The present invention relates to a squeeze foamer. Squeeze foamers are used to form a foam by pressurizing air and liquid in a compressible container, mixing the pressurized air and liquid in a mixing chamber into a foam and dispensing the formed foam at a dispensing opening.

Squeeze foamers usually comprise a compressible container, for instance a flexible bottle, and a foam-forming assembly mounted on or in an opening of the container. The compressible container comprises restoring means to restore the shape of the container after it has been compressed. The restoring means may be formed by the container itself, for example elastic plastics material, or by separate restoring means, for example springs.

The foam-forming assembly comprises a liquid passage and an air passage for the introduction of liquid and air into a mixing chamber. In the mixing chamber the air and liquid can be mixed into a foam which is dispensed via a dispensing passage at a dispensing opening.

After the compression force on the container is released, the original shape of the container will be restored by the restoring means, therewith increasing the internal volume of the container. Air may be drawn into the container via a return air inlet passage to replace air and liquid dispensed from the container.

A drawback of known squeeze foamers is that the return air inlet passage and the dispensing passage opening have to be sealed to avoid leakage of liquid out of the container, for example when the squeeze foamer is inverted.

Several solutions to avoid leakage, such as internal one-way valves, push-pull closures and flip-tops are known. These different embodiments of solutions to avoid leakage have different drawbacks such as being relatively expensive, unreliable, unwished-for by consumers, sensitive for failure or breakage, little tactile feedback on seal closure etc.

The aim of the invention is to provide a squeeze foamer in which the sealing of the dispensing passage and the return air inlet passage between different uses of the squeeze foamer is improved, or at least to provide an alternative squeeze foamer.

The invention provides a squeeze foamer, comprising:

a compressible container comprising an opening and an interior for containing a liquid and air,

a foam-forming assembly mounted on or in the opening of the container, and a sealing cap arranged on the foam-forming assembly, wherein the foam-forming assembly comprises a dispensing passage to dispense a foam and a return air inlet passage for the introduction of air into the interior of the container to replace dispensed liquid and air, wherein the dispensing passage comprises a dispensing passage opening and wherein the return air inlet passage comprises a return air inlet opening, and wherein the foam-forming assembly further comprises a first screw thread, wherein the sealing cap comprises a second screw thread to cooperate with the first screw thread,

wherein the sealing cap is rotatable about a screw axis defined by the first screw thread and the second screw thread between an open position and a closed position, and wherein, in the closed position, the dispensing passage opening and the return air inlet opening are sealingly closed by the sealing cap, and wherein, in the open position, the dispensing passage opening and the return air inlet opening are not sealingly closed by the sealing cap.

The sealing cap is rotatable about a screw axis between a closed position and an open position. With this rotation the sealing cap will also make an axial movement as a result of the screw thread connection between the foam-form assembly and the sealing cap. It has been found that this combination of a rotation and axial movement is very suitable to move the sealing cap between the open and closed position, wherein simultaneously the dispensing passage opening and the return air inlet opening are brought in the open position or the sealingly closed position.

In an embodiment, the foam-forming assembly comprises an air passage, a liquid passage and a mixing chamber, wherein the air passage provides fluid communication between a first side of the interior of the container and the mixing chamber and the liquid passage provides fluid communication between a second opposite side of the interior of the container and the mixing chamber, and wherein the dispensing passage is connected to the mixing chamber.

The mixing chamber may be any space in fluid communication with the air passage and the liquid passage, in which the air and liquid commingle. The mixing chamber does not have to be a space surrounded by a number of walls, but may for example be a part of the channel forming the dispensing passage. The foam resulting from the mixing of liquid and air may flow through the dispensing passage towards a dispensing opening to dispense the foam. A foam-forming element, such as a mesh element or sieve element may be arranged between the mixing chamber and the dispensing opening to improve the foam quality. The foam-forming element may also comprise a sponge like material or a constriction or any other element promoting the formation of a foam with a desired quality.

In an embodiment, the sealing cap comprises a cap dispensing passage, wherein, in the open position, one end of the cap dispensing passage is in fluid communication with the dispensing passage opening, and wherein an other end of the dispensing passage forms a dispensing opening for dispensing a foam from the squeeze foamer. In this embodiment the foam is dispensed via the cap dispensing passage arranged in the sealing cap. The foam formed in the mixing chamber may flow through the dispensing passage of the foam-forming assembly and the cap dispensing passage to the dispensing opening, where it is dispensed.

