Dispensing – With discharge assistant – Insertable cartridge or removable container
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-15
2001-05-22
Kaufman, Joseph A. (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With discharge assistant
Insertable cartridge or removable container
C222S389000, C222S494000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234360
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser of paste material, such as toothpaste, that has an outer housing with an open upper side and a dome at the lower side. The roof of the dome bears a closing body of an air entry valve. The closing body is pushed into an open position in the presence of a negative pressure in the outer housing. The dispenser also has an inner housing that projects upwardly from the outer housing. The inner housing, on its headpiece, has an application surface and a nozzle opening. Via the application surface, the inner housing can be pushed in opposition to the spring force provided by a bellows in the outer housing, the outer housing itself being sealed off from the inner housing, with the result that, when this application of force takes place, a transport slug, which travels within the inner housing in the direction of the nozzle opening, pushes material ahead of itself in response to air pressure that has accumulated behind it.
2. Description of the Related Art
A dispenser of the type described above is known from EP 0 648 180 B1. The air entry valve disclosed therein is comprised of a strip, made from rubber or synthetic material, that is fastened at the edges at both ends. The strip extends over a centrally disposed airflow opening in the roof of the dome. The strip, at its periphery, extends in the dispensing direction by way of a collar. For securing purposes, a valve chamber, formed as a pot, is closed by way of a cap that can be snapped in place. The valve chamber is perforated. The cap covers the valve body and limits its curvature.
Beyond this, the prior art also presents peripherally hinged valve shutters as well as ball valves. The former concept presupposes a high level of precision in assembly, while ball valves have the disadvantages associated with inlet components that experience excessive force.
An object of the present invention is to simplify a conventional dispenser in terms of the manner in which its the air entry valve is constructed, as well as to increase the dispenser's functional reliability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In practice, this object is achieved handily in connection with a dispenser in which the closing body is formed as a disc, which itself is formed from the material of the bellows and is attached to the roof of the dome. This results in a closing body that can be installed with exceptional economy and that possesses increased functional reliability. The positional memory of the material used for the spring function of the bellows in question is now, at the same time, sensibly exploited so that the closing body has similar positional memory.
Forming a disc is undertaken without difficulty, whereby, in view of the closing body being disposed on its valve seat surface and in view of the attachment of both components, it proves to be favorable that segments, which lay against the roof and run towards the upper rim of the bellows, extend from the disc. The segments function as securing strips well-suited for positioning purposes and guarantee proper arrangement during assembly.
A further advantageous embodiment is realized by way of severing points between the interface with the bellows and the segments that extend from the disc. Because of these, decoupling takes place so that the bellows may assume its intended spring function, acting away from the housing. To ensure the positioning of the disc, a feature is adopted to the effect that the disc is positioned on the roof by way of pegs or the like that protrude from the roof. These positioning pegs serve a function of penetration.
In accordance with one basic embodiment, there is a central positioning peg for the disc that, at the same time, lies in the middle of a central ring of valve apertures.
The act of positioning can also take place apart from the disc, such as by way of several positioning pegs in the vicinity of the segments.
Since connection in the manner of a stem cannot be accomplished with mushroom-shaped pegs, an advantageous solution is provided in that the positioning pegs are reformed as rivets after they have undertaken their penetrating action. In this connection, their ends are thermally transformed into rivet heads; of course, a suitable thermoplastic material is involved.
With mounting technique and stabilization in mind, it is advantageous if the upper rim of the bellows assumes a U-shaped cross-section that is gripped all about by the inner housing and if its portion that slides along the surface of the dome lies under the severing point of an angled end of the segment. The consequent stabilization of this area of connection accords the segment a point at which severing can later take place whereby the closing body and the bellows will separate from one another the first time the dispenser is used. Moreover, this provides a one-time attachment that is hidden from view. Subsequently, the unit comprising the disc and bellows serves a supplemental function in which the lower brim of the bellows, itself formed as a creased bellows, is braced between the lower rim of the outer housing and a screw cap of the dome by way of an outwardly oriented annular shoulder. The lower brim thus functions as an annular seal.
An advantageous process for making a dispenser involves, first, molding the dome and bellows separately and, next, turning the bellows inside-out over the roof of the dome in such a way that segments from the disc of the closing body will be centered about positioning pegs that protrude from the dome roof. In accordance with this type of penetrating function, it is consequently the case that, after the form-fitting securement on the positioning pegs takes place, the severing point between the upper rim of the bellows and the segments is cut. This is an alternative to the “prospective” severing point discussed above.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3843028 (1974-10-01), Whitehead
patent: 4846810 (1989-07-01), Gerber
patent: 3512649 (1986-10-01), None
patent: 4326108 (1995-02-01), None
patent: 0368062 (1990-05-01), None
patent: 0648180 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 8301244 (1983-04-01), None
patent: 8904798 (1989-06-01), None
Böckmann Alfons
Pohlmann Gunter
Sudkamp Ludger
Von Schuckmann Alfred
Kaufman Joseph A.
Kueffner Friedrich
RPC Bramlage GmbH
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