# US 4,391,308 A · Soap dispensing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,391,308 A - Document ID: US4391308A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/255,034 - Filed: 1981-04-16 - Granted: 1983-07-05 - Earliest claimed: 1981-04-16 - Assignees: Steiner Company, Inc. - Inventors: Robert L. Steiner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4391308A ## CPC - A47K 5/1208: {by means of a flexible dispensing chamber} - A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES ## Abstract A system for dispensing liquid soap comprising a closed wall structure defining a container with a partition separating the container into a lower liquid soap reservoir and an upper refill compartment. Dispensing means is carried by the container for dispensing liquid soap from the reservoir. A refill well having a refill aperture therethrough provides communication between the reservoir and the refill compartment and is dimensioned to permit the free flow of liquid soap therethrough. A pusher member is disposed in the refill well and extends upwardly toward the upper refill compartment to contact a refill cartridge containing liquid soap which has an outwardly extending neck defining an outlet with a tubular drain adaptor in the refill cartridge in sealing relation with the neck providing communication between the inside and outside of the cartridge. The tubular drain adaptor has a drain opening therein extending above the juncture of the neck with the remainder of the cartridge to facilitate draining of soap therefrom, and a stopper in the tubular drain adaptor slidable between a sealed position thereof wherein liquid in the refill cartridge is sealed therein and an open position thereof wherein the stopper is positioned away from the drain opening to permit free flow of soap therefrom. Various embodiments of the pusher member and the stoppers are shown. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for dispensing liquid soap comprising a closed wall structure defining a container, partition means separating said container into a lower liquid soap reservoir and an upper refill compartment, dispensing means carried by said container for dispensing liquid soap from said reservoir, a refill well having a refill aperture therethrough providing communication between said reservoir and said refill compartment and dimensioned to permit the free flow of liquid soap therethrough, a pusher member disposed in said refill well extending upwardly toward said upper refill compartment, a refill cartridge containing liquid soap and having an outlet, a tubular drain adaptor in said refill cartridge in sealing relation with said outlet providing communication through said tubular drain adaptor between the inside and outside of said cartridge, and a stopper in said tubular drain adaptor slidable between a sealed position thereof wherein liquid in said refill cartridge is sealed therein and an open position thereof wherein said stopper is positioned away from said outlet to permit free flow of soap therefrom, said refill cartridge being removably enclosed within said refill compartment in a refill configuration with said outlet disposed for cooperation with said refill well, said pusher member sliding said stopper within said tubular drain adaptor to the open position thereof when said refill cartridge is in the refill configuration thereof to permit the free flow of liquid soap from said refill cartridge to said reservoir thereby to refill same. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said refill well is disposed substantially centrally of said partition means, said partition means having an upper surface sloping inwardly toward said refill well. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, and further including a vent opening formed in said partition means for equalizing the pressure in said reservoir and said refill compartment, said cartridge being provided with vent means for venting same to said refill compartment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said tubular drain adaptor is a hollow right circular cylinder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said tubular drain adaptor has an annular flange at one end thereof sealed to said outlet, said annular flange having an outer dimension slightly smaller than the inner dimension of said well to sealingly fit therewithin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said tubular drain adaptor is sealed at one end thereof to said outlet, said one end of said tubular drain adaptor having an inwardly extending annular flange forming a shoulder to prevent said stopper from being inadvertently removed from said tubular drain adaptor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said pusher member is a solid rod extending upwardly into said refill compartment. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said pusher member is tubular having the free end thereof extending beyond said refill well into said refill compartment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein said hollow pusher member is integrally formed with said well, said refill aperture being the passageway formed by said hollow pusher member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said stopper has a downwardly extending skirt on the bottom thereof, said skirt being of deformable material such that when said stopper is in the sealed position thereof said skirt extends downwardly and outwardly beyond the end of said tubular drain adaptor and when said stopper is sliding between the sealed position thereof to the open position thereof said deformable skirt deforms inwardly such that the outer diameter thereof is substantially the same as the inner diameter of said tubular drain adaptor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said stopper has a downwardly extending skirt portion of deformable material and said tubular drain adaptor has an inwardly extending bead at the end thereof, said bead and said deformable skirt cooperating to retain said stopper in said tubular drain adaptor and to prevent inadvertent dislodgement thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said stopper has a downwardly extending skirt portion of deformable material extending from the bottom of said stopper inwardly of the periphery thereof to form an annular shoulder between said skirt and the stopper periphery on the stopper bottom, said tubular adaptor having an inwardly extending annular shoulder on the bottom thereof for cooperation with the annular shoulder on said stopper to prevent inadvertent dislodgement thereof. ### Claim 13 A system for dispensing liquid soap comprising a closed wall structure defining a container, partition means separating said container into a lower liquid soap reservoir and an upper refill compartment, dispensing means carried by said container for dispensing liquid soap from said reservoir, a