Wall Mounted Fluid Dispenser

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser, and more particularly, to a dispenser of the hand-operated wall-mounted type which dispenses one or more liquids or powders successively in premeasured amounts.

Many liquid dispensing devices are known of the type which may be mounted on the wall of a bathroom, lavatory or kitchen and which dispense small premeasured amounts of liquid soap, or the like, stored therein. Such dispensers are usually operated by manually pressing a button or moving a handle to actuate a valve or piston that evacuates a supply of liquid or powder which has been held in a chamber within the dispenser. These dispensers and their operating mechanisms have been characterized in their construction by a number of different parts, requiring time consuming and complicated assembly and disassembly and expensive materials and manufacture.

By way of contrast the present invention provides a liquid dispenser which is constructed almost entirely of plastic and of a minimum number of parts that are easily hand-assembled and disassembled, and which may be wall-mounted on a flat wall or in a corner whose walls are irregularly disposed.

The dispensing apparatus of the present invention comprises: one or more open-mouth containers for holding different fluids to be dispensed; a facade member, on and behind which the containers are mounted, having a mirror on the front and accommodating manually operable dispensing buttons; valves, in the bottom of each of the containers for controlling the dispensing of premeasured amounts of fluids therefrom, with operating levers each having an arm extending into the interior of the container connected to the valve and an arm extending between the container and the facade member with an extension at its lower end on which the dispensing button is mounted; a wall-mounting bracket, which may be attached to a flat wall or in a corner, on which the facade member and containers are mounted; and a cover or lid which fits over the upper ends of the facade member, containers and wall-mounting bracket and has ribs on its underside which cooperate with the inner peripheral rims of the containers to seal the fluids therein.

All of the parts, most of which are of a resilient plastic, may be interconnected and snap-fitted so as to permit hand-assembly and disassembly of the entire apparatus. The wall-mounting bracket is provided with adjustment plates to facilitate corner mounting on irregular walls and the simplified dispensing valve assembly comprises a spring-loaded piston-like member with a closure valve mounted on its head, which respectively operate in a fluid storage chamber and a dispensing chamber to dispense a premeasured amount of fluid in response to each operating stroke. The container and valve assembly combine to promote fluid agitation and dispensing while minimizing leaks.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled composite dispenser in accordance with the present invention as it appears in its mounted condition.

FIG. 2 is a top view with a portion partially broken away of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view in section of the upper portion of the dispenser taken along the lines 3--3 in FIG. 2, and showing the cooperation of the cover member and the parts of the dispensing unit.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4--4 in FIG. 2, showing the details of the dispensing valve.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5--5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view taken along the lines 6--6 in FIG. 2, showing the mounting arrangement between the mounting bracket and the dispenser unit.

FIG. 7 is a view in elevation of the mounting bracket.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an auxiliary mounting plate.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the lines 9--9 in FIG. 7, showing the cooperation of the mounting bracket and the auxiliary mounting plate.

An assembled dispenser 1 in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. While this dispenser will be found suitable for many applications, which will become apparent upon consideration of the following description, the particular embodiment shown is intended to be mounted on the wall of a bathroom or shower room and to contain one or more fluent materials which may be dispensed in preselected portions therefrom.

The dispenser 1 essentialy comprises a dispensing unit 2 supported on a rear mounting bracket 3 with a removable top cover or lid 4 which sealingly fits over the dispensing unit and mounting bracket. A mirror 5 is provided in the upper front portion of the dispensing unit 2, and a set of dispensing buttons 6, 7 and 8 are disposed beneath the mirror for selecting the particular fluent materials to be dispensed from respective dispensing taps 9, 10 and 11 underneath the unit.

