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.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A dispensing system comprising: a housing member,an activation member mounted to the housing member to be reciprocally movable relative the housing member between a first position and a second position,a reservoir assembly coupled to the housing member including a reservoir containing material to

1. A dispensing system comprising: a housing member,an activation member mounted to the housing member to be reciprocally movable relative the housing member between a first position and a second position,a reservoir assembly coupled to the housing member including a reservoir containing material to be dispensed,a pump mechanism including a pump element coupled to the activation member and reciprocally movable with the activation member in a cycle of operation between an extended position and a retracted position to dispense the material from the reservoir assembly,a spring member separate from the pump mechanism disposed between the housing member and the activation member biasing the activation member from the first position toward the second position and resisting movement of the activation member from the second position toward the first position,the spring member being elongate and extending between a first end of the spring member coupled to the housing member and a second end of the spring member coupled to the activation member,the spring member having a length measured longitudinally of the spring member along a spring longitudinal between the first end and the second end,the spring member having an inherent bias to assume an inherent length and to resist deflection by forces applied between the first end and the second end along the spring longitudinal,the relative forces applied between the first end and the second end along the spring longitudinal which are required to change the length of the spring member a given amount varying as the length of the length of the spring member changes,a spring seat member selected from one or more of:(a) a first housing spring seat member carried on the housing member disposed between the housing member and the first end of the spring member to engage the first end of the spring member and couple the first end of the spring member at a first housing distance along the spring longitudinal relative the housing member,the first housing spring seat member removably coupled to the housing member for replacement by another second housing spring seat member carried on the housing member disposed between the housing member and the first end of the spring member to engage the first end of the spring member and couple the first end of the spring member at a second housing distance along the spring longitudinal relative the housing member which second housing distance is different than the first housing distance, and(b) a first activation spring seat member carried on the activation member disposed between the activation member and the second end of the spring member to engage the second end of the spring member and couple the second end of the spring member at a first activation distance along the spring longitudinal relative the activation member,the first activation spring seat member removably coupled to the activation member for replacement by a similar second activation spring seat member carried on the activation member disposed between the activation member and the second end of the spring member to engage the second end of the spring member and couple the second end of the spring member at a second activation distance along the spring longitudinal relative the activation member which second activation distance is different than the first activation distance. 2. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the second housing distance is different than the first housing distance, such that by replacing the first housing spring seat member by the second housing spring seat the relative forces applied between the first end and the second end along the longitudinal which are required to change the length of the spring member are varied for the same relative movement of the activation member relative the housing member, andthe second activation distance is different than the first activation housing distance, such that by replacing the first activation spring seat member by the second activation spring seat the relative forces applied between the first end and the second end along the spring longitudinal which are required to change the length of the spring member are varied for the same relative movement of the activation member relative the housing member. 3. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein: (a) if a housing spring seat member is not coupled to the housing member then the first end of the spring member will not to engage the housing member at a distance along the spring longitudinal relative the housing member useful to for the spring member to resist deflection with relative forces which meet predetermined levels, and(b) if an activation spring seat member is not coupled to the activation member then the second end of the spring member will not to engage the activation member at a distance along the spring longitudinal relative the activation member useful to for the spring member to resist deflection with relative forces which meet predetermined levels. 4. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 2 wherein: (a) the housing member having a housing spring opening coaxially in line with the axis of the spring member through which the first end of the spring member will extend, wherein if a housing spring seat member is not coupled to the housing member, the first end of the spring member does not become engaged relative the housing member, and(b) the activation member having a activation spring opening coaxially in line with the axis of the spring member through which the second end of the spring member will extend, wherein if a activation spring seat member is not coupled to the activation member, the second end of the spring member does not become engaged relative the activation member. 5. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring seat member comprises a housing spring seat member. 6. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 5 wherein: the reservoir assembly is removably coupled to the housing member for replacement by a similar reservoir assembly,the reservoir assembly carrying the spring seat member,wherein in coupling of the reservoir assembly to the housing member the spring seat member becomes coupled and removing the reservoir assembly from the housing member the spring seat member becomes removed. 7. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the reservoir assembly carrying the pump element. 8. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein: the reservoir assembly is removably coupled to the housing member for replacement by a similar reservoir assembly,the reservoir assembly carrying the pump element. 9. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein: the reservoir assembly having an outlet,a piston chamber forming element coupled to the outlet of the reservoir assembly,the piston chamber-forming member defining a chamber therein in communication with material in the reservoir assembly,the pump element comprises a piston element reciprocally movable in the chamber to dispense the material from the reservoir assembly out a discharge outlet,the housing spring seat member carried by one of the reservoir assembly and the piston chamber forming element. 10. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein: the housing spring seat member coupled to the reservoir assembly by a frangible connection member,a catch member carried by the housing member to engage the frangible connection member on coupling of the reservoir assembly to the housing,the catch member engaging the frangible connection member wherein in removal of the reservoir assembly the frangible connection member is severed separating the housing spring seat member from the reservoir assembly. 11. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 5: the housing member having a housing spring opening coaxially in line with the axis of the spring member,the spring member removably coupled in the opening. 12. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the reservoir assembly moving in a direction parallel to the spring axis for coupling to the housing member, the spring seat member disposed normal to the spring axis for movement parallel the spring axis with coupling of the reservoir assembly to engage and compress the spring member. 13. A dispenser as claimed in claim 12 where in the housing spring seat member comprises a portion of the reservoir assembly. 14. A dispenser as claimed in claim 9 wherein: the spring seat member comprises a housing spring seat member,the reservoir assembly is removably coupled to the housing member for replacement by a similar reservoir assembly,the reservoir assembly carrying the spring seat member,wherein in coupling of the reservoir assembly to the housing member the spring seat member becomes coupled and removing the reservoir assembly from the housing member the spring seat member becomes removed,the housing spring seat member carried by the piston chamber-forming element. 15. A dispenser as claimed in claim 2 wherein: the activation member comprising a lever member having a pivoted end and a remote end,the pivoted end of the lever member mounted to the housing for pivoting about a lever axis between the first position and the second position,the spring member disposed between the housing member and the lever member biasing the lever member to pivot about the lever axis between the first position and the second position,the second end of the spring member in engagement with the lever member proximate the remote end of the lever member,the pump element coupled to the lever member at a location on the lever member intermediate the lever axis and the second end of the spring member. 16. A dispenser as claimed in claim 15 wherein: the pump mechanism further includes a piston chamber-forming member defining a chamber therein,the chamber in communication with material in the reservoir assembly,the piston chamber forming element coupled to an outlet of the reservoir assembly,the pump element comprising a piston element coaxially reciprocally slidable in the chamber to dispense the material from the reservoir assembly out a discharge outlet. 17. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 15 wherein: (a) if a housing spring seat member is not coupled to the housing member then the first end of the spring member will not to engage the housing member at a distance along the spring longitudinal relative the housing member useful to for the spring member to resist deflection with relative forces which meet predetermined levels, and(b) if an activation spring seat member is not coupled to the activation member then the second end of the spring member will not to engage the activation member at a distance along the spring longitudinal relative the activation member useful to for the spring member to resist deflection with relative forces which meet predetermined levels. 18. A dispensing system as claimed in claim 15 wherein: (a) the housing member having a housing spring opening coaxially in line with the axis of the spring member through which the first end of the spring member will extend, wherein if a housing spring seat member is not coupled to the housing member, the first end of the spring member does not become engaged relative the housing member, and(b) the activation member having a activation spring opening coaxially in line with the axis of the spring member through which the second end of the spring member will extend, wherein if a activation spring seat member is not coupled to the activation member, the second end of the spring member does not become engaged relative the activation member.