Fluid Dispenser With Moveable Nozzle Shield For Manual Activation

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001]This application claims priority to the 7 Jun. 2024 filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/657,180, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002]This invention relates to fluid dispensers, and more particularly to hand cleaning fluid dispensers that can be touchlessly operated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003]It is known to provide hand cleaning fluid dispensers with touchless pump activation mechanisms, which allow hand cleaning fluid to be dispensed onto a user's hand without requiring the user to touch the dispenser. This reduces the risk of the dispenser becoming contaminated by the user's hands, and can therefore help to reduce the spread of infections.

[0004]A disadvantage of touchless pump activation mechanisms is that they typically require a source of electricity in order to function. If no electricity is available, for example due to a depleted battery or power outage, the touchless pump activation mechanism will become inoperable.

[0005]In order to avoid inoperability, it is known to provide an emergency lever that can be used to manually activate the fluid pump, so that fluid can still be dispensed even when no electricity is available. An example of a prior art dispenser having an emergency lever 100 is shown in FIG. 13.

[0006]The applicant has identified a disadvantage of the prior art is that users will often use the emergency lever to manually activate a touchless hand cleaning fluid dispenser, even when electricity is available. This increases the risk of the dispenser becoming contaminated by the user's hands.

[0007]It is believed that the presence of a visible emergency lever may cause some users to incorrectly assume that a dispenser is intended to be manually operated. The applicant has found that the use of signage to explain the function of the emergency lever has reduced the occurrence of unnecessary manual operation, but has not eliminated it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008]To at least partially overcome some of the disadvantages of previously known systems, devices and methods, in one aspect the present invention provides a fluid dispenser having a touchless pump activation mechanism that touchlessly activates a fluid pump, and an alternative pump activation mechanism for manually activating the fluid pump, wherein the alternative pump activation mechanism is activated by manually moving a nozzle shield of the fluid dispenser from a first position to a second position.

[0009]The applicant has appreciated that having a nozzle shield that is able to manually activate the fluid pump eliminates the need to have a separate visible emergency lever. This preferably reduces the likelihood that users will touch the dispenser unnecessarily.

[0010]Further aspects of the invention include:

[0011]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, comprising: a fluid reservoir containing a supply of a fluid to be dispensed; a spout for discharging the fluid; a fluid pump that dispenses the fluid out through the spout on activation of the fluid pump; a nozzle shield that at least partially covers the spout; a touchless pump activation mechanism that touchlessly activates the fluid pump; and an alternative pump activation mechanism for manually activating the fluid pump; wherein the nozzle shield is moveable between a first position and a second position; and wherein the alternative pump activation mechanism is activated by manually moving the nozzle shield from the first position to the second position.

[0012]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the fluid pump comprises a piston that is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position; and wherein the fluid pump is activated by moving the piston between the extended position and the retracted position.

[0013]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the nozzle shield is pivotable about a nozzle shield pivot axis, and wherein moving the nozzle shield from the first position to the second position comprises pivoting the nozzle shield about the nozzle shield pivot axis.

[0014]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the alternative pump activation mechanism comprises a piston activation member that is pivotable about a piston activation axis between a rest position and a shifted position; wherein the piston activation member comprises a piston activation surface; wherein, when the piston activation member pivots from the rest position to the shifted position, the piston activation surface engages with the piston to move the piston from the extended position to the retracted position; wherein the piston activation member comprises a camming surface; wherein the nozzle shield comprises a cam arm; wherein, when the nozzle shield moves from the first position to the second position, the cam arm engages with the camming surface to move the piston activation member from the rest position to the shifted position.

[0015]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein, when the fluid pump is activated by the touchless pump activation mechanism, the piston activation member is configured to remain stationary at the rest position.

[0016]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the fluid dispenser further comprises a housing having a mounting member; wherein the mounting member has a right wall and a left wall, and a pump mounting structure located between the right wall and the left wall; wherein the pump mounting structure carries the fluid pump.

[0017]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the nozzle shield comprises a nose portion that at least partially covers the spout, a right rear extension that extends rearwardly adjacent to the right wall, and a left rear extension that extends rearwardly adjacent to the left wall; wherein the right rear extension is pivotally mounted to the right wall; and wherein the left rear extension is pivotally mounted to the left wall.

[0018]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the right rear extension is positioned laterally outwardly from the right wall; and wherein the left rear extension is positioned laterally outwardly from the left wall.

[0019]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the nozzle shield comprises a nozzle shield axle that extends between the right rear extension and the left rear extension; wherein the right wall and the left wall each have a nozzle shield mounting opening; and wherein the nozzle shield axle extends through the nozzle shield mounting opening of the right wall and the nozzle shield mounting opening of the left wall.

