Liquid container for a hair removing apparatus

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6665937
  • Patent Number
    6,665,937
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, August 16, 2001
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 23, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A liquid container for a hair removing apparatus with at least one chamber for receiving a liquid and delivering that liquid to a liquid dispensing device of the hair removing apparatus, wherein the liquid container is equipped with a pumping device drawing in air and/or a liquid and conveying it to the liquid container, and provision is made in the liquid container for a storage material for holding the liquid to be dispensed.
Description




BACKGROUND




This invention relates to a liquid container for a hair removing apparatus of the type indicated in the prior art portion of claim 1.




From FR 2 613 975 A1 a liquid container for a dry shaving apparatus is known, which is arranged in the shaver housing and is associated with a pumping device within the housing by means of which pumping device a lotion held in the liquid container is conveyed to two dispensing devices constructed as spray devices using one intake duct and two discharge ducts.




It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid container ensuring the dispensing of liquid in any position of the liquid container.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in a liquid container of the type initially referred to by the features indicated in claim 1.




The present invention which finds application in a hair removing apparatus affords a plurality of advantages. One significant advantage of the invention resides in that provision is made for a liquid conveying arrangement ensuring a position-independent withdrawal of liquid from the liquid container, which is accomplished by equipping the liquid container with a pumping device drawing in and conveying air and/or liquid, and with a storage material. The liquids to be stored and dispensed include shaving aids such as pre-shave or after-shave lotions and/or lubricants designed to improve the gliding motions of an outer cutter on the skin and/or lubricants designed to lubricate cooperating cutter elements with or without fragrances added.




In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a first partial volume of the liquid container is fillable with storage material for the liquid while a second partial volume of the liquid container is fillable with air. In a further aspect of this embodiment the first partial volume of the liquid container and the second partial volume of the liquid container are separable from each other by a partition wall and connectable with each other through at least one opening. This opening ensures that liquid the pumping device draws from the first partial volume of the liquid container is returnable to the second partial volume of the liquid container. In a further extension of this embodiment, the liquid container is adapted to be divided into a first and a second chamber by means of a partition wall having at least one opening. Preferably, the first chamber serves to hold air and/or liquid returnable from the liquid dispensing device. In a further development of this embodiment the second chamber holds a storage material for the liquid. To ensure the return flow of liquid from the first chamber into the second chamber at least one passageway is provided in the partition wall separating the first from the second chamber. A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a liquid conduit is routed through the passageway and a gap is formed between the liquid conduit and the partition wall. This arrangement ensures advantageously that the liquid drawn in by the pumping device is able to flow through the first chamber into the second chamber for storage in the storage material provided therein, and that the air likewise drawn in by the pumping device is able to develop in the first chamber a pressure controllable by a pressure relief valve, which pressure subsequently operates to convey the stored liquid from the storage material via a second liquid conduit to a liquid dispensing device of a hair removing apparatus. For this purpose the invention provides for the second chamber to accommodate a storage material and for the first chamber to be constructed as a compression chamber. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the first chamber is equipped with a pressure relief valve. An embodiment of a pressure relief valve affording great ease and economy of manufacture is characterized in that the pressure relief valve is formed by an orifice of small cross section. According to one embodiment of the invention the orifice of the pressure relief valve is provided in a wall of the first chamber. An alternative embodiment of a pressure relief valve is characterized in that the orifice is provided in a pressure relief duct.




According to an embodiment of the invention, the liquid container includes a second liquid conduit projecting into the storage material. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one end of the second liquid conduit terminates at a small distance B to a wall of the second chamber, while the other end of the second liquid conduit extends through a wall of the first chamber. This arrangement ensures that the complete liquid is shaving aid stored in the storage material can be withdrawn to be conveyed to a liquid dispensing device.




The second liquid conduit is preferably constructed as a riser.




In a further aspect of the invention, the pumping device is able to produce a compression pressure in the liquid container, said compression pressure operating to force the liquid out of the storage material and through a second liquid conduit out of the liquid container.




According to an embodiment of the invention affording particular ease and economy of manufacture, the pumping device is provided on a wall of the first chamber. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the pumping device is provided on a wall inside the first chamber. Alternatively, the pumping device may be provided on a wall outside the first chamber.




According to the present invention, the pumping device has a pump outlet adapted to be coupled to the first chamber.




