DISPENSING PUMP HEAD WITH REMOVABLE TAMPER

EVIDENT RING

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[01] (1) Field of the Invention: The present invention generally relates to dispensing pumps for liquids, viscous flowable materials, foams, gels, etc. and more particularly to a dispensing pump head with a removable tamper evident ring.

[02] (2) Description of Related Art: Dispensing pumps for various liquids, lotions, foams, gels, etc. are known in the art. They generally comprise an accumulator which is seated on the neck of a container, a co-acting pump head which slides with a piston stem relative to the accumulator, and a spring which biases the co-acting pump head to its normal extended rest position. To dispense the material in the container, the user manually depresses the pump head which forces the material from the inside of the accumulator outwardly through the pump head. When the pump head is released, the spring forces the pump head back to its normal resting position. Certain pump configurations are shipped without a box and with the pump head and piston stem in an extended position and it is thus important to prevent accidental depression of the pump head during shipping . Shipping with the pump head exposed in the extended position also subjects the assembly to possible damage from impacts during handling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[03] Exemplary embodiments of a dispensing pump head for liquids,

viscous materials, foams, gels, etc. include a removable tamper evident ring which prevents actuation of the pump head during shipment and protects the piston stem, pump head and chaplet from impact related damage. [04] The pump head is removably received in assembled relation with a pump engine that include an accumulator having a dip tube port and a ball valve within the dip tube port. The open upper end of the accumulator has an outward flange and an upstanding rim wall. An annular closure ring secures the accumulator flange to a neck of a container. The pump engine further includes a piston stem coaxially guided within a guide body in the

accumulator and has a piston seal received at the terminal end of the piston stem that forms a seal with inner walls of the accumulator. A compression spring is received around the piston stem and is captured between the bottom wall of the guide body within the accumulator and an annular groove at the upper end of the piston stem.

[05] An annular chaplet is coaxially snap received about the rim wall of the accumulator. The rim wall and the chaplet include mating snap formations which cooperate to maintain the chaplet in assembled relation with the rim wall.

[06] An exemplary dispensing pump head includes main body portion, an inlet portion which is removably received onto the piston stem of the pump engine, a spout portion with an outlet communicating with the inlet portion, and an outer skirt portion extending downwardly around the inlet portion.

[07] In accordance with the invention, the dispensing pump head further includes a removable tamper evident ring which extends downward from the outer skirt. The ring is split along a vertical seam forming opposing side edges and includes an outwardly extending pull tab at one of the side edges. Some embodiments may also include a cutaway on the opposing side edge facing the pull tab. The upper peripheral edge of the ring and the opposing side edges have frangible tabs removably securing the opposing edges together and securing the ring to the outer skirt. In one exemplary

embodiment, the lower peripheral edge of the ring is seated on the chaplet and prevents the pump head from being depressed. In other exemplary embodiments the ring is larger in diameter and the lower peripheral edge is seated on the closure ring.

[08] An outward pull on the pull tab will sever the frangible elements

around the upper edge of the ring wall, releasing the ring wall from the outer skirt and allowing the ring to be removed.

[09] In some exemplary embodiments, the tamper evident ring includes an angled cut in one of the side edges which allows the user to pry the ring away from the outer skirt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[10] While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming particular embodiments of the instant invention, various embodiments of the invention can be more readily understood and appreciated from the following descriptions of various embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[11] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary dispensing pump system in accordance with the present invention;

[12] Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the exemplary dispensing pump system;

[13] Fig. 3 is a top view thereof;

[14] Fig. 4 is an exploded view thereof;

[15] Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

[16] Fig. 6 is a side view thereof with the tamper evident ring attached;

[17] Fig. 7 is a side view thereof with the tamper evident ring removed;

[18] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the dispensing pump head

[19] Fig. 9 is another perspective view thereof;

[20] Fig. 10 is side view thereof;

[21] Fig. 11 is a bottom view thereof;

[22] Fig. 12 is rear view thereof; [23] Fig. 13 is a bottom perspective view thereof

[24] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the dispensing pump head;

[25] Fig. 15 is a side view thereof;

[26] Fig. 16 is a rear view thereof;

[27] Fig. 17 is a perspective view of yet another exemplary dispensing

pump system and pump head;

[28] Fig. 18 is a rear view thereof;

[29] Fig. 19 is a side view thereof;

[30] Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the dispensing pump head without the closure ring and pump engine; and

[31] Fig. 21 is a bottom perspective view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[32] Referring now to the drawings, an exemplary embodiment of a

dispensing pump system and dispensing pump head in accordance with the teachings of the present invention are illustrated in Figs. 1-13.