In an embodiment, the sealing cap comprises a cylindrical wall which is concentrically with the screw axis, wherein, in the closed position, an inner surface or an outer surface of the cylindrical wall forms a sealing surface for the dispensing passage opening and/or the return air inlet opening. A cylindrical wall is very suitable to provide a reliable sealing between the sealing cap and the foam-forming assembly. In an alternative embodiment, the sealing cap may have a sealing surface of another shape, for example a partly cylindrical wall. To create, in the closed position, an effective sealing between the sealing cap and the foam-forming assembly, the inner surface or the outer surface of the cylindrical wall of the sealing cap may sealingly engage with an outer surface or inner surface of a cylindrical wall of the foam-forming assembly, respectively.

In an embodiment, the return air inlet passage is separate from the dispensing passage. By making the return air inlet passage separate from the dispensing passage, the air can reliably be introduced into the interior of the container. In particular, the entrance of air will not be hindered by the presence of foam or liquid in the dispensing passage, for example in a foam-forming element. Preferably, the return air inlet passage is also separate from the air passage and the liquid passage.

The return air inlet passage may comprise a one-way valve to avoid that air or liquid will flow out of the container via the return air inlet passage, when the interior of the container is pressurized.

In an embodiment, the first screw thread is an outer screw thread and the second screw thread is an inner screw thread. The first and second screw thread may be of any suitable type that provides a helical movement of the sealing cap with respect to the foam- forming assembly, when the sealing cap is rotated about the screw axis.

The dispensing passage opening and/or the return air inlet opening may be directed in an axial direction of the screw axis, i.e. the cross section of the opening is in plane perpendicular to the screw axis, or in a radial direction, i.e. the cross section of the opening is in plane tangentially to the screw axis. In an embodiment, the dispensing passage opening is a substantially axial opening directed in the axial direction with respect to the screw axis and the return air inlet opening is a substantially radial opening directed in the radial direction with respect to the screw axis. An inner or outer surface of a cylindrical wall of the sealing cap is suitable to seal an opening in the radial direction, while a cylindrical wall of the sealing cap forming a blind hole may be used to seal an axial opening.

In an embodiment, an angle of rotation of the sealing cap between the closed position and the open position is between 45 and 270 degrees, preferably between 80 and 200 degrees. The sealing cap may be rotatable by hand. The angle of rotation is preferably adapted to the maximum rotation angle that can be realized by twisting of the hands of a user. The angle of rotation may for example be 180 degrees between the open position and the closed position.

The angle of rotation is preferably limited to the angle of rotation between the closed position and the open position. The angle of rotation may for example be limited by two rotation limiters, such as stops, so that the sealing cap cannot be rotated further than the open position and the closed position, respectively. By limiting the angle of rotation further tactile feedback and reliability of correct positioning of the sealing cap is provided to the user.

In an embodiment, the foam-forming assembly comprises a tube-shaped part arranged concentrically with the screw axis and comprising the dispensing passage opening, and wherein the sealing cap comprises a cylindrical wall arranged concentrically with the screw axis and forming a blind hole, which cylindrical wall is arranged, in the closed position around or in the tube-shaped part to form a sealing engagement between the tube-shaped part and the cylindrical wall, and wherein, in the open position, the cylindrical wall is at least partially spaced in an axial direction from the tube-shaped part so that foam can flow between the cylindrical wall and the tube-shaped part.

By matching the diameter of the cylindrical wall to the diameter of the tube-shaped part, a telescopic engagement between the cylindrical wall and the tube-shaped part may be obtained in at least the closed position of the sealing cap. This telescopic engagement may provide a reliable sealing engagement, so that the dispensing opening can reliably sealed in the closed position of the sealing cap.

In an alternative embodiment, the tube-shaped part and/or the cylindrical wall comprise an opening which is sealed, in the closed position by the other of the tube-shaped part and/or the cylindrical wall, and which allows passage of foam through the dispensing passage opening or air through the return air inlet opening in the open position of the sealing cap.

The tube-shaped part comprising the dispensing passage opening may for example be formed by a housing or a foam-forming element of the foam-forming assembly.

In an embodiment, the foam-forming assembly comprises a foam-forming element having at least one mesh or sieve element arranged in the dispensing passage. The use of a foam-forming element to promote the formation of foam, as such, is known. A mesh or sieve element having small openings may improve the foam quality by creation of smaller and more homogenous foam bubbles. In addition to, or as an alternative for, the use of one or more mesh or sieve elements, the dispensing passage may have other foam-forming elements, such as a sponge like element or one or more constrictions.

In addition to the foam-forming element in the foam-forming assembly, or as an alternative, a foam-forming element may be provided in a cap dispensing passage in the sealing cap.

