JPS628224B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to manually compressible foam dispensing devices, and more particularly to dispensing devices having a rigid foam-generating porous member.

It is well known to create foams from flexible containers that are deformable reservoirs containing liquid and air that are mixed prior to release. Such foam dispensing devices replace known rigid containers in which foam is dispensed under pressure by a compressed gas-liquid blowing agent. Although rigid containers are effective for their intended dispensing purposes, they have several significant problems. One of these is that the container must be made of a metal strong enough to withstand the internal gas pressure, which increases the cost of the container. Another problem arises from the undesirable emission of commonly used fluorocarbon type liquid blowing agents into the atmosphere. This means that the release of such products can pose a health and ecological hazard, and that devices of this type can be explosive under certain circumstances and therefore dangerous from a safety point of view. . In addition to these problems, pressurized devices have the disadvantage that the foam-forming gas used is not self-replenishing, thus limiting the useful life of the dispensing device.

The production of foams with optimal properties with respect to application properties, stability and wetting properties depends not only on the foaming liquid used, but also on the means used to create the foam. Generally, known non-pressurized flexible container dispensing devices utilize spongy porous elements of resilient materials such as urethane foam, natural sponge, and the like. Elastic materials of this type have the inherent disadvantage that undesired changes in porosity occur due to compression. Another disadvantage is that this type of elastic material is not self-supporting. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3010613 to Stossel, U.S. Patent No. 3308993 to VMBruno, and U.S. Patent No. 3422993 to ALBoem et al. be done. Among these, Boehm's patent seems to be the best. However, the porous member used in this device is not self-supporting and requires a rigid inner holder mounted within the container to support the porous member. Additionally, the area of the porous member exposed within the container is severely limited, and exposure of the porous material to the fluid is indirect rather than direct. Additionally, the dip tube of the Boehm device does not extend into the porous member, and air and liquid tend to flow through the porous member without creating foam.

It is also important to note that devices utilizing resilient porous materials are subject to clogging whenever particulate matter, such as finely ground pumice, polyethylene or silica, suspended in a liquid flows through the porous material. Are known.

The device according to the invention solves these and other problems in a manner not disclosed in the prior art.

The foam dispensing device of the present invention produces foam from effervescent liquid and air without the use of a rigid pressurized container and poses no ecological, health, or safety hazards. . The device is activated by hand pressure and is configured to replenish air by self-replenishment.

the form-dispensing device is formed from a flexible material;
It has a container equipped with foam generating means. The foam generating means comprises a self-supporting porous member made of a rigid material and a non-porous elongated tubular member attached with one end extending into the porous member and the other end extending into the interior of the container. Be equipped.

In response to compression of the container, liquid flows upwardly through the tubular member into the interior of the porous member, wetting the interior of the porous member, and air flows from the multiple surfaces of the porous member into the porous member. A foam generating means is provided which is adapted to be introduced into the liquid and mixed with the liquid to form a foam.

When the container is inverted and compressed, air flows downwardly into the interior of the porous member and liquid is forced to the outer surface of the porous member and mixes with the air to form a foam. A means for generating a form is provided.

an elongated substantially cylindrical member having a longitudinal passage extending therein for receiving and carrying a tubular member therein and having flow restriction means at its outer end; A porous member is provided.

a porous member having a portion thereof disposed outwardly of the tubular member to restrict axial flow through the passage;
It is also constructed to provide a porous mixing chamber.

The porous element has a circumferentially continuous surface that is exposed to the fluid within the container.

A rapid air return means is provided between the interior of the container and the atmosphere, providing a one-way valve to prevent air from flowing outwardly through the air return means when the container is compressed.

