The present invention relates generally to manual dispensers and more particularly to manual dispensers with improved actuating mechanisms that require a low force to operate.
Liquid dispenser systems, such as liquid soap and sanitizer dispensers, provide a user with a predetermined amount of liquid upon actuation of the dispenser. In addition, it is sometimes desirable to dispense the liquid in the form of foam by, for example, injecting air into the liquid to create a foamy mixture of liquid and air bubbles. Often times the dispenser systems are hung on a wall and, accordingly, it is preferable to reduce the space taken up by the pumping and foaming apparatus as well as the overall footprint of the dispenser system. Unfortunately reducing the size of the dispenser creates a problem with pushbar actuated manual dispensers because a shorter pushbar results in less leverage, which results in higher forces to operate the dispenser. It is desirable to have a dispenser with a small footprint that requires less energy to operate.
Exemplary embodiments of manual dispensers and actuating mechanisms are disclosed herein. An exemplary dispenser includes a housing, a receptacle for receiving a container of fluid and an actuating mechanism for causing fluid to be dispensed from the container. The actuating mechanism has a first pivot arm having a pivot point on a first end and a cam on a second end and a second pivot arm having a pivot point a first end and a curved contact surface on a second end. The actuating mechanism includes a pushbar. One of the first and second pivot members is connected to the pushbar. When the pushbar is pushed inward, the cam is configured to travel along the curved contact surface. Movement of the cam along the curved contact surface moves the engagement mechanism upward and downward in a substantially linear motion when the engagement mechanism is connected to a pump to cause the pump to prime with fluid and dispense the fluid.
Another exemplary manual dispenser includes a housing, a receptacle for receiving a container of fluid and an actuating mechanism for causing fluid to be dispensed from the container. The actuation mechanism includes a first pivot arm having a pivot point on a first end and a cam on a second end. The first pivot arm is connected to one of the front portion and rear portion of the dispenser. The actuating mechanism also includes a second pivot arm having a pivot point on a first end and a curved contact surface on a second end. The second pivot arm is connected to the other of the front portion and rear portion of the dispenser. The actuating mechanism also includes a pushbar. One of the first and second pivot members is connected to the pushbar. An engagement mechanism having a connector for connecting to one of the first pivot member and the second pivot member is also included. The engagement member has an receptacle for receiving a pump. When the pushbar is pushed inward, the cam is configured to travel along the curved contact surface. Movement of cam along the curved contact surface moves the engagement mechanism upward and downward to dispense fluid and to prime the pump.
Another exemplary manual dispenser includes a housing, a receptacle for receiving a container of fluid and an actuating mechanism for causing fluid to be dispensed from the container. The actuation mechanism includes a first pivot arm having a pivot point on a first end and a cam on a second end. A second pivot arm is included and it has a pivot point a first end and a curved contact surface on a second end. The actuator includes a pushbar formed as a part of one of the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm. The pushbar rotates about the same pivot point as one of the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm. When the pushbar moves the cam is configured to travel along the curved contact surface to dispense fluid or prime the pump.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:
Housing 102 includes a cover plate 120 which also forms part of opening 520 that receives the foam pump 208 of refill unit 104. Plate 120 connects to member 122. Dispenser 100 includes a pushbar 110 that has a pivot point 111. Pivot point 111 is secured to the front portion of the dispenser, such as for example, member 122 and allows for pivotal motion of pushbar 110. In some embodiments, pivot point 111 is secured to from portion of housing 102. Pushbar 110 includes a first pivot arm 114. First pivot arm 114 includes a curved contact surface 116, which will be described in more detail below.
Dispenser 102 also includes a second pivot arm 120 that is attached to the rear portion of the dispenser housing 102, such as for example, at pivot point 122. Second pivot arm 120 includes a cam 126 that rides on curved contact surface 116. Cam 126 is shown as a cylindrical projection, however, cam 126 may have any configuration provided that rides along the curved contact surface 116. As pushbar 110 moves inward, the curved contact surface 116 of first pivot arm 114 moves upward. The upward movement of curved contact surface 116 causes cam 126 to move upward and travel along the curved contact surface 116 causing second pivot arm 120 to move upward.
Housing 302 includes a cover plate 320 which also forms part of opening 520 (
Dispenser 302 includes a second pivot arm 320 that is attached to dispenser housing 302 at pivot point 322. Second pivot arm 320 includes a cam 326 that travels along curved contact surface 316. In some exemplary embodiments, cam 326 is on the first pivot arm 314 and the curved contact surface 316 is on second pivot arm 320. Cam 326 is shown as a cylindrical projection, however, cam 326 may have any configuration provided that rides along the curved contact surface 316.
As pushbar 310 moves inward (illustrated in
In some embodiments, when the pivot members initially start moving upward, the cam travels along the gradual curve and once the pivot members start moving the curve gets steeper and moves it engagement mechanism at a quicker rate. In some exemplary embodiments, this allows for a lower force initially to start the movement of the pivot arms, while still generating enough travel to dispense a full dose of fluid. The type of curve can be a compound curve, a complex curve a straight line, it may have multiple curved portions. In some embodiments the first curved portion has a different slope then the second curved portion. In some embodiments, the curved surface may be a combination of two or more differently sloped surfaces.
In the exemplary embodiments, preferably the load required to push the pushbar is 5 pounds or less. In some embodiments, the initial force required to push the pushbar is about 5 pounds and then the force required to move the pushbar decreases. In some embodiments, the initial force required to push the pushbar is less than 5 pounds and increases to about 5 pounds. In some embodiments, the force required to push the pushbar remains at about 5 pounds throughout the travel pushbar in some embodiments, and in some embodiments, the force needed to push the pushbar is less than 5 pounds through a selected portion of the pushbar travel. In some embodiments, the selected portion of the pushbar travel that requires 5 pounds or less, is about 75% of the total pushbar travel. In some embodiments, the selected portion of the pushbar travel that requires 5 pounds or less, is about 60% of the total pushbar travel. In some embodiments, the selected portion of the pushbar travel that requires 5 pounds or less, is about 50% of the total pushbar travel.4
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of embodiments thereof and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Moreover, elements described with one embodiment may be readily adapted for use with other embodiments. Therefore, the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicants' general inventive concept.
The application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/839,196 titled Actuating Mechanisms for Manual Dispensers filed on Dec. 12, 2017, which claims priority to and the benefits of U.S. Provisional Pat. Ser. No. 62/433,871 titled Actuating Mechanisms for Manual Dispensers filed on Dec. 14, 2016. Both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62433871 | Dec 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15839196 | Dec 2017 | US |
Child | 16866677 | US |