Foaming cartridges, pumps, refill units, and foam dispensers using the same

Abstract

An exemplary foam cartridge for a foam pump includes a housing having an inner diameter, a first foaming stage disposed within the housing, and a second foaming stage disposed within the housing. The first foaming stage is spaced apart from the second foaming stage. The first foaming stage has at least two different types of mix media, and the second foaming stage has at least two different types of mix media.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foam cartridge for a foam pump comprising:
 a housing having an inner diameter;   a first foaming stage disposed within the housing;   the first foaming stage having at least two different types of mix media; and   a second foaming stage disposed within the housing;   the second foaming stage having at least two different types of mix media;   wherein the second foaming stage is spaced apart from the first foaming stage.   
     
     
         2 . The foam cartridge of  claim 1  wherein:
 the housing comprises a first portion and second portion; 
 the first foaming stage is disposed within the first portion and 
 the second foaming stage is disposed within the second portion. 
 
     
     
         3 . The foam cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the second foaming stage is spaced apart from the first foaming stage by about 10% of the inner diameter of the housing to about 50% of the inner diameter of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The foam cartridge of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first foaming stage comprises at least two mix media selected from a coarse screen, a sponge, and a fine screen; and 
 the second foaming stage comprises at least two mix media selected from a course screen, a sponge, and a fine screen. 
 
     
     
         5 . The foam cartridge of  claim 4  wherein the course screen has about 40 to about 80 threads per inch, the fine screen has about 80 to about 200 threads per inch, and the sponge has about 10 to about 100 pores per inch. 
     
     
         6 . The foam cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the mix media comprise at least one fine screen and one course screen. 
     
     
         7 . A refill unit for a foam dispenser comprising:
 a container for holding foamable liquid;   a liquid pump;   an air pump;   an outlet nozzle; and   a foam cartridge having:
 a first foaming stage having two or more different types of mix media; and 
 a second foaming stage having two or more different types of mix media; 
 wherein the second foaming stage is spaced apart from the first foaming stage. 
   
     
     
         8 . The refill unit of  claim 7  wherein the second foaming stage is spaced apart from the first foaming stage by about 10% of the outer diameter of the first foaming stage to about 50% of the outer diameter of the first foaming stage. 
     
     
         9 . The refill unit of  claim 7  wherein:
 the first foaming stage comprises at least two mix media selected from a coarse screen, a sponge, and a fine screen; and 
 the second foaming stage comprises at least two mix media selected from a course screen, a sponge, and a fine screen. 
 
     
     
         10 . A foam dispenser comprising:
 a housing;   a refill unit installed in the dispenser, the refill unit comprising a container and a pump secured to the container;   wherein the pump includes an outlet nozzle and a foaming cartridge, the foaming cartridge includes:
 a first foaming stage having two or more different types of mix media; and 
 a second foaming stage having two or more different types of mix media; 
 wherein the second foaming stage is spaced apart from the first foaming stage. 
   
     
     
         11 . The foam dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the dispenser is a wall mounted dispenser. 
     
     
         12 . The foam dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the dispenser is a counter mounted dispenser. 
     
     
         13 . A foam dispensing system comprising:
 a dispenser housing having an actuator for causing the dispensing of foam and a holder for receiving a refill unit;   a refill unit having a container and a pump secured to the container, the refill unit further comprising:
 a first foaming stage having two or more different types of mix media; and 
 a second foaming stage having two or more different types of mix media; 
 wherein the second foaming stage is spaced apart from the first foaming stage. 
   
     
     
         14 . A foam cartridge for a foam pump comprising:
 a housing;   a first mix media;   a second mix media; and   a third mix media;   wherein at least two mix media are different.   
     
     
         15 . The foam cartridge of  claim 14 , wherein the first and third mix media are screens. 
     
     
         16 . The foam cartridge of  claim 14 , wherein the second mix media is a sponge. 
     
     
         17 . The foam cartridge of  claim 14 , comprising a fourth mix media. 
     
     
         18 . The foam cartridge of  claim 17 , wherein the fourth mix media is a sponge. 
     
     
         19 . The foam cartridge of  claim 14 , comprising a fifth mix media. 
     
     
         20 . The foam cartridge of  claim 19 , wherein the fifth mix media is a screen.