BACKGROUND

Field

The present disclosure relates to a dispenser for dispensing liquid product(s). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a dispenser having an outer case and inner case, wherein the inner case, that houses a liquid product, is replaceable with a new inner case.

Description of the Related Art

A liquid product dispenser is used for storing the liquid product inside the containers and dispense the liquid product as per user requirement of the user. Conventional dispensers are used for storing liquid product which are often disposable. These dispensers usually have a fixed container portion that is disposed along with the dispenser body after use. The disposable dispensers usually come with a dispensing head, a pump assembly, and a single-use type container that is not capable of being reused. These dispensers are used in storing liquid based or gel-based formulations that can be dispensed directly onto the skin of the user. The liquid product includes soap based liquid products, cosmetic formulations, skin care liquid products and the like.

Korean Patent No. KR101218932B1 to LG household & health care co., ltd., discloses about a refillable cosmetic container. The refill container provided with a dispenser in the upper portion. A container body at least partially accommodates the refill container, and a rotating member is rotatably fitted to the upper outer surface of the container body. When one of the container body and the rotating member is rotated relative to the other one, the refill container in the container body is detached from the locked state or vice versa.

Existing dispensers dispenses the liquid products stored therein and the refill container along with the dispensing mechanism is disposed when the product is exhausted. A new dispenser is purchased each time along with the liquid product, whenever the liquid product is exhausted or a different liquid product is to be used by user. These conventional methods of disposing off the dispenser upon being exhausted with a new dispenser or purchasing different dispensers for accumulating different liquid product leads to accumulation of large number of plastics that ultimately leads to incineration of plastics. Purchasing dispensers each time may include a lot of expenses and liquid product. The incineration of plastic may further lead to environmental degradation and increase in carbon footprint. These incinerated plastics are later burnt out along with other waste materials that leads to liquid product of toxic fumes.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned limitations, there exists a need of developing a dispenser that is replenished by a user upon being exhausted, simultaneously managing the over wastage of liquid product, thus reducing incineration of plastic and ultimately minimizes carbon footprint. The present disclosure is therefore related to a dispenser having a replaceable inner case that is easily detached from the dispenser and replenished easily, thereby making the dispenser reusable, refillable and cost-effective.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a dispenser for dispensing a liquid product with a replaceable inner case.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a dispenser with an inner case that can easily be detached for replacement.

Accordingly, there is provided a dispenser comprising a top cover, a dispensing head, a collar, a pump assembly, a piston, an inner case, a dialer, an outer case, a holder, and a base cover. The inner case stores a liquid product that is to be dispensed onto an outer surface of the dispensing head, wherein the liquid product is selected from at least one of the cosmetic liquid products or medicinal liquid products. The liquid product stored in the inner case is a flowable liquid product e.g. a solution, suspension, a viscous liquid, etc.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the inner case is replaceable and is removably housed within the outer case. The inner case, when housed in the outer case, is detachably attached to the dialer such that the outer case, the dialer, the collar, the pump assembly, and the dispensing head can be reused while the inner case can be replaced or refilled when the liquid product accommodated inside the inner case has been completely exhausted.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the outer case has a tubular body having an open upper end and an open lower end, and having a sidewall. The outer case includes a hollow cavity for receiving and housing the inner case therein. Further, the sidewall of the outer case includes an upper portion having a reduced diameter in comparison with the diameter of the rest of the sidewall of the outer case. An outer peripheral surface of the upper portion of the sidewall of the outer case is configured to engage with the dialer such that the dialer can rotate a limited distance in a circumferential direction on the outer case. An outer surface of the upper portion of the sidewall of the outer case includes features that allow the dialer to rotate both clockwise and anticlockwise on the circumference of the sidewall in a limited manner. The outer case further includes a plurality of tabs that are formed on the upper portion of the outer case and a portion of each of the tabs extend upward from an upper edge of the upper portion of the outer case. More particularly, as shown the upper portion of the outer case includes four tabs that are uniformly and circumferentially separated. Each of the four tabs has teeth at its free upper end. Each of the tabs further includes a snap protrusion on its outer surface and located below the teeth for engaging with a corresponding snap groove present in the collar. Each of the tabs has a guide rail groove formed therein in which a corresponding slide protrusion of the dialer can slide along a circumferential direction of the outer case when the dialer is rotated on the outer case.

