United States Patent [19]
`Guss et al.
`
`Patent Number: Re. 33,480
`[11] E
`[45] Reissued Date of Patent: Dec. 11, 1990
`
`[54] PUMP AND CONTAINER ASSEMBLY
`
`[56]
`
`[75] Inventors: Theodore Guss, Crystal Lake; Sing
`Fu, Wheeling, both of I11.
`
`[73] Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.,
`Norwalk, Conn.
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,158,183 11/1964 Brown et a1.
`3,575,949 4/1971 Humphrey
`
`222/207 X
`.. 222/207 X
`
`4,201,317 5/1980 Aleff . . . . . . . . . .
`
`. . . . . .. 222/207
`
`
`
`
`
`4,232,828 11/1980 Shelly, Jr. . 4,310,107 l/l982 Wesner 4,600,130 7/1986 Libit .................................. .. 222/209
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 432,887
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Nov. 7, 1989
`
`Related U.S. Patent Documents
`
`Reissue of:
`[64]
`Patent No.:
`Issued:
`Appl. No.:
`Filed:
`
`4,863,071
`Sep. 5, 1989
`221,217
`Jul. 19, 1988
`
`[51] Int. Cl.5 ............................................. .. B67D 5/40
`[52] U.S. Cl. .................................. .. 222/207; 222/214;
`222/383; 239/329
`[58] -Field of Search .............................. .. 222/206-207,
`222/209, 214, 372, 382-383, 129, 94, 464, 478,
`479; 239/329, 333; 215/1 C, 31
`
`Primary Examiner-—Michael S. Huppert
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-—Charles E. Brown; Paul
`Shapiro; Charles A. Brown
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`This relates to a container and pump unit where the
`container is formed with an integral liquid product
`supply tube in lieu of the usual dip tube carried by the
`pump unit and wherein there is a special connector
`arrangement for connecting a conventional type of
`pump unit, but modi?ed, to such container. The con
`tainer is provided with a smooth sealable end surface
`and the connector assembly includes a gasket which
`closes off the dual passages at the container mouth with
`there being a seal plate which engages the gasket and
`provides a liquid product delivery passage and a vent
`passage. These two passages are separately connected
`to the pump unit.
`
`15 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`36
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`,6
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`Trr l
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1003 - Page 1
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`US. Patent Dec. 11,1990
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`Sheet 1 012
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`Re.33,480
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1003 - Page 2
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`US. Patent Dec. 11,1990
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`Sheet 2 012
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`Re.33,480_
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1003 - Page 3
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`1
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`Re. 33,480
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`PUMP AND CONTAINER ASSEMBLY
`
`Matter enclosed in heavy brackets I: ] appears in the
`original patent but forms no part of this reissue speci?ca
`tion; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made
`by reissue.
`
`2
`FIG. 3 is a plan view of the neck ?nish only of the
`container taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.
`FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view
`taken through the upper part of the container and the
`lower part of the pump and shows most speci?cally the
`details of the container, the pump and the pump connec
`tor between the container and the pump.
`Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be
`seen that there is illustrated in FIG. 1 the upper portion
`only of a container 10 of a conventional design which is
`speci?cally constructed in accordance with this inven
`tion to include an integral liquid product supply tube 12.
`The container 10 carries a conventional type of pump
`unit 14 which is releasably mounted on the container 10
`and is coupled to the container 10 by way of a pump
`connector generally identi?ed by the numeral 16.
`Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that
`while the container 10 is of a conventional con?gura
`tion, the constructional details thereof vary from pres
`ent day commercial containers in that in the blow mold
`ing of the container 10, an edge portion of the container
`will be squeezed to de?ne an integral liquid product
`supply tube 12 as previously described. The supply tube
`12 extends through a neck ?nish portion 18 of the bottle
`which de?nes the mouth of the container 10. As is
`clearly apparent in FIG. 3, the mouth of the container is
`divided into a liquid product supply opening 20 and a
`combination vent and ?lling opening 22. Externally, the
`neck ?nish 18 is provided with threads or like pump
`securing means 24. Due to the construction of the con
`tainer 10, particularly in the neck ?nish area, the threads
`24 or like securing means are interrupted.
