US-12616342-B2 - Compact multi-chamber foam-at-a-distance pumps and dispensers

Abstract

Exemplary compact multi-chamber diaphragm pumps and dispensers for dispensing foam soap or sanitizer are disclosed herein. An exemplary pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air separately to be mixed remote from the pump and dispensed as a foam includes a liquid pump diaphragm and a dual flapper valve, wherein a first of the dual flapper valves is a liquid inlet valve and a second of the dual flapper valves is a liquid outlet valve. The pump further includes two or more air pump diaphragms and a valve plate. The valve plate has a liquid inlet passage, a liquid outlet passage, a liquid outlet valve seat, two or more air inlet passages, two or more air inlet valve anchors and two or more air inlet valves secured to the valve plate. A pump manifold is also included, the pump manifold includes a liquid inlet valve seat.

Inventors

• Stephen Casteel
• Nick E. Ciavarella
• John J. McNulty

Assignees

• GOJO INDUSTRIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240314

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air comprising: a liquid pump diaphragm; a dual flapper valve; wherein a first flap of the dual flapper valve is a liquid inlet valve and a second flap of the dual flapper valve is a liquid outlet valve; two or more air pump diaphragms; a valve plate; the valve plate comprising a liquid inlet passage; a liquid outlet passage; a liquid outlet valve seat; two or more air inlet passages; two or more air inlet valve anchors; two or more air inlet valve secured to the valve plate; and a pump manifold; the pump manifold having a liquid inlet valve seat.
2. 2 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 1 wherein the pump manifold comprises a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet and an air outlet.
3. 3 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 1 wherein one of the dual flapper valve and the valve plate comprises a groove and the other of the dual flapper valve and the valve plate comprises a tongue and wherein when assembled the tongue is located at least partially in the groove.
4. 4 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 3 wherein the tongue and groove encircle the liquid inlet passage and the liquid outlet passage.
5. 5 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 1 wherein the valve plate comprises an annular projection and wherein the dual flapper valve is located within the annular projection.
6. 6 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 1 wherein the dual flapper valve comprises an annular projection around a periphery thereof.
7. 7 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 1 further comprising one or more air outlet valves.
8. 8 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 7 wherein the one or more outlet valves seal against an interior of an air outlet passage of the valve plate.
9. 9 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 1 further comprising an air outlet passage, wherein the air outlet passage is located along a centerline of the pump.
10. 10 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 1 wherein the liquid inlet passage in the manifold is located off of a centerline of the pump.
11. 11 . A soap or sanitizer dispenser comprising: a housing; a foam dispensing outlet; a reservoir; a motor; a wobble plate; a pump; wherein the pump comprises a liquid pump diaphragm; two or more air pump diaphragms; a valve plate; wherein the valve plate comprises a liquid inlet passage; a liquid outlet passage; two or more air inlet passages; an air outlet passage; and a liquid outlet valve seat; a manifold; wherein the manifold includes a liquid inlet valve seat; a dual flapper valve; wherein one of the flaps of the dual flapper valve is a liquid inlet valve and the other flap of the dual flapper valve is a liquid outlet valve.
12. 12 . The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 11 wherein the foam dispensing outlet is located at least 6 inches from the pump.
13. 13 . The soap or sanitizer dispenser of claim 11 wherein the foam dispensing outlet is located at least 1 foot from the pump.
14. 14 . A pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air comprising: a multi-chamber diaphragm the multi-chamber diaphragm comprising a liquid pump chamber and two or more air pump chambers; a valve plate; the valve plate having a liquid inlet passage; a liquid outlet passage; a liquid outlet valve seat; two or more air inlet passages; two or more air inlet valve anchors; two or more air inlet valve secured to the valve plate; and a pump manifold; the pump manifold having a liquid inlet valve seat; and a dual flapper valve; wherein a first flap of the dual flapper valves is a liquid inlet valve and a second flap of the dual flapper valve is a liquid outlet valve; wherein a first periphery of the dual flapper valve forms a seal against the valve plate and a second periphery of the dual flapper valve forms a seal against the manifold.
15. 15 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 14 wherein the pump manifold comprises a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet and an air outlet.
16. 16 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 14 wherein one of the dual flapper valve and the valve plate comprises a groove and the other of the dual flapper valve and the valve plate comprises a tongue and wherein when assembled the tongue is located at least partially in the groove.