refill well having a refill aperture therethrough providing communication between said reservoir and said refill compartment and dimensioned to permit the free flow of liquid soap therethrough, a pusher member disposed in said refill well extending upwardly toward said upper refill compartment, a refill cartridge containing liquid soap and having an outwardly extending neck defining an outlet, a tubular drain adaptor in said refill cartridge in sealing relation with said neck providing communication through said tubular drain adaptor between the inside and outside of said cartridge, said tubular drain adaptor having a drain opening therein extending above the juncture of said neck with the remainder of said cartridge to facilitate draining of soap therefrom, and a stopper in said tubular drain adaptor slidable between a sealed position thereof wherein liquid in said refill cartridge is sealed therein and an open position thereof wherein said stopper is positioned away from said drain opening to permit free flow of soap therefrom, said refill cartridge being removably enclosed within said refill compartment in a refill configuration with said outlet disposed for cooperation with said refill well, said pusher member sliding said stopper within said tubular drain adaptor to the open position thereof when said refill cartridge is in the refill configuration thereof to permit the free flow of liquid soap from said refill cartridge to said reservoir thereby to refill same. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said tubular drain is sealed at one end thereof to said neck, said one end of said tubular drain adaptor having an inwardly extending annular flange forming a shoulder for preventing said stopper from being inadvertently removed from said tubular drain adaptor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said pusher member extends vertically through said tubular drain adaptor to a position not lower than the tops of said drain holes in said adaptor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein said pusher member is tubular having a drain opening therein which when said stopper is in the open position thereof said drain opening in said tubular drain adaptor is in alignment with the drain opening in said pusher member, thereby to permit liquid soap in said refill container to flow through the aligned openings into said reservoir. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein each of said tubular drain adaptor and said pusher member has an even number of drain openings therein. ### Claim 18 A refillable liquid soap dispenser comprising a closed wall structure defining a container, partition means dividing the interior of said container into a lower liquid soap reservoir and an upper refill compartment, dispensing means carried by said soap container for dispensing liquid soap from said container, a refill well having a refill aperture therethrough providing communication between said refill compartment and said reservoir and dimensioned to permit the free flow of liquid soap from said refill compartment to said reservoir, and a pusher member disposed in said refill well extending upwardly toward said upper refill compartment, said refill compartment being dimensioned disposed for cooperation with said refill well with said pusher member extending into the refill cartridge opening same to permit the free flow of liquid soap from the refill cartridge to said reservoir thereby to refill same. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The refillable liquid soap dispenser of claim 18, wherein said pusher member is a rod. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The refillable liquid soap dispenser of claim 18, wherein said pusher member is tubular. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The refillable liquid soap dispenser of claim 18, wherein said pusher member is tubular and is disposed with a drain opening near the upper end thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The refillable liquid soap dispenser of claim 21, wherein said pusher member has an even number of drain openings therein. ### Claim 23 A liquid soap refill cartridge comprising a vessel containing liquid soap and having an outlet, a tubular drain adaptor in said refill cartridge in sealing relation with said outlet providing communication through said tubular drain adaptor between the inside and outside of said cartridge, and a stopper in said tubular drain adaptor slidable between a sealed position thereof wherein liquid in said refill cartridge is sealed therein and an open position thereof wherein said stopper is positioned away from said outlet to permit free flow of soap therefrom. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The liquid soap refill cartridge of claim 23, wherein said vessel has a vent aperture therein opposite said outlet for equalizing the pressure inside and outside said vessel thereby to facilitate the flow of liquid soap therefrom through said tubular drain adaptor, and cap means removably attached to said vessel and normally closing said vent aperture to prevent accidental escape of liquid soap through said vent aperture during storage or handling of said vessel. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The liquid soap refill cartridge of claim 23, wherein said tubular drain adaptor has a drain opening near the end thereof away from said outlet. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The liquid soap refill cartridge of claim 25, wherein said tubular adaptor has an even number of drain openings therein. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The liquid soap refill cartridge of claim 23, wherein said vessel is a semirigid synthetic organic resin. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein said stopper has a downwardly extending skirt on the bottom end thereof, said skirt being of deformable material such that when said stopper is in the sealed position thereof said skirt extends downwardly and outwardly beyond the end of said tubular drain adaptor and when said stopper is sliding between the sealed position thereof to the open position thereof said deformable skirt deforms inwardly such that the outer diameter thereof is substantially the same as the inner diameter of said tubular drain adaptor. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein said stopper has a downwardly extending skirt portion of deformable material and said tubular drain adaptor has an inwardly extending bead at the end thereof away from said refill compartment, said bead and said deformable skirt cooperating to retain said stopper in said tubular drain adaptor and to prevent inadvertent dislodgement thereof. