EP0623060B1 - Improved precompression pump - Google Patents

Improved precompression pump Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0623060B1
EP0623060B1 EP93904092A EP93904092A EP0623060B1 EP 0623060 B1 EP0623060 B1 EP 0623060B1 EP 93904092 A EP93904092 A EP 93904092A EP 93904092 A EP93904092 A EP 93904092A EP 0623060 B1 EP0623060 B1 EP 0623060B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
plunger
push rod
pump
lip
ram
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP93904092A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0623060A1 (en
Inventor
Jean-Pierre Lina
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aptar France SAS
Original Assignee
Valois SAS
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of EP0623060A1 publication Critical patent/EP0623060A1/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
    • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
    • B05B11/1001—Piston pumps
    • B05B11/1023—Piston pumps having an outlet valve opened by deformation or displacement of the piston relative to its actuating stem
    • B05B11/1025—Piston pumps having an outlet valve opened by deformation or displacement of the piston relative to its actuating stem a spring urging the outlet valve in its closed position
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
    • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
    • B05B11/1097—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle with means for sucking back the liquid or other fluent material in the nozzle after a dispensing stroke
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
    • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
    • B05B11/1042—Components or details
    • B05B11/1043—Sealing or attachment arrangements between pump and container
    • B05B11/1046—Sealing or attachment arrangements between pump and container the pump chamber being arranged substantially coaxially to the neck of the container
    • B05B11/1047—Sealing or attachment arrangements between pump and container the pump chamber being arranged substantially coaxially to the neck of the container the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
    • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
    • B05B11/1042—Components or details
    • B05B11/1073—Springs
    • B05B11/1074—Springs located outside pump chambers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an improved precompression pump, more particularly intended for spraying or dispensing a fluid product for example, such as a perfume, a cosmetic product or a pharmaceutical product.
  • a fluid product for example, such as a perfume, a cosmetic product or a pharmaceutical product.
  • Such a liquid or pasty pump is generally actuated using a finger.
  • a particular type of manual precompression pump is described in document FR-A-2 403 465.
  • This type of pump comprises a cylindrical pump body in which an annular piston slides, said piston being controlled by a push rod which slides in said piston and which comprises an outlet channel opening into the pump body through a lateral opening, the piston comprising a substantially axial annular lip which cooperates with the push rod to close or release said lateral opening, the push rod being connected to the piston by a first elastic means which pushes the piston towards a position where it closes said lateral opening, said elastic means urging said piston towards an annular gland which urges said lip radially towards the push rod, by wedge effect.
  • the present invention aims to solve this technical problem.
  • the present invention relates to a pump of the type described above, characterized in that the gland is further adapted to abut against the piston outside said lip, which limits the relative approximation between the gland and the piston and limits therefore the radial force applied to said lip of the piston.
  • the first end of the pump body may comprise an intake valve
  • the pump may include an intake valve and the pump also comprises a second elastic means which urges the push rod towards said second end of the pump body.
  • the gland may have an inner annular surface facing the central lip of the piston, flared by widening towards the second end of the pump body.
  • the central lip of the piston may comprise the central lip of the piston has an outer annular surface, facing the gland, which has an outer diameter increasing towards the second end of the pump body.
  • the gland may include a crown adapted to abut against the piston outside the central lip, said crown having radial cutouts.
  • the part of the push rod on which the central lip of the piston slides with sealing can be cylindrical.
  • this part of the push rod may include a peripheral relief projecting radially outwards in the vicinity of the lateral opening of the push rod, the central lip of the piston having a cylindrical inner surface facing said relief.
  • the piston may include reliefs on which said helical spring rests.
  • the piston may include at least one periphery sliding in sealed contact against a part of the push rod, between the lateral opening of said push rod and its outer end.
  • the pumps described here are generally made of molded plastic, the seals being generally made of elastomer and the springs of metal.
  • the pump shown in FIG. 1 comprises a hollow cylindrical pump body 1, having an axis of revolution 2.
