Fluid dispenser, system and filling process

摘要

Systems, methods, and processes are disclosed for the manufacture, filling and dispensing of flowable contents. The dispenser system includes a dispenser bottle, a dispensing cap, a pre-filled container, an optional inversion tube wherein the pre-filled container contains flowable contents therein for dispensing when a dispenser bottle is squeezed, pumped or sprayed. A user grasps the bottle, squeezes it to increase internal pressure, and forces out through the dispensing cap the flowable contents. Upon release, the system allows air to enter and replace the forced-out flowable contents and neutralize the pressure in the space between the container and the bottle. An inline process of manufacturing and filling the containers is provided.

主权项

1. A dispenser system comprising:
a squeeze bottle body having an elongated resilient side wall and a closed end and an open end with an uppermost edge, the bottle body defining a compressible squeeze region extending from the uppermost edge to a midpoint along the length of the squeeze bottle body; a dispenser cap releasably covering the open end of the squeeze bottle body to define a sealed cartridge refill chamber; a first one-way valve disposed within the bottle body constructed to allow a volume of external air to enter the cartridge refill chamber when a squeezing force applied to the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body is removed; a second one-way valve disposed in the dispenser cap and constructed to open in response to a squeezing force applied to the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body; a seamless, invertible liner having an elongated body section with a closed end and an opposing open end with a flange projecting outwardly from the open end and removably seated on the uppermost edge of the bottle body and captured between the dispenser cap and the uppermost edge of the squeeze bottle body to dispose the elongated body section within the cartridge refill chamber and fix the position of the closed end of a fully extended body section relative to the length of the squeeze bottle body, the body section of the liner being constructed to invert from a fully extended configuration to a fully inverted configuration when a squeezing force is applied to the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body, the liner further being tapered inwardly from the flange; an inversion tube with a tube body thicker than the liner with a complementary taper to at least a portion of the liner and having a hollow interior, the inversion tube being releasably inserted into the liner to form a liner and tube assembly with the tube body terminating in opposing flangeless ends disposed solely within the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body with the liner at least partially disposed between a cap-side end of the inversion tube and the adjacent uppermost edge of the squeeze bottle body, the inversion tube further being sufficiently rigid along its entire length to induce incremental inversion of the liner into the inversion tube from the fully extended configuration to the fully inverted configuration during each successive squeezing force applied to the squeeze bottle body within the squeeze region while remaining sufficiently flexible along its entire length to yield inwardly from a first tubular configuration to a deformed tubular configuration in response to a squeezing force applied to the squeeze bottle body within the squeeze region while the interior of the tube body receives an inverted portion of the invertible liner, the inversion tube further being sufficiently flexible along its entire length to return to the first tubular configuration from the deformed tubular configuration when the squeezing force is removed from the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body while the liner remains at least partially inverted; a volume of flowable contents at least partially filling the liner and tube assembly, the volume of flowable contents being added prior to insertion of the liner and tube assembly into the cartridge refill chamber; and a removable or puncturable lid covering the open end of the invertible liner and sealing the volume of flowable contents within the liner and tube assembly with the liner, lid, and inversion tube defining a sealed, separately transportable, invertible, disposable, pre-filled cartridge inserted into the cartridge refill chamber with the entire length of the inversion tube solely within the squeeze region of the squeeze bottle body, the pre-fiUed cartridge further being constructed to, when the lid is removed or punctured, to place the volume of flowable contents in communication with the second one-way valve of the cap and disgorge at least a portion of the flowable contents out through the second one-way valve as at least a portion of the invertible liner inverts into the inversion tube when the squeeze bottle body is selectively squeezed within the squeeze region; the invertible liner is tapered inwardly from the open end to the bottom end, and the inversion tube is similarly tapered to the invertible liner and removably snug fit into the invertible liner.