Portable personal hand sanitizer dispenser
OwnerMichael WATSONinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dispensing apparatus includes a cartridge containing a liquid. The cartridge has an opening covered by a sealing element. A piercing element in the apparatus pierces the sealing element, and as liquid is dispensed from the cartridge, the seal deforms in response to negative pressure to allow air to enter the cartridge. The cartridge may additionally or alternatively have an aperture covered by a gas permeable but liquid impermeable membrane. The apparatus may include a valve proximate to the outlet thereof. The valve may comprise an obstructing element biased against a valve seat by a resilient member. Fluid pressure from a metering mechanism in the apparatus may displace the obstructing element from the valve seat to thereby permit liquid to flow through the outlet.
Claims20
A dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a housing having an outlet;
- a rigid or semi-rigid replaceable cartridge having an interior shaped to receive a liquid therewithin and an opening via which the interior is accessible;
- an elastomeric sealing element which couples to the cartridge and covers said opening;
- a piercing element that pierces through the elastomeric sealing element when the cartridge is inserted into the housing;
- and
- a metering mechanism fluidly connected to the piercing element and the outlet, the metering mechanism operable to draw the liquid from the cartridge so inserted into the housing, to the outlet, wherein operation of the metering mechanism to dispense the liquid generates a negative pressure within the cartridge, and wherein the elastomeric sealing element deforms in response to the negative pressure to allow air to enter the cartridge via the opening as the liquid is removed therefrom.
A replaceable cartridge for a personal dispensing apparatus, the cartridge comprising:
- a rigid or semi-rigid hollow body having an interior within which a liquid is receivable, the body having spaced-apart first and second apertures each in fluid communication with the interior thereof;
- and
- a membrane coupled to the body so as to cover the first aperture, wherein the membrane inhibits passage of the liquid therethrough, and enables passage of gas therethrough to relieve negative pressure generated when the liquid is dispensed through the second aperture.
A personal dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a housing having an outlet;
- a metering mechanism for dispensing a fluid out of the outlet;
- and
- a valve positioned on a fluid path between the metering mechanism and the outlet, the valve including an obstructing element, a valve seat, a channel, and a resilient member positioned within the channel, wherein the resilient member biases the obstructing element into sealing engagement with the valve seat via a spring force, and wherein fluid pressure from the metering mechanism overcomes the spring force so as to dislodge the obstructing element from the valve seat and thereby permit the fluid to flow around the obstructing element and through the channel to the outlet on the housing.
A system for recording actuation data, the system comprising:
- a local device;
- and
- a personal dispensing apparatus including a dispensing mechanism to dispense fluid, a local memory, a physical port, and a processor, wherein the personal dispensing apparatus records via the processor an actuation record in the local memory in response to an actuation of the dispensing mechanism, and wherein the personal dispensing apparatus transmits via the processor the actuation record from the local memory to the local device via the physical port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.