Piston pumps for dispensing systems used in the preparation of sanitary products, such a cosmetics, are disclosed. More specifically, a piston pump that may be easily disassembled and sanitized and which can be incorporated into a complex dispensing system is disclosed. Further, a disposable plastic piston pump for use in such a complex dispensing system is also disclosed. Finally, improvements to dispensing systems that include multiple pumps dispensing multiple ingredients or components are disclosed which include improved mechanisms for removing or detaching flexible ingredient packages from piston pumps and improved drip catcher and container holders for small containers, such as small glass or plastic containers used to hold cosmetic products, are also disclosed.
Multiple pump dispensing systems have been used in the paint industry. Specifically, such a dispensing system incorporating multiple pumps dispensing viscous fluids, such as paint colorant, from flexible packages is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,298, owned by the assignee of the present application. Typically, such systems include pumps mounted on a rotary turntable with each pump coupled to the flexible package containing a viscous fluid, such as a colorant. The table, with the pumps and packages mounted thereon, is rotated until the desired pump and package is disposed over the container to be filled. A control system is utilized to rotate the table and control the amount of material dispensed from the packages by the pumps. Linear type dispensing systems are also known.
However, such systems designed for non-sanitary products such as paint are not readily applicable to products that must be sanitary, such as cosmetics and foods. A suitable multiple component dispensing system in the cosmetics industry is therefore needed because there is an increasing demand for cosmetic preparations that are customized at the point of sale.
Specifically, a number of companies in the cosmetic industry have installed various apparatuses in retail stores for dispensing the various components of a cosmetic preparation in individual containers. Like the custom mixing of paint, the ingredients of the cosmetic preparation are dispensed based upon computer programs which utilize information relating to the customers skin color, oiliness and other properties that determine the proper color, texture, viscosity and other qualities of the customized product. The various ingredients are dispensed into a container and the container is then sealed, mixed and sold to the customer. Thus, the customized cosmetic product is formulated and prepared at the point of sale.
However, unlike the mixing of paint, cosmetic products are applied directly to a customer's skin and therefore a certain degree of sanitization is required. Thus, conventional piston pumps and conventional nutating pumps which have been used in the past for the formulation of paint, cannot be used in cosmetic application and other applications requiring a sanitary product because the pumps themselves are not designed to be frequently cleaned or sanitized. Simply put, the time and labor involved in cleaning or sanitizing conventional piston or nutating pumps would render the operation of a dispensing system used to prepare customized cosmetic products at a point of sale too expensive to be practical. Thus, new pump designs for sanitary applications, such as cosmetics, are needed.
Further, in multiple pump dispensing systems using ingredient packages that are flexible, the ingredient or component package is typically equipped with a female outlet port that is coupled to a nipple or male inlet port attached to the valve block of the pump. The connectors of self-sealing, meaning that when the male or nipple connector attached to the pump is inserted through the female connector attached to the package, a valve within the female connector is opened enabling the product to flow from the package to the pump. When the male and female connectors are separated, the valve in the female connector closes to prevent product waste or spillage and to further prevent undue amounts of air from entering the flexible package. These types of connectors are provided by Innovative Packaging Netherlands (IPN).
One problem associated with the use of these connectors is the force required to remove a package from a pump once the male-female connection is made. Employees or technicians operating a multiple dispensing system with flexible packages having these types of connectors often struggle to replace an empty package or simply change packages. Thus, modifications to existing dispensing systems are needed to facilitate the removal or changing of flexible packages using the male-female connector described above.
In satisfaction of the aforenoted needs, an improved piston pump for dispensing ingredients of cosmetic preparations or other products requiring sanitized ingredients is disclosed. The disclosed pump may be easily disassembled for cleaning and sanitization. The pump is detachably connected to an outlet port of a flexible ingredient package. The pump comprises a valve block comprising an inlet port that is threadably connected to a nipple which, in turn, is detachably connected to the outlet port of the ingredient package. The valve block further comprises a piston port threadably connected to a cylinder and an outlet port that sealably and sealably receives a valve stem. The inlet port, outlet port, and piston port are in fluid communication with one another upon removal of the valve stem from the valve block.
The valve stem comprises an intake passage and an output passage. The cylinder slidably receives a piston. The cylinder comprises a distal end threadably connected to the piston port of the valve block and a proximal end. The valve stem is detachably connected to an actuator.
The actuator is capable of moving the valve stem to an intake position where the valve stem blocks the outlet port of the valve block and the valve block blocks the output passage of the valve stem. In the intake position, the intake passage of the valve stem provides communication between the nipple and the piston port thereby permitting flow from the package, through the nipple, through the intake passage of the valve stem, through the piston port and into the cylinder upon movement of the piston towards the proximal end of the cylinder, i.e., an intake stroke.
The actuator further is capable of moving the valve stem to a dispense position where the valve stem blocks the inlet port of the valve block and the valve block blocks the intake passage of the valve stem. In the dispense position, the output passage of the valve stem is in communication with the cylinder thereby permitting flow from the cylinder, through the output passage of the valve stem and out the valve stem upon movement of the piston towards the distal end of the cylinder, i.e., an output stroke.
Thus, the valve stem may be easily removed from the valve block and the cylinder may be easily removed from the valve block. Further, the piston may be easily removed from the cylinder and thereby the separated components may be easily cleaned and/or sanitized.
In a refinement, the proximal end of the cylinder is threadably connected to a lock nut which prevents the piston from exiting the proximal end of the cylinder.
