[DESCRIPTION]

[invention Title]

FLUID PUMPING APPARATUS [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a fluid pumping apparatus enabling to outwardly discharge cosmetics, cleaning materials, a shampoo, a rinse, medical supplies, or liquid type food kinds by pumping them.

[Background Art] A vessel for keeping liquid typed contents such as cosmetics, cleaning materials, a shampoo, a rinse, medical supplies, or liquid type food kinds is usually provided with a fluid pumping apparatus for pumping and outwardly discharging the contents on the upper end thereof. Conventional fluid pumping apparatus has a complex structure in which a plurality of components such as a pressing head, a chamber, a spring and a check valve are additionally connected or assembled from each other, which causes its assembling process to be complicated and its manufacturing cost to be high.

Further, the conventional fluid pumping apparatus has a discharging port on the pressing head through which exterior air can be easily inwardly flown, which causes the contents in a vessel to be easily polluted. [Disclosure]

[Technical Problem]

The present invention is created to solve the above conventional problems.

One object of the present invention is to provide a fluid pumping apparatus enabling to greatly simplify its assembling process or its manufacturing process and to drastically reduce its manufacturing cost by simplifying and compacting its pumping structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid pumping apparatus enabling to minimize the deterioration of contents in a vessel by previously preventing the influx of exterior air. [Technical Solution]

To solve the technical problem of the present invention described above, the present invention provides a fluid pumping apparatus comprising a cap provided on a vessel part to be communicated, the vessel part being filled contents; a variable chamber provided on the cap, having a wrinkle portion, and integrally formed with a first check valve at a position which is near to the cap; and a pressing head movably connected to a upper end of the variable chamber.

The fluid pumping apparatus characterized in that the variable chamber includes a first mounting portion connected to the pressing head and a second mounting portion connected to the cap, and the second mounting portion is integrally provided with a first check valve, alternatively, the cap

includes an inner side wall connected to the second mounting portion of the variable chamber, an outer side wall connected to the vessel part and a guide side wall guiding the pressing head, the inner side wall being formed with a communication hole which is communicated the vessel part, the communication hole being opened and closed by the first check valve.

The fluid pumping apparatus characterized in that the inner side wall includes a first inner side wall formed on the center of the cap and a second inner side wall disposed on outside of the first inner side wall, one of the first inner side wall and the second inner side wall being formed with an air hole through which exterior air inflow and an air path.

The fluid pumping apparatus characterized in that the first check valve includes a valve body vertically and movably connected to the first check valve through a plurality of ribs, the plurality of ribs being extended from an inner peripheral surface of the second mounting portion.

The fluid pumping apparatus characterized in that the first check valve includes an annular rib provided on an inner peripheral surface of the second mounting portion to be foldable.

The fluid pumping apparatus characterized in that the pressing head includes a side wall guided following to the cap, a communication pipe having communication path therein,

and a discharging hole being communicated with the communication path of the communication pipe.

The fluid pumping apparatus characterized in that the pressing head includes a nozzle body installed near to the discharging hole, the nozzle body having a plurality of nozzle holes.

The fluid pumping apparatus characterized in that the apparatus further comprising a second check valve for blocking influx of exterior, and the second check valve includes an annular rib provided on the discharging hole of the pressing head, the annular rib being foldable. Alternatively, the annular rib of the second check valve is outwardly protruded from and inwardly entered into the discharging hole of the pressing head. The fluid pumping apparatus characterized in that the second check valve includes an annular rib provided on the first mounting portion of the variable chamber, the annular rib being foldable, and the second check valve includes an annular rib provided on the communication path of the communication pipe of the pressing head, the annular rib being foldable. [Advantageous Effects]

According to a fluid pumping apparatus of the present invention, its assembling process or its manufacturing process can be greatly simplified and its manufacturing cost

can be drastically reduced since its pumping structure is simplified and compacted.

