The invention relates to a dispenser for substances in particular liquid or pasty substances according to the preamble of claim1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dispensers of this type are known in the art, thus from WO 2015/128092 A1. This document describes a dispenser for dispensing substances thus in particular for dispensing 2 substances wherein each substance is received in a flexible container, in particular a foil bag and in which both foil bags are received in a housing with flexible side walls made from plastic material. Each bag includes a dispensing tube which leads into the funnel shaped dispensing opening which leads to a dispensing head, an applicator for dispensing the substances. The substances can be mixed with each other already in the dispensing head at a predetermined mixing ratio or they can be dispensed separately from each other through 2 nozzles or corresponding dispensing openings from the dispensing head or applicator where they are then mixed with each other directly where they are being used. Dispensers of this type are typically used for coating materials. In particular for glues, hair dyes, pharmaceutical products, cosmetic products or similar where 2 or several different materials have to be mixed in order to achieved advantageously technical effects.

In this generic dispenser the housing receiving the 2 foil bags has an approximately oval cross section so that the dispenser can be easily grabbed by hand. The substances are dispensed and mixed eventually by manual pressure on the flexible side walls by the hand grabbing the housing, wherein the hand manually applies pressure to the flexible housing which pressurizes the foil bags and runs the material through dispensing openings to the dispensing head so that the materials are mixed and dispensed.

Alternatively also dispensers are known where the substances are dispensed by pressurizing the containers with the housing internally receiving the substances e.g. by a pressurized fluid in particular a propellant gas. The dispensing is then performed by a respective pressure on nozzle shaped dispensing openings which opens corresponding valve units and wherein the positive pressure in the interior of the housing pressurizes the containers filled with the substances so that the substances are run through the dispensing openings to the applicator as known e.g. from DE 20 2010 018 319 U1 or WO 2011/067868 A1.

Corresponding dispensers with different applications are known from US 2012 007 6930 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 7,537,139 B2 or DE 20 2012 00466 U1 which also describes a dispenser for at least 2 substances which are dispensed by an applicator.

The generic art which is in particular represented by WO 2015 12 8092 A1 or DE 20 2010 018 319 U1 and whose general configuration is also used by the invention so that these documents are incorporated by reference dispenses the substances depending on the configuration of the dispenser in a predetermined mixing ratio which is respectively tailored to the materials to be dispensed and the specific application. Generally the 2 substances are dispensed with a mixing ratio of 50:50 wherein however depending on the configuration of the dispenser also different mixing ratios can be run depending on the application. However it is required that for the desired technical effect that the predetermined mixing ratio is maintained substantially precisely by mixing the substances. The inventor has found that this constitutes a problem in the prior art because the viscosity of the first material or of the second material or of both materials can be different depending on filling charges which has the effect that viscosity variations eventually cause the predetermined mixing ratio not to be maintained which degrades the results. For example in a hair dye where hydrogen peroxide is typically the first substance and a colorant the second substance then even small variations in viscosity can lead to different color effects which can lead to an undesirable blue shine in hair even when there are only minor viscosity variations when a black coloration is desired which can have negative effects upon the sale of the dispensers.

In the art there are different embodiments for the dispensing head, wherein applicators according to WO 2014/11 855 55A1 have proven useful which are also suitable to be used as applicators according to the invention without limiting the spirit and scope of the invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus it is an object of the invention to provide a dispenser for dispensing liquid or pasty in particular viscous substances so that it is assured in particular for viscosity variations of the substances to be dispensed, that the predetermined mixing ratio of the substances is precisely maintained so that the operations of the dispenser are independent from viscosity variations and viscosity differences.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the features included in the charactering portion of claim1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined by the features of the dependent claims.

The dispenser according to the invention can improve upon the most pertinent prior art WO 2015 12 8092 A1 or e.g. DE 20 2010 018 319 U1 without limiting the spirit and scope of the invention and cause the dispensing of the substances either under manual pressure on a housing in particular configured with flexible side walls or through a pressurized fluid that is arranged in an interior of the housing so that the substances are dispensed respectively pressure loading of the containers arranged in the housing. According to the invention a constant amount pump is connected between the dispensing openings of the containers arranged in the housing and in the subsequent dispensing head, in particular the applicator wherein the constant amount pump provides that an exact volume of the desired amount is dispensed to the dispensing head according to the predetermined mixing ratio so that the desired mixing ratio can be maintained independently from the viscosity variations of one or plural of the substances to the be dispensed. By interconnecting constant amount pumps of this type constant flow through volumes in particular flow through values corresponding to the predetermined mixing ratio are dispensed independently from viscosity variation which can occur batch specific during production in order to dispense the substances.

Thus it is advantageously that between each dispensing opening and the dispensing head e.g. an applicator as they are used in the generic art a respective constant amount pump for a constant volume flow for each substance is provided, in particular connected there between. Also constant amount pumps are within the scope of the invention wherein the constant feed volume is adjustable in a suitable manner by corresponding adjustment mechanisms.