[0020]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the piston activation member comprises a central plate carrying the piston activation surface, a right activation arm that extends rearwardly from the central plate adjacent to the right wall, and a left activation arm that extends rearwardly from the central plate adjacent to the left wall; wherein the right activation arm is pivotally mounted to the right wall; and wherein the left activation arm is pivotally mounted to the left wall.

[0021]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the right activation arm is positioned laterally outwardly from the right wall; and wherein the left activation arm is positioned laterally outwardly from the left wall.

[0022]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the right activation arm and the left activation arm each have an activation arm opening; wherein the right wall and the left wall each have a piston activation member mounting projection that extends laterally outwardly; wherein the piston activation member mounting projection of the right wall extends through the activation arm opening of the right activation arm; and wherein the piston activation member mounting projection of the left wall extends through the activation arm opening of the left activation arm.

[0023]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the camming surface is a right camming surface and the cam arm is a right cam arm; wherein the right rear extension comprises the right cam arm; wherein the right activation arm comprises the right camming surface; wherein the left rear extension comprises a left cam arm; wherein the left activation arm comprises a left camming surface; and wherein, when the nozzle shield moves from the first position to the second position, the right cam arm engages with the right camming surface and the left cam arm engages with the left camming surface to move the piston activation member from the rest position to the shifted position.

[0024]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the touchless pump activation mechanism comprises a touchless activation lever that engages with the piston.

[0025]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the touchless activation lever engages with at least one side surface of the piston; and wherein the piston activation surface of the piston activation member engages a top surface of the piston.

[0026]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein the touchless activation lever is positioned laterally inwardly from the right wall and the left wall.

[0027]A fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, wherein, when the fluid pump is activated by the touchless pump activation mechanism, the nozzle shield is configured to remain stationary at the first position.

[0028]A fluid dispenser housing, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, comprising: a nozzle shield; a touchless pump activation mechanism for touchlessly activating a fluid pump; and an alternative pump activation mechanism for manually activating the fluid pump; wherein the nozzle shield is moveable between a first position and a second position; and wherein the alternative pump activation mechanism is activated by manually moving the nozzle shield from the first position to the second position.

[0029]A method of operating a fluid dispenser, which optionally incorporates one or more features of any one or more of the preceding and/or following aspects, the fluid comprising: the method comprising: if the touchless pump activation mechanism is operable, placing a user's hand below the spout to activate the touchless pump activation mechanism; and if the touchless pump activation mechanism is inoperable, manually moving the nozzle shield from the first position to the second position to activate the fluid pump.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030]Further aspects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fluid dispenser in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0032]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1, with a housing cover and a fluid reservoir omitted;

[0033]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1, with the housing cover, the fluid reservoir, and a nozzle shield assembly omitted;

[0034]FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1, with the fluid reservoir and a dispenser housing omitted;

[0035]FIG. 5 is a side view of a fluid pump and a touchless activation mechanism of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1, with the fluid pump shown in an extended position;

[0036]FIG. 6 is a side view of the fluid pump and the touchless activation mechanism shown in FIG. 5, with the fluid pump shown in a retracted position;

[0037]FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of a nozzle shield of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

[0038]FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of a piston activation member of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

[0039]FIG. 9 is a side perspective view of the nozzle shield assembly of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

[0040]FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the fluid pump and the nozzle shield assembly of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

[0041]FIG. 11 is a side view of the fluid pump and the nozzle shield assembly of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1, with the fluid pump shown in the extended position;

[0042]FIG. 12 is a side view of the fluid pump and the nozzle shield assembly of the fluid dispenser shown in FIG. 1, with the fluid pump shown in the retracted position; and

[0043]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a prior art fluid dispenser having an emergency lever.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044]FIGS. 1 to 4 show a fluid dispenser 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The fluid dispenser 10 includes a dispenser housing 12, a fluid reservoir 14, a fluid pump 16, a touchless pump activation mechanism 18, and a nozzle shield assembly 20. The nozzle shield assembly 20 is also referred to herein as the alternative pump activation mechanism 20.

[0045]The dispenser housing 12 includes a housing body 22, a mounting member 24, and a housing cover 26. The housing body 22, which is best shown in FIG. 3, is a rectangular structure that extends vertically from a bottom end 28 to a top end 30, and is configured to be mounted to a vertical support structure such as a wall. The housing body 22 houses the touchless pump activation mechanism 18.

[0046]The mounting member 24 extends forwardly from the top end 30 of the housing body 22, and has a vertical right wall 32, a vertical left wall 34, and a pump mounting structure 36 located between the right wall 32 and the left wall 34. The right wall 32 and the left wall 34 each have a nozzle shield mounting opening 38 and a piston activation member mounting projection 40 that extends laterally outwardly from the wall 32, 34. The pump mounting structure 36 is configured to carry the fluid pump 16.

