대표
청구항
▼
1. A refilling apparatus for a refillable container, comprising: a refillable dispensing container for receiving, and then dispensing, a liquid by means of a pressurized propellant which is delivered to, and enclosed within, the refillable dispensing container;a source of pressurized propellant for delivery to the refillable dispensing container;a valve coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the source of pressurized propellant and which further when engaged by the refillable dispensing container facilitates the delivery of the source of pressuriz...
1. A refilling apparatus for a refillable container, comprising: a refillable dispensing container for receiving, and then dispensing, a liquid by means of a pressurized propellant which is delivered to, and enclosed within, the refillable dispensing container;a source of pressurized propellant for delivery to the refillable dispensing container;a valve coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the source of pressurized propellant and which further when engaged by the refillable dispensing container facilitates the delivery of the source of pressurized propellant;a source of a liquid to be dispensed by the refillable container and which is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative the valve, and wherein the valve further facilitates the delivery of the source of the liquid and the propellant into the refillable dispensing container; anda pressurized vessel positioned in downstream fluid flowing relation relative to both the sources of the liquid to be dispensed, and the pressurized propellant, as well as the valve, and which further encloses a volume of the liquid to be dispensed, and the propellant, to refill a depleted refillable dispensing container when the refillable dispensing container engages the valve. 2. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the valve is a three-way valve, and wherein the refilling apparatus further comprises a filling valve which is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the pressurized vessel and which is configured to releasably fluidly couple with the refillable dispensing container so as to facilitate the delivery of the liquid to be dispensed, and the pressurized propellant to the refillable dispensing container from the pressurized vessel. 3. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the refillable dispensing container is defined by a sidewall, a top and bottom surface, and an internal cavity which is defined by the top and bottom surfaces and the sidewall, and wherein a valve is mounted on the bottom surface of the refillable container, and is configured to releasably, matingly cooperate with the filling valve so as to couple the refillable dispensing container in fluid flowing relation relative to the pressurized vessel, and a dispensing valve is mounted on the top surface of the refillable dispensing container, and which facilitates the release of the liquid to be dispensed from the internal cavity, and wherein the bottom surface of the refillable dispensing container operably engages the three-way valve when the refillable dispensing container is being refilled. 4. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the three-way valve is located in a first refilling station, and wherein the refilling apparatus has a second refilling station which has a second filling valve which is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the source of pressurized propellant, and which is configured to releasably couple in fluid flowing relation relative to the refillable dispensing container when the refillable dispensing container is located in the second refilling station so as to replenish the refillable dispensing container with the source of pressurized propellant. 5. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising: a supply tank containing a portion of the source of the liquid to be dispensed, and which is located upstream of, and in gravity feeding relation relative to, the pressurized vessel; anda fluid check valve positioned in downstream fluid flowing relation relative to the supply tank, and in upstream fluid flowing relation relative to the pressurized vessel, and wherein the fluid check valve permits the flow of the source of liquid to be dispensed only from the supply tank to the pressurized vessel. 6. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 5, and further comprising: a float valve mounted within the supply tank, and which is disposed in selective, fluid flowing relation relative to the supply tank, and which is further operable to meter the source of the liquid to be dispensed into the supply tank. 7. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the source of the fluid to be dispensed is supplied to the float valve by means of a flexible bladder. 8. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the source of the liquid to be dispensed is supplied to the float valve from a pressurized supply container. 9. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 4, and further comprising: a supply tank containing a portion of the liquid to be dispensed, and which is located upstream of, and in gravity feeding relation relative to, the pressurized vessel, and wherein the supply tank maintains a predetermined liquid level for the source of liquid to be dispensed;a first conduit coupled in fluid flowing relation therebetween the three-way valve, and the pressurized vessel, and which is operable to deliver the source of pressurized propellant to the pressurized vessel, and wherein the first conduit has an intermediate portion which is located in an elevationally higher position than the liquid level maintained by the supply tank;a second conduit coupled in fluid flowing relation therebetween the pressurized vessel and the filling valve, and which is operable to deliver the liquid to be dispensed, and the source of pressurized propellant from the pressurized vessel to the refillable dispensing container when the refillable dispensing container is releasably fluidly coupled to the filling valve and further engages the three-way valve; anda third conduit coupled in fluid flowing relation therebetween the three-way valve and the supply tank. 10. