SOAP DISPENSER
A soap dispenser includes a wall mount housing and a housing cover mounted to the wall mount housing. A compression module mechanism has an upper compression module and a lower compression module mounted in a sliding relationship. The compression module mechanism is mounted to the wall mount housing. A cartridge has a tank filled with liquid soap. The cartridge includes a neck with a neck groove and a nozzle. The cartridge includes a soap pump that pumps soap through the nozzle. A neck retainer has a neck retainer guide. The neck retainer guide is configured to fit to the neck groove. A soap piston is mounted to the neck in a telescopic sliding relationship. The soap piston extends beyond the neck groove. The soap piston terminates at a soap nozzle.
The present invention is in the field of soap dispensers.
DISCUSSION OF RELATED ARTA variety of different soap dispensers have been created in the prior art. Many of them have difficulty loading and unloading cartridges due to the desire to meet manufacturing and design goals of reliability, proprietary design, tolerances and ease of use.
For example, in United States patent publication number US2010/0224651A1, entitled Dispenser Housing by inventor Doug Zlatic, published Sep. 9, 2010, the abstract discloses, “A dispenser including a housing with a backplate, an intermediary member pivotally connected to the backplate, and a cover pivotally connected to the intermediary member. The intermediary member is pivotally connected to the backplate adjacent to a first end of the housing, and the cover is pivotally connected to the intermediary member adjacent to a second end of the housing. The dispenser also includes a refill unit including a pump and a product reservoir. The product reservoir is flexible and resilient so that it can be compressed repeatedly.”
For example, in United States patent publication number US2012/0112914A1, entitled Hygiene compliance module by inventor Jackson W. Wegelin, published May 10, 2012, the abstract discloses, “A hygiene compliance module is configured to be retrofit with a compatible dispenser to enable hygiene compliance monitoring functions. The hygiene compliance module is configured to be coupled to the dispenser via a communication interface to receive power, ground, and dispenser actuation signals therefrom. In addition, the hygiene compliance module is enabled to communicate with a wireless data tag that is worn by a user of the dispenser and with a remote hygiene compliance monitoring station.”
For example, in United States patent publication number US2013/0299518A1, entitled Foam dispensers and refill units for foam dispensers by inventor John J. McNulty, published Nov. 14, 2013, the abstract discloses, “A refill unit for a foam dispenser that has an air compressor permanently attached to the dispenser is provided herein. The refill unit includes a liquid container and a body portion having a first end and a second end. The first end of the body portion is fluidly coupled to the liquid container. A liquid chamber is located in the pump body, the liquid chamber having an expanded state and a contracted state. An outlet nozzle is located proximate a second end of the body portion. A mixing chamber is located within the body portion. An air inlet is located through the body portion and is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber. A sanitary seal is located proximate the air inlet. The sanitary seal allows air to enter into the mixing chamber and prevents liquid from traveling out of the body portion through the air inlet.”
For example, in United States patent publication number US2013/0175296A1, entitled Peroxide powered product dispensing system by inventor Robert L. Gray, published Jul. 11, 2013, the abstract discloses, “A dispensing system includes a decomposition chamber having a catalyst for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide and a foaming soap are provided in separate first and second chambers of a product reservoir portion of a refill unit. Decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide produces oxygen gas and water, that may be used as a propellant for the creation of the foamed product, or may be used to power a pump. Additionally, the oxygen gas may be used to power a scavenger for the creation of electricity for charging a battery within the dispenser.”
For example, in United States patent publication number US2011/056987A1, entitled Dispenser with lockout device by inventor Scott T. Proper, published Mar. 10, 2011, the abstract discloses, “A dispenser housing that receives a refill unit including a container and pump associated with the container to pump contents from the container. The dispenser housing includes an actuator carriage moveable between a rest position and an actuated position. The dispenser housing also includes a lockout device moveable between an open position and a closed position. When the lockout device is in the open position, the actuator carriage is movable, and, when the lockout device is in the closed position, movement of the actuator carriage is blocked by the lockout device such that the actuator carriage cannot be moved from the rest position to the actuated position.”
