EP0022805B1 - Liquid spraying head - Google Patents

Abstract

The spraying head is comprised of a body in which are mounted two similar valves superposed and coupled (16, 17). The rod (12) of the upper valve is integral with a control button (5) provided with a nozzle (14). A pressure reducer-manometer is housed in the body. The body has a hole (36) connecting a pressure gas container to the lower valve, a hole connecting the pressure reducer-manometer to the housing and a hole (23) connecting the housing to the upper valve. The pressure reducer-manometer comprises a slide regulating valve. The spraying head may be fixed removably or not to the pressure air container, as well as to the housing.

Description

The subject of the present invention is a liquid spray head intended to be connected to a source of compressed gas and to be fixed to an enclosure containing the liquid to be sprayed, comprising a distributor body in which a sliding and integral distribution member is mounted a control button actuated by pressure and provided with a spray nozzle connected to the outlet pipe of the member, said body having an outlet orifice intended to send the propellant gas into the enclosure and an inlet orifice intended to put the enclosure in communication with said outlet duct.

According to a previous embodiment of such a spray head (US-A-2 973 885) the dispensing body is constituted by a cylinder provided with lateral openings in which slides a hollow cylindrical rod also provided with lateral openings cooperating with the holes in the body to form a slide valve. The lower end of the rod acts on the valve of a compressed gas tank screwed to the lower end of the cylinder. The compressed gas tank is placed directly in communication with the liquid to be sprayed. It is therefore difficult to control the pressure in the liquid and impossible to maintain this pressure at a value slightly above atmospheric pressure. However, for certain applications, in particular for perfumes whose characteristics are destroyed when they are mixed with a compressed gas, the pressure in the enclosure must not exceed a critical value, relatively low, for example 1.1 bar.

The present invention aims to provide a spray head for maintaining a controlled low pressure in the enclosure containing the liquid to be sprayed.

The spray head according to the invention, as defined by claim 1, allows for example to use a compressed gas tank at 10 bars or more and to spray the liquid with a controlled and regulated pressure from 0 to 3 bars or moreover, this low pressure can be adjusted and maintained at a precise value by means of the pressure regulator. The mechanical connection of the valves ensures the correct operation, without loss, of the head and makes it possible to accommodate all of the elements of this head in a cylindrical body of small volume capable of being mounted on an enclosure or bottle of current size. The reservoir can be fixed under the head and introduced therewith into the enclosure when the head is fixed to the opening of the enclosure or fixed around the head outside the enclosure. The body may also have means for plugging into an enclosure also housing a reservoir of compressed gas. The enclosure can be made of both metal and glass.

The spray head according to the invention can be used for spraying any liquid.

• La figure 1 en représente une vue en plan de dessus.
• La figure 2 en représente une vue en coupe selon II-II de la figure 1.
• La figure 3 en représente une vue en coupe selon III-III de la figure 1.
• La figure 4 en représente une vue partielle en coupe selon IV-IV de la figure 1.
• La figure 5 illustre un premier mode de montage de la tête.
• La figure 6 illustre un deuxième mode de montage de la tête.
• La figure 7 illustre un troisième mode de montage de la tête.
• La figure 8 illustre un quatrième mode de montage de la tête.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention.

• Figure 1 shows a plan view from above.
• FIG. 2 represents a sectional view along II-II of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 represents a sectional view along III-III of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 4 represents a partial view in section along IV-IV of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a first method of mounting the head.
• FIG. 6 illustrates a second method of mounting the head.
• FIG. 7 illustrates a third method of mounting the head.
• FIG. 8 illustrates a fourth method of mounting the head.

The head comprises a cylindrical body 1 in which are mounted a set of valves 2, a pressure regulator pressure regulator 3 and a safety device 4.

The valve assembly is shown in FIG. 12. It consists of two identical valves, superimposed and controlled by a single press button 5. These two valves are of the type used in aerosol cans. The upper valve comprises a valve body 6 provided with two O-ring seals 7 and 8 allowing it to slide in a bore 9 while guaranteeing a sufficient seal in the part of the bore situated below this body 6. In this body 6 is screwed a joint press 10 holding a sealing package 11 made of synthetic material crossed by a valve stem 12 minie of a central duct 13 connected in its upper part to a spray nozzle 14 provided in the button 5 and with the inside of the valve body by a lateral hole 15 closed at rest by the package 11. The rod 12 has in its lower part an enlargement 16 by which it abuts, at rest, against the package 11 under the effect of a spring 17 working in compression between the rod 12 and the bottom of the joint press 10. The chamber 18 formed inside the hollow joint press 10 communicates with the inside of the valve body 6 through a hole 19 The interior of the body 6 communicates through a hole 20 with a e annular chamber 21 surrounding the body 6 between the 0-ring seals 7 and 8. This annular chamber 21 communicates itself with a conduit 22 opening to the lower part of the body 1 through an inlet orifice 23.

