JPH0350529B2 - - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A method for supplying the reservoir (7) of a soap solution metering device with an extraction device (16, 17, 17') disposed downstream, characterized in that the reservoir (7) is supplied with the soap solution from at least two outlet openings (6, 6') which are arranged stepped behind one another at different levels by operating the extraction device (16, 17,17'), each outlet opening (6, 6') is supplied with soap via a separate container (3, 3'), that at each respective higher level of the soap solution at least one outlet opening (6') disposed lower down is kept closet until the level of the soap solution reaches the next lowest outlet opening (6') and due to the level of the soap solution dropping further permits the entry of outside air into the next lowest outlet opening (6') thus causing an outflow, these steps being repeated until the level of soap solution is reduced below the lowest outlet opening (6') by operating the extraction device (16, 17, 17').

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a method for supplying a reservoir of a soap solution dispensing device to which a dispensing device is downstream connected, a soap solution storage structure and a covering hood. and a soap solution dispensing device for carrying out the method.

Methods and devices such as those described above are known.

In such soap solution dispensing devices, display devices with optical display means are known. These display devices either display the liquid level directly or are glass bodies that alternate between light and dark in the monitoring window by integrated reflection (European Patent Publication No. 0023470).

Known soap solution dispensing devices are characterized by the fact that the empty condition is indicated only at the point when there is no longer sufficient time in any case to replace the empty container with a filled one. produce defects.
In the case of known soap solution dispensing devices, there is therefore a risk that the container will not be replaced at the necessary time and the device will become unusable.

The object of the invention is to develop a method as described at the outset and a soap solution dosing device whose operational readiness is not impaired by container changes.

The above problems are solved by the following features of the present invention. That is, the reservoir is fed stepwise and successively through at least two outlets at different levels by operation of the withdrawal device, in each case at least one outlet at a lower level being filled with soap solution at a higher level. until the level of the soap solution reaches the next lower outlet, where the lowering soap solution level allows ambient air to flow into the next lower outlet. The problem is solved by inducing an outflow and repeating these process steps until the level of soap solution has descended below the outlet in the deepest position by operation of the extraction device.

The advantage of this method is that two or more containers of soap solution can be used. If the container is already empty, you can replace it. In that case, at least the other container contains a sufficient amount of soap solution. This means that, with proper management, there is no danger of running out of soap solution or of having to remove containers that are not yet completely empty.

Advantageously, by operating the take-off device, a float is guided downwards with the level of soap solution, which float controls the indicating element by its position. The advantage of this embodiment is that it can be determined from the outside without removing the soap solution dispensing device that one or more containers are already empty or almost empty.

The soap solution dispensing device according to the invention includes a soap solution storage structure and a cover hood. The dosing device is configured to have at least two outlets vertically spaced from each other into a reservoir for storing soap solution.
This configuration ensures the functionality of the device in a simple manner.

Advantageously, in the soap solution dosing device according to the invention, at least one of the outlets is associated with a display device. Advantageously, this display device is co-located with a higher placed outlet.
It can be seen that the evacuation of the structure for storing the soap solution takes place through the outlet and that corresponding replacement of the container must be provided for.
However, there is plenty of time available to replace the container. Furthermore, subsequent emptying of the soap solution storage structure takes place through an outlet located at a lower level, and the time required to change the container is limited by the amount of time required to empty the storage tank. This is because it has not been done.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the soap solution storage structure is supported on a support member in the upper part of the reservoir.
At least one container is vertically supported on the support member, and the soap solution storage structure extends through the support member into the interior of the reservoir. In this way, the soap solution storage structure can be easily and reliably attached and fixed to the storage tank.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the soap solution dispensing device, the soap solution storage structure consists of at least two separate containers each having a throat, and the support member has a separate container for each container. There is a throat and the height of the outlet is determined by the mouth of the throat of the container or support member. The container can thus be held in a soap solution dosing device in a particularly simple manner. The exchange of one container with two containers, which has hitherto been common, does not cause any special structural changes in the soap solution dispensing device, nor does it cause any appreciable volume loss. As a result, retrofitting of existing soap solution dispensing devices is also possible.

