Pump actuator

Abstract

The pump actuator comprises an upper section of a liquid feeding channel (48) extending to a pump head (18), and a liquid dispensing channel (50) within the pump head extending from the liquid feeding channel to a dispensing opening (57). The upper section of the liquid feeding channel connects with a lower section which extends into the body of the pump (10). The pump head includes one or more product receiving openings in liquid communication with one or both of the upper section of the liquid feeding channel and the liquid dispensing channel. The product receiving opening may be present on a base of the pump head (18) and there may be a cover (42) attached to the base (40). The product receiving opening may lead into a chamber (45) for retaining a supplementary composition to be dispensed with the main product.

Description

[0001] PUMP ACTUATOR

[0002] Background of the Invention

[0003] Many consumer products come in several versions, each of which may appeal to a limited segment of the population. Examples of such products are body washes and skin lotions. Products can come in various fragrances or with none at all since some consumers want no fragrance and others want particular fragrances. Likewise, product can come with a variety of benefit ingredients such as vitamins, special skin care ingredients, etc. This is true for body washes as for other consumer products such as other personal cleansing products, skin care products, household care products, VMS (vitamin mineral and supplement products) and food products.

[0004] While the availability of different variations of products are a boon to the consumer, it creates problems for the consumer product manufacturer, who must arrange for manufacture of the same or similar basic product in variants with all sorts of additional ingredients. Moreover, the presence of variations on products can sometimes mean additional packaging waste as lesser desired variants may go unpurchased.

[0005] Although consumers love having choice of variants in their products, they also love convenience. So, any effort to permit customization of the products without the need for producing separate variants must still afford convenience to the consumer.

[0006] Body washes and lotions typically come in bottles, usually plastic, with pumps to assist with dispensing of the product. It would be beneficial if products including pumps could be adapted for customization by consumers by facile addition of ingredients.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] Applicant has invented a pump actuator which readily permits easy modification of the pump contents to customize the dispensed product to satisfy particular wants of particular consumers by addition of a supplementary composition to the product contained in the pump or a bottle. The pump actuator comprises an upper section of a liquid feeding channel extending to a pump head, and a liquid dispensing channel within the pump head extending from the liquid feeding channel to a dispensing opening. The upper section of the liquid feeding channel connects with a lower section which extends into the body of the pump. The pump head includes a product receiving opening in communication with one or both of the upper section of the liquid feeding channel and the liquid dispensing channel.

[0009] The pump may include a base having the product receiving opening and a reclosable cover for covering a product receiving opening. Typically, the product receiving opening will receive a supplementary composition. The cover may be of the flip top type attached to the base of the pump head by a hinge or of another type. Preferably the reclosable cover includes a plug, which may for instance be circular, oval, or square, the plug being received within the product receiving opening to secure the cover to the base pump head.

[0010] The pump actuator may include a support extending across the liquid feeding channel generally transverse to the axis of the liquid feeding channel. Such support could for instance comprise a grate or mesh, especially where foaming is desired. Alternatively, or in combination with the support, the pump actuator includes one or more support protuberances or walls extending inwardly from one or more sides of the liquid dispensing channel. Where present, the support or support protuberances serve to prevent a supplementary composition from falling further into the fluid feeding channel, potentially blocking it. Where desired, an upper protuberance may also be provided to prevent liquid flowing through the liquid feeding channel from carrying a large portion of the supplementary composition all at once into or out of the liquid dispensing channel.

[0011] Below the pump actuator will be components need for pumping which are well known in the pumping art. These may include a spring, an air piston, a liquid piston, valves and a dip tube. Thus, the pump actuator will typically be used in combination with components of a pump body, herein defined as the portion of the pump below the actuator and including the lower section of the liquid feeding channel. For instance, the pump actuator may be used in combination with a mesh in the lower section of the liquid feeding channel below the support to foam liquid prior to dispensing by the pump actuator. This will usually be the case for pumps used to produce a foamed end product. If an end product lacking foam is desired, meshes and other foaming devices can be omitted. Likewise, the pump actuator may be used in combination with a spring reversibly biasing the pump head upwardly, as is common in pumps.

[0012] The pump body with which the pump actuator of the invention may be used may include a pump closure having a central opening receiving the lower liquid feeding channel and threads for securing the closure to a bottle neck. A dip tube for drawing contents out of a bottle may connect directly or indirectly in liquid communication to the lower aspect of the liquid feeding channel. One or more valves may be present in the pump body, for restricting the flow of liquid to or from the lower portion of the liquid feeding channel, as is well known in the pump art. If desired, one or more of the valves may be ball valves. Liquid-and where applicable air-pistons are other well- known pump components which may be used.

