The Procter Gamble Company

University of Illinois

Robert J Peterson

Robert E Stahley

Chow-Chi Huang

Reuben E Oder

Ayub Ibrahim Khan

Chinto Benjamin Gaw

Michael Donald Webb

Eric Jason Wallace

Vladimir Gartstein

Dragan Danilo Nebrigic

Eric Richard Bartsch

Geneva Gail Otten

Ivan Andrew Mc Cracken

Ivan Andrew McCracken

Edward L Schmidt

Susan S Lund

William Joseph Schmitz

J Randall Stigall

John E Reifenberger

A battery is disclosed that includes a container having a positive terminal and a negative terminal and an electrochemical cell disposed within said container, said cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a cell voltage measured across said positive and said negative electrodes of said cell. The battery further includes a housing containing electronic circuitry associated with said container, said electronic circuitry electrically connected between said electrodes of said cell and said terminals of said container to create an output voltage measured across said positive and said negative terminals of said container and wherein the container and housing substantially enclose the electrochemical cell.

Battery having a housing for electronic circuitry

A disposable catridge for use with an electrostatic charging device. The disposable cartridge can have a reservoir configured to contain a supply of product suitable for electrostatic spraying, a nozzle configured and disposed to disperse the electrostatically charged product, and an electrode disposed to electrostatically charge the product prior to its dispersal. The disposable cartridge can also have an insulator for insulating the supply of product from electrostatic charge.

Disposable cartridge for use in a hand-held electrostatic sprayer apparatus

Sprayer cartridge

A method for stripping a resilient bellows part from an injection mold has a step of injection molding a resilient bellows part around a colinear core pin and a stripper rod, surrounded by a split cavity. The bellows part has two open ends, one of which is substantially rigid and is closed by the stripper rod passing through it. The second open end is resilient. Another step opens the split cavity to permit the bellows part to be stripped from the core pin. Yet another step expands the bellows part radially outward from the core pin. Simultaneously with expanding the bellows part, a step of pushing the substantially rigid open end of the bellows part by the stripper rod causes the resilient portion and resilient open end to be stripped off the core pin. Finally, the substantially rigid open end of the bellows part is ejected from the stripper rod.

Method for stripping open ended bellows part from injection mold

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 method for stripping an open ended bellows part from an injection mold has as a first step the injection molding of a bellows part. The bellows part has a resilient portion located between a core pin and a first split cavity and a substantially rigid portion located between the core pin and a second cavity. The substantially rigid portion has a first open end and an external undercut portion, and the resilient portion of the bellows part has an inner surface and a second open end. The first split cavity opens laterally to permit the resilient portion of the bellows part to be stripped from the core pin. Compressed gas passes through the core pin to the inner surface of the resilient portion of the bellows part while both open ends of the bellows part are closed off by the second cavity and the core pin. As the cavity and core portions of the mold separate, the second cavity grips the undercut portion of the substantially rigid portion of the bellows part, thereby pulling the resilient portion of the bellows from the core pin while compressed gas maintains the resilient portion expanded. Finally, the second cavity either opens or has a stripper rod to disengage the undercut portion of the substantially rigid portion of the bellows part so that the bellows part may be ejected from the injection mold.

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

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 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. In contrast, there are no upstream components incorporated into the bellows which enables the upstream or inlet end of the bellows to be wide open. This wide open upstream end of the bellows makes molding easier.

Pump device including multiple function collapsible pump chamber

A trigger operated dispensing device for the discharge of fluids, particularly in a spray. The device comprises a housing including a trigger, which actuates a flexible pump. The flexible pump has an inlet accepting the fluid and an outlet end through which the fluid passes going to the discharge. The flexible pump, preferably of bellows type, is situated in line with and just adjacent to the discharge wherein rotational motion of the trigger results in rotational compression of the pump chamber. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the flexible pump further includes mechanical structure for imparting a radial momentum to the fluid prior to discharge.

Growing community of inventors

Loveland, OH, United States of America

Robert J Peterson