EP0509863B1 - Apparatus for spraying or dispensing liquid products, with means for preventing accidental activation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for spraying or dispensing a fluid product, with improved actuation security. More particularly, the present invention applies to a device comprising a pump, or a valve of the aerosol type, with manual actuation, intended to spray a fluid product such as a pharmaceutical product, a cosmetic product, or a perfume. It is desirable that such a device cannot be activated inadvertently, especially if the product in question is expensive or dangerous.

• une gaine ayant une première extrémité dotée d'une buse de pulvérisation et une deuxième extrémité ouverte, et
• un réservoir de produit, monté coulissant dans ladite gaine, ledit réservoir ayant une valve communiquant avec ladite buse de pulvérisation et un fond disposé près de la deuxième extrémité ouverte de la gaine.

Document US-A 2 914 222 describes such a device, comprising:

• a sheath having a first end provided with a spray nozzle and a second open end, and
• a product reservoir, slidably mounted in said sheath, said reservoir having a valve communicating with said spray nozzle and a bottom disposed near the second open end of the sheath.

In this device, the valve is actuated by pressing with a finger on the bottom of the product tank, directly or by means of an actuating member fitted into the second open end of the sheath. If the actuation is done by pressing directly on the bottom of the tank, it is possible that a projecting external element accidentally comes to press on the bottom of the tank and actuates the device, during its transport for example. In addition, it is also possible to inadvertently press said bottom with a finger, while handling the device, especially if the device is in the hands of a child. In the case where the actuation is made via an actuating member, document US-A 2 914 222 provides for providing this member with a lateral lug cooperating with a slot in the second open end of the enclosure, to lock the device when the lug is not placed in front of the slot. However, it is to be feared that the vast majority of users will not bother to shift the lug relative to the slot at the end of each use of the device, so that the device is not locked and the problem of actuation safety is not resolved.

The present invention aims to solve this technical problem.

• une gaine s'étendant axialement entre une première extrémité ouverte et une seconde extrémité dotée d'un fond percé d'au moins un évidement,
• un réservoir de produit, monté coulissant axialement dans ladite gaine, et s'étendant entre un culot voisin du fond de la gaine et un moyen d'éjection du produit, ledit moyen d'éjection ayant une tige-poussoir axiale permettant l'émission du produit et disposée près de la première extrémité ouverte de la gaine,
• un embout-poussoir monté dans la première extrémité ouverte de la gaine, et comportant un canal de sortie adapté à recevoir la tige-poussoir du moyen d'éjection,
• un couvercle comportant un fond à partir duquel s'étend une jupe latérale adaptée à s'emboîter sur la première extrémité ouverte de la gaine,

caractérisé en ce que :

• la jupe du couvercle est adaptée à s'emboîter de façon coulissante sur la seconde extrémité de la gaine, et
• le couvercle comporte au moins un relief s'étendant à partir du fond et entouré par la jupe dudit couvercle, et adapté à pénétrer dans l'évidement du fond de la gaine lorsque la jupe du couvercle est emboîtée sur la seconde extrémité de la gaine pour permettre l'actionnement de la tige-poussoir par pression du relief sur le culot.

The present invention therefore relates to a sprayer or distributor device for a fluid product, comprising:

• a sheath extending axially between a first open end and a second end provided with a bottom pierced with at least one recess,
• a product reservoir, mounted to slide axially in said sheath, and extending between a base close to the bottom of the sheath and a product ejection means, said ejection means having an axial push rod allowing the emission of the product and disposed near the first open end of the sheath,
• a push-piece fitted in the first open end of the sheath, and comprising an outlet channel adapted to receive the push-rod of the ejection means,
• a cover comprising a bottom from which extends a side skirt adapted to fit onto the first open end of the sheath,

characterized in that:

• the cover skirt is adapted to slide into the second end of the sheath, and
• the cover comprises at least one relief extending from the bottom and surrounded by the skirt of said cover, and adapted to penetrate into the recess in the bottom of the sheath when the skirt of the cover is fitted onto the second end of the sheath for allow actuation of the push rod by pressing the relief on the base.

Thus, it is the cover which makes it possible to actuate the device, by pressing on the base of the reservoir, and as long as the cover covers the push-button, it is practically not possible to actuate the device. It is likely that the majority of users will put the cover over the push-piece at the end of each use of the device, because this is a natural and almost automatic gesture.

The recess at the bottom of the sheath can have a shape such that the largest circle which can be inscribed in said recess has a diameter of less than about 15 mm, so that a human finger cannot easily be through said recess.

