United States Patent [191
`Gardner et a1.
`
`lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`11500515243114
`1111
`5,152,431
`Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Oct. 6, 1992
`
`[54] PUMP APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING A
`SELECI‘ED ONE OF A PLURALITY 0F
`LIQUIDS
`
`[75] Inventors: Beth T. Gardner, Mahwha; Alan N.
`Bodker, Wayne, both of NJ,
`_
`_
`[731 Asslgnw Sterlmg Drug, 1119-, Rochester, N-Y-
`_
`[2!] Appl' NO" 718’880
`[22] Filed;
`Jul-L 21, 1991
`
`3,596,802 8/1971 Feldman .................... .. ZZZ/144.5 X
`3,760,986 9/1973 Castner et al. .................... .. 222/137
`3,876,112 4/1975 Kramer .
`4,006,841 2/1977 Alticosalian ............... .. 222/1445 X
`4,238,054 12/1980 Chen ............ ..
`222/136 X
`4,355,739 10/1982 Vierkiitter
`222/ 144.5 X
`4,549,674 10/1985 Alticosalian
`ZZZ/144.5 X
`4,622,889 11/1986 Chappell et a1. ............. .. 222/209 x
`4,826,048 5/1989 Skorka et al. .
`4,993,594 2/1991 Becker et a1, . ................ .. 222/136 x
`5,009,342 4/1991 Lawrence et a1. .......... _, .... .. 222/136
`
`[51] 1111. c1.5 ............................................. .. B67D 5/60
`1521 U-S- 0- ------------------------------- -- 222/136; 22%
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`964242 3/1975 Canada ........................... .. 222/1445
`
`[58] Field of Search .......... .. 222/129, 135, 136, 144.5,
`222/209, 401, 383
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U_S_ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`l’772’425 8/1930 Lebe_°q“e et a1"
`
`222/40]
`
`. . . . . .. 222/136
`1,964,362 6/1934 Nasslf . . . , . . . . . . . .
`2 581713 1/1952 Roubicek ....................... .. 222/1445
`3’211’343 10/1965 silver _
`3,269,605 8/1966 Silver .
`3,272,387 9/1966 Katz et a1. .
`3,366,279 l/ 1968 Parker, Jr. et al. .
`
`Prim’? Examiner—l_ievin P; Shaves
`Attorney, Agent, or F1rm—M1llen, whlte & Zelano
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`A single pump assembly is used to dispense liquid from
`a selected one of a plurality of compartments in a con
`tainer vessel. The pump assembly is detachably
`
`with re_
`t t
`d
`1
`v
`mounted on the comai
`.
`“er esse “1 to a ‘F5 .
`spect to the contamer vessel to select the liquid to be
`Pumped
`
`10 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`12
`
`ea
`
`86 9?
`
`s4
`
`96
`
`84
`
`54
`
`. BO
`
`21 4e
`
`24
`
`22.
`
`I8
`
`9O
`
`92
`
`-
`
`.12
`
`34
`26
`2O
`
`14
`
`lo
`
`-1 __- 1§
`_
`_ _ _28
`
`w‘ _.
`
`_ _
`
`_
`
`_ _
`
`- _
`
`_ _
`
`_
`
`/4O
`
`42
`
`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1009 - Page 1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 6, 1992
`
`Sheet 1 of 2‘
`
`5,152,431
`
`96
`
`FlG.'l
`
`"‘
`
`I ...~‘. --~
`
`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1009 - Page 2
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Oct. 6, 1992
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
`
`5,152,431
`
`FIG.3
`
`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1009 - Page 3
`
`

`
`1
`
`5,152,431
`
`PUMP APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING A
`SELECTED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF LIQUIDS
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`The instant invention relates to pump apparatus for
`dispensing one of a plurality of separate liquids and
`more particularly the instant invention relates to a pump
`apparatus for dispensing such liquids from a single con
`tainer.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`There are a number of different cleaning products for
`household and commercial use, which products are
`used in conjunction with one another. For example, in
`cleaning a bathroom, one may use a toilet bowl cleaner,
`a glass cleaner, a disinfectant and perhaps a mold and
`mildew cleaner. Each of these products is packaged in
`its own bottle and one ends up carrying a number of
`separate bottles from room to room. Moreover, a num
`ber of bottles must be stored as opposed to a single
`bottle or container. Anything which makes household _
`chores easier and quicker is usually welcomed by con
`
`sumers.