17. 17 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 16 wherein the tongue and groove are each located along one of the first and second peripheries of the dual flapper valve.
18. 18 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 14 wherein one of the dual flapper valve and the manifold comprises a groove and the other of the dual flapper valve and the manifold comprises a tongue and wherein when assembled the tongue is located at least partially in the groove.
19. 19 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 14 wherein an air outlet passage is located along a centerline of the pump.
20. 20 . The pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air of claim 14 wherein the liquid inlet passage in the manifold is located off of a centerline of the pump.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and any benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/490,848, filed Mar. 17, 2023, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Touch-free foam and soap dispensers are well known. These dispensers are typically battery powered and may be mounted on a wall. The pump and drive systems typically require a large footprint, and as a result, there are instances where one would desire to have a touch-free soap or sanitizer dispenser, however, due to space constraints, only manual dispensers may work in the desired area. In addition, the power consumption required by components of many dispensers result in large batteries being needed to store enough energy to operate the soap or sanitizer for a desired period of time or desired number of dispenses. Accordingly, there is a need for more compact soap and sanitizer dispensers as well as a need to conserve energy during dispensing of soap or sanitizer. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Exemplary compact multi-chamber diaphragm pumps and dispensers for dispensing foam soap or sanitizer are disclosed herein. An exemplary pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air separately to be mixed remote from the pump and dispensed as a foam includes a liquid pump diaphragm and a dual flapper valve, wherein a first of the dual flapper valves is a liquid inlet valve and a second of the dual flapper valves is a liquid outlet valve. The pump further includes two or more air pump diaphragms and a valve plate. The valve plate has a liquid inlet passage, a liquid outlet passage, a liquid outlet valve seat, two or more air inlet passages, two or more air inlet valve anchors and two or more air inlet valves secured to the valve plate. A pump manifold is also included, the pump manifold includes a liquid inlet valve seat. An exemplary soap or sanitizer dispenser includes a housing, a foam dispensing outlet, reservoir, a motor, a wobble plate and a pump. The pump includes a liquid pump diaphragm, two or more air pump diaphragms and a valve plate. The valve plate includes a liquid inlet passage, a liquid outlet passage, two or more air inlet passages, one or more air outlet passages and a liquid outlet valve seat. The pump further includes a manifold. The manifold includes a liquid inlet valve seat. A dual flapper valve is also included. One of the valves in the dual flapper valve is a liquid inlet valve and the other is a liquid outlet valve. Another exemplary pump for pumping soap or sanitizer and air includes a multi-chamber diaphragm. The multi-chamber diaphragm includes a liquid pump chamber and two or more air pump chambers. The pump further includes a valve plate. The valve plate has a liquid inlet passage, a liquid outlet passage, a liquid outlet valve seat, two or more air inlet passage, two or more air inlet valve anchors. Two or more air inlet valves are secured to the valve plate. The pump further includes a pump manifold that has a liquid inlet valve seat. In addition, the pump includes a dual flapper valve. A first of the dual flapper valves is a liquid inlet valve and a second of the dual flapper valves is a liquid outlet valve. A first periphery of the dual flapper valve forms a seal against the valve plate and a second periphery of the dual flapper valve forms a seal against the manifold. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS To further clarify various aspects of the present disclosure, a more particular description of inventive concepts will be made by reference to various aspects of the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the present disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, while the figures can be drawn to scale for some embodiments, the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Features and advantages of the present disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is simplified schematic view of an exemplary soap or sanitizer dispenser with a pump configured to provide air and liquid to a foam-at-a-distance dispensing nozzle; FIG. 2 is front view of a compact multi-chamber pump for use in foam-at-a-distance dispenser; FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of the compact multi-chamber pump for use in foam-at-a-distance dispenser; FIG. 4 is partial exploded view of the compact multi-chamber pump for use in foam-at-a-distance dispenser; FIG. 5 is partial exploded view of the compact multi-chamber pump for use in foam-at-a-distance dispenser; FIG. 6 is a plan view of a dual flapper valve for use in the compact multi-chamber pump; FIG. 7 is a plan view of a valve plate for use in the compact multi-chamber pump; and FIG. 8 is prospective view of the bottom of a manifold for use in the compact multi-chamber pump. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The follow