The dispenser shown is adapted to contain and dispense three different fluid substances such as soap, shampoo and hair conditioner, but the number and nature of the substances may be varied as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Also, it is preferred that with the exception of the mirror, and a valve spring and sealing washer to be described, all the parts of the dispenser are constructed of a resilient plastic such as polystyrene.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the dispensing unit 2 is composed of a supporting facade member 12, on which the mirror 5 is mounted, and three individual containers 13, 14 and 15 which are juxtaposed behind the facade member 12 and are used to store the substances to be dispensed. Each of the containers at its upper front edge is provided with two hook tabs 16 which may be fitted over cooperating ribs 17a and 17b at the top of the supporting facade member 12 with the respective dispensing taps 9, 10 and 11 on the bottoms of the three containers, extending through accommodating apertures 12a in the underside of the facade member 12 (see FIG. 4). Three U-shaped dispensing levers 18, 19 and 20 which operate the dispensing valves in the respective containers are fitted over the front edges of the containers and accommodated for up and down movement in slots 13a, 14a, and 15a. One arm (18a, 19a, and 20a) of each lever extends into the container for connection to the respective valve and the other arm (18b, 19b, and 20b) extends between the front wall of the container and the facade member 12. Each of the arms, 18b, 19b, and 30b, has an extension, 18c, 19c, and 20c at its lower end which extends through a respective slot 12b in the front of the facade member 12 and is respectively fitted with a dispensing button 6, 7 and 8. Accordingly, the facade member 12, the containers 13, 14 and 15, and the dispensing valves and operating means all cooperate to form the integral dispensing unit 2.

Hook tabs 21, 22 and 23 are also provided on the rear upper edges of the three containers for cooperating with appropriate slots 24, 25 and 26 on the rear upper edge of the mounting bracket 3 to assist in mounting the dispensing unit 2 on the bracket. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, facade member 12 has slots 12c at its rear lower outer edges and hook tabs 12d at its rear upper outer edges which respectively cooperate with hanging pins 3a and 3b on bracket 3 to complete this mounting arrangement.

The top cover or lid 4, as will be seen with reference to FIGS. 1-4, is provided with a flat upper surface 4a and a surrounding rim 4b, so that it may act as a shelf for various bath articles when the dispenser is mounted on the wall. An opening 4c is provided in the rim 4b at the rear of the lid 4, which opening cooperates with a drainage track 3c (see FIGS. 2 and 4) on the back of the mounting bracket 3 to permit the runoff of shower water or other fluids which may collect on the upper surface of the lid. As shown, particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the under side of the lid 4 is provided with three sets of ribs 4d, 4e and 4f. Each of the ribs is in a closed configuration, except for a space to permit the passage of the levers, and is adapted to respectively fit into the upper rims of the three containers so that when the lid 4 is forced down into place over the indented upper edge 12 e of the facade member 12, the three containers are simultaneously sealed thereby. The rear edge 4g of the lid 4 extends over the upper edge of the mounting bracket 3 when the dispensing unit 2 is mounted thereon and engages the upper edges of the drainage track 3c (see FIG. 4) thus forming a complete water-tight top closure for the dispenser 1 when completely assembled.

Referring still to FIG. 4, the details of the dispensing valve will now be described. Firstly, it will be seen that a cylindrical body or valve barrel 40 is disposed or molded in the bottom forward portion of each container, the particular container shown in FIG. 4 being central container 14. Valve barrel 40 is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber 41 and 42, respectively, by an interior partition 43 having a central aperture 44 therein. The lower end of the barrel 40 is fitted with an end cap 45 having a central capillary opening 46 therein, forming dispensing tap 10, and the upper portion within the container is formed with three longitudinal slots 47 (see FIG. 5). Fitted into the slotted upper portion of barrel 40 is a valve spool member 48 adapted for up and down movement therein.

The lower end of the spool member 48 is provided with a central aperture 48a which accommodates the bifurcated end of a valve piece 49. The valve piece 49 comprises a valve shaft 49a, which extends through the partition aperture 44 into lower chamber 42, having a head 49b on its lower end and the bifurcated upper end 49c. The head 49b is fitted with a collar 50 in the form of a rubber sealing washer which closes off the aperture 44 when the valve piece 49 is in its uppermost position.