Further, the deterioration of contents in a vessel can be minimized and the reliance for a product applied with it can be enhanced since the influx of exterior air is previously prevented. [Description of Drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view schematically illustrating the operating state of the fluid pumping apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken according to the arrow W in FIG. 1; and FIGs. 4 to 13 are sectional views schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to various preferred embodiments of the present invention. [Mode for Invention]

The above described object, characteristic, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

Hereinafter, a fluid pumping apparatus according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Note that same or similar elements will be indicated with same reference number in the drawings. Detailed description for well known function or structure will be omitted to not make the subject matter of the present invention be vague.

FIGs. 1 and 2 are a sectional view schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention and a view schematically illustrating the operating state of the fluid pumping apparatus in FIG. 1, respectively.

As shown in FIGs. 1 and 2, the fluid pumping apparatus 50 is installed in a vessel part 100 filled with liquid typed contents.

The pumping apparatus 50 includes a cap 30 connected to the vessel part 100, a variable chamber 10 connected to the cap 30 and having variable volume thereof, and a pressing head 20 connected to the variable chamber 10.

The vessel part 100 has a cylindrical shape to have a filling space therein. The filling space is filled with liquid typed contents such as cosmetics, cleaning materials, a shampoo, a rinse, medical supplies, or liquid type food kinds, and it can be provided with a piston 150 (FIGs. 8, 9 and 13) or a tube 120 (FIGs. 10 to 12).

The vessel part 100 is integrally or detachably provided with the cap 30 of the pumping apparatus 50 on the upper end thereof.

The cap 30 can be integrally molded on the upper end of the vessel part 100, and alternatively it can be detachably assembled through a screw portion 30a of the cap 30, a screw portion 100a of the vessel part 100 and a sealing member 105. Particularly, the vessel part 100 can be easily filled with or replaced with new contents owing to the detachable connection structure of the vessel part 100 and the cap 30.

The cap 30 can have an inner side wall 31 connected with a second mounting portion 14 of the variable chamber 10, an outer side wall 33 connected to the vessel part 100, and a guide side wall 32 to guide the pressing head 20 and so on.

The guide side wall 32 of the cap 30 has an inner peripheral surface 32a for guiding the side wall 21 of the pressing head 20, and the inner peripheral surface 32a is formed with a protrusion 32b on the upper end thereof. The side wall 21 of the pressing head 20 is formed with a protrusion 21a on the lower end thereof, and the pressing head 20 is prevented from being separated from the guide side wall 32 by the protrusion 21a of the pressing head 20 and the protrusion 32b of the guide side wall 32. ,

The variable chamber 10 has a receiving space 11 therein, the receiving space 11 temporarily receiving its contents. The chamber 10 also has a wrinkle portion 12 on its side wall to be a wrinkle type pipe, and it can be

elastically returned to original position after stretching by the wrinkle portion 12.

The variable chamber 10 is provided with a first mounting portion 13 to be inserted in a communicating pipe 22 of the pressing head 20 and a second mounting portion 14 to be inserted in an inner peripheral surface 31a of an inner side wall 31 of the cap 30. The second mounting portion 14 can be integrally provided with a first check valve 15 on an inner peripheral surface thereof, the first check valve 15 allows the contents to be supplied into the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 from the vessel part 100 and to be prevented from flowing backward (from the variable chamber 10 to the vessel part 100) .

As shown in FIGs. 1 to 3, the first check valve 15 includes a valve body 15a vertically movably connected thereon through a plurality of ribs 15b which extends from the inner peripheral surface of the second mounting portion 14. The valve body 15a has a protrusion 15d on the lower portion thereof, the protrusion 15d protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the second mounting portion 14. The protrusion 15d also has a tapered section, and it is formed with a communication hole 15c on the center thereof. Owing to the pressure difference between the charging space of the vessel part 100 and the receiving space of the variable chamber 10 and the weight of the valve body 15a, the valve body 15a is contacted and/or non-contacted to the protrusion

15d, which allows the contents to be flew into the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 from the vessel part 100 and also to be prevented from the flow backward from the variable chamber 10 to the vessel part 100. The pressing head 20 has a side wall 21 to be guided following to the guide side wall 32 of the cap 30, a communication pipe 22 through which the contents are communicated, and a discharging hole 23 communicated with the communication pipe 22. The side wall 21 is installed to be vertically movably following to the guide side wall 32 of the cap. The side wall 21 of the pressing head 20, as shown in FIG. 4, is formed with the protrusion 21a on the lower end thereof, and the protrusion 21a prevents the pressing head 20 from being separated from the guide side wall 32 by being caught to the protrusion 32b of the guide side wall 32.