In another refinement, the piston is connected to a distal end of a rod, which further comprises a proximal end that is threadably connected to a lock fastener. The lock fastener prevents the proximal end of the rod from entering the cylinder. The lock fastener also provides a surface or gripping element for an actuator to control movement of the piston.
In another refinement, the nipple connected to the valve block accommodates a check valve that permits flow from the package through the inlet port and not vice versa.
In yet another refinement, the valve block further comprises an intake passage and an output passage, both of which are disposed within the piston port. In the intake position, the valve stem blocks the output passage of the valve block and the valve block blocks the output passage of the valve stem. In the intake position, the intake passage of the valve stem is in alignment with the intake passage of the valve block thereby permitting flow from the package, through the nipple, through the intake passages of the valve stem and the valve block and into the cylinder upon movement of the piston towards the proximal end of the cylinder, i.e., an intake stroke.
In this refinement, in the dispense position, the valve stem blocks the intake passage of the valve block and the valve block blocks the intake passage of the valve stem.
In this dispense position, the output passage of the valve stem is in alignment with the output passage of the valve block thereby permitting flow from the cylinder, through the output passages of the valve block and the valve stem and out the valve stem upon movement of the piston towards the distal end of the cylinder, i.e., an output stroke.
In a refinement, the valve block is free of check valve. In another refinement, the valve stem is free of check valves. In yet another refinement, all components are capable of being sanitized.
An improved dispensing system is also disclosed which includes a plurality of pumps as described above, each connected to an ingredient package and all mounted on a moveable table to permit movement of each pump over the container to be filled. The actuators controlling the movement of the valve stems and the pistons as well as the movement of the table are all controlled by a programmable controller.
In another refinement, a push bar and lever system is provided which enables flexible packages to be easily dislodged from the nipples of the piston pumps. Specifically, each female outlet of each packages passes through a horizontal flange. This flange is engaged to a lever which can be pivotally mounted to the valve block or to some other structure of the dispense system. The lever is also connected to a vertical rod. Downward pressure on the vertical rod causes pivotal movement of the lever against the annular flange to dislodge the female connector associated with the package from the nipple or male connector associated with the pump. A quick and easy dislodgment is provided by this system.
Finally, a disposable piston pump is also disclosed. A disclosed disposable pump comprises a valve block comprising a nipple which is detachably connected to the outlet port of an ingredient package. The valve block further comprises a piston port connected to a cylinder and an outlet port. The valve block further comprises a check valve disposed in the nipple permitting flow from the package through the inlet port and not vice versa and the valve block also comprises a check valve disposed in the outlet port permitting flow from the cylinder through the outlet port and not vice versa. The valve block and nipple being fabricated from a single piece of injection molded plastic. The cylinder slidably receives a piston and a distal end of the cylinder is connected to the piston port of the valve block. The cylinder is also fabricated from a single piece of injected molded plastic and the piston is also fabricated from a single piece of injected molded plastic. Thus, disposable plastic piston pump is provided which consists of just three injected molded pieces—the valve block, the cylinder and the piston.
The invention will be illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:
Only certain embodiments have been set forth and alternative embodiments and various modifications will be apparent from the following description to those skilled in the art. These and other alternatives are considered equivalents and within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.
Turning to
Also connected to the valve block 28 is a cylinder 31 which slidably receives a piston (not shown). The cylinder 31 is also threadably connected to the valve block 28 by way of the threaded connector 32. A rod (not shown in
Turning to
The threaded piston port 39 is detachably coupled to the distal end 42 of the cylinder 31 by way of the threaded lock nut 32. 0-rings shown at 43 provide a seal between the valve block 28, the threaded couplers 29, 32 and the nipple 27 and cylinder 31 respectively. A proximal end 44 of the cylinder 31 is threadably coupled to another lock nut 45 which closes the proximal end 44 of the cylinder 31 and prevents the piston 46 from exiting the cylinder 31.
The piston 46 is connected to a distal end 47 of a rod 48 which also includes a proximal end 49 which, in turn, may be connected to a threaded fastener 51. The threaded fastener 51 provides a place for engagement by an actuator (not shown) which, in turn, is controlled by the controller 35 (see
The outlet port 38 of the valve block 28 slideably receives the valve stem 33 and a seal between the valve stem 33 and the valve block 28 is provided by two 0-rings (not shown) accommodated in the grooves shown at 52, 53 in the valve stem 33. The valve stem 33, as shown in
As shown in
Turning to
Similarly, when the actuator 57 is moved to the down position shown in
Turning to
The lever 94 includes a pair of spaced apart walls shown at 96. An inner surface of each wall 96 may include a lug or ledge shown at 97 that is received in the slot or gap 93 disposed between the flanges 92 and which provides an easy means for gripping or engaging the pair of flanges 92. An outwardly extending handle 98 of the lever 94 is connected to a rod shown at 99 in FIG. 8. Downward pressure applied to the rod 99 results in an upward pivotal movement of the lever 94 and an easy dislodgement of the bag 26 from a nipple 27. That is, by moving the rod 99 downward, the lever 94 and, specifically, the ledges or lugs shown at 97 sandwiched between the flanges 92 is pivoted upward about an axis defined by the pin 95 to snap the outlet 91 of the bag 26 off of a nipple 27 in an easy and convenient stroke.
Finally, turning to
While only certain embodiments have been set forth, alternative embodiments and various modifications will be apparent from the above description and drawings to those skilled in the art. These and other alternatives are considered equivalent and within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
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