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 9, and further comprising: a manifold coupled in fluid receiving relation relative to the source of pressurized propellant, and which further has a first intake port coupled in fluid receiving relation relative to the source of the pressurized propellant, and second and third exhaust ports, and wherein the second exhaust port is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the three-way valve, and the third exhaust port is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the second filling valve which is located in the second refilling station. 11. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 10, and wherein the three-way valve has a first intake port, and second and third exhaust ports, and wherein the first exhaust port of the manifold is coupled in fluid flowing relation to the first intake port of the three-way valve; the second exhaust port of the three-way valve is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the pressurized vessel; and the third exhaust port of the three-way valve is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the ambient environment; and wherein the three-way valve has a first operational position where the three-way valve does not deliver the source of the pressurized propellant to the pressurized vessel; and a second operational position where the three-way valve delivers the source of the pressurized propellant to the refillable dispensing container. 12. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and wherein both the refillable dispensing container and the pressurized vessel each has an internal volume, and wherein the internal volume of the refillable dispensing container is greater than the internal volume of the pressurized vessel. 13. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the source of pressurized propellant is a source of compressed air which is delivered at a pressure of less than about 150 PSI. 14. A refilling apparatus for a refillable container, comprising: a refillable container having a main body with a dispensing end and an opposite bottom surface, and which further defines an internal cavity having a given volume;a first portion of a filling valve mounted on the bottom surface of the refillable container;a dispensing valve mounted on the dispensing end of the refillable container;a first filling station for matingly receiving the bottom surface of the refillable container, and wherein a second portion of a filling valve is mounted in the first filling station, and is configured to matingly couple with the first portion of the filling valve which is mounted on the refillable container;a source of a pressurized propellant for selective delivery to the internal cavity of the refillable container;a source of a liquid to be dispensed by the refillable container, and which is delivered to the internal cavity of the refillable container, and wherein the sources of pressurized propellant and the liquid to be dispensed are delivered into internal cavity of the refillable container when the first and second portions of the filling valves are coupled together in fluid flowing relation;a supply tank for receiving the source of the liquid to be dispensed;a float valve mounted within the supply tank, and which is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the source of the liquid to be dispensed, and wherein the float valve selectively delivers the liquid to be dispensed into the supply tank so as to maintain the liquid to be dispensed at a given liquid level;a one-way check valve mounted in downstream fluid flowing relation relative to the supply tank and which facilitates the gravitational flow of the liquid to be dispensed out of the supply tank;a pressurized vessel having a given internal volume and which is positioned in downstream gravity receiving fluid flowing relation relative to the check valve, and wherein the internal volume of the pressurized vessel is less than the internal volume of the refillable container;a manifold coupled to the source of the pressurized propellant;a three-way valve coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the manifold and to each of the supply tank and the pressurized vessel, and wherein the three-way valve is operatively and forceably engaged by the refillable dispensing container when it is positioned in the first refilling station;a second refilling station located near the first refilling station, and which has a second portion of a filling valve which will releasably couple with the first portion of the refilling valve which is mounted on the bottom of the refillable dispensing container, and wherein the second refilling station is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the manifold so as to supply the source of pressurized propellant to the refillable dispensing container when it is located in the second refilling station;a first conduit coupling the three-way valve in fluid flowing relation relative to the pressurized vessel, and wherein the first conduit has an intermediate portion which is located in an elevationally higher location than the liquid level which is maintained in the supply tank by the float valve;a second conduit coupling the pressurized vessel in fluid flowing relation relative to the second portion of the filling valve which is