Integral locking mechanism for reciprocating pumps
A locking collar for a reciprocating pump is contemplated. The collar remains affixed to the pump to avoid the creation of unwanted waste, while simultaneously providing selectively uplocking. The collar includes axial one or more axial stoppers that cooperate with a peripheral stopper on the closure cap.
1 . A dispensing pump capable of being selectively locked to prevent actuation, the pump comprising:
a reciprocating pump engine configured to draw one or more fluids from a container and dispense a fluid from an outlet; and
a locking assembly made entirely of polymeric components which remains permanently affixed to the dispensing pump;
an actuator defining the outlet and configured to reciprocate in conjunction with the reciprocating pump engine;
a closure cap attached to the container and having a peripheral stopper;
wherein the locking assembly includes: i) a locking collar having a hollow cylinder coaxially receiving at least a portion of the reciprocating pump engine and at least one axial stopper disposed on an inner facing of the hollow cylinder, said locking collar interposed between the actuator and the closure cap and rotatable relative to the closure cap so that, when the at least one axial stopper is aligned with the peripheral stopper in a locked position, the actuator will not reciprocate and ii) one or more tamper evident frangible bridges that are initially and integrally formed between the locking collar and at least one of the actuator and the closure cap, said one or more tamper evident frangible bridges all configured to break without separating from the locking assembly and the actuator and/or the closure cap; and
wherein the reciprocating pump engine is configured so as to seal and prevent loss of the fluid from the container when the locking collar is in the locked position.
2 . The pump according to claim 1 wherein a second stopping shoulder is on the closure cap at a different axial position but a similar circumference in comparison to the peripheral stopper.
3 . The pump according to claim 1 wherein the locking collar is coupled to the actuator.
4 . The pump according to claim 1 wherein the locking collar rotates in concert with the actuator.
5 . The pump according to claim 1 wherein the locking collar is configured to coaxially conceal a biasing member of the pump engine, said biasing member interposed between the closure cap and the actuator.
6 . The pump according to claim 1 wherein the at least one axial stopper is one or more ribs and the peripheral stopper is a flange having one or more gaps through which the one or more ribs may travel when the locking collar is not in the locked position.
7 . The pump according to claim 1 wherein gaps are interposed between two peripheral stoppers, said gaps sized to allow axial transit of all axial stoppers when the locking collar is not in the locked position.
8 . The pump according to claim 1 wherein a shoulder formed on the closure cap includes formations to resist rotation of the at least one axial stopper relative to the closure cap.
9 . The pump according to claim 1 wherein a top edge of the locking collar includes a coupling feature received in a corresponding feature formed on at least one of the actuator and the closure cap.
10 . The pump according to claim 9 wherein the coupling feature is provided along corresponding arcuate or annular interfaces of the locking collar and at least one of the actuator and the closure cap.
11 . The pump according to claim 9 wherein the coupling feature is a pair of opposing radial projections.
12 . The pump according to claim 9 wherein the coupling feature is selectively disengaged so as to allow the locking collar to release from the actuator head and/or closure cap.