Patent Application
20230025768
The embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for dispensing a liquid or solid material, such as a soap, lotion, medicament, glue, degreaser, and the like, in combination with a buffing material.
The use of buffing or abrasive materials such as sponges for cleaning the body or other surfaces is known, as is use of such materials in combination with liquid and solid soaps for cleaning. Typically, a user applies a quantity of the liquid or solid soap to the sponge for cleaning or buffing and, after a short use duration, must reapply the soap.
Devices that combine a reservoir for liquid soap with the abrasive material alleviate the issues of reapplying the soap. Such a combination is described in International Publication No. WO 2006/033093, which describes a sponge having a liquid soap reservoir positioned therein. Each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,002,486, 9,877,618, 9,877,619, and 9,918,593; US Pat. Application Pub. 2020/0305654; and International Publication No. WO 2015/077852 describes a top cap portion having a reservoir configured to be filled with a liquid soap and a bottom scrubber portion comprising a scrubber element. Soap may be ejected from the reservoirs of these various combinations into the scrubber or sponge element by squeezing the reservoir, depressing a button, or turning a dial. In each case, however, the reservoirs are not configured for use with a solid soap, and do not offer the opportunity for use with disposable reservoirs.
US Pat. Application Pub. 2013/0058698 describes a device having a sponge on a bottom surface and a reservoir attached thereon. The reservoir is configured to hold a container for a liquid, wherein turning a dial on the reservoir compresses the container and forces the liquid from valves positioned on the container. Thus, while it is mentioned that the container may be exchanged, the integral nature of the valves on the container affords a system that is expensive and/or may not be leak proof.
Devices that combine a solid soap with an abrasive material are also known, such as the combinations disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,524,008, Chinese Pat. No. 210931072U, and U.K. Pat. Application No. GB2359253. Each describe a sponge holder that includes a pocket configured to contain a solid soap so that one face of the soap is exposed. As the soap is used, however, the ability of the sponge material to contain the soap is likely diminished. U.K. Pat. Application No. GB165348 describes a sponge material having an internal pocket that completely encases the solid soap, and thus would not suffer this problem. This solution, however, was intended as a means to store the solid soap and is not configured to provide use of the sponge when the soap is encased therein.
Accordingly, a need exists for improved systems and methods of dispensing a solid or liquid material directly to, and in combination with use of, a buffing or abrasive material for application to a surface.
All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinence of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art.
It is acknowledged that the term ‘comprise’ may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term ‘comprise’ shall have an inclusive meaning—i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term ‘comprised’ or ‘comprising’ is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.
The presently disclosure provides an applicator device for dispensing a liquid or solid material. The device may generally comprise a housing having an interior side that defines an inner cavity configured to contain the liquid or solid material, an exterior side, wherein at least a portion of which is configured as a grip, and a circumferential edge. Removeably attachable to the housing, such as at or adjacent the circumferential edge, is an interchangeable buffing element. Exemplary attachment means for the buffing element to the device include any one or more of a magnet, hook and loop closure, latch, or snap-type fastener, such as a shoulder bevel that engages a ledge or groove on the housing. The liquid or solid material may be dispensed from the housing to the buffing element when in use.
Exemplary buffing elements comprise a textile, a sponge-like material such as a sponge or loofah, a brush, an abrasive material such as steel wool, rounded protrusions, or any combination thereof.
Exemplary liquid materials comprise any of soaps, medications, beauty and personal care products such as lotions, shampoos, conditioners, shave lotions, aftershaves, household cleaning products such as degreasers, dish soaps, silverware cleaners, disinfectants, deodorizers, shoeshine lotions, and the like. Exemplary solid materials comprise any of solid soaps, waxes, solid medications, solid beauty and personal care products such as deodorants, shoe shines waxes, and the like.
In one arrangement, the applicator device may be configured to contain a liquid material within an inner cavity of the housing and the device may comprise at least one self-sealing valve, wherein an applied pressure on the housing forces the liquid material from the housing to the buffing element via the at least one valve. The housing may comprise a button and/or a pliable material portion that accepts the applied pressure to force the liquid material from the housing to the buffing element via the at least one valve. The buffing element may comprise at least one liquid material port configured to allow passage of the liquid material to a bottom side of the buffing element. The buffing element may releasably snap into a groove or ledge on the circumferential edge of the housing, such as via a shoulder on the buffing element that engages a ledge or groove on the housing.