The lower valve is identical to the upper valve and comprises, like it, a body 24 provided with two 0-ring seals 25 and 26, a hollow rod 27, a package 28, a press seal 29 and a spring 30. There are also three ports 31, 32 and 33 and an annular chamber 34 which communicates with a conduit 35 connected to a first inlet port 36. The inlet port 23 will be called subsequently the second inlet orifice. To the underside of the seal 1.0 of the first valve is fixed a plate 37 provided with a central hole 38 communicating with the conduit 39 of the valve stem 27. The plate 37 also has a radial milling 40 on its face upper forming a conduit communicating the hole 39 with the interior of the bore 9 which is itself connected to a conduit 41.

The various elements described can be made either of metal or of synthetic material. In the described embodiment partially used metal and known plastics. It appears from FIG. 2 that when a pressure is exerted on button 5 according to F1, the rod 12 is lowered, which, by means of its spring 17 drives the valve body 6 by pushing the valve rod 27 from the lower valve by compressing its spring 30. To compress the spring 30, that is to say work the lower valve, it is therefore necessary to overcome, by means of the spring 17, the frictional force of the body 6 in the bore 9 and the frictional force of the valve stem 27 in its package 28. Since the springs 17 and 30 are identical, the upper valve opens with a slight advance on the lower valve. When the button 5 is released, the same friction causes the upper valve to close with a slight advance on the lower valve. As will be seen in the following description, a slight offset has a favorable effect since it prevents untimely escape of the compressed gas.

The conduits are formed by drilling along perpendicular axes and plugging the orifices not used by plugs such as 42, 43 and 44.

The pressure-regulating pressure regulator comprises a fitted valve body 45 tightened in a bore 46 by means of three 0-ring seals 47, 48 and 49. This valve body 45 itself comprises a bore 50 in which two pistons 51 are mounted and 52 rigidly connected together by a rod 53 and each provided with a segment constituted by an O-ring seal 54, respectively 55. At rest the double piston 51/52 is held in abutment against a screw 56 by a spring 57 s pressing against the bottom of the bore 46. On the periphery of the valve body 45 are machined two annular chambers C3 and 59, the first between the seals 47 and 48 and the second between the seals 48 and 49. The chamber 58 communicates with the space 50 by a nozzle 60 and is connected to the conduit 41 by a conduit 61. The chamber 59 communicates with the part of the bore 50 situated below the pistons by a nozzle 62 and it is further connected to a conduit 63 leading to an outlet orifice 64 and to a conduit 65 leading to the availability safety device represented in FIG. 4. This safety device is a valve made up of a rubber ball 66 held against its seat 67 by a spring 68 whose pressure can be adjusted by means of a screw 69 pierced with a axial hole 70.

The device is used for example as shown in FIG. 5. It is integral with a compressed gas tank 71 fixed under the head and communicating with the valves by the first inlet 36. The second inlet 23 is connected to a dip tube in plastic material 72. The head is fixed by means of a ring 73 set on the neck of a metal container 74 with the interposition of a seal 75.

The outlet orifice 64 opens freely inside the container. The latter is provided with a removable cap 76.

By means of the pressure regulator it is possible to maintain the pressure inside the container at a constant value, for example 1.1 bar when the pressure regulator is connected to the compressed gas tank, for example air or nitrous oxide, and this in a wide range ranging from at least 5 to 12 bars. In FIG. 3, the stroke of the piston necessary to connect the chamber 50 and the nozzle 62 has been greatly exaggerated. On the other hand, although the double piston 51/52 appears in a state of perfect balance, it is possible to obtain a very slight displacement of this piston making it possible to ensure regulation. The conduit 61 being connected to the compressed gas reservoir, the position of the double piston 51/52 is adjusted by means of the screw 56 so as to obtain the desired pressure in the container. The result obtained is surprising and unexpected. All the prototypes built being made of metal, therefore opaque, it was unfortunately not possible to determine that it is the position of the piston 52 at the regulation point. It is certain that the 0-ring seal 55 of this piston is already at the height of the nozzle 62, so that this nozzle communicates by a passage of very small section with the chamber 50. There would therefore be a strong reduction of the pressure of the gas arriving through the conduits 41 and 61 in the chamber 50 through this weak passage. It must indeed be considered that the compressed gas tank is not permanently connected with the chamber 50, but only when the valves are opened by pressing the button 5. It should nevertheless be emphasized that none of the known solutions 'made it possible to obtain satisfactory operation of the pressure regulator pressure regulator and that it was the addition to the piston 51 which made it possible to achieve these results.

The operation of the spray head is apparent from the above drawings and description. When button 5 is pressed, the two coupled valves are opened. The compressed gas tank is placed in communication with the pressure regulator through line 35, the annular chamber 34, the holes 33, 32 and 31, the line 39 of the rod 27 and the line 41. The expanded gas leaves the pressure regulator through the conduit 62, the chamber 59, the conduit 63 and the orifice 64 and escapes inside the container. The slight overpressure in the container has the effect of causing the liquid to rise through the dip tube 72 in the duct. 23. The liquid then passes through the orifices 20, 19 and 15 to escape through the nozzle 14.