The porous member has substantially incompressible spherical elements fused together to form a porous member having a constant spatial ratio and through which the finely suspended material can flow without clogging. It is formed by

The dispensing device according to the invention has a relatively simple structure;
It is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and can be used both in an upright position and in an inverted position.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 5, the foam dispensing device is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and includes a flexible container 11 made of plastic or similar material. The container has a side wall portion 12, a lower end wall 13 and another end wall 14. Said end wall 1
4 is formed in a threaded neck 15 providing an opening 16 defined by an annular end 17 . Container neck 1
a cap member 20 having a body portion 21 provided with a threaded groove adapted for attachment to the cap member 5; and a longitudinal passage 22 extending upwardly from an annular abutment portion 23;
is provided. The cap also provides a lateral passage 25 communicating with the longitudinal passage 22 and includes a spout 24 defining a foam outlet. When the cap is tightened, the annular abutment 23 sealingly engages the annular end 17 of the container neck 15. Foam is created from the foamable liquid 26 and air 27 within the container 11 by manually squeezing the side walls 12 of the container as shown in phantom lines in FIGS. 5 and 6, which represent the upright and inverted positions, respectively. It can be done. The foam generating means contained within the dispensing device will be described in connection with the embodiment illustrated in FIG.

The foam generating means is indicated generally by the numeral 30 and has upper and lower portions provided by a hollow cylindrical porous member 31 and a substantially non-porous tubular member 32, respectively. The porous member 31 has an inner surface defining a passageway 33 and a circumferentially continuous longitudinally extending porous outer surface, the porous member having a diameter such that it is retained within the container neck 15. and a considerable amount is exposed inside the container 11.
The upper end 35 of the tubular member has an outer diameter large enough to be retained within the lower portion 36 of the porous member passageway, for example by adhesive means or by friction. The upper part of the passageway also defines a recess 37. Tubular member 3
2 has a top opening 40 and provides conduit means in communication with the conduit means provided by passageway 33. The tubular member depends downwardly into the interior of the container 11 and terminates in a lower end opening 41 disposed in close proximity to the container end wall 13.

Container 11 oriented as shown in FIG.
It will be appreciated that compressing the container sidewall increases the air pressure within the container. This pressure acts downwardly on the upper surface of the foamable liquid 26 causing it to flow upwardly within the depending tubular member 32 and into the porous member through the end opening 40 and into the porous member in the recess 37. Moisten the surface. At the same time, the air inside the container 11 is removed from the porous member multi-surface 34.
It mixes with the foaming liquid within the porous member 31 and efficiently forms a foam within the recess. The foam thus produced is passed through the porous wall section designated 42 to the lateral discharge passageway 25. The engagement of porous member end 43 with a cap passageway designated by numeral 44 directs a foam passage through wall portion 44. This provides a restriction at the end of the passageway 33, which limits the free flow of foam into the atmosphere, and the wall portion provides additional mixing action to form a high quality foam. Upon release of the compressive force on the container, air is returned to the container via passages 25, 33 and rigid porous member 31. The foam is continuously created by continuously or repeatedly compressing the container 11, and the release of said pressure provides a continuous replenishment of air.

When the container is inverted as illustrated in FIG. 6, the paths of foaming liquid and air are reversed, but the mixing effect is substantially the same. That is, when the container is pressurized, air 27 enters the tubular member 32 through the end opening 41 and is forced through the opening 40 into the recess 37 which communicates with the interior of the porous member. At the same time, liquid 26 is pumped into the interior of the porous member via outer surface 34 and mixed.
When compression is stopped, air is replenished into the container. When the pressure is released, air will flow into the container via the tubular end opening 41 if the container is maintained in an inverted condition. If the container 11 is returned to the upright position before being released,
Air enters the upper part of the container via passages 25, 33 and porous member 31.

