Low pressure dispensing apparatus with air pump

Dispensing apparatus for dispensing an aerosol spray, jet, or the like, comprising:

• container means adapted to be only partially filled with product to be dispensed so as to leave a headspace therein;
• check valve means arranged to permit a gas to enter said container means only when the pressure acting on said check valve means from outside said container means exceeds the pressure acting on said check valve means from inside said container means whereby said headspace may be pressurized;
• manually actuable unseating means for bodily unseating said check valve means to permit gas in said headspace to be released from said container means via said check valve means, said unseating means including manually actuable actuator means arranged for limited displacement over a predetermined distance;
• and an escape passage having a normally closed relief valve means disposed therein, said relief valve means being arranged to automatically open said escape passage in response to a predetermined pressure in said passage, said actuator means including means for unseating said relief valve means to open said escape passage when said actuator means is displaced an initial increment of said predetermined distance, said actuator means also being operable to close and reset said relief valve means after it has automatically opened.

Dispensing apparatus for dispensing an aerosol spray, jet or the like, comprising:

• container means;
• a pumping mechanism operable by the user of the dispensing apparatus to force atmospheric air into said container means to thereby pressurize said container means, said pumping mechanism comprising chamber means and pumping means within said chamber means, said pumping means being operable between a first position wherein a charge of air to be compressed by said pumping means is contained within said chamber means and a second position wherein the charge of air is compressed by said pumping means to an increased pressure so that a portion of the charge of air is forced into said container means, said pumping means including a normally closed passage extending therethrough to the atmosphere;
• control means which can be manually actuated to open said passage and which also will automatically open said passage in response to a predetermined pressure therein to vent said chamber, and which can thereafter be manually actuated to close said passage;
• and means for sealingly storing said pumping means in the second position upon termination of the operation of said pumping means.

Dispensing apparatus for dispensing an aerosol spray, jet or the like, comprising:

• container means;
• a pumping mechanism operable by the user of the dispensing apparatus to force atmospheric air into said container means to thereby pressurize said container means, said pumping mechanism comprising chamber means and pumping means within said chamber means, said pumping means being operable between a first position wherein a charge of air to be compressed by said pumping means is contained within said chamber means and a second position wherein the charge of air is compressed by said pumping means to an increased pressure so that a portion of the charge of air is forced into said container means, said pumping means including a normally closed passage extending therethrough to the atmosphere;
• control means for opening said passage to vent said chamber means and for thereafter manually closing said passage;
• and means for sealingly storing said pumping means in the second position upon termination of the operation of said pumping means.

Dispensing apparatus for dispensing an aerosol spray, jet or the like, comprising:

• container means;
• user-actuable pumping means forming a part of said container means for intaking outside air and forcing the same into said container means to pressurize said container means;
• user-actuable dispensing means affixed to said container means;
• and control means manually actuable to first, second and third positions, said control means, when in said first position, permitting said pumping means to operate, when in said second position, preventing said pumping means from operating, and when in said third position, venting the interior of said container means to the atmosphere.

A low pressure dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a container providing an interior chamber, normally containing a predetermined amount of a substance to be dispensed;
• a self-contained, manually operated pump means in said container and including valve means communicating between said pump means and said interior chamber to transfer compressed air into said interior chamber to a predetermined pressure value when said pump means is actuated;
• means to disable said pump means when said predetermined pressure value is exceeded;
• and means to dispense the substance in said chamber under the influence of the head of pressure in said container;
• said pump means including a removable piston housing extending upwardly into said interior chamber from the bottom of said container, a flexible cup-shaped piston reciprocably disposed in an interior cylinder chamber formed within said housing, a tubular piston stem fixed to said piston and extending outwardly therefrom, and a handle at the outer end of said piston stem for manual manipulation of said piston said handle comprising an enlarged lower end of said tubular piston stem, including a peripheral flange to slip-fit upwardly over the outer lower peripheral end portion of said container;
• said removable piston housing including an enlarged lower end portion providing an upwardly extending, screw-threaded, peripheral flange for screw-threaded engagement within the lower peripheral end portion of said container.

A low pressure dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a container providing an interior chamber, normally containing a predetermined amount of a substance to be dispensed;
• a self-contained, manually operated pump means in said container and including valve means communicating between said pump means and said interior chamber to transfer compressed air into said interior chamber to a predetermined pressure value when said pump means is actuated;
• means to disable said pump means when said predetermined pressure value is exceeded;
• and means to dispense the substance in said chamber under the influence of the head of pressure in said container;
• said pump means including a removable piston housing extending upwardly into said interior chamber from the bottom of said container, a flexible cup-shaped piston reciprocably disposed in an interior cylinder chamber formed within said housing, a tubular piston stem fixed to said piston and extending outwardly therefrom, and a handle at the outer end of said piston stem for manual manipulation of said piston;
• said means to disable comprising a manually actuated, snap-in plug closure means for the outer open end of said tubular piston stem, said snap-in plug closure means being designed to pop open automatically under the influence of back pressure generated in said cylinder and tubular piston stem when the pressure in said interior chamber exceeds said predetermined value.

