Adapter for a manually operated dispensing device of containers of liquid

[0001] This application is an application filed under 35 U.S.C. Sec. 371 as a national stage of international application PCT/EP01/06208, which was filed May 31, 2001.

[0002] The invention relates to an adapter for a hand-operated dispensing device for a fluid that is/can be placed under pressure in a container in the substantially upright position thereof and in the substantially reversed or upside-down position.

[0003] Dispensing devices in the form of hand-operated pumps for containers for fluids or dispensing valves for containers for fluids subjected to the pressure of propellant gas are known, which are assigned an auxiliary valve to let in fluid from a container which adopts an oblique or substantially reversed or upside-down position. In these conventional devices, the auxiliary valve consists of a ball valve which is assigned to the pump housing or valve housing of the dispensing device in question. The ball valve is mounted to be freely and reciprocally movable parallel to the axis between an open position and a closed position. It is exclusively subjected to gravity, so that the ball valve adopts its final position more or less quickly—or not at all—as a function of the oblique position of the container and of the viscosity of the liquid therein. This results, inter alia, in a nonuniform dispensing of the fluid in the container as a consequence of a differing admixing of air and is perceived by the consumer as disadvantageous. This disadvantage is particularly noticeable in the case of cosmetic or pharmaceutical products, where the consumer relies on dispensing a particular quantity of the product when actuating such dispenser packs.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose an adapter which can be optionally used in conjunction with conventional hand-operated pumps or dispensing valves on containers subjected to the pressure of propellant gas and, furthermore, can also be used in any position of a container differing from the normal, upright position thereof, such as an upside-down or oblique position of the container, which guarantees a consistently uniform quantity of fluid. Any dispensing device designed exclusively for actuation and functioning in the upright position of the container will be capable of being employed, by use of the adapter according to the invention, for actuation and dispensing of the liquid from the container in the reversed or upside-down position of the container.

[0005] What is achieved by the adapter according to the invention is that any dispensing device created for dispensing fluid in the normal, upright position of a container can, by attachment of the adapter to the lower end of the housing of the dispensing device in question, be converted into and used as a universally usable dispensing device which, in any desired position of the container, always and reliably dispenses a consistently uniform quantity of discharged fluid.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows an adapter 20 for a hand-operated pump 120 as a dispensing device for a fluid which is, or can be, subjected to pressure in a container (not shown) in the substantially upright position thereof and in the substantially reversed or upside-down position thereof. The dispensing device 22 comprises a housing 148, which, as is known per se and therefore not shown is sealingly secured on an aperture at the upper end of the container. The housing 148 is provided with a base 26, at whose lower end a connecting nipple 130 is disposed. A passage channel 348, extends through the base 26 and connecting nipple 130 and, for the passage of the fluid in the substantially perpendicular position of the container, is in connection with an ascending pipe 32 extending into the fluid in the container.

[0021] A tubular, substantially cylindrical adapter housing 34 contains a linking channel 36 between the ascending pipe 32 and the passage channel 30 of the housing 148 of the dispensing device 22. The adapter housing 34 has an upper end 38 and a lower end 40, which respectively form a connecting pipe 42 for the connecting nipple 130 and an ascending pipe nipple 44 for the ascending pipe 32. A plurality of inlets 46 for the fluid are provided in the wall of the adapter housing 34, which are disposed at equal circumferential angular intervals at mid-height of the adapter housing 34. These inlets 46 permit the passage of fluid from the container in the substantially reversed position of the container, as is explained in detail below.

[0022] In the embodiments of the adapter 20 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, an inlet valve 48 is inserted into the adapter housing 34 as an independent or separate component to be non-displaceable axially.

[0023] The inlet valve 48 is provided within the adapter housing 34 for the approximately simultaneous closure of the inlets 46 in the approximately upright position of the container, but for the approximately simultaneous clearance of the inlets 46 in the event of a pressure difference acting on the fluid in the container in the substantially reversed position of the container.

[0024] A non-return valve 50 is disposed within a valve chamber 52 of the adapter housing 34 to be freely movable axially between two end positions, the upper end position being defined by a non-return valve seat 54 extending transversely through the adapter housing 34 and the lower position by a supporting device 56 in the upright position of the container, on which supporting device 56 the non-return valve 50 adopts a throttle position for the fluid, leaving throttle ports 58 free.

[0025] The valve chamber 52 has a diameter which is greater in size than the diameter of the non-return valve 50, in order to form bypass flow channels 60 for the fluid in the upright position of the container.

[0026] The inlet valve 48 is produced from a flexibly elastic material, such as silicone or polyethylene, and consists of a valve sleeve 62 with a sleeve base 64 and is supported within the adapter housing 34 at a distance below the inlets 46 by the supporting device 56. The inlets 46 consist of a plurality of inlet ports 66 provided at the same height and at the same circumferential angular intervals in the cylindrical wall of the adapter housing 34. The inlet ports 66 are sealed, in the upright position of the container, by the valve sleeve 62 but, in the event of a pressure in the adapter housing 34 lower than that prevailing in the container, are opened by a radially inward-directed bulging of the valve sleeve 62.

[0027] The supporting device 56 consists of at least three supporting ribs 70, which are disposed at equal circumferential angular intervals and extend radially inwards from the interior wall of the valve chamber 52 and upwards from the lower end 40 of the adapter housing 34 and end at a distance below the inlet ports 66. The valve sleeve 62 is supported by its sleeve base 64 on the upper end faces of the supporting ribs 70. The supporting ribs 70 simultaneously serve to guide the coaxially movable non-return valve 50 in the valve chamber 52. Intervening spaces, which are disposed in the circumferential direction of the interior wall of the adapter housing 34 between the supporting ribs 70, form the bypass flow channels 60 through which the fluid can flow past the non-return valve 50 toward the dispensing device 22.