It is expedient for the containers to have throats of the same length and for the support member to have sections adjacent to these containers. Two of these sections are vertically offset from each other by the vertical spacing of the outlet in steps. In this way, the container can be exchanged at will.

In the case of the soap solution dosing device according to the invention, it is advantageous that the display device is mounted in the reservoir and consists of a float to which at least one display device is connected, so that the movement of the at least one display device is advantageous. The track is at least partially aligned with the observation window of the covered hood. In its simplest form, the display device thus includes a float that moves in the reservoir with the level of the soap solution, and a display member connected to the float. In this way the display device becomes as simple as possible. The display is clear, reliable, and independent of the number of container changes due to the visible appearance of the display member in the observation window of the cover hood. The indicator member does not come into contact with the soap solution, so the indicator cannot become obscured or unclear. Additionally, the indicator is independent of the container or soap solution clarity.

The display device for a soap solution dispensing device according to the invention has two display members and two monitoring windows located at different positions on the hood. In this way, the display is clear even if, for example, one side of the hood is out of reach due to its construction.

According to yet another aspect, the display device has two differently colored bands. In this way, the display in the surveillance window of the hood can be perceived as particularly bright. Furthermore, the more the storage tank empties, the more the color band indicating the empty state appears in the monitoring window, so that the transition to the final empty state can also be tracked.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the object of the invention, each end face of the float is provided with an indicator element, which indicator element is constructed in one piece with the associated lever. The float is fixed to a curved portion between the display member and the lever. This achieves a space-saving structure. This space-saving construction furthermore does not require any special modification of the structure of the soap solution dosing device for the incorporation of the display device and allows display on two sides of the device.

Further details will be explained based on the figures.

In the sectional view shown in FIG. 1, the holding part consists of a back wall 1 which can be fixed to one wall, for example.
The soap solution storage structure 2 consists of a first container 3 and a second container 3', which are vertically arranged next to each other and have downwardly directed openings. The opening side end is provided with indented portions 4, 4' for the purpose described below. Connected to the indentations 4, 4' are throats 5, 5', the ends of which define outlet openings 6, 6'.
The soap solution dosing device furthermore has a reservoir 7 into which the outlets 6 and 6' lead. container 3
and 3' are supported on the holding device 8. The holding device 8 is composed of a bearing rib 9 and a support member 10. A bearing rib is formed along the reservoir 7 and the bearing member 10 is on the bearing rib 9. This bearing member 10 each has one throat 12,
There are two zones 11 and 11' with 12'. The throats 5, 5' of the containers 3, 3' pass through the throats 12, 12' of the bearing 10, and the outlets 6, 6' are vertically spaced apart from each other into the reservoir 7. I understand. The zones 11 and 11' of the support 10 are then offset from each other by the vertical spacing of the outlets 6 and 6', and the containers 3, 3' rest on the support 10.

The reservoir 7 has a bottom 13 . Internal space of storage tank 1
4 has an outlet 6'6' of the container 3, 3'.
A pump chamber 15 is located below the bottom 13 . The cylinder serves to accommodate a piston (not shown) of the dosing device, the other end of which is connected to a push button 17. On the underside of the push button 17 there is an outlet 17' for the soap solution.

In the operating condition shown in Fig. 1, both containers 3,
There is a soap container in 3'. The soap solution is
When the containers 3, 3' are inserted into the reservoir 7, the upper liquid level 18 rises to the level of the higher outlet 6 of the container 3, as shown. FIG. 1 shows the soap solution dispensing device in use, after container 3 has been evacuated, but container 3' has not yet been evacuated. At this time, the level of the soap solution in the storage tank 7 has fallen to the level of the lower liquid level 18'.