In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, one wall of the first chamber forms a first housing part of the pumping device. In a further aspect of this embodiment, components of the pumping device are fitted in a wall of the first chamber. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fitted components are formed by at least one flow channel, at least one valve chamber and an opening for the pump drive. In a further configuration of the invention, a membrane with a pump element and two valve elements are associated with the first housing part. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the first housing part includes a pump chamber, a first valve chamber and a flow channel.




A significant advantage of the embodiments of the invention resides in that the liquid container with the pumping device is replaceable for a new liquid container with pumping device. Hence the efficiency of the pumping device is designed only for the quantity of liquid to be dispensed from the liquid container. The quality requirements to be imposed on the pumping device are therefore extremely low and result accordingly in an extremely economical production of the pumping device and the liquid container.




One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail in the following.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




In the drawings,





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a dry shaving apparatus, showing the rear of the apparatus and a liquid container attached to a narrow side;





FIG. 2

is a view of the dry shaving apparatus of

FIG. 1

, showing a liquid container spaced from a stop by a distance A;





FIG. 3

is a view of a cutter frame with a housing whose outer housing part is shown only in part to expose the interior of the housing;





FIG. 4

is a sectional view of the cutter frame


11


and the liquid dispensing device;





FIGS. 5 and 6

are perspective views of the cutter frame with a liquid dispensing device and an actuating element occupying different positions;





FIGS. 7 and 8

are schematic views of the liquid conveying arrangement comprised of a liquid container, a liquid dispensing device, a first and a second liquid conduit, and a pumping device;





FIG. 9

is schematic view of the outer contours of a dry shaving apparatus with a drive mechanism for operating a shaving arrangement and a pumping device for feeding liquid from a liquid container into the liquid dispensing device;





FIG. 10

is a view of a first and a second housing part and a membrane of a pumping device; and





FIG. 11

is a view illustrating the integration of a pumping device into the housing of a liquid container.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION





FIG. 1

shows a perspective representation of a dry shaving apparatus TR with a view of the rear of the housing


1


and of one of the two narrow sides


2


of the housing


1


, and of the shaving head


3


on which a liquid dispensing device


4


is provided. A liquid container


5


is adjustable arranged on the narrow side


2


of the housing


1


. In

FIG. 1

the liquid container


5


is in abutment with a stop


6


provided on the housing


1


. This liquid container


5


may also be disposed inside the housing


1


—not illustrated.





FIG. 2

shows the dry shaving apparatus of

FIG. 1

, the difference being that a distance A is produced between the upper wall


7


of the liquid container


5


and the stop


6


by sliding the liquid container


5


in the direction of the arrow P


2


. Sliding the liquid container


5


in the directions of the arrows P


1


or P


2


results in either the coupling or uncoupling of a pumping device


13


adapted to be driven by an electric drive


50


of the dry shaving apparatus—see FIG.


9


.




The shaving head


3


has at least one outer cutter and one undercutter cooperating therewith, as well as a shaving head frame


10


and a cutter frame


11


configured to be removed therefrom. One embodiment of such a cutter frame


11


is presented in

FIGS. 3

,


4


and


5


and will be explained in more detail in the following.




Inside the cutter frame


11


—see also

FIG. 4

, FIG.


5


and FIG.


6


—the outer cutters


18


,


19


, attached in arched form, of the short-hair cutter units are secured to longitudinally extending side walls


14


and


15


as well as to bars—not shown—disposed between end walls


16


and


17


. The long-hair cutter unit with a U-shaped outer cutter


20


disposed between the two outer cutters


18


and


19


of the short-hair cutter units is mounted in the end walls


16


and


17


of the cutter frame


11


so that it can move in vertical direction—in the directions of the arrows P


1


and P


2


.




A liquid dispensing device


4


is provided on one side wall


15


of the cutter frame


11


. The liquid dispensing device


4


is essentially comprised of a housing


21


made up of two housing parts


211


and


212


, an open-pore contact element


22


disposed in the housing


21


, a spacer


23


associated with the contact element


30




22


, and an adjusting device V by means of which the spacer


23


can be moved to and fro in the directions of the arrows R


1


and R


2


. The adjusting device V is comprised of two cooperating adjusting elements


25


and


26


having surfaces F


1


and F


2


arranged at a relative inclination, a spring element


24


, and an actuating element


27


. Movably arranged in an inner compartment


33


of the housing part


211


of the housing


21


are the adjusting element


26


fitted with the actuating element


27


, and the adjusting element


25


provided on the spacer


23


. The spring element


24


rests with one part against a wall of the inner compartment of the housing part


211


and with another part against the adjusting element


25


, its predetermined spring pressure operating to maintain the inclined surface F


1


in abutment with the inclined surface F


2


of the adjusting element


26


. The housing part


212


of the housing


21


is fastened to the housing part


211


, acting as a cover for the inner compartment


33


of the housing part


211


.