Optionally, the recess at the bottom of the sheath can have a shape such that the largest circle that can be inscribed in said recess has a diameter of less than approximately 10 mm or, where appropriate, less than approximately 5 mm. As a variant, the recess at the bottom of the sheath can have a shape such that the largest circle that can be inscribed in said recess has a diameter of less than about 25 mm and, when the push rod (15) of the ejection means is received in the outlet channel (23) of the pusher nozzle (20), the base of the reservoir is distant from the bottom of the sheath by a distance d greater than half of said diameter. Advantageously, said relief formed on the bottom of the cover comprises at least one cylindrical wall adapted to fit tightly on an outlet end of the push-piece when the cover is fitted on the first end of the sheath. Said relief relief may not admit an axis of symmetry of revolution, and the recess of the bottom of the sheath have a complementary shape, so that said relief can only be introduced into said recess if said relief and said recess are in correspondence, said relief thus forming a key which prevents a child from easily inserting said relief into said recess.

According to one embodiment, the push rod of the ejection means is separated from the outlet channel of the push nozzle before the first actuation of the push rod, said push rod is received in said outlet channel during said first actuation, and the reservoir slides with gentle friction in the sheath.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, given by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe partielle du dispositif selon une forme de réalisation de l'invention, avant sa première utilisation,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe partielle du dispositif de la figure 1, en position d'actionnement,
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe partielle d'une variante du dispositif de la figure 1, avant sa première utilisation,
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe d'une autre variante du couvercle du dispositif de la figure 1, la coupe étant prise selon la ligne 4-4 de la figure 1,
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe d'une autre variante du couvercle du dispositif de la figure 1, la coupe étant prise selon la ligne 4-4 de la figure 1,
• la figure 6 est une vue en coupe partielle d'une autre variante du dispositif de la figure 1,
• la figure 7 est une vue en coupe du couvercle du dispositif de la figure 6, prise selon la ligne 7-7 de la figure 6,
• la figure 8 est une vue en coupe partielle d'une autre variante du dispositif de la figure 1, en position d'actionnement, et
• la figure 9 est une vue en coupe partielle d'une autre variante du dispositif de la figure 1, en position d'actionnement.

In the drawings:

• FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of the device according to an embodiment of the invention, before its first use,
• FIG. 2 is a partial section view of the device of FIG. 1, in the actuation position,
• FIG. 3 is a partial section view of a variant of the device in FIG. 1, before its first use,
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view of another variant of the cover of the device of FIG. 1, the section being taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another variant of the cover of the device of FIG. 1, the section being taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 6 is a partial section view of another variant of the device in FIG. 1,
• FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the cover of the device of FIG. 6, taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6,
• FIG. 8 is a partial section view of another variant of the device of FIG. 1, in the actuation position, and
• Figure 9 is a partial sectional view of another variant of the device of Figure 1, in the actuating position.

Referring to Figure 1, the device according to one embodiment of the invention comprises a cylindrical sheath 1 admitting an axis of revolution 2, and can be molded in plastic. The sheath 1 has a cylindrical side wall 3, which extends between a first open end 4 and a second end 5 with a bottom 6 pierced with a circular central recess 7. The circular recess 7 has a sufficiently small diameter so that a user cannot easily pass a finger through it: for example, it may have a diameter of the order of 15 mm, or less. In the vicinity of its first open end 4, the side wall 3 also has an outer ring 8, and a section 9 of enlarged inner diameter comprising an inner ring 9a.

A product reservoir 10 is mounted to slide axially in the sheath 1. The reservoir 10 extends between a base 11 and a neck 12 on which is mounted a means for expelling the product 13. For example, the means for expelling the product is mounted on the neck 12 via a crimped metal cap 14. The expulsion means 13 may be a pump of the manual actuation type, or else an aerosol valve. In all cases, the expulsion means 13 comprises a conventional push rod 15, which allows the product to exit when it is pressed into the expulsion means 13 and which projects out of the expulsion means 13 in the direction of the first open end 4 of the enclosure.

A push-button 20, which can be molded in plastic, is further mounted in the first open end 4 of the sheath 1. The push-button 20 accepts the axis of revolution 2 and can be mounted in the first open end 4 of the sheath 1 by snap-fastening or by any other means, advantageously so that it cannot be dismantled. For example, the push-piece 20 may comprise a cylindrical skirt 21, of internal diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the side wall 3 of the sheath, said skirt 21 comprising an external peripheral groove 22 in which the internal crown 9a of the sleeve 1 can snap into place. Advantageously, the skirt 21 has an external chamfer 21a at its free end, so as to facilitate snap-fastening. Conventionally, the push-piece 20 further comprises an outlet channel 23 which opens outside the push-piece, and into which the push-rod 15 can fit with friction. In this particular example, the outlet channel 23 opens axially outwards, via a central outlet end 24: nevertheless, the push-piece 20 could have any other known shape without departing from the scope of the present invention, and in particular, it could include an outlet lateral instead of an axial outlet.