Furthermore, FIG. 2 shows a lower holding plate 1 which is formed integrally with the back wall 1 and to which a storage tank 7 is attached.
9 is shown. A fixing part 1 of the storage tank 7 is attached to the back wall 1.
There is a 9′.

1 and 1a, it is shown that the entire structure is surrounded by a cover hood 20. In FIGS. In the region of the recesses 4 and 4' of the containers 3, 3', a cover 20 with recesses 4, 4' forms a space 23 for purposes to be described later. A monitoring window 28 is provided in the hood 20 in the area of the space 23 .

In FIG. 2, the same reference numerals are given to the parts shown in FIG. FIG. 2 also shows the cylinder 16 inserted into the vertical portion of the bottom 13. On the opposite side of the pump chamber 15 from the rear wall 1 there is a push button 17, which forms part of a dispensing device, by means of which a soap solution known per se and not described in detail is placed in a reservoir. Taken from 7. Such removal devices are known and therefore will not be described further here.

FIG. 2 shows a display device. This display device essentially consists of a cylindrical float 21. A display member 22 projects upwardly from this float, and a lever 25' projects laterally. Lever 25' is bearing 2
It is pivotally connected to the storage tank 7 at 6. The display member 22 protrudes into a space 23, and the space 23 is limited by the recess 4 of the container 3 and the hood 20.
The hood 20 has a monitoring window 28 through which the display member 22 can be seen. This monitoring window 28 is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2a, two positions of the display member 22 are shown. The position indicated by the solid line is the case where the container is still inside the storage tank 7. Conversely, the dashed line shows the empty case. The display member 22 has a first color band of, for example, green and a second color band of, for example, red. Reference numeral 30 indicates color band 2 visible through the monitoring window 28.
7,29 visible areas are shown.

The plan view of FIG. 3 shows a float structure with a reservoir 7 and a float 21 with a fixed part 19'. Float 21
Levers 25 and 25' protrude from both end faces, and these levers are pivotally connected to the storage tank 7 by bearings 26. These bearings 26 are shown as projections and are located near the ends of the levers 25, 25';
It is seated in a corresponding recess in the wall of the reservoir 7. FIG. 3 shows that in this example only lever 25' has an indicator 22.

The plan view in FIG. 4 also shows the reservoir 7 with the fixing part 19' and the holding device 8. The holding device includes containers 3, 3' formed on the support member 10.
compartments 11 and 11' and containers 3,
Throat part 1 for accommodating throat parts 5, 5' of 3'
There are 2,12'.

The operating mode of the soap solution dispensing device in conjunction with Figures 1, 1a, 2 and 2a will now be described. In normal use of the soap solution dispensing device, which continues while the first container 3 contains soap solution, the liquid level 18 in the reservoir 7 is
It is at a height determined by the outlet 6 of the container 3. At this time, the float 21 is in the upper position shown in FIGS. 2 and 2a. As can be seen in more detail in FIG. 2a, the display member 22 has two color bands 27 and 29 at the end opposite the float 21. The green color of color band 27 indicates the ready state of the soap solution dispensing device.

After the container 3 is evacuated, the liquid level in the storage tank 7 decreases. The second container 3', which still contains the soap solution 3', now operates with the reservoir 7 in the same way as the first container 3. This means that the level 18' of the soap solution in the reservoir 7 is at the level of the outlet 6' of the container 3'.
The float 1 and the display member 22 follow this movement along an arc-shaped movement trajectory. Float 2 with display member 22
The final position of 1 coincides with the liquid level 18' in FIG. 1a and is the position of the dashed line in FIG. 2a. Display member 2
In this position of 2, the upper red band 29 is visible in the monitoring window 28 of the hood 20, and the area 30 of the color band 29 is visible.
can be seen from the monitoring window 28.