In another arrangement, the applicator device may be configured to contain the liquid material in a cartridge that may be received in the inner cavity of the housing. The cartridge may form an airtight seal with the housing when received therein such that application of a pressure on the housing, e.g., via a button and/or a pliable material portion, may force the liquid material through at least one valve positioned in the cartridge to the buffing element. The airtight seal between the cartridge and the housing may comprise a snap attachment, such as a shoulder on the buffing element that engages either of a groove or ledge on the circumferential edge of the housing.
In yet another arrangement, the applicator device may be configured to contain the liquid material in a cartridge that may be received in the inner cavity of the housing, and may include a base plate having a top side, a bottom side, and a circumferential edge substantially coincident with the circumferential edge of the housing. The bottom side of the base plate releasably attaches to the buffing element and the top side of the base plate releasably attaches to the circumferential edge of the housing. At least one valve may be positioned in the base plate, wherein the at least one valve is a self-sealing valve comprising a distal end facing the housing and configured to pierce the cartridge contained therein to provide a fluid passage for the liquid material to the buffing element. The cartridge may form an airtight seal with the housing when received in the inner cavity such that application of a pressure on the housing, e.g., via a button and/or a pliable material portion, may force the liquid material through at least one valve to the buffing element. The airtight seal between the cartridge and the housing may comprise a snap attachment in either of a groove or ledge on the circumferential edge of the housing.
In yet another arrangement, the applicator device may be configured to contain the liquid material in a cartridge that may be received in the inner cavity of the housing, and may include a base plate having a top side, a bottom side, and a circumferential edge substantially coincident with the circumferential edge of the housing. The bottom side of the base plate releasably attaches to the buffing element and the top side of the base plate releasably attaches to the circumferential edge of the housing. At least one valve may be positioned in the base plate, wherein the at least one valve is a self-sealing valve comprising a distal end facing the housing and configured to pierce the cartridge contained therein to provide a fluid passage for the liquid material to a pressure chamber, such as a pressure chamber connected to or formed as part of the base plate. Accordingly, a trigger element, such as positioned on or adjacent the buffing element, may accept the applied pressure and place a responsive pressure on the pressure chamber to force the liquid material contained therein through at least one fluid line to the buffing element. Upon release of the applied pressure on the trigger element, the pressure chamber is configured to form a vacuum that pulls the liquid material from the cartridge via the at least one valve to refill the pressure chamber. The at least one fluid line may include a self-sealing valve.
An arrangement configured to dispense a solid material may generally comprise a housing having an interior side that defines an inner receiving cavity comprising at least one groove and configured to accept the solid material. The buffing element includes a top side, a bottom side, and a central cavity configured to allow passage of the solid material, wherein the buffing element is releasably attachable to the circumferential edge of the housing. The solid material may comprise at least one tongue molded directly into the solid material at a distal end thereof, wherein the at least one tongue of the solid material and the at least one groove of the receiving cavity are engageable to provide connection therebetween. Each of the at least one tongue of the solid material and the at least one groove of the receiving cavity may comprise teeth that interact with one another when the solid material is engaged with the receiving cavity to provide movement therebetween in a single direction only. The housing may further comprise a cover having an inner portion and an outer portion, wherein one of the inner portion and the outer portion is moveably attached to the other such that movement therebetween moves the inner portion in the receiving cavity to move the solid material through the central cavity of the buffing element toward the bottom side thereof.
In another arrangement configured to dispense a solid material, the inner receiving cavity of the housing may comprise a plurality of grooves, and the solid material may be at least partially molded with a solid material cartridge at a distal end thereof, wherein the solid material cartridge comprises a plurality of tongues matched to the plurality of grooves in such an arrangement, each of the plurality of tongues and grooves comprise teeth that interact with one another when the solid material cartridge is engaged with the receiving cavity to provide movement therebetween in a single direction only.
In another arrangement configured to dispense a solid material, the applicator device may include an upper exterior surface, wherein at least a portion of the upper exterior surface is configured as a grip, an interior receiving cavity configured to accept the solid material, wherein the interior receiving cavity comprises a circumferential element configured to engage with a retention element on the solid material, and a bottom exterior surface comprising a buffing element, wherein the buffing element includes a central cavity configured to allow passage of the solid material therethrough. The grip generally comprises a handle region connected to the upper exterior surface by a neck region, wherein the neck region has an outer circumferential diameter smaller than the handle region and an inner surface that extends the interior receiving cavity and comprises the circumferential element.
