Dispensing – Nongravity feed to trap of vacuum – gravity – or manual...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2001-07-03
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Nongravity feed to trap of vacuum, gravity, or manual...
C222S207000, C222S430000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253967
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to an assembly comprising a flexible container having an inner space in which liquid can be stored and a dozing device connected to the container tor dispensing liquid from the container in a dosed manner, the dosing device comprising a filling chamber and means for filling the filling chamber from the container at a selectively settable filling height by squeezing the container.
The invention also relates to a dosing device of such assembly.
Such assembly is known inter alia from international patent application 9603625. The container can be filled with an antifreeze for windscreen wipers and other liquids intended to be dispensed in accurately predetermined quantities. In use, the flexible container is squeezed for this purpose. This will cause the filling chamber to be filled via a feed line system. When the squeezing of the container is subsequently ended, the container will return into its original shape again, while liquid will be sucked back from the filling chamber into the inner space of the container. However, when the liquid level in the filling chamber has dropped to the outflow opening of the feed line system, the feed line system will draw in air rather than liquid. consequently, the filling chamber will be filled to a height corresponding to the height of the outflow opening of the feed line system. Next, the assembly can be placed upside down to cause the liquid to flow from the filling chamber. In this manner, a dosed quantity of liquid is dispensed.
For setting the filling height of the filling chamber, the feed line system of the known assembly is built, up from two tubes which are telescopically interconnected. By moving an upper one of the two tubes up and down relative to the lower one, the height of the outflow opening of the upper tube can be wet relative to a bottom of the filling char in a stepless fashion.
A drawback of the known assembly is that setting the filling height by manually moving the upper conduit up and down relative to the lower conduit involves a great inaccuracy. Moreover, the setting operation often proceeds rather stiffly and jerkily, so that it takes relatively much time and effort to set the filling height in an accurate manner.
It is an object of the invention to overcame the above drawback and the invention is characterized it that the dosing device further comprises a base bottom connected to the container, a filling chamber bottom of the filling chamber being rotatably mounted on the base bottom, the filling chamber comprising at least a first and a second channel which each extend upwards from a filling chamber bottom of the filling chamber and which are each provided with an inflow opening and an outflow opening and the base bottom being provided with a through-flow opening which, via a feed line, is in fluid connection with the inner space of the container, while the inflow opening of the first or second channel can selectively be brought into fluid connection with the through-flow opening by rotation of the filling chamber bottom relative to the base bottom, the outflow opening of the first channel being located at a first height relative to the filling chamber bottom when the inflow opening of the first channel is connected to the through-flow opening and the outflow opening of the second channel being located at a second height relative to the filling chamber bottom when the inflow opening of the second channel is connected to the through-flow opening, and the first and the second height differing from each other.
As in accordance with the invention, the first and the second height are directly determined by the two channels, the user knows precisely which quantities of liquid will be dispensed in a dosed manner. In particular, the device comprises a large number of channels, each having an outflow opening which, when the relevant piece of line in connected to the inflow opening, is located at a predetermined height relative to the filling chamber bottom. In this manner, through selection of a channel, a corresponding discrete quantity of liquid that is to be dispensed in a dosed manner can be set. Each channel can correspond to a predetermined quantity of liquid. The accuracy of the dosing device may be better than 1 per cent.
In accordance with the invention, the filling chamber bottom is rotatably connected to the base bottom. This construction is particularly robust, accurate and reliable. As a result, the risk of liquid leaking away from the filling chamber is minimal.
Preferably, it applies that the filling chamber further comprises a vertical sidewall which is fixedly connected to the filling chamber bottom, so that the entire filling chamber is rotatable relative to the base bottom.
Liquid located in the filling chamber can then flow back into the container only via an outflow opening of the selected channel. Also if the seal between the through-flow opening and the inflow opening were not entirely liquid-tight, liquid leaking away from the filling chamber would flow back into the container only via the selected channel.
Hence, apart from this seal, the filling chamber comprises no further seals which interconnect parts that are rotatable relative to each other in a liquid-tight manner. This meant that it is not possible that liquid leaks away from the filling chamber to the container or to another position outside the filling chamber.
In particular, according to the invention, the first and second channels have a difference in length corresponding to the height difference between the first and the second height. Hence, the channels arranged for filling the chamber only slightly are not unnecessarily long. This saves material and prevents fouling and clogging of parts of channel which, in use, are little or not flowed through.
In particular, the first and the second outflow opening are arranged adjacent a top side of the first and the second channel respectively. This has as an advantage that, in use, the entire channel is flowed through, so that fouling and clogging of that channel do not occur. Further, a starting point and an and point of the channel coincide with the inflow opening and the outflow opening respectively of the channel, enabling the entire channel to be properly aerated during the draining of the channel.
Further, it is advantageous when the first and second channel each deflect radially outwards relative to the rotary axis of the filling chamber. This prevents the situation that when the bottle is squeezed, the liquid is spouted to a top side of the liquid chamber and here sticks to an inner wall of the filling chamber, causing the dosing to become less accurate.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the assembly, the inflow opening of the first and second channel is provided in the filling chamber bottom of the filling chamber. This renders the dosing device particularly durable.
Preferably, the filling chamber has its top side provided with a top wall having a pour-out opening, the top wall being fixedly connected to the sidewall. This means that the filling chamber, at its top side, is not provided with a seal between rotatable parts which, during pouring out, could start leaking.
In particular, the dosing device further comprises a cap for closing off the pour-out opening. This cap prevents the assembly from emptying when it is not used and for instance lies on its side.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, at least in one rotational position of the filling chamber bottom, none of the channels is connected to the through-flow opening, so that the container is closed off from the filling chamber. Thus, leaking of liquid from the container when it is not used, is entirely ruled out. Together with the cap, a double safety is thus obtained.
In accordance with a highly advanced embodiment of the assembly, a tubular housing is arranged in the filing chamber, which tubular housing extends upwards from the filling chair bottom and is fixedly connected to the filling chamber bottom, the tubular housing comprising a circular inner wall and a circular outer
Bui Thach H
Derakshani Philippe
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Sara Lee / DE N.V.
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