Bellows-like fluid dispenser

Abstract

A readily collapsible viscous fluid dispenser is constructed in the general shape of a bellows to maximize the amount of fluid that can be stored while being kept small enough for one hand applied pressure dispensing. Rigid members are positioned on opposite sides of the readily collapsible bellows shaped viscous fluid enclosure. The rigid members are pivotably secured on either side of the discharge or the discharge end of the dispenser that can store and dispense different fluids by providing independent containers side by side with independent closures for each.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] Viscous fluid is dispensed by applying force to rigid members on either side of a bellows shaped collapsible fluid container.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] It is common in the art to provide a collapsible container with a discharge opening at one end and a closure seam at the other end for dispensing viscous fluids. These containers generally consist of uniformly shaped tubes. These shapes limit the amount of viscous fluid that can be contained in a given length of tube. Although satisfactory for most applications, there are times that it is desired to have more viscous fluid within a given or limited length container and dispense it without the need to manually run the finger and thumb along the tube to discharge residual viscous fluid.

[0005] Pressure applying assists are known. U.S. Pat. No. 1,654,549, issued Jan. 3, 1928 to J. Mohun, discloses a collapsible tube squeezer for squeezing material from the tube. The squeezer has a central opening and extends on either side of the tube for the application pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,935, issued Dec. 23, 1997 to R. Stahley, is an example of a dispenser for co-dispensing a plurality of fluids. U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,932, issued May 17, 1960 to R. Whisler, discloses a flexible container that has thickened side areas that act as pressure tabs to dispense pastes or lotions that discharge from between the thickened sides. U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,640, issued Oct. 19, 1976 to S. Redmond, discloses a relatively rigid base having a flexible cover containing a flowable material. By cutting and/or bending the relatively rigid base inwardly with the flexible cover and flowable material in-between, pressing on the rigid base members dispenses the flowable material from the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,256, issued Feb. 23, 1993 to J. Nottingham et al, discloses an apparatus for dispensing materials. A relatively rigid cover has an opening, for receiving the outlet of a dispenser, with side members bent to extend adjacent the sides of the dispenser. Plural materials in the dispenser are subjected to microwaves to convert one of the materials from a high viscosity to a low viscosity for ease of dispensing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A viscous fluid dispenser has a collapsible viscous material container in the general shape of a bellows for storing the fluid. Opposite sides of the dispenser are provided with rigid members for applying pressure onto the collapsible bellows like container. The rigid members are spaced from and pivoted on either side of the dispenser discharge opening. The collapsible container can be partitioned to store more than one viscous fluid with more than one discharge opening.

[0007] Unlike the air bellows, the present dispenser can employ various type single and dual closures that can be stationary or pivoted on a self-supporting, simplified disposable or reusable structure needing only one hand inward pressure for discharging viscous fluid sealed within the dispenser during non-use in one or more compartments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the dispenser.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view depicting a dual fluid dispenser.

[0010] FIGS. 3-5 show partial top end views of the dispenser of FIG. 1 with alternate closures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The dispenser of the invention consists of a bellows-like collapsible container placed between rigid side members used to apply pressure on the collapsible container.

[0012] As seen in FIG. 1 the dispenser 1 has a collapsible container portion 2, in the general shape of a bellows having a wider outer end and plural triangular shaped sections that provide for an increased storage volume, with relatively rigid side members 3. The rigid side members inner ends at the narrow inner end 9 of the container are pivotably hinged 4 to a dispenser head 5 that discharges fluid and can sealingly close the container using a pivoted closure 6. By pivoting the closure 7, to aline the passage within the dispenser head with the passage in the closure, the fluid within the collapsible container can be dispensed. Pressing the rigid side members outer ends 8 together collapses the collapsible container 2 to press fluid within the collapsible container through the passage in the dispenser head and pivoted closure.

