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US 6,386,403 B2Granted
Gas-driven liquid dispenser employing separate pressurized-gas source
AssigneeArichell Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNatan E. Parsons, Emanuel C. Ebner, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An object sensor (18) detects an object such as a hand (20) and operates a valve (52) that permits liquid soap (86) to flow from a disposable soap container (12). The liquid soap is typically quite viscous but tends to be expelled because of pressure applied from a carbon-dioxide cartridge (32). A pressure-regulator assembly (40) permits gas from the carbon dioxide cartridge (32) to enter the soap container (28) only so long as the soap container's internal pressure is less than a predetermined maximum.
Claims26
A fluid-dispensing refill unit comprising:
- A) a liquid container including a liquid reservoir that contains a liquid to be dispensed and has a liquid-container outlet;
- B) a pressurizer port through which pressurizing fluid can enter the liquid container and so pressurize the liquid to be dispensed as to tend to urge it through the liquid-container outlet, the pressurizer port including a pressurizer tube of such a length and orientation as, when the liquid container is so oriented that the liquid to be dispensed is aided by gravity in flowing out of the liquid container by way of the outlet, to extend through the majority of the height of the container and deliver to a region above the liquid surface pressurizing fluid supplied to the pressurizer port;
- and
- C) a pressurizing cartridge that is secured to the liquid container, forms a pressurizer-fluid reservoir adapted to be placed in fluid communication with the pressurizer port, and contains a pressurizing fluid under a source pressure at least eight times as high as the pressure that prevails in the liquid reservoir.
1 more element
A fluid-dispensing refill unit comprising:
- A) a liquid container including a liquid reservoir that contains a liquid to be dispensed and has a liquid-container outlet;
- B) a pressurizer port through which pressurizing fluid can enter the liquid container and so pressurize the liquid to be dispensed as to tend to urge it through the liquid-container outlet;
- and
- C) a pressurizing cartridge that contains a pressurizing fluid under a source pressure at least eight times as high as the pressure that prevails in the liquid reservoir, is secured to the liquid container, and forms a pressurizer-fluid reservoir adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a pressure regulator that in turn is adapted to be placed in such fluid communication with the pressurizer port as to permit the pressurizing fluid to flow from the pressurizer cartridge into the liquid container only when the fluid pressure in the container does not exceed a predetermined limit pressure less than the source pressure, and wherein the fluid-dispensing refill unit itself includes no such pressure regulator.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.