Dispensing – With discharge assistant – With movable nozzle interconnected therewith
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-09-18
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Dispensing
With discharge assistant
With movable nozzle interconnected therewith
C222S321700, C222S321900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06290103
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to liquid material dispensers of the type having a neck with an external, manually depressible pump actuator mounted thereon. More particularly, it is directed to new and improved collapsible cap mechanism for shielding an external pump actuator, and to dispensers including such mechanism.
A common type of dispenser for liquid material, such as (for example) perfume, toilet water, or other cosmetic material, includes a necked bottle or like container and a pump with a manually depressible actuator projecting upwardly from the bottle neck for withdrawing and discharging quantities of the contained liquid. Typically, the actuator is a cylindrical button having a lateral orifice through which a jet or spray of the liquid is projected each time the actuator is pushed downwardly toward the bottle neck by the user's finger.
If the pump actuator of such a dispenser is left exposed, it may be vulnerable to inadvertent application of pressure and consequent undesired accidental discharge of material from the container. Accordingly, especially for transport of the container in a user's purse or pocket, it is customary to provide a separate, outer cap snapped or screwed over the neck of the container so as to shield the pump actuator. The outer cap, when in place, is effective to prevent unintended depression of the actuator; however, when removed it can become separated from the container and lost or misplaced, with resultant loss of protection against unintended actuation of the pump.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in a first aspect broadly contemplates the provision of collapsible cap mechanism for shielding a pump actuator mounted on, disposed upwardly of and depressible toward the neck of a liquid material dispenser. In this broad sense, the collapsible cap mechanism of the invention comprises a cap for laterally surrounding the actuator, the cap having a lower open end and an upper end with an orifice for passage of the actuator therethrough; means for mounting the cap on the neck for limited movement of the cap lengthwise of the neck between an upper, extended position in which the cap laterally surrounds the actuator and a lower, collapsed position in which the actuator is exposed; and manually operable means for imparting movement to the cap between these positions.
As used herein, terms such as “down” (or “lower”) and “up” (or “upper”) and the like will be understood to refer to directions (or positions) respectively toward (or closer to) and away from (or further from) the interior of the dispenser, generally along the geometric axis of the dispenser neck, i.e. considering the dispenser as standing upright with its neck oriented upwardly.
More particularly, in currently preferred embodiments, the collapsible cap mechanism of the invention includes a mounting member for securing the cap to the neck while permitting limited rotational and translational movement of the cap relative to the neck such that the cap is displaceable lengthwise of the neck between the aforesaid upper and lower positions, and a manually rotatable member, engaged by the mounting member so as to be retained on the neck against movement lengthwise of the neck, for imparting rotary movement to the cap; the cap, the mounting member and the rotatable member being mutually arranged such that rotation imparted to the cap by the rotatable member causes movement of the cap lengthwise of the neck between the upper and lower positions.
The mounting member, the cap and the manually rotatable member in these embodiments can be cylindrical members disposed concentrically around the neck. The cap and the mounting member can be respectively provided with at least one helical groove and at least one guide lug received in that helical groove such that rotation of the cap causes the cap to move lengthwise of the neck, while the manually rotatable member and the cap can be respectively provided with at least one straight groove extending lengthwise of the neck and at least one drive lug received in the one straight groove such that manual rotation of the rotatable member causes the cap to rotate while permitting movement of the cap lengthwise of the neck. Advantageously, the one straight groove has two opposed short transverse end portions respectively providing stop positions for the cap at each of the aforesaid upper and lower positions.
In a second aspect, the invention embraces the provision of a liquid material dispenser comprising a container for holding a quantity of liquid material, the container having a neck; and a pump actuator mounted on the neck, the actuator being disposed upwardly of and depressible toward the neck; wherein the improvement comprises manually operable collapsible cap mechanism mounted on the neck for shielding the pump actuator, including a cap supported externally of the neck for movement lengthwise of the neck between positions in which the cap respectively laterally surrounds and exposes the pump actuator, the cap having an upper end opening dimensioned to permit passage of the actuator therethrough.
In the mechanism and dispenser of the invention, the cap, when in the shielding position, affords effective protection against accidental depression of the pump actuator, while it permits ready operation of the actuator when collapsed (retracted) to expose the actuator. Since it is supported on the dispenser neck for movement between these positions, it does not become separated or lost from the dispenser.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed disclosure hereinbelow set forth, together with the accompanying drawings.
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Cooper & Dunham LLP
Hun Davis
LIR-USA Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Scherbel David A.
LandOfFree
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