1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluid dispenser device, more particularly to a fluid dispenser device adapted for mounting at top open ends of coaxially extending inner and outer containers that contain two different fluids.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional multichamber fluid dispenser device includes two containers for separately accommodating two different fluids, such as household products, personal care products, etc. Each container has its own nozzle so that the fluids are dispensed simultaneously and are mixed together for use.
Referring to
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid dispenser device which can be conveniently manipulated to dispense different fluids contained therein in a substantially fixed proportion and which can provide an effective seal for the fluids.
According to this invention, the fluid dispenser device includes an internal cap, a conduit unit, an inner shell, and a spline mechanism. The internal cap is adapted to cover top open ends of concentric inner and outer containers, and has first and second internal ports configured to be in fluid communication with the top open ends, respectively, and first and second valve seats disposed respectively on the first and second internal ports. The conduit unit is configured to be axially displaceable relative to the internal cap between a normal position and a raised position. The conduit unit includes a first conduit having a first outlet and a first communicating port which is in fluid communication with the first internal port through the first valve seat, a second conduit having a second outlet and a second communicating port which is in fluid communication with the second internal port through the second valve seat, a first valve disposed on the first communicating port, and a second valve disposed on the second communicating port. The inner shell includes an upper surrounding wall having an internally threaded segment in threaded engagement with the conduit unit to permit threaded movement of the inner shell relative to the conduit unit, and a lower surrounding wall configured to be retainingly slidable relative to the internal cap. The spline mechanism is disposed between the conduit unit and the internal cap. When the inner shell is turned for threaded movement relative to the conduit unit, the conduit unit is permitted to be displaced only axially between the normal and raised positions so as to move the first valve between a first engaging position, where the first valve is engaged with the first valve seat to thereby interrupt fluid communication between the first internal port and the first communicating port, and a first disengaging position, where the first valve is disengaged from the first valve seat to thereby permit the fluid communication between the first internal port and the first communicating port, and to move the second valve between a second engaging position, where the second valve is engaged with the second valve seat to thereby interrupt fluid communication between the second internal port and the second communicating port, and a second disengaging position, where the second valve is disengaged from the second valve seat to thereby permit the fluid communication between the second internal port and the second communicating port.
By virtue of the arrangement of the concentric inner and outer containers, fluids contained in the containers can be simultaneously and evenly dispensed when the outer container is squeezed or compressed. Moreover, when the conduit unit is in the normal position, the first and second valves are respectively engaged with the first and second valve seats so as to provide a good sealing effect for the fluids in the containers.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
Referring to
The conduit unit 6 is configured to be axially displaceable relative to the internal cap 5 between a normal position and a raised position. The conduit unit 6 includes first and second conduit walls 62 which extend in an axial direction parallel to the axis and which respectively define first and second conduits 621 and which are configured to be kept in a fluid-tight and slidable engagement with the first and second tubular walls 52, respectively. Lower ends of the first and second conduit walls 62 are respectively formed as first and second valves 63, and are disposed to be respectively and fittingly received in the first and second surrounding clearances 58 when the conduit unit 6 is in the normal position, as shown in
Further, the first conduit 621 has a first communicating port 622 disposed downstream of the first internal port 511 through the first clearance 58 of the first valve seat, and a first outlet 623 disposed downstream of the first communicating port 622. The second conduit 621 has a second communicating port 622 disposed downstream of the second internal port 511 through the second clearance 58 of the second valve seat, and a second outlet 623 disposed downstream of the second communicating port 622.
The inner shell 7 includes upper and lower surrounding walls 72,71 which are opposite to each other along the axis. The upper surrounding wall 72 has an internally threaded segment 721 which is in threaded engagement with an externally threaded segment 61 of the conduit unit 6 for threaded movement of the inner shell 7 relative to the conduit unit 6. The lower surrounding wall 71 has a surrounding lower flange 711 rotatably engaged with the upper flange 542 of the internal cap 5 to permit the inner shell 7 to be retainingly slidable relative to the internal cap 5 so as to prevent axial movement of the inner shell 7 when the inner shell 7 is threadedly moved relative to the conduit unit 6. The inner shell 7 further has two sliders 73 which are disposed on the lower surrounding wall 71 and which are slidable on the peripheral wall 54 of the internal cap 5. Each of the sliders 73 has two grooves 731 confronting the peripheral wall 54.
The outer shell 8 includes a lower skirt section 83 which has an internally threaded portion 831 configured to be threadedly engaged with the internal cap 5, and an upper operable section 81 which is turnable about the axis by a manual force, and which has a force transmitting region 82 that is coupled with the upper surrounding wall 72 of the inner shell 7 such that the inner shell 7 is dragged to move with the outer shell 8 to be threadedly moved relative to the conduit unit 6. In this embodiment, the force transmitting region 82 has three tongues 821 which are in splined engagement with three grooves 722 in the upper surrounding wall 72, respectively.
Referring to
When it is desired to close the top open ends 41,31 of the containers 4,3, the outer shell 8 is mounted on the inner shell 7 to permit engagement of the tongues 821 with the grooves 722, respectively, and to permit threaded movement of the inner shell 7 relative to the conduit unit 6 such that the inner shell 7 is turned in a counterclockwise direction to bring the conduit unit 6 into axial displacement from the raised position to the normal position. Hence, the first and second valves 63 are moved to the first and second engaging positions, respectively. Meanwhile, the sliders 73 are respectively blocked by the barrier members 55 from moving further in the counterclockwise direction, and the resilient protrusions 57 are engaged in the grooves 731 of the respective sliders 73.
It is noted that, although the outer shell 8 in this embodiment is provided to be threadedly engaged with the internal cap 5 and to be in splined engagement with the inner shell 7 so as to enable the inner shell 7 to be threadedly moved therewith relative to the conduit unit 6, the inner shell 7 may be configured to be manually operable to rotate about the axis so as to result in axial displacement of the conduit unit 6. In addition, although the first and second resilient protrusions 56,57 in this embodiment are provided to respectively engage the grooves 731 formed in the sliders 73, they may be disposed on the sliders 73 to engage grooves formed in the peripheral wall 54 of the internal cap 5. Moreover, the rotation of the inner shell 7 may be stopped through engagement of the first and second resilient protrusions 56,57 with the respective grooves 731 instead of through the barrier members 55.
As illustrated, by virtue of the arrangement of the concentric inner and outer containers 4,3, the fluids within the containers 4,3 can be simultaneously dispensed when the outer container 3 is squeezed or compressed, and the squeezing force applied to the outer container 3 can be evenly transmitted to the inner container 4 so that amounts of the fluids dispensed are in a substantially fixed proportion. Moreover, since the conduit unit 6 is axially displaceable with movement of the outer shell 8 and the inner shell 7 between the normal position, where the conduit unit 6 is in a closed non-dispensing state, and the raised position, where the conduit unit 6 is in an open dispensing state, the fluid dispenser device of the present invention is convenient to use. Furthermore, since the first and second valves 63 are respectively engaged with the first and second valve seats when the conduit unit 6 is in the normal position, the fluids can be properly sealed within the containers 3,4.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.