  • the pump body 1 has an open upper end 1c and a lower throttle 1a extended downwards by an inlet duct 1b suitable for communicating with a reservoir of product to be dispensed (not shown), directly or through a dip tube (not shown).
  • the pump body further comprises a lower part of reduced internal diameter 1e, which extends from the lower constriction 1a in the direction of the open end 1c of the pump body, up to an internal shoulder 1d of said body.
  • the pump body 1 delimits a pump chamber 6 which normally contains product to be dispensed, and which communicates with the inlet duct 1b via an inlet valve, which may for example comprise a conical seat 16, formed in the pump body 1 between the lower constriction 1a and the inlet duct 1b, and a ball 15 adapted to be applied so tight on the conical seat 16 by closing the inlet duct 1b, when an overpressure is created in the pump chamber 6.
  • an inlet valve which may for example comprise a conical seat 16, formed in the pump body 1 between the lower constriction 1a and the inlet duct 1b, and a ball 15 adapted to be applied so tight on the conical seat 16 by closing the inlet duct 1b, when an overpressure is created in the pump chamber 6.
  • the ball 15 comes off from its seat 16 by opening the inlet duct 1b.
  • the ball 15 can be metallic.
  • the inlet valve could have any other known shape, without departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.
  • the pump body 1 can for example be mounted on the neck of the product tank using a metal cup 10 set on the open upper end 1c of the pump body, said metal cup having a bottom 10a provided with a central opening 10b.
  • An annular flat seal 31 is disposed between the open end 1c of the pump body and the bottom 10a of the metal cup. It goes without saying that the pump body 1 could be fixed by any other known means to the reservoir, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
  • the piston 3 has an outer skirt 5, at least one periphery of which is in sealed contact with the pump body 1, and a conduit interior 3d axial, substantially cylindrical.
  • the skirt 5 of the piston extends towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body, but it could possibly also extend towards the bottom 10a of the cup 10, so as to abut against the seal 31 when the pump is in a rest position.
  • the piston 3 further comprises an annular lower lip 4 which extends axially towards the constriction 1a of the pump body and which is arranged in the center of the piston 3, around the inner duct 3d.
  • a push rod 7 centered on the axis 2 slides in the piston 3.
  • the push rod 7 passes through the orifice 10b of the metal cup, and extends from a first end 7j inside the pump body up to 'at a second end 7f outside the pump body, which generally receives a pusher.
  • the push rod 7 has a collar 7d extended towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body by a cylindrical part 7g, with an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the pipe 3d of the piston; said cylindrical part 7g of the sliding rod with sealing in said 3d conduit. Between the collar 7d and the piston 3 is disposed a helical spring 34.
  • the push rod 7 is biased by the spring 34 towards the open end 1c of the pump body, and its stroke is limited upwards by the stop of the collar 7d against the flat seal 31 and the bottom 10a of the cup. At rest, the collar 7d of the push rod is therefore applied sealingly against the seal 31.
  • the push rod 7 is pierced with an axial blind channel 7a, which opens laterally through at least one orifice 7b.
  • the orifice 7b is covered by the conduit 3a of the piston when the pump is in a rest position, that is to say when no action is exerted on the push rod 7.
  • the 3d conduit could be in tight contact with the rod 7 over the entire height of said conduit.
  • the 3d pipe has two zones of reduced internal diameter 3b and 3c, located respectively above and below the orifice 7b when the pump is in its rest position, the zone 3c being formed inside the central lower lip 4, and the said zones 3b and 3c being in sealed contact with the rod 7.
  • An annular gland 8 having substantially the shape of a crown of revolution around the axis 2, is disposed under the central lower lip 4 of the piston and urged upwards by a helical spring 35, of stiffness less than the stiffness of the spring 34, which rests on the lower constriction 1a of the pump body.
  • the central lower lip 4 of the piston may comprise a frustoconical outer surface 4a, of outer diameter decreasing downwards, from a maximum diameter to a minimum diameter.
  • the piston 3 may have a flat annular face 3a, the normal of which is directed downward, extending radially between the central lower lip 4 and the skirt 5.
