# US 9,517,484 B2 · Dispenser pump using electrically activated material

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- Number: US 9,517,484 B2
- Document ID: US9517484B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/662,539
- Filed: 2015-03-19
- Published: 2015-07-09
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-20
- Assignees: GOJO Industries, Inc.
- Applicants: GOJO Industries, Inc.
- Inventors: Nick Ermanno Ciavarella; Scott Theodore Proper; Alexander York; Jason Thomas Dunn
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517484B2

## CPC

- F04B 43/04: Pumps having electric drive
- A47K 5/1208: {by means of a flexible dispensing chamber}
- A47K 5/1211: {using pressure on soap, e.g. with piston (A47K5/1201 takes precedence; using squeeze bottles or the like A47K5/122)}
- A47K 5/1217: {Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism}
- B05B 11/1028: {Pumps having a pumping chamber with a deformable wall (B05B11/1087 take precedence)}
- B05B 11/1032: {actuated without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke (B05B11/103 takes precedence)}
- B05B 11/1052: {Actuation means (locking means therefor B05B11/1059; the dispensing stroke being affected by the stored energy of a spring B05B11/109)}
- B65D 83/771: {for dispensing fluent contents by means of a flexible bag or a deformable membrane or diaphragm}
- F04B 43/02: having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms (F04B43/14 takes precedence)
- B05B 11/1033: {the deformable wall, the inlet and outlet valve elements being integrally formed, e.g. moulded}
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES

## Abstract

A pump for dispensing fluid includes a dome portion for storing the fluid received through a pump inlet. The dome portion is movable between a compressed state and an uncompressed state. The pump includes a flexible membrane having a first pliability when a first voltage is applied and a second pliability when a second voltage is applied. The pump includes a first biasing device that applies a first force in a first direction to the flexible membrane. The flexible membrane moves the dome portion from the uncompressed state to the compressed state. The pump includes a second biasing device that applies a second force in a second direction to the dome portion to move the dome portion from the compressed state to the uncompressed state when the flexible membrane has the second pliability. Alternatively, the dome portion moves in the second direction in response to a gravitational force.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pump for dispensing fluid from a fluid reservoir of a dispenser, the pump comprising:
a pump inlet through which the fluid is received from the fluid reservoir;
a dome portion for storing the fluid received through the pump inlet, the dome portion movable between a compressed state and an uncompressed state and defining an internal chamber within which the fluid received through the pump inlet is stored;
a flexible membrane operatively associated with the dome portion, the flexible membrane having a first pliability when a first voltage is applied to the flexible membrane and having a second pliability when a second voltage is applied to the flexible membrane;
a first biasing device configured to apply a first force in a first direction to the flexible membrane, the flexible membrane configured to flex in the first direction in response to the first force when the flexible membrane has the first pliability, the first biasing device configured to move the dome portion from the uncompressed state to the compressed state when the flexible membrane has the first pliability;
a second biasing device disposed within the internal chamber, the second biasing device configured to apply a second force in a second direction to the dome portion to move the dome portion from the compressed state to the uncompressed state when the flexible membrane has the second pliability; and
a pump outlet through which the fluid is dispensed when the dome portion is in the compressed state, the second biasing device encircling the pump outlet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, wherein the flexible membrane is configured to apply a third force to the first biasing device to move the first biasing device in the second direction when the flexible membrane has the second pliability.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, wherein the second direction is substantially opposite the first direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, comprising a first shaft that attaches the flexible membrane to the dome portion, the first shaft extending between the flexible membrane and the dome portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, comprising a second shaft that attaches the first biasing device to the flexible membrane, the second shaft extending between the flexible membrane and the first biasing device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, wherein the second biasing device is configured to engage an inner surface of a dome wall of the dome portion to apply the second force in the second direction to the dome portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, wherein the second biasing device comprises a spring.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, comprising a direct current (DC) voltage source for applying at least one of the first voltage or the second voltage to the flexible membrane.

### Claim 9

A pump for dispensing fluid from a fluid reservoir of a dispenser, the pump comprising:
a pump inlet through which the fluid is received from the fluid reservoir;
a dome portion for storing the fluid received through the pump inlet, the dome portion movable between a compressed state and an uncompressed state;
a flexible membrane operatively associated with the dome portion, the flexible membrane having a first pliability when a first voltage is applied to the flexible membrane and having a second pliability when a second voltage is applied to the flexible membrane, the flexible membrane having a first side, which faces the dome portion, and a second side;
a support structure positioned on the second side of the flexible membrane, the support structure having a first support side, that engages the second side of the flexible membrane, and a second support side;
a first biasing device that engages the second support side of the support structure such that the first biasing device is spaced apart from the flexible membrane, the first biasing device configured to apply a first force in a first direction to the support structure, the flexible membrane configured to flex in the first direction in response to the first force on the support structure when the flexible membrane has the first pliability, the first biasing device configured to move the dome portion from the uncompressed state to the compressed state when the flexible membrane has the first pliability; and
a pump outlet through which the fluid is dispensed when the dome portion is in the compressed state.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The pump of claim 9, wherein the flexible membrane is configured to apply a third force to the first biasing device to move the first biasing device in a second direction when the flexible membrane has the second pliability.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The pump of claim 10, wherein the second direction is substantially opposite the first direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The pump of claim 9, comprising a first shaft that attaches the flexible membrane to the dome portion, the first shaft extending between the flexible membrane and the dome portion.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The pump of claim 9, comprising a direct current (DC) voltage source for applying at least one of the first voltage or the second voltage to the flexible membrane.

### Claim 14

A pump for dispensing fluid from a fluid reservoir of a dispenser, the pump comprising:
a pump inlet through which the fluid is received from the fluid reservoir;
a dome portion for storing the fluid received through the pump inlet, the dome portion movable between a compressed state and an uncompressed state;
a flexible membrane operatively associated with the dome portion, the flexible membrane having a first pliability when a first voltage is applied to the flexible membrane and having a second pliability when a second voltage is applied to the flexible membrane, the flexible membrane having a first side, which faces the dome portion, and a second side;
a first biasing device positioned on the second side of the flexible membrane and configured to apply a first force in a first direction to the flexible membrane, the flexible membrane configured to flex in the first direction in response to the first force when the flexible membrane has the first pliability, the first biasing device configured to move the dome portion from the uncompressed state to the compressed state when the flexible membrane has the first pliability; and
a pump outlet through which the fluid is dispensed when the dome portion is in the compressed state.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The pump of claim 14, wherein the flexible membrane comprises at least two dielectric layers in electrical communication with one another.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The pump of claim 14, wherein the flexible membrane comprises at least two active regions defined by a pattern of electrodes to which voltage can be applied independently.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The pump of claim 14, wherein the flexible membrane has a pliability between about the first pliability and the second pliability when a voltage applied to the flexible membrane is in a range between about the first voltage and the second voltage.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The pump of claim 1, the flexible membrane having a first side, which faces the dome portion, and a second side, which faces the first biasing device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The pump of claim 18, comprising a support structure positioned on the second side of the flexible membrane between the flexible membrane and the first biasing device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The pump of claim 19, comprising a second support structure positioned on the first side of the flexible membrane between the flexible membrane and the dome portion.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The pump of claim 20, comprising a first shaft that attaches the support structure and the second support structure, the first shaft extending through a membrane opening defined within the flexible membrane.

### Claim 22 (depends on 9)

The pump of claim 9, comprising a second biasing device disposed within an internal chamber of the dome portion.

### Claim 23 (depends on 14)

The pump of claim 14, wherein the first biasing device is spaced apart from the flexible membrane.