The actuating element


27


with a marking M is provided on the adjusting element


26


, which is slidably mounted inside the housing


21


and projects out of the housing


21


through an elongate opening


28


. The actuating element


27


with the marking M is slidable parallel to a scale SK provided on an outer wall of the housing part


212


. When the actuating element


27


is moved in the direction of the arrow SI, the inclined surface F


2


of the adjusting element


26


cooperates with the inclined surface F


1


of the adjusting element


25


to move the spacer


23


in the direction of the arrow R


1


. The spacer


23


is returned to its initial position—in the direction of the arrow R


2


—by sliding the actuating element


27


in the opposite direction—direction of the arrow S


2


.




The open-pore contact element


22


, which is equipped with a rinsing chamber


214


, is fixedly arranged in an inner compartment


213


of the housing part


211


. The housing part


211


is arranged adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the outer cutter


18


in such a way that the contact element


22


, which is arranged in the inner compartment


213


and partly projects out of the inner compartment


213


, is in a position to dispense liquid to a zone adjacent to the outer cutter


18


. The contact surface of the contact element


22


used at any one time is variable and the liquid dispensing rate thus controllable by adjusting the spacer


23


relative to the contact element


22


—see

FIGS. 5 and 6

.




The liquid to be dispensed by the contact element


22


of the liquid dispensing device is fed to the contact element


22


via a second liquid conduit


32


. Metered application of the liquid by the contact element


22


is also controllable by drawing liquid from the liquid dispensing device


4


via a first liquid conduit


31


.





FIG. 7

shows a schematic representation of an arrangement for conveying liquid from the liquid container


5


to the liquid dispensing device


4


and from the liquid dispensing device


4


back into the liquid container


5


. A partition wall


42


is provided in the liquid container


5


to form a first chamber


40


and a second chamber


41


. An opening is provided in the partition wall


42


. A second liquid conduit


32


is passed through this opening and terminates at a predetermined distance B from the bottom


46


of the liquid container


5


. The opening in the partition wall


42


is dimensioned so that a gap


43


is formed after the second liquid conduit


32


is passed through. This gap serves the function of feeding liquid from the first chamber


40


into the second chamber


41


. A porous storage material


44


—e.g., a sintered material—is provided in the second chamber


41


to store the liquid. The first chamber


40


is connected by a liquid conduit


47


to a pumping device


13


provided outside the liquid container


5


. The necessary pressure for conveying liquid from the second chamber


41


via the second liquid conduit


32


, which acts as a riser, to the liquid dispensing device


4


is obtainable by means of a pressure relief valve


45


when the liquid conveying arrangement is working. The pressure relief valve


45


may be comprised of a tube, for example, having an orifice whose cross section is dimensioned to enable the necessary atmospheric pressure for conveying the liquid to be reached after the pumping device


13


is started and to enable any excess pressure to be discharged.




A contact element


22


is fixedly arranged in the housing


21


of the liquid dispensing device


4


. By suitably shaping the contact element


22


a rinsing chamber


214


is provided in the contact element


22


which receives liquid via the second liquid conduit


32


. The liquid under pressure penetrates the open-pore material of the contact element


22


and, when the outer contact surface


48


is touched by the skin, is dispensed onto the skin as indicated by the arrows.




The rinsing chamber


214


is coupled by a first liquid conduit


31


to the inlet side E of the pumping device


13


. The outlet side PA of the pumping device


13


is coupled by a liquid conduit


47


to the first chamber


40


of the liquid container


5


. When the pumping device


13


is set in operation it draws in air via the housing


21


—see the arrow L—as well as liquid from the rinsing chamber


214


and/or the contact element


22


, feeding it to the first chamber


40


to build up there the necessary pressure for conveying liquid from the second chamber


41


via the second liquid conduit


32


to the rinsing chamber


214


. By returning any surplus liquid from the rinsing chamber


214


and/or the contact element, which results from the suction cycle of the pumping device


13


, it is possible to control the dispensing of liquid by the contact element


22


in such a way that liquid is dispensed to a skin to be wetted only when the contact surface of the contact element


22


is touched. Hence no liquid is dispensed when the contact element


22


is not being touched.