The communication pipe 22 is formed with a communication path 22a through which the contents pass (communicates) therein. The communication pipe 22 is inserted with the first mounting portion 13 of the variable chamber 10 on one end thereof, which allows the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 and the communication path 22 to be mutually communicated.

Further, the communication path 22a is communicated with the discharging hole 23 onto the other side end portion thereof, and the discharging hole 23 may be provided with a

second check valve 25. The second check valve 25 prevents exterior air from being flew into the discharging hole 23 of the pressing head 20 while the contents are not discharged.

As shown in FIGs. 1 and 2, the second check valve 25 is installed toward the axial direction of the discharging hole 23. And the second check valve 25 has an annular rib 25a to be bendable and closely contacted to an inner peripheral surface of the discharging hole 23 of the pressing head 20 on the front end thereof, and it also has one or more communication recesses 25b communication with the communication path 22 of the pressing head 20 on the outer peripheral surface. And, the rib 25a has thin thickness at the free end portion thereof.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, a coupling body 27 is spirally or fitly coupled to the inner peripheral surface of the discharging hole 23 of the pressing head 20, and it also installed with the second check valve 25 on an inner peripheral surface thereof. That is, the coupling body 27 is interposed between the second check valve 25 and the discharging hole 23 of the pressing head 20, which allows the second check valve 25 to be much easily mounted.

The operation of the pumping apparatus 50 having above-described structure will be explained in detail as follows . In FIG. 1, when the pressing head 20 is downwardly pressed, the side wall 21 of the pressing head 20, as shown

in FIG. 2, moves downwardly following to the guide side wall 32 of the cap 30, and therefore the wrinkle portion 12 is contracted and the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 will has an inner volume to be compressed. When the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 is compressed, the contents in the receiving space 11 is discharged to the discharging hole 23 of the pressing head 20 after passing the communication path 22a of the pressing head 20. In particular, in a case that the discharging hole 23 is installed with the second check valve 25, as shown in FIG. 2, the contents press the rib 25b of the second check valve 25, which causes the rib 25a to be inwardly shrunk from the inner peripheral surface of the discharging hole 23 and a portion of the discharging hole 23 to be opened. Therefore, the contents are discharged through the open break of the discharging hole 23. Afterward, when the pressing head 20 is released from its pressing, the variable chamber 10 is returned to its original shape by the elasticity of the wrinkle portion 12, which causes the pressing head 20 and the variable chamber 10 to be returned as FIG. 1.

At this time, since the receiving space of the variable chamber 10 is empty, it has lower pressure than that of the charging space of the vessel part 100, which causes the valve body 15a of the first check valve 15 to be upwardly moved by the pressure in the filled contents and which causes

the valve body 15a to open the through hole 15c. The contents are received in the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 through the opened through hole 15c. And, if the receiving space 11 is completely filled with the contents, the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 and the charging space of the vessel part 100 will have the same pressure, which causes the valve body 15a to close the through hole 15c owing to the own weight of the valve body 15a. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the second mounting portion 14 of the variable chamber 10 is connected to the outer peripheral surface 31b of the inner side wall 31, and the valve body 15a of the first check valve 15 has a tapered lower end surface. The inner peripheral surface 31a of the inner side wall 31 has a tapered portion 31f on the top end thereof. A communication hole 31g of the inner side wall 31 is opened and closed by contacting or non-contacting the tapered lower end of the valve body 15a to the tapered portion 31f. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the valve body 15a of the first check valve 15 is connected to the variable chamber 10 by the bar typed rib 15b, and the rib 15b has one or more than through holes 15e. The contents in the vessel part 100 pass through the through holes 15e and flow into the receiving space 11 when the communication hole 31f between

