The Procter Gamble Company

Robert E Stahley

Robert J Peterson

Dimitris Ioannis Collias

Dana Paul Gruenbacher

Stephan Gary Bush

Reuben E Oder

Christopher Lawrence Smith

William Michael Cannon

Chow-Chi Huang

Lee Mathew Arent

Mark T Lund

Christopher Miles Miller

Geneva Gail Otten

Chinto Benjamin Gaw

Todd Mitchell Day

Frederick James Rohman

Liezl Gonzales Peterson

Michael Donald Webb

William D Hoenninger

Susan S Lund

William Joseph Schmitz

J Randall Stigall

John E Reifenberger

Phillip Cordell Myles

Daniel William Volpenheim

A method and package for controlled metered dispensing of a fluid product contained in the package having a metered dispensing system, each time the package is opened or uncapped are disclosed. By the present method and package, the maximum amount of product that can be dispensed is limited to a single metered dose after each uncapping of the package. Specifically, the metered dispensing system is configured to allow dispensing of only a single metered dose of a liquid, viscous liquid, gel, paste, or semi-solid product contained in the package and to prevent further dispensing of additional doses of product until at least one specific and deliberate step is taken that re-activates or re-engages the dispensing system. Such deliberate step is preferably one that occurs through natural use of the package, such as re-capping the open package after one single dose has been dispensed. Only after the open package has been re-capped can the next dose of product be available for dispensing. Thus, the system provides child resistance by preventing a child or other person who does not have the mental capacity to comprehend the threat of serious injury from contact with or improper use of the product, from gaining access to more than a single dose of the product each time the package is uncapped.

Package and method for controlled metered dose dispensing of a fluid product

A rechargeable dispensing system for dispensing a liquid product has a recharge container, a platform base, a locking mechanism, and a pump. The recharge container has a primary finish and a valve. The base has a receptacle for receiving the primary finish of the recharge container and a fluid connector located within the base and attached to the receptacle. The locking mechanism secures the recharge container to the base, wherein the valve is in a closed position when the locking mechanism is engaged and in an open position when the locking mechanism is disengaged. The pump is attached to the base in open communication with the recharge container along the fluid connector for dispensing the liquid product from the recharge container.

Rechargeable dispensing system

An ultrasonic atomizer is provided including an ultrasonic vibrator, a reservoir, and a heat exchanger. The ultrasonic vibrator is connected to an amplifying section. The amplifying section has an exterior surface and a tip thereon. The amplifying section can be elongated and the amplifying section can be inclined at an angle that is preferably between about 5.degree. to 10.degree. from horizontal. The reservoir is in fluid communication with the exterior surface of the amplifying section. The reservoir contains a liquid. A pump can be located between the reservoir and the exterior surface of the amplifying section in order to assure a liquid flow rate of between about 10 to about 30 ml/min. The heat exchanger is provided in order to control the temperature and viscosity of the liquid. The liquid is directed to flow from the reservoir and over the exterior surface of the amplifying section to the tip. A feed tube having a dispensing end can be provided. The feed tube is located between the reservoir and the exterior surface of the amplifying section in order for the liquid to be dispensed from the dispensing end onto the exterior surface. Preferably, the feed tube passes through the heat exchanger prior to the liquid flowing over the amplifying section. The liquid is propelled from the tip in the form of droplets having a substantially horizontal velocity when the tip is oscillated upon actuation of the ultrasonic vibrator.

Ultrasonic spray coating application system

A powder dispenser includes a resilient container for storing a powder and a volume of air therein. The powder has properties which enable a portion of the volume of air to fluidize a portion of the powder when the resilient container is sufficiently deformed. The dispenser has a substantially rigid conduit connected to its discharge end. The conduit provides the only fluid communication between the inside of the container and an ambient outside environment. The dispenser also has a resilient flat member connected to the outer end of the conduit. The flat member has a slit that is normally closed such that the container is substantially sealed in a fluid-tight manner until the container is sufficiently deformed to generate a pressure in the volume of air. When a pressure differential exists that is greater than a threshold value, the pressure differential causes the slit to open to discharge a portion of the powder mixed with a portion of the volume of air. The dispenser may also have an apertured member in the conduit that has at least one aperture therethrough having a total cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the conduit. The at least one aperture provides increased air velocity and turbulence to improve mixing of powder and air.

Squeeze dispenser for powder

A nozzle for dispensing fluids with suspended solid particulates without experiencing permanent partial or total clogging is provided. The nozzle is made from a elastomeric material and has a dome-shaped tip. The dome-shaped tip has a slit that provides an elongated orifice which generates a fan-type spray pattern while allowing solid particulates to pass through the nozzle without permanent clogging. The slit is normally maintained closed at rest and provides precompression and shut-off functions. Several versions of the nozzle are described, such as a one-piece nozzle and a nozzle insert. Additionally, the nozzle can be attached to a manually actuated pump device and be used as a spray delivery system.

Fan spray nozzles having elastomeric dome-shaped tips

A dispenser comprises an upper portion having an annular member depending therefrom and a bottom portion having a base and an upright post connected to the base. It also includes a flexible bag capable of containing fluid suspended from the upper portion and located inside the annular member. The flexible bag has a nozzle connected to it such that the flexible bag is closed except at the nozzle. The nozzle has a discharge orifice in fluid communication with the flexible bag. The upper portion telescopingly engages the bottom portion such that the upright post is located substantially aligned with the flexible bag. The upright post is sized to cause the flexible bag to invert when the upper portion and the bottom portion are pressed together. An openable closure closes the discharge orifice so that a fluid-containing flexible bag may be easily handled for replacement of the emptied flexible bag in the dispenser. A removable rigid cover connected to the upper portion provides a surface against which a user may conveniently press the upper portion downward with a palm of the hand. The rigid cover is removable from the upper portion to enable the flexible bag to be replaced.