The gap


43


between the partition wall


42


and the second liquid conduit


32


, which acts as a riser, is dimensioned so that the liquid delivered by the pumping device


13


into the first chamber


40


can penetrate the storage material


44


in the second chamber


41


. Any reverse flow of liquid stored in the storage material from the second chamber


41


through the gap


43


into the first chamber


40


is prevented by the bonding effect of the liquid to the storage material


44


.





FIG. 8

shows the liquid conveying arrangement of

FIG. 7

, the difference being that the pumping device


13


is disposed inside the liquid container


5


, i.e., in the first chamber


40


. The pumping device is part of the liquid container


5


and can be replaced together with it. The liquid container


5


can be replaced because the first liquid conduit


31


and the second liquid conduit


32


are coupled to the liquid container


5


by means of suitable coupling elements—not shown. Such coupling elements can also be provided in the first liquid conduit


31


and the second liquid conduit


32


of

FIG. 7

in order to couple the pumping device


13


and the liquid container


5


to said conduits.




A suitably shaped rubber part, which tightly closes the complete unit, including the first and second liquid conduits


31


,


32


, is used as a cover for the liquid container


5


. Metal tips of the first and second liquid conduits


31


,


32


, which are located inside the housing


1


, pierce the cover in the area of the conduits when the cleaning liquid container is inserted, thus opening the liquid circuit.




The described configuration of the liquid container


5


is preferably implementable as a disposable cartridge or in the form of a container which can be filled in or on the hair removing apparatus.





FIG. 9

shows a schematic representation of the layout of a liquid conveying arrangement of

FIG. 7

in a dry shaving apparatus TR of

FIGS. 1 and 2

. The contours of the dry shaving apparatus are represented by dotted lines by way of example.




In the housing


1


of the dry shaving apparatus TR there is arranged an electric motor


50


whose motor shaft is coupled by an eccentric to an oscillating member


52


in order to make it oscillate to and fro—see the directions of the arrows S


1


and S


2


. The oscillating bridge


52


serves the function of driving cutter elements of the dry shaving apparatus TR—not illustrated—in addition to driving the pumping device


13


of the liquid dispensing device


4


. For this purpose the oscillating member


52


—which is fastened, for example, on wall elements


51


of the housing


1


of the dry shaving apparatus TR—is coupled by way of a double-armed oscillating lever


54


, which is pivotally connected to a pivot


53


provided on the housing


1


, to a pumping element of the pumping device


13


in order to transmit a driving motion. This driving connection is interruptible by sliding the liquid container


5


in the direction of the arrow P


2


by a distance A so that no liquid is fed from the container


5


into the rinsing chamber


214


and the open-pore contact element


22


. By sliding the liquid container


5


in the direction of the arrow P


1


it is possible to re-establish the connection between the pumping element of the pumping device


13


and the double-armed lever


54


so that when the electric motor


50


is set in operation the oscillating movements of the oscillating member


52


are transmitted via the double-armed lever


54


to the pumping element of the pumping device


13


, thus re-starting the liquid conveying arrangement.




The rinsing chamber


214


is coupled to the liquid container


5


via the pumping device


13


by means of a first liquid conduit


31


—see FIG.


9


—and to the first chamber


40


by means of a second liquid conduit


32


. The first and second liquid conduits are of flexible construction in order to be able to follow the sliding movement of the liquid container


5


in the directions of the arrows P


1


and P


2


.




The components of a pumping device


13


are shown in FIG.


10


. The pumping device


13


is comprised of only three parts, including a first housing part


60


, a second housing part


61


, and a membrane


62


which is disposed between the first housing part


60


and the second housing part


61


. The membrane


62


has an elastic pumping element


63


projecting from the planar membrane wall in slightly domed form. Two flutter valves


64


and


65


, which act as non-return valves, are provided in the wall of the membrane


62


. The flutter valves


64


and


65


are elastically formed in the membrane wall and are a part of the membrane


62


. The second housing part


61


is equipped with an opening


66


through which the pumping element


63


can be actuated by a drive element, e.g., by one arm of the double-armed lever


54


of

FIG. 9. A

first liquid conduit


31


is connectable to the second housing part


61


. In the first housing part


60


is a pump chamber


67


which is connectable by way of a flow channel


70


to a first valve chamber


68


and by way of a further flow channel


71


to the second valve chamber


69


provided in the second housing part


61


. The second valve chamber


69


is adapted to be coupled by way of an outlet PA and a pump outlet conduit


75


to a liquid conduit


47


leading to the first chamber


40


of the liquid container


5


—see FIG.