[0047]The housing cover 26, which is shown in FIG. 1, has a top wall 42 and two side walls 44. The housing cover 26 attaches to the housing body 22, with the top wall 42 positioned over the top end 30 of the housing body 22, and the side walls 44 extending down towards the bottom end 28 of the housing body 22. The housing body 22 and the side walls 44 define an internal chamber 46 for receiving the fluid reservoir 14, as is known in the art.

[0048]The fluid reservoir 14 is a bottle containing a supply of a hand cleaning fluid to be dispensed from the fluid dispenser 10. The fluid reservoir 14 has an open top, not shown, that attaches to the fluid pump 16.

[0049]The fluid pump 16 is best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and includes a piston chamber forming body 48, a piston member 50, and a dip tube 52. The piston member 50 is moveable relative to the piston chamber forming body 48 between the extended position shown in FIG. 5 and the retracted position shown in FIG. 6. An internal biasing member, not shown, biases the piston member 50 towards the extended position.

[0050]The piston member 50 has a central body 54 that extends upwardly from the piston chamber forming body 48, and an elongated spout 56 that extends forwardly from the central body 54 to a fluid outlet 58. The central body 54 has side surfaces 60 that are configured to engage with the touchless pump activation mechanism 18, and a top surface 62.

[0051]The dip tube 52 extends downwardly from the piston chamber forming body 48 for drawing fluid from the fluid reservoir 14. The fluid pump 16 is activated by moving the piston member 50 between the extended position and the retracted position, which draws fluid in through the dip tube 52 and discharges the fluid out through the fluid outlet 58, as is known in the art.

[0052]The touchless pump activation mechanism 18 is best shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 as including an electric motor assembly 64, a touchless activation lever 66, and a control unit 68. The touchless activation lever 66 extends from a motor attachment point 70 to a pump attachment point 72. At the pump attachment point 72, the touchless activation lever 66 engages with the side surfaces 60 of the piston member 50. On activation of the electric motor assembly 64, the touchless activation lever 66 pivots about the pump attachment point 72 between the raised position shown in FIG. 5 and the lowered position shown in FIG. 6, which moves the piston member 50 between the extended position shown in FIG. 5 and the retracted position shown in FIG. 6.

[0053]Although not shown in the drawings, the fluid dispenser 10 includes at least one sensor that is configured to detect the presence of a user's hand placed below the fluid outlet 58, as is known in the art. The sensor is in communication with the control unit 68, which activates the electric motor assembly 64 when a user's hand is detected. The electric motor assembly 64 may be powered by any suitable power source, such as a battery or wired connection to an external power supply.

[0054]As can be seen in FIG. 9, the nozzle shield assembly 20 includes a nozzle shield 74 and a piston activation member 76. Referring to FIG. 7, the nozzle shield 74 includes a nose portion 78 and two rear extensions 80. The rear extensions 80 each have a cam arm 82 that extends upwardly from an elbow portion 84. A nozzle shield axle 86 extends between the elbow portions 84 along a nozzle shield pivot axis 88. The rear extensions 80 are also referred to herein as the right rear extension 80 and the left rear extension 80, and the cam arms 82 are also referred to herein as the right cam arm 82 and the left cam arm 82.

[0055]As can be seen in FIG. 2, the nose portion 78 of the nozzle shield 74 is positioned above the spout 56 and substantially covers the spout 56. This helps to prevent users from touching and possibly contaminating the spout 56.

[0056]The rear extensions 80 extend rearwardly adjacent to the right and left walls 32, 34 of the mounting member 24, and the nozzle shield axle 86 extends through the nozzle shield mounting openings 38. This allows the nozzle shield 74 to pivot about the nozzle shield pivot axis 88 relative to the mounting member 24.

[0057]As can be seen in FIG. 8, the piston activation member 76 has a central plate 90 with a downwardly extending piston activation projection 92. An activation arm 94 extends rearwardly from each of the right and left sides of the central plate 90. Each activation arm 94 has a circular opening 96 and a rearwardly facing camming surface 98. The activation arms 94 are also referred to herein as the right activation arm 94 and the left activation arm 94; the camming surfaces 98 are also referred to herein as the right camming surface 98 and the left camming surface 98; and the circular openings 96 are also referred to herein as the activation arm openings 96.

[0058]As can be seen in FIG. 2, the piston activation member 76 is positioned with the mounting projections 40 of the mounting member 24 extending through the circular openings 96 of the activation arms 94. This allows the piston activation member 76 to pivot relative to the mounting member 24 about a piston activation axis 102. As can be seen in FIGS. 10 to 12, the camming surfaces 98 of the piston activation member 76 are positioned adjacent to the cam arms 82 of the nozzle shield 74, and the piston activation projection 92 is positioned adjacent to the top surface 62 of the piston member 50.

