Patent Application
20220087484
The present invention relates to a sanitization dispenser for controlled dispersion of sanitizer and/or other liquid.
Pump and spray dispensers for liquids and hand sanitizers with high viscosities are commonly used for a myriad of household products. Sanitization for items, extremities and surfaces is a common and outstanding concern for many humans. Common practice can typically involve spraying a liquid onto an item, extremities or surface and sequentially whipping that surface with a cloth or towel.
Some of the most common sanitizer dispensers include pumps that a consumer manually engages downward to either spray or dispenser a liquid and/or gel as desired. Other sanitizers are commonly dispensed through handle pump sprayers, wherein radial engagement of the pump handle translates into liquid and/or sanitizer being forced through an orifice to produce a spray.
Issues arise in common use when convivence, ease of use and accessibility are addressed. With common cleaning practices the consumer must not only carry around a traditional spray bottle, but also a cloth member or fabric towel to finish sanitizing items, extremities or surfaces. Cloth members, paper towels and fabric towels often can because contaminated with unwanted substances after multiple cycles of use by the user. Furthermore, the use of a cloth member or towel is often conducted to uniformly distribute a sanitizer or cleaner upon an item, extremities or surface due to non-uniform spray.
Second, transportation of a dispenser such as a handle pump sprayer and accompanying cloth or towel is cumbersome. Handles or levers of such sprayers are not made for compact storage within other articles such as a purse, handbag or backpack. The consumer must also tote the cloth or towel and remember to interchange the cloth or towel regularly. An improved design is needed that allows for compact storage without accidental discharge.
The need for a cloth and/or towel could also be mitigated with proper disbursement of a liquid or sanitizer from the dispenser, eliminating the need for sub sequentially wiping or spreading by a cloth or towel.
Wet or moist wipes that are pre-packaged are also wasteful after multiple cycles of cleaning or sanitizing the same surface. Gels and other sanitizers can be useful in sanitizing a user's hands, but often fall short in sanitizing items and hard surfaces. An improved design for controlled and uniform disbursement of a sanitizer on a surface is needed.
Lastly, many gel sanitizer containers, spray bottles and wet wipes do not come with an option for refillable cartridges, containers or inserts. This is logical in a consumer market where consumption causes the consumer to re-purchase the item, but many consumers now desire reusable items with minimal ecological impact. A solution is needed for simply re-filling interchangeable reservoirs within articles that spray a liquid and/or sanitizer.
The present invention relates to a sanitization dispenser comprising of a compact and ergonomic design that is easily stored in compact spaces, such as a pocket of a clothing article, belt or or a purse. Secondly, the sanitization dispenser allows the user to easily refill a reservoir as desired. A cover member also guards a button member from depression during storage in compact spaces or during transport by the user.
Another unique feature of the present invention includes the design of the cover member relative to the base container of the sanitization dispenser, allowing for custom configuration by the user. For example, the base container may be interchanged as different attachment member are needed by the user to adjoin the sanitization dispenser to an article or a surface.
Another goal of the present invention is to provide a spray tip that is interchangeable, allowing the user to adapt the sanitization dispenser as desired to sanitize different items, extremities or surfaces.
In order to do so, a sanitization dispenser is provided having a base container and a cover member adjoined thereto. Within the cover member a pump assembly is arranged to displace a liquid and/or sanitizer from the reservoir, through the pump assembly, into the cavity and out an orifice of a spray tip. The pump assembly further includes a positive transfer pump having a biasing member, and a transfer tube. After the user depresses the button member to a depressed position, the biasing member returns the button member to a resting position. In some embodiments, the sanitization dispenser includes at least one button protrusion extending outward from the perimeter edge of the button member and at least one guide slot extending into the cover member. The at least one button protrusion limits the rotation of the button member within the cover member and allows for easy operation by the user when depressing the button member. Through this operation a spray or mist of liquid and/or sanitizer is disbursed.
The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals represent corresponding parts of the figures.
The novel features of the disclosure are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present disclosure will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the disclosure are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which:
While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the disclosure. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the disclosure described herein may be employed in practicing the disclosure.
As shown in
In exemplary operation, as shown in
In some embodiments, the pump assembly 130 further comprises at least one member of a valve set and/or a check valve. A check valve may be used in line with the transfer tube 133 of the pump assembly 130 to regulate direction flow of air and/or the liquid 150 from the reservoir 140 to the cavity 160. The desired direction in the current embodiment of the sanitization dispenser 100 is from the reservoir 140 to the cavity 160. The check valve may also be interchanged with a clack valve, a non-return valve, a reflux valve, a retention valve or a one-way valve is a valve that normally allows fluid (liquid 150 or gas) to flow through it in only one direction. In further description, the pump assembly 130 may include at least one member of a valve set consisting of: a pressure control valve, a flow control valve, and a directional control valves, a directly operated valve, a pilot operated valve, a manually operated valve, an electrically actuated valve, an open control valve, a servo controlled valve, and a manifold.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Next, a tip indentation 165 extends into the button member 105 and is shaped to receive the first tip protrusion 146. During assembly or changing of the spray tip 125, the first tip protrusion 146 is aligned with the tip indentation 165 and the second tip protrusion is aligned during assembly with the cavity 160. The alignment of the first tip protrusion 146 and the second tip protrusion 148 further aid the user in proper orientation of the orifice 147 relative to the cavity 160. For example, in embodiments having a non-circular orifice 147 the alignment of the first tip protrusion 146 to the tip indentation 165 can ensure disbursement of the liquid 150 in a desired shape, angle or direction.
During one-handed operation of the sanitization dispenser 100 by the user an external texture in some embodiments may aid in controlled depression of the button member 105 within the cover member 110. Without limitation, the button member, the cover member 110 and/or the base container 115 may further comprise an external texture. The external texture further comprises at least one member of a texture set consisting of: indentations, extrusions, knurling, a rough surface, and bumps. Without limitation, the button member, the reservoir 140, the cover member 110 and/or the base container 115 may further comprise at least one member of an identification set consisting of: an alphanumeric identification, a human user's name, a symbolic shape, a company brand, a numeric identification number, a QR code, a barcode, and an RFID tag.
In reference to
As used in this application, the term “a” or “an” means “at least one” or “one or more.”
As used in this application, the term “about” or “approximately” refers to a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number.
As used in this application, the term “substantially” means that the actual value is within about 10% of the actual desired value, particularly within about 5% of the actual desired value and especially within about 1% of the actual desired value of any variable, element or limit set forth herein.
All references throughout this application, for example patent documents including issued or granted patents or equivalents, patent application publications, and non-patent literature documents or other source material, are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, as though individually incorporated by reference, to the extent each reference is at least partially not inconsistent with the disclosure in the present application (for example, a reference that is partially inconsistent is incorporated by reference except for the partially inconsistent portion of the reference).
Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Any reference to “or” herein is intended to encompass “and/or” unless otherwise stated.
As used herein, the term “about” refers to an amount that is near the stated amount by about 0%, 5%, or 10%, including increments therein.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specified function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6. In particular, any use of “step of” in the claims is not intended to invoke the provision of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that numerous design configurations may be possible to enjoy the functional benefits of the inventive systems. Thus, given the wide variety of configurations and arrangements of embodiments of the present invention the scope of the invention is reflected by the breadth of the claims below rather than narrowed by the embodiments described above.