7


. The flutter valve


65


provided in the membrane


62


is associated on the one hand with the first liquid conduit


31


and on the other hand with the first valve chamber


68


. The flutter valve


64


is associated with the second valve chamber


69


and with the liquid conduit


47


leading out of said chamber. Exerting a reciprocating pumping movement on the pumping element


63


causes the pumping element


63


to draw in and pump out liquid and/or air in alternation. During the pumping cycle the pumping element


63


is urged into the pump chamber


67


in the direction of the arrow P


1


. As this occurs, the liquid and/or air present in the pump chamber


67


is urged via the flow channel


71


against the flutter valve


64


, moving the elastic flutter valve


64


into the second valve chamber


69


, thereby clearing the flow path for the liquid and/or air via the second valve chamber


69


into the pump outlet conduit


75


. The liquid and/or air subsequently flows via a connectable liquid conduit


47


into the first chamber


40


of the liquid container. During this pumping cycle the air and/or liquid exposed to the pumping pressure acts via the flow channel


70


and the first valve chamber


68


against the flutter valve


65


, closing the pump inlet opening in the second housing part


61


which is adapted to be coupled with the first liquid conduit


31


.




On termination of the pumping cycle the tensioned elastic pumping element


63


moves in the direction of the arrow P


2


back to its initial position, thereby drawing in air and/or liquid from the first liquid conduit


31


. This suction cycle causes the flutter valve


65


to move into the first valve chamber


68


, thus clearing the liquid conduit


31


and enabling the air and/or liquid to flow via the first valve chamber and the flow channel


70


into the pump chamber


67


. The flutter valve


64


is constructed and arranged relative to the flow channel


71


so that during the suction cycle the flow channel


70


is covered to such an extent that no air and/or liquid is allowed to flow past the flutter valve


64


into the second valve chamber


69


nor from there into the opening, not covered by the flutter valve


64


, of the outlet PA and the pump outlet conduit


75


.




The pumping device


13


represented in

FIG. 10

may be arranged either outside or inside a liquid container


5


, as is shown in

FIGS. 7 and 8

.




According to a further embodiment the pumping device


13


may also be configured as part of the liquid container


5


, as is shown in

FIG. 11

by way of example.




The pumping device of

FIG. 11

differs from the pumping device of

FIG. 10

only inasmuch as the first housing part


60


of the pumping device


13


is part of a wall of the liquid container




5. In

FIG. 11

part of the interior of a liquid container


5


, namely the first chamber


40


, is represented by broken lines. The chamber


40


is connectable by way of a pump outlet conduit


75


to the second liquid conduit—see FIG.


7


. In the front


80


of the liquid container


5


provision is made for a depression


81


accommodating the first valve chamber


68


, the flow channel


70


, the pump chamber


67


, the flow channel


71


, and a liquid conduit


85


connecting the second valve chamber


69


to the first chamber


40


of the liquid container


5


. The membrane


62


is embedded in the depression


81


and, using the second housing part


61


and suitable fastening elements, the previously listed components are assembled to form a complete pumping device


13


and then put into operation.




The liquid container


5


is inserted in the housing


1


of the hair removing apparatus and the sealing part pierced in the areas of the conduits, thus establishing a connection to the liquid conveying arrangement of the apparatus


1


. Inserting the liquid container


5


simultaneously positions the pumping device


13


in front of the oscillating member


54


located in the housing


1


. When the application function is activated the pumping device


13


begins to build up pressure in the liquid container


5


. The air drawn in during the starting cycle is pumped into the first chamber


40


and can pass through the outlet gap


43


between the second liquid conduit


32


and the partition wall


42


into the second chamber


41


where it exerts pressure on the liquid. At the same time the suction cycle of the pumping device


13


produces a suction effect in the second liquid conduit


32


of the liquid circuit, which draws the liquid into the liquid dispensing device


4


. The application point in the liquid dispensing device


4


is designed so that the pumping device


13


can draw in air from the outside at the same time as drawing in the non-applied liquid. Hence after the starting cycle the pumping device


13


invariably feeds a mixture of liquid and air into the liquid container


5


, where the mixture is separated into its two components. This separation occurs on the inner wall of the first chamber


40


as the result of the adhesive force of the droplets. As the drops grow bigger they flow back through the outlet gap


43


into the second chamber


41


and so are returned to the liquid circuit.




