초록 ▼

A fluid dispenser comprising a dispensing mechanism, a housing and a container having an interior. The container is removably coupled to the housing for dispensing fluid from the container by the dispensing mechanism. The housing has a guard recess opening downwardly and an access opening into the

A fluid dispenser comprising a dispensing mechanism, a housing and a container having an interior. The container is removably coupled to the housing for dispensing fluid from the container by the dispensing mechanism. The housing has a guard recess opening downwardly and an access opening into the recess. A piercing member is secured in the recess. The container has a protuberance which is adapted to be received in the recess such that when the container is being coupled to the housing, the protuberance on the container is inserted upwardly into the recess and moved into the piercing member to pierce the protuberance with the piercing member. On the piercing member piercing the container, an air passageway is provided providing communication between the interior of the container and the atmospheric air. Preferably the piercing member is secured in the guarded recess against engagement other than with elements inserted into the recess via the access opening.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A fluid dispenser comprising: a dispensing mechanism, a container having an interior defined within walls of the container, a housing, the container removably coupled to the housing for dispensing fluid from the container by the dispensing mechanism, the housing having a guard recess w

We claim: 1. A fluid dispenser comprising: a dispensing mechanism, a container having an interior defined within walls of the container, a housing, the container removably coupled to the housing for dispensing fluid from the container by the dispensing mechanism, the housing having a guard recess with an access opening thereinto which opens downwardly, a piercing member secured in the recess, the container having a protuberance adapted to be received in the recess, wherein in the container being coupled to the housing, the protuberance is inserted upwardly into the recess and moved into the piercing member to pierce the protuberance with the piercing member, the protuberance on piercing the container providing an air passageway providing communication between the interior of the container and atmospheric air, the protuberance is provided on an upper rear of the container, the protuberance having a lower end coupled to container with the protuberance extending upwardly from the lower end to a distal upper end forming a forwardly directed face on the protuberance between the lower end and the upper end, the opening of the guard recess defined rearwardly of a forward wall of the guard recess extending downwardly to a lower edge, the forwardly directed face on the protuberance forming a rear wall of a laterally and downwardly extending slotway in the container forward of the protuberance, wherein when the container is coupled to the housing with the protuberance extending upwardly into the recess, the forward wall of the guard recess extends downwardly into the slotway with the lower edge located in the slotway forward of the forwardly directed face on the protuberance, the interior is defined within container walls, the container is a substantially non-collapsible, substantially rigid container closed but for having an outlet opening through which fluid is dispensed from the container by the dispensing mechanism, the dispensing mechanism operative to dispense volumes of fluid from the container greater than volumes of atmospheric air permitted to pass inwardly into the container via the dispensing mechanism, the piercing member forming the air passageway through the protuberance to permit atmospheric air to enter the container and limit a vacuum from being developed in the container, wherein the container is movable relative the housing from an unseated position to a seated position to couple the container to the housing and from the seated to the unseated position to uncouple the container from the housing, wherein in moving the container relative to the housing from the unseated position to the seated position, the piercing member piercing the protuberance to form said air passageway and in the seated position, the protuberance maintaining the air passageway open, wherein in the unseated position, the protuberance is at least partially received within the recess, and in moving the container relative the housing to the seated position, the protuberance moves sufficiently into the recess that the piercing member pierces the protuberance, the housing includes a downwardly directed fulcrum member on the housing, a pivot surface on the container being upwardly directed when the container is in or between the unseated position and the seated position, in movement of the container between the unseated position and the seated position, the pivot surface on the container and the fulcrum member engaging each other so as to guide the container in a pivoting motion about the fulcrum member in moving between the unseated position and the seated position and in which in such pivoting motion of the container the protuberance is moved inwardly into the recess and into the piercing member to have the piercing member pierce the protuberance, the lower edge of the forward wall of the guard recess forming the fulcrum member, the pivot surface on the container provided as an upwardly directed surface forward from the protuberance. 2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the protuberance comprises a portion of the walls of the container having a reduced thickness to facilitate the piercing member piercing the protuberance. 3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the housing includes an upwardly directed lower container support member spaced below the recess, the container having on an opposite side thereof from the pivot surface a slide surface, when the container is in or between the unseated position and the seated position, with the fulcrum member is engaged on the pivot surface of the container and the slide surface of the container is engaged on the lower container support surface wherein in movement from the unseated position to the seated position, engagement between the slide surface of the container and the lower container support surface urging the pivot surface on the container into the fulcrum member on the housing. 4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 3 wherein the container in moving between the unseated position and the seated position is jammed in a friction fit between the fulcrum member and the lower support surface with the fulcrum member engaging the pivot surface to provide a point of contact about which the container is pivotable and with the lower support surface engaging the slide surface to guide the slide surface in a path of motion which assists in pivoting the container about the fulcrum member. 5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein the container is formed from plastic material. 6. A dispenser as claimed in claim 3 wherein the dispenser has the outlet opening at a first end and the protuberance at the second end, the slide surface provided on the container at the first end on either side of the outlet opening. 7. A dispenser as claimed in claim 6 wherein at the second end, the walls of the container provide support surfaces for supporting the container for storage and shipment on a flat substrate, the container being adapted for inversion for insertion into the housing in the unseated position and for movement in the inverted position between the unseated position and the seated position. 8. A dispenser as claimed in claim 6 wherein the container is formed from plastic material. 9. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 including a retention mechanism to releasably maintain the container in the seated position against movement toward the unseated position.