Aspects, features, benefits and advantages of the embodiments herein will be apparent with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. In the following figures, like numerals represent like features in the various views. It is to be noted that features and components in these drawings, illustrating the views of embodiments of the present disclosure, unless stated to be otherwise, are not necessarily drawn to scale.
In the following description, the present disclosure is set forth in the context of various alternative embodiments and implementations involving an applicator device for dispensing a solid or liquid material for use in combination with an interchangeable buffing element.
Various aspects of the device may be illustrated by describing components that are coupled, attached, and/or joined together. As used herein, the terms “coupled”, “attached”, and/or “joined” are interchangeably used to indicate either a direct connection between two components or, where appropriate, an indirect connection to one another through intervening or intermediate components. In contrast, when a component is referred to as being “directly coupled”, “directly attached”, and/or “directly joined” to another component, there are no intervening elements shown in said examples.
Various aspects of the system may be illustrated with reference to one or more exemplary implementations. As used herein, the term “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other variations of the devices, systems, or methods disclosed herein. “Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where the event occurs and instances where it does not. In addition, the word “comprising” as used herein means “including, but not limited to”.
Furthermore, throughout the specification, reference to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “some embodiments” means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” or “in some embodiments” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or not described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments.
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “lower,” “upper,” “bottom,” “top,” “front,” “back,” “left,” “right” and “sides” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made, but are not limiting with respect to the orientation in which the various parts of the needle or any assembly of them may be used.
It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a” cartridge, “an” abrasive material, or “the” groove, is a reference to one or more of each and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
The applicator devices disclosure herein offer a unique combination of elements that provide for application of a wide variety of liquid and solid materials from a hand-held device in combination with a buffing element. The devices generally comprise a top portion that forms a housing and a bottom portion that defines an interchangeable buffing element. The top portion incudes an interior side that defines an inner cavity configured to contain the liquid or solid material and an exterior side having at least a portion configured to be grasped by a user's hand. Attachment between the housing and the buffing element is releasable so that various different interchangeable buffing elements may be used in combination with the liquid or solid material contained in the housing of the device.
Exemplary attachment means for the buffing element to the device include any one or more of a magnet, hook and loop closure, latch, or snap-type fastener, such as a shoulder bevel or extension (e.g., arm) that engages a ledge or groove. When in use, the liquid or solid material may be dispensed from the housing to the buffing element.
Exemplary liquid materials that may be applied/dispensed by the applicator devices disclosed herein include any of soaps, medications, beauty and personal care products such as lotions, shampoos, conditioners, shave lotions, aftershaves, cleaning products such as degreasers, dish soaps, silverware cleaners, disinfectants, deodorizers, shoeshine lotions, and the like. Exemplary solid materials comprise any of solid soaps, waxes, solid medications, solid beauty and personal care products such as deodorants, show shine waxes, and the like. Moreover, a wide range of interchangeable buffing elements may be releasably attached to the device, such as textiles (e.g., terry cloth, chamois), sponge-like materials such as a sponge or loofah, a brush, an abrasive material such as steel wool or pumice, rounded protrusions, or any combination thereof.
The applicator device may find use in a wide range of applications, some of which are listed hereinbelow.
By way of example, the applicator device may be used for personal care routines such as dispensing soap in combination with a sponge or loofa element for bathing; dispensing shaving cream or lotion in combination with a brush element for shaving; dispensing lotions, moisturizers, aftershave, and even makeup products in combination with a soft textile, brush, or sponge; dispensing soap or lotion in combination with a pumice for cleaning a user's hands and/or feet; dispensing shampoo or conditioner in combination with a brush or massage bead surface for hair care; dispensing toothpaste in combination with a brush for brushing the user's teeth; dispensing sunscreens, bug sprays, or topical medications or antiseptics in combination with a sponge or soft textile; etc.
As additional examples, the applicator device may be used in pet care routines, such as dispensing soap, shampoo, and/or conditioner in combination with a brush or massage bead surface for washing a pet; dispensing topical medications, antiseptics, or moisturizers in combination with a brush or sponge; etc.
The applicator device may find use for household activities, such as to dispense soap in combination with steel wool to clean pots, or in combination with a sponge or brush to clean dishes or silverware; dispensing polishing agents in combination with a soft textile to polish silverware or furniture; dispensing cleaners, deodorizers, and/or protectants in combination with a soft textile to clean windows, furniture, upholstery, and the like; dispensing carpet shampoo or floor cleaner in combination with a brush to clean floor surfaces; etc.
