Trigger sprayer with refill port

Abstract

A system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly includes the trigger sprayer bottle assembly including a trigger movable between a first trigger position and a second trigger position. A refillable bottle is coupled to the trigger such that material within the refillable bottle is dispensed from the refillable bottle when the trigger is moved from the first trigger position to the second trigger position. The trigger sprayer bottle assembly includes a first refill port through which material is added to the refillable bottle. The trigger sprayer bottle assembly is selectively coupled to a refilling assembly. The refilling assembly includes a refill reservoir and a second refill port through which material is removed from the refill reservoir. The second refill port is selectively coupled to the first refill port when the trigger sprayer bottle assembly is coupled to the refilling assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly comprising:
 the trigger sprayer bottle assembly comprising:
 a trigger movable between a first trigger position and a second trigger position; 
 a refillable bottle coupled to the trigger such that material within the refillable bottle is dispensed from the refillable bottle when the trigger is moved from the first trigger position to the second trigger position; and 
 a first refill port through which material is added to the refillable bottle; and 
   a refilling assembly to which the trigger sprayer bottle assembly is selectively coupled, the refilling assembly comprising:
 a refill reservoir; and 
 a second refill port through which material is removed from the refill reservoir, wherein the second refill port is selectively coupled to the first refill port when the trigger sprayer bottle assembly is coupled to the refilling assembly. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the material within the refillable bottle is not dispensed from the refillable bottle when the trigger is moved from the second trigger position to the first trigger position. 
     
     
         3 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a valve in fluid communication with the second refill port, the valve movable between a first valve position disabling flow of material through the second refill port and a second valve position enabling flow of material through the second refill port wherein:
 the valve is in the first valve position when the trigger sprayer bottle assembly is not coupled to the refilling assembly, and   the valve is in the second valve position when the trigger sprayer bottle assembly is coupled to the refilling assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the valve comprises a biasing member that biases the valve to the first valve position. 
     
     
         5 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 1 , the refilling assembly comprising a mechanism, the mechanism movable between a first position and a second position, wherein:
 when the mechanism is in the first position, the second refill port is not coupled to the first refill port, and   when the mechanism is in the second position, second refill port is coupled to the first refill port.   
     
     
         6 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 5 , the mechanism comprising a threaded member wherein rotation of the threaded member moves the mechanism from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 5 , the mechanism comprising a gear member wherein rotation of the gear member moves the mechanism from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 1 , the trigger sprayer bottle assembly comprising a third refill port through which air is removed from the refillable bottle, the refilling assembly comprising a fourth refill port, wherein the third refill port is selectively coupled to the fourth refill port when the trigger sprayer bottle assembly is coupled to the refilling assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 8 , wherein when the third refill port is coupled to the fourth refill port and the second refill port is coupled to the first refill port, the refillable bottle and the refill reservoir comprise a sealed system wherein a volume of air removed from the refillable bottle corresponds to a volume of material added to the refillable bottle. 
     
     
         10 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the trigger sprayer bottle assembly or the refilling assembly comprise an indicia detectable by at least one of the trigger sprayer bottle assembly or the refilling assembly, wherein the indicia can satisfy a dispensing key to match the refillable bottle to the refilling assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The system for refilling a trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the indicia comprise at least one of a color, a  2 D shape, a  3 D shape, or a texture that is compared with a dispensing key. 
     
     
         12 . A manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly comprising:
 a manual pump movable between a first pump position and a second pump position;   a trigger movable between a first trigger position and a second trigger position, wherein the manual pump is moved from the first pump position to the second pump position when the trigger is moved from the first trigger position to the second trigger position;   a refillable bottle coupled to the manual pump such that material within the refillable bottle is dispensed from the refillable bottle when the manual pump is moved from the first pump position to the second pump position; and   a refill port through which material is added to the refillable bottle.   
     
     
         13 . The manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 12 , comprising a vent port through which air is removed from the refillable bottle. 
     
     
         14 . The manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the manual pump is moved from the second pump position to the first pump position when the trigger is moved from the second trigger position to the first trigger position. 
     
     
         15 . The manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein material within the refillable bottle is not dispensed from the refillable bottle when the manual pump is moved from the second pump position to the first pump position. 
     
     
         16 . The manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 12 , comprising an outlet through which the material dispensed from the refillable bottle is dispensed, wherein the manual pump is between the outlet and the refillable bottle, wherein the outlet is in fluid communication with the manual pump. 
     
     
         17 . The manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 12 , comprising a cover, the cover movable between a first position and a second position, wherein:
 when the cover is in the first position, the cover does not enable access to the refill port, and   when the cover is in the second position, the cover enables access to the refill port.   
     
     
         18 . The manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 12 , comprising a septum valve in fluid communication with the refill port to enable material to be added to the refillable bottle through the refill port when the manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly is coupled to a refilling assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The manual trigger sprayer bottle assembly of  claim 12 , comprising a vent port through which air is removed from the refillable bottle. 
     
     
         20 . An adapter for converting a trigger sprayer bottle into a trigger sprayer bottle assembly comprising:
 an adapter body extending from a first end to a second end, the adapter body defining an aperture extending from the first end to the second end;   a first structure located at the first end, the first structure configured to attach the adapter body to a refillable bottle of the trigger sprayer bottle;   a second structure located at the second end, the second structure configured to attach the adapter body to a trigger sprayer of the trigger sprayer bottle; and   a refill port through which material is added to the refillable bottle, wherein:
 when the adapter body is attached to the refillable bottle and to the trigger sprayer, the refillable bottle is in fluid communication with the trigger sprayer through the aperture, and 
 the refill port enabling material to be added to the refillable bottle when the trigger sprayer is attached to the adapter and the trigger sprayer is attached to the refillable bottle through the adapter. 
   
     
     
         21 . The adapter of  claim 20 , comprising a refill valve attached to the adapter body at the refill port, wherein the refill valve can be selectively opened and closed. 
     
     
         22 . The adapter of  claim 20 , defining a vent port through which air is removed from the refillable bottle when the trigger sprayer is attached to the adapter and the trigger sprayer is attached to the refillable bottle through the adapter. 
     
     
         23 . The adapter of  claim 22 , comprising a vent valve attached to the adapter body at the vent port, wherein the vent valve can be selectively opened and closed. 
     
     
         24 . The adapter of  claim 20 , comprising a wall within the aperture extending from a first portion of the adapter body to a second portion of the adapter body, wherein the wall and an interior surface of the adapter body define a volume that is in fluid communication with the refill port, the volume extending from the wall toward the first end of the adapter body. 
     
     
         25 . The adapter of  claim 20 , comprising an air inlet port, the air inlet port enabling air to pass from an exterior volume relative to the refillable bottle to an interior volume relative to the refillable bottle. 
     
     
         26 . The adapter of  claim 25 , comprising an air inlet structure located within the aperture, the air inlet structure defining a volume in fluid communication with the air inlet port, the air inlet structure extending from the air inlet port toward the first end of the adapter body. 
     
     
         27 . The adapter of  claim 26 , wherein the air inlet structure extends past the first end of the adapter body.