Clamshell housing for dispensing tube of metering dispenser

Abstract

A housing for a dispensing tube of a metering dispenser comprises a mounting half and a strike half carried by the mounting half. A channel for a dispensing tube is defined in the mounting half, and a plunger aperture is defined through the channel. The strike half pivots, relative to the mounting half, between a first pivotal position at least partially covering the channel and a second pivotal position exposing the channel and also slides relative to the mounting half, at least when the strike half is in the first pivotal position, between a first slide position obstructing pivotal movement of the strike half out of the first pivotal position and a second slide position permitting such movement. When the strike half is in the first pivotal position and the first slide position, a plunger strike surface on the strike half is in registration with and facing the plunger aperture.

1 . A housing for a dispensing tube of a metering dispenser, comprising:
 a mounting half for mounting the housing to a metering dispenser;   a strike half for receiving plunger strikes;   the strike half carried by the mounting half;   the mounting half having a mounting half tube channel defined therein for receiving a dispensing tube;   the mounting half having a plunger aperture defined through the mounting half tube channel for receiving a plunger;   the strike half having a plunger strike surface;   the strike half being pivotally carried by the mounting half so as to be pivotable, relative to the mounting half, between:
 a first pivotal position in which the strike half at least partially covers the mounting half tube channel; and 
 a second pivotal position in which the strike half exposes the mounting half tube channel; and 
   the strike half further being slidably carried by the mounting half so as to be slidable relative to the mounting half, at least when the strike half is in the first pivotal position, between:
 a first slide position in which pivotal movement of the strike half relative to the mounting half from the first pivotal position toward the second pivotal position is obstructed; and 
 a second slide position in which pivotal movement of the strike half relative to the mounting half from the first pivotal position toward the second pivotal position is permitted; 
   wherein, at least when the strike half is in the first pivotal position and in the first slide position, the plunger strike surface is in registration with and facing the plunger aperture to receive a plunger head.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one of the mounting half and the strike half has at least one locking finger;   the other one of the mounting half and the strike half has at least one latch arm extending therefrom;   each latch arm forming a receiving slot for receiving a respective locking finger;   wherein:
 when the strike half is in the first pivotal position and the first slide position, each locking finger is in registration with its respective latch arm, inside the receiving slot formed by the respective latch arm, so that each latch arm engages its respective locking finger to obstruct movement of the strike half from the first pivotal position to the second pivotal position; and 
 when the strike half is in the first pivotal position and the second slide position, each locking finger is out of registration with its respective latch arm and outside of the receiving slot formed by the respective latch arm whereby movement of the strike half from the first pivotal position toward the second pivotal position is permitted. 
   
     
     
         4 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one locking finger comprises a plurality of locking fingers spaced longitudinally apart from one another to define a locking finger gap between each adjacent pair of locking fingers;   the at least one latch arm comprises a plurality of latch arms spaced longitudinally apart from one another to define a latch arm gap between each adjacent pair of latch arms;   wherein, when the strike half moves between the first pivotal position and the second pivotal position while in the second slide position:
 at least one latch arm fits in a corresponding locking finger gap; and 
 at least one locking finger fits in a corresponding locking arm gap. 
   
     
     
         5 . The housing of  claim 4 , wherein each of at least one of the plurality of locking fingers and the plurality of latch arms has a tapered guide surface for guiding the strike half into the second slide position as the strike half moves into the first pivotal position. 
     
     
         6 . The housing of  claim 3 , wherein each of at least one of the at least one locking finger and the at least one latch arm has a tapered guide surface for guiding the strike half into the second slide position as the strike half moves into the first pivotal position. 
     
     
         7 . The housing of  claim 1 , wherein
 the strike half has a strike half tube channel defined therein;   the strike half tube channel cooperating with the mounting half tube channel, when the strike half is in the first pivotal position, to form a dispensing tube channel.