`
`_
`
`30
`
`A solution to this problem is suggested in the patent
`literature wherein a plurality of containers connected
`together or a compartmented container is used instead
`of separate containers. US. Pat. Nos. 3,211,343;
`3,269,605; 3,272,387; 3,366,279 and 3,596,802 each uti
`lize valves disposed between a pressurized liquid and a
`nozzle wherein, when the valves are opened, the pres
`surized liquids escape. In order to pressurize the liquids
`in these containers, chloro?uorocarbons (CFCs) are
`utilized. Since chloro?uorocarbons are considered an
`environmental hazard, they are being phased out. US.
`35
`Pat. Nos. 3,876,112 and 4,826,048 each teach a separate
`dispensing means for eachdiquid instead of utilizing a
`single pump which is a somewhat inconvenient arrange
`ment. US. Pat. No. 4,355,739 discloses utilizing a single
`pump but the single pump dispenses either a single liq
`uid or a mixed liquid instead of selectively dispensing
`one of a number of single liquids.
`»
`In view of the aforementioned considerations, there is
`a need for a multiliquid dispensing system for dispensing
`liquids one at a time, unmixed, from a single container,
`or perhaps multiple containers nested in proximity to
`one another.
`
`40
`
`45
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`It is an object of the instant invention to provide a
`new and improved arrangement for selectively dispens
`ing one of a plurality of liquids from adjacent compart
`ments through a single pump.
`Upon further study of the speci?cation and appended
`claims, further objects and advantages of this invention
`will become apparent to those skilled in the art.
`In view of this object and other objects, the instant
`invention contemplates a pump assembly for dispensing
`liquid from a selected one of several juxtaposed com
`partments wherein the pump assembly comprises a
`pump housing including therein a pump mechanism and
`having thereon a nozzle for dispensing liquid there
`through. The pump housing includes tube means
`therein connected to the pump. A plurality of dip tubes
`extend into the separate compartments from a base
`member having a plurality of openings aligned with the
`dip tubes. The pump is secured to the base member with
`tube member aligned with a selected one of the holes in
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`2
`the base member. The tube is mounted so that it may be
`indexed to a selected hole in the base member wherein
`the pump can dispense the liquid from a selected com
`partment.
`In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
`invention, the compartments are formed in a single .
`container having a threaded neck onto which the pump
`is threadably mounted.
`The instant invention further contemplates a single
`pump assembly in combination with a multicompart
`mented container wherein the single pump assembly
`dispenses the contents of a selected one of the compart
`ments.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`Various other objects, features and attendant advan
`tages of the present invention will be more fully appre
`ciated as the same becomes better understood when
`considered in conjunction with the accompanying
`drawings, in which like reference characters designate
`the same or similar parts throughout the several views,
`and wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the pump assembly
`of the instant invention in combination with a compart
`mented container;
`FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken along lines 2-2 of
`FIG. 1; and
`FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation illustrating just
`how a pump is rotatably secured to a collar and base
`comprising part of the pump assembly.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown compart
`mented container designated generally by the number
`10, upon which is mounted a pump assembly con?gured
`in accordance with the instant invention and designated
`generally by the numeral 12. In the illustrated embodi
`ment, the compartmented container includes ?rst, sec
`ond and third compartments 14, 16 and 18, which are
`nested together and have separate openings 20, 22 and
`24 within a round neck 26 of the container. Since there
`are three compartments 14, 16 and 18, they preferably
`nest together and are separated by three radial parti
`tions positioned 120° apart. For clarity, only two parti
`tions 28 and 30 are shown.
`Referring mainly to FIG. 3, the pump assembly 12 is
`secured to the neck 26 of the container 10 by a threaded
`collar 34 which has internal threads 36 which thread
`with the threads of the neck 26 of container 10. The
`collar 34 is rotatably mounted on a base 38 to which are
`secured ?rst, second and third dip tubes 40, 42 and 44.
