Abstract: An articulated driving mechanism for a dispenser which in one embodiment is a caulking gun has a series of rigid links that are secured to one another by pins. The pins can slide in a slot which allows the links to space away from one another in a first position or be squeezed side by side which then prevents any rotation in a second position. The links all have ratchet teeth to engage two different driving wheels. The two driving wheels rotate at different speeds which allows the links to be consistently opened before reaching a circumferential wheel so that then the spaced links can rotate and safely and reliably rotate as they follow the circumference of the wheel. The articulated driving mechanism is used as a substitute for a push rod in a caulking gun in at least one embodiment.

Abstract: A carbon dioxide cartridge is triggered when a lance with a piercing tip punctures its burst disc. The cartridge has a cap that has an outlet and a passage for the lance and puncturing tip to travel. The lance is pushed into the burst disc when a heat expanding substance which is stored hermetically the cap in such a way that the only direction to expand is to displace and push the lance right into the burst disc. Once the burst disc is pierced, the cartridge empties its contents quickly out the outlet. In at least one embodiment the cartridge and the cap are attached by screw threads.

Abstract: A beverage dispenser has a container for beverage fluid that has a flat bottom that is above a space large enough to place a glass or cup. The container has a sidewall and a top edge of an open container that has a removable lid. A pair of actuator guards are on either side of a space near but below the top edge of the container where an actuator is located that projects through a notch in the top edge, plunging downwardly inside the inner wall of the container sidewall and jutting straight out to form a fork. This fork selectively holds a plunger that has a long shaft and plug that fits into a hole in the bottom wall of the container. This hole and plug form a valve. The valve can be opened when the actuator is depressed between the actuator guards towards the container's sidewall, which pivots the fork upwardly which in turn lifts the plunger and plug to open the valve for dispensation.

Abstract: A disposable concentrate pump for use with a liquid reservoir, with the actuating solenoid mounted in the dispenser. The pump has a body with flexible walls, a top-cap, a seal-base and a nozzle, with a seal-rod extending from the top-cap to the nozzle, stretching the flexible walls of the body and creating a net restoring force on the seal-base. A seal-head on the seal-rod seals a central opening in the seal-head when pressed against a side of the seal-head by the net restoring force. Reciprocally moving the seal-head parallel to an axis of the pump body operates the pump.

Abstract: A suction and dispensing tool (1) comprises: a cylinder (10) storing the fluid; a nozzle (20); a piston moving forward and backward in the cylinder (10); a piston rod (40) for driving the piston; and two ratchet type driving mechanisms (60) for driving the piston rod (40) forward and backward. The driving mechanism (60) comprises: a frame (50) having a handle (52), mounted to the cylinder (10), and two triggers (80) rotatably attached to the frame (50) at the front and rear sides of the handle (52). By rotating each of the triggers (80) to the handle (52), the piston rod (40) can be moved forward or backward. The rotating operation of the trigger (80) requires power smaller than an operation for directly pushing and drawing the piston rod by hand. Accordingly, it becomes possible to refill and dispense a high viscosity oil easily.

Abstract: A one-piece plastic container includes a body defining a longitudinal axis and having an upper portion, a sidewall portion and a base portion. The upper portion has a spout defining an opening into the container and a finish offset radially outwardly from the spout. A trough defines a passage into the body. The trough slopes toward the passage and defines a non-orthogonal angle relative to the longitudinal axis. According to other features, the sidewall portion is integrally formed with and extends from the upper portion to the base portion. The base portion closes off an end of the container. The finish defines at least one thread, for attaching a closure thereon.

Abstract: A container that dispenses a carbonated drink such as beer has a pressure regulator that controls the pressure of the dispensed fluid with a pressurized carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is released to maintain the desired pressure by a pressure regulator that opens a valve when the pressure is too low in the dispensed fluid and closes a valve when the pressure is high enough in the dispensed fluid. The pressure regulator is easily adjusted without the use of a tool during operation by simply rotating the pressure regulator's cap on its threads.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a beverage, for use with pressurized sources of one or more fluids, includes a handle having one or more valve chambers; a fluid valve in each valve chamber; one or more butterfly plates, each configured to bias one or more of the valve stems of the valves towards a valve-open position when the butterfly plate is pressed, thus opening fluidic communication from each of the fluid sources to a corresponding discharge opening; and a ball bearing cluster which provides one or more pivot points for the butterfly plates. The ball bearing cluster includes a retainer and at least one ball-shaped projection projecting from the retainer. The ball-shaped projection remains in a substantially fixed position and orientation with respect to both the retainer and the handle when one or more of the butterfly plates is pressed. The ball bearing cluster and butterfly plate may be molded.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing device, in at least one embodiment containing medication typically have a shelf life and separately an expiration date after first being opened, as this exposure created by opening or sing the container for the first time raises the chance of contamination dramatically. A time indicator is situated so that as the container is opened for the first time, a timer displays the expiration date and time of the container. The time indicator can not be reset once it is triggered. In one embodiment, the indicator is triggered as the container is actuated by a rotational movement.

Abstract: A viscous material processing system has a chamber to hold containers shaped as drums and has a plunger that presses into the interior of the drum to press out its highly viscous contents. The chamber has a hinged enclosure that has a hydraulically activated clamp that connects the two sides of the hinged enclosure that is controlled by a controller in a methodical way. The hydraulically activated clamp can be arranged in series and also has a relief cartridge and pressure sensor to prevent the drum from over pressurized. The processing system also has viscous material compounding system that receives and uses the material provided by the drums.