In the event that a fairly dense foam is created within the porous member, cap passageway end 44 may be spaced from porous member 31, thereby providing substantially uninterrupted communication between passageways 25 and 33. The cap member 20 can be rotated upwardly to the position shown in phantom outline in FIG. 1 to create an outward flow of the foam and to facilitate outward flow of the foam and air supply.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the illustrated dispensing device includes another air return groove 1 formed in the inner surface of the neck 15.
It will be appreciated that this is similar to that described in FIG. 1 with respect to container 11, except that 8 is provided. The device is distinguished by a modified arrangement and shape of the foam generating means. In FIG. 2, the foam generating means is designated by the numeral 50 and comprises a porous member 51 and a non-porous tubular member 52. In FIG. Porous member 51 has passageways 53 and a porous outer surface 54 . Tubular member 52 has an upper end 55 received within passageway 53, an upper end opening 60, and a lower end opening (not shown). As illustrated in FIG. 2, passageway 53 does not extend through porous member 51, but rather terminates to provide a substantially porous outer portion designated by numeral 62. As shown in FIG. This porous portion 62 is disposed outwardly of the end opening providing a direct path for the foamable liquid 26 to flow into the interior of the porous member 51 when the container is compressed. Air 27 enters porous member 51 via outer surface 54 . Tubular member upper end 55
is received within the passageway 53 and attached to the porous member 51, for example by adhesive or friction. The porous outer portion 62 immediately above the tubular member 52 restricts the flow of liquid and, in effect, forms the foam prior to its passage through the cap's longitudinal passages 22 and lateral discharge passages to the atmosphere. A porous mixing chamber is provided. If the container 11 is inverted, air will be forced to flow through the tubular member 52 from the lower end opening (not shown) and liquid will be allowed to flow through the porous member outer surface 54. It will be understood. As previously mentioned, efficient mixing occurs within the porous portion 62, resulting in a high quality foam.

The air return groove, designated 18, is used in cases where it is desired that air be returned to the container more quickly than if it were to be returned to the container through a porous member. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the air return groove 18 is recessed in the porous member and associated with a one-way valve element 63 made of a washer-shaped flexible elastomeric material providing an annular flange 64. used. When the container 11 is compressed, the flange 64 prevents air from entering the groove 18;
It will be appreciated that when the pressure in the container is released, a portion of the flange 64 flexes as shown in phantom, allowing air to flow from the atmosphere into the container through the groove 18.

FIG. 2A depicts a device similar to that shown in FIG. 2, except that tubular member 52a is provided with a closed end 55a and a side opening 60a. In this embodiment, the positive flow restriction provided by the closed end 55a allows fluid to be directed laterally through the side openings before being discharged into the cap passageway (not shown). It facilitates mixing of each fluid within the porous member. Air return groove 18a
penetrates the porous member and the washer 63
a is disposed around the tubular member to provide a flexible flange 64a.

Referring to FIG. 3, the illustrated container is similar to that illustrated in FIG. Unlike FIGS. 1 and 2, the foam generating means, designated by the numeral 70 and comprising a porous member 71 and a tubular member 72, is adapted to receive the upper end 75 of the tubular member 72 using adhesive or friction. A passageway 73 is provided with a lower portion 76 that is shaped like a cylindrical piece. Thereby passage 73
provides a porous surface recess 77 above the end opening 80. When the container 11 is compressed, the liquid flows into the recess 77
Flows into the inside of the porous member 71 through. As before, the air penetrates the outer surface of the porous member 71 and mixes efficiently with the liquid within the porous member 71 to form a foam within the recess 77. The foam is channeled into a porous outer portion 82 which constitutes a restriction and provides a porous mixing chamber.
The high quality foam thus formed passes through longitudinal passages 22 and transverse passages 25 to the atmosphere. The tubular member also includes a lower end opening (not shown) located proximate the container end wall 13. As mentioned above, the container 11 can be used even in an overturned state.

If a more rapid return of air to the container is desired, as is the case in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, an air return groove, designated by the number 78, is used in this case. However, as shown in FIG. 3, air return grooves 78 are formed in the outer surface of porous member 71 rather than in the neck of container 11. In this construction, the air return groove 78 is used in conjunction with a similar one-way valve element 83 provided in a recess in the porous member and having a flexible lower portion 84. When the container 11 is compressed, said portion 84 prevents the direct flow of air into the groove 78, and when the pressure in the container 11 is released, the portion 84 flexes and directs air from the atmosphere into the container, as shown by the dashed line. It will be understood that the flow is caused to flow through the groove 78.

It will, of course, be understood that the air return devices shown in FIGS. 2, 2A, and 3 may be interchanged.

