, to urge any residual soap remaining in the discharge tube to return gravitationally to the chamber.

8. The soap dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the discharge tube is angled with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the chamber by an angle ranging from 10 to 25 degrees.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side view of a liquid soap dispenser, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above of a sink, in a surface of which is formed an aperture for receiving the soap dispenser of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view from above of the sink of FIG. 2, showing the soap dispenser of FIG. 1 prior to being inserted within the aperture; and

(5) FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view from the side of the soap dispenser of FIG. 1, when in abutting relation with the sink of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) The present invention is a novel housingless liquid soap dispenser wherein the dispensing mechanism is in liquid communication with the soap container and is disposable.

(7) FIG. 1 illustrates a disposable liquid soap dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, generally designated as numeral 10. Dispenser 10 comprises elongated chamber 15, e.g. of circular cross section, in which liquid soap is contained after having been factory injected therein, a shoulder 12 radially protruding from chamber 15 at an upper end thereof, a relatively narrow neck portion 6 extending upwardly from shoulder 12, manual pumping device 18 fitted on top of neck portion 6, and conduit 4 extending downwardly from pumping device 18 into chamber 15 and through which pressurized soap is drawn prior to being dispensed through discharge tube 7.

(8) Soap chamber 15 and pumping device 18 may be made of a commercially available and inexpensive plastic material, such as PET or polyethylene. Soap chamber 15 is preferably transparent or translucent in order to be able to view the liquid soap level. The wall thickness of chamber 15 ranges from 0.3-1.2 mm, and is preferably 0.5 mm.

(9) As shown in FIGS. 2-4, chamber 15 is insertable through an aperture 22 formed in a substantially planar surface 27 of a sink 21 as shown, or alternatively in a countertop. Aperture 22 is preferably shaped similarly to the cross section of chamber 15. After chamber 15 has been inserted through aperture 22 to a fullest extent, shoulder 12 rests on top of surface 27, in preparation for a soap dispensing operation. Since shoulder 12 having a slanted profile due to its conical-like form (as shown in FIG. 1) and is in abutting relation with surface 27, the latter applies a reactive force when a user initiated force is applied to pumping device 18. Thus the user initiated force will be transmitted to surface 27, allowing chamber 15 to remain stationary while precluding the need of a separate housing.

(10) The bottom surface of shoulder 12 may be substantially planar, in order to increase contact between the shoulder and surface 27 and to thereby maximize transmission of the user initiated force to surface 27. According to an embodiment of the invention, an elastic layer 13 adapted to fit at least part of the bottom surface of shoulder 12 is provided. Such an elastic layer, which can be made of rubber, foam (e.g., double coated tape by 3M) may improve one or more of the following features: creating an enhanced seal at the interface between the bottom surface of shoulder 12 and surface 27; preventing scratches or other damages to surface 27; enhancing the stability of the dispenser after the installation at the countertop or sink.

(11) In order to replace the dispenser after all or most of the liquid soap has been dispensed, the dispenser is simply removed by raising it above surface 27 and a chamber of a different dispenser is lowered into aperture 22. As it is inexpensively manufactured, the original dispenser may be discarded.

(12) The dimensions of chamber 15, i.e. a length of no more than 55 cm, e.g. ranging from 25-45 cm, and preferably 35 cm, and a width or diameter ranging from 28-45 mm, e.g. 34.9 mm, facilitate effortless manipulation thereof during a deployment or replacement procedure. Shoulder 12, which is slightly wider than chamber 15 in order to enable the dispenser to be above-counter mountable, has a width or diameter ranging from 30-55 mm, e.g. 40 mm.

(13) Discharge tube 7 may be slightly upwardly inclined with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of chamber 15, to define an angle , which is greater than 0 degrees and may range from 10-25 degrees. By virtue of such an upward inclination, any residual soap remaining in discharge tube 7 after a soap dispensing operation is urged to return gravitationally to chamber 15. It will be appreciated, however, that dispenser 10 is also operable when discharge tube 7 is configured without an upward inclination, or even with a downward inclination.

(14) While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried out with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within the scope of persons skilled in the art, without exceeding the scope of the claims.