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US 7,114,639 B2Granted
Vent plug for self-contained viscous liquid dispenser
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsRichard Paul Lewis, Randall Marc Bachtel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-contained viscous liquid dispenser having an improved vent valve is provided. The vent valve includes a plug member having a sealing ridge at its perimeter. The vent valve is activated at reduced pressure differentials between the inside and outside of the dispenser. The vent valve also provides redundant sealing capability.
Claims20
A self-contained viscous liquid dispenser, comprising:
- a housing;
- an internal liquid reservoir defined by the housing;
- a manually operated dispensing pump mechanism disposed in liquid communication with the reservoir and having a delivery end disposed for delivering metered doses of viscous liquid from the reservoir upon actuation thereof by a user;
- a vent mechanism disposed in an upper wall of the housing, the vent mechanism comprising:
- a body member insertable through an opening in the housing wall, the body member defining a vent orifice disposed through an inside lower surface of the body member and a vent passage in communication therewith;
- and
- a movable plug member resiliently disposed in the vent passage, the plug member comprising a plate-like member having a perimeter and a ridge attached to and extending from the perimeter to contact the inside lower surface, wherein the ridge seals the orifice from the vent passage in an at-rest position, and wherein the plug member is movable to unseal the orifice and vent the reservoir upon a sufficient vacuum being established in the reservoir upon actuation of the pump mechanism.
4 more elements
A self-contained viscous liquid dispenser, comprising:
- a housing;
- an internal liquid reservoir defined by the housing;
- a manually operated dispensing pump mechanism disposed in liquid communication with the reservoir and having a delivery end disposed for delivering metered doses of viscous liquid from the reservoir upon actuation thereof by a user;
- a vent mechanism disposed in an upper wall of the housing, the vent mechanism comprising:
- a body member disposed within an opening in the housing wall, the body member comprising a cap circumferentially sealed against the opening in the housing wall, the cap defining a vent orifice disposed therethrough to a vent passage in communication therewith;
- a movable plug member disposed in the vent passage, the plug member comprising a disc-like member having a perimeter and a ridge attached to and extending from the perimeter;
- and
- a resilient member attached to the body member and contacting the plug member wherein the plug member is resiliently biased towards an at-rest position;
- wherein the ridge seals the vent orifice from the vent passage in the at-rest position, and wherein the plug member is movable to unseal the vent orifice and vent the reservoir upon a sufficient vacuum being established in the reservoir.
6 more elements
A self-contained viscous liquid dispenser, comprising:
- a housing defining an internal liquid reservoir;
- a pump mechanism disposed in liquid communication with the reservoir for delivering metered doses of viscous liquid from the reservoir;
- a vent mechanism disposed in an upper wall of the housing, the vent mechanism comprising:
- a cap sealingly disposed within an opening in the housing wall, the cap defining a vent orifice therethrough;
- a vent body sealingly attached to an inside surface of the cap, the vent body defining a vent passage having upper and lower portions, wherein the vent passage is in communication with the vent orifice;
- and
- a movable plug member resiliently disposed in the vent passage, the plug member comprising a plate-like member and a ridge extending from a perimeter of the plate-like member, wherein the ridge seals the vent orifice from the lower portion of the vent passage in an at-rest position, and wherein the plug member is movable to unseal the orifice and vent the reservoir upon a sufficient vacuum being established in the reservoir.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.