Because this arrangement permanently draws in air in addition to the non-consumed liquid, the pressure built up in the first chamber


40


is higher than that which escapes with the liquid. This overpressure in the first chamber


40


prevents the liquid flowing back from the second chamber


41


into the first chamber


40


. The pressure is stabilized by a defined opening in the air discharge throttle which acts as a pressure relief valve. Arranging the air discharge throttle in the upper area of the first partitioned chamber


40


prevents the inflowing droplets being blown out unintentionally when the hair removing apparatus is in an inclined position. Operation of the arrangement is thus guaranteed even with the hair removing apparatus turned through 180° compared to the position illustrated in FIG.


1


.




The porous storage material ensures operational reliability also in cases when the liquid container


5


is not full. In this case the liquid reaches the suction zone of the second liquid conduit


32


through the capillary action of the storage material. Liquid movements and attendant noise are also minimized.




On account of the described structural design it is possible to store and dispense liquids independently of position and movement, with the arrangement simultaneously providing for regulation of the quantity of liquid to be dispensed.



Claims
  • 1. A liquid container for a hair removing apparatus with at least one chamber for receiving a liquid and delivering said liquid to a liquid dispensing device of the hair removing apparatus, wherein the liquid container is equipped with a pumping device drawing in air and/or a liquid and conveying it to the liquid container, and a storage material contained in the liquid container for holding the liquid to be dispensed.
  • 2. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first partial volume of the liquid container is filled with said storage material for the liquid while a second partial volume of the liquid container is filled with air.
  • 3. The liquid container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first partial volume of the liquid container and the second partial volume of the liquid container are separated from each other by a partition wall and connected with each other through at least one opening.
  • 4. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid container is divided into a first and a second chamber by a partition wall having at least one opening.
  • 5. The liquid container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second chamber contains the storage material.
  • 6. The liquid container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first chamber is constructed as a compression chamber.
  • 7. The liquid container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first chamber is equipped with a pressure relief valve.
  • 8. The liquid container as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pressure relief valve is formed by an orifice of small cross section.
  • 9. The liquid container as claimed in claim 8, wherein the orifice of the pressure relief valve is provided in a wall of the first chamber.
  • 10. The liquid container as claimed in claim 8, wherein the orifice is provided in a pressure relief duct.
  • 11. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid container includes a second liquid conduit projecting into the storage material.
  • 12. The liquid container as claimed in claim 11, wherein one end of the second liquid conduit terminates at a small distance from a wall of the second chamber, while the other end of the second liquid conduit extends through a wall of the first chamber.
  • 13. The liquid container as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second liquid conduit is constructed as a riser.
  • 14. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pumping device is able to produce a compression pressure in the liquid container, said compression pressure operating to force the liquid out of the storage material and through a second liquid conduit out of the liquid container.
  • 15. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pumping device is provided on a wall of the first chamber.
  • 16. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pumping device is provided on a wall inside the first chamber.
  • 17. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pumping device is disposed on a wall outside the first chamber.
  • 18. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pumping device has a pump outlet coupled to the first chamber.
  • 19. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein one wall of the first chamber is constructed as a first housing part of the pumping device.
  • 20. The liquid container as claimed in claim 19, wherein components of the pumping device are fitted in a wall of the first chamber.
  • 21. The liquid container as claimed in claim 20, wherein said components comprise at least one flow channel, at least one valve chamber and an opening for a pump drive.
  • 22. The liquid container as claimed in claim 19, wherein a membrane with a pump element and two valve elements are associated with the first housing part.
  • 23. The liquid container as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a second housing part associated with the first housing part and the membrane.
  • 24. The liquid container as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first housing part includes a pump chamber, a first valve chamber and a flow channel.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
199 07 224 Feb 1999 DE
Parent Case Info

This is a continuation of PCT application Ser. No. PCT/EP99/08521, filed Nov. 6, 1999, which claims priority from German application serial number 19907224.8, filed Feb. 19, 1999, (pending).

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Continuations (1)
Number Date Country
Parent PCT/EP99/08521 Nov 1999 US
Child 09/931451 US