Finally, the device comprises a cover 30, which can also be molded from plastic. The cover 30 has a bottom 31, from which extends a side skirt 32, to a free end 32a. In the storage position shown in Figure 1, the cover 30 is fitted with friction on the first open end 4 of the sheath 1, until the stop of the outer ring 8. The cover 30 thus covers the push-piece 20 In addition, the cover 30 has a central internal relief 33, which here takes the form of a cylindrical wall with an external diameter less than or equal to the internal diameter of the recess 7, and which extends axially from the bottom 31 , in the center of the side skirt 32. Advantageously, the cylindrical wall 33 fits so watertight on the push-piece 20 when the cover 30 covers said push-piece, by isolating the outlet end 24 of said push-piece, so as to shelter it from any external pollution.

The cover 30 may optionally be provided with a tamper-evident ring 34, shown in FIG. 3. The ring 34 is connected to the free end 32a of the skirt 32 of the cover by bridges of material 35 of low resistance, and further includes inner lugs 36 adapted to snap under the outer ring 8 of the sheath 1. Once snapped, the ring 34 maintains the cover 30 in the storage position shown in Figure 3, and said cover can not be removed without breaking the material bridges 35 which are thus the witnesses that the device has never been used.

Before the first use of the device, the push rod 15 of the product ejection means 13 may not be fitted into the outlet channel 23 of the push end piece 20, which further contributes to avoiding untimely actuations. In this case, it is however preferable for the reservoir 10 to slide with a slight friction in the side wall 3 of the enclosure 1, so that said reservoir 10 does not wobble in the sheath 1 before the push rod 15 is fitted in channel 23.

When the user wants to use the device of the invention, he removes the cover 30 from the first end 4 of the sheath 1, and fits it on the second end 5 of said sheath, as shown in Figure 2. The side skirt 32 of the cover then surrounds the sheath 1 and the cylindrical wall 33 penetrates into the recess 7 in the bottom 6 of the sheath, as far as the base 11 of the reservoir 10 stops. Advantageously, the outside diameter of the cylindrical side wall 3 , in its part between its outer ring 8 and its second end 5, is slightly less than the outside diameter of said wall between its outer ring 8 and its first end 4, so that the skirt 32 of the cover can slide freely on the sheath 1 when the cover 30 is placed on the side of the second end 5 of said sheath, while the skirt 32 is fitted with friction on the sheath 1 when the cover 30 covers the push-piece 20.

The device is actuated by pressing simultaneously on the push-button 20 and on the bottom 31 of the cover 30, which presses on the base 11 of the reservoir 10 via the cylindrical wall 33, so as to move the reservoir 10 towards the push-button 20. When the device is first actuated, if the push-rod 15 of the ejection means 13 was not initially fitted into the outlet channel 23 of the push-button, this movement firstly has the effect of placing said push rod 15 in said outlet channel 23, by interlocking with friction. Thereafter, the push rod 15 is held by friction in the channel 23. But in all cases, the approximation of the reservoir 10 and the push-piece 20 has above all the effect of driving the push-rod 15 into the ejection means 13, against the stress of an elastic means conventionally integrated into the ejection means 13, this which causes the product to be emitted from the outlet end 24 of the push-piece 20.

When the user releases his push, said elastic means of the ejection means 13 pushes the reservoir 10, again moving it away from the push-piece 20, to a rest position shown in FIG. 2. If the reservoir 10 slides with a slight friction in the sheath 1, this friction is low enough not to hinder the movement of the reservoir in the sheath 1.

For this actuation to be possible, the height H of the cylindrical wall 32 of the bottom of the cover 30 must be sufficient so that in the rest position, as shown in FIG. 2, when the push rod 15 is engaged in the channel of outlet 23 and the cylindrical wall 33 is placed in abutment against the base 11 of the reservoir 10, there remains a clearance J between the bottom 6 of the sheath 1 and the bottom 31 of the cover 30, corresponding at least to the actuating stroke of the push rod 15.

