Abstract:
Vacuum pump dispenser having a pumping compartment with a self sealing spout and a primary compartment. The problem associated with conventional vacuum pumps is that the sealing spouts may not seal after each use of the dispenser thereby contaminating the material that has not been dispensed. The present invention provides an improved sealing spout which opens to dispense material when the pumping compartment is actuated and closes to seal the spout when deactuated. The dispenser has a primary compartment (200), a pumping compartment (225) and a spout (210) with a pressure operated flexible sealing member (226) therein. The pumping compartment has a rigid base (198) and a flexible dome (218) which is actuated to decrease the volume of the pumping compartment (225). The sealing member (226) has a tapered tip (228) connected to flexible fingers (230) by a thin rod (232) passing through the spout (210). The flexible dome (218) has a plunger (224) depending downwardly thereform which closes an opening (208) in the base (198) to prevent backflow of material from the pumping compartment (225) to the primary compartment (200) when the dome (218) opens against the bias of the flexible fingers (230) when the dome (218) is actuated and closes when deactuated.