`Because the product supply passage 20 is to be under
`a negative pressure or vacuum, it is necessary that there
`be a seal at the mouth of the container between the
`passages 20, 22. In order to accomplish this, the neck
`?nish 18 is provided with a sealing end surface 26 which
`is preferably machined.
`At this time, it is pointed out that the neck ?nish 18
`may be generally of the con?guration shown in FIG. 4
`where the threads 24 and a capping ?ange 28 are solid
`or the neck ?nish 18 may be of a thin wall construction
`with the threads 24 and the capping bead or ?ange 28
`being generally hollow. In such event, the neck ?nish
`18 would include a molded inturned end ?ange (not
`shown).
`At this time it is to be noted that blow molded con
`tainers having a pinched off integral liquid product
`supply tube such as the supply tube 20 is known from
`US. Pat. No. 3,575,949 and, accordingly, the container
`10 per se is not considered to be the subject of this
`invention. The same is true for a major part of the pump
`unit 14.
`First of all, it is to be noted that the pump unit 14
`includes a housing 30 which has a rear portion 32 that
`seats on an upstanding projection 34 formed on the
`container 10 as is best shown in FIG. 2, to prevent
`twisting of the pump unit relative to the container.
`The pump unit 14 will be provided at the opposite
`end thereof with a rotatable spray selector 36 to which
`there is connected a discharge tube (not shown). Rear
`wardly of the spray selector 36 and pivotally mounted
`generally within the housing 30 is a trigger 38 which per
`se forms no part of this invention in that it is conven
`tional as are the foregoing described parts of the pump
`unit 14. The trigger 38 carries a pumping element 40,
`the function of which will be described in more detail
`hereinafter.
`
`This invention relates in general to new and useful
`improvements in containers and pump assemblies for
`liquids such as liquid cleaners and the like and more
`particularly to a pump and container assembly wherein
`the customary clip tube is eliminated.
`The commercially available pump and container as
`sembly of the type to which this invention relates in
`cludes a dip tube which is carried by the pump and
`which extends through a customary circular cross sec
`tional mouth of the container. This invention most par
`ticularly relates to the formation of a container having
`an integrally formed supply tube and to a pump connec
`tor wherein a conventional type of pump may be con
`nected to such a specialized container.
`Pump and container assemblies wherein the pump is
`provided with a dip tube present problems to the indus
`try. First of all, warped dip tubes are currently a major
`problem in pump/bottle assemblies with a resultant
`undesired amount of scrap. The elimination of the con
`ventional dip tube eliminates this major problem.
`When the pump has no depending dip tube, the pump
`attachment apparatus need not be lowered the length of
`the dip tube with a resulting increase in speed of assem
`bly of a pump for the container.
`Inasmuch as the neck ?nish of the container is gener
`ally along the center line thereof, the clip tube is also
`positioned along the center line of the container. How
`ever, a preferred position of the dip tube is in a bottom
`corner of the container. This can be accomplished by
`having the product supply tube integrally molded in the
`container and terminating in a bottom corner of the
`container.
`When the dip tube is eliminated, it cannot become
`separated from the pump as frequently occurs. Further,
`when the container is of the re?llable type, and the
`pump is to be removed from the container, with the
`elimination of the dip tube, there is no column of ?uid
`remaining with the pump that can dribble during re?ll.
`In view of the foregoing disadvantages of our present
`day pump and container assemblies, in accordance with
`this invention it is proposed to provide a container
`which is provided with an integral liquid product sup
`ply tube which extends through the mouth of the con
`tainer and wherein there is provided a pump connector
`for connecting a conventional type of pump to such a
`container whereby the conventionaldip tube may be
`eliminated.