located in the first refilling station; anda third conduit coupling the three-way valve with the supply tank, and wherein the positioning of the refillable dispensing container within the first refilling station causes the first and second portions of the filling valve to be releasably coupled together, and the three-way valve to be forcibly engaged so as to cause the three-way valve to move from a first operational position to a second operational position which causes the delivery of the source of the pressurized propellant to the pressurized vessel by way of the first conduit, and the propellant and liquid to be dispensed is then delivered from the pressurized vessel to the internal volume of the refillable dispensing container by way of the second conduit; and wherein upon removal of the refillable dispensing container from the first refilling station the three-way valve moves to the first operational position wherein the excessive pressurized propellant passes through the three-way valve and is received in the supply tank and returned to the ambient environment, and wherein following removal of the refillable dispensing container the check valve permits the flow of the liquid to be dispensed from the supply tank and into the pressurized vessel, and wherein the liquid flowing from the supply tank fills the pressurized vessel and flows into the first conduit to a level which is substantially equal to the height of the liquid level which is maintained by the float valve within the supply tank. 15. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the supply tank provides a volume of liquid to be dispensed which fills the pressurized vessel and a portion of the first conduit up to the liquid level maintained by the float valve within the supply tank which is less than the volume of the refillable container. 16. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 15, and wherein the source of the pressurized propellant is a source of compressed air which is delivered at a pressure of less than about 150 PSI. 17. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 14, and further comprising: a vessel for storing the source of the liquid to be dispensed, and which is coupled in liquid delivering relation relative to the float valve located within the supply tank; anda conduit coupling the vessel in fluid flowing relation relative to the manifold, and which facilitates the delivery of at least a portion of the source of the pressurized propellant to the vessel so as to cause the delivery of the liquid to be dispensed from the vessel to the float valve. 18. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 14, and wherein the refillable container is releasably locked to the refilling apparatus when the refillable container is located in the first and second refilling stations. 19. A refilling apparatus for a refillable container, comprising: a refillable dispensing container for receiving and then dispensing a liquid by means of a pressurized propellant which is delivered to and enclosed within the refillable dispensing container;a source of pressurized propellant for delivery to the refillable dispensing container;a first valve coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the source of pressurized propellant and which further, when engaged by the refillable dispensing container, facilitates the delivery of the source of pressurized propellant;a supply tank containing a source of a liquid to be dispensed by the refillable dispensing container and which is coupled in gravity feeding, fluid flowing relation relative to the first valve, and wherein the first valve facilitates the delivery of the source of the liquid to be dispensed, and the propellant into the refillable dispensing container;a supply of the source of liquid to be dispensed and which is enclosed within a sealed storage container, and which is coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the supply tank;a second valve coupled in fluid flowing relation relative to the source of pressurized propellant and with the sealed storage container, and which further, when engaged by the refillable dispensing container facilitates the delivery of the source of pressurized propellant to the sealed storage container enclosing the supply of the liquid to be dispensed so as to facilitate the movement of the liquid enclosed in the sealed storage container to the supply tank; anda pressurized vessel positioned in downstream fluid flowing relation relative to the supply tank to receive the source of fluid to be dispensed and the pressurized propellant as delivered by the first valve, and which further encloses a volume to the liquid to be dispensed and the propellant, to refill a depleted refillable dispensing container when the first refillable dispensing container engages both the first and second valves. 20. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 19, and wherein the first and second valves are three-way valves. 21. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 19, and further comprising: an air pressure regulator located downstream of the second valve, and upstream of the sealed storage container, and which reduces the pressure of the source of pressurized propellant to less than about 3 psi. 22. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 19, and further comprising: a one-way check valve located downstream of the second valve, and upstream of the sealed storage container, and which is configured to allow the source of pressurized propellant to move only in the direction from the second valve to the sealed storage container. 23. A refilling apparatus as claimed in claim 19, and further comprising: a pressure relief valve located upstream of the sealed storage container, and downstream of the second valve.