  • the gland 8 may comprise a cylindrical inner conduit 8a of diameter included between the maximum diameter and the minimum diameter of the frustoconical surface 4a, said cylindrical inner duct 8a being extended towards the piston 3 by a ring 8b of diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the frustoconical surface 4a.
  • the crown 8b advantageously comprises radial cutouts 8d, the utility of which will be seen later.
  • the gland 8 Between the cylindrical inner duct 8a and the crown 8b, the gland 8 has an annular shoulder provided with an inner edge 8c, preferably rounded so as not to have a sharp angle.
  • the inner edge 8c is applied against a periphery of the frustoconical outer surface 4a of the piston by the action of the spring 35.
  • the inner edge 8c exerts on the central lower lip 4 both an axial force directed towards the end 1c of the pump body, and a radial force directed towards the push rod 7, by wedge effect, under the action of the springs 34 and 35.
  • the crown 8b is in abutment against the annular face 3a of the piston, and exerts on the piston an axial force directed towards the end 1c of the pump body.
  • the gland 8 applies said central lower lip 4 of the piston elastically against the push rod 7, while pushing the piston 3 upwards.
  • the clamping effect of the gland 8 is limited by the stop of the crown 8b on the surface 3a of the piston: this tightening effect is thus controlled with great precision, which prevents jamming of the lip 4 or its deformation by creep.
  • the central lower lip 4 is located at a certain distance below the lateral orifice 7b of the push rod, so that the radial tightening force exerted on the lip 4 does not risk wedging said lip 4 in the orifice 7b by an extrusion phenomenon.
  • the orifice 7b is chamfered or enlarged at its outlet on the rod 7.
  • the enlarged part 7c of the orifice 7b can be produced by a relief of the mold in which the rod 7 is formed, while the orifice 7b itself can be produced by a spindle which penetrates into the mold during molding, so that the edges of the enlarged part 7c are sharp and free from any molding defect, while the edges of the orifice 7b itself even may have small molding defects due to the translation of the spindle during molding. As the lip 4 slides on the edges of the enlarged part 7c, these possible faults are not troublesome.
  • the push rod 7 can be produced as shown in FIG. 2a, in two parts.
  • the rod 7 has a first narrowed cylindrical part 60 which extends the cylindrical part 7g downwards.
  • the lateral orifice 7b opens into said part 60.
  • This part 60 itself extends downwards by a second narrower cylindrical part 61, then by a frustoconical narrowing 62, then by a short cylindrical part 63 which ends in a external relief 64 at the lower end of the rod 7.
  • a cylindrical annular ring 65 of external diameter equal to the diameter of the cylindrical part 7g, is fitted onto the parts 61, 62, 63, and snapped onto the relief 64.
  • the ring 65 has an outer upper edge 65a chamfered or rounded. In this variant, any possibility of poor quality molding is eliminated at the places where the piston 3 slides on the rod 7 and the ring 65, and in particular at the edge 65a.
  • the operation of the pump is as follows.
  • the pump chamber 6 generally contains product to be sprayed or dispensed. As the product it contains is incompressible, the piston 3 cannot descend into the pump chamber: only the push rod 7 therefore descends, compressing the spring 34 and possibly causing a slight rise of the piston 3 in the body pump.
  • the cutouts 8d also facilitate the evacuation of the air contained in the pump chamber, when priming the pump, by preventing this air from being trapped under the piston.
  • the piston 3 then descends into the pump body 1 as the volume of product contained in the pump chamber 6 decreases, by compressing the spring 35, until the gland 8 comes into abutment against the shoulder 1d, where the downward movement of the push rod 7 and the piston 3 ceases.
  • the gland 8 could abut against any part integral with the pump body 1, without departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.
  • the force exerted by the gland 8 on the piston 3 can therefore be significant, but it is taken up both by the annular face 3a and the central lower lip 4, which limits the force taken up by the part frustoconical lower 4a, and therefore also limits the radial tightening force exerted on said central lower lip 4 towards the push rod 7.
  • the relative axial position of the gland 8 relative to the piston is precisely fixed by the stop of the crown 8b of the gland against the annular face 3a of the piston, so that the radial deformation of said frustoconical lower part 4a towards the push rod 7 is limited.
