Adjustable dosing cap
A dispensing cap including a first housing portion defining a first chamber, a lid coupled to the first housing and defining an outlet, the lid movable between a first position and a second position, a second housing portion defining a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber, the second housing portion further defining a third chamber separate from the second chamber, wherein when the lid is in the first position, the outlet is in fluid communication with the second chamber to dispense a first volume of fluid, and wherein when the lid in the second position, the outlet is in fluid connection with the second chamber and the third chamber to dispense a second volume of fluid. A method of operating a dispensing cap is also provided.
1. A dispensing cap comprising:
a first housing portion defining a first chamber;
a lid coupled to the first housing portion and defining an outlet, the lid movable relative to the first housing portion between a first position and a second position;
a second housing portion defining a second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber, the second housing portion further defining a third chamber separate from the second chamber,
wherein when the lid is in the first position, the outlet is in fluid communication with the second chamber to dispense a first volume of fluid, and
wherein when the lid in the second position, the outlet is in fluid connection with the second chamber and the third chamber to dispense a second volume of fluid.
2. The dispensing cap of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber has a first outlet fluidly connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, and a second outlet fluidly connecting the first chamber and the third chamber.
3. The dispensing cap of claim 1 , further comprising an outlet column extending from the outlet toward the second and third chambers, wherein the outlet column is in fluid communication with the second chamber in the first position, and the outlet column is in fluid communication with the second and third chambers in the second position.
4. The dispensing cap of claim 3 , wherein in the first position, a portion of the outlet column is coupled to the third chamber, and in the second position, the outlet column is withdrawn from the third chamber.
5. The dispensing cap of claim 4 , wherein an end of the outlet column has a seal engageable with a wall defining the third chamber.
6. The dispensing cap of claim 1 , wherein the lid has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the lid is axially movable between the first and second positions along the longitudinal axis.
7. The dispensing cap of claim 1 , further comprising an inlet coupled to the first chamber, the inlet positioned to fluidly connect the first chamber to a reservoir.
8. The dispensing cap of claim 7 , further comprising a flap coupled to the inlet, wherein the flap is selectively openable in response to the dosing cap being re-oriented from a first orientation to a second orientation to fluidly connect the first chamber to the reservoir, and wherein the flap is adapted to close to interrupt fluid communication between the first chamber and the reservoir.
9. The dispensing cap of claim 1 , wherein the first housing portion supports the lid.
10. The dispensing cap of claim 1 , wherein the second chamber and the third chamber are concentric relative to each other.
11. The dispensing cap of claim 1 , wherein the first housing portion is movable relative to the second housing portion.
12. The dispensing cap of claim 11 , wherein the dispensing cap has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the first housing portion is movable between the first and second positions along the longitudinal axis.
13. A method of operating a dispensing cap comprising:
selectively actuating the dosing cap between a first position and a second position, the first position fluidly connecting a nozzle and a first measuring chamber, and the second position fluidly connecting the nozzle and both the first measuring chamber and a second measuring chamber;
dispensing a chemical retained in one or both of the first and second measuring chambers; and
refilling the dispensing cap while dispensing by permitting fluid communication between a fluid reservoir and a holding chamber defined by the dispensing cap, the holding chamber in fluid communication with the first and second measuring chambers.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein during the dispensing and refilling steps, the dispensing cap is inverted.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising
refilling the first and second measuring chambers by positioning the dispensing cap in a non-inverted position, and
permitting fluid flow from the holding chamber to the first and second measuring chambers.
16. A dispensing cap comprising:
an upper housing portion defining an inlet, a manifold in fluid communication with the inlet, a first outlet in fluid communication with the manifold, and a second outlet in fluid communication with the manifold;
a lower housing portion including a first chamber in fluid communication with the first outlet and a second chamber in fluid communication with the second outlet; and
a lid movable between a first position and a second position, the lid being in fluid communication with the first chamber when the lid is in the first position, the lid being in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second chamber when the lid is in a second position.
17. The dispensing cap of claim 16 , wherein the lid includes an elongated tube extending at least partially through the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion, the elongated tube being selectively placed in fluid communication with the first chamber and the combination of the first chamber and the second chamber as the lid is moved between the first position and the second position.
18. The dispensing cap of claim 17 , wherein the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion define a longitudinal axis, the second chamber being centered on the longitudinal axis and the first chamber extending around at least a portion of the second chamber, wherein the elongated tube is centered on the longitudinal axis.
19. The dispensing cap of claim 16 , wherein when the cap is oriented in a first state, fluid flows through the inlet and into the manifold, wherein when the cap is oriented in a second state, fluid flows through the first outlet to the first chamber and through the second outlet to the second chamber, and wherein when the cap is re-oriented in the first state, fluid from at least the first chamber flows through the lid.
20. The dispensing cap of claim 19 , wherein in the first state the cap is oriented in an upside-down vertical orientation, wherein in the second state the cap is oriented in a right-side-up vertical orientation.
21. A dispensing cap comprising:
a first housing portion defining at least one chamber;
a second housing portion coupled to the first housing portion;
an actuator movable with respect to the second housing portion to and between first and second positions corresponding to first and second doses of fluid dispensed from the at least one chamber through the dispensing cap, wherein the first dose is different in size from the second dose;
an indicator on one of the second housing portion and the actuator indicative of an amount or a relative amount of fluid that will be dispensed from the cap when the cap is inverted; and
an aperture defined in another of the second housing portion and the actuator,
wherein the indicator is visible through the aperture in the first position of the actuator, and is not visible through the aperture in the second position of the actuator.
22. A dispensing cap comprising:
a housing defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber in fluid communication with the second chamber;
an actuator coupled to the housing and carrying an outlet, the actuator movable about the housing between a first position and a second position; and
a member extending from the actuator to a wall of the second chamber, the wall being movable with the actuator between the first and second positions to selectively adjust the volume of the second chamber.
23. The dispensing cap of claim 22 , wherein the second chamber includes flexible bellows.
24. The dispensing cap of claim 22 , wherein the wall is a baffle plate provided in the second chamber.
25. The dispensing cap of claim 24 , wherein the baffle plate includes at least one hole.