`The bottom surface 46 of the base abuts the top 48 of the
`neck 26 (FIG. 1) when the pump assembly 12 is
`mounted on the container 10 with the dip tubes 40, 42
`and 44 extending into the chambers 14, 16 and 18, re
`spectively. Since the dip tubes 40, 42 and 44 are in the
`compartments 14, 16 and 18, the base 38 to which they
`are rigidly af?xed cannot rotate when one mounts the
`pump assembly 12 on the container 10. Accordingly,
`the collar 34 is mounted on the base 38 to rotate inde
`pendently thereof by abutting shoulder 50 on the collar
`34 with shoulder 52 on the base 38.
`The pump assembly 12 includes a pump housing 54
`having a bottom 56 unitary or ?xed therewith. The
`bottom 56 has a central opening 58. With an annular
`shoulder 60 therein which annular shoulder is abutted
`by a ?rst rivet head 62. The rivet head 62 has a shank 64
`
`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1009 - Page 4
`
`

`
`5,152,431
`
`0
`
`5
`
`3
`' thereon which is telescopically mated with a shank 66
`?xed to a lower rivet head 68 that abuts an annular
`shoulder 70 adjacent an opening 72 in the base 38. A
`coil spring 74 under tension urges the heads 62 and 68
`toward one another while allowing the shanks 64 and 66
`to telescope so that a swivel is provided whereby the
`housing 54 of the pump assembly 12 can be rotated with
`respect to the base 38.
`An annular sealing rib 76 projects from the housing
`54 into an annular groove 78 formed in the base 38 in
`order to provide a seal between the housing 54 and base
`38.
`Within the housing 54 there is disposed an elbow tube
`80 which is ?xed to project through a single circular
`opening 82 in the base 38. As is seen in FIG. 1, the
`elbow tube 80 has its other end ?xed in communication
`with a center tube 84 of a pump designated generally by
`the numeral 86. The pump 86 may have the con?gura
`tion of any prior art pump in which liquid is fed thereto
`through a central inlet tube such as the tube 84. Exem
`plary of such pumps are the pumps disclosed in patents
`such as US. Pat. No. 3,685,739 or 3,701,478. The tube
`84 communicates with a reservoir 88 in the pump 86,
`which reservoir includes a piston 90 which is recipro
`cated by a trigger 92 against the bias of a spring 94 to
`eject the selected liquid through a tube 92 for dispensing
`through a nozzle 96. It is again emphasized that the
`structure of the pump 86 may be selected from numer
`ous pump con?gurations well known to those skilled in
`the art and disclosed in numerous patents.
`As is best seen in FIG. 3, the elbow tube 80 has a
`check valve in the form of a stainless steel ball 98 which
`is seated adjacent an opening 100 through the bottom of
`the elbow tube. When the pump trigger 92 is squeezed,
`a vacuum occurs in the elbow tube 80 lifting the ball 98
`and causing liquid in the dip tube 40 to rise into the
`elbow tube. As the trigger 92 is repeatedly squeezed,
`liquid rises from the elbow tube into the central tube 84
`of the pump 86 from which it passes into the reservoir
`88 to be subsequently dispensed through the nozzle 96
`40
`upon subsequently actuating the trigger 92.
`If one wishes to select a liquid from a compartment
`other than the compartment 14, the pump body 12 is
`lifted against the bias of the spring 74 and rotated with
`respect to the base 38 and the container 10 which is held
`45
`in abutment with the base 38 by the threaded collar 34.
`The end of the dip tube is then registered with the
`opened top of the dip tube 42 or 44 which has been
`selected. Adjacent the upper end of each of the dip
`tubes 40, 42 and 44, are annular recesses 102, 104 and
`106 in which are seated 0-rings 108, 110 and 112, respec
`tively. As one rotates the pump assembly 12 with re
`spect to the container 10 the end of the elbow tube 80
`rides on the top surface 114 of the base 38 and then
`registers with the openings 102, 104 and 106 by snap
`ping into the openings under the urging of the spring 74.