As a variant, the valve body 45 of the pressure regulator could be omitted, the bore 50 then being made directly in the body 1.

Figures 6, and 8 illustrate, by way of example, three other possibilities of mounting the head and the reservoir on or in a container.

In the assembly shown in Figure 6, the container 77 is made of glass. The reservoir 78 is of annular shape and surrounds the head 1 to which it is connected from the side. For this purpose, the lateral drilling is used, the plug 44 closing in this case the orifice 36. The reservoir 78 has a projection 79 allowing it to be fixed to the notch in the neck 80 of the container. The whole is hidden by a cap 81 retained to the notch on the tank. These provisions make it possible to obtain a satisfactory aesthetic appearance. In the case of a metal container, the mounting shown in FIG. 5 is preferably used, in which the compressed gas tank is located in the container and occupies in it a volume corresponding to the volume occupied by the freon in the bombs. aerosols.

In the assembly shown in FIG. 7, the container 82 is made of metal and it contains the compressed gas tank 83 fixed to a cylindrical cup 84 fixed by crimping 85 to the opening of the container. The head 1 comprises, at its base, three nipples 86, 87 and 88 which extend each of the three original orifices and which have the dual function of holding the head on the container while ensuring the tightness necessary for this mounting and allow the head to be recovered on an empty container to be mounted on a new container.

In the assembly shown in FIG. 8, the head 1 is provided with an annular compressed gas tank 89 extending below the head 1 by a ribbed central part 90 allowing the tank to be fixed on the neck 91 of a container metal or on the neck 92 of a glass container. The reservoir 89 may be provided with a valve 93 allowing its recharging or the continuous use of the device by connection to a source of compressed gas or other suitable installation. In this case, the head, the tank and the container are recoverable.

According to a variant not shown, the head is permanently fixed to a reservoir through which conduits connect the outlet orifice 64 and the inlet orifice 23 to orifices provided on the reservoir and minus of means of connection to an enclosure. In this case the head and the tank are recoverable.

In some cases it is possible to remove the tank by directly connecting the head to a continuous compressed air circuit.

Claims (6)

1. Liquid atomization head adapted to be connected to a source of compressed gas and to be secured to a container (74) containing the liquid to be atomized, comprising a dispensing body (1) in which a sliding dispensing member is mounted and rigid with a control knob (5) actuatable by pressure and provided with a spray nozzle (14) connected to the outlet passage (13) of saidbody, said body (1) having an outlet orifice (64) adapted to deliver the propelling gas into the container and an inlet orifice (23) adapted to connect the container with said outlet passage (13), characterized by the fact that the dispensing member comprises two superposed valves comprising each a movable control system (12, 27) also acting as a valve outlet passage (13, 39) and passing through a packing (11, 28) sealing in the inoperative position a valve passage (14, 31) of the relevant stem, the stem of the upper valve (12) being rigid with the control knob (5) provided with the spray nozzle (14), each valve comprising a spring (17, 30) counteracting the sinking of the corresponding control stem (12, 27), the control stem (27) of the lower valve being actuated by the sliding movement of the upper valve, and by the fact that the body (1) contains a pressure-regulating relief valve (fig. 3) connected through conduits on the one side (60) to the outlet port (39) of the lower valve and on the other side (62) to the outlet orifice (64) leading to the container, and a safety valve (fig. 4) connected to said container, the body (1) comprising a second inlet orifice (36) adapted to connect the source of compressed gas to the inlet (32) of the lower valve and a conduit (41) connecting the outlet (40) of the lower valve to the relief valve, the first inlet orifice (23) connecting the container (74) to the inlet (19) of the upper valve.

2. Atomizing head according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the pressure-regulating relief valve (fig. 3) comprises a cylindrical bore (58) connected laterally on the one hand to the outlet of the lower valve through an inlet port (60) and on the other hand to said outlet orifice (64) through an outlet port (62), and in which two pistons (51, 52) rigidly coupled to each other and provided with resilient rings (54, 55) are mounted, a spring (57) beeing compression stressed between one of the pistons and the bottom of said bore and an adjustable abutment member (56) for the other piston, the inlet port (60) opening between the pistons and the outlet port (62) opening just beneath the piston engaged by said spring or at the level of the ring of this piston, when the other piston is in abutment.

3. Atomizing head according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it is secured permanently to a compressed-gas reservoir.

4. Atomizing head according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it is surrounded by an annular reservoir (fig. 6).

5. Atomizing head according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the inlet orifices and the outlet orifices are located on the lower face of the head and that they are provided with plug-in means permitting of plugging-in the head on a container containing a liquid and a compressed-gas reserver (fig. 7).

6. Atomization head according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the outlet orifice and the second inlet orifice are located at the lower end of the reservoir and provided with plug-in means permitting of plugging-in the assembly on a container filled with a liquid to be atomized.

Images