[0028] The lower end 40 of the adapter housing 34 forms a tapered longitudinal section 74, whose lower end forms the ascending pipe nipple 44 of smaller diameter. The supporting ribs 70 extend into the tapered longitudinal section 74, and project radially inward, in order to form the throttle seat for the non-return valve 50. As a result, on the first pump stroke in the upright position of the container, the air contained in the housing 148 can be forced past the non-return valve 50 through the throttle seat thereof into the container. The support ribs 70 adopt a distance from one another, diametrally relative to the valve chamber 52, which corresponds to the clear diameter of the ascending pipe nipple 44 and is smaller in size than the diameter of the non-return valve (50), in order to form bearing ribs 57 for the non-return valve 50.

[0029] The ascending pipe 32 has an upper end 72 which is chamfered at an angle of 90° from its center to both sides in the manner of a gabled roof. This shape of the end 72 of the ascending pipe offers the possibility of dispensing with the support device 56 for the non-return valve 50 and, instead, supporting the spherical non-return valve 50 only on the gable-like end 72 of the ascending pipe 72, because in this case also throttle ports for the discharge of product residues when the pump 120 is placed under pressure exist to the side of the two mutually opposite tips of the end 72 of the ascending pipe.

[0030] Although the adapter according to the invention, as stated initially, can be used with any desired pressure or pump system, the mode of operation of the adapter will be explained below with reference to the metering pump shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is known per se.

[0031] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a metering pump 120 as a dispensing device. The pump is fixed in a closure cap 122, which comprises suitable means, for example a helical thread 124, for fixing the cap together with the pump 120 disposed therein on the open top of a conventional container.

[0032] The container (not visible below the pump 120) is filled with a fluid product. The fluid product is aspirated into the pump 120 through the connecting nipple 130, which is connected to the underside of the pump 120. The adapter 20, as already described above, is fixed by its upper, tubular end 38 to the connecting nipple 130 and receives in its lower ascending pipe nipple 44 the upper end of the ascending pipe 32, which extends as far as the bottom of the container. The lower end of the ascending pipe 32 is therefore normally dipped into the fluid, when an associated container is in the general upright position.

[0033] The closure cap 122 has a generally cylindrical hollow wall 131, an interior cylindrical aperture 132 being formed above and separate from the helical thread 124 by an annular flange 134 which projects inward. Within the aperture 132 is located a holder 138, which comprises an exterior wall 140, which at its lower end forms an outward-projecting annular flange 142. The annular flange 142 is fixedly disposed and sealed relative to the top of the container aperture. The holder 138 serves to secure the pump 120 in the cap 122. To this end, the pump housing 148 is provided with an upper flange 150, which protrudes outward. The flange 150 has a radially inward-projecting shoulder on the exterior wall 140 of the holder 138. The holder 138, in order to secure the pump housing 148, can easily be secured on the pump housing 148 by means of a snap seating and be connected thereto.

[0034] The pump housing 148 comprises a substantially cylindrical pump chamber 180, which is open at the upper end and into which a cylindrical inner sleeve 172 of the holder 138 engages. The inner sleeve 172 is disposed coaxially with the exterior wall 140 of the holder 138 and connected to the latter at the upper end by an annular end wall 164. The inner sleeve 172 ends in a tapered lower end 173 within the pump chamber 180.

[0035] The flange 150 at the upper end of the pump housing 148 is provided with a vertical groove 162, which is shown in the right-hand halves of FIGS. 1 and 2. The groove 162 forms an air outlet slit between the pump housing 148 and the exterior wall 140 of the holder 138 and interacts with certain venting channels in the holder 138. In particular, the upper, annular end wall 164 forms a circumferential groove 168 at the top of the container 138. The groove 168 is linked to the top of the groove 162, as is shown in the right-hand halves of FIGS. 1 and 2. The groove 168 is linked, in a position offset by 180° relative to the groove 162, to a radial groove 170 (FIG. 2), which is provided in the bottom of the upper end wall 164 of the holder 138. The groove 170 extends inward beyond the wall of the pump housing 148.

[0036] The cylindrical inner sleeve 172 of the holder 138 is connected to a plurality of ribs 174, which are disposed to be distributed at a distance from one another over the circumference and project outward. The vertical exterior surfaces of the ribs 174 rest on the interior wall of the pump housing 148 and serve for the coaxial orientation of the holder 138 and of the pump housing 148.

[0037] The entire circumference of the upper interior edge of the pump housing 148 is conically widened, in order to form an annular channel 171 around the holder 138 at the upper ends of the ribs 174. The intervening spaces between the ribs 174 link an annular space 170 below the ribs 174 at the lower end of the cylindrical inner sleeve 172 of the holder 138 to the annular channel 171, which extends around the upper ends of the ribs 174. This provides a venting channel, which extends out from the interior of the pump housing 148 through the radial groove 170, around the circumferential groove 168, out through the groove 162 over the shoulder 156 and then downward between the cylindrical exterior wall 140 of the holder 138 and of the pump housing 148 into the inner head space of the container above the fluid. This venting channel, together with other components of the pump, permits atmospheric air to penetrate into the container, as is described below.