For example, in United States patent publication number US2010/0059550A1, entitled Pump having a flexible mechanism for engagement with a dispenser by inventor Nick E. Ciavarella, published Mar. 11, 2010, the abstract discloses, “A foam pump having a flexible member for engagement with a dispenser, the pump being part of a refill unit including a product reservoir. The flexible connecting member extends from an extreme end of the pump and is received by an actuating carriage that is movably connected to an actuating mechanism. The flexible connecting member permits insertion of the pump into a dispenser, and may act to dampen actuating forces to reduce foam shearing. The flexible connecting member may be provided in the form of a flared tip that is received through an oval opening in the product dispenser, and the pump may include a locking member to prevent unwanted actuation thereof during insertion of the refill unit into the dispenser.”
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA soap dispenser includes a wall mount housing and a housing cover mounted to the wall mount housing. A compression module mechanism has an upper compression module and a lower compression module mounted in a sliding relationship. The compression module mechanism is mounted to the wall mount housing. A cartridge has a tank filled with liquid soap. The cartridge includes a neck with a neck groove and a nozzle. The cartridge includes a soap pump that pumps soap through the nozzle. A neck retainer has a neck retainer guide. The neck retainer guide is configured to fit to the neck groove. A soap piston is mounted to the neck in a telescopic sliding relationship. The soap piston extends beyond the neck groove. The soap piston terminates at a soap nozzle.
The soap dispenser also optionally has a compression module retainer latch having a compression module retainer latch tip. The upper compression module has an upper compression module top surface that is retained to the wall mount housing by the compression module retainer latch tip. An upper retainer groove arm and a lower retainer groove arm are formed on the wall mount housing. The upper retainer groove arm retains an upper retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, and the lower retainer groove arm retains a lower retainer tab formed on the upper compression module. The upper retainer groove arm is formed above the lower retainer groove arm.
A neck retainer guide upper edge and a neck retainer guide lower edge are formed in a parallel configuration. The neck retainer guide has a neck retainer guide lower edge that engages the neck groove flange. The neck retainer guide retains the neck and positions it so that the up and down reciprocating motion of the soap pump does not dislodge the cartridge within the hollow of the wall mount housing and housing cover.
A right alignment piston and a left alignment piston both are formed on a lower compression module frame. The right alignment piston is mounted to slide within a right alignment hollow, and the left alignment piston is mounted to slide within a left alignment hollow. A left reciprocation slot and a right reciprocation slot are formed on the upper compression module. The lower compression module has a left reciprocation sleeve and a right reciprocation sleeve. The left reciprocation sleeve reciprocates within the left reciprocation slot, and the right reciprocation sleeve reciprocates within the right reciprocation slot. The soap dispenser of claim also preferably includes a nozzle collar retainer formed as an indent on a planar shaped lower compression module frame of the lower compression module. The nozzle collar retainer biases a nozzle collar of the nozzle for pumping soap.
A feature of the present invention is that a guide ramp formed on the neck retainer guide has a guide ramp tip so that the cartridge can be installed in a single downwardly rotating movement that is self aligned by the guide ramp. Therefore, the guide ramp is configured to retain and guide the neck groove flange as the cartridge is inserted into the wall mount housing given the guide ramp's diagonal slope.
The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the elements of the drawings.
