This invention relates to pump-action nozzle devices methods of making the same. The nozzle devices of the invention comprises a body which defines an internal chamber having an inlet through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet through which fluid present in the chamber may be e
This invention relates to pump-action nozzle devices methods of making the same. The nozzle devices of the invention comprises a body which defines an internal chamber having an inlet through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet through which fluid present in the chamber may be expelled from the nozzle. The inlet comprises an inlet valve and the outlet comprises an outlet valve. Fluid is dispensed from the dispenser nozzles by applying pressure to an actuator member that engages and resiliently deforms or displaces a portion of the body of the device that defines the chamber, thereby compressing the chamber and actuating the dispensing of fluid. In preferred embodiments, the actuator provides a rigid actuator surface that an operator can apply a pressure to.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A pump-action nozzle device configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a container, said nozzle having a body which defines an internal chamber having an inlet through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet through which fluid present in the chamber may
What is claimed is: 1. A pump-action nozzle device configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a container, said nozzle having a body which defines an internal chamber having an inlet through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet through which fluid present in the chamber may be expelled from the nozzle, said inlet comprising an inlet valve adapted to only permit fluid to flow into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure within the chamber falls below the pressure within the interior of the container to which the device is attached by at least a predetermined minimum threshold amount and said outlet comprising an outlet valve configured to only permit fluid to flow out of the chamber and be expelled from the nozzle when the pressure within the chamber exceeds the external pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined threshold amount, wherein at least a portion of the body which defines said chamber is configured to: (a) resiliently deform from an initial resiliently biased configuration to a distended or deformed configuration in response to the application of a pressure, whereby the volume of said chamber defined by said portion of the body is reduced as said portion of the body is deformed from said initial configuration to said distended or deformed configuration, said reduction in volume causing the pressure within the chamber to increase and fluid to be ejected through the outlet valve; and (b) subsequently return to its initial resiliently biased configuration when the applied pressure is removed, thereby causing the volume of the chamber to increase and the pressure therein to fall such that fluid is drawn into the chamber through the inlet valve; said nozzle device comprises an actuator member which extends over at least a portion of said portion of the body and is configured to engage said portion of the body and cause it to deform from its resiliently biased configuration when a pressure is applied to the actuator member; wherein said inlet comprises an inlet opening and said inlet valve comprises a deformable flap positioned over the inlet opening and a second reinforcing flap which contacts an opposing surface of the deformable flap and which is configured to urge the deformable flap into tight abutment with the body about the inlet opening, said deformable flap being adapted to deform so as to allow fluid to be drawn into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure within the chamber falls below said predetermined minimum threshold level and to subsequently return to its closed configuration at all other times. 2. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, in which the deformable flap is resiliently deformable and is resiliently biased into abutment with the body about the inlet opening. 3. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 2, wherein the resiliently deformable flap is an integral extension of the resiliently deformable portion of the body which defines the chamber. 4. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein a raised lip is positioned around the inlet opening, and the deformable flap abuts the raised lip. 5. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the inlet comprises an inlet passage and the deformable flap comprises a protrusion which is configured to extend into the passage and abut the surface of the passage when the inlet valve is closed. 6. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said actuator member includes an arm for an operator to push to cause said portion of the body to deform. 7. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said actuator member is a cap that extends over the resiliently deformable portion of the body to form a surface which can be depressed by an operator in order to cause said portion of the body to deform and thereby actuate the dispensing of fluid from the chamber of the device. 8. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 7, wherein said surface formed by the cap comprises a rigid or substantially rigid non-deformable surface. 9. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 8, wherein said surface comprises a continuous surface. 10. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said actuator member is slidably mounted to the body of the nozzle device such that, when a pressure is applied to the actuator member, it slides relative to the body of the nozzle device and urges said resiliently deformable portion of the body to deform from its resiliently biased configuration. 11. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said actuator member is pivotally mounted to the body of the device such that the application of a pressure to said actuator member causes it to pivot about its pivotal mounting and cause said resiliently deformable portion of the body to deform from its resiliently biased configuration. 12. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said actuator member is integrally formed with the body. 13. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 12, wherein said actuator member is connected to the body of the device by a foldable connection element and is configured to pivot about the connection element to enable said portion of the body to be deformed. 14. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said nozzle is adapted to be fitted to an opening of a container to enable fluid stored in said container to be dispensed during use. 15. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said nozzle is integrally formed with said container to enable fluid stored in said container to be dispensed during use. 16. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the body of the nozzle device comprises two or more interconnected parts, which, when connected together, define the chamber. 17. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 16, wherein the chamber of the nozzle device is defined between two interconnected parts. 18. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 17, wherein one of said parts is a base part and the other of said parts is an upper part. 19. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the upper part comprises said resiliently deformable portion of the body that defines the chamber. 20. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 19, wherein the inlet is defined in the base part and the inlet opening is disposed at an elevated position within the chamber, the chamber having a reservoir area below the inlet opening into which the fluid can flow from the inlet. 21. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 19, wherein at least the upper part being formed by means for providing a framework or base molded from a rigid plastics, and at least the deformable portion defining the chamber formed by over molding a flexible plastics material onto the framework. 22. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 21, wherein the resiliently deformable flap comprises a flexible plastics material. 23. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 16, wherein the two or more interconnected parts are fixed together by ultrasonic or heat welding. 24. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 16, wherein a seal is disposed between the at least interconnected two parts when they are assembled together, to prevent fluid from leaking out of the nozzle between them. 25. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 16, wherein the outlet of the device comprises the outlet valve, an outlet orifice and an outlet passageway that connects the chamber to the outlet orifice. 26. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 25, wherein the outlet passageway comprises internal means for modifying the spray to reduce the size of the liquid droplets dispensed through the outlet orifice of the nozzle device during use. 27. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26, wherein said internal spray modifying means being selected from a group consisting of one or more expansion chambers, one or more swirl chambers, one or more internal spray orifices adapted to generate a spray of fluid flowing through within the outlet passageway, and one or more venturi chambers. 28. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26, wherein the internal spray modifying means comprises one or more expansion chambers. 29. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26, wherein the internal spray modifying means comprises two or more expansion chambers. 30. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26 wherein the internal spray modifying means comprises one swirl chamber. 31. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26, wherein the internal spray modifying means comprises two swirl chambers. 32. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26, wherein the internal spray modifying means comprises three or more swirl chambers. 33. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26, wherein the internal spray modifying means comprises two internal spray orifices. 34. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26, wherein the internal spray modifying means comprises three or more internal spray orifices. 35. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 26, wherein the internal spray modifying means comprises one or more venturis. 36. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 25, wherein said at least two parts that define the chamber also define at least a portion of the outlet passageway. 37. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 25, wherein the outlet valve is formed by a portion of one of said parts being resiliently biased against the other of said parts to close the outlet or a passageway leading thereto, said resiliently biased portion being configured to deform away from the other of the parts to define an open outlet or passage leading thereto when the pressure within the chamber exceeds the external pressure by at least a minimum threshold level. 38. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 37, wherein the outlet valve is formed between surfaces of the at least two parts which abut when the parts are assembled to form the body. 39. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 37, wherein the abutment surface of one of the parts comprises a resiliently deformable valve member that is resiliently biased against the other of the parts to close the outlet orifice or the passageway leading thereto and is configured to deform away from the other of said parts to define an open outlet or passage leading thereto when the pressure within the chamber exceeds the external pressure by at least a minimum threshold amount. 40. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 37, wherein said outlet valve member comprises a flap or a plug. 41. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the inlet, inlet valve, outlet, outlet valve, and chamber are all defined by the body. 42. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the outlet valve comprises a one way valve that provides an air tight seal. 43. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said body comprises a maximum of three component parts. 44. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said body comprises two separate component parts. 45. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said body comprises a single component part. 46. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a rigid plastics material. 47. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the entire device comprises a flexible plastics material. 48. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises said body being at least partly formed by means for providing a first component part of the body formed from a first material and a second part of the body formed from the same or a different material molded onto the first part. 49. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 48, wherein the outer surfaces of the device being over molded with a flexible plastics material to provide a soft touch. 50. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle device comprises means for locking the device to prevent fluid being dispensed accidentally. 51. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 50, wherein the locking means is integrally formed with the body. 52. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises an air leak valve through which air can flow to equalize any pressure differential between the interior of the container and the external environment, said air leak valve further preventing any fluid leaking out of the container if it is inverted. 53. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1, wherein said nozzle device comprises at least one component part formed by injection moulding, and wherein a blowing agent is incorporated into a mold together with a plastic material. 54. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1 fitted to an opening of the container to enable the fluid stored in the container to be dispensed from the container through said nozzle device during use. 55. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 1 integrally formed on the container to enable the fluid stored in the container to be dispensed from the container through said nozzle device during use. 56. A pump-action nozzle device configured to enable fluid to be dispensed from a container, said nozzle having a body which defines an internal chamber having an inlet through which fluid may be drawn into said chamber and an outlet through which fluid present in the chamber may be expelled from the nozzle, said inlet comprising an inlet valve adapted to only permit fluid to flow into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure within the chamber falls below the pressure within the interior of the container to which the device is attached by at least a predetermined minimum threshold amount and said outlet comprising an outlet valve configured to only permit fluid to flow out of the chamber and be expelled from the nozzle when the pressure within the chamber exceeds the external pressure at the outlet by at least a predetermined threshold amount; wherein said inlet comprises an inlet opening and said inlet valve comprises a deformable flap positioned over the inlet opening and a second reinforcing flap which contacts an opposing surface of the deformable flap and which is configured to urge the deformable flap into tight abutment with the body about the inlet opening, said deformable flap being adapted to deform so as to allow fluid to be drawn into the chamber through the inlet when the pressure within the chamber falls below said predetermined minimum threshold level and to subsequently return to its closed configuration at all other times. 57. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 56, in which the deformable flap is resiliently deformable and is resiliently biased into abutment with the body about the inlet opening. 58. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 57, wherein the resiliently deformable flap is an integral extension of a resiliently deformable portion of the body which defines the chamber. 59. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 56, wherein a raised lip is positioned around the inlet opening, and the deformable flap abuts the raised lip. 60. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 56, wherein the inlet comprises an inlet passage, and the deformable flap comprises a protrusion which is configured to extend into the inlet passage and abut the surface of the passage when the inlet valve is closed. 61. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 56, wherein the inlet is defined in a base part of the body and the inlet opening is disposed in an upper part at an elevated position within the internal chamber having a reservoir area below the inlet opening into which the fluid can flow from the inlet. 62. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 61, wherein said base part and said upper part are fixed together by ultrasonic or heat welding. 63. A pump-action nozzle device according to claim 61 wherein a seal is disposed between the base part and upper part when they are assembled together to prevent fluid from leaking out of the nozzle between them.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (6)
Basile Peter A. (Hudson OH) Bochmann Carl E. (Brecksville OH) Halbeisen Jack (Hudson OH), Bellows neck squeeze fluid dispenser.
Lang, Christopher F.; Crapser, James R.; Helf, Thomas A.; Crull, Jeffrey L.; Sparks, Evan A.; Dalton, Jonathan M.; Trettin, David J.; Dodge, Spencer; Lim, Hee Seung, Bottle.
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