[0038] A pump piston 182 is so disposed that it can be sealingly and reciprocally moved within the pump chamber 180. The pump piston 182 is provided with a hollow cylindrical shank 186, which extends upward and projects outward from the pump chamber 180 through the holder 138 via the cap 122. The cylindrical piston shank 186 is adapted to an actuating and dispensing head or button 190, which is provided with a dispensing aperture 192, which is linked to the upper end of the piston shank 186 via a radial outlet channel 194. An axial outlet channel 198 extends upward through the pump piston 182 and the shank 186 thereof and links the outlet channels 194 within the actuating head 190 to the pump chamber 180.

[0039] The outside of the piston shank 186 is tapered toward the upper end, so that its diameter increases with increasing height above the holder 138. The lower end of the pump piston 182 forms a sealing surface, concave toward the base 26 (FIG. 2), for the lateral surfaces of the lower end of the inner sleeve 172 of the holder 138 in order to rest thereon and provide a seal when the pump piston 182 is disposed in the fully raised position of rest as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. If however, the pump piston 182 is partially or substantially fully depressed, the concave sealing surface 202 of the pump piston 182 moves away from the lower end of the interior wall 172 of the holder 138.

[0040] As a consequence thereof, ambient air can penetrate into the container in order to top up the volume of the dispensed content and maintain the atmospheric air pressure within the container. When this occurs, ambient air flows into the cap aperture 132 and also under the actuating head 190.

[0041] When the piston shank 186 is disposed in its lowered position, the air flows through an annular gap 123 (FIG. 2) past the cylindrical inner sleeve 172 of the holder 138 and of the pump housing 148. The air then flows through the radial groove 170 and the circumferential groove 168. Here it is distributed in other directions, around the circumference of the holder 138 through approximately 180°, where it then flows through the groove 162 of the pump housing 148. The air then flows between the holder 138 and the pump housing 148 and downward into the container.

[0042] Fluid is fed via the connecting nipple 130 and a suction channel 348 to the pump chamber 180 through a fixed feed line, which in the preferred embodiment shown consists of a cylindrical tubular feed part 220, which projects from the base of the pump housing 148 into the pump chamber 180 and inside the latter and has an open upper end.

[0043] A second differential piston is made up of two parts, specifically a valve body 250 and a sealing sleeve 290 (FIG. 2). The valve body 250 is axially oriented above the stationary, tubular feed part 220 and also disposed in a manner such that it is movable with the pump piston 182 and relative thereto above the tubular feed part 220. The pump piston 182 encloses an enlarged bore, the upper end of which leads into the outlet channel 198 of smaller diameter at a point which is formed by an annular valve seat 258. The valve body 250 is molded onto the upper end of a valve cone, which rests firmly against the annular valve seat 258 in the pump piston 182, in order to prevent fluid from flowing out from the pump chamber 180 through the outlet channel 198.

[0044] The lower end of the valve body 250 is configured as a valve head 270. The valve head 270 has an upper piston surface which is provided with four ribs 274, which extend outward at equal circumferential angles and project from the upper piston surface. The piston surface of the valve head 270 is placed under the pressure of the fluid in the pump chamber 180, as is described in detail below.

[0045] The underside of the valve head 270 is provided with an annular groove of trapezoidal cross section and represents an integral part of an inlet valve. To this end, the outer lateral wall of the annular groove forms a valve surface 280, which is conically widened downward and outward to seal the upper conical contact surface 318 of a sealing sleeve 290, which is linked to the valve body 250 in a manner such that it is capable of limited axial adjustment. The valve surface 280 and the conical contact surface 318 form an essentially identical acute-angled aperture with the central longitudinal axis 0—0 of the pump in the downward direction. The inner lateral wall of the annular groove is formed by a cylindrical guide pin 330.

[0046] The sealing sleeve 290 is provided, on its side facing the container, with a substantially cylindrical piston shell 302. The upper end of the sealing sleeve 290 has an inner annular flange 310, whose underside forms a shoulder 311, which rests on the upper end of a helical compression spring 340 when the pump piston 182 is disposed in its upper, inactive position. In this inactive position, the inlet valve (channel 154) is open. The annular flange 310 can be adjusted axially out of this inactive position into a working position in which the inlet valve is closed. The annular flange 310 extends with its shoulder 311 and its upper front side at right angles to the pump axis 0—0 and axially into an annular groove 279 of the valve head 270.

[0047] As a result of the lower stop for the sealing sleeve 290, formed by the upper end of the helical compression spring 340, a free space is created, which permits a limited axial movement between the valve body 250 and the sealing sleeve 290. This relative mobility of the sealing sleeve 290 is provided here in a manner such that the contact surface of the sealing sleeve 290 rests on the inner valve surface 280 of the outer edge of the valve head 270 in one end position of the range of relative movement of the sealing sleeve 290, so that the inlet valve formed by said parts is closed. The circumstances in which this relative movement from one end position to the other end position takes place are described in detail below.

[0048] The piston shell 302 of the sealing sleeve 290 is provided with guide ribs 350 which project outward and are disposed at a distance apart over the circumference, and by means of which the sealing sleeve 290 is displaceable along the interior wall of-the pump chamber 180, in order to maintain the axial orientation of the sealing sleeve 290 within the pump chamber 180 and relative to the tubular feed part 220.

[0049] The lower end of the sealing sleeve 290 is so formed that it can be telescopically deformed downward in a sealing manner in firm contact along the outside of the stationary tubular feed part 220. To this end, the lower end of the sealing sleeve 290 is provided with an annular beading 360, which projects inward to rest on the outside of the tubular feed part 220 when the movable sealing sleeve 290 moves downward, as is explained below.