- 10 Housing Cover
- 11 Housing Cover Hinge
- 20 Wall Mount Housing
- 21 Base Plate
- 22 Right Sidewall
- 23 Left Sidewall
- 24 Top Sidewall
- 25 Lower Sidewall
- 26 Compression Module Retainer Latch
- 27 Base Plate Mount Opening
- 28 Upper Retainer Groove
- 29 Lower Retainer Groove
- 30 Upper Compression Module
- 31 Upper Retainer Tab
- 32 Lower Retainer Tab
- 33 Neck Retainer
- 34 Neck Retainer Guide
- 35 Guide Ramp
- 36 Guide Ramp Tip
- 37 Alignment Hollow
- 38 Left Reciprocation Slot
- 39 Right Reciprocation Slot
- 40 Lower Compression Module
- 41 Left Alignment Piston
- 42 Right Reciprocation Sleeve
- 43 Right Lever Arm Slot
- 44 Nozzle Collar Retainer
- 45 Lower Compression Module Frame
- 46 Left Lever Arm Slot
- 47 Right Alignment Piston
- 48 Left Reciprocation Sleeve
- 49 Piston Tip
- 50 Engagement Elements
- 51 Wall Mount Housing Latch
- 52 Compression Module Retainer Latch Tip
- 53 Upper Compression Module Top Surface
- 54 Upper Retainer Groove Arm
- 55 Right Swivel
- 56 Left Swivel
- 57 Sleeve Tips
- 58 Left Rail Surface
- 59 Right Rail Surface
- 61 Keyhole
- 62 Neck Retainer Guide Upper Edge
- 100 Tank
- 101 Soap
- 102 Neck
- 103 Neck Groove
- 104 Neck Groove Flange
- 105 Soap Piston
- 106 Soap Nozzle
- 107 Dispensing Opening
As seen in
As seen in
The wall mount housing 20 generally has a top sidewall 24, a right sidewall 22, a lower sidewall 25, and a left sidewall 23. The four sidewalls retain the rectangular shaped tank 100. The wall mount housing 20 connects to the wall at a base plate mounting opening 27. The base plate mounting opening 27 can receive a screw or other type of connector. The base plate 21 of the wall mount housing 20 also has a compression module retainer latch 26. The compression module retainer latch 26 is a plastic injected leaf spring that protrudes outwardly for retaining the compression module. The compression module slides into a pair of upper retainer grooves 28 and a pair of lower retainer grooves 29. The upper retainer grooves 28 are on the left and right side of the base plate 21. Similarly, the lower retainer groove 29 is also on the left and right side of the base plate. The lower sidewall 25 has a notch in it for clearance of the soap foam generated and passing through the dispensing opening 107.
The compression module has two parts, namely an upper compression module 30 and a lower compression module 40. The upper compression module 30 fits to the lower compression module 40 in a sliding reciprocating connection. The upper compression module has a pair of upper retainer tabs 31 and a pair of lower retainer tabs 32 on a right and left sidewall of the upper compression module 30. The pair of upper retainer tabs 31 slide downwardly into the pair of upper retainer grooves 28. Similarly, the pair of lower retainer tabs 32 slide downwardly into the pair of lower retainer grooves 29.
The upper compression module 30 locks into the hollow between the right sidewall 22 and the left sidewall 23. The hollow is also formed between the top sidewall 24 and the lower sidewall 25. During assembly, the lower compression module 40 is first inserted into the upper compression module 30, and then the upper compression module 30 is slid downwardly until the compression module retainer latch 26 clicks to lock. The compression module retainer latch 26 can be released by depressing it.
The upper compression module 30 has an neck retainer 33 that is formed in a cylindrical profile. The neck retainer 33 has a neck retainer guide 34. The neck retainer guide 34 has a guide ramp 35. The guide ramp 35 terminates at a guide ramp tip 36. The neck retainer guide 34 engages the neck groove 103. The guide ramp 35 engages the neck groove flange 104.
The sliding relationship between the upper compression module 30 in the lower compression module 40 is maintained when a pair of alignment pistons engage a pair of alignment hollows 37. The sliding relationship has little play because the left alignment hollow receives the left alignment piston 41, and the right alignment hollow receives the right alignment piston 47. Each alignment piston has a piston tip 49. The pistons are cylindrical for engaging to the cylindrical alignment hollows. Additionally, on a left and right side of the neck retainer 33, the left reciprocation slot 38 receives a left reciprocation sleeve 48 and the right reciprocation slot 39 receives a right reciprocation sleeve 42. The left lever arm slot 46 receives a left lever arm and the right lever arm 43 receives a right lever arm. A pair of lever arms engage and push the lever arm slots upward thereby pumping the soap nozzle 106. The soap nozzle 106 is pushed upward by the nozzle collar retainer 44. The soap nozzle 106 it has a collar shape that engages or abuts to the nozzle collar retainer 44. The lower compression module 40 has the right reciprocation sleeve 42, the right alignment piston 47, the left alignment piston 41, and the left reciprocation sleeve 48 mounted to, formed with or otherwise rigidly connected to the lower compression module frame 45.
When inserting the cartridge with the neck 102, the cartridge neck groove 103 engages the neck retainer guide upper edge 62 and the neck retainer guide lower edge 61. Easy insertion is made with the guide ramp 35. The neck groove flange engages the neck retainer guide lower edge 61. And is guided or biased downwardly upon initial insertion by the guide ramp 35. The angle of the guide ramp 35 is angled to approximately a circular path of the neck groove flange 104 with an axis of rotation being the top sidewall 24. A user reloads the cartridge by putting the top of the tank 100 against the top sidewall 24, and then rotating the body of the tank 100 so that the guide ramp 35 biases the neck groove flange 104 downwardly into position. After full rotation, the cartridge is inserted and ready for use after the user closes the housing cover 10.