The applicator device may find use for care of mechanical parts, such as by dispensing cleaners, degreasers, oils, or bluing useful during cleaning and/or caring for a gun, or while fixing parts on an automobile or other mechanical device. The applicator device may dispense waxes, soaps or other cleaners useful while caring for a car body, interior, and/or tires.
While specific examples are provided, any combination of liquid and/or solid material and buffing element may be provided to be applied/dispensed using the applicator devices and methods disclosed herein.
With reference now to the drawings in
with specific reference to
With reference to
An exemplary applicator device 100B for liquid materials is shown in greater detail in
With continued reference to
While the releasable connection is shown in
With reference to
The base plate 42 may include a shoulder or lip with a protrusion that engages or snaps onto a groove 38a on the housing or may comprise a shoulder or lip with a bevel that engages or snaps onto a ledge on the housing. As indicated above, various other types and configurations of releasable connectors are also possible, such as latches and/or individual regions having a groove or ledge of defined size, wherein any combination may be included on either or both of the base plate 42 and the housing 14.
As shown in
A top surface 34 of the buffing element 12 may be releasably attachable to a bottom surface of the base plate 42. Exemplary releasable attachments include one or more of a magnet, hook and loop closure, latch, snap-type fastener, and the like. In a preferred configuration, the base plate 42 may include a snap fit style connection to the housing 14 and a magnetic connection to the buffing element 12. In this way, the base plate 42 may be securely but releasably connected to the housing 14 and the top piercing end 23 of the valves 20 may provide a fluid path for the liquid material from the housing 14 or the cartridge 60 contained in the housing. Various buffing elements 12 may then be attached to the device 1008 depending on the application and exchanged when a different application is desired.
As shown in
With reference to
An exemplary cartridge 60 configured to contain the liquid material and to fit within a cavity 50 in the housing 14 is shown. The cartridge 60 may include a circumferential edge 62 that connects with a bottom rim of the housing 14 to form an airtight seal with the housing when received therein. This may allow any pressure applied to the housing (e.g., via the buttons and/or pliable regions) to be transmitted to the contents of the cartridge 60, wherein at least a portion of which is formed of a pliable material. For example, the top portion 61 of the cartridge 60 may be formed of a flexible or pliable polymeric material, such as a thin walled plastic bag, while the rim 62 may comprise a thicker region of the same material or a different material, such as an elastomeric material that may assist in forming the air-tight seal with the housing.
The housing 14 may include a pressure relief valve, such that after squeezing the housing to force the liquid material through the self-sealing valve(s) 20, the pressure within the housing may equalize with atmospheric pressure (e.g., vacuum relief valve). In the configurations comprising a cartridge 60, the pressure relief valve may only need relieve a vacuum created in the inner cavity of the housing (relieve a gas vacuum).
With continued reference to
The releasable connection between the base plate 42 and the housing 14 may further allow different base plates 42 to be included in the system. For example, should the user wish to include a very viscous liquid in the applicator, a base plate 42 having self-sealing valves 20 configured to work with such a liquid may be attached, e.g., a base plate 42 having valves 20 with larger slits at the bottom end 21 thereof. Alternatively, should the user wish to apply a medication with a low viscosity, such as an antiseptic, a base plate 42 having small slit valves or jet valves may be included. Accordingly, the unique three-part configuration of such an applicator device allows the selection not only of the liquid material and buffing element, but also of the best means to dispense the liquid material by selection of a base plate having a valve matched to the type of liquid material.
The cartridge 60 may be designed to be disposable or refillable. For example, the cartridge 60 may comprise a ZIPLOC style closure along a top perimeter that may be opened to allow easy refilling of the pouch with a liquid. This ZIPLOC style closure may then be closed to seal the cartridge 60. Alternately, the cartridge 60 may comprise a spout and cap that may allow refilling with a liquid material.
