Finger pump

Claim 2

A finger pump for mechanically dispensing fluid product from a supply container, said pump comprising: a pump housing, a pump mechanism attached to said pump housing, said pump mechanism comprising a fluid supply chamber, a fluid discharge chamber, a pump reservoir and a pump member, said fluid supply chamber and said fluid discharge chamber both formed in said pump mechanism in spaced substantially segregated relation to one another and both disposed laterally about the outer periphery of said pump mechanism, said fluid supply chamber communicating with the interior of the supply container and said pump reservoir, a discharge orifice formed in said pump mechanism, said fluid discharge chamber disposed in fluid communication with said pump reservoir and said discharge orifice and out of direct fluid communication with said fluid supply chamber; said pump member movable between a first and second position to draw product from the interior of the supply container through said fluid supply chamber into and through said pump reservoir, said fluid discharge chamber and out said discharge passage.

Claim 3

The finger pump as in claim 1 wherein said fluid supply chamber and fluid discharge chamber each includes an inlet and outlet compartment, corresponding inlet and outlet compartments being normally isolated from each other by a flexible vane disposed therebetween, each said vane movable between a first sealing position and a second open position to permit communication between corresponding inlet and outlet compartments upon predetermined differential pressure between said corresponding inlet and outlet compartments.

Claim 4

The finger pump of claim 2 wherein each said vane is inclined relatiVe to the radius of said corresponding chambers to permit the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet compartment.

Claim 5

The finger pump of claim 3 wherein said fluid supply chamber includes an inlet and outlet supply passage, said inlet supply passage communicating with the interior of the supply container and said inlet fluid supply compartment, said outlet passage communicating between said outlet compartment and said pump reservoir, said fluid discharge chamber including an inlet and outlet discharge passage, said fluid discharge inlet passage communicating between said pump reservoir and said inlet fluid discharge compartment and said outlet fluid discharge passage communicating between said outlet fluid discharge compartment and said discharge orifice.

Claim 6

The finger pump of claim 4 wherein the upper portion of said pump housing includes a feed groove formed in the periphery thereof, said feed groove communicating with the interior of the supply container and said inlet supply passage.

Claim 7

The finger pump of claim 5 wherein said pump housing includes a dip tube extending downward from the upper portion thereof, said dip tube including a feed channel communicating between the interior of the supply container and said feed groove.

Claim 8

A finger pump of claim 1 further including a fluid vent chamber including an inlet and outlet compartment, said inlet and outlet compartments normally isolated from each other by a flexible vane disposed therebetween, said vane movable between a first sealing position and a second open position to permit communication between said inlet and outlet compartments upon predetermined differential pressure between said inlet and outlet compartments.

Claim 9

The finger pump of claim 7 wherein said vane is inclined relative to the radius of said vent chamber to permit the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet compartment.

Claim 10

The finger pump of claim 8 wherein said fluid vent chamber includes an inlet and outlet vent passage, said inlet vent passage communicating with the exterior of the supply container and said outlet fluid vent compartment, said outlet passage communicating between said outlet compartment and said pump reservoir, said fluid discharge chamber including an inlet and outlet discharge passage, said fluid discharge inlet passage communicating between said pump reservoir and said inlet fluid discharge compartment and said outlet fluid discharge passage communicating between said outlet fluid discharge compartment and said discharge orifice.

Claim 11

The finger pump of claim 9 wherein the upper portion of said pump housing includes a vent groove formed in periphery thereof, said vent groove communicating with the interior of the supply container and said outlet vent passage.

Claim 12

The finger pump of claim 10 wherein said pump housing includes a dip tube extending downward from the upper portion thereof, said dip tube and said upper portion cooperatively forming a vent channel therebetween said vent channel communicating between the interior of the supply container and said vent groove.

Claim 13

The finger pump of claim 1 wherein said pump housing comprises an attachment means mounted on said pump housing, said attachment means including an inner body portion secured in engagement with said pump housing on an outer skirt portion disposed relative to said inner body portion to cooperatively form an attachment groove therebetween, said pump reservoir means including an apron formed on the lower portion thereof to securely engage said attachment groove, said pump mechanism further including retainer means engaging said apron to secure said pump reservoir means to said attachment means.