[0013] So, the invention may include at least one or more of the following, alone or in combination:

[0014] A pump actuator comprising an upper section of a liquid feeding channel extending to a pump head;

[0015] A liquid dispensing channel within the pump head extending from the liquid feeding channel to a dispensing opening; the pump head including one or more product receiving openings in communication with one or both of the liquid feeding channel and the liquid dispensing channel; the pump head including a base having a product receiving opening in communication with one or both of the liquid feeding channel and the liquid dispensing channel; the pump actuator wherein the pump head further includes a reclosable cover for covering the product receiving opening;

[0016] The pump actuator wherein the reclosable cover is attached to the base of the pump head by a hinge;

[0017] The pump actuator wherein the reclosable cover includes a plug to be received within the product receiving opening when the cover is closed to secure the cover to the base of the pump head;

[0018] The pump actuator comprising a support extending across the liquid feeding channel generally transverse to the axis of the liquid feeding channel, the support optionally comprising a mesh or grate;

[0019] A pump actuator comprising one or more support protuberances extending inwardly from one or more walls of the liquid dispensing channel; a pump actuator in combination with a lower section of the liquid feeding channel which is in liquid communication with the upper section of the liquid feeding channel; a pump actuator further in combination with a mesh in the lower section of the liquid feeding channel below the support to foam liquid prior to dispensing by the pump actuator; the pump actuator in combination with a spring reversibly biasing the pump head upwardly; the pump actuator in combination with a pump closure having a central opening receiving the liquid feeding channel and threads for securing the closure to a bottle neck;

[0020] The pump actuator in combination with a dip tube in liquid communication with the lower aspect of the liquid feeding channel;

[0021] The dip tube in liquid communication with the principal product in a bottle; a pump actuator in combination with one or more valves for restricting the flow of liquid to or from the lower portion of the liquid feeding channel; a pump actuator wherein one or more of the valves are ball valves; pump actuator having one or more product receiving openings in liquid communication with a liquid feeding channel and / or a liquid dispensing channel; a pump having pump actuator having one or more product receiving openings in liquid communication with a liquid feeding channel and / or a liquid dispensing channel in combination with a pump body having one or more of a pump closure, a spring, an air piston, a liquid piston, one or more valves and a dip tube; a process for adding a supplemental composition to a pumped principal product comprising inserting a supplemental composition into a product receiving opening in a pump head, the product receiving opening being in liquid communication with a liquid feeding channel and / or a liquid dispensing channel and optionally pumping the combined principal product and supplemental composition by applying pressure to the pump head whereby the combined product emerges from a dispensing opening in the liquid dispensing channel; and a pump comprising any or all of the above wherein the polymers forming all components are made from the same monomeric material so that the pump, including the pump actuator and the balance of the pump, including all components are recyclable.

[0022] For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0024] Referring to Figs 1 and 2, pump 10 comprises pump actuator 12, having a pump head 18 and cylinder 14 depending therefrom and a cylindrical stem 16 received within the interior of cylinder 14. At its other end, stem 16 is received within opening 20 of closure 22. The interior walls of closure 22 include threads 24 or other structure for releasable engagement with the exterior of the neck of bottle 26. Below the closure are shown housing 32, and dip tube 34.

[0025] As seen particularly in Fig. 3, pump head 18 includes a base 40 and a cover 42. Base 40 includes a wall 44, which may be cylindrical as shown or which may be in another shape such as square, rectangle or other polygon. Wall 44 defines product receiving opening 46 and partly surround chamber 45 in the base but on one side opens into liquid dispensing channel 50 terminating in dispensing opening 57. The product dispensing channel may extend generally laterally and perpendicularly to the wall 44 of the product receiving opening, as illustrated or may be otherwise in suitable situations. Wall 44 extends downwardly into an upper section of liquid feeding channel 48, and in liquid communication therewith. The upper section of liquid feeding channel 48, which is within the pump actuator, is in liquid communication with a lower section of the liquid feeding channel which is disposed within the pump body and below.