Another exemplary configuration of the applicator device 1008 is illustrated in
As shown in
Compression of the pressure chamber 58 forces liquid material contained therein to exit from the fluid lines (57a, 57b) to the buffing element 12. The fluid lines (57a, 57b) may include self-sealing valves that provide fluid flow in one direction only, such as from an interior of the pressure chamber 58 to the buffing element 12. Exemplary self-sealing valve includes at least slit valves, duckbill valves, umbrella valves, jet valves, and the like. Once the pressure is relieved from the pressure chamber 58, the one-way valves will not allow air or fluid to be pulled back into the pressure chamber through the fluid lines (57a, 57b), and thus a vacuum will be formed in the pressure chamber 58. This vacuum may then pull liquid material through at least one valve 20 in fluid communication with the liquid material in the cartridge 60, and associated fluid line(s) (56a, 56b) to refill the pressure chamber. As mentioned hereinabove, the valves 20 may be self-sealing valves that provide fluid flow in one direction only, such as from an interior of the cartridge 60 to the pressure chamber 58. Thus, once the pressure chamber 58 is refilled, the liquid material will not flow back into the cartridge 60 through fluid line(s) (56a, 56b), such as when an applied pressure is exerted on the trigger element (i.e., the liquid material in the pressure chamber 58 may only exit from the pressure chamber to the buffing element 12 through fluid line(s) 57a, 57b).
While the applicator device 1008 is shown in
In certain other arrangements of the applicator device 1008, a pump may be included to provide flow of the liquid material from the housing 14 or cartridge 60. The pump may be positioned in the housing 14 or may be included as part of the base plate 42. The pump may be mechanical or electrical and may be sealed from contact with the liquid or may be in fluid communication with the liquid. As such, depressing a button, such as on the housing 14, may activate the pump to provide a flow of the liquid material, either as a steady stream for the duration of the button activation or in a metered amount with each button activation.
As detailed herein, the pump can operate mechanically, without the use of electricity, such as by activation of a button (e.g., pumping the button to “pump” the liquid material). Alternatively, the system may be powered when an electric pump is included, such as by disposable or rechargeable batteries, and may be configured to include specific control logic implemented in software or hardware or a combination of both. For example, particular arrangements can be implemented by using application specific integrated circuits or programmed logic circuits. Such software/circuits may indicate a battery power level, a liquid material level, a type of liquid material included in the system, an amount or rate of liquid material to be dispensed, etc.
An applicator device 100A configured to dispense a solid material is shown in
The buffing element 12 may be releasably attachable to the housing 14 as described hereinabove with respect to the applicator device 1008. Exemplary attachment means for the buffing element to the device include any one or more of a magnet, hook and loop closure, latch, or snap fit fastener (snap attachment).
The inner receiving cavity 84 may include one or more grooves 80 sized and positioned to accept one or more matched tongues 70 on a solid material. The solid material may include a plurality of tongues 70 (see
With specific reference to
The individual tongue 70 elements or the cartridge 76 (referred to collectively as attachment elements) may be molded or connected to the solid material 10 after it is formed or may be molded or connected to the solid material 10 during production thereof. For example, in the case of a solid soap material, the attachment elements may be positioned in a mold used to form the soap, wherein the soap is poured into the mold in a heated liquid state and cools to form the solid material 10 having the attachment elements positioned on an outer perimeter thereof.
Each of the tongue 70 elements may include teeth 88 configured to interact with teeth 86 on the grooves 80 of the inner receiving cavity 84. The teeth may provide for movement of the solid material in one direction only, such as the direction of the arrow 78 shown in
A user may manually push the solid material downward to expose an additional amount of the material adjacent the buffing element, or the applicator device may include a cap or cover 16 as shown in
With reference to
An exemplary arrangement of tongues 70 positioned on sides of a solid material or cartridge 76 and an inner receiving cavity 84 comprising matching grooves 80 is shown in
According to certain aspects, as the solid material is consumed through application on a surface, the user may advance the solid material further down in the applicator device, i.e., toward the opening 74 of the buffing element 12. In general, only a small portion of the solid material may be covered by the cartridge 76 or the tongue 70 elements, i.e., little to none of the solid material is unusable. In some cases, when individual tongue 70 elements are included on the solid material, when lower portions thereof become exposed through use of the solid material, the exposed portions of the tongue 70 elements may break off or be cut off to provide greater usage of the solid material.
Another exemplary configuration of the applicator device 100A is illustrated in
The buffing element 12 may be releasably attachable to a bottom surface of the housing 14, or may be permanently affixed to, or formed as an integral part of, the housing. The housing and buffing element may be formed of any of the materials described herein. In certain preferred configurations, the applicator device shown in
With specific reference to
The solid material 10 is illustrated in
While specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternations and applications could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements, systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention.
