Improved hand-actuable pump assembly

Claim 2

A hand-actuatable pump assembly (10) adapted to be sealingly secured to the mouth of a container (C) for dispensing material (L) in the container (C), comprising a spray member (16) defining a discharge opening (19), an elongate stem means (20) defining a discharge passageway (23) communicating with said discharge opening (19), an elongated valve body (26) defining an interior pressure chamber (27) for containing material (L) to be dispensed through said discharge opening (19), said stem means (20) extending into said valve body (26) and being reciprocably movable in said valve body (26) from an upper position to lower dispensing positions, piston means (32) secured to said stem means (20) and being sealingly seated .thereon to close off said passageway (23) from said body interior in said upper position, said piston means (32) being in sealing engagement with . said valve body (26) above said pressure chamber (27) to prevent material (L) in said pressure chamber (27) from passing between said piston means (32) and said valve body (26), abutment means in said pressure chamber (27) and positioned to engage said piston means (32) as said piston means (32) is moved downwardly from said upper position to a lower dispensing position to hold open said passageway (23) thereby to maintain communication between said passageway (23) and said valve body pressure chamber (27) while preventing passage of material between the piston (32)-and the valve body interior above the piston (32).

Claim 3

A hand-actuatable pump assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which said abutment means is a shoulder (56) comprising a shelf surface for engaging said piston means (32).

Claim 4

A hand-actuatable pump assembly in accordance with claim 2 in which said piston means (32) is elongate and defines a downwardly extending lip portion (53) confronting said shelf surface (56), said shelf surface (56), when said lip is forced downwardly thereagainst, causing said piston means (32) to become mechanically unseated to maintain communication between said passageway (23) and said pressure chamber (27).

Claim 5

A hand-actuatable pump assembly in accordance with claim 3 in which said discharge passageway (23) extends axially of said stem means (20) and terminates downwardly in at least one lateral opening (42), and in which said piston means (32) sealingly engages said stem means (20) both above and below said lateral opening (42) thereby to close off said passageway (23) in said upper position.

Claim 6

A hand-actuatable pump assembly in accordance with claim 2 in which said valve body (26) defines a valve seat near its base, and further comprising a hall valve (52) overlying said valve seat adapted to be in sealing engagement with said valve seat when said stem means (20) is moved downwardly from said upper position thereby to define said pressure chamber (27), and a dip tube (58) extending downwardly from said valve body (26).

Claim 7

A hand-actuatable pump assembly (10) adapted to be sealingly secured to the mouth of a container (C) for dispensing material (L) in the container (C), comprising a closure (12) securable to a container (C), a spray button (16) defining a spray orifice (19), an elongate stem (20) defining an axially extending passageway (23) communicating with said spray orifice (19), an elongate valve body (26) secured to said closure (12), said valve body (26) defining a pressure chamber (27) for containing material (L) to be dispensed through said discharge opening (19 ) , said stem(20) being slidably mounted on said pump assembly (10) and extending into said valve body (26) and being slidable in said valve body (26) from an upper position to lower dispensing positions, spring means (38) .for urging said stem (20) toward said upper position, a piston (32) secured to said stem (20), said piston (32) being elongate and sealingly engaging said stem (20) to close off said passageway (23) from said pressure chamber (27) and sealingly engaging the interior wall (34) of said valve body (26) in all positions of stem movement, thereby to define said pressure chamber (27) in said body (26) below said piston (32), to prevent passage of material (L) from said pressure chamber (27) upwardly between said interior wall (34) and said piston (32) in all positions of the piston (32), and to permit the contents (L) of said pressure chamber (27) hydraulically to open up communication between said passageway (23) and said pressure chamber (27) as said stem (20) is moved downwardly from said upper position, and abutment means to the interior wall (34) of said body (26) positioned to engage said piston (32) as the piston (32) moves to lower dispensing positions to mechanically unseat said piston (32) ,therereby mechanically to maintain communication between said passageway (23) and said pressure chamber (27) until said stem (20) is allowed to return to said upper position.

Claim 8

A hand-actuatable pump assembly (10) adapted to be sealingly secured to the mouth of a container (C) for dispensing material (L) in the container (C), comprising a closure (12) securable to a container (C), a spray button (16) defining a spray orifice (19), an elongate stem (20) defining an axially extending passageway (23) communicating with said spray orifice (19), an elongate valve body (26) secured to said closure (12), said valve body (26) defining a pressure chamber (27) for containing material (L) to be dispensed through said discharge opening (19 ) , said stem(20) being slidably mounted on said pump assembly (10) and extending into said valve body (26) and being slidable in said valve body (26) from an upper position to lower dispensing positions, spring means (38) .for urging said stem (20) toward said upper position, a piston (32) secured to said stem (20), said piston (32) being elongate and sealingly engaging said stem (20) to close off said passageway (23) from said pressure chamber (27) and sealingly engaging the interior wall (34) of said valve body (26) in all positions of stem movement, thereby to define said pressure chamber (27) in said body (26) below said piston (32), to prevent passage of material (L) from said pressure chamber (27) upwardly between said interior wall (34) and said piston (32) in all positions of the piston (32), and to permit the contents (L) of said pressure chamber (27) hydraulically to open up communication between said passageway (23) and said pressure chamber (27) as said stem (20) is moved downwardly from said upper position, and abutment means to the interior wall (34) of said body (26) positioned to engage said piston (32) as the piston (32) moves to lower dispensing positions to mechanically unseat said piston (32) ,therereby mechanically to maintain communication between said passageway (23) and said pressure chamber (27) until said stem (20) is allowed to return to said upper position.

Claim 9

A hand-actuatable pump assembly in accordance with claim 6, in which said piston (32) comprises a lip (53) confronting said abutment means , said lip (53) being positioned to engage said abutment means as said piston (32) is moved towards lower dispensing positions.

Claim 10

A hand-actuatable pump assembly in accordance with claim 7 in which said passageway (23) terminates downwardly in a lateral opening (42), and said piston (32) sealingly engages said stem (20) above and below said lateral opening (42) when said stem (20) is in said upper position, and in which said sealing engagement below said lateral opening (42) is broken under the influence of hydraulic pressure as said stem (20) is moved downwardly.