[0026] Cover 42 may be attached to base 40 by hinge 52 as shown or by other means. Hinge 52 may be a living hinge if desired. Inner 54 and outer 56 cover securing walls define a recess 58 for receiving the top of wall 44 when the cover is closed and preferably to assist in securing the cover to the base 40. Inner wall 54 may comprise an outer wall of plug 78 for sealing the product receiving opening when the cover is closed. Inner aspect 78 may also be hollow, e.g., forming a circular or other shaped ridge which constitutes the inner wall of the cover securing structure and which will fit within opening 46 while the outer wall 56 fits outside the opening so that the inner and outer walls straddle the opening when the cover is closed. One or more peripheral cover walls 60 surround the underside of cover 42 and may contact one or more peripheral base walls 62 when the cover is closed. If desired, the peripheral walls of the cover and base may include protuberances 90, 92, depressions or other structure to assist in securing the cover and base together when the cover is in the closed position. When the cover is closed, the cover and base peripheral walls may overlap so that the protuberances or other means lock the cover closed in place over the base.

[0027] As seen in Fig. 3, a supplementary composition 71 may be provided. Composition 71 may be in various forms such as a tablet as shown, a powder or even a liquid. Walls 44 of the base 40 form a partial chamber 45 which may be used to receive supplementary composition 71. Chamber 45 may have a support for the supplementary composition to retain it at the juncture of the liquid feeding channel 48 and the liquid dispensing channel 50 so that it is squarely in the path of the body wash, lotion or other liquid product being pumped from the bottle. The form of the supplementary composition may influence the structure of the support used. For instance, where the supplementary composition is relatively solid, such as tablet 71 , protuberances may be provided to support the supplementary composition in the chamber. As seen in Fig. 4, these may take the form of indentations or ledges 70, 72 in wall(s) 74 of the liquid feeding channel 48. Where the supplementary composition is in the form of a powder, additional support structure may be required, such as a fine mesh. If the supplementary composition is a liquid, a permeable membrane may be used provided it is sufficient permeable not unduly to impede egress of the principal product and supplementary composition from the package. If the supplementary composition is a liquid, or if it is desired that the supplementary composition mix with the main product further down in the pump / bottle, such as above a foaming mesh, the support structure may be omitted altogether.

[0028] While the invention is illustrated having a single product receiving opening for receiving supplemental product, multiple openings may be used if desired. For instance, one or more additional, indeed a series of, product receiving openings could be placed in locations above the product dispensing channel in the top of the wall 80. While the invention is illustrated with the product receiving opening as opening to the top of the pump head, it can be envisaged that it could be placed in an alternative location, for instance in a side wall 100 so as to lead into the liquid dispensing channel from a side. If desired, the bottle or pump can include one or more compartments or nooks wherein supplemental compositions can be kept to facilitate selection by the consumer of an appropriate supplemental composition for a particular use of the product. For instance, the top of the pump actuator could include nooks or compartments in which tablets or other forms of supplemental composition could be located so that all the consumer would need to do is select one and place it in the product receiving opening prior to pumping. Similarly, nooks or compartments could be placed on a shoulder or elsewhere on the bottle to permit easy use by the consumer.

[0029] In a further embodiment, one or more compartments could also be located internal to the outside of the bottle, the supplemental composition being disposed within the compartments and e.g., sealed by a label with adhesive on one side. Access to the supplemental composition would be achieved simply by peeling the label from the bottle, the product being protected from the elements by the internal compartment and the label covering the access opening, prior to access. Preferably the entire pump, including any springs, are recyclable. Such pumps are known in the art and are generally all-plastic, often including plastic springs or other resilient materials for reversibly urging the pump head upwards as well as plastic valves. Preferred materials for the pump, including the actuator, and for the bottle include polyolefins such as polypropylene, high density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, low density polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate. Where it is not possible, or desirable, to make all components from the same material, they are typically fabricated at a minimum from one or more polymeric plastics made from the same monomers so that they can be recycled together.

[0030] The invention provides a convenient way for customizing a pumpable consumer product such as a body wash, skin lotion, antibacterial compositions for application to skin, preparations for treating or preventing acne, mayonnaise or other food such as flowable confections, condiments and beverages, including smoothies and yoghurts, especially thin yoghurts, flowable frozen confections, household cleaning products, and other household care products by addition of supplementary compositions such as one or more flavors, fragrances, vitamins, minerals, hydration powders and other products, hair vitamins, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, , skin benefit ingredients, botanicals, other supplements, frozen confection “inclusions” such as chocolate chips, nuts, small fruit pieces, syrups, or other ingredients.