[0050] According to FIG. 1, the spring 340 is disposed with its lower end within the pump chamber 180 at the base and within the tubular feed part 220 and engages around a lower guide pin 346, which is disposed coaxially with the main axis of the pump and protrudes upward from the base of the housing. The guide pin 346 is an integral part of the pump housing 148 and, with its inlet channel 348, links the adapter 20 to the tubular feed part 220. It is apparent that the spring 340 normally prestresses the valve body 250 together with the pump piston 182 resting thereon into a fully raised position, when the pump is in its inactive position of rest.

[0051] The valve head 270 is provided on the circumference outwardly and downwardly resembling a fruston with a plurality of ribs (not shown), which are disposed at a distance apart from one another over the circumference and extend downward along the interior wall of the pump housing 148 and assist the axial guidance of the valve body 250.

[0052] The sealing sleeve 290 follows this movement for a short time, while the annular flange 310 is supported by its shoulder 311 on the restoring spring 340. If, however, the lower free end of the sealing sleeve 290 encounters the tubular feed part 220, the movement of the sealing sleeve 290 is briefly interrupted. However, the upper end of the sealing sleeve 290, briefly halted at the tubular feed part 220, is rapidly reached by the valve head 270, so that both parts adopt the closed position. From this moment on, the valve head 270 carries the sealing sleeve 290 downward with it, so that the sealing sleeve 290 slides telescopically and sealingly over the tubular feed part 220. The friction deriving therefrom contributes to a relative pressure of the inner flange 310 on the annular groove, so that the linking channel 154 between the contact surface 318 of the sealing sleeve 290 and the valve surface 280 of the valve head 270 is closed or sealed. From this moment onward, which additionally begins immediately after the start of operation of the pump, the pump chamber 180 is completely closed. The depression of the pump piston 182 now causes an increase of the pressure in the pump chamber 180.

[0053] It must be emphasized, however, that this behavior is greatly dependent on the choice of that point at which the inner flange 310 is supported on the valve body 250. Specifically, while the pressure P in the pump chamber continues to increase, an axial, outward-oriented force is added to the abovementioned friction between the sealing sleeve 290 and the guide pin 346. If “s” is the cross-sectional region of the ribbed groove that extends from the inside of the pump shell 302 of the sealing sleeve 290 to the interior wall of the pump chamber 180, the force obtained is the product of “s” and “P”. Even if “P” is enlarged only slightly, the force by far exceeds the friction of the sealing sleeve 290 on the tubular feed part 220 and is therefore critical for the firm closure of the linking channel 154. If this linking channel 154 is located at a distance from the main axis 0—0 of the metering pump such that an angular range having the cross section “S” for the fluid under pressure “P” is accessible between the bearing surface of the sealing sleeve 290 on the valve body 150 and the interior wall of the pump cylinder 143, an axial force “SP” develops which is oriented toward the container and which counteracts the force “sP” and tends to force back the sealing sleeve 290 and open the linking channel 154. It is therefore necessary to ensure in all circumstances that “S” is less “s”. While the pump chamber 180 is placed under pressure, the closing of the linking channel 154 is better the smaller “S” is relative to “s”. The embodiment shown in the figure is an optimum where “S” equals 0. In this phase of the placing of the pump under pressure, therefore, all actions take place in a manner as if the sealing sleeve 290 and the valve body 250 were inseparably linked to one another. The fluid enclosed in the pump chamber 180 is then dispensed as with conventional pumps.

[0054] However, this analogy no longer applies to the subsequent working phases of the pump. As soon as the force “F” is no longer being applied, the restoring spring 340 forces back the valve body 250. The valve body 250 moves away from the sealing sleeve 290, which as a consequence of the friction on the tubular feed part 220 is held stationary. The sealing sleeve 290 therefore moves out of the closed position into the open position. The linking channel 154 between the valve head 270 and the annular flange 310 of the sealing sleeve 290 is open and therefore provides a link between the container and the pump chamber 180 via the intervening spaces or grooves which are disposed between the guide ribs 350. The restoring spring 340, on which the inner shoulder 311 of the annular flange 310 rests, now carries the valve body 250 with it at the same time as the sealing sleeve 290. This results in an increase in volume in the pump chamber 180. As the linking channel 154 is open, fluid is let into the pump chamber 180. The linking channel 154 makes it possible to fill the pump chamber 180 to an extent whereby the volume of the pump chamber 180 increases. If, therefore, the metering pump 120 has completely returned to its initial position or position of rest and the link between the free lower end of the sealing sleeve 290 and the upper end of the tubular feed part 220 is restored, fluid is no longer aspirated through the tubular feed part 220. Theoretically, therefore, the link would become superfluous. That, however, would mean that a gas-tight contact between the tubular feed part 220 and the end of the sealing sleeve 290 would have to be maintained constantly, and its quality would inevitably deteriorate to the detriment of the plastic flow of the plastic components.