The upper end of the spool member 48 is formed with a flange 48b, which extends radially outward and has a downwardly descending shoulder 48c, for accommodating the upper end of a compression spring 51. The lower end of the compression spring 51 abuts the bottom of the container 14 and urges the spool member 48 in the upward direction. The lower end of lever arm 19a extends into the interior of spool member 48. The upward urging action of the spring 51 on the spool member 48 is opposed both by the engagement of the washer 50 with partition 43 and the engagement of the lower ends of the gripping arms with the lower surfaces of the cutouts which is maintained ultimately by the engagement of the upper surface of extension 19c on lever arm 19b with the upper edge of the slot 12d in the facade member 12.

The mounting bracket 3 as seen in FIG. 7 is composed of a back wall portion 30 and two side wall portions 31 and 32 which may be integrally molded on the opposite sides of the back wall portion. It is suitable for mounting the dispenser either on a flat wall or in a corner. The solid back wall portion may be formed with reinforcing ribs 30a and provided with four holes 30b at its extremities to permit screw mounting of the bracket to a flat wall. Alternatively, the back wall rear surfaces 30c (see FIG. 2) may be used to adhesively attach the bracket to a flat wall. The side wall portions 31, 32 are formed with upper and lower cutouts 31a, 32a and a central partition 31b, 32b and are disposed at an angle with respect to the back wall portion such that the planes in which they lie intersect behind the back wall portion substantially at a right angle to facilitate corner mounting of the bracket. To compensate for any lack of plumb when corner-mounting the bracket, matching corner plates 33 such as shown in FIG. 8 are provided. The corner plates 33 comprise two mounting surfaces 33a which fit through the apertures 31a, 32a in the bracket side walls and are connected by partitions 33b having axial locating ribs 33c which cooperate with sets of locating pips 31c, 32c on the central partitions 31b, 32b of the bracket side walls. As seen in FIG. 9 the corner plates may be rotated through small angles, about the locating rib, with respect to the planes of the side walls. As a result, if the bathroom walls forming the corner on which the bracket 3 is to be mounted are not disposed exactly at 90.degree. with each other at the points where the bracket side walls are to be attched, so that the bracket side wall portions will not lie exactly flat against the walls, the bracket can still be securely mounted thereto by means of the corner plates 33. The mounting surfaces 33a may be attached to the walls either by screws through holes 33d or by adhesive.

The assembling, mounting and operation of the dispenser 1 may be accomplished as follows. The valve spool member 48 for container 14 is connected to the U-shaped lever 19 by inserting the lower end of the interior arm 19a into the interior of the member and snap-locking the end portions 19f, 19g of the resilient gripping arms 19d, 19e into the cutouts 48d, 48c. The compression spring 51 is then placed in position at the bottom of the container 14 and the lower end of the spool member 48 is inserted into the upper chamber 41 of the valve barrel 40 with the upper end of the spring 51 engaging the upper flange 48b. The spool member 48 is pressed down into the upper chamber 41 against the action of the spring 51, and the bifurcated end 49c of the valve piece 49, with the sealing washer 50 mounted on its lower end, may be inserted through the lower chamber 42 in the valve barrel 40, and the aperture 44 in the central partition 43, and snap-locked into the aperture 48 a in the lower end of the spool member 48. The valve assemblies in the other containers are similarly assembled.

With the valve assemblies in place, all of the containers 13, 14 and 15 may be mounted on the facade member 12 by inserting the lower ends of their valve barrels through the accommodating apertures in its underside and hanging their hook tabs 16 on the cooperating ribs and slots 17a, 17b at its top, while guiding the lower extensions 18c, 19c and 20c on the outer lever arms 18b, 19b and 20b through the slots 12b in the lower front of the facade member 12. The dispensing buttons 6, 7 and 8 are then press fitted down over the ends of the lever arm extensions 18c, 19c and 20c, and all of the parts of the dispensing unit 2 are accordingly secured together.

