Liquid dispenser with valve mechanism and flexible container

Claim 1

A liquid dispenser comprising: a container for containing a liquid and having a rigid top portion and a flexible elastic bag portion; an actuator in said container and having a cylindrical portion engageable with said rigid top portion of said container, having a pair of inwardly movable flexible legs, each leg of said pair of flexible legs having a bent portion and a free end, and having a valve aperture in said actuator for fluidly communicating the inside and outside of said container; a valve device in said container, attached to said rigid top portion of said container, and having a valve stem extending longitudinally in said container, said valve stem having first and second ends, said first end of said valve stem having means for blocking said valve aperture for blocking off fluid communication between the inside and outside of said container, said blocking means being entirely inside said container, said second end of said valve stem having means for movably engaging each free end of said pair of flexible legs, and said valve stem being movably engaged at its second end with said free ends of said pair of flexible legs; each said actuator and said valve device being rotatable relative to said container, said container having spaced opposed operational portions coactable with said pair of flexible legs of said actuator, said container having inoperable spaced opposed portions, said actuator and said valve device being rotatable from a first position in which said pair of flexible legs is spaced opposed from said operational portions to a second position in which said pair of flexible legs is spaced opposed from said inoperable portions, and only said operational portions being able to contact said flexible legs when pressure is applied to the outside of said elastic bag portion and said actuator and said valve device are in the first position; and spring means in said container for biasing said valve device for moving said blocking means of said first end of said valve stem against said valve aperture for keeping said valve aperture normally closed, and when pressure is applied to the outside of said elastic bag portion of said container said bent portions of said flexible legs are pushed inwardly for moving said free ends of said flexible legs for moving said valve device against the resilient force of said spring means for causing said blocking means of said first end of said valve stem to move from said valve aperture for causing liquid to flow through said aperture to the outside of said container.