High viscosity fluid dispenser with replaceable fluid-containing bag and

Replaceable fluid-containing bag and nozzle for high viscosity fluid

An inverting bag co-dispenser for dispensing a plurality of fluids simultaneously but separately through, a spout and, with a predetermined discharge volume ratio for each fluid. An upper portion defining a housing has a spout connected thereto. The housing has an outer wall and a plurality of side-by-side annular members supported internally to the outer wall. A plurality of fluid containing flexible bags are connected to and supported in the upper portion, one each of the bags being located inside one each of the side-by-side annular members and in fluid communication with the spout. The bags have closed bottoms, perimeters slidably fitting inside the annular members, and a bag wall thickness. A bottom portion has a base and an outer wall extending upwardly therefrom. The bottom portion also has a plurality of upright posts connected to the base and located inside the outer wall. The outer wall of the upper portion telescopingly engages the outer wall of the bottom portion such that one each of the plurality of posts is located axially aligned with one each of the plurality of flexible bags suspended from the upper portion. The plurality of posts are sized to cause the flexible bags to invert when the upper portion is pressed downward relative to the bottom portion to dispense fluid from the co-dispenser through the spout.

Inverting bag co-dispenser

A liquid dispensing pump is provided with a supply container venting system and a shipping seal. The pump device includes an upper and lower housing which are axially movable relative to each other between open and closed shipping seal positions. The dispensing pump includes a collapsible pump chamber with at least one shipping seal functional element integral with the chamber. The pump includes actuation elements which cooperate to prevent pump actuation when the shipping seal is closed. The pump may also include a tamper evident device to prevent pump actuation prior to tamper evident tab removal. The chamber may also include an integral valve which has the valve member biased against the valve seat. A supply container venting system for the pump comprises a resilient annular flange angled downward from the bellows at the liquid entry end. The annular flange presses against an interior surface of the lower housing to seal a supply container vent opening against communication with ambient air and moisture. The annular flange remains in contact with the interior surface until either a vacuum generated in the supply container by pumping fluid therefrom deflects the flange away from the interior surface or at least one lug on the upper housing contacts and deflects the annular flange when the upper housing is actuated downward. A wiper extends from the lower housing in contact with the telescopingly engaged upper housing to further minimize any moisture entry between housings that could accumulate and inadvertently pass into the supply container.

Pump device with collapsible pump chamber having supply container

A collapsible pump chamber includes several functional elements of a pump device. For example, the collapsible pump chamber may be a bellows which includes a functional element of an outlet valve, a functional element of a biasing feature, and a functional element of a spin chamber. Consequently, a functional element of all of the downstream functions are incorporated into the bellows. This can significantly reduce costs; due to reduced tooling, and assembly, for example. Since it can be desirable to separate these functions (e.g., to achieve more consistent spray quality), a process is described for severing functions from the multiple function collapsible pump chamber during the assembly of the pump device.

Assembly process including severing part of integral collapsible pump

A collapsible pump chamber, e.g., a bellows, for use with a liquid dispensing pump device is provided. The collapsible pump chamber includes a collapsing side wall which defines an internal volumetric portion of the pump chamber. The collapsing side wall has a structure which collapses in a predetermined pattern as the pump device is actuated. For example, the predetermined pattern of collapse could result in an initially relatively small volumetric change in internal volume per given stroke length followed by an increased volumetric change in internal volume per given stroke length. Thus, the pump device would initially provide very good control over the amount of product is dispensed; giving precise control during a partial actuation. However, the same pump device would also be capable of delivering a large volume of product during a complete actuation.

Collapsible pump chamber having predetermined collapsing pattern

A collapsible pump chamber is provided which includes several functional elements of a pump device. For example, the collapsible pump chamber may be a bellows which includes a functional element of an outlet vane, a functional element of a biasing feature, and a functional element of a spin chamber. Consequently, a functional element of all of the downstream functions are incorporated into the bellows. This can significantly reduce costs; due to reduced tooling, and assembly, for example. Dunnage means is provided for occupying volume within the collapsible pump chamber to improve pump priming. The dunnage means may be free floating or associated with the inlet valve. A process for severing the functional element of the outlet valve, the functional element of the biasing feature, and the functional element of a spin chamber from the collapsible pump chamber during assembly.

Pump device with collapsible pump chamber and including dunnage means

The present invention provides a manually operated dispensing system for dispensing a liquid product in atomized or foam form. More particularly, the present invention provides an improved manually operated pump to for use in such dispensing systems which incorporates at least one collapsible bellows as a pump chamber. The use of a bellows as the air chamber in an air/liquid pump mechanism allows the pressure/volume profile of the air supply to be tailored to supply the desired air/liquid ratio throughout the travel of the pump mechanism. The shape of the air bellows is preferably selected to provide an is initially large volume reduction in the air chamber as the bellows collapses to provide a rapid rise in air pressure available for dispensing. In a preferred embodiment, dual bellows are utilized (one for liquid, one for air) in a concentric arrangement to allow the pressure/volume profile for each to be tailored to achieve the desired spray or foam characteristics. Inlet and outlet valves are unitarily formed with the liquid bellows and the use of a pre-compression mechanism for the liquid outlet valve allows the air pressure to build to the level required for satisfactory performance before the liquid begins to flow.

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Middletown, OH, United States of America

Robert E Stahley