The present disclosure relates to satellite spray bottle use and refill systems.
Refilling of spray bottles is a time intensive and cumbersome process. Products and methods have been introduced to alleviate the disadvantages associated with refilling of spray bottles, however, those products and methods have not been satisfactory.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Descriptions. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it to be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
According to at least one embodiment, a satellite spray bottle use and refill system includes a spray bottle and a refill station. The spray bottle includes a container housing that defines an internal reservoir space, a spray head connected to an upper margin of the container housing, a mounting structure connected to the container housing, and a refill inlet in fluid connection with the internal reservoir space. The refill station has a support structure for supporting the mounting structure of the spray bottle, and a discharge outlet for refilling the internal reservoir space of the spray bottle. Upon engagement of the mounting structure of the spray bottle with the support structure of the refill station, the refill inlet of the spray bottle and the discharge outlet of the refill station are automatically docked establishing a fluid connection.
In at least one example the mounting structure of the spray bottle includes a mounting foot extending horizontally from a lower margin of the container housing. The refill inlet of the spray bottle may be positioned on the mounting foot.
In at least one example, the refill station includes a refill tank, and the support structure of the refill station includes material edges of the refill tank, the material edges defining a slot of the refill tank. The slot receives the mounting foot of the spray bottle when the spray bottle is engaged with the refill station. The discharge outlet of the refill station may be positioned in the slot, which may be positioned along a lower floor of the refill tank.
In at least one example, the refill station includes a pair of cartons in vertically stacked and inverted relation to each other. In at least one such example, the refill station includes a pair of conduit fixtures, one vertically arranged over the other, each carton includes a spout, the spout of an upper one of the pair of cartons is docked with an upper one of the conduit fixtures, and the spout of a lower one of the pair of cartons is docked with a lower one of the conduit fixtures. The refill inlet of the spray bottle may be docked with the upper conduit fixture, which may define the discharge outlet, upon engagement of the mounting structure of the spray bottle with the support structure of the refill station. The support structure of the refill station may include a terminal ledge that extends horizontally from a lower margin of the refill station.
According to at least one other embodiment, a satellite spray bottle use and refill system includes a spray bottle and a vertically invertible dual refill station. The spray bottle includes a container housing that defines an internal reservoir space, a spray head connected to an upper margin of the container housing, a mounting structure connected to the container housing, and a refill inlet in fluid connection with the internal reservoir space. The vertically invertible refill station has at least one support structure for supporting the mounting structure of the spray bottle, and at least a first conduit fixture and a second conduit fixture for refilling of the spray bottle. In a first orientation of the refill station, the refill inlet of the spray bottle and the first conduit fixture of the refill station are automatically docked establishing a fluid connection upon engagement of the mounting structure of the spray bottle with at least one support structure of the refill station. In a second orientation of the refill station vertically inverted relative to the first orientation, the refill inlet of the spray bottle and the second conduit fixture of the refill station are automatically docked establishing a fluid connection upon engagement of the mounting structure of the spray bottle with at least one support structure of the refill station.
In at least one example, in both the first and second orientation of the refill station, the spray bottle is dockable to the refill station through a horizontal approach and is dismountable from the refill station through a horizontal departure.
In at least one example, the refill station includes a housing defining an interior space, and at least a first carton and a second carton placed in the interior space in vertically stacked and inverted relation to each other. In both the first and second orientation of the refill station, a fluid connection between the refill inlet of the spray bottle and the upper one of the first and second cartons is automatically established upon engagement of the mounting structure of the spray bottle with at least one support structure of the refill station.
In at least one example, the first and second conduit fixtures are attached to the housing, the first carton includes a spout connected to the first conduit fixture, and the second carton includes a spout connected to the second conduit fixture. The first and second conduit fixtures may be vertically arranged one over the other.
In at least one example, each carton includes at least one flexible rectangular flap having at least one hole that receives a pin that extends from the housing. The housing may include two essentially identical blanks, each including planar wall portions connected together by flexure zones.
In at least one example, each blank includes a rectangular panel and a strap extending from the rectangular panel such that two straps wrap at least partially around the housing in the same circumferential direction, with the strap of each blank engaging the rectangular panel of the other blank.
In at least one example, a lower terminal ledge and an upper terminal ledge extend horizontally from the refill station to, respectively, support the spray bottle from below and engage the spray head from above.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustration, there is shown in the drawings exemplary embodiments; however, the presently disclosed invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed.
While the disclosure of the technology herein is presented with sufficient details to enable one skilled in this art to practice the invention, it is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosed technology. The inventor(s) contemplate that future technologies may facilitate additional embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter as claimed herein. Moreover, although the term “step” may be used herein to connote different aspects of methods employed, the term should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described.
