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US 8,505,776 B2Granted
Liquid and foamed soap dispensing
OwnerScott Criswell, Casey B. Stahl +2inventors
InventorsScott Criswell, Casey B. Stahl, Mark Hirte, Lawrence R. Happ
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A soap dispensing assembly includes a soap container and a universal dispenser. The soap container is capable of having a liquid pump or a foaming pump attached to it. The universal dispenser is adapted to house and dispense soap from the soap container regardless of whether the container has a liquid pump or a foaming pump. Using this assembly, a manufacturer may sell the universal dispenser and offer to sell the consumer liquid and foamable soap for use with the same dispenser.
Claims16
A universal dispenser system comprising:
- a first soap container assembly comprising a first container, liquid soap disposed in the first container, a liquid pump secured to the container for dispensing the liquid soap from the first container, and a first dispenser-connector securing the liquid pump to the first container;
- a second soap container assembly comprising a second container, foamable soap disposed in the second container, a foaming pump secured to the second container for dispensing the foamable soap from the second container, and a second dispenser-connector securing the foaming pump to the second container;
- a universal dispenser comprising a universal pump holder adapted to releaseably retain in a pre-selected location relative to the pump holder both the foaming pump of the first soap container assembly and the separate liquid pump of the second soap container assembly within the dispenser, wherein only one of the first and second soap container assemblies is retained at one time within the dispenser, the universal pump holder including a pump-connector adapted to releasably and matingly engage the first and second dispenser-connectors of the first and second soap container assemblies,
- the first and second dispenser-connectors each having a first connection structure capable of attaching the first or second dispenser-connector to either of the first and second soap containers, and a second connection structure capable of attaching the first and second dispenser-connectors to the universal dispenser, the first connection structure of the first dispenser-connector having the same size and shape as the first connection structure of the second dispenser-connector, and the second connection structure of the first dispenser-connector having the same size and shape as the second connection structure of the second dispenser-connector,
- wherein the first dispenser-connector is capable of securing the foaming pump to the second container without modification of the first dispenser-connector, and wherein the second dispenser-connector is capable of securing the liquid pump to the first container without modification of the second dispenser-connector.
2 more elements
A universal dispenser system comprising:
- a first soap container assembly comprising a first container, liquid soap disposed in the first container, a liquid pump secured to the container for dispensing the liquid soap from the first container, and a first dispenser-connector disposed on the liquid pump;
- a second soap container assembly comprising a second container, foamable soap disposed in the second container, a foaming pump secured to the second container for dispensing the foamable soap from the second container, and a second dispenser-connector disposed on the foaming pump;
- a universal dispenser comprising a universal pump holder adapted to releaseably retain in a pre-selected location relative to the pump holder both the foaming pump of the first soap container assembly and the separate liquid pump of the second soap container assembly within the dispenser, wherein only one of the first and second soap container assemblies is retained at one time within the dispenser, the universal pump holder including a pump-connector adapted to releasably and matingly engage the first and second dispenser-connectors of the first and second soap container assemblies,
- a first ring connecting the liquid pump to the first container and a second ring connecting the foaming pump to the second container, the first and second rings having the same opening size and shape,
- wherein the liquid pump includes an adapter in sealing relation with the liquid pump and the first ring, and the foaming pump is in sealing relation with the second ring without any adapter, the adapter including a gasket in sealing contact with the first ring.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.