[33] Embodiments of the present dispensing pump system 10 and pump head 12 may be advantageously used for various liquids, lotions, etc.

contained within a bottle or other container (not illustrated). In some exemplary embodiments, many of the components of the pump system 10 (with the exception of a metal spring) are molded from the same plastic material making the dispensing pump system 10 easily recyclable in a single plastic material classification.

[34] The dispensing pump system 10 generally includes a dispensing pump head 12 and a pump engine 14. The pump head 12 is removably received in assembled relation with the pump engine 14.

[35] The pump engine 14 includes an accumulator 16 having a dip tube port 18 and a ball valve 20 within the dip tube port 18. The open upper end of the accumulator 16 has an outward flange 22 and an upstanding rim wall 24. The pump system 10 further includes an annular closure ring 26 engaging the accumulator flange 22 and securing the accumulator 16 to a neck of a container. Some embodiments of the closure ring 26 may be threaded while others may be snap received onto the neck of the container. The pump engine 14 further includes a tubular piston stem 28 coaxially guided within a guide body 30 in the accumulator 16. The piston stem 28 includes a piston seal 32 received about the bottom terminal end thereof that forms a seal with inner walls of the accumulator 16. A compression spring 34 is received around the piston stem 28 and is captured between the bottom wall of the guide body 30 within the accumulator 16 and an annular groove 36 at the upper end of the piston stem 28.

[36] An annular chaplet 38 is coaxially snap received about the rim wall 24 of the accumulator 16. The rim wall 24 and the chaplet 38 include mating snap formations which cooperate to maintain the chaplet 38 in assembled relation with the rim wall 24.

[37] An exemplary dispensing pump head 12 includes main body portion 40, an inlet portion 42 which is removably received onto the piston stem 28 of the pump engine 14, a spout portion 44 with an outlet 46 communicating with the inlet portion 42, and an outer skirt portion 48 extending

downwardly around the inlet portion 42. In the exemplary embodiment, the inlet portion 42 and upper end of the piston stem 28 include friction fit interfitting formations. Other snap or removable fitments are also

contemplated.

[38] In accordance with the invention, the dispensing pump head 12

further includes a removable tamper evident ring 50 which extends downward from the outer skirt 48. The ring 50 is split along a vertical seam forming opposing side edges 52, 54 and includes an outwardly extending pull tab 56 at one of the side edges. Some embodiments may also include a cutaway 58 on the opposing side edge facing the pull tab 56. The upper peripheral edge of the ring 50 and the opposing side edges 52, 54 have frangible elements or tabs 60 removably securing the opposing edges 52, 54 together and securing the ring 50 to the outer skirt 48.

[39] In some exemplary embodiments, the lower peripheral edge of the tamper ring 50 is seated on the chaplet 38 and prevents the pump head 12 from being depressed during handling and shipment.

[40] Referring to Figs. 6-7, an outward pull on the pull tab 56 will sever the frangible elements 60 between the edges 52, 54 and around the upper edge of the ring wall 50, releasing the ring 50 from the outer skirt 48 and allowing the ring 50 to be removed (See Fig. 7) for use.

[41] Turning now to Figs. 14-16, in some exemplary embodiments 100, the tamper evident ring 150 includes an angled cut 158 in one of the side edges 152, 154 which allows the user to pry the ring 150 away from the outer skirt 148 of the pump head 112.

[42] In other exemplary embodiments 200, as illustrated in Figs. 17-21, the outer skirt 248 and tamper ring 250 on the pump head 212 are larger in diameter and the lower peripheral edge of the ring 250 is seated directly on the closure ring 226 outside the chaplet. Some embodiments in this configuration may include a pull tab (not shown) and cut out or an angled cutout 258 as described above.

[43] It may also be possible in some embodiments that the pump head 12 and tamper ring 50 are configured so that the lower peripheral edge of the ring 50 is seated on an exterior surface of the bottle or container (not shown).

[44] In operation of the pump systems, a forcible downward compression of the pump head causes a corresponding downward axial movement of the piston stem and compression of the spring. Upon the subsequent release of the dispensing head, the spring expands back to its normal at rest shape causing a forcible upward movement of the piston stem and dispensing head back to their normal at rest positions.

[45] As noted above, exemplary pump configurations 10, 100, 200 are

shipped without a box and with the pump head and piston stem in the extended position and it is thus important to prevent accidental depression of the pump head during shipping. Shipping with the pump head exposed in the extended position also subjects the assembly to possible damage from impacts during handling. The present dispensing configurations and tamper evident ring prevent actuation of the pump head during shipment and protects the piston stem, pump head and chaplet from impact related damage. The removable tamper ring also provides tamper evidence once received by the consumer.

[46] It can therefore be seen that the exemplary embodiments provide unique and novel dispensing pump assemblies which better protect the assembly during shipment.

[47] While there is shown and described herein certain specific structures embodying various embodiments of the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.