Dispenser System

Abstract

A system for dispensing a personal care fluid, such as a hand soap or the like. The system includes a dispenser and a refill cartridge. The dispenser includes a dispenser body having a refill cavity and a dispenser lid configured to be coupled to the dispenser body. There may be a pump sub-system mounted to the dispenser lid, or alternatively the personal care fluid may be dispensed by squeezing the dispenser and refill cartridge. The refill cartridge is configured for slidable insertion into and removal from the refill cavity of the dispenser body. The personal care fluid system is designed so that a user can readily and easily change out/replace the refill cartridge for use with a common dispenser, dispenser lid, and pump sub-system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for dispensing a personal care fluid, the system comprising:
 a dispenser comprising:
 a dispenser body comprising a refill cavity having a top end; 
 a dispenser lid; and 
 a pump sub-system mounted to the dispenser lid, the pump sub-system comprising a first dip tube, a dispensing orifice, and a pump; 
   a refill cartridge configured for slidable insertion and removal from the refill cavity, the refill cartridge comprising:
 a cartridge body comprising a fluid cavity; 
 a store of the personal care fluid in the fluid cavity; and 
 a second dip tube extending into the store of the personal care fluid, wherein the second dip tube is integrally formed with the cartridge body; 
   the dispenser lid configured to be alterable between: (1) a first state in which the top end of the refill cavity is open so that the refill cartridge can be slid into the refill cavity; and (2) a second state in which the dispenser lid is coupled to the dispenser body to enclose the top end of the refill cavity and the second dip tube is operably mated with the first dip tube so that the store of the personal care fluid can be dispensed from the dispensing orifice upon actuation of the pump.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second dip tube extends along an outer surface of the cartridge body from a bottom opening that is fluidly coupled to a bottom of the fluid cavity to a top opening at the top end of the cartridge body. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the second dip tube is only in fluid communication with the fluid cavity at the bottom of the fluid cavity via the bottom opening of the second dip tube. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the refill cartridge further comprises a first opening in a top end of the cartridge body for filling the fluid cavity with the personal care fluid, wherein the first opening in the top end of the cartridge body is adjacent to the top opening of the second dip tube. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the second dip tube comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, wherein the first portion extends vertically from the bottom end of the second dip tube to the top end of the cartridge body, the second portion extends horizontally along the top end of the cartridge body to a central location, and the third portion extends vertically from the top end of the cartridge body to the second end of the second dip tube. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the dispenser lid is alterable between a first state in which the top end of the refill cavity is open and a second state in which the dispenser lid is coupled to the dispenser body to enclose the top end of the refill cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 , further comprising a cartridge lid sealing the top opening of the second dip tube. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the refill cartridge and/or the dispenser body is configured so that the refill cartridge is non-rotatable relative to the dispenser body when positioned within the refill cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the dispenser body comprises one or more protuberances extending inward from an inner surface of the dispenser body that defines the refill cavity; and wherein the cartridge body comprises one or more depressions that receive the one or more protuberances when the refill cartridge is positioned within the refill cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the cartridge body comprises one or more shoulders; and wherein the one or more protuberances of the dispenser body contact the one or more shoulders of the cartridge body to support the refill cartridge. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the refill cartridge is supported in a suspended manner so that a space exists below a lowermost surface of the refill cartridge. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the dispenser body comprises one or more protuberances extending inward from an inner surface of the dispenser body that defines the refill cavity;   the dispenser lid comprises one or more retaining elements; and   wherein when the refill cartridge is positioned within the refill cavity and the dispenser lid is in the second state, a portion of the cartridge body is positioned between and contacted by the one or more protuberances of the dispenser body and the one or more retaining elements of the dispenser lid to axially retain the refill cartridge relative to the dispenser.   
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein when the dispenser lid is in the second state, the first dip tube penetrates the puncturable film and forms a hermetic seal with the second dip tube. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the dispenser body comprising one or more coupling elements; and   the dispenser lid comprising one or more coupling elements configured to mate with the one or more coupling elements of the dispenser body and retain the dispenser lid in the second state,   wherein the one or more coupling elements of the dispenser body or the one or more coupling elements of the dispenser lid comprise ramped surfaces and the other one of the one or more coupling elements of the dispenser body or the one or more coupling elements of the dispenser lid comprise follower surfaces; and wherein upon the follower surfaces engaging the ramp surfaces and the dispenser body and dispenser lid are rotated relative to one another in a first rotational direction, the dispenser lid and the dispenser body are axially drawn together and the second state is achieved.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein, in the second state, interaction between the one or more coupling elements of the dispenser body or the one or more coupling elements of the dispenser lid prevent the dispenser lid from being axially translated relative to the dispenser body without the dispenser body and dispenser lid being rotated relative to one another in a second rotational direction. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the personal care fluid is a liquid soap. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a locking element rotatably coupled to the dispenser body and located within an upper portion of the refill cavity, the locking element comprising an opening having a non-circular shape;   a locking collar coupled to the cartridge body, the locking collar having a non-circular shape;   wherein the locking element is configured to be alterable between: (1) a first state in which the cartridge body can be inserted into the refill cavity of the dispenser body until the locking collar of the refill cartridge extends through the opening of the locking element; and (2) a second state in which the locking element and the locking collar are in locking engagement to prevent the refill cartridge from being removed from the refill cavity of the dispenser body.   
     
     
         18 . A system for dispensing a personal care fluid, the system comprising:
 a dispenser comprising:
 a dispenser body comprising a refill cavity having an open bottom end; 
 a dispenser lid; 
 a pump sub-system mounted to the dispenser lid, the pump sub-system comprising a first dip tube, a dispensing orifice, and a pump; and 
 a locking element rotatably coupled to the dispenser body and located within an upper portion of the refill cavity, the locking element comprising an opening having a non-circular shape; 
   a refill cartridge configured for slidable insertion and removal from the refill cavity, the refill cartridge comprising:
 a cartridge body comprising a fluid cavity; 
 a store of the personal care fluid in the fluid cavity; 
 a second dip tube extending into the store of the personal care fluid, wherein the second dip tube is integrally formed with the cartridge body; 
 and 
 a locking collar coupled to the cartridge body, the locking collar having a non-circular shape; 
   wherein the locking element is configured to be alterable between: (1) a first state in which the cartridge body can be inserted into the refill cavity of the dispenser body until the locking collar of the refill cartridge extends through the opening of the locking element; and (2) a second state in which the locking element and the locking collar are in locking engagement to prevent the refill cartridge from being removed from the refill cavity of the dispenser body.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein the opening of the locking element and the locking collar of the refill cartridge are oval. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein the second dip tube extends along an outer surface of the cartridge body from a bottom opening that is fluidly coupled to a bottom of the fluid cavity to a top opening at the top end of the cartridge body, and wherein system the second dip tube is only in fluid communication with the fluid cavity at the bottom of the fluid cavity via the bottom opening of the second dip tube.