The foam-forming element in the foam-forming assembly and/or in the sealing cap may be a separate element or may be integrated in an other part of the squeeze foamer, for example in a housing of the foam-forming assembly or in the sealing cap itself.

In an embodiment, the foam-forming assembly comprises a housing forming at least partially the air passage, the liquid passage, the dispensing passage and the return air inlet passage. The housing may comprise a screw collar to mount the foam-forming assembly on the opening of the container. The screw collar may be a separate part or may be an integral part of the housing. Any other suitable way for mounting the foam-forming assembly on the container, such as a bayonet, snap-in or snap-on connection, may also be applied.

In case a screw collar or other rotatable mounting device is used, it may be advantageous to provide a block or resistance element which holds the securing collar or other device in a fixed rotational position. This may avoid that the screw collar will be released when the sealing cap is rotated between the open position and the closed position.

In an embodiment, the sealing cap is mounted non-removably on the foam-forming assembly, i.e. the sealing cap can not be dismounted from the foam-forming assembly during normal use of the squeeze foamer. The sealing cap may be rotated between an open position and a closed position. Two rotation limiters, for example stops, may be provided such that the angle of rotation is limited to the open and closed position.

Embodiments of squeeze foamers according to the invention will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a cross section of a squeeze foamer according to a first embodiment of the invention with the sealing cap in the open position;

Figure 2 shows a partial cross section of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the sealing cap in the open position;

Figure 3 shows a partial cross section of the embodiment of Figure 1 with the sealing cap in the closed position; Figure 4 shows a partial cross section of a squeeze foamer according to a second embodiment of the invention with the sealing cap in the open position;

Figure 5 shows a partial cross section of a squeeze foamer according to a third embodiment of the invention with the sealing cap in the open position; and

Figure 6 shows a partial cross section in perspective view of a squeeze foamer according to a fourth embodiment of the invention with the sealing cap in the open position.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a squeeze foamer, generally indicated by reference numeral 1. The squeeze foamer 1 comprises a container 2, foam-forming assembly 3 and a sealing cap 4.

Figures 2 and 3 show the foam-forming assembly 3 and the sealing cap 4 in more detail.

The container 2 is a compressible container having an interior 5 containing liquid L and air Al. Such compressible container 2 can be compressed, usually by hand, to decrease the volume of the interior 5 of the container 2. Decrease of volume of the interior 5 results in pressurizing of the liquid and air in the container.

The foam-forming assembly 3 is configured to form a foam using the pressurized liquid and air from the container 2. The foam-forming assembly 3 comprises a housing 6, a tube-shaped foam-forming element 7 and a tube 8.

The housing 6 comprises a screw collar 9 with which it is mounted on an opening of the container 2. The screw collar 9 is an integral part of the housing 6, but may also be a separate part. Any other suitable way for mounting the foam-forming assembly 3 on the container 2, such as a bayonet, snap-in or snap-on connection, may also be used.

The foam-forming assembly 3 defines an air passage 10, a liquid passage 1 1 and a mixing chamber 12.

The air passage 10 is formed by an opening in the housing 6 and provides fluid communication between an upper side of the interior 5 of the container 2 and the mixing chamber 12.

The liquid passage 11 provides fluid communication between a lower side of the interior 5 of the container 2 and the mixing chamber 12. The liquid passage 1 1 runs from the lower side of the interior of the container 2 through the tube 8 to the foam-forming assembly 3. The tube 8 is arranged in a tube-shaped lower part 13 of the housing 6.

The air passage 10 and the liquid passage 11 join in the mixing chamber 12, where air from the air passage 10 and liquid from the liquid passage 11 may commingle to form a foam. The foam flows through a dispensing passage 14 in which the foam-forming element 7 is arranged. The foam-forming element 7 comprises a first sieve element 7a and a second foam element 7b. The passage of the foam through the first sieve element 7a and the second sieve element 7b improves the foam quality as the fine openings of the sieve elements 7a, 7b create smaller and more homogeneous foam bubbles.

In an alternative embodiment, one or three or more mesh or sieve elements may be arranged in the dispensing passage. Also other foam-quality improving elements such as constrictions may be arranged in the dispensing passage 14.

At the outer surface the foam-forming element 7 comprises a flange 7c with which the foam-forming element is sealingly placed in the dispensing passage 14. Therefore, all foam formed in the mixing chamber 12 will flow through the first sieve element 7a and the second sieve element 7b before it is dispensed from the squeeze foamer 1.