Claim 14

The finger pump of claim 1 wherein said pump housing comprises a lower portion attached to the supply container and an upper portion to secure said pump mechanism thereto.

Claim 15

The finger pump of claim 1 wherein said fluid supply chamber and fluid discharge chamber are spaced about the periphery of said pump housing.

Claim 16

The finger pump of claim 13 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are integrally formed.

Claim 17

The finger pump of claim 13 wherein said lower portion and said upper portion are separate.

Claim 18

The finger pump of claim 1 wherein said pump reservoir means includes an apron extending downward from said pump reservoir.

Claim 19

The finger pump of claim 17 wherein said apron includes a poppet formed therein, said poppet including a resilient web and a sealing ring normally engaging said attachment means to cooperatively form a feed cavity therebetween, said feed cavity in communication with said fluid discharge chamber.

Claim 20

The finger pump of claim 18 wherein said discharge orifice is formed in said resilient web, said resilient web movable from a first to a second position a predetermined pressure, said sealing web normally isolating said feed cavity from said discharge orifice when said resilient web is in said first position and said feed cavity is in communication with said discharge orifice when said resilient web is in said second position.

Claim 21

The finger pump of claim 19 further including locking means to selectively control actuation of said finger pump.

Claim 22

The finger pump of claim 20 wherein said locking means comprises a locking lug movable between a spray and lock position, said locking lug disposed to engage said poppet when in said lock position to prevent actuation thereof and said locking lug disposed to disengage said poppet when in said spray position to permit actuation thereof.

Claim 23

The finger pump of claim 21 further including index means to provide a visual indication of said spray and lock position.

Claim 24

The finger pump of claim 22 wherein said index means comprises an aperture formed in said retainer means and a spray and lock indicia formed on said pump reservoir means.

Claim 25

The finger pump of claim 1 wherein said pump mechanism is rotatable relative to said pump housing to vary the direction of spray.

Claim 26

The finger pump of claim 12 wherein said retainer means includes an elongated nozzle having a dispensing channel formed therein, said dispensing channel in communication with said discharge orifice to receive product therefrom.

Claim 27

The finger pump of claim 12 wherein said retainer means includes a flexible lever, said flexible lever disposed to engage said pump member to move said pump member from said first to said second position.

Claim 28

A finger pump for mechanically dispensing fluid product from a supply container, said pump comprising: a pump housing and a pump mechanism connected to one another, said pump mechanism comprising a fluid supply chamber, a fluid discharge chamber, a pump reservoir and pump member, at least one of said fluid supply chambers and said fluid discharge chambers comprising an inlet and outlet compartment, a flexible vane disposed between said inlet and outlet compartments and movable between a first sealing position and a second open position to permit fluid communication between said inlet and outlet compartments upon predetermined differential pressure therebetween; said fluid supply chamber communicating with the interior of the supply container and said pump reservoir, a discharge orifice formed in said pump mechanism, said fluid discharge chamber communicating with said pump reservoir and said discharge orifice, said pump member movable between a first and second position to draw fluid product from the interior of the supply container through said fluid supply chamber into and through said pump reservoir, said fluid discharge chamber and out said discharge passage.

Claim 29

A finger pump for mechanically dispensing fluid product from a supply container, said pump comprising: a pump housing and a pump mechanism connected to one another, said pump mechanism comprising a fluid supply chamber, a fluid discharge chamber, a pump reservoir and pump member, at least one of said fluid supply chambers and said fluid discharge chambers comprising an inlet and outlet compartment, a flexible vane disposed between said inlet and outlet compartments and movable between a first sealing position and a second open position to permit fluid communication between said inlet and outlet compartments upon predetermined differential pressure therebetween; said fluid supply chamber communicating with the interior of the supply container and said pump reservoir, a discharge orifice formed in said pump mechanism, said fluid discharge chamber communicating with said pump reservoir and said discharge orifice, said pump member movable between a first and second position to draw fluid product from the interior of the supply container through said fluid supply chamber into and through said pump reservoir, said fluid discharge chamber and out said discharge passage.