Between the two final positions shown in FIG. 2a, a region 30 encompassing parts of the two color bands 27 and 29 can be perceived through the monitoring window 28. In this way, the user knows when the container 3 is evacuated at just the right time.

A cylinder 16, which is supported in the bottom part 13, serves to accommodate a piston (not shown) of a take-off device, which is known per se.

In the illustrated embodiment, the higher outlet of the first container 3 is provided with a display device. This means that the red band 29 of the display indicates the need to empty the first container 3 and replace it with a full container. If this exchange is not carried out immediately, there will be no damage first. This is because the soap solution dosing device can be used with the remaining liquid in the second container 3'.
However, when the exchange is carried out, the container 3', which may still contain some liquid, is placed in the position of the empty container 3, and the new container containing liquid is installed in the position of the container 3'. Good. In this way, a surplus of soap solution dispensing devices can be maintained at all times.

Note that while the liquid level is falling to the level of the outlet 6' of the container 3', both color bands 27 and 29 of the display member 22 are visible through the monitoring window 28 of the cover hood 20. This shows that the container 3 is already empty at an early stage.

The soap solution dispensing device shown can be modified in various ways. For example, two or more containers can be provided. However, it is necessary that at least two of them are provided in the storage tank with the outlets vertically spaced from each other. The container of the soap solution dispensing device also need not be replaceable.
It can be fixed and used as a refillable container.

The holding device 8 can also be modified in various ways. For example, instead of the reservoir 7, the holding device can be attached to the rear wall 1. In that case, the support element 10 can necessarily be omitted or can be replaced by being supported on the rear wall 1.

In the embodiment shown, the throats 5 and 5' of the containers 3, 3' pass through the support member 10. In the case of a corresponding design of the throats 12, 12' in the zones 11, 11' of the support element 10, the outlet can also be defined by the openings of the throats 12, 12'. In addition, it is also possible, for example, to connect the container provided on the back wall 1 to the interior space 14 of the storage tank 7 in a suitable manner by means of a suitable intermediate piece that reaches into the container.

Other configurations of the display device are also possible. For example, the float 21 can have an indicator 22 on each end face, and the hood 20 can accordingly have a monitoring window 28 on each side. This arrangement makes it possible to make the display clearly visible even when the soap solution device is fixed in a corner near a wall for technical reasons.

In another variant, the display element 22 can be provided with only one section which is visible in the observation window 28 of the hood 20 after the container 3 has been evacuated.

The division is not necessarily a color band, but can also be reflective, self-luminous, afterglow, or otherwise conspicuous, for example.
The display member can also be provided in an area far away from the back wall 1. The float can also be guided by other guiding means along the storage tank 7. It is also possible to extend the display member in other directions, and the color bands can also be formed in other parts of the float structure. At that time, a monitoring window is also provided in the hood 20 accordingly.

In another variant of the display device, both containers 3 and 3'
The filling status of the container can be recognized separately by means of a display device. Furthermore, display members are attached to both end faces of the float 21, and monitoring windows are provided on both sides of the hood 20 so that the display members and the monitoring windows face each other. Furthermore, the display elements can be of different lengths, for example, and the monitoring window can be mounted at different heights along the hood.
In that case, both display elements can have different colored bands in a manner similar to that described above, so that the container 3,
The usage status and empty status are displayed for each of 3. The display members 22 can also be of the same length and the observation windows in the hood can be mounted at the same height. In this case, care should be taken to ensure that, after the emptying of one container, the empty status of the evacuated container remains visible during the emptying of the next container by means of a suitable asymmetrical configuration of the color bands. There is a need.