[0055] When the metering pump is actuated, the linking channel 154 therefore closes approximately at the same time as the link 146 is interrupted. However, when the pump piston 182 moves upward, the linking channel 154 opens before the link is restored. A significantly lower vacuum therefore occurs in the pump chamber 180. It follows that only a little air, if any at all, can penetrate, even when the seal of the pump piston 182 relative to the pump cylinder 143 should no longer be particularly tight. In particular, the pump piston 182 in this case needs only a single sealing lip 214. This single sealing lip 214 is directed toward the container, so that, during dispensing of the fluid, the pressure prevailing in the pump chamber 180 continues to increase the sealing effect. Dispensing with one of the two sealing lips reduces the friction of the pump piston 182 of the pump cylinder 143 by half. The spring 340 need not therefore be as powerful as previously, in order to move the pump piston 182 and the valve body 250 back upward again. The operative who compresses the restoring spring 340 during the downward movement of the pump piston 182 therefore needs to apply a lesser force F, which is in a more favorable ratio to the force exerted by the finger of a child. All these advantages are achieved with one additional part, specifically the sealing sleeve 290, which represents a special part. This improves the quality of spraying, which ensures the dispensing of a uniform metered volume independently of the age of the metering pump. The two fitted-together parts 250 and 290 of the differential piston therefore interact via the restoring spring 340 and permit the aspiration of the fluid during the actuation of the metering pump. The pump chamber 180 is then filled with air, which is generally the case when the metering pump is operated for the first time, the pressure in the pump chamber 180 not increasing to such an extent, as a result of the downward movement of the movable parts 182, 250, 290 within the pump housing 148, that the outlet valve 258, 262 could be opened. During the output movement of conventional pistons, therefore, the vacuum in the pump chamber 180 necessary for the access of fluid is not present. This disadvantage is eliminated by the fact that the linking channel 154 between the pump chamber 180 and the container opens immediately on commencement of the upward movement of the pump piston 182. As a consequence thereof, air can again be distributed, but on this occasion in the opposite direction. In this manner, air flows from the pump chamber 180 into the container. In the course of the further upward movement of the pump piston 182 a vacuum is simply produced by the increase in the volume in the pump chamber 180 which, as desired, aspirates fluid into the pump chamber 180 and fills the latter with fluid.

[0056] The procedure for placing under vacuum, then, is the same as in the case of the pump 120 described previously. On first operation of the pump 120, air is forced out from the pump, while the product is aspirated on the return stroke.

[0057] In the approximately upright position of the pump 120, with the adapter 20 in FIGS. 1 and 2, the product is aspirated through the ascending pipe 32 during the return stroke. The product flows around the non-return valve 50 and fills the pump chamber 180. When this occurs, the inlet or sleeve valve 48 remains closed. During the pumping stroke, some of the product, which is not located in the pump chamber 180, is forced downward through the adapter 20 past the non-return valve 50 through the ascending pipe 32, because the non-return valve 50 is kept from reaching its closing position by the V-shape of the end of the ascending pipe or ribs on the adapter 20 and retained in what is referred to as its throttling position.

[0058] In the upside-down position of the pump 120 with the adapter 20, not shown in the figures, the non-return valve 50 drops onto its throttling or ball seat and seals the non-return valve seat 54 during the return stroke. As a result of this sealing, a vacuum is produced in the pump chamber 180, as a result of which the flexible inlet valve 48 bulges inward and, as a consequence thereof, is opened. As a result, the product is aspirated into the pump 120 through the inlets 46 in the adapter 20 and past the inlet valve 48. When the filling operation has ended, the inlet valve 48 closes and the product can be dispensed, as usual, from the pump camber 180.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of an adapter 20a, which in turn is attached to the same pump 120 as in FIG. 1. In the adapter 20a, a sleeve-shaped inlet valve 48a is provided in the region of its sleeve base 64a with an annular sealing flange 66a, which rests sealingly on a smoothly cylindrical longitudinal section 67a of the interior wall of the adapter housing 34a and is supported on the upper end faces of supporting ribs 70a at a distance below the lower end of the connecting nipple 130a of the housing 148a of the pump 120a.

[0060] A valve sleeve 62a of thin wall thickness consists here, again, of elastically flexible material and engages with its upper end into the connecting nipple 130a of the pump housing 148a. The valve sleeve 62a normally rests sealingly, over a short length, on an interior wall 76a of the lower end of the connecting nipple 130a of the adapter housing 34a, in a manner such that, in the event of a reduced pressure within the adapter housing 34a, the wall of the valve sleeve 62a is caused to bulge inward by the inflowing fluid under the effect of the pressure difference and permits the entry of the fluid into the adapter housing 34a.

[0061] The inlet consists of at least one inlet slit, the inlet in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 consisting of three inlet slits 46a, which are disposed at equal circumferential angles in the interior wall of a connecting pipe 42a and extend between the connecting nipple 130a of the pump housing 148a and the upper connecting pipe 42a of the adapter housing 34a beyond the lower end of the connecting nipple 130a into the interior of the adapter housing 34a.

[0062] An upper edge of the connecting pipe 42a of the adapter housing 34a, which is secured on the outside of the connecting nipple 130a of the housing 148a of the dispensing device 22a, is cut out to form, in each case, an inlet port 47a for the respectively associated inlet slit 46a.

[0063] The inlet slits 46a extend downward beyond a lower edge of the connecting nipple 130a of the housing 148a and end at a distance above the sealing flange 66a of the inlet valve 48a, in order to form outlet ports 49a for each of the inlet slits 46a. These outlet ports 49a lie at a distance from and opposite to the outside of the valve sleeve 62a of the inlet valve 48a, protruding from the outside of the sleeve base 64a of the inlet valve 48a.

[0064] Throttle ports 58a in the base of the adapter housing 34a, on which the spherical non-return valve 50a lies in the upright position of the container, are provided with at least three bypass flow channels 60a.

[0065] It can be seen that the adapter 20a in FIG. 2 has a shorter overall length and a smaller dead volume in the adapter housing 34a.