the inner peripheral surface 31a of the inner side wall 31 is opened by the valve body 15a.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the first check valve 15 includes an annular rib 15 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the second mounting portion 14 to be bendable, and a free end portion 15g of the rib 15f is closely contacted to the outer side wall of a supporting body 36 of the cap 30 to be bendable.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cap 30 is formed with the inner side wall 31 in the center thereof, and a horizontal surface 35 is extended from the inner side wall 31. The supporting body 36 is protruded to the center of the horizontal surface 35. And, the second mounting portion 14 of the variable chamber 10 is connected to the inner side wall 31 and horizontal surface 35, and the annular rib 15f is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the second mounting portion 14 to be bendable by a thin section 15h. The rib 15f has a thickness to be thinner toward the free end portion 15g thereof, and the lower portion of the rib 15f, that is the horizontal surface 35 is formed with one or more than communication holes 35a through which the content may be communicated. This causes the rib 15f of the free end portion 15g to be contacted or non-contacted to the outer peripheral surface of the supporting body 36 owing to the pressure difference between the vessel part 100 and the variable chamber 10, which allows the contents to flow into the

receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 from the vessel part 100 and also to be prevented from flow back from the variable chamber 10 to the vessel part 100.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the first check valve 16 includes annular rib 16a formed toward the inner direction of the variable chamber 10, and the rib lβa may be bent by a thin section 16b. The cap 30 is formed with a horizontal surface 31c in the center of the inner side wall 31 thereof, and the horizontal surface 31c has one or more than communication holes 31d. By this, the rib 16a is folded or unfolded by the pressure difference between the vessel part 100 and the variable chamber 10, which causes the communication hole 31d to be opened or closed.

FIG. 8 is a view schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, in the sixth embodiment, the variable chamber 10 is integrally formed with the first and second check valves 16 and 29, and the communication pipe 22 of the pressing head 20 is inserted with an auxiliary communication pipe 24. The auxiliary communication pipe 24 is formed with a communication path 24a therein. The communication path 24a communicates a communication path 22a of the communication pipe 22, and the auxiliary communication pipe 24 has one more than through holes 24b on the lower outer peripheral surface thereof, the

through holes 24b communicating with the communication path 24a on .

The first mounting portion 13 of the variable chamber 10 is connected to the lower end portion of the auxiliary communication pipe 24, and the second mounting portion 14 of the variable chamber 10 is connected to the cap 30. The first check valve 16 is integrally formed on the second mounting portion 14, and the second check valve 29 is integrally formed on the first mounting portion 13. The first check valve 16 includes an annular rib 16a on the lower end of the second mounting portion 14, the annular rib 16a being foldable owing to the thin section 16b, and the rib 16a is closely contacted to the inner side wall 31 of the cap 30 to be foldable. The inner side wall 31 has one or more communication holes 31d through which the contents in the vessel part 100 are communicated, and it is formed with the horizontal surface 31c in the center thereof. The rib 16a causes the communication holes 3Id to be opened or closed owing to the pressure difference between the vessel part 100 and the variable chamber 10, which allows the contents to flow into the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 from the vessel part 100 and to be prevented from flow back from the variable chamber 10 to the vessel part 100. The second check valve 29 is integrally formed on the inner side of the first mounting portion of the variable

chamber 10, and it includes rib 29a which is foldable by the thin section 29b. The rib 29a is closely contacted to the lower outer peripheral surface of the auxiliary communication pipe 24 to be foldable. The second check valve 29 may prevent exterior air from being flown into the receiving space of the variable chamber 10 when the contents are not discharged.

FIG. 9 is a view schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the seventh embodiment, the second check valve 28 includes a supporting body 28a installed in the axial direction of the discharging hole 23 and a rib 28b closely contacted on the front end of the supporting body 28a to be foldable, and the supporting body 28a has a communication gap 28c through which the contents are communicated.