The sealing cap 4 comprises a cap dispensing passage 15 through which foam flowing out of the foam-forming element 7 may flow to a dispensing opening 16, where the foam may be dispensed from the squeeze foamer 1.

When the container 2 is released, after it has been compressed, it will return to its uncompressed state by means of restoring means. In many embodiments the restoring means are formed by the elasticity of the container itself, for example made of a plastics material. In some embodiments, restoring means, other than the container 2 itself, for example leaf springs, are provided to bring the container 2 back to its original non- compressed state.

During decompression of the container the liquid and air dispensed during compression of the container will be replaced by air which is drawn into the interior 5 of the container 2, mainly through a return air inlet passage 17. The return air inlet passage 17 is formed in the housing 6 and runs from a return air inlet opening 18 to the interior 5 of the container 2. A one-way valve 19 is placed in the return air inlet passage 17 to avoid that air or liquid is pressed out of the container 2 via the return air inlet passage 17 when the air and liquid in the interior 5 of the container 2 is pressurized by compression of the container 2.

After the container 5 has substantially returned to its original uncompressed state and the interior 5 of the container 2 has been replenished with air, renewed compression of the container 2 may result in renewed formation and dispensing of foam.

Between different uses of the squeeze foamer 1 , leakage of liquid from the interior 5 of the container 2 is undesirable. Therefore, the sealing cap 4 can be rotated from an open position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 to a closed position, as shown in Figure 3. The functioning of the sealing cap 4 will now be explained in further detail.

The housing 6 comprises a cylindrical part 20 with an outer screw thread 21.

The sealing cap 4 comprises a cylindrical part 22 comprising an inner screw thread 23 to cooperate with the outer screw thread 21 of the housing 6. The sealing cap 4 is rotatable about a screw axis A-A defined by the outer screw thread 21 and the inner screw thread 23 between the open position, shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the closed position, shown in Figure 3.

The sealing cap 4 is non-removably mounted on the foam-forming assembly 3, i.e. during normal use the sealing cap 4 cannot be moved or rotated such that is will become detached from the foam-forming assembly 3. The relative angle of rotation of the sealing cap 4 with respect to the foam-forming assembly 3 between the open position and the closed position is about 180 degrees. The rotation of the sealing cap 4 is limited to this angle of rotation by two stops or other rotation limiters. The sealing cap 4 can be rotated over this angle over rotation with a single rotational movement of the hands of the user. Furthermore, the stops give a clear feedback to the user on the correct positioning of the sealing cap 4 in the open or closed position.

Due to the outer screw thread 21 and the inner screw thread 23, the sealing cap 4 will move during rotation axially with respect to the foam-forming assembly 3. This axial movement in combination with the rotational movement may be used to sealingly close, in the closed position, the return air inlet opening 18 and a dispensing passage opening 24 formed by a tube-shaped upper end 26 of the housing 6 so that no air can flow through the return air inlet opening 18 and no foam can flow through the dispensing passage opening 24, respectively. The tube-shaped upper end 26 is formed by an upper cylindrical wall of the housing 6 concentrically with screw axis A-A.

In the open position both the return air inlet opening 18 and the dispensing passage opening 24 are not sealed by the sealing cap so that fluid can flow through the return air inlet opening 18 and the dispensing passage opening 24.

The return air inlet opening 18 is a radial opening having a cross section extending in a substantially tangential plane. In the closed position, the inner surface of the cylindrical part 22 of the sealing cap 4 forms a sealing surface for the return air inlet opening 18. In the open position, the inner surface of the cylindrical part 22 no longer completely covers the return air inlet opening 18, since the lower end of the cylindrical part 22 has moved in axial direction to at least partially above the return air inlet opening 18.

In an alternative embodiment, the cylindrical part 22 may have recesses or be a partial cylindrical part such that in the closed position the cylindrical wall is aligned with the return air inlet opening 18 to sealingly close the return air inlet opening 18, and in the open position a recess is aligned with the return air inlet opening 18 so that the return air inlet opening 18 is not blocked by the sealing cap 4.

The dispensing passage opening 24, formed by the tube-shaped upper end 26 of the housing 6, is an axial opening having a cross section in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axial direction. A second cylindrical wall 25 is provided to seal, in the closed position, the dispensing passage opening 24. The foam-forming element 7 is tube-shaped and arranged concentrically with the screw axis A-A. The second cylindrical wall 25 is also arranged concentrically with the screw axis A-A. The outer diameter of the second cylindrical wall 25 is selected to substantially correspond with the inner diameter of the tube-shaped upper end 26, such that, in the closed position, when the second cylindrical wall 25 is arranged in a sealing telescopic engagement with the tube-shaped upper end 26 an inner surface of the tube-shaped upper end 26 sealingly engages an outer surface of the second cylindrical wall 25. As a result, no fluid can pass from the dispensing passage opening 24 into the cap dispensing passage 15.