In a preferred embodiment, the incompressible porous member is a porous volcanic glass material, sintered glass such as used in filters, or porous polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, rayon, and the like. Constructed of non-compressible plastic. Each of the materials described above can be fabricated with a porosity that creates a restricted air flow, and in a preferred embodiment, the materials are made with a large number of microscopic pores, as clearly illustrated in FIG. It is constructed in such a way that the real relief bodies are connected at their outer surfaces and a space is created between these spheres.
This type of porous material allows the size of the spheres, and thus the pore size, to be controlled so as to produce a selected air resistance. The microspheres are compressed together under pressure and locked at their points of contact to form a porous structure having uniform porosity and a substantially constant spatial ratio. They are thus distinguished from elastic fibrous materials which are compressible, thereby reducing the opening and changing the porosity under pressure conditions.

The effervescent liquid used is preferably in the low viscosity range of 50 centipoise or less. the liquid is capable of foaming upon slight mechanical disturbance;
It also has a surface tension of 50 dynes/cm or less. Due to the nature of the porous material as described above, the foamable liquid may also contain insoluble particulate materials, such as pumice, silica, polyethylene, or polypropylene powder, which are typically utilized in laundry detergents. Solid particulates, such as vegetable fats, wax particles and the like, can also penetrate porous materials of this type.

Foam quality is characterized by density, wettability, uniformity, cell size, cell collapse rate and absorption on fine paper. Importantly, density is primarily influenced by the air-to-liquid ratio used in making the foam and the degree of interfacial contact resulting from the mechanical mixing utilized. In the preferred embodiments described above, the amount of air to foamable liquid varies between 10 and 100 cubic centimeters of air per gram of foamable liquid, and a high quality foam is created by using a mixing process.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a container representing one type of porous member. FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing a porous member according to a configuration changed from FIG. 2; FIG. 2A is a partial cross-sectional view showing another tubular member. FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing another modified configuration. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the dispensing device in use in one state. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the dispensing device in use in an overturned position. The main members in the figure are as follows. 10: foam dispensing device, 11: flexible container,
15: neck, 18, 18a, 78: air return groove,
20: Cap part, 22: Vertical passage, 25:
Lateral passage, 26: Foaming liquid, 27: Air, 3
0, 50, 70: Form generation means, 31, 5
1, 71: porous member, 32, 52, 52a, 7
2: non-porous tubular member, 33, 53, 73: passage,
63, 63a, 83: one-way valve element.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A flexible container having a discharge port and configured to hold foamable liquid and air is provided, and a region adjacent to the discharge port and the inside of the container are made of a rigid porous material. separated by a porous member made of a material, the porous member having a passageway extending at least partially through the porous member, and an opening at one end connecting the porous member through the passageway. 1. A foam dispensing device comprising conduit means communicating with the mass member and having an opening at the other end extending into and communicating with the interior of the container. 2. A foam dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting means disposed outwardly of the passage restricts the free flow of fluid through the passage. 3. A foam dispensing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said conduit means is a non-porous elongated tubular body extending at one end into said passageway and at the other end extending generally into the interior of the container in the longitudinal direction of the container. Form dispensing device consisting of parts. 4. The foam dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the passageway extends partially through the porous member, and a porous member disposed outwardly of the passageway extends through the porous member. A form dispensing device that provides a restriction means for restricting the free flow of fluid therethrough. 5. A foam dispensing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said conduit means comprises a non-porous tubular member with one end extending into said passageway. 6. The foam dispensing device of claim 5, wherein the passageway has a porous surface portion disposed outwardly of the non-porous tubular member. 7. The foam dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the container has a reduced diameter neck portion and the porous member has a longitudinally extending outer circumference that is directly exposed to the fluid within the container. a foam dispensing device carried by and extending below the neck portion to provide an area for extending the neck portion; 8. A foam dispensing device according to claim 7, wherein the porous member is disposed without deformation within the neck of the container, and the conduit means extends into the passageway and is carried by the porous member. A foam dispensing device comprising a non-porous elongated tubular member. 9. A form dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the porous member is formed from a plurality of substantially spherical elements fused together to define a predetermined spatial ratio. Device. 10. The foam dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the restriction means disposed outwardly of the conduit opening communicating with the porous member directs flow laterally from the conduit means into the porous member. Form dispensing device. 11. A foam dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein rapid air return means is provided between the interior of the container and the atmosphere, and when the container is compressed, one-way valve means disable the air return means. A form dispensing device adapted to substantially prevent direct fluid flow therethrough.