[0066] FIG. 3 shows an adapter 20b whose connecting pipe 42b is widened in diameter and provided with a greater wall thickness. A plurality of inlet slits 46b, extending parallel to the axis and disposed at equal circumferential angular intervals, are limited in the circumferential direction by longitudinal ribs 47b on the interior wall of the connecting pipe 42b. In addition, the longitudinal ribs 47b are each provided, at a distance below their lower ends of equal height, with a stop shoulder 43b, on which stop shoulders 43b the lower end face of a connecting nipple 130b of a pump 120b forming the dispensing device rests.

[0067] In the embodiment of an adapter 20c in FIG. 4, a flexible valve sleeve 62c of the inlet or sleeve valve 48c extends over substantially its entire length into a connecting nipple 130c of a pump housing 148c and normally lies sealingly only with the outside of its upper free end 35c on an interior wall 36c of the connecting nipple 130c.

[0068] Below this abovementioned sealing region between inlet valve 48c and connecting nipple 130c, the interior wall of the connecting nipple 130c is widened at 45c in order to facilitate the installation of the inlet valve 48c and the lifting away of the upper end 35c of the inlet valve 48c from the interior wall of the connecting nipple 130c. Inlet slits 46c extend between the connecting pipe 42c of the adapter housing 34c and the connecting nipple 130c of the housing 148c of the dispensing device 120c.

[0069] The adapter housing 34c is provided above a valve chamber 52c with an inner annular shoulder 33c on which an annular flange 74c of the inlet valve 48c is supported. The clear diameter of the annular shoulder 33c approximately corresponds to the clear diameter of the connecting nipple 130c of the pump housing 148c. At least three stops 38c are molded on the top of the annular shoulder 33c, are disposed at equal circumferential angular intervals, rest on the lower end face of the connecting nipple 130c and form radially inward-extending passage channels 37c for the fluid product that are flush with the inlet slits 46c and make a transition into the annular space between connecting nipple 130c and valve sleeve 62c.

[0070] In this arrangement, a longitudinal section of the adapter housing 34c extends below the annular shoulder 33c and forms a smoothly cylindrical interior wall of the valve chamber 52c for a non-return valve 50c. Here again, the diameter of the valve chamber 52c is substantially greater than the diameter of the spherical non-return valve 50c, so that good flow around the non-return valve 50c is achieved.

[0071] The longitudinal ribs 49c separate the inlet slits 46c in the circumferential direction of the interior wall of the upper end, forming the connecting pipe 42c, of the adapter housing 34c. The stops 38c are disposed at an equal axial height at a distance above the inner annular shoulder 33c of the adapter housing 34c.

[0072] It is further apparent from FIG. 4 that the upper end, protruding into the valve chamber 52c, of an ascending pipe 32c projects with its gable-shaped tip 76c above the height of bearing webs 77c out into the valve chamber 52c, so that the spherical non-return valve 50c exposes a relatively large through-flow cross section. It can also be seen that the overall height of the adapter 20c is exceptionally small, because of the connecting pipe 42c engages over approximately its full length over the connecting nipple 130c and, in addition, the inlet valve 48c engages almost completely over the connecting nipple 130c. Because of this compact arrangement of said parts, stable mounting of the adapter housing 34c and of the ascending pipe 32c in an ascending pipe nipple 40c of the adapter 20c is guaranteed.

[0073] FIG. 5 shows a modified embodiment of an inlet valve 48d, whose non-return valve seat 54d exhibits a 45° angle for optimum sealing by a spherical non-return valve 50d. A sleeve base 64d is provided with a radially outward-projecting sealing flange 74d, which is mounted sealingly on an inner annular shoulder 37d of an adapter housing 34d. The top of the sealing flange 74d is provided with four ribs 75d disposed at equal circumferential angles, these extending as far as the outer circumference of the sealing flange 74d and serving as a stop for the lower end of a connecting nipple 130d. The interior wall of a connecting pipe 42d of the adapter housing 34d is provided with three axial inlet slits 46d disposed at equal circumferential angular intervals and guided in a U-shape around the connecting nipple 130d, as is apparent on the left-hand side of FIG. 5.

[0074] In FIG. 5, as in FIG. 4, the inlet slits 46d of U-shaped cross section also ensure that the upper end of the valve sleeve 62d, which exclusively rests sealingly on the interior wall of the connecting nipple 130d, can easily be lifted off from the interior wall of the connecting nipple 130d and opened in the event of a pressure difference between the two sides of this sealing region.

[0075] Above the base of a valve chamber 52d, four ribs 51d are provided at equal circumferential angular distances and ensure that, in the event of an ascending pipe 32d not being completely inserted into the ascending pipe nipple 40d, the spherical non-return valve 50d does not block off the adapter housing 34d in the event of a pump stroke in the upright position of the pump 120d.

[0076] FIG. 6 shows a modified embodiment of an adapter 20e according to the invention, wherein, at a distance above a passage aperture 80e in the base of a valve chamber 52e for a spherical non-return valve 50e, a baffle plate 82e is disposed at an axial distance above the passage aperture 80e. The free front end 83e of the baffle plate 82e extends from the interior wall of the valve chamber 52e at a distance above the passage aperture 80e and ends at a distance in front of the diametrally opposite side. The baffle plate 82e masks the passage aperture 80e, in a manner such that the fluid flow from an ascending pipe 32e is deflected against the interior wall of the valve chamber 52e and the flow can pass around the spherical non-return valve 50e, so that it remains open during the suction stroke of the pump 120e or when the dispensing valve of a pressure container is open.