Abstract: A bottle formed of a food-grade plastic material, such as clear polyethylene terephthalate, may include a frustoconical neck portion, a shoulder region, a base region, and a sidewall portion have opposed grip-enhancing surfaces, and elastically deformable pressure panels. A cap for the container may include a valve to control product leakage, and may be sized to allow inversion of the bottle. A generally trapezoidal tab of the cap may be moveable between a closed position covering a cap orifice and an open position outside the plane of the cap.

Abstract: A dispenser of viscous fluid, in at least one embodiment a hot melt glue adhesive, has a heater element, an adhesive source, a main common passage, and a series of valves that all fluidly connect to the main passage. A sheet of receiving material, such as an envelope, has hot melt glue applied to its surface as it passes under the series of valves. A variable amount of valves can be activated by moving control rods inwardly or outwardly of the main common passage. The moving control rods have indicator markers, a securing screw and are housed in U-shaped beds which collectively make adjusting the dispensing pattern very easy.

Abstract: A trigger sprayer has a one piece valve member that includes both an inlet valve element and an outlet valve element. The one piece valve member replaces the separate liquid inlet valve and liquid outlet valve of a conventional trigger sprayer, and thereby provides a more simplified construction for the trigger sprayer and a fewer number of component parts in the trigger sprayer.

Abstract: An improved actuator is disclosed for actuating an aerosol valve for dispensing an aerosol product from an aerosol container. The improved actuator comprises a base for mounting to the aerosol container. A unitary actuator button supports a nozzle extending between the aerosol valve and a terminal orifice. The actuator button is rotatable about the base between a locked rotational position and an unlocked rotational position. The unitary actuator button is movable for pivoting the nozzle button to actuate the aerosol valve for dispensing aerosol product from the terminal orifice when the actuator button is in the unlocked rotational position. The unitary actuator button is inhibited from pivoting the nozzle button when the actuator button is rotated into the locked rotational position.

Abstract: A tamper-evident container with pour-out container fitment for frictional engagement within the cylindrical neck of a container to control and meter the flow of liquids out of the container. The fitment includes a top flange sufficient to cover the mouth of the container and a coaxial cylindrical insert extending from the top flange into the neck. The fitment is held into the neck by friction and a ring extends from the insert for enhanced frictional engagement. Apertures are provided in the insert to allow fluid to pass into the interior of the insert, and channels are provided along the walls of the interior from the apertures to the top flange to guide the liquid from the apertures to the flange.

Abstract: A product is disclosed for inverted spray dispensing of material that comprises at least some particulate matter. The dispensing end of the container is connected to a valve, which includes a valve that moves from a biased closed position to an open position to discharge the product downward through the valve, when the dispensing end of the container is directed downward. An inlet end of the valve is spaced vertically above the dispensing end of the container when the dispensing end of the container is directed downward. The inlet end of the valve or spring cup is connected to a mesh filter having a pore size at least as large as an average diameter of the solid particles. Even when the container and a layer of settled particles forms at the dispensing end of the container, valve and mesh filter are designed so that at a portion of the proximal end of the mesh filter is disposed above the layer of settled particles to prevent clogging of the mesh filter.

Abstract: A method for producing a multicomponent compound involves pressing components out of cartridges by means of pistons. The method has particular applicability in connection with dental applications. The method prevents pressing the components initially under high pressures. At the beginning of the pressing-out process, a pressure lower than the characteristic pressing-out pressure of the components from the cartridges is employed. Feed speeds are adjusted to constant value as a function of the pressing-out behavior of the components which are compared with stored or calculated values for a known material.

Abstract: A unified assembly of a mounting cup and valve stem assembly for aerosol containers. The mounting cup contains a flat central portion having an inner section extending downward from its periphery. An outer section extends upward from the lower edge of the inner section and abuts the inner section. The inner and outer sections constitute the lower wall. The outer section extends above the flat central portion and ends in a channel which can fit onto the bead of an aerosol container. The flat central portion has at least one hole through it. The valve stem assembly contains a flat circular upper piece having holes corresponding to those in the mounting cup. The holes are the open top ends of chambers for springs and plungers. Valve stems are below the chamber. The lower wall of the mounting cup is crimped to hold the mounting cup to the valve stem assembly.

Abstract: A pouch is formed out of two sheets of plastic heat sealed over most of the edge length. The pouch has an expanding bottom feature and has a pouring spout formed by raised impressions in the corresponding sheets of plastic that form matching embossments. When the pouch is squeezed, the embossments open further apart to form a larger fluid passage at the outlet. The outlet of the pouch is opposite the bottom of the pouch and in at least one embodiment has a region on both sides of the outlet that are kept free from heat sealing during manufacture. The outlet also has a frangible line of weakness for easy opening. The outlet passage has two sets of embossments that meet along a center line to more fully expand the central portion of the pouch.

Abstract: A viscous material evacuator has a chamber to hold containers shaped as drums and has a plunger that presses into the interior of the drum to press out its highly viscous contents. The chamber has a hinged enclosure that has a hydraulically activated clamp that connects the two sides of the hinged enclosure. The hydraulically activated clamp can be arranged in series and also has a relief cartridge and pressure sensor to prevent the drum from becoming overpressurized.