  • the pump body 1 is pierced with an air intake orifice 18, located in the vicinity of the upper end 1c of said pump body.
  • the collar 7d is no longer in contact with the seal 31, so that air can pass between the push rod 7 and the seal 31.
  • the pump could not include an air intake orifice 18, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the pump according to the invention.
  • the pump of FIGS. 4 and 5 is an improvement on the pump shown in FIG. 7b of European patent application EP-A-0 486 378.
  • the pump comprises a hollow cylindrical pump body 1, having an axis of revolution 2.
  • the pump body 1 extends between an open upper end 1c, and a lower throttle 1a which is extended by an inlet duct 1b adapted to communicate with a reservoir containing the product to be dispensed (not shown), directly or through a dip tube 1f.
  • the pump body 1 delimits a pump chamber 6 which normally contains product to be dispensed, and which communicates with the inlet duct 1b by means of an inlet valve.
  • the outlet valve can for example comprise a conical seat 16 and a ball 15 adapted to be applied in a sealed manner on the conical seat 16 by closing the inlet duct 1b, when an overpressure is created in the pump chamber 6.
  • the ball 15 comes off from its seat 16 by opening the inlet duct 1b.
  • the inlet valve could have any other known shape, without departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.
  • the pump body 1 can be mounted on the neck of the product reservoir using a metal cup 10 crimped on the open upper end 1c of the pump body, said metal cup having a bottom 10a provided with 'a central opening 10b.
  • the metal cup 10 has at in addition to a widening 10c, and a flat annular seal 31b is disposed between the widening 10c and the neck of the reservoir.
  • the piston 3 has an outer skirt 5, at least one periphery of which is in sealed contact with the pump body 1, and a conduit interior 3d axial.
  • the piston 3 further comprises an annular lower lip 4 which extends axially towards the constriction 1a of the pump body and which is arranged in the center of the piston 3, around the inner duct 3d.
  • the pump comprises an axial push rod 40, centered on the axis 2, which passes through the orifice 10b of the metal cup.
  • the push rod 40 is formed in two parts, and comprises an outer sleeve 41 fixed to an inner core 42, by force fitting or by other means.
  • the outer sleeve 41 has a shape of revolution around the axis 2. It passes through the central orifice 10b of the metal cup 10, and extends outside the pump body 1, to an outer end or upper 41f, which can receive a pusher 43.
  • the pusher 43 allows both the actuation of the pump and the said product outlet. As shown in Figure 4, the pusher may have a side outlet, optionally provided with a spray nozzle 43a.
  • the pusher 43 could have any other known shape without departing from the scope of the present invention.
  • the sleeve 41 has an axial channel 41a which passes through it. From the outer end 41f, the sleeve 41 extends to the inside of the pump body, to a collar 41c which extends substantially radially outward.
  • the sleeve 41 may be provided with a cylindrical skirt 41d, which extends towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body from the collar 41c.
  • the cylindrical skirt 41d has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the collar 41c, and an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the inner core 42.
  • the inner core 42 has a first cylindrical part 42c which extends from an upper end 42f in the direction of the lower constriction 1a of the pump body.
  • the upper end 42f is fitted into the sleeve 41.
  • Said first cylindrical part 42 c of the core 42 extends towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body by a second cylindrical part 42d of greater diameter.
  • the core 42 is pierced with an axial blind channel 42a which communicates with the channel 41 a of the outer sleeve 41, and which opens laterally, through at least one orifice 42b formed in the first cylindrical part 42c, in the vicinity of the second cylindrical part 42d.
  • the inner lip central 4 of the piston is cylindrical, and has a cylindrical internal surface 4b having an internal diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the second cylindrical part 42d of the core 42.
  • the piston 3 comprises a cylindrical part 45 which extends axially in the direction of the end 1c of the pump body, around the core 42.
  • Said cylindrical part 45 has an external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the skirt 41d of the sleeve 41, so that said cylindrical part 45 slides with sealing inside the skirt 41d.