[0077] FIG. 7 shows a modified embodiment of an adapter 20f and of an inlet valve 48f, whose lower edge 67f is configured as an annular sealing flange 66f and comprises an increasingly small wall thickness toward its outer edge. The inlet valve 48f consists, as in all cases described, of elastically flexible material, such as silicone or PE, and is again configured above the sealing flange 66f as a valve sleeve 62f which is inserted by its upper end into a connecting nipple 130f of a pump house 148f. The upper end of the valve sleeve 62f is provided on its circumference with ribs 45f that form passage channels 30f, which provide a link between the pump housing 148f and the interior of the container.

[0078] The adapter 20f has an adapter housing 34f, which contains a widened sealing flange chamber 90f and is therefore produced in two parts. The sleeve-shaped inlet valve 48f is provided at its lower end with the sealing flange 66f, whose diameter is substantially greater than that of the upper valve sleeve 62f, whose lower end is formed by the sealing flange 66f. A base 92f of this sealing flange chamber 90f is provided with a plurality of inlet ports 97f for the fluid, disposed at equal circumferential intervals, which are normally sealed by the sealing flange 66f, which is increasingly thin and therefore more flexible toward its outer edge, the flange in the sealing flange chamber 90f resting sealingly on the inlet ports 97f. In the upside-down position of the device, the sealing flange 66f is lifted away from the inlet ports 72f during a suction stroke of the pump 120f, so that the fluid product can be aspirated from the container into the pump housing 148f. A baffle plate 82f is likewise disposed in a valve chamber 52f for a spherical non-return valve 50f. By contrast with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the baffle plate may also be round in shape and disposed coaxially with and at a distance above a passage aperture 80f in the base of the valve chamber 52f, at least three thin webs linking the baffle plate to the base, of annular shoulder shape, of the valve chamber 52f.

[0079] The embodiment of the adapter in FIGS. 8 to 15 differs from that in FIGS. 1 to 7 primarily in that the inlet valve and the adapter are produced in one piece.

[0080] FIG. 8 shows an adapter 20g which is formed in one piece with a sleeve-shaped inlet valve 48g. A connecting pipe 42g of the adapter 20g surrounds a valve housing 62g at a distance, so that, in the cross section shown in FIG. 8, they form U-shaped legs of an annular space 63g for a connecting nipple 130g of a pump housing 148g. In this embodiment, again, a plurality of inlet slits 46g are provided on the inside of the connecting pipe 42g and are separated by longitudinal ribs 65g on the interior wall of the connecting pipe 42g. These longitudinal ribs end at their lower ends in stop shoulders 77g for the lower end face of the connecting nipple 130g of the pump housing 148g, which are disposed at a radial distance from the exterior wall of the valve sleeve 62g.

[0081] The connecting nipple 130g is provided over approximately three quarters of its length and on the inside with a widened portion 29g, which forms an annular space 31g with the exterior wall of the valve sleeve 62g, this annular space 31g forming, in the cross section shown in FIG. 8, the inner leg of the U-shaped inlet slit 46g and ending only immediately in front of the upper end of the valve sleeve 62g which seals the inlet slits 46g relative to the interior wall of the connecting nipple 130g. The annular space 31g narrows toward the upper end, resting on the interior wall of the connecting nipple 130g, of the valve sleeve 62g in a manner such that the sealing, upper end of the valve sleeve 62g can more easily be lifted away by the fluid product from the interior wall of the connecting nipple 130g in the opening direction.

[0082] The lower end of a conical longitudinal section 21g of the adapter housing 34g is formed by a non-return valve seat 54g for a spherical non-return valve 50g within a valve chamber 52g. The substantially cylindrical valve chamber 52g is provided at equal circumferential intervals with longitudinal ribs 71g, which guide the spherical non-return valve 50g axially at a radial distance from the interior wall of the valve chamber 52g and thus form bypass flow channels 60g, through which the fluid product of the container can flow around the non-return valve 50g.

[0083] The lower ends of the longitudinal ribs 71g are configured as radially inward-projecting bearing beadings 73g for the spherical non-return valve 50g. Below the seat for the non-return valve 50g formed by the bearing beadings 73g, the upper end, again pointed in the manner of a gabled roof, of an ascending pipe 32g is inserted and retained in an axially immovable manner by a constriction of the interior wall of an ascending pipe nipple 44g.

[0084] The interior diameter of the valve chamber 52g and of the ascending pipe connector 44g are again of equal size, in the same way as the exterior diameter of the valve chamber 52g and of the ascending pipe connector 44g.

[0085] The modification of an adapter 20h shown in FIG. 9 relates solely to the support of a spherical non-return valve 50h, which is supported solely by the two diametrally opposite tips 33h of an ascending pipe 32h, throttle ports 58h being left free. Accordingly, longitudinal ribs 71h in a valve chamber 52h for the non-return valve 50h are provided over their entire length with the same cross section, so that the non-return valve 50h is axially guided by the longitudinal ribs 71h in the axial direction only at a radial distance from the interior wall of the valve chamber 52h. FIG. 10 clarifies, in a view rotated through 90°, the position of the spherical non-return valve 50h on the end, cut to the shape of a gabled roof, of the ascending pipe 32h.

[0086] FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which both a housing 148i of a pump 120i and an adapter 20i are modified. A base 360i of the pump housing 148i is provided with passage channels 25i, a tubular guide pin 346i extending beyond the base 360i of the pump housing 148i freely downward through a valve sleeve 62i and engaging only with its lower end into a valve chamber 52i for a spherical non-return valve 50i and closing the valve chamber 52i in the direction of the pump 120i. At the same time, the lower end of this tubular guide pin 346i forms a non-return valve seat 54i for the non-return valve 50i.