[0059]The nozzle shield assembly 20 provides an alternative mechanism for activating the fluid pump 16. In particular, the nozzle shield 74 can be pivoted about the nozzle shield pivot axis 88 from the first position shown in FIG. 11 to the second position shown in FIG. 12 by manually pushing the nose portion 78 downwards. On movement of the nozzle shield 74 from the first position to the second position, the cam arms 82 of the nozzle shield 74 engage with the camming surfaces 98 of the piston activation member 76, which pivots the piston activation member 76 about the piston activation axis 102 from the rest position shown in FIG. 11 to the shifted position shown in FIG. 12. On movement of the piston activation member 76 from the rest position to the shifted position, the piston activation projection 92 engages with the top surface 62 of the piston member 50, which moves the piston member 50 from the extended position shown in FIG. 11 to the retracted position shown in FIG. 12.

[0060]A preferred method of operating the fluid dispenser 10 will now be described with reference to the Figures. During normal operation, the touchless pump activation mechanism 18 has a supply of electricity, such as from a battery or wired power source. In order to activate the dispenser 10, a user places their hand below the fluid outlet 58, which triggers the control unit 68 to activate the electric motor assembly 64. On activation of the electric motor assembly 64, the touchless activation lever 66 is moved between the raised position shown in FIG. 5 and the lowered position shown in FIG. 6, which moves the piston member 50 between the extended position shown in FIG. 5 and the retracted position shown in FIG. 6, which causes fluid to be drawn from the fluid reservoir 14 and dispensed onto the user's hand from the fluid outlet 58.

[0061]In the event that the supply of electricity is interrupted, for example due to a depleted battery or power outage, the nozzle shield assembly 20 provides an alternative mechanism for operating the fluid pump 16. In particular, a user can activate the fluid pump 16 by manually pushing the nose portion 78 of the nozzle shield 74 downwardly, which causes the nozzle shield 74 to pivot from the first position shown in FIG. 11 to the second position shown in FIG. 12, which pivots the piston activation member 76 from the rest position shown in FIG. 11 to the shifted position shown in FIG. 12, which in turn moves the piston member 50 from the extended position shown in FIG. 11 to the retracted position shown in FIG. 12, which causes fluid to be dispensed from the fluid outlet 58. When the user manually releases the nose portion 78, the internal biasing mechanism of the fluid pump 16 returns the piston member 50 to the extended position, which pivots the piston activation member 76 from the shifted position to the rest position, which in turn pivots the nozzle shield 74 from the second position show in FIG. 12 back to the first position shown in FIG. 11.

[0062]Advantageously, the nozzle shield 74 serves the dual functions of covering the spout 56, which helps to prevent contamination of the spout 56, and providing a lever for manually activating the fluid pump 16, which allows the dispenser 10 to remain operational even when the supply of electricity is interrupted. Furthermore, since the dispenser 10 does not include any obvious mechanism for manual operation, it is believed that users who are unfamiliar with the dispenser 10 will be less likely to touch the dispenser 10 unnecessarily.

[0063]It will be understood that, although various features of the invention have been described with respect to one or another of the embodiments of the invention, the various features and embodiments of the invention may be combined or used in conjunction with other features and embodiments of the invention as described and illustrated herein.

[0064]The invention is not limited to the particular structures of the preferred embodiments that have been shown in the drawings. Rather, any functionally equivalent structures could be used.

[0065]For example, the dispenser 10 could incorporate one or more features from any one or more of: U.S. Pat. No. 8,245,877 to Ophardt, issued Aug. 21, 2012; U.S. Pat. No. 8,113,388 to Ophardt et al., issued Feb. 14, 2012; U.S. Pat. No. 8,091,739 to Ophardt et al., issued Jan. 10, 2012; U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,573 to Anhuf et al., issued Jul. 6, 2010; U.S. Pat. No. 7,984,825 to Ophardt et al., issued Jul. 26, 2011; U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,236 to Ophardt, issued Apr. 1, 2014; U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,970 to Ophardt, issued Dec. 20, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,482 to Ophardt et al., issued Nov. 17, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 10,893,780 to Ophardt et al., issued 19 Jan. 2021; and U.S. Pat. No. 9,682,390 to Ophardt et al., issued Jun. 20, 2017, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0066]The term “fluid” as used herein is intended to refer broadly to any flowable substance, including liquids, gels, foams, and emulsions. The hand cleaning fluid that is dispensed by the hand cleaning fluid dispenser may include, for example, soap, sanitizer, and/or disinfectant.

[0067]The piston member 50 is also referred to herein as the piston 50. The piston activation projection 92 is also referred to herein as the piston activation surface 92.

[0068]Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments which are functional, electrical, or mechanical equivalents of the specific embodiments and features that have been described and illustrated herein.