In the pumping apparatuses according to the first to seventh embodiments, as shown in FIGs. 8 and 9, the vessel part 100 has a piston 150 therein, and the piston 150 is moved by the pressure of exterior air which inflows through an air path 107 formed on the lower end portion of the vessel part 100 and it pushes the filled contents in the vessel part 100 toward the variable chamber 10.

FIG. 10 is a view schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to eighth preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the eighth embodiment, the cap 30

is connected with a tube 20, and it has an air path 38 through which exterior air inflow.

The cap 30 has a first inner side wall 31 and a second inner side wall 34 in the center thereof, and a horizontal surface 31c is extended from the lower end of the second inner side wall 34. The horizontal surface 31c has one or more than communication holes 3Id through which the contents are communicated, and the second inner side wall 34 has one or more than air holes 37 which are opened and closed by compression and release of the variable chamber 10. And, the second inner side wall 34 of the cap 30 is formed with one or more than air paths 38 which communicate with the inner space of the vessel part 100. With this structure, when the variable chamber 10 is compressed, the upper end of the variable chamber 10 (corresponding to the first mounting portion 13 in FIG. 10) is moved, which causes the air hole 37 to be opened and exterior air to be flown into through the air hole 37. The flown air passes through the air path 38 and it pushes the contents in the vessel part 100 toward the tube 120.

FIG. 11 is a view schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to ninth preferred embodiment of the present invention. This ninth embodiment is variant one with respect to afore-mentioned eighth embodiment. In ninth embodiment, the cap 30 is detachably connected to a first inner side walls 31 and a second inner wall 34. The first

inner side walls 31 is formed with the air holes 37 on one side thereof, and the air path 38 communicating with the air holes 37 is formed between the first inner side walls 31 and the second inner wall 34. FIG. 12 is a view schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to tenth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, in the tenth preferred embodiment, the first mounting portion 13 of the variable chamber 10 is connected to the side wall 21 of the pressing head 20, and the communication pipe 22 of the pressing head 20 is guided following to a guide protrusion 39 upwardly formed on the center of the cap 30. The tube 120 is connected to the lower center of the cap 30. The side wall 21 of the pressing head 20 has a protrusion 21a on the lower end thereof, and the lower end of the side wall 21 is connected to the first mounting portion 13 of the variable chamber 10. The first mounting portion 13 of the variable chamber 10 has an inserting recess 13a into which the lower end of the side wall 21 is inserted, and an annular connecting protrusion 13b and an annular connecting recess 21b are correspondingly formed a position in which the inserting recess 13a and the lower end of the side wall 21 are contacted from each other. And, the lower end of the side wall 21 is inserted in the inserting recess 13a of the first mounting portion 13 to have fine gap, and therefore the side

wall 21 of the pressing head 20 may be freely rotated in circumferential direction thereof by the annular connecting protrusion 13b and the annular connecting recess 21b. Further, the inserting recess 13a of the first mounting portion 13 has a sealing protrusion 13c on one side wall thereof, and the sealing protrusion 13c is elastically and closely contacted to the side wall 21, which causes the receiving space 11 of the variable chamber 10 and the inner space of the side wall 21 to be sealed from outside. The guide side wall 32 of the cap 30 has a protrusion 32b on the upper end thereof, which causes the protrusion 32b of the guide side wall 32 and the protrusion 21a of the side wall 21 to be contacted from each other, and therefore the separation of the pressing head 20 is prevented. The second inner side wall 34 is extended from the lower end of the guide side wall 32 of the cap 30, and it is formed with the first inner side wall 31 in the center thereof. The first inner side wall 31 is upwardly formed with a guide protrusion 39 in the center thereof. An air path 38 in which air passes are disposed between the inner peripheral surface of the vertical portion 4 of the cap 30 and the outer peripheral surface of the variable chamber 10, and an air hole 37 is formed between the vertical portion 34 of the cap 30 and the inner side wall 31. Therefore, the air path 38 and the air hole 37 are communicated from each other.