A low pressure dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a container providing an interior chamber, normally containing a predetermined amount of a substance to be dispensed;
• a self-contained, manually operated pump means in said container and including valve means communicating between said pump means and said interior chamber to transfer compressed air into said interior chamber to a predetermined pressure value when said pump means is actuated;
• means to disable said pump means when said predetermined pressure value is exceeded;
• and means to dispense the substance in said chamber under the influence of the head of pressure in said container;
• said pump means including a removable piston housing extending upwardly into said interior chamber from the bottom of said container, a flexible cup-shaped piston reciprocably disposed in an interior cylinder chamber formed within said housing, a tubular piston stem fixed to said piston and extending outwardly therefrom, and a handle at the outer end of said piston stem for manual manipulation of said piston;
• said valve means comprising a one-way valve in an inner end closure of said removable piston housing, said one-way valve opening into said interior chamber from the upper end of said cylinder chamber, and a two-way valve axially disposed in said piston, said two-way valve being normally closed during each inward pumping stroke and open during each outward stroke;
• said means to disable comprising a plurality of radially disposed flutes about the annular inner edge of the valve seat of said two-way valve, said two-way valve being deformable on the instroke by an excess of pressure thereabove to open said flutes to the top of said cylinder chamber and to the atmosphere through said tubular piston stem.

A low pressure dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a container providing an interior chamber, normally containing a predetermined amount of a substance to be dispensed;
• a self-contained, manually operated pump means in said container and including valve means communicating between said pump means and said interior chamber to transfer compressed air into said interior chamber to a predetermined pressure value when said pump means is actuated;
• means to disable said pump means when said predetermined pressure value is exceeded;
• and means to dispense the substance in said chamber under the influence of the head of pressure in said container;
• said pump means including a removable piston housing extending upwardly into said interior chamber from the bottom of said container, a flexible cup-shaped piston reciprocably disposed in an interior cylinder chamber formed within said housing, a tubular piston stem fixed to said piston and extending outwardly therefrom, and a handle at the outer end of said piston stem for manual manipulation of said piston, said handle comprising an enlarged generally disc-shaped lower end of said tubular piston stem, normally recessed somewhat relative to an enlarged, generally concave extension of said piston housing, said concave extension including an upstanding peripheral flange in screw-threaded engagement with the lower end portion of said container, and a peripheral lock bead about the outer peripheral edge of said concave extension to cooperate with at least a portion of the peripheral edge of said generally disc-shaped lower end to provide a selective snap in and out engagement therebetween, finger grip openings being provided in said disc-shaped lower end.

A low pressure dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a container providing an interior chamber, normally containing a predetermined amount of a substance to be dispensed;
• a self-contained, manually operated pump means in said container and including valve means communicating between said pump means and said interior chamber to transfer compressed air into said interior chamber to a predetermined pressure value when said pump means is actuated;
• means to disable said pump means when said predetermined pressure value is exceeded;
• means to dispense the substance in said chamber under the influence of the head of pressure in said container;
• the lower end portion of said container defining an interior cylinder chamber for receiving a flexible cup-shaped piston for reciprocal movement therein, a tubular piston stem fixed to said piston extending outwardly therefrom and including a generally cap-shaped handle portion at its outer end, normally in screw-threaded engagement with the bottom edge of said lower end portion and being disengageable to provide for in and out manual pumping manipulations;
• a transverse septum generally separating said cylinder chamber from said interior chamber;
• said valve means comprising a one-way valve, axially disposed in said septum, opening into said interior chamber from the upper end of said cylinder chamber, and a two-way valve, axially disposed in said piston, said two-way valve being normally closed during each inward pumping stroke and open during each outward stroke;
• said means to disable comprising a plurality of radially disposed flutes about the annular inner edge of the valve seat of said two-way valve, said two-way valve being deformable on the instroke by an excessive build-up of pressure thereabove to open said flutes to the top of said cylinder chamber and to the atmosphere through said tubular piston stem.

Dispensing apparatus comprising:

• container means adapted to be only partially filled with product to be dispensed so as to leave a headspace therein, said container means being formed from plastic and comprising separate upper and lower container elements detachably coupled together in sealed relationship;
• user-actuable pumping means forming an integral part of said container means for intaking outside air and forcing the same into said container means to pressurize said headspace, said pumping means comprising a chamber defined by a cylinder having its lower end fashioned integrally with said lower container element and terminating at its upper end in a substantially conical wall, and a piston reciprocally arranged within said chamber, said piston being reciprocated by the user to pressurize said headspace;
• check valve means disposed at the apex of said conical wall arranged to permit air to enter said container means from said chamber when said piston is operated to compress the air in said chamber to a pressure greater than the pressure in said container means;
• control means carried by said piston and manually operable to physically unseat said check valve means, said control means including an escape passage means via which compressed air in said headspace can escape from said container means via said check valve means when the latter is unseated by said control means;
• relief valve means responsive to the pressure in said container means for automatically preventing said container means from being excessively pressurized;
• and user-actuable dispensing means affixed to said container means for dispensing said product in aerosol, jet or spray form by means of the pressurized air in said headspace.