In certain embodiments, the outer case may include a window or made up of a transparent material to reveal the inner case positioned coaxially inside the outer case. Optionally, the inner case may be made of transparent material or have a transparent window so that through the window of the housing the product stored inside the inner case may be made visible.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the inner case is positioned co-axially inside the hollow cavity of the outer case for storing the liquid product. The inner case comprises a bottom wall and a sidewall that extends between an open upper end and a closed lower end of the inner case. The inner case includes locking features on an outer surface of the sidewall for removably engaging with corresponding locking features present on the dialer. The dialer couples the inner case to the outer case in a removable manner. The locking features of the inner case allow the inner case to be rotatably coupled to the dialer in a removable manner. The locking features in the present embodiment are preferably a plurality of J-lock features formed on the outer surface of the inner case which easily engages and disengages with complementary J-lock features of the dialer. The locking features on the inner case have a vertical rib and a lateral rib extending in a circumferential direction. Further, the locking features have a protrusion formed below the lateral rib forming a locking groove with the vertical rib in which at least one inner lug of the dialer is engaged to removably secure the inner case.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the piston is positioned within the tubular body of the inner case. The piston is sealingly and slidingly received in the inner case and is configured to push up the liquid product contained in the inner case. The piston is movable along a longitudinal axis of the inner case and reaches near the open upper end of the inner case when the liquid product inside the inner case is completely used.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the dialer is mounted on the outer surface of the outer case near the upper end portion of the outer case. The dialer is used to secure both the inner case and the outer case. In other words, the dialer is both coupled to the outer case and the inner case and allows the inner case to be coupled to the outer case in a removable manner. The dialer includes two concentric rings that are axially offset and are radially separated. The two concentric rings are namely an upper ring and a lower ring. The upper ring has a smaller diameter as compared to a diameter of the lower ring. The upper ring and the lower ring are connected through a plurality of linking ribs that extends horizontally to connect an outer surface of the upper ring to an inner surface of the lower ring. Further, the linking ribs are radial and are positioned such that there are hollow spaces between the adjacent linking ribs. In the embodiment shown, there are four linking ribs.

When the dialer is mounted on the outer case, the tabs of the outer case extend into the hollow spaces between the linking ribs of the dialler such that the lower ring b of the dialer encloses the upper portion of the outer case. When in the assembled state, the linking ribs seats on an upper edge of the outer case, and an inner surface of the upper ring is flush vertically with the inner surface of the outer case.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the upper ring is configured to allow removable coupling of the inner case with the upper ring, and the lower ring is configured to be rotatably and fixedly coupled to the outer case.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the dialer comprises inner lugs that are situated on an inner surface of the upper ring of the dialer which allows performing engagement and disengagement operation with the inner case. The inner lugs are circumferentially and uniformly separated from one another. The inner lugs of the dialer are engaged in the locking grooves of the J lock of the inner case to removably secure the inner case with the dialer. The inner case is thereby connected to the dialer using a J-lock which is easily connected and disconnected.

Further, the lower ring of the dialer is shaped and sized to fit over the upper portion of the outer case, more particularly, over the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion of the sidewall of the outer case such that the dialer is arranged to rotate to a limited degree on the outer case.

Furthermore, at least one circumferential defining means is provided to limit the dialer to rotate within a predetermined angular range in relation to the outer case and includes an inner projection and two outer stop projections. The two outer stop projections extend from the outer surface of the upper portion of the sidewall of the outer case, and the inner projection extends an inner surface of the lower ring of the dialer. When the dialer rotates relative to the outer case, the inner projection of the lower ring is limited to rotate within a predetermined angular range between the two outer stop projections.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the predetermined angular range between the two outer stop projections is 5-30 degrees. Preferably, the predetermined angle is between 10-15 degrees, more preferably 15 degrees so that the dialer is limited to rotate at 15 degrees such that the inner lugs of the dialer are displaced rotatably either in or out from the locking grooves of the J lock of the inner case depending on a direction of rotation of the collar to secure or disengage the inner case from the dialer and the outer case.

