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US 12,186,771 B2Granted
Foam pump utilizing a compression spring assembly
AssigneeSilgan Dispensing Systems Corporation
InventorsStephan Thiede, Marc Tepas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foam dispenser utilizing components made from the same or similar materials that can be recycled in a single recycling process or stream includes a plastic spring system acting on spring cones formed in a piston rod and an accumulator, an air valve having multiple flanges to facilitate the flow of air into and out of the foam dispenser, and a liquid piston configured to improve the control of liquid flow through the foam dispenser and which is more easily manufactured.
Claims18
A foam dispenser, comprising:
- an accumulator, comprising:
- a liquid chamber;
- an air chamber;
- and
- an accumulator spring cone;
- an air piston, comprising:
- an air piston wall;
- an air piston seal seated against an interior wall of the air chamber;
- at least one air inlet through the air piston wall;
- a restrictor seat;
- an air valve seat;
- an air piston constriction;
- and
- a head connection extending from the air piston constriction away from the air chamber;
- a piston rod, comprising:
- a fluid intake end positioned in a portion of the liquid chamber;
- a fluid opening in the fluid intake end;
- a fluid output end opposite the fluid intake end, comprising:
- a piston rod spring cone;
- a flange extending outward of the piston rod spring cone and sealed against an interior wall of the air piston;
- and
- at least one air passage through the flange;
- a fluid flow path on an interior of the piston rod between the fluid intake end and the fluid output end;
- a liquid piston attached to the fluid intake end of the piston rod and seated in the liquid chamber, comprising:
- an exterior chevron;
- a central seal flange extending off an internal surface of the exterior chevron;
- an upper chevron extending off of the central seal;
- and
- a lower chevron extending off the central seal in a direction opposite the upper chevron;
- a spring seated between the piston rod spring cone and the accumulator spring cone;
- a restrictor seated in the restrictor seat and connected to the piston rod, comprising:
- at least one restrictor liquid inlet in communication with the fluid flow path;
- and
- at least one restrictor liquid outlet in communication with the at least one restrictor liquid inlets;
- an air valve seated in the air valve seat, comprising:
- a wall;
- an air inlet flange extending off an exterior surface of the wall;
- and
- an air outlet flange extending off an interior surface of the wall;
- a dispenser head connected to the head connection;
- and
- a mesh holder seated in the dispenser head.
39 more elements
A foam dispenser, comprising:
- an accumulator, comprising:
- a liquid chamber;
- an air chamber;
- and
- an accumulator spring cone having a slope of between 10 and 12 degrees;
- an air piston, comprising:
- an air piston wall;
- an air piston seal seated against an interior wall of the air chamber;
- at least one air inlet through the air piston wall;
- a restrictor seat;
- an air valve seat;
- an air piston constriction adjacent to the restrictor seat;
- and
- a head connection extending from the air piston constriction away from the air chamber;
- a piston rod, comprising:
- a fluid intake end positioned in a portion of the liquid chamber;
- a fluid opening in the fluid intake end;
- a fluid output end opposite the fluid intake end, comprising:
- a piston rod spring cone having a slope of between 10 and 12 degrees;
- a flange extending outward of the piston rod spring cone and sealed against an interior wall of the air piston;
- and
- at least one air passage through the flange;
- a fluid flow path on an interior of the piston rod between the fluid intake end and the fluid output end;
- a liquid piston attached to the fluid intake end of the piston rod and seated in the liquid chamber, comprising:
- an exterior chevron;
- a central seal flange extending off an internal surface of the exterior chevron;
- an upper chevron extending off of the central seal;
- and
- a lower chevron extending off the central seal in a direction opposite the upper chevron;
- a spring seated between the piston rod spring cone and the accumulator spring cone;
- a restrictor seated in the restrictor seat and connected to the piston rod, comprising:
- at least one restrictor liquid inlet in communication with the fluid flow path;
- and
- at least one restrictor liquid outlet in communication with the at least one restrictor liquid inlet;
- an air valve seated in the air valve seat, comprising:
- a wall;
- an air inlet flange extending off an exterior surface of the wall and seated over the at least one air inlet of the air piston;
- and
- an air outlet flange extending off an interior surface of the wall and seated against an exterior wall of the restrictor;
- a dispenser head connected to the head connection.
37 more elements
A foam dispensing system, comprising:
- a container;
- a fluid contained within the container;
- a foam dispenser attached to the container, the foam dispenser comprising:
- an accumulator, comprising:
- a liquid chamber;
- an air chamber;
- and
- an accumulator spring cone having a slope of between 10 and 12 degrees;
- an air piston, comprising:
- an air piston wall;
- an air piston seal seated against an interior wall of the air chamber;
- at least one air inlet through the air piston wall;
- a restrictor seat;
- an air valve seat;
- an air piston constriction adjacent to the restrictor seat;
- and
- a head connection extending from the air piston constriction away from the air chamber;
- a piston rod, comprising:
- a fluid intake end positioned in a portion of the liquid chamber;
- a fluid opening in the fluid intake end;
- a fluid output end opposite the fluid intake end, comprising:
- a piston rod spring cone having a slope of between 10 and 12 degrees;
- a flange extending outward of the piston rod spring cone and sealed against an interior wall of the air piston;
- and
- at least one air passage through the flange;
- a fluid flow path on an interior of the piston rod between the fluid intake end and the fluid output end;
- a liquid piston attached to the fluid intake end of the piston rod and seated in the fluid chamber, comprising:
- an exterior chevron;
- a central seal flange extending off an internal surface of the exterior chevron;
- an upper chevron extending off of the central seal;
- and
- a lower chevron extending off the central seal in a direction opposite the upper chevron;
- a spring seated between the piston rod spring cone and the accumulator spring cone;
- a restrictor seated in the restrictor seat and connected to the piston rod, comprising:
- at least one restrictor liquid inlet in communication with the fluid flow path;
- and
- at least one restrictor liquid outlet in communication with the at least one restrictor liquid inlets;
- an air valve seated in the air valve seat, comprising:
- a wall;
- an air inlet flange extending off an exterior surface of the wall and seated over the at least one air inlet of the air piston;
- and
- an air outlet flange extending off an interior surface of the wall and seated against an exterior wall of the restrictor;
- a dispenser head connected to the head connection.
40 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.