`With the above and other objects in view that will
`hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be
`more clearly understood by reference to the following
`detailed description, the appended claims, and the sev
`eral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
`FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an upper part only of
`a container having mounted thereon a pump in accor
`dance with this invention, portions of the pump and
`container being broken away and shown in section.
`FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the upper portion
`only of the container and shows more speci?cally the
`details of the container.
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`Referring now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that there are
`illustrated the details of a pump connector which is
`generally the subject of this invention and which is
`identi?ed by the numeral 42. The pump connector 42
`includes a separately molded seal member 44 in the
`form of a seal plate which overlies the end of the neck
`?nish 18 and is sealed relative to the end sealing surface
`26 by way of a gasket 46. It is to be noted that the gasket
`46 is provided with an enlarged opening 48 aligned with
`the liquid product supply or dispensing passage 20 and
`a small opening 50 which is in alignment with the com
`bined vent and ?lling passage 22. The opening 50 is a
`vent opening and is aligned with a vent 52 in the seal
`plate 44. The opening 48 has received therethrough a
`depending tubular extension 54 of the seal plate 44 with
`there being a supply passage 56 extending therethrough.
`It is to be understood that the gasket 46 seals off the
`mouth of the container 10 except for the vent opening
`46 and the opening 48 and thus provides two separate
`and independent passages 52 and 56 out of the container
`10.
`The pump unit 14 includes a tubular housing member
`60 which terminates in its lower end in an offset annular
`mounting portion 62 which seats on the sealing plate 44
`in sealed relation. The mounting portion 62 is clamped
`against the sealing plate 44 by way of a shell 64 which
`is of a conventional type and which includes a tubular
`portion 66 which terminates at its upper end in an annu
`lar end member 68. The tubular portion 66 is provided
`with internal threads 70 which cooperate with the
`threads 24 on the neck ?nish 18 so as to draw the annu
`lar end panel 68 down tight against the upper surface of
`the mounting portion 62.
`The lower part of the housing portion 60 carries an
`internal support 72 which has a downwardly and in
`wardly sloping conical upper portion 74 terminating in
`a lower cylindrical portion 76. The cylindrical portion
`76, adjacent the vent passage 52, includes a lower exten
`sion 78 which seats on the sealing plate 44 in sealed
`relation and divides the interior of the support member
`60 into a vent passage 80 in communication with the
`vent passage 52 and a liquid area 82 which is in commu
`nication with the passage 56.
`A resiliently deformable pump member 84 of a size
`and shape corresponding generally to the interior of the
`support member 60 is seated in the support member 60.
`The pump member includes a tubular lower part 86
`having an inlet opening 88 which is closed against back
`flow by a ball type check valve member 90 which is
`retained in position by an internal projection 92 on the
`tubular portion 86.
`It is to be noted that a part of the support member 60
`is provided with an opening 94 through which passes
`the pumping element 40. It is to be noted that the pump
`ing element 40 is of a generally U-shaped cross section
`and terminates in an end wall 96 which bears against the
`exterior of the pump element or member 84.
`It is also to be understood at this time that the upper
`part of the pump element 84 is connected to the dis
`charge tube which leads into the spray element 36 as is
`conventional.
`As in the case of conventional pump units, when the
`trigger 38 is squeezed, the pumping element 40 will
`move to the right in FIGS. 1 and 4, rearwardly in
`wardly deforming the pump element 84 to reduce the
`volume de?ned by the pump element 84. Since the
`liquid contained within the pump element 84 cannot go
`back into the container because of the check valve, it
`
`45
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`4
`will be pumped out through the spray member 36.
`When the trigger 38 is released, because of the resil
`iency of the pump element 84, the pump element 84 will
`again resume its original shape, causing the trigger 38 to
`return to its original position. At this time, a vacuum
`will exist within the pump element 84 drawing liquid up
`from the bottom of the container 10 through the liquid
`product supply passage 20.