[0031] While the principal product and supplementary composition may be mixed to emerge from the product dispensing opening as a homogeneous material wherein the supplementary composition is not separately discernable by the consumer, it is also contemplated that they invention may be used to produce an end product which is heterogeneous.

[0032] Although we refer herein to liquids, e.g., liquid dispensing channel and liquid feeding channel, it will be understood that the invention may be used for products of varying viscosities provided the viscosity of the product is suitable for pumping by the pumping apparatus employed, i.e. , it can flow through the liquid feeding channel and liquid dispensing channel when the pump is activated.

[0033] In use, optional cover of the pump actuator is opened and the supplementary composition is placed in the product receiving opening. The supplementary composition may, but need not, be supported by a support such as a ledge of an inwardly extending channel wall or by a grate or screen. The consumer applies pressure with his hand to depress the pump head and initiate pumping action in a manner well known in the pumping art. The principal product is pumped out of the bottle into the lower liquid feeding channel and thence to the upper feeding channel and chamber 45 where it encounters the supplementary composition. The principal product passes through the supplementary composition as it goes through the upper feeding channel on its way to the dispensing channel and it entrains or dissolves some of the supplementary product, which becomes mixed with the principal product, emerging from the dispensing opening as an end product combining the principal product and the supplementary product.

[0034] It should be understood, of course, that the specific forms of the invention herein illustrated and described are intended to be representative only as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

[0035] Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above and the right side of a bottle containing a pump including the pump actuator of the invention. The pump is in its most upward position, prior to pumping.

[0036] Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the bottom and left side of a pump including the pump actuator of the invention, with the bottle removed.

[0037] Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the pump actuator with the pump head cover open, also showing a portion of the pump closure.

[0038] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the pump actuator and pump closure with the pump head in longitudinal cross section. The pump is shown in its lower, pressed down position as it would appear when a consumer is applying pressure to the pump head.

Claims

Claims1 . A pump actuator comprising a) An upper section of a liquid feeding channel extending to a pump head, the liquid feeding channel being for pumping of a principal composition, b) A liquid dispensing channel within the pump head extending laterally from the liquid feeding channel to a dispensing opening, c) The pump head including one or more product receiving openings defined by a wall which extends downwardly into an upper section of the liquid feeding channel and which wall defines a chamber for receiving a supplementary composition at the juncture of the liquid feeding channel and the liquid dispensing channel and which wall opens into the liquid dispensing channel in communication with both of the liquid feeding channel and the liquid dispensing channel, the wall being cylindrical or polygonal wherein the pump head further includes a reclosable cover for covering the product receiving opening and wherein the reclosable cover is attached to a base of the pump head by a hinge.

2. The pump actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the reclosable cover includes a ridge or plug received within the product receiving opening to secure the cover to the base pump head.

3. The pump actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a support extending across the liquid feeding channel generally transverse to the axis of the liquid feeding channel.

4. The pump actuator according to claim 3 wherein the support is a mesh.

5. The pump actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more support protuberances extending inwardly from one or more liquid feeding channel walls.

6. The pump actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a lower section of the liquid feeding channel which is in liquid communication with the upper section of the liquid feeding channel.

7. The pump actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, further in combination with a mesh in the lower section of the liquid feeding channel below the support to foam liquid prior to dispensing by the pump actuator.

8. The pump actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, further in combination with a pump closure having a central opening receiving the liquid feeding channel and threads for securing the closure to a bottle neck.

9. The pump actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, further in combination with a dip tube in liquid communication with the lower section of the liquid feeding channel.

10. The pump actuator according to any one of the preceding claims, further in combination with one or more valves for restricting the flow of liquid to or from the lower portion of the liquid feeding channel.11 . The pump actuator according to any of the preceding claims wherein the chamber wall is cylindrical.

12. The pump actuator according to any of the preceding claims wherein the chamber wall is square or rectangular.

13. The pump actuator according to claim 1 wherein the cover includes Inner and outer cover securing walls which define a recess for receiving a top of the chamber wall when the cover is closed.

14. The pump actuator according to claim 13 wherein the Inner wall comprises an outer wall of a plug for sealing the product receiving opening when the cover is closed.

15. A process for incorporating a supplementary composition into a principal product comprising adding the supplementary composition to the product receiving opening in the pump actuator of any one of the preceding claims, prior to or during pumping.

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