Furthermore, the lower ring includes a plurality of slide protrusions formed on the inner surface of the lower ring that is configured to slide on the corresponding plurality of the guide rails formed on the tabs of the outer case the smooth sliding rotation can be ensured thereby when the dialer is rotated on the outer case.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the dialer can only be rotated in the circumferential direction within an angular range of at least 10±degrees.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the collar is mounted on the extended portion of the outer case to enclose it. The collar comprises an annular sidewall having an open upper end and an open lower end. The collar comprises a horizontal wall that extends from an inner surface of the sidewall of the collar and is spaced from the open upper end and the open lower end of the sidewall of the collar. The horizontal wall includes a hollow tubular body for accommodating the pump assembly therein. The nozzle cylinder is elastically supported at its lower surface by the spring. Therefore, the downwardly pressurized nozzle cylinder may rise by the spring when the external force is removed.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the collar includes teeth extending from a bottom surface of the horizontal wall. Further, an inner surface of the sidewall of the collar includes the snap groove just below the teeth of the collar. The extended portion of the tabs of the outer case passes through the spaces between the linking ribs of the dialer to non-rotatably engage with the collar. The snap groove of the collar engages with the snap protrusions located on the outer surface extended portion of the tabs. Thus, the outer case and the collar are coupled to each other through snap fitment. The teeth provided on the extended portion of the outer case, mate with the teeth of the collar for a non-rotatable engagement.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, when the inner case is received with the hollow cavity of the outer case and locked with the dialer, the horizontal wall of the collar seals the upper ends of both the outer case and the inner case. Further, a seal may be provided between a bottom surface of the horizontal wall of the collar and the open upper end of the inner case to provide an airtight seal.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the dispensing head has a structure in which a lower portion is opened and an upper portion has an upper wall. A circumferential sidewall extends downward from an edge of the upper wall. In addition, a nozzle corresponding to a passage through which liquid product is discharged is formed at the center of the upper wall. When the top cover is opened, the dispensing head is exposed to the outside. The user may operate the pump by downwardly pressing the dispensing head exposed to the outside.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the top cover is detachably mounted on the collar to prevent the accumulation of dirt and dust on the dispenser. The top cover is removably engaged to the collar by means of a snap fitment. The collar comprises at least one corresponding protrusion on an outer surface of the collar which engages with corresponding at least one groove on an inner surface of the top cover.

In alternate embodiments, the top cover and the collar may be coupled by any other engagement means capable of removably coupling the top cover and the collar e.g. j-lock, magnetic engagement, screw threads, etc.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a lower end of the sidewall of the dispensing head is inserted into the collar through the open upper end of the collar such that the dispensing head is slidable in an axial direction with respect to the collar. The liquid product is dispensed through the nozzle formed on the upper wall of the dispensing head, and the user may use the liquid product on the upper surface by using a puff (not shown) or fingers.

The dispensing head is elastically supported at its lower surface by the spring. Therefore, the downwardly pressurized dispensing head may rise by the spring when the external force is removed.

Furthermore, the holder is coupled at the open lower end of the outer case and closing the lower end of the outer case. The holder comprises means to removably hold and lock therewith the inner case. More particularly, the holder comprises means to removably hold and lock therewith a lower portion of the inner case. The holder includes a bottom wall, an outer sidewall, and an inner sidewall concentric with the outer sidewall. The inner sidewall comprises grooves on an inner periphery thereof configured to receive corresponding projections present on an outer surface of the sidewall of the inner case, the inner case thus can be rotatably coupled to the inner sidewall of the holder. The grooves of the holder are L-shaped grooves. Each of the groove of the holder has a long arm and a short arm. The long arm of the groove is from the periphery of the inner sidewall. The short arm of the groove extends from a lower end of the long arm in a circumferential direction such that the short arm of the groove is perpendicular to the long arm. For locking the inner case within the holder, the projections of the inner case are aligned with and inserted in the long arm of the L-shaped groove of the holder and the inner case is rotated in a first direction along the short arm so that projections slide along the short arm of the L-shaped groove. Similarly, to unlock the inner case from the holder is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Furthermore, the inner sidewall comprises at least one axial rib on an outer surface thereof that is received within an axial groove provided on the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer case so that the holder is non-rotatable with respect to the outer case. The outer sidewall of the holder flush with the sidewall of the outer case and completes an outer form of the dispenser.

Optionally, a decorative or metallic base cover may be provided that matches an outer profile of the outer surface of the holder.

Furthermore, the hollow tubular body protrudes downward from the bottom of the horizontal wall of the collar. The hollow tubular body has a hollow cylindrical shape and has a structure in which both top and bottom ends are open. The pump assembly is inserted into the inner space of the hollow tubular body.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a space is formed between a bottom surface of the upper wall of the dispensing head and an upper surface of the horizontal wall of the collar, and the pump head and the spring of the pump assembly are located therein.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the upper end of the pump head is in communication with the nozzle of the dispensing head. Therefore, the contents discharged through the pumping are directly introduced to the nozzle and then discharged to the upper wall of the dispensing head. One end of the spring is in contact with the bottom surface of the upper wall of the dispensing head and the other end is in contact with the upper surface of the horizontal wall of the collar. Therefore, the spring elastically supports the dispensing head at the lower portion of the dispensing head.

When the user presses the dispensing head downward, the dispensing head moves downward and the spring elastically contracts. The pump guide sucks the contents while the pump head moves downward by the downward movement of the dispensing head. When the external force applied to the dispensing head is removed, the dispensing head is raised by the elastic restoring force of the spring. As the dispensing head is raised, the pump head is also raised, which causes the pump guide h to rise, thereby causing a low pressure (low pressure close to vacuum or vacuum) to the inner space of the hollow tubular body.