  • the cylindrical part 45 could advantageously be replaced by a frustoconical part which widens slightly upwards, so as to improve the seal.
  • said part 45 can be reinforced by ribs (not shown) which extend radially inwards. and which slide against the second cylindrical part 42c of the core 42.
  • the cylindrical part 45 and the skirt 41d thus define an annular suction chamber 46, arranged around the core 42, which communicates with the orifice 42b, because the piston 3 is not in leaktight contact with the first cylindrical part 42c of the core 42. The usefulness of this suction chamber will be seen below.
  • the core 42 is extended radially outwards by a widening 42e, which itself can extend towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body by a skirt 42g.
  • the skirt 42g cooperates with axial ribs 1g, formed inside the pump body 1 and which extend over a certain distance from the lower constriction 1a of said body pump, to guide the core 42 in its movement inside the pump body.
  • the enlargement 42e of the core 42 comprises a crown 44, which extends axially from said enlargement 42 towards the piston 3.
  • this crown is interrupted by radial cutouts 44a, as shown in FIG. 5.
  • a precompression spring 47 is disposed between the collar 41c of the sleeve 41 and the piston 3, so as to push said piston 3 towards the crown 44.
  • the piston 3 has an annular surface 3a radial between the skirt 5 and the lip 4. Under the effect of the precompression spring 47, said annular surface 3a is applied against the crown 44.
  • the crown 44 has an internal surface 44b frustoconical, which widens in the direction of the upper end 1c of the pump body and which exerts a radial clamping force, by wedge effect, on the lip 4 when the ring 44 is in abutment against the surface 3a of the piston.
  • the seal of the contact between the lip 4 and the second cylindrical part 42d of the core 42 is reinforced, while the clamping force exerted by the crown 44 is precisely controlled by the abutment of said crown 44 against the surface 3a of the piston, which avoids irreversible deformations or jamming of the lip 4 of the piston.
  • the lower enlargement 42e of the core 42 is pierced with orifices 42h which facilitate the passage of the product during expulsion, but these orifices could be omitted without leaving the frame of the invention as described in the claims.
  • the pump comprises a return spring 48 disposed between the enlargement 42e of the core and the lower constriction 1a of the pump body.
  • the return spring 48 biases the core 42 and therefore the assembly of the push rod 40, towards the open end of the pump body.
  • the collar 41c of the sleeve 41 is applied in abutment against the bottom 10a of the metal cup 10.
  • An annular seal 31a is interposed between the collar 41c and the bottom 10a of the cup 10.
  • the piston 3 has slots or ribs 49 arranged substantially radially, on which the precompression spring 47 rests.
  • the precompression spring 47 is a helical spring, its end turns may be at rest included in a plane not perpendicular to the axis 2.
  • the spring 47 would tend to deform the piston, or at least the outer skirt 5 of the piston, by imposing on it a certain cant, that is to say a certain rotation around an axis perpendicular to the axis 2, and this all the more easily as the push rod 40 is formed in two parts fitted one inside the other.
  • the operation of the pump in FIG. 4 is as follows.
  • a user presses the plunger 43 he lowers the push rod 40 inside the pump body, which biases the piston 3 downwards, due to the precompression spring 47.
  • the volume of the chamber pump 6 therefore tends to decrease, so that there is an overpressure which presses the ball 15 against its seat 16, isolating the pump chamber 6.
  • the piston 3 cannot descend into the pump chamber: only the push rod 40 therefore descends, and possibly the piston 3 rises slightly in the pump body.
  • the return spring 48 is compressed, as is the precompression spring 47.
  • the value of the pressure prevailing in the pump chamber for which the product is expelled is determined by the thrust exerted by the spring 47 at the end of the sliding stroke of the lip 4 on the cylindrical part 42d, and this thrust is greater than the thrust exerted by the precompression spring 47 on the piston 3 at rest.
  • This is advantageous insofar as it is thus possible to slightly decrease the thrust at rest exerted by the spring 47 on the piston 3, which further tends to reduce the possible deformations imposed by the spring 47 on the piston 3.