When the sealing cap 4 is rotated from the closed position (Figure 3) to the open position (Figure 2), the sealing cap 4 moves upwardly with respect to the dispensing passage opening 24, such that the second cylindrical wall 25 becomes spaced from the tube-shaped upper end 26. In this open position, foam originating from the mixing chamber 12 is free to flow to the dispensing opening 16 at the end of the cap dispensing passage 15.

The sealing cap 4 may provide a reliable and relatively inexpensive sealing of both the dispensing passage opening 24 and the return air inlet opening 18 which is easy to use by a consumer and which provides clear feedback to the user on correct positioning of the sealing cap 4 with respect to the foam-forming assembly 3.

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a squeeze foamer according to the invention. The main difference between the embodiment of Figures 1-3 and Figure 4 is that an inner surface of the wall 22 which runs to the top of the sealing cap is used, in the closed position, to sealingly engage with an outer surface of the tube-shaped upper end 26.

A partially cylindrical wall 30 having the same inner diameter with respect to the screw axis A-A as the cylindrical wall 22 is provided in the cap dispensing passage 15 to form an opening 31 which allows, in the open position, fluid communication between the dispensing passage opening 24 and the cap dispensing passage 15, and to provide, in the closed position, a sealing engagement with the outer surface of the tube-shaped upper end 26.

The partially cylindrical wall 30 and the cylindrical wall 22 together form a cylindrical wall that, in the closed position, is in a sealing telescopic engagement with the tube-shaped upper end 26, whereby an outer surface of the tube-shaped upper end 26 sealingly engages an inner surface of the partially cylindrical wall 30 and the cylindrical wall 22 second cylindrical wall 25. As a result, no fluid can pass from the dispensing passage opening 24 into the cap dispensing passage 15.

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of a squeeze foamer according to the invention. The main difference between the third embodiment of Figure 5 and the first embodiment of Figures 1-3 is that in the embodiment of Figure 5 channels 35 are provided between the tube 8 and the inner surface of the tube-shaped lower part 13. These channels 35 form the air passage 10. The channels 35 may for example be created by providing grooves in the inner surface of the tube-shaped lower part 13. It is remarked that any other way providing a connection between the upper part of the interior 5 and the mixing chamber 12 may also be provided.

Figure 6 shows a fourth embodiment of a squeeze foamer according to the invention.

In this fourth embodiment the dispensing passage opening 24 which is sealable by the sealing cap 4 is formed by the upper end of the foam-forming element 7. The dispensing passage opening 24 is an axial opening having a cross-section in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axial direction, i.e. perpendicular to the screw axis A-A.

A second cylindrical wall 25 is provided on the sealing cap 4 to seal, in the closed position, the dispensing passage opening 24. The foam-forming element 7 is tube-shaped and arranged concentrically with the screw axis A-A. The second cylindrical wall 25 is also arranged concentrically with the screw axis A-A. The inner diameter of the second cylindrical wall 25 is selected to substantially correspond with the outer diameter of the tube shaped foam-forming element 7, such that, in the closed position, the second cylindrical wall 25 is arranged in a sealing telescopic engagement with the tube shaped foam-forming element 7. In this closed position, a blind hole formed by the second cylindrical wall 25 and the upper wall of the sealing cap 4 covers the dispensing passage opening 24.

In the open position both the return air inlet opening 18 and the dispensing passage opening 24 are not sealed by the sealing cap 4 so that fluid can flow through the return air inlet opening 18 and the dispensing passage opening 24.

The sealing cap 4 can be moved between the open position and the closed position by a rotation of the sealing cap 4 with respect to the foam-forming assembly over an angle of about 180 degrees.

Due to the outer screw thread 21 and the inner screw thread 23, the sealing cap 4 will move during rotation axially with respect to the foam-forming assembly 3. This axial movement in combination with the rotational movement result in that, in the closed position, the return air inlet opening 18 is sealingly closed by the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 22 and the dispensing passage opening 24 is sealingly closed by the second cylindrical wall 25 and the upper wall of the sealing cap 4, respectively.

Further, it is remarked that channels 35 are provided between the tube 8 and the inner surface of the tube-shaped lower part 13 to form the air passage 10.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.