Dispensing pump with polymer spring, base venting and flow baffle

A dispensing pump comprising:

• a pump base having a bottom;
• an accumulator within the pump base;
• an inlet port within the accumulator;
• a valve within the inlet port;
• a baffle disposed on an outer surface of the bottom of the pump base and over the inlet port, wherein said baffle includes a central nipple portion received in spaced relation over the inlet port and a flange portion extending radially outwardly from the central nipple portion in spaced relation with said outer surface of said bottom of said pump base, said baffle creating a flow channel to the inlet port between an upper surface of the baffle and the outer surface of the bottom of the pump base;
• a dispensing head having an outlet nozzle and an inlet stem;
• a piston stem having an interior flow passage, an upper end received with the inlet stem of the dispensing head and an opposing lower end with an inlet opening extending into said accumulator;
• a piston seal at said lower end of said piston stem, said piston seal engaging said accumulator;
• and
• a compression spring captured between the piston stem and the pump base, wherein said compression spring comprises:
• a slotted tubular spring element formed from a tensile polymer material;
• a first loading cone disposed concentrically around the accumulator at a first end of said slotted tubular spring element;
• and
• a second loading cone disposed concentrically around the piston stem at a second end of said slotted tubular spring element, said second loading cone being axially compressible with said piston stem and said dispensing head toward the first loading cone,
• whereby said slotted tubular spring element radially expands to create an opposing extension spring force.