In a particularly advantageous manner in the general application when dispensing 2 substances from 2 containers that are arranged within a housing 2 constant amount pumps are being used which are being coupled with each other so that both constant travel pumps respectively provide a predetermined volume flow of the substances according to the intended mixing ratio.

According to the invention it is advantageous to receive the plural containers in a dispenser housing, wherein the dispensing of the substances is provided either by manual pressure loading through the dispenser housing on at least one of the containers received in the dispenser and/or by a propellant fluid arranged in the dispenser housing or in a container that loads at least one of the containers or the substance included therein for dispensing the substance. However a container dispenser housing is not mandatory rather two containers can be provided that are respectively pressure loadable by a propellant fluid wherein the containers are only connected with each other by a foil. Since it suffices due to the permanent coupling of the constant amount pumps, thus in case of 2 containers with 2 constant amount pumps to feed substance under pressure to one constant amount pump which suffices since so that due to the speed coupling the other constant amount pumps pull the substances from the other containers, also without separate pressure loading so that they are dispensed. Therefore it suffices for example that only one of the plural containers is pressure loaded whereas the other containers can be configured completely independently from a criterion of pressure loaded dispensing of the substances. For example it suffices in the case of 2 containers that the substance is dispensed from one container under pressure, for example by manual pressure in that the container wall is flexible or due to propellant fluid dispensing of a substance whereas the other container can be arranged as a simple container at the first container. This provides the option that the dispenser in case of pressure containers with typical cylindrical containers as a consequence of coupling the additional container can get a cross sectional shape with a more esthetic design so that the looks of the dispenser overall become more pleasant.

Furthermore it is advantageous that the constant amount pump is respectively arranged in the pressure loaded containers with in the pressure vessel, thus as close as possible e.g. to a flexible bag that is received in the pressure vessel. In particular the constant amount pumps shall be arranged in front of the pump valves.

This coupling is advantageously provided mechanically but also magnetically and thus in particular permanent magnetically wherein an electromagnetic coupling is also possible as a matter of principle. In particular neodyme magnets are suitable for the mechanical coupling.

Constant pumps for constant flow through measurements of substances, thus constant amount pumps are generally known and can be used in a suitable manner in a context with the invention.

Among these are in particular rotating displacement pumps or volume metric displacement counters which respectively provide a volume metrically predetermined flow through volume independently from viscosity variations.

When using volumetric flow through counters the volume can be captured within a time period so that the volume that shall be dispensed according to the desired mixing ratio can be metered by a respective tapping which is independent from a viscosity of the substance. Therefore these counters are advantageously calibrated to a quantity so that the respective metering can be exactly maintained corresponding to the mixing ratio.

In a particularly advantageous manner mechanical-volumetric flow through measuring. In a particularly simple manner mechanical-volumetric flow through measuring devices are suitable and thus indirect or direct volume counters. For direct volume counters a predetermined volume chamber is connected there between, continuously filled with the substance and emptied accordingly. In particular however displacement counters are suitable, wherein in particular the measured material, thus the substance is displaced by suitable measuring chamber walls. Displacement counters of this type are suitable in particular for liquids.

In the context of the invention, however, it is advantageous in particular to use rotating displacement pumps which facilitate exact metering independently from viscosity variations in a simple manner. Thus in particular known rotating piston pumps, rotating disc pumps, vein pumps or gear pumps are suitable for the invention. Thus however it is within the spirit and scope of the invention that both pumps are used in a dispenser, thus displacement pumps and volumetric counters.

The pumps can be produced in a simple manner in miniaturized form, in particular from plastic material by injection molding or similar so that pumps of this type are particularly suitable for dispensers. In particular displacement pumps can be arranged in a simple manner in small housings wherein according to the invention 2 pumps are advantageously coupled together and arranged in a housing when 2 substances are dispensed. Thus however the volume flows are separated from each other until they enter the pump and until they leave the pump. Only after the pump exit advantageously both volume flows of the 2 substances are joined so that they are mixed in the dispensing head, otherwise the 2 substances are run to the dispensing head separate from each other and dispensed wherein they are then mixed automatically e.g. in the immediate application, thus when applied to hair.

Another advantage of the intermediate connection of the constant amount pumps is also provided in that typically only one of the containers has to be pressure loaded for dispensing the substances under pressure since the mechanical or magnetic, in particular permanent magnetic coupling of the pumps'amongst each other rotors of the other pump co rotate when a pump is loaded with the substance from the container and thus the other pump is placed into suction position and substance is pulled from the other container also without particular pressure loading and dispensed. Also this is a particular advantage in the context of the measures according to the invention.

It is generally appreciated that all commercially available dispensers for cosmetics, glues and similar that mix 2 or more components are retro fit able within the scope of the invention using the measures according to the invention so that problems are solved where an exact metering of the substances cannot be maintained due to variations in the viscosity. Thus the invention is suitable in particular for configurations improving upon the most proximal prior art, but also for other dispenser types improving upon another of the printed documents recited supra. For example a container with pressure loaded substance dispensing suffices and the other container can be configured in any suitable manner and connected in any suitable manner. For example a dispenser housing made from plastic material with a divider chamber suffices, wherein a pressure dispensable substance is only arranged in one of the 2 chambers thus dispensable through a flexible actuation or propellant fluid wherein the other chamber due to the suction effect during pump actuation can only be configured as a pure receiving container.