[0087] In the lower end of the valve chamber 52i, a supporting device 56i for the spherical non-return valve 50i is again provided, as has already been described above in connection with FIG. 1. At a distance below this supporting device 56i, again, the upper end 76i, cut to the shape of a gabled roof, of an ascending pipe 32i inserted into an ascending pipe nipple 44i is identifiable.

[0088] The upper end of the valve sleeve 62i again forms a flexible seal relative to the interior wall of a connecting nipple 130i of the pump housing 148i, inlet slits 46i, as in FIGS. 8 and 9, being provided in connection with the upper end of the adapter 20i.

[0089] In order that the upper, normally sealing end of the valve sleeve 62i can lift away from the cylindrical interior wall of the connecting nipple 130i in the event of a pressure difference, the cylindrical interior wall of the valve sleeve 62i is disposed at a radial distance from the cylindrical circumference of the tubular guide pin 346i, through which a passage channel 347i extends. It can be seen that the cylindrical interior diameter of the smooth-walled valve chamber 52i is a smaller size than the interior diameter of the valve sleeve 62i and is exactly matched to the exterior diameter of the guide pin 346i, in order to ensure a seal between the guide pin 346i and the interior wall of the valve chamber 52i. In this region, the adapter housing 34i is again shaped to taper conically toward the valve chamber 52i.

[0090] FIG. 12 shows a further embodiment of an adapter 20k with an adapter housing 34k, which is of extremely compact design and combines with one another in a compact construction a sleeve-shaped inlet valve 48k, a non-return valve seat 54k for a spherical non-return valve 50k and an ascending pipe nipple 44k. In the present example of embodiment, a connecting nipple 130k of a pump housing 148k is extended to the point where it comprises not only a valve sleeve 62k but also a valve chamber 52k as far as the height of the open end position of the spherical non-return valve 50k. The adapter housing 34k is there provided with an annular flange 35k whose outside is approximately flush with the outer circumference of the connecting nipple 130k.

[0091] The interior wall of the connecting nipple 130k is widened upward as far as the vicinity of a sleeve base 64k, to form inlet slits 46k which are disposed on the outside of the wall of the adapter housing 34k surrounding the valve chamber 52k and extend from the annular flange 35k to a height below the throttle valve seat 54k for the non-return valve 50k.

[0092] The spherical non-return valve 50k is supported, in its lower, open end position, only by the tips 33k of an ascending pipe 32k, as was described in detail in connection with FIG. 9. In the reversed position of the device shown in FIG. 12, a pressure difference acting on the fluid, as described, will lift the upper end of the valve sleeve 62k inward away from the interior wall of a connecting nipple 130k, so that the fluid product can penetrate through an aspiration channel 347k into the housing 148k of the pump 120k.

[0093] Finally, FIG. 13 shown an adapter 20l, which engages with a connecting pipe 42l over a connecting nipple 130l of a housing 148l of a pump. 120l at a radial distance, forming a plurality of inlet slits 46l. The inlet slits 46l are again disposed with a U-shaped cross section, so that they also extend between the exterior wall of a valve sleeve 62l until immediately in front of the upper end thereof, which is again flexibly configured and rests sealingly on the interior wall of the connecting nipple 130l in the upright position and in the inactive state of the device. The interior wall of the connecting nipple 130l is provided with longitudinal ribs 31l, which separate the inlet slits 46l from one another in the circumferential direction. Preferably, three or four such inlet slits 46l are provided.

[0094] In the mounted position of the adapter 30l, a non-return valve seat 54l is disposed within the connecting nipple 130l. As the non-return valve seat 54l is formed by an annular wall 55l tapering conically toward the upper end of the adapter 20l, the length of an adapter housing 34l can be economized on or the distance between the closed position and the lower, open position of a spherical non-return valve 50l can be increased. An ascending pipe nipple 44l for an ascending pipe 32l is provided on the outside with reinforcing ribs 69l, which extend from the lower end of the ascending pipe nipple 44l to the lower end of the upper connecting pipe 42l, which is set on a shoulder 41l which extends radially outward from the exterior wall of the adapter 20l at a distance below the non-return valve seat 54l. The connecting pipe 42l in turn forms, together with the valve sleeve 62l, an inlet valve 48l, the connecting nipple 130l engaging into the connecting pipe 42l, so that the valve sleeve 62l seals the connecting nipple on the interior wall. It can further be seen that a valve chamber 52l is of smoothly cylindrical design and has a much greater diameter than the spherical non-return valve 50l, which is held in its lower, open position merely by tips 33l of the ascending pipe 32l and, consequently, a large free cross section is available between the spherical non-return valve 50l and the interior wall of the valve chamber 52l for the aspiration of the fluid product into the housing 148l of the pump 120l in its upright position.

[0095] The above description of numerous examples of embodiment of the invention gives an impression of the advantages achieved by means of the adapter according to the invention. These consist in the use of a positive contact seal for the upright dispensing position of the dispensing device in comparison with a ball valve in the case of conventional systems. In addition, all components, specifically the housing of the dispensing device, the adapter and the ascending tube are oriented coaxially with one another. Finally, the basic concept of the invention of using three parts for a large number of immersion pipe sizes can be applied to reduce costs and/or improve performance. Not least, the positive contact seal achieved by means of the sleeve-shaped inlet valve in every type of upside-down position of the device achieves a substantially uniform output performance of the dispensing device. Furthermore, immersion pipes and valve balls of different sizes can be used in connection with the adapter according to the invention. Moreover, there are a plurality of possibilities for retaining the ball valve in the adapter and securing it on the housing assigned to a pump or a valve. Finally, the invention can be embodied with a minimum number of parts.