A spray bottle use and refill satellite system 100 according to at least one embodiment is illustrated in
The spray bottle 102 of
The mounting foot 120 includes an internal channel in fluid connection with the internal reservoir space of the container housing 104 for refilling of the housing 104 through the foot 120 when the spray bottle 102 is docked with the refill tank 130 as shown in
The refill tank 130 may be refilled through an upper opening 136 upon removal of a cap 140. The upper opening 136 is formed and the cap 140 is placed within a recess 142 formed in the upper wall 144 of the refill tank 130, advantageously effectively countersinking the opening and cap flush with or below the upper wall to minimize overall height of the refill tank while maximizing storage volume. The refill tank 130 furthermore advantageously has a rectangular footprint, as defined by the rectangular floor 126 surrounded but upstanding planar walls 150. This particular form factor, as illustrated, permits placement of the refill tank 130 upon a shelf, for example between closely vertically spaced shelves, with high-space use efficiency.
Advantageously, the mounting foot 120 of the spray bottle 102 and the corresponding slot 124 of the refill tank 130 are horizontal, permitting side-by-side docking through a horizontal approach and departure of the spray bottle 102 when mounting for refilling and subsequent dismounting for use is wanted. This particular form factor, as illustrated, further permits mounting and refilling of the spray bottle 102 while the refill tank 130 sits, for example, upon a shelf or other structure in a crowded storage or work space. Also, the mounting foot 120 is dimensioned to displace a minimum of the volume capacity of the refill tank 130 without displacing any volume capacity of the spray bottle 102. Furthermore, by placing the mounting foot 120 at the base 122 of the bottle 102, the side docking approach provides a secure stance for the refill tank 130 without the smaller spray bottle 102 potentially tilting back from the tank 130 when sliding it in place for docking. This is due to the fact that horizontal force manually applied by a user docking the bottle will be applied above the docking slot 124. In the illustrated embodiment, the container housing 104 of the spray bottle 102 has a columnar form accommodated by a front recess of the refill tank.
Elements of a spray bottle use and refill satellite system 200 according to at least one other embodiment is illustrated in
The spray bottle 202 of
The spray bottle use and refill satellite system 200 includes an invertible dual refill station 300 (
The housing 302 maintains a pair of refill cartons 306 (
The walls 314 can be constructed of recycled materials, such as plastic or thick paperboard coated with plastic such as polyethylene, sufficiently rigid to provide a self-standing vessel and sufficiently flexible and durable to permit transitions, optionally multiple repeated transitions, between the volumetrically reduced configuration (
Each housing 302 may be constructed from two essentially identical blanks 340 (
The blank 340 includes planar wall portions connected together by flexure zones such as living hinges 344 that flex or fold to facilitate transition between flat (
Lower and upper wall portions 352 (
Each upper and lower terminal ledge 312 that extends horizontally from the refill station 300 to support the spray bottle 202 or engage the spray head 210 is formed upon assembly of the two blanks 340 from a pair of rectangular tabs 360 (
Each blank further includes pins 362 (
Each blank 340 further includes a pair of conduit fixtures 310 (
Refilling of the spray bottle 202 thus occurs by docking of the refill valve 224 of the bottle 202 with the upper carton 306 loaded in the housing 302, in either invertible orientation of the station 300. In at least one example, the upper and lower cartons 306 are filled with the same type of liquid, and upon depletion of the upper carton, the station is inverted to permit further filling of the spray bottle 302 from the other carton. In another example, the upper and lower cartons are filled with different liquids, such that either liquid may be selected by a user by orienting the station 300 with the selected liquid in the upper carton 306. The cartons 306 can contain, listed here as non-limiting examples, a glass cleaner, a neutral cleaner, a disinfectant, a degreaser, and a foaming cleaner. The spray bottle in at least one example is designed so that minimal or no residue remains in its draw tube and dispensation lines to prevent cross contamination of different chemicals. In at least on example, multiple invertible dual refill stations 300 (
Advantageously, the refill valve 224 of the spray bottle 202 and the conduit fixture 310 extend horizontally and are docked by approach along a single horizontal direction. The mounting foot 220 of the spray bottle 202 and the terminal ledges 312 of the housing 302 extend and engage horizontally as well. These particular form factors advantageously permit mounting and refilling of the spray bottle 202 while the station 300 sits, for example, upon a shelf or other structure in a crowded storage or work space. Side-by-side docking through a horizontal approach and dismounting through a horizontal departure of the spray bottle 202 represent convenient advantages according to embodiments described herein.
While the embodiments have been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiments for performing the same function without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims
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