Patent Application
20090152293
The present invention generally relates to counter-mounted solution dispensers, and, more particularly, relates to a counter-mounted solution dispenser that defines a dispensing station having a counter-protective platform intended for use with no-rinse solutions.
Dispensers for soap and other hand-treatment products are often times provided adjacent to a sink basin having a faucet such that an individual can wash or otherwise treat his hands at the sink. At these dispensers, soap or other hand-treatment product is dispensed to the hand and rinsed away by using the faucet at the sink. Various types of sink-side dispensers are provided, including those that must be physically manipulated to dispense product, and those that dispense product through touchless sensors. These dispensers can employ various pumping mechanisms. Some examples include those taught in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0017932.
A sink with a dispenser mounted adjacent thereto provides a well-defined station for treating one's hands. Additionally, dirt and drips of soaps or other hand-treatment products go into the sink basin preventing the counter surface from being unnecessarily soiled. The sink basin includes a drain, and any product in the basin can be rinsed down the drain by operating the faucet.
No-rinse hand-treatment products need no rinse water and, therefore, dispensers of no-rinse hand-treatment products are not typically mounted adjacent a sink basin. Instead no-rinse hand-treatment products are typically provided in portable bottles or in wall-mounted dispensers. No-rinse hand-treatment products are generally known in the art, and can include any hand-treatment product that does not need to be rinsed off of one's hands. Lotions and sanitizers are very common examples.
The present invention seeks to provide a well-defined station for the use of no-rinse, hand-treatment products, particularly in a counter-mounted environment. In this way, the present invention seeks to provide well-defined stations that will encourage the use of no-rinse hand-treatment products.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a dispensing station mounted to a counter wherein a container is retained under the counter and holds a volume of no-rinse hand-treatment product. A protective platform is positioned on the top surface of the counter, and a faucet structure has an outlet positioned over the protective platform. A pump communicates with the volume of no-rinse hand-treatment product in the container, and a dispensing conduit extends through the faucet structure, communicates between the pump and the outlet of the faucet structure such that actuation of the pump causes no-rinse hand-treatment product to be dispensed at the outlet and directed toward the protective platform.
Referring now to
Pump P is actuated to advance fluid F from a bottle B through dispensing tube 22 to outlet 20. The fluid is particularly selected to be no-rinse hand-treatment product inasmuch as protective platform 14 does not provide a drain for product that is to be rinsed from the hands when used. Fluids that would be employed in the dispensing station of this invention include but are not limited to hand sanitizers, lotions, sunscreens, no-rinse hand cleaners, and the like. Because these types of no-rinse products are not intended to be rinsed away, they have typically been provided in portable or wall-mounted dispensers. In the present invention, products can be presented for the end user in a very stylish manner, mimicking the common sink-side counter-mounted dispenser combinations of the prior art. The faux basin both protects the counter and identifies a station at which an end user can obtain a dose of a no-rinse product for use. Because no-rinse products are the focus, the protective platform 14 may be devoid of a drain. Providing such a well-defined and stylish dispensing station 10 will help encourage the use of the no-rinse product being offered. In the case of hand sanitizers, the use of the dispensing station of this invention may greatly increase the hand hygiene at a given establishment.
With respect to
Referring now to
In order to properly focus attention on the particular advancements offered by the present invention, only those elements which pertain to the present invention have been disclosed in detail. Other elements of the pumping mechanics are generally known in the art and can be adapted for a desired type of pump mechanism and bottle. While in accordance with the patent statutes only the preferred embodiments have been described herein, the present invention is not limited thereto or thereby, and the true scope of this invention shall be appreciated from the following claims.