The guide protrusion 39 is formed with an annular protrusion 39a on the upper portion thereof, and the annular protrusion 39a guides the communication pipe 22 of the pressing head 20. The communication pipe 22 is formed with an annular protrusion 22b on the inner peripheral surface thereof. The protrusion 22b of the communication pipe 22 and the protrusion 39a of the annular protrusion 39a are contacted from each other, which causes the pressing head 20 to be prevented from separation. And, a gap 39b through which the contents may be communicated is formed between the protrusion 22b of the communication pipe 22 and the protrusion 39a of the annular protrusion 39a.

The first check valve 16 is provided on the second portion 14 of the variable chamber 10, and it includes the rib 16a which is foldable owing to the thin section 16b. The communication hole 31d of the cap 30 is opened and closed by the rib 16a.

The second check valve 25 is axially installed on the communication path 22a of the communication pipe 22, and it has the annular rib 25a on the front end thereof, the annular rib 25a being closely contacted to the inner peripheral surface of the communication pipe 22. The outer peripheral surface of the communication pipe 22 is provided with one or more than communication recesses 25b which communicate with the communication path 22a of the pressing head 20, and the rib 25a has thin thickness at its free end portion.

Other elements and their operation relationship are same as those of above embodiments, and therefore the detailed explanation for them will be omitted.

FIG. 13 is a view schematically illustrating a fluid pumping apparatus according to eleventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The pumping apparatus of the eleventh embodiment has a nozzle body 45 on the upper end of the pressing head 20, and the nozzle body 45 has a plurality of nozzle holes 45a. The nozzle body 45 is made of elastic materials such as soft synthetic resins or rubbers. An outer end portion of each nozzle hole 45a is opened by discharging pressure, and it is closed by its elasticity when the discharging operation is stopped. That is, each nozzle hole 45 may be elastically opened and closed according to whether the contents are discharged or not.

Other elements and their operation relationship are same as those of above embodiments, and therefore the detailed explanation for them will be omitted. FIG. 14 is a view schematically illustrating the second check valve 70 according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 14, the second check valve 70 may be outwardly protruded from the discharging hole 23 of the pressing head 20 when the contents are discharged, and it may be inwardly entered when the contents are not discharged.

The second check valve 70 is provided with a supporting body 71 which is axially and movably installed on the inner peripheral surface of the discharging hole 23 of the pressing head 20, a rib body 72 has a rib 72a which is closely contacted to the front end 71a of the supporting body

71 to be foldable, a fixing portion 73 which is connected to the inner peripheral surface of the discharging hole 23, and a wrinkling pipe 74 which elastically connects the rib body

72 and the fixing portion 73 from each other. The supporting body 71 is formed with a guide protrusion 71b on the rear end thereof, and the guide protrusion 71b is guided following to a guide recess 73a formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fixing portion 73. The guide recess 73a is provided with a stopper 73b on both ends thereof, respectively.

Further, the fixing portion 73 and the rib body 72 have a predetermined gap 75 between the supporting body 71 in their radius direction, and the contents are communicated through the gap 75. With this structure, when the contents are discharged by pushing the pressing head 20, the supporting body 71 is outwardly moved and then protruded by the pressure of the contents. Also, the rib body 72 is moved together with the supporting body 71, and then the rib 72a is separated from the front end 71a of the supporting body 71, which the contents will be discharged. Like this, since the contents

are discharged after the rib 72 is protruded, the convenience in use will be enhanced.

Further, when the pressing head 20 is released from its pressing, the supporting body 71 and the rib body 72 are returned to their original position by the elasticity of the wrinkle portion 74, which causes the front of the supporting body 71 and the rib 72a of the rib body 72 to be entered into the discharging hole 23.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is understood that the present invention should not be limited to these preferred embodiments but various changes and modifications can be made by one skilled in the art within the sprit and scope of the present invention aimed.