The engaging surfaces of the present invention improve and optimize the loading and unloading of cartridges. The engaging elements 50 include a wall mount housing latch 51 located at the top sidewall 24. The wall mount housing latch 51 can be made with the latch mounted to the housing cover 10. The housing cover 10 can engage the wall mount housing latch 51. Additionally, the compression module has a compression module retainer latch tip 52 which is formed as an edge for engaging a top surface of the upper compression module 30. The top surface of the upper compression module 30 is flat and adapted to engage to the compression module retainer latch tip 52. Additionally, the upper compression module top surface 53 is preferably parallel to the compression module retainer latch tip 52 such that both of them about each other in a parallel surface abutment geometry.
The additionally, the pair of upper retainer grooves 28 are formed on the pair of upper retainer groove arms 54. Also, the lower retainer grooves are formed on a pair of lower retainer groove arms. The housing cover 10 has a housing cover hinge 11 that engages a right swivel 55 and a left swivel 56. The right swivel 55 and the left swivel 56 can be formed as swivel openings which are circular for receiving a circular protrusion of the housing cover hinge 11. The circular protrusion can rotate inside the circular opening for providing a swiveling hinge. The actuating lever can be formed in a variety of different ways and designed to engage rail surfaces inside the lever arm slots. A left lever arm slot 46 has a left rail surface 58 at an upper inside surface. Similarly, the right lever arm slot 43 has a right rail surface 49 at an upper inside surface. When the lever arms move, they ride along the pair of rail surfaces evenly so as to compress the soap pump that is formed on the net of the bottle of the cartridge.
The keyhole 61 can allow a key to be inserted into the top sidewall 24 and thereby depress the wall mount housing latch 51. The wall mount housing latch 51 retains the housing cover 10 to the top sidewall 24.
Claims
1. a soap dispenser comprising:
- a. a wall mount housing;
- b. a housing cover mounted to the wall mount housing;
- c. a compression module mechanism having an upper compression module and a lower compression module in a sliding relationship, wherein the compression module mechanism is mounted to the wall mount housing;
- d. a cartridge having a tank filled with liquid soap, wherein the cartridge includes a neck with a neck groove and a nozzle, wherein the cartridge includes a soap pump that pumps soap through the nozzle; and
- e. a neck retainer having a neck retainer guide, wherein the neck retainer guide is configured to fit to the neck groove.
2. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: a soap piston mounted to the neck in a telescopic sliding relationship, wherein the soap piston extends beyond the neck groove, wherein the soap piston terminates at a soap nozzle.
3. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: a compression module retainer latch having a compression module retainer latch tip, wherein the upper compression module has an upper compression module top surface that is retained to the wall mount housing by the compression module retainer latch tip.
4. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: an upper retainer groove arm and a lower retainer groove arm formed on the wall mount housing, wherein the upper retainer groove arm retains an upper retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, and wherein the lower retainer groove arm retains a lower retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, wherein the upper retainer groove arm is formed above the lower retainer groove arm.
5. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: a neck retainer guide upper edge and a neck retainer guide lower edge, wherein the neck retainer guide upper edge is parallel to the neck retainer guide lower edge, wherein the neck retainer guide lower edge engages the neck groove flange.
6. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: a right alignment piston and a left alignment piston both formed on a lower compression module frame, wherein the right alignment piston is mounted to slide within a right alignment hollow, and wherein the left alignment piston is mounted to slide within a left alignment hollow.
7. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: a left reciprocation slot and a right reciprocation slot formed on the upper compression module, wherein the lower compression module has a left reciprocation sleeve and a right reciprocation sleeve, wherein the left reciprocation sleeve reciprocates within the left reciprocation slot, and wherein the right reciprocation sleeve reciprocates within the right reciprocation slot.
8. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: a nozzle collar retainer formed as an indent on a planar shaped lower compression module frame of the lower compression module, wherein the nozzle collar retainer biases a nozzle collar of the nozzle for pumping soap.