[0013] It is often desirable to provide for several different fluids for different or joint use. As examples, some adhesives must be mixed at the time of use, different colors can be blended together for visual purposes, and different ingredients can be provided for such as catsup and mustard, and different color and flavored confections can be dispensed alternately or simultaneously.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a dispenser 10 similar to that shown in FIG. 1. In addition to the single collapsible container 2, rigid side members 3, pivot hinges 4, head 5 and closure 6, FIG. 2 provides for more than one fluid. The dispenser has one first collapsible container 11 separated from a second collapsible container 12 by a diaphragm depicted externally by the heavy line 19. Separation of the containers into compartments provides for storing more than one fluid. As with the dispenser 1, fluid from one or both of the collapsible containers 11, 12 can be dispensed by pressing on the outer ends 18 of the rigid side member 13 to pivot the rigid side members about the pivots 14 to apply pressure on the fluid within the collapsible containers 11, 12. By rotating 24, 25 the arcuate surface area of the closure 16, 17, the passages 22, 23 in the dispenser head 15 can be blocked or alined with the discharge passage 20, 21 in the closure. Alinement of the passages 22 and 23 in the dispenser head 15 with the discharge passages 20 and 21 in both of the arcuate dispenser closures 16 and 17 and pressing on the rigid side members 13 results in the simultaneous discharge from both containers 11, 12. Alinement of only two passages 20, 22 and pressing in rigid side members 13 results in discharge only from container 11. Alinement of only two passages 21, 23 and pressing on rigid side members 13 results in discharge only from container 12.

[0015] FIGS. 3-5 are examples of optionally usable closures that can be used with the dispensers 1 and 10. FIG. 3 shows a push-pull, open and close type dispenser closure 30 with a horizontally pivotable spout. FIG. 4 shows a threaded cap type closure 31. FIG. 5 shows a vertically pivoted cap type closure 32.

[0016] It is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative only and that changes, variations, substitutions, modifications and equivalents will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art and that such may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A viscous fluid dispenser comprising: a bellows-shaped collapsible container for the viscous fluid; relatively rigid side members on opposing sides of said bellows-shaped collapsible container; a dispenser head for said bellows-shaped collapsible container at its narrow inner end; said relatively rigid side members being pivotally secured to said dispenser head; a passage through said dispenser head, for discharging the viscous fluid, located between said relatively rigid side members in said dispenser head; a closure means for blocking and unblocking said passage through said dispenser head.

2. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 1 wherein: said closure has a passage that can be alined with said passage through said dispenser head for discharging the viscous fluid;

3. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 2 wherein: said closure includes an arcuate surface that can be rotated to aline said dispenser head passage with said closure passage and to block said dispenser head passage.

4. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 1 wherein: said bellows-shaped collapsible container is separated into independent first and second compartments for storage of different fluids.

5. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 4 wherein: said dispenser head is provided with first and second independent closure means for said independent compartments.

6. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 5 wherein: said dispenser head is provided with a first passage and a second passage; said first closure means has a passage and said second closure means has a passage for independent alinement with said dispenser head first passage and said dispenser head second passage respectively.

7. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 5 wherein: said first closure means and said second closure means both have an arcuate surface that can be rotated to block said dispenser first passage and said dispenser second passage respectively and that can be rotated to aline said first closure means passage with said dispenser first passage and said second closure means passage with said dispenser second passage respectively.

8. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 6 wherein: said first closure means blocking said first dispenser head passage and said second closure means passage alined with said second head passage permits dispensing of the second fluid from said second storage compartment but precludes dispensing the first fluid from said first storage compartment.

9. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 6 wherein: said second closure means blocking said second dispenser head passage and said first closure means passage alined with said first head passage permits dispensing of the first fluid from said first storage compartment but precludes dispensing of the second fluid from said second storage compartment.

10. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 6 wherein: said first closure means alined with said dispenser first passage and said second closure means alined with said dispenser second passage permits dispensing from said first storage compartment and said second storage compartment simultaneously.

11. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 1 wherein: said closure means is of the push-pull type with a horizontally pivoted spout for discharge.

12. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 1 wherein: said closure means is of the threaded cap type.

13. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 1 wherein: said closure means is of the vertically pivoted cap type.