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein said tubular drain adaptor is sealed at one end thereof to said outlet, said one end of said tubular drain adaptor having an inwardly extending annular flange forming a shoulder for preventing said stopper from being inadvertently removed from said tubular drain adaptor. ### Claim 31 A liquid soap refill cartridge comprising a vessel containing liquid soap and having an outwardly extending neck defining an outlet, a tubular drain adaptor in said refill cartridge in sealing relation with said neck providing communication through said tubular drain adaptor between the inside and outside of said cartridge, said tubular drain adaptor having a drain opening therein extending above the juncture of said neck with the remainder of said vessel to facilitate draining of soap therefrom, and a stopper in said tubular drain adaptor slidable between a sealed position thereof wherein liquid in said refill cartridge is sealed therein and open position thereof wherein said stopper is positioned away from said drain opening to permit free flow of soap therefrom. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The liquid soap refill cartridge of claim 31, wherein said vessel has a vent aperture therein opposite said outlet for equalizing the pressure inside and outside said vessel thereby to facilitate the flow of liquid soap therefrom through said tubular drain adaptor, and cap means removably attached to said vessel and normally closing said vent aperture to prevent accidental escape of liquid soap through said vent aperture during storage of said vessel. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The cartridge of claim 32, and further comprising bearing structure extending from said vessel in the same direction and for at least the same distance as said cap means for supporting said vessel during storage without interference with said cap means. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The cartridge of claim 33, wherein said bearing structure comprises two elongated ribs respectively disposed on opposite sides of said cap means and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom. ### Claim 35 (depends on 31) The cartridge of claim 31, wherein said vessel includes recessed portions adapted to receive the fingers of a user to facilitate handling of said cartridge during movement thereof to and from said refill configuration. ### Claim 36 A refill cartridge for a liquid soap dispenser comprising a vessel having an outlet, and a tubular drain adaptor in said vessel in sealing relation with said outlet providing communication through said tubular drain adaptor between the inside and outside of said cartridge. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The refill cartridge of claim 36, and further comprising a stopper for insertion into said tubular drain adaptor and slidable therealong between a sealed position thereof wherein liquid soap in said refill cartridge is sealed therein and an open position thereof wherein said stopper is positioned away from said outlet to permit free flow of liquid soap therefrom. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The liquid soap refill cartridge of claim 36, wherein said vessel has a vent aperture therein opposite said outlet for equalizing the pressure inside and outside said vessel thereby to facilitate the flow of liquid soap therefrom through said tubular drain adaptor, and cap means removably attached to said vessel and normally closing said vent aperture to prevent accidental escape of liquid soap through said vent aperture during storage or handling of said vessel. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The refill cartridge of claim 36, wherein said vessel has a top wall and a bottom wall interconnected by side walls, said side walls being arranged in an octagonal configuration. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The cartridge of claim 38, and further comprising bearing structure extending from said vessel in the same direction and for at least the same distance as said cap means for supporting said vessel during storage without interference with said cap means. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The cartridge of claim 40, wherein said bearing structure comprises two elongated ribs respectively disposed on opposite sides of said cap means and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom. ### Claim 42 (depends on 36) The cartridge of claim 36, wherein said vessel includes recessed portions adapted to receive the fingers of a user to facilitate handling of said cartridge during movement thereof to and from said refill configuration. ### Claim 43 A refill cartridge for a liquid soap dispenser comprising a vessel having an outwardly extending neck defining an outlet, and a tubular drain adaptor in said vessel in sealing relation with said neck providing communication through said tubular drain adaptor between the inside and outside of said cartridge, said tubular drain adaptor having a drain opening therein extending above the juncture of said neck with the remainder of said vessel to facilitate draining of soap therefom. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The refill cartridge of claim 43, and further comprising a stopper for insertion into said tubular drain adaptor and slidable therealong between a sealed position thereof wherein liquid soap in said refill cartridge is sealed therein and an open position thereof wherein said stopper is positioned away from said drain opening to permit free flow of liquid soap therefrom. ### Claim 45 (depends on 43) The liquid soap refill cartridge of claim 43, wherein said vessel has a vent aperture therein opposite said outlet for equalizing the pressure inside and outside said vessel thereby to facilitate the flow of liquid soap therefrom through said tubular drain adaptor, and cap means removably attached to said vessel and normally closing said vent aperture to prevent accidental escape of liquid soap through said vent aperture during storage or handling of said vessel. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The cartridge of claim 45, and further comprising bearing structure extending from said vessel in the same direction and for at least the same distance as said cap means for supporting said vessel during storage without interference with said cap means. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The cartridge of claim 46, wherein said bearing structure comprises two elongated ribs respectively disposed on opposite sides of said cap means and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom. ### Claim 48 (depends on 43) The cartridge of claim 43, wherein said vessel includes recessed portions adapted to receive the fingers of a user to facilitate handling of said cartridge during movement thereof to and from said refill configuration. ### Claim 49 (depends on 43) The refill cartridge of claim 43, wherein said vessel has a bottom wall and a top wall interconnected by side walls, said side walls being arranged in an octagonal configuration.