Closed system for venting a dispenser reservoir
AssigneeGOJO Industries, Inc.
InventorRichard E. Corney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid product reservoir, for a dispensing system, is made of a container having walls that include an aperture formed at one end thereof. A reservoir cap seals the aperture from exposure to the atmosphere. A pump integrated into the reservoir cap allows fluid product to be dispensed from the dispensing system. A closed venting mechanism is included and incorporates one or more air channels that direct ambient air into a bladder positioned internal to the fluid product reservoir. The expansion of the bladder functions to displace fluid pumped from the reservoir thereby equalizing pressure while maintaining a sanitary seal of the fluid reservoir.
Claims20
A refill unit for an associated dispensing system dispensing an associated liquid product, comprising:
- a reservoir defining an internal region for storing an associated liquid product, wherein the internal region is sealed from exposure to ambient air, wherein the reservoir includes an aperture through which the associated liquid product is operatively dispensed without exposing the internal region to ambient air;
- an air-tight variable volume bladder disposed within the internal region of the reservoir, the air-tight variable volume bladder defining an expandable bladder volume region that is sealed with respect to the internal region of the reservoir, wherein the air-tight variable volume bladder includes an inlet;
- a pump configured to dispense the associated liquid product stored in the internal region of the reservoir, the pump having a pump housing attached to the aperture of the reservoir in a sealed manner thereby preventing the internal region from exposure to ambient air, wherein the pump includes a pump inlet fluidly connected to the internal region such that the pump dispenses the associated liquid product without exposing the internal region to ambient air, and wherein the pump housing includes an orifice open to ambient air;
- wherein the inlet of the air-tight variable volume bladder is connected to the orifice of the pump housing in a sealed manner to prevent exposure of the internal region of the reservoir to ambient air.
A refill unit for an associated dispensing system dispensing an associated liquid product, comprising:
- a reservoir defining a volumetric region for storing an associated liquid product, the reservoir including an aperture through which the associated liquid product is operatively dispensed;
- an expandable bladder, the expandable bladder being positioned within the volumetric region, wherein the expandable bladder is sealed in an air tight manner from the volumetric region of the reservoir, and wherein the expandable bladder includes a bladder inlet;
- a pump configured to dispense the associated liquid product stored in the volumetric region of the reservoir, the pump having a pump housing attached to the aperture of the reservoir in a sealed manner thereby preventing the volumetric region from exposure to ambient air, wherein the pump includes a pump inlet fluidly connected to the volumetric region such that the pump dispenses the associated liquid product without exposing the volumetric region to ambient air, and wherein the pump housing includes an orifice having an orifice inlet exposed to ambient air and an orifice outlet connected in an air-tight manner to the bladder inlet.
A refill unit for an associated dispensing system dispensing an associated product, comprising:
- a reservoir defining a volumetric region for storing an associated product, wherein the reservoir includes an aperture;
- a pump having a pump housing, the pump housing attached to the aperture of the reservoir in a sealed manner thereby preventing the volumetric region from exposure to ambient air, wherein the pump includes a pump inlet fluidly connected to the volumetric region such that the pump dispenses the associated product without exposing the volumetric region to ambient air, and wherein the pump housing includes an orifice;
- a variable volume bladder disposed within the volumetric region of the reservoir, wherein the variable volume bladder is sealed with respect to the volumetric region of the reservoir, wherein the variable volume bladder includes an inlet;
- and,
- wherein the orifice of the pump housing is open to ambient air, and wherein the inlet of the variable volume bladder is connected to the orifice in a sealed manner to prevent exposure of the volumetric region of the reservoir to ambient air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.