Constant amount pumps according to the invention are pumps which facilitate a precise volumetric metering of a pump volume. In case of counters, in particular volume metric displacement counters, oval wheel counters, rotating piston gas counters, wobble disc counters, ring piston counters or gear counters are suitable.

In particular rotating piston pumps, rotating vane pumps, rotary piston pumps or gear pumps or similar rotating mechanical pumps like e.g. also pumps according to the Wankel principle are suitable.

According to the invention the housing of the dispenser can include 2 or plural containers and thus 2 or more dispensing openings which lead to the dispensing head, wherein 2 or more constant amount pumps are used in the dispenser wherein the constant amount pumps are advantageously arranged in a common pump housing. Thus the individual pumps however are arranged separated from each other by a respective divider wall in individual pump chambers that are separated from each other by divider walls. In case of 2 containers in the housing the pump housing includes an advantageously central divider wall which divides in 2 pump chambers.

Thus it is advantageous that each pump chamber is connected with a dispensing opening of a corresponding container. The term “housing” has a broad interpretation according to the invention. Among them is any structure which hold 2 or plural containers, together, for example a foil envelope or similar. In each pump chamber advantageously respective constant amount pumps, advantageously with the same configuration, are arranged which however is not mandatory and a mix of both pump principles can be useful, in particular for example when a liquid and a pasty substance is used.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the constant amount pump is formed by a rotor, in particular with one or plural rotor blades which respectively define a suction chamber and a dispensing chamber during a revolution. In particular, however, it is advantageous that each pump chamber includes at least one advantageously however two rotors that mesh with each other wherein each rotor is provided with a rotor blade. Advantageously also several rotor blade can be provided as required.

In displacement pumps of this type, in particular two rotor blades that communicate with each other are in sealing/sliding contact on the one hand side with an inner wall of the pump housing during the rotor revolution, but also the 2 rotor blades amongst each other so that a continuing rotation of the rotors pulls in the substance and eventually feeds the substance to the dispensing opening of the pump housing. Thus it is sufficient that one of the substances is fed into the pump housing under pressure since this forces the rotors to rotate self-acting. Due to the mechanical coupling also the rotors in the other pump chamber are driven accordingly by at least one respective rotor in each pump chamber so that substances can also be dispensed without pressure loading of the container that is connected through the respective dispensing opening so that the substances can be pulled from the container and dispensed to the dispensing head.

In any case it is advantageous in the context of the instant invention that the constant amount pumps are driven by the coupling of the rotors of adjacent chambers so that no motor drive and similar for the pumps is required.

In case of two containers which is an advantageous embodiment of the dispenser each of the two pump chambers includes a tubular inlet spout that communicates with the dispensing opening of the container wherein the tubular inlet spout leads to the corresponding pump chamber. On the outlet side it is advantageous to only provide one tubular spout for both pump chambers. Through this tubular spout both volume flows can be exhausted together so that a mixing of the 2 substances is performed behind the pump. However it is also advantageous that the outgaining tubular spout is divided as required by a divider wall, optionally an annular wall, so that the 2 volume flows can be fed to the dispensing head separately from each other. The mixing can thus be performed in the outlet or during outleting from the dispensing head or the applicator.

In a particularly advantageous manner a meshing rotor pair with corresponding rotor veins is provide din each pump chamber wherein the rotor veins cooperate so that a respective chamber for receiving the substance is formed and thus the substance fed from the container inlet opening is sealed according to the typical pump principle to the output side for dispensing through the outlet opening. Thus it is advantageous that both rotors respectively mesh with each other which is advantageously provided by corresponding gears that are provided at the rotors. If required, the vanes can also be provided in gear shape corresponding to the pump principle. Advantageously at least one rotor in each pump chamber is coupled with another rotor which can be performed advantageously mechanically or magnetically, in particular electromagnetically.

Furthermore it is advantageous to support an axle shaft in the divider wall, wherein the rotors can then be coupled accordingly through the divider wall. Instead of a mechanical axle shaft however also a magnetic coupling is required wherein the axle shaft can then be omitted and the corresponding rotors are respectively arranged on an axle stub or an axle journal which respectively protrudes into the corresponding pump chamber from the divider wall. Rotors of each pump chamber that are not coupled with the rotors of the other pump chamber are advantageously also supported on axle stubs or axel pins that are in particular configured hollow. Based on this embodiment the pump can be assembled in a very simple manner from injection molded plastic components wherein the interconnection of the components can be advantageously profiled by a plug in and/or clip connection.

In case of a mechanical coupling of the rotors the rotors are respectively arranged torque proof on the corresponding shaft so that a rotation of a first rotor forces a second rotor in the other pump chamber to rotate along. Advantageously the principle described supra can be respectively applied for 2 meshing rotors in a pump chamber as well as for rotors for more than 2 pump chambers, wherein respective divider walls separate the pump housing into the corresponding pump chambers in which the corresponding volume pump is arranged.

