# US 2014/0197196 A1 · Two-liquid dispensing systems, refills and two-liquid pumps

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- Number: US 2014/0197196 A1
- Document ID: US20140197196A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/787,326
- Filed: 2013-03-06
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-15
- Assignees: GOJO Industries, Inc.
- Inventors: Cory J. Tederous; Nick E. Ciavarella
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197196A1

## CPC

- A47K 5/14: Foam or lather making devices
- A47K 5/1207: {Dispensing from the bottom of the dispenser with a vertical piston}
- A47K 5/1208: {by means of a flexible dispensing chamber}
- B01F 35/513: Flexible receptacles, e.g. bags supported by rigid containers
- B01F 35/522: {comprising compartments keeping the materials to be mixed separated until the mixing is initiated (containers or packages for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture B65D81/32)}
- B01F 35/7174: {using pistons, plungers or syringes}
- B01F 35/7546: {using squeezing means on a deformable container}
- A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)

## Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of dispensing systems for dispensing mixtures of multiple liquids, refill units and pumps for such refill units and dispensers are disclosed herein. One refill unit includes a first container and a second container. The refill unit includes a first pump chamber that is associated with the first container and a second pump chamber that is associated with the second container. The first and second pump chambers include a liquid inlet valve and a liquid outlet valve. Expanding the first and second pump chambers draws liquid into the first and second pump chambers through the liquid inlet valves and compressing the first and second pump chambers forces liquid through the liquid outlet valves into a mixing chamber located downstream of the liquid outlet valves. The mixing chamber is formed at least in part by a flexible membrane. The refill unit also includes an outlet nozzle for dispensing the mixture.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A refill unit for a foam dispenser comprising:
a first container and a second container;
a first pump chamber associated with the first container and a second pump chamber associated with the second container;
the first and second pump chambers having a liquid inlet valve and a liquid outlet valve;
wherein expanding the first and second pump chambers draws liquid into the first and second pump chambers through the liquid inlet valves and compressing the first and second pump chambers forces liquid through the liquid outlet valves;
a mixing chamber located downstream of the liquid outlet valves;
the mixing chamber formed at least in part by a flexible membrane; and
an outlet nozzle located downstream of the mixing chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The refill unit of claim 1 wherein the mixing chamber is in the form of a bellows.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The refill unit of claim 2 wherein the bellows has a tapered configuration.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The refill unit of claim 1 further comprising a first piston associated with the first pump chamber and a second piston associated with the second pump chamber, wherein movement of the first and second pistons compress the first and second pump chambers.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The refill unit of claim 1 wherein at least two outlet valves are positioned so that a liquid stream flowing out of the first pump chamber is directed toward a liquid stream flowing out of the second pump chamber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The refill unit of claim 1 further comprising a drip catcher located at least partially within the mixing chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The refill unit of claim 1 further comprising one or more baffles located within the outlet nozzle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The refill unit of claim 1 further comprising a biasing member to expand the volume of the mixing chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The refill unit of claim 8 wherein the biasing member is the flexible membrane of the mixing chamber.

### Claim 10

A refill unit for a foam dispenser comprising:
a first container and a second container;
a first outlet associated with the first container;
a second outlet associated with the second chamber;
a bellows mixing chamber located downstream of the first outlet and the second outlet;
at least one inlet valve associated with the first outlet and the second outlet to allow liquid to flow from the first and second containers into the bellows mixing chamber;
an outlet valve located downstream of the bellows mixing chamber; and
an outlet nozzle downstream of the bellows mixing chamber.

### Claim 11

A refill unit for a foam dispenser comprising:
a first container for holding a first liquid and a second container for holding a second liquid;
a first liquid in the first container and a second liquid in the second container;
a first outlet associated with the first container;
a second outlet associated with the second container;
at least one outlet valve associated with the first outlet and the second outlet;
a variable volume mixing chamber located downstream of the first outlet and the second outlet;
wherein mixing the first liquid with the second liquid causes the mixture of the first liquid and the second liquid to form a foam; and
an outlet nozzle located downstream of the variable volume mixing chamber;
wherein compressing the variable volume mixing chamber forces the foam out of the outlet nozzle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The refill unit of claim 11 wherein the variable volume mixing chamber is in the form of a bellows.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The refill unit of claim 11 further comprising a first pump chamber for pumping the first liquid from the first container to the variable volume mixing chamber and a second pump chamber for pumping the second liquid from the second container to the variable volume mixing chamber.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The refill unit of claim 11 wherein the at least one outlet valve comprises a first portion for controlling the liquid flow from the first container to the variable volume mixing chamber and a second portion for controlling the liquid flow from the second container to the variable volume mixing chamber and the first portion and the second portion are linked together.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The refill unit of claim 14 wherein the first portion and the second portion are one piece.

### Claim 16

A foam dispenser comprising:
a carrier for holding a first container and a second container;
the first container holding a first liquid;
the second container holding a second liquid;
the first container and the second container secured to and in fluid communication with a variable volume mixing chamber;
an actuator for expanding and contracting the volume of the variable volume mixing chamber;
wherein expanding or contracting the variable volume mixing chamber toward a first volume causes liquid from the at least two containers to enter the variable volume mixing chamber; and
wherein the liquids from the first and second containers mix together to form a mixture and that expands to form a foam; and
an outlet nozzle for outputting the mixture in the form of a foam.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The foam dispenser of claim 16 further comprising a sensor for sensing the presence of an object and circuitry for causing the actuator to vary the volume of the mixing chamber.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The foam dispenser of claim 16 further comprising a first pump chamber for pumping liquid from the first container to the variable volume mixing chamber and a second pump chamber for pumping the second liquid from the second container to the variable volume mixing chamber.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The foam dispenser of claim 16 wherein the variable volume mixing chamber is in the form of a bellows.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The foam dispenser of claim 16 further comprising a drip catcher located at least partially within the variable volume mixing chamber.