US 5,544,788 AGranted

Method of and apparatus for dispensing batches of soap lather

AssigneeSteiner Company, Inc.

InventorPaul Meyer

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Abstract

A dispenser for soap lather has a vessel for a larger supply of liquid soap and a tank for a smaller supply of liquid soap and for a body of air above the smaller supply. One or more bellows are used to pump compressed air into the upper portion of the tank when a user desires to-obtain a batch of lather. The compressed air expels a certain quantity of liquid soap from the tank into a lather generator and the lather generator further receives some compressed air to form a batch of lather which is dispensed into or onto the hands of a user. When the bellows expands or expand, they can draw air into or along the outlet of the lather generator to retract any remnants of lather. Alternatively, a discrete pump can be provided to blow out any remnants from the lather generator in response to or during expansion of the bellows. The discharged quantity of liquid soap is replenished in the tank by way of an adjustable conduit connecting the vessel with the tank.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A dispenser for batches of lather, comprising first and second vessels for first and second supplies of liquid soap, said second vessel being disposed below said first vessel and including a lower portion for said second supply, an upper portion for a body of air and a first outlet for evacuating of liquid soap from said lower portion;

a lather generator connected with said lower portion through said first outlet and defining a mixing chamber having a second outlet;
means for repeatedly compressing said body of air to thus expel successive quantities of liquid soap from said second supply into said mixing chamber through said first outlet and to admit compressed air into said mixing chamber to form successive batches of lather which is expelled through said second outlet;
and means for replenishing said second supply from said first supply upon expulsion of a quantity of liquid soap from said second vessel including a conduit having an intake end connected with said first vessel and a discharge end for admission of liquid soap at a predetermined level within said second vessel, said conduit extending downwardly through the upper portion of said second vessel, said discharge end establishing a boundary between the second supply and the body of air in said second vessel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/425,456Filed 20 Apr 1995 · division
Priority: 17 Feb 1993
Granted: 13 Aug 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

A47K 5/14
Holders or dispensers for soap, toothpaste or the like: foam or lather making devices
B67D 99/00
Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
A47K
Sanitary equipment
B67D
Dispensing, delivering or transferring liquids, not otherwise provided for

Family

Serial18,735Parent of this division · filed 17 Feb 1993
Serial342,891Parent of this division · filed 21 Nov 1994
US 5,439,140 AParent of this division
US 5,398,845 AParent of this division
US 5,544,788 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.