As described above, an extremely simple and inexpensive display device is obtained, which displays the usage status of the soap solution dispensing device in a way that is reliably bright and clearly perceptible at just the right moment before the emptying of the storage tank 7. and regardless of the number of fluid exchanges.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section along the line - in FIG. 2 of the soap solution dosing device according to the invention in a first state of use, with evacuation taking place from the higher outlet; FIG. 1 is a corresponding sectional view of the soap solution dispensing device shown in FIG. , 1st
side views of the display element of the display device in the case of the soap solution dispensing device of FIG. 2, aligned with the monitoring window of the cover hood in two different states of use of FIG.
3 is a plan view of the float structure of the display device of FIGS. 2 and 2a, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the support member and storage tank in the case of the soap solution dispensing device shown in FIG. 1. . Symbols in the figure: 6, 6'...outlet, 7...storage tank, 16,
17, 17'... Removal device.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A method for supplying a reservoir 7 of a soap solution dosing device to which a withdrawal device 16, 17, 17' is downstream connected, in which the withdrawal device 16 is successively added to the reservoir 7 in stages. , 17, 17' are supplied from at least two outlets 6, 6' which are at different levels by the operation of the soap solution, and in each case at least the lower outlet 6' is filled with soap solution which is at a higher level. until the level of the soap solution reaches the next lower outlet 6', and the further decreasing level of soap solution allows ambient air to flow into the next lower outlet 6'. During these process steps, the level of the soap solution reaches the extraction device 1.
The method is characterized in that steps 6, 17, and 17' are repeated until the operation descends to the bottom of the outlet 6' located at the deepest position. 2. A method according to claim 1, in which the float 21 is guided downwards with the level of the soap solution by the operation of the take-out device 16, 17, 17', and this float controls the indicator 22 by its position. . 3. In order to feed the reservoir 7 of the soap solution dosing device to which the withdrawal devices 16, 17, 17' are connected in succession, the withdrawal devices 16, 1 are successively added to the reservoir 7 in stages.
7, 17' are supplied from at least two outlets 6, 6' at different levels, in each case at least the lower outlet 6' being filled with soap solution at a higher level. It remains closed until the level reaches the next lower outlet 6' so that the further decreasing level of soap solution allows ambient air to flow into the next lower outlet 6'. These process steps are carried out so that the level of soap solution reaches the extraction devices 16, 17, 1.
In order to repeat the method until it descends to the bottom of the outlet 6' located at the deepest position by the operation 7', the soap solution is Soap solution dispensing device, characterized in that the storage structure 2 has at least two outlets 6, 6' spaced apart from each other into the storage tank 7. 4. A soap solution dispensing device according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the outlets 6, 6' is provided with a display device. 5. Soap solution dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein the soap solution storage structure 2 is supported on a support member in the upper part of the storage tank 7. 6. The soap solution storage structure 2 consists of at least two separate containers 3, 3' each having a throat 5, 5', and the support member 10 is provided for each container 3, 3'. one throat 12 each;
12', and the height of the outlet ports 6, 6' is higher than that of the container 3,
3' or the throat part 3, 3', 10, 1 of the support member 10
6. A soap solution dispensing device according to claim 5, defined by a mouth at 0'. 7. The containers 3, 3' have throats 5, 5' of the same length, the support member 10 has sections 11, 11' adjacent to the containers 3, 3', each two of these sections Claim 6: The outlet openings 6, 6' are vertically offset from each other with vertical spacing in steps.
Soap solution dispensing device as described. 8. The display device has a float 21 supported in the storage tank 7 and having at least one display element 22, the trajectory of movement of the at least one display element 22 being at least partially covered by the hood 20. 8. A soap solution dosing device according to any one of claims 3 to 7, extending along the monitoring window 28. 9. Soap solution dispensing device according to claim 8, wherein two display members 22 and two monitoring windows 28 are provided on different sides of the hood 20. 10. Soap solution dispensing device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the display device 22 has colored bands 27, 29 colored in two different colors. 11 A display member 22 is provided on each end surface of the float 21, and this display member 22 is constructed integrally with the lever 25, and the float 21 is fixed to the bent portion between the levers 25 of the display member 22. 14. The soap solution dispensing device according to claim 13.