At the end of use of the device, the user puts the cover 30 back on the push-piece 20. Due to the small diameter of the recess 7, it is then almost certain that the device cannot be actuated accidentally, by example when handling it. Optionally, the base 11 of the reservoir 10 can be separated from the bottom 6 of the sheath 1 by a distance d sufficient to prevent a child's finger from being able to press on the base 11 while entering the recess 7. In this case, the recess 7 could possibly be wider. For example, the recess 7 of the bottom 6 can have a shape such that the diameter of the largest circle that can be inscribed in the said recess is less than about 25 mm, and the distance d can be greater than half of the said diameter.

In order to prevent a young child from accidentally engaging the cover 30 on the second end 5 of the sheath 1, and thus not to risk actuating the device, the wall 33 may have an external shape which does not 'does not admit the axis of revolution 2, and the recess 7 has a complementary shape, so that the wall 33 can only enter the recess 7 when said wall 33 and said recess 7 are placed in exact correspondence by rotation around the axis 2. The wall 33 thus plays the role of a key. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the wall 33 may have an outer shape of square section, or, as shown in Figure 5, have outer ribs 33a adapted to engage in corresponding slots of the bottom 6 of the sheath 1. In the latter case, it is advantageous that the ribs 33a are not distributed regularly around the wall 33, so that the said wall 33 can only be introduced into the recess 7 in a single angular position around the axis 2.

As a variant, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the wall 33 can be replaced by a solid relief 33 ′ such as a central rod, which can be provided with ribs 33 ′ a, distributed regularly or not around the rod 33 ′ . Optionally, the relief 33 ′ could have a shape different from that of a rod, for example being constituted by several rods and / or several ribs, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The bottom 6 of the sheath 1 is then pierced with one or more recess (s) 7, complementary (s) to the relief (s) 33 ', and therefore being able to be very narrow (s), which allows protection further increased against accidental actuations. The shape and dimensions of the recess 7 will be such that the largest circle that can be inscribed in said recess 7 has a diameter less than 15 mm, preferably less than 10 mm or even 5 mm. Note that the notion of largest inscribed circle does not imply that the recess (s) 7 are circular: for example, if a recess 7 is of square section, the diameter of the largest inscribed circle is equal to the side of the square, if a recess 7 is rectangular, the diameter of the largest circle is equal to the smallest side of the rectangle, if the recess has an elliptical section, the diameter of the largest inscribed circle is equal to the length of the small axis of the ellipse, etc ...

The safety device according to the invention can be associated with other devices, such as a dose counter for example.

In the case where the expulsion means 13 is a spray pump, this can operate with or without air intake, that is to say by bringing air into the tank 10 as and as the product it contains is consumed, or without bringing in air. In the latter case, it may be advantageous for the reservoir to be deformable to avoid excessive depressions in said reservoir. Figures 8 and 9 illustrate two particular examples of such reservoirs associated with the device according to the invention.

In FIG. 8, the reservoir 10 comprises a cylindrical side wall 16 in which slides a piston 17 forming the base of said reservoir 10. The cylindrical wall 33, or another relief 33 ′, is supported on the piston 17, so that 'on each actuation of the device, said cylindrical wall 33 urges the piston 17 towards the neck 12 of the reservoir, which creates an overpressure in said reservoir: as the product contained in said reservoir is incompressible, this overpressure results in a thrust exerted on the pump 13 in the direction of the nozzle 20, which causes the actuation of said pump. This can be advantageous insofar as the piston 17 sliding with a certain friction in the side wall 16, a slight depression may have remained in the reservoir from the previous actuation: thanks to the support of the wall 33, this depression is erased, and an overpressure is created in the reservoir 10 during actuation of the device. When the user releases the device, part of this overpressure remains, still due to the friction between the side wall 16 and the piston, 17, so that the suction of the product in the pump 13 is improved.

Note that the height of the cylindrical wall 33 and the skirt 32 of the cover 30 has been significantly increased compared to the device of Figures 1 and 2: thus, said wall 33 can press the piston 17 throughout the stroke of said piston 17 up to the neck 12 of the reservoir, that is to say until the reserve of product is used up.