9. The soap dispenser of claim 1, further comprising: a guide ramp formed on the neck retainer guide, wherein the guide ramp has a guide ramp tip, wherein the guide ramp is configured to retain and guide the neck groove flange as the cartridge is inserted into the wall mount housing, wherein the guide ramp has a diagonal slope.
10. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising: a soap piston mounted to the neck in a telescopic sliding relationship, wherein the soap piston extends beyond the neck groove, wherein the soap piston terminates at a soap nozzle.
11. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising: a compression module retainer latch having a compression module retainer latch tip, wherein the upper compression module has an upper compression module top surface that is retained to the wall mount housing by the compression module retainer latch tip.
12. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising: an upper retainer groove arm and a lower retainer groove arm formed on the wall mount housing, wherein the upper retainer groove arm retains an upper retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, and wherein the lower retainer groove arm retains a lower retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, wherein the upper retainer groove arm is formed above the lower retainer groove arm.
13. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising: a neck retainer guide upper edge and a neck retainer guide lower edge, wherein the neck retainer guide upper edge is parallel to the neck retainer guide lower edge, wherein the neck retainer guide lower edge engages the neck groove flange.
14. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising: a right alignment piston and a left alignment piston both formed on a lower compression module frame, wherein the right alignment piston is mounted to slide within a right alignment hollow, and wherein the left alignment piston is mounted to slide within a left alignment hollow.
15. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising: a left reciprocation slot and a right reciprocation slot formed on the upper compression module, wherein the lower compression module has a left reciprocation sleeve and a right reciprocation sleeve, wherein the left reciprocation sleeve reciprocates within the left reciprocation slot, and wherein the right reciprocation sleeve reciprocates within the right reciprocation slot.
16. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising: a nozzle collar retainer formed as an indent on a planar shaped lower compression module frame of the lower compression module, wherein the nozzle collar retainer biases a nozzle collar of the nozzle for pumping soap.
17. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising:
- a. a soap piston mounted to the neck in a telescopic sliding relationship, wherein the soap piston extends beyond the neck groove, wherein the soap piston terminates at a soap nozzle;
- b. a compression module retainer latch having a compression module retainer latch tip, wherein the upper compression module has an upper compression module top surface that is retained to the wall mount housing by the compression module retainer latch tip; and
- c. an upper retainer groove arm and a lower retainer groove arm formed on the wall mount housing, wherein the upper retainer groove arm retains an upper retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, and wherein the lower retainer groove arm retains a lower retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, wherein the upper retainer groove arm is formed above the lower retainer groove arm.
18. The soap dispenser of claim 9, further comprising:
- a. a neck retainer guide upper edge and a neck retainer guide lower edge, wherein the neck retainer guide upper edge is parallel to the neck retainer guide lower edge, wherein the neck retainer guide lower edge engages the neck groove flange;
- b. a right alignment piston and a left alignment piston both formed on a lower compression module frame, wherein the right alignment piston is mounted to slide within a right alignment hollow, and wherein the left alignment piston is mounted to slide within a left alignment hollow;
- c. a left reciprocation slot and a right reciprocation slot formed on the upper compression module, wherein the lower compression module has a left reciprocation sleeve and a right reciprocation sleeve, wherein the left reciprocation sleeve reciprocates within the left reciprocation slot, and wherein the right reciprocation sleeve reciprocates within the right reciprocation slot; and
- d. a nozzle collar retainer formed as an indent on a planar shaped lower compression module frame of the lower compression module, wherein the nozzle collar retainer biases a nozzle collar of the nozzle for pumping soap.
19. The soap dispenser of claim 18, further comprising:
- a. a soap piston mounted to the neck in a telescopic sliding relationship, wherein the soap piston extends beyond the neck groove, wherein the soap piston terminates at a soap nozzle;
- b. a compression module retainer latch having a compression module retainer latch tip, wherein the upper compression module has an upper compression module top surface that is retained to the wall mount housing by the compression module retainer latch tip; and
- c. an upper retainer groove arm and a lower retainer groove arm formed on the wall mount housing, wherein the upper retainer groove arm retains an upper retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, and wherein the lower retainer groove arm retains a lower retainer tab formed on the upper compression module, wherein the upper retainer groove arm is formed above the lower retainer groove arm.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 8, 2018
Publication Date: Dec 12, 2019
Inventor: PETER BAI (Placentia, CA)
Application Number: 16/003,951