When the low pressure is generated in the inner space, the liquid product filled in the inner case flows into the inner space, and a piston ascends accordingly.

The piston is located above the upper surface of the bottom wall of the inner case. A through-hole is formed in the bottom wall of the inner case, and atmospheric pressure may be applied to the piston through the through-hole. An outer contact surface of the piston is in close contact with an inner circumferential surface of the inner case. When the liquid product filled in the inner case is discharged by the pumping and the remaining amount decreases, the piston ascends due to the pressure drop in the inner case.

The hollow tubular body corresponding to the lower part of the pump assembly has a lower hole at its lower end. The lower hole corresponds to a passage through which contents enter the inner space.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a part of the pump guide and a pump piston are inserted into the hollow tubular body. The outer circumference of the pump piston is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the hollow tubular body, and the inner circumference is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the pump guide. The pump guide has a hollow cylindrical shape, the lower end of which is closed, and the upper end of the pump guide communicates with the nozzle. In addition, an inlet hole is formed around the pump guide. In addition, the pump piston d may be positioned around the inlet hole.

When the pump head is pressurized downward in a raised state, the pump guide descends and the inlet hole is separated from the pump piston. As a result, the inlet hole shielded by the pump piston is opened and the contents introduced into the inner space are introduced into the pump guide through the inlet hole. The liquid product is introduced into the pump guide is discharged to the upper surface of the upper wall of the dispensing head through the nozzle.

When the external force applied to the pump head is removed, the pump head is raised by the elastic restoring force of the spring, and the pump guide is also raised in association with the pump head. As the pump guide h rises, the inlet hole is shielded by the pump piston. In addition, a low pressure close to a vacuum is generated in the inner space by the rise of the pump guide, and thus the contents filled in the inside of the inner case flow into the inner space.

According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the piston is sealingly and slidingly received in the inner case in the bottom of the inner case. The piston is movable along a longitudinal axis of the inner case and reaches near the proximal end of the inner case when the liquid product inside the inner case is completely used.

The collar comprises an inner skirt around the hollow tubular body that encases a lower end of the spring, and a first skirt descends from the lower surface of the upper wall of the dispensing head that surrounds an upper end of the spring.

The check valve is positioned on the proximal end of the cavity. The check valve allows a one-way suction of the liquid product stored inside the inner case, wherein the one-way suction is typically from the proximal end to the distal end of the pump assembly.

When the inner case, encased by outer case, is in a locked position with the dialer, the inner lugs of the dialer are engaged in the locking grooves of the J lock of the inner case. For replacing the inner case a user grips a base cover or the holder or the outer case, and rotates the dialer slightly along the outer circumference of the outer case to unlock the inner case from the outer case. The dialer is rotated in a first direction preferably in a clockwise direction. As the dialer is rotated in the first direction, the inner lugs of the dialer come out of the locking grooves by overriding the protrusion of the J lock of the inner case and moves in a circumferential direction along the lateral protrusion a and finally disengaging from the dialer.

In this unlocked position, the inner case is detached from the outer case when inner lugs of the collar come out of the J lock of the inner case. The inner case comes out from the open lower end of the outer case along with the base cover and the holder.

The inner case is removed from the outer case and replaced with a filled new inner case upon the complete usage of the liquid product. The inner case is removed by disengaging the inner case by the dialer from the protrusions of the inner case. The inner case is disengaged by rotating the dialer with one hand and by gripping the base cover or the holder with another hand. When the dialer is disengaged and the inner case along with the holder and the base cover slide out in the downward direction. The at least one axial rib on the outer surface inner wall of the holder disengages from the axial groove provided on the inner surface of the sidewall of the outer case. The inner case then can be removed from the holder by detaching the projections of the inner case from the L-shaped grooves of the holder by rotating the inner case with respect to the holder.

A new inner case may have a protective seal at an upper end that is removed before use or before fitting the inner case within the outer case. The new inner case is locked in the holder and then inserted inside the outer case till the inner case is fully inserted in the outer case. The dialer is rotated in the locking direction so that the plurality of protrusions present in the inner case engages with the inner lugs of the dialer engage with corresponding locking grooves of the J lock of the inner case.

According to an embodiment, the outer case and the inner case are cylindrical shapes. However, the shape of the outer case and the inner case is chosen from rectangular, elliptical, cubical, cuboidal, and other such shapes known in the art.

The present disclosure is not limited to, the broadest in accordance with the basic idea disclosed herein. It should be interpreted as having a range. Skilled artisans may implement the pattern of the non-timely manner by combining, replacement of the disclosed embodiments shape, this would also do not depart from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art may readily change or modifications to the disclosed embodiments, based on the present specification, such changes or modifications also belong to the scope of the present disclosure will be apparent.

