1. A method of dispensing a first solid product and a second solid product with a solid product dispenser, the first solid product and the second solid product being positioned in a product housing of the solid product dispenser, the first solid product and the second solid product being different products, comprising:
a) placing the first solid product in the product housing of the solid product dispenser;
b) placing the second solid product in the product housing of the solid product dispenser on top of the first solid product;
c) dispensing a portion of the first solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser until the first solid product has been partially depleted to a size small enough to allow the second solid product to also be dispensed;
d) dispensing a portion of the first solid product and a portion of the second solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser until the first solid product has been completely depleted; and
e) dispensing a portion of the second solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first solid product is an acidic cleaning product and the second solid product is an alkaline cleaning product, wherein a use solution having a neutral pH is dispensed during step 1(d).
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first solid product is an alkaline cleaning product and the second solid product is an acidic cleaning product, wherein a use solution having a neutral pH is dispensed during step 1(d).
4. A method of dispensing a first solid product and a second solid product with a solid product dispenser, the first solid product and the second solid product being positioned in a product housing of the solid product dispenser, the first solid product and the second solid product being different products, comprising:
a) placing the first solid product in the product housing of the solid product dispenser;
b) dispensing a portion of the first solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser until the first solid product has been partially depleted to a size small enough to allow the second solid product to be positioned in the product housing on top of the first solid product;
c) placing the second solid product in the product housing of the solid product dispenser on top of the first solid product;
d) dispensing a portion of the first solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser until the first solid product has been partially depleted to a size small enough to allow the second solid product to also be dispensed;
e) dispensing a portion of the first solid product and a portion of the second solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser until the first solid product has been completely depleted; and
f) dispensing a portion of the second solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first solid product is an acidic cleaning product and the second solid product is an alkaline cleaning product, wherein a use solution having a neutral pH is dispensed during step 4(e).
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first solid product is an alkaline cleaning product and the second solid product is an acidic cleaning product, wherein a use solution having a neutral pH is dispensed during step 4(e).
7. A method of dispensing a first solid product and a second solid product with a solid product dispenser, the first solid product and the second solid product being positioned in a product housing of the solid product dispenser, the first solid product and the second solid product being different products, comprising:
a) placing the first solid product in the product housing;
b) contacting a bottom portion of the first solid product with a diluent to dissolve a portion of the first solid product to create a first use solution;
c) dispensing a portion of the first solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser until the first solid product has been partially depleted to a size small enough to allow the second solid product to be positioned within the product housing on top of the first solid product;
d) placing the second solid product in the product housing of the solid product dispenser on top of the first solid product;
e) contacting a bottom portion of the first solid product with the diluent to dissolve a portion of the first solid product to create the first use solution;
f) dispensing a portion of the first solid product until the first solid product has been partially depleted to a size small enough to allow the second solid product to also be dispensed;
g) contacting a bottom portion of the first solid product and a bottom portion of the second solid product with the diluent to dissolve a portion of the first solid product and a portion of the second solid product to create a second use solution;
h) dispensing a portion of the first solid product and a portion of the second solid product until the first solid product has been completely depleted; and
i) contacting a bottom portion of the second solid product with the diluent to dissolve a portion of the second solid product to create a third use solution.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first use solution has an acidic pH, the second use solution has a neutral pH, and the third use solution has an alkaline pH.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first use solution has an alkaline pH, the second use solution has a neutral pH, and the third use solution has an acidic pH.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the products are sprayed with the diluent.
11. A method of dispensing an acidic solid product and an alkaline solid product with a solid product dispenser, the acidic solid product and the alkaline solid product being positioned in a product housing of the solid product dispenser, comprising:
a) placing the acidic solid product in the product housing;
b) contacting a bottom portion of the acidic solid product with a diluent to dissolve a portion of the acidic solid product to create an acidic use solution;
c) dispensing a portion of the acidic solid product during each cycle of the solid product dispenser until the acidic solid product has been partially depleted to a size small enough to allow the alkaline solid product to be positioned within the product housing on top of the acidic solid product;
d) placing the alkaline solid product in the product housing of the solid product dispenser on top of the acidic solid product;
e) dispensing a portion of the acidic solid product until the acidic solid product has been partially depleted to a size small enough to allow the alkaline solid product to also be dispensed;
f) contacting a bottom portion of the acidic solid product and a bottom portion of the alkaline solid product with the diluent to dissolve a portion of the acidic solid product and a portion of the alkaline solid product to create a neutral use solution;
g) dispensing a portion of the acidic solid product and a portion of the alkaline solid product until the acidic solid product has been completely depleted; and
h) contacting a bottom portion of the alkaline solid product with the diluent to dissolve a portion of the alkaline solid product to create an alkaline use solution.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the acidic use solution has a pH from 3.00 to 6.00, the neutral use solution has a pH from 6.00 to 8.00, and the alkaline use solution has a pH from 8.00 to 11.00.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for dispensing a fluid, the fluid dispensing apparatus comprising:
a housing defining an interior;
a resilient liner adapted to hold the fluid, the liner configured to be at least partially disposed in the interior of the housing;
an applicator assembly for dispensing the fluid on a surface, the applicator assembly mounted on the housing, the applicator assembly including:
an actuator movable relative to the housing in a first direction and a second direction, and
a fluid delivery element which is held in contact against the surface for applying the fluid onto the surface, the fluid delivery element supported on the actuator to be movable together with the actuator by varying contact pressure with the surface; and
a pump assembly at least partially disposed in the housing, the pump assembly comprising:
a pump chamber having an inner surface defining an interior cavity for accommodating fluid, the pump chamber configured to be in fluid communication with the liner and having at least one inlet opening for receiving the fluid, and
a bellows member defining an opening therethrough in fluid communication with the applicator assembly, the bellows member operatively engaging the actuator of the applicator assembly and disposed in the pump chamber for extension in the first direction and contraction in the second direction, the bellows member sealing against the inner surface of the pump chamber during extension and contraction and defining a variable volume chamber with the pump chamber, and
a valve at an outlet end of the opening through the bellows member,
wherein each movement of the actuator in the first direction reduces the volume of the variable volume chamber for generating positive pressure in the pump chamber and forcing fluid through the valve and to the applicator assembly for dispensing the fluid, and each movement of the actuator in the second direction increases the volume of the variable volume chamber and generates negative pressure within the pump chamber for drawing fluid through the at least one inlet opening in the pump chamber.
2. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a valve disposed in a fluid flow path from the liner to the pump chamber, wherein the valve opens only when the actuator moves in the second direction for allowing fluid flow from the liner to the pump chamber.
3. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the valve at the outlet end of the opening through the bellows member opens only when the actuator moves in the first direction.
4. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the valve comprises a duckbill valve for permitting fluid flow through the valve only in response to pressurizing of fluid upstream of the valve such as by moving the actuator in the first direction.
5. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one opening comprises a plurality of fluid receiving ports in a generally radial array, the ports opening into the pump chamber.
6. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the fluid receiving ports are positioned symmetrically about a central axial opening through said pump
7. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the applicator assembly is removably mounted to the housing.
8. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a tray member for temporarily storing the fluid supplied from fluid transfer mechanism, the tray member having at least one elongated aperture in fluid communication with the outlet of the bellows member, the aperture extending along the longitudinal axis of the fluid delivery element for communicating fluid to the fluid delivery element.
9. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the tray member comprises a pair of spaced walls, each wall having a tapered outer surface that tapers toward the inner edge of the spaced wall.
10. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery element comprises a roller assembly, including a roller rotatably mounted to actuator.
11. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the roller is made of an elastic material.
12. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the applicator comprises means for mounting the roller, the roller mounting means comprising
a pair of resilient spaced arms formed integrally of said head, whereby the roller may be assembled or disassembled by manually spreading the arms, and
a pair of spaced walls spanning between and interconnecting the spaced arms, each wall having a tapered outer surface that tapers toward the inner edge of the spaced wall.
13. The fluid dispensing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing has an exposed compressible surface for delivering the fluid disposed within the housing to the applicator assembly by manually squeezing the housing.
14. A fluid transfer assembly for use with an apparatus for dispensing a fluid, the fluid dispensing apparatus including a source of fluid and a reciprocating applicator assembly for dispensing the fluid on a surface, the fluid transfer assembly comprising:
a housing having an inner surface defining an interior cavity for accommodating the fluid, the housing adapted to be in fluid communication with the source of fluid and having at least one opening for receiving the fluid; and
a bellows member defining an opening therethrough adapted to be in fluid communication with the applicator assembly, the bellows member adapted to operatively engage the applicator assembly and disposed in the housing for extension in a first direction and contraction in a second direction, the bellows member sealing against the inner surface of the housing during extension and contraction for defining a variable volume chamber with the housing, and
a valve at an outlet end of the opening through the bellows member,
wherein expansion of the bellows member in the first direction reduces the volume of the variable volume chamber for generating positive pressure in the housing and forcing fluid through the valve and to the applicator assembly, and contraction of the bellows member in the second direction increases the volume of the variable volume chamber for generating negative pressure within the housing for drawing fluid into the chamber through the at least one opening in the housing.
15. The fluid transfer assembly as recited in claim 14, further comprising a valve disposed in a fluid flow path from the fluid source through the at least one opening to the variable volume chamber, wherein the valve opens only when the piston member contracts in the second direction for allowing fluid flow from the fluid source to the chamber.
16. The fluid transfer assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the valve opens only when the bellows member extends in the first direction.
17. The fluid transfer assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the valve comprises a duckbill valve for permitting fluid flow through the valve only in response to pressurizing of fluid upstream of the valve such as by extending the bellows member in the first direction.
18. A method for dispensing a fluid, comprising the steps of:
providing a fluid dispensing apparatus, including
a housing defining an interior,
a resilient liner adapted to hold the fluid, the liner configured to be at least partially disposed in the interior of the housing,
an applicator assembly for dispensing the fluid on a surface, the applicator assembly mounted on the housing, the applicator assembly including
an actuator movable relative to the housing in a first direction and a second direction, and
a fluid delivery element which is held in contact against the surface for applying the fluid onto the surface, the fluid delivery element supported on the actuator to be movable together with the actuator by varying contact pressure with the surface, and
a pump assembly at least partially disposed in the housing, the pump assembly comprising
a pump chamber having an inner surface defining an interior cavity for accommodating fluid, the pump chamber configured to be in fluid communication with the liner and having at least one inlet opening for receiving the fluid,
a bellows member defining an opening therethrough in fluid communication with the applicator assembly, the bellows member operatively engaging the actuator of the applicator assembly and disposed in the pump chamber for extension in the first direction and contraction in the second direction, the bellows member sealing against the inner surface of the pump chamber during extension and contraction and defining a variable volume chamber with the pump chamber, and
a valve at an outlet end of the opening through the bellows member;
contacting the surface with the fluid delivery element;
pressing the fluid delivery element against the surface for moving the actuator in the first direction and reducing the volume of the variable volume chamber for generating positive pressure in the pump chamber and forcing fluid through the valve and to the applicator assembly for dispensing the fluid; and
releasing pressure of the fluid delivery element from the surface for allowing the actuator to move in the second direction for increasing the volume of the variable volume chamber and generating negative pressure within the pump chamber for drawing fluid through the at least one inlet opening in the pump chamber.