`As the liquid product is dispensed from the container
`10, it is necessary that air replace the liquid product.
`For this reason, the vent passage 80 must be opened to
`the atmosphere. In the illustrated embodiment of the
`invention, there is a further vent passage 98 which is in
`communication with the vent passage 80 and this vent
`passage extends around the interior of the portion 74
`and then externally of the housing 30 to the atmosphere.
`The vent passage 98 is normally closed by the pump
`element, but opens to the atmosphere when the pump
`member 84 is deformed during the pumping operation.
`It is to be understood that the sealing plate 44 and the
`associated gasket 46 may be preassembled with the
`pump unit 14 so that they may be applied as a unit to the
`container 10.
`Although in the illustrated embodiment of the inven
`tion the pump unit 14 is speci?cally con?gurated to
`cooperate with the projection 34 in the container, it is to
`be understood that it is feasible that the pump unit 14 be
`secured in place solely by the shell 64.
`It is also feasible to have the vent passage 80 vented
`through the mounting portion 62 to the atmosphere
`within the shell 64 and down through the space be
`tween portions of the threads 24.
`Although only a preferred embodiment of the pump
`connection has been speci?cally illustrated and de
`scribed herein, it is to be understood that minor varia
`tions may be made in the pump connector and the asso
`ciated elements of the container and pump unit without
`departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
`de?ned by the appended claims.
`We claim:
`1. A pump connection for use with a container having
`a neck ?nish including a dual passage mouth of the type
`including an integral dispensing tube and a scalable end
`surface, said pump connection comprising a gasket sep
`arately sealable relative to each passage of a dual pas
`sage container mouth, a seal member overlying said
`gasket and providing spaced and separate fluid and vent
`passages opening from said gasket, a pump housing
`carrying a [resiliently deformable] pump element in
`sealed relation with said fluid passage, and a hold down
`member engageable with a container neck ?nish for
`clamping said pump housing and seal member against
`said [seal member] gasket.
`2. A pump connection according to claim 1 wherein
`said seal member has a tubular extension extending
`through said gasket.
`3. A pump connection according to claim 1 wherein
`said seal member is in the form of a seal plate.
`4. A pump connection according to claim 1 wherein
`said seal member is in the form of a seal plate, and said
`seal plate has a tubular extension extending through said
`gasket.
`5. A pump connector according to claim 1 wherein
`said vent passage opens to the atmosphere.
`6. A pump connector according to claim 1 wherein
`said vent passages opens to the atmosphere through said
`pump housing.
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1003 - Page 5
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`Re. 33,480
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`6
`ment engaging said pump element and being operable
`by said trigger for effecting a deformation of said pump
`element to reduce the volume of said pump element and
`thus produce a pumping action.
`12. A pump connection according to claim 1 wherein
`said pump connection is mounted on a container having
`a dual passage mouth and is sealed to said container
`mouth by said gasket.
`13. A pump connection according to claim 1 wherein
`said pump element is resiliently deformable.
`14. A pump element according to claim I wherein said
`hold down clamps said pump housing against said seal
`member.
`15. A pump connection according to claim I wherein
`said pump element is resiliently deformable, and said hold
`down clamps said pump housing against said seal member.
`
`5
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`7. A pump connector according to claim 6 wherein
`said pump element forms a releasable seal for said vent
`passage.
`8. A pump connector according to claim 6 wherein
`said pump element forms a releasable seal for said vent
`passage with said vent being open when said pump
`element is actuated.
`9. A pump connector according to claim 1 wherein
`said pump element has an inlet end opposing and spaced
`from said seal member.
`10. A pump connector according to claim 1 wherein
`said pump element has an inlet end opposing and spaced
`from said seal member, and there is a check valve in said
`pump element adjacent said inlet end.
`11. A pump connection according to claim 1 wherein
`said pump element is resiliently deformable, and said
`pump housing carries a trigger having a pumping ele
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1003 - Page 6