The mounting bracket 3, as previously noted, may be attached to a flat wall by means of an adhesive on its rear surfaces 30c or by the use of screws passed through the four appropriate holes 30b provided therein. For corner mounting with regular walls an adhesive may be used on the rear surfaces of the side wall partitions 31b or, alternatively, the corner plates 33 may be inserted in place and screws inserted through the appropriate holes 33d in the fastening surfaces 33a, or adhesive used on these surfaces. For irregular walls the corner plates 33 are inserted in place and appropriately rotated about the locating ribs 33c until the fastening surfaces 33a are properly oriented with the surfaces of the walls and then attachment is completed by means of an adhesive or screws.

When the mounting bracket 3 is securely fastened to the wall, the dispensing unit 2 may be mounted thereon by hanging the hood tabs 21, 22 and 23 at the rear of the containers 13, 14 and 15 over the slots 24, 25 and 26 in the upper edge of the bracket back wall portion 30 while inserting the lower and upper hanging pins 3a and 3b on the side wall portions 31, 32 into the lower slots 12c and upper hook tabs 12d on the facade member 12. The dispenser 1 is thus assembled and mounted ready for use.

To use the dispenser 1, appropriate fluid substances are poured into the containers 13, 14 and 15 to a level not to exceed the level of the lower edges of the slots 13a, 14a and 15a in the top of the containers which accommodate the upward and downward movement of the U-shaped levers 18, 19, and 20. After the three containers are appropriately filled, the lid 4 is placed over the top of the dispensing unit 2 and the bracket 3 with the three sets of ribs 4d, 4e, and 4f on its underside, sealing the upper rims of the three containers (see FIG. 3).

In order to dispense a particular one of the fluid substances, the appropriate dispensing button is pressed downwardly causing the U-shaped lever attached thereto to force the valve spool member 48 downwardly against the urging action of the compression spring 51 in the selected container. Downward motion of the spool member 48 will cause the lower end of the lever arm therein to engage the upper edge of the bifurcated end 49c of the valve piece 49, causing downward movement of the piece 49 and the opening of the central partition aperture 44. The fluid substance in the container will have entered the upper chamber 41 of the valve barrel 40 through the slots 47 in its upper portion so that a measured portion of the fluid is contained in the chamber 41 before the operation of the valve. Upon the opening of the central aperture 44 this fluid will be allowed to flow, through the action of gravity and with the assistance of the lower end of the spool member 48 which will act as a piston, into the lower chamber 42 and be directed outwardly through the capillary opening 46 in the end cap 45 fitted on the bottom of the chamber. It will be seen that a selected amount of the fluid substance will be forced through the capillary opening 46 by the downward action of the spool member 48 and the valve piece 49, and particularly by the valve head 49b and collar 50, each time the dispensing button is depressed. Leakage of the fluid, remaining in the lower chamber 42 after the dispensing action, through the capillary opening 46 will be prevented by virtue of the surface tension of the fluid as there is no pressure in chamber 42 after collar 50 seals the aperture 44. Also, as there is only one opening in the bottom of the container and the valve levers operate in the upper part of the container, the chance of leakage is minimized. The end cap 45, being press-fitted into the barrel 40, may be readily removed when desired for cleaning the residual fluid from the lower chamber 42 and the cap interior.

It should also be noted that the up and down movement of the valve levers in the containers agitates the fluids therein so that even consistency is promoted and clogging of the valve assembly avoided.

The mirror 5, as shown in FIG. 4, may be disposed in an opening 12f in facade member 12 between the lower surface of indented upper edge 12e and the upper surface of a rib 12g on the inside of member 12. The mirror 5 is held in the opening by strips of tape 55 attached to its upper and lower inner edges and to edge 12e and rib 12g, respectively. The tape strips 55 assist in absorbing shocks to the mirror during shipping and handling of the dispenser. The front surfaces of the lever arms disposed immediately behind the mirror also act as a non-rigid support for the mirror in the opening.

It will accordingly be appreciated that a fluid dispenser is presented of simplified, leak-resistant construction and operation and with suitable structure for facilitating the wall-mounting of the dispenser on a flat surface or in an irregular corner.