`Consequently, an indication is given to the user that the
`pump housing 12 is properly aligned with one of the dip
`tubes 40, 42 and 44.
`The aforedescribed pump assembly 12 and compart
`mented container 10 combine as a unit which is conve
`nient and easy to use. The container 10 is also re?llable
`because the pump assembly 12 is readily detachable
`from the container 10 so that the container may be
`re?lled with liquid from re?ll packets.
`The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and
`publications, cited above and below, are hereby incor
`porated by reference.
`
`35
`
`4
`From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art
`can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this
`invention and, without departing from the spirit and
`scope thereof, can make various changes and modi?ca
`tions of the invention to adapt it to various usages and
`conditions.
`What is claimed is:
`1. An arrangement for dispensing liquid from a se
`lected one of a plurality of juxtaposed compartments,
`the arrangement comprising:
`a pump having a housing, a chamber with an inlet and
`an outlet disposed within said housing, an inlet tube
`connected to the inlet of the chamber and an outlet
`nozzle connected to the outlet of the chamber, a
`piston in the chamber, the piston being biased by a
`spring to a rest position, a trigger for moving the
`piston against the bias of the spring to expel liquid
`in the chamber through the outlet nozzle, the
`spring returning the piston to the rest position to
`create a vacuum in the chamber which vacuum
`draws additional liquid into the chamber through
`the inlet tube;
`a plurality of dip tubes, each dip tube extending into
`a separate compartment;
`-
`a base member having a plurality of openings each
`connected with a separate one of the dip tubes;
`means for securing the pump housing to the base
`member with the inlet tube aligned with one of the
`holes in the base member; and
`‘
`means for indexing the inlet tube from alignment with
`one hole in the base member to alignment with
`another hole in the base member, wherein the
`pump selectively dispenses liquid from a selected
`compartment upon squeezing the trigger.
`2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the compart
`ments are formed in a single container having a neck
`and wherein the means for securing includes a collar
`detachably secured to the neck.
`3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the collar is
`threadably secured to the neck and wherein the collar is
`connected to the base member by means permitting
`relative rotation of the collar with respect to the base
`member.
`4. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the housing
`includes a base plate with a single opening therein and
`wherein the inlet tube is a single tube in communication
`with the single opening and the inlet of the pump cham
`ber wherein the single opening in the base plate is selec
`tively alignable with one of the openings in the base
`member so that the inlet tube communicates with just
`one of the dip tubes.
`5. The arrangement of claim 4, whereing the base
`member includes an annular recess adjacent each open
`ing therethrough and O-rings seated within the recesses
`for sealing engagement with the single tube.
`6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the single
`tube includes a ball check valve.
`7. In combination, a pump assembly and a vessel
`wherein the container vessel includes a plurality of
`compartments for containing separate liquids, the com
`bination comprising:
`a neck on the container housing with each of the
`separate compartments of the container housing
`opening through the neck, the neck including a
`threaded exterior surface;
`'
`the pump assembly including a base plate having
`openings therethrough and a dip tube extending
`from each opening for receipt in one of the com
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1009 - Page 5
`
`

`
`5,152,431
`
`5
`partments of the container vessel, a collar rotatably
`mounted on the base and having internal threads
`for threadably connecting with the external
`threads of the neck of the container vessel; the
`pump assembly further including a pump housing,
`a pump mechanism within the housing having a
`single outlet being connected by a single tube to
`one of the openings in the base plate at a time, the
`pump housing being rotatably mounted on the base
`plate for rotation with respect thereto to selec
`tively connect the single tube to one of the open
`ings in the base member.
`
`6
`8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the pump
`housing assembly includes a bottom portion rotatably
`connected to the base plate by a swivel which swivel
`includes a spring for biasing the bottom portion of the
`housing against the base plate.
`9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the base plate ,
`includes an annular recess adjacent each opening there
`through and O-rings seated within the recesses for seal~
`ing engagement with the single tube.
`10. The combination of claim 7, wherein the single
`tube includes a ball check valve therein.
`* 1‘
`‘K
`i
`i
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`65
`
`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1009 - Page 6