In FIG. 9, the reservoir 10 has a rigid cylindrical side wall 19 on which a flexible wall 18 in the form of a pocket is assembled, forming the base of the reservoir 10. The flexible wall 18 is tightly assembled to the rigid wall 19 by welding, gluing or any other means. Optionally, the flexible wall 18 could be formed in one piece with the rigid wall 19. As shown in FIG. 9, the flexible wall 18 may possibly extend outside the rigid cylindrical wall 19, when the reservoir is full, then gradually return to the interior of said wall 19 as and when the product contained in the tank is consumed. The wall 33, or any other relief 33 ′, can be in abutment against the flexible wall 18 in the actuation position, so that on each actuation, said cylindrical wall 33 urges the flexible wall 18 towards the neck 12 of the reservoir , which creates an overpressure in said reservoir: as the product contained in said reservoir is incompressible, this overpressure results in a thrust exerted on the pump 13 in the direction of the nozzle 20, which causes the actuation of said pump. Thanks to the stress on the cylindrical wall 33 on the flexible wall, the deformation of the flexible wall 18 is facilitated, which is particularly important if said flexible wall has a certain rigidity which could otherwise create an annoying depression in the reservoir 10: as in the case of FIG. 8, if such a depression is created during a suction of product by the pump 13, this depression is erased by the overpressure due to the support of the wall 33 on the wall 18 during the next actuation. As in FIG. 8, the height of the wall 33 and of the skirt 32 of the cover 30 has been increased so that the wall 33 can continue to press on the flexible wall 18 when the latter enters the rigid wall 19.

Claims (10)

1. A device for spraying or dispensing a fluid, the device comprising:
      a sheath (1) extending axially between an open first end (4) and a second end (5) provided with an end wall (6) which is pierced by at least one hole (7);
      a fluid tank (10) mounted to slide axially inside said sheath (1) and extending between an end wall (11) close to the end of the sheath and fluid ejection means (13), said fluid ejection means (13) having an axial push rod (15) enabling fluid to be ejected and disposed close to the open first end (4) of the sheath;
      a pusher endpiece (20) mounted in the open first end (4) of the sheath, and including an outlet channel (23) adapted to receive the push rod (15) of the ejection means; and
      a cover (30) comprising an end wall (31) from which there projects an outside skirt (32) adapted to be engaged on the open first end (4) of the sheath;
      the device being characterized in that:
      the skirt (32) of the cover is adapted to engage slidably over the second end (5) of the sheath; and
      the cover (30) includes at least one projection (33, 33a, 33', 33'a) extending from its end wall (31) and surrounded by the skirt (32) of said cover, and adapted to penetrate through the hole (7) in the end wall of the sheath when the skirt (32) of the cover is engaged on the second end (5) of the sheath, thereby enabling the push rod (15) to be actuated due to the thrust of projection (33, 33a, 33', 33'a) against said end wall (11).
2. A device according to claim 1, in which the hole (7) in the end wall of the sheath is of a shape such that the largest circle which can be inscribed in said hole (7) has a diameter of less than about 15 mm, such that a human finger cannot pass easily through said hole (7).
3. A device according to claim 1, in which the hole (7) in the end wall of the sheath is of a shape such that the largest circle which can be inscribed in said hole (7) has a diameter less than about 10 mm.
4. A device according to claim 1, in which the hole (7) in the end wall of the sheath is of a shape such that the largest circle which can be inscribed in said hole (7) has a diameter less than about 5 mm.
5. A device according to claim 1, in which the hole (7) in the end wall of the sheath is of a shape such that the largest circle that can be inscribed in said hole (7) has a diameter of not more than about 25 mm, and in which, when the push rod (15) of the ejection means is received in the outlet channel (23) of the pusher endpiece (20), the end wall (11) of the tank (10) is set back from the end wall (6) of the sheath (1) by a distance (d) greater than half said diameter.
6. A device according to any preceding claim, in which said projection (33, 33a) formed on the end wall (31) of the cover includes at least one cylindrical wall (33) adapted to be engaged in sealed manner on the outlet end (24) of the pusher endpiece (20) when the cover (30) is engaged on the open first end (4) of the sheath.
7. A device according to any preceding claim, in which said projection (33, 33a, 33', 33'a) of the cover is not circularly symmetrical, and in which the hole (7) in the end wall of the sheath is complementary in shape, such that said projection can be inserted into said hole only if said projection and said hole are in correspondence, said projection thus constituting a key that prevents a child inserting said projection easily into said hole.
8. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the tank (10) includes a cylindrical side wall (16) in which a piston (17) forming the end wall of said tank (10) is slidably received, said projection (33, 33a, 33', 33'a) of the cover (30) being adapted to press against said piston (17) during actuation of the device.
9. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the tank (10) includes a rigid wall (19) and a flexible wall (18) forming the end wall of said tank (10), said projection (33, 33a, 33', 33'a) of the cover (30) being adapted to press against said flexible wall (18) during actuation of the device.
10. A device according to any preceding claim, in which the push rod (15) of the ejection means is separated from the outlet (23) of the pusher endpiece (20) before the first actuation of the push rod (15), said push rod (15) being received in said outlet channel (23) during said first actuation, and the tank (10) being a sliding fit in the sheath.

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