  • the lateral orifice 42b of the core 42 is drilled in the first cylindrical part 42a of said core, on which the piston 3 slides without sealing.
  • the edges of the orifice 42b have slight molding defects, these do not interfere at all with the sliding of the piston 3 on the core 42.
  • the expulsion rate of the product is improved.
  • the volume of the suction chamber 46 increases, and as the piston 3 slides without sealing on the first cylindrical part 42c of the core 42, the suction chamber 46 communicates with the orifice 42b, so that the increase in volume of the suction chamber 46 produces suction in the axial channel 42a of the core 42, in the channel 41a of the sleeve 41, and in the outlet passage of the pusher 43.
  • the product contained in the pusher 43 does not drip or ooze outside of said pusher during storage of the device, particularly when the product has a pasty consistency.
  • the return spring 48 of the push rod 40 could be mounted outside the pump body, for example between a collar of the sleeve 41 and the bottom 10a of the cup 10.
  • Figures 7 and 8 show a variant of the pump of Figures 4 to 6.
  • the structure of the pump of Figures 7 and 8 is very similar to that of Figures 4 to 6, so that it will not be described again in detail here. It differs from the pump in FIGS. 4 to 6 by the fact that the enlargement 42e of the core 42 does not include an orifice 42h, and also by the fact that the enlarged lower part 42d of the core 42 is no longer cylindrical, but frustoconical, widening upwards. Thus, said part 42d of the core 42 forms an annular edge 50 projecting around the core 42.
  • the pump of Figure 9 has a structure very similar to that of Figure 7, and will therefore not be described again in detail here.
  • This pump differs from that of FIG. 7 in that it is intended to spray or distribute a single dose of product, initially contained in the pump chamber 6.
  • the pump in FIG. 9 does not have any air return orifice 18. It also does not include the re-aspiration chamber 46 of the pump of FIG. 7, in which case the piston 3 must slide with sealing on the core 42 of the rod 40. It will however be noted that the re-aspiration chamber 46 could possibly be maintained as in FIG. 7, although re-aspiration is of little interest in the present case.
  • the pump of figure 9 does not has no inlet valve 15, 16, or inlet duct 1b, but only a filling passage 60 in the bottom 1a of the pump body, closed by a ball or other equivalent means.

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Abstract

A precompression pump comprising a cylindrical pump housing (1) containing a slidable annular plunger (3) controlled by a push rod (40) which slides in said plunger and comprises an outlet channel (41a, 42a) leading to the pump housing (1) via a side opening (42b). The plunger comprises a substantially axial annular lip (4) that interacts with the push rod to block or clear said side opening, said push rod being connected to the plunger by a first resilient member (47) which pushes the plunger back into a position in which said side opening is blocked, and radially urges said plunger towards an annular ram (44) which in turn radially urges said lip (4) towards the push rod (40) by wedging it. Said ram (44) is further designed to abut the plunger (3) outside said lip (4), whereby the movement of the ram (44) and plunger (3) towards one another, and therefore the radial stress imparted to said plunger lip (4), are limited.

Description

La présente invention concerne une pompe à précompression perfectionnée, plus particulièrement destinée à pulvériser ou distribuer un produit fluide par exemple, tel qu'un parfum, un produit cosmétique ou un produit pharmaceutique. Une telle pompe liqude ou pâteux est généralement actionnée à l'aide d'un doigt.The present invention relates to an improved precompression pump, more particularly intended for spraying or dispensing a fluid product for example, such as a perfume, a cosmetic product or a pharmaceutical product. Such a liquid or pasty pump is generally actuated using a finger.

Un type particulier de pompe manuelle à précompression est exposé dans le document FR-A-2 403 465. Ce type de pompe comporte un corps de pompe cylindrique dans lequel coulisse un piston annulaire, ledit piston étant commandé par une tige-poussoir qui coulisse dans ledit piston et qui comporte un canal de sortie débouchant dans le corps de pompe par une ouverture latérale, le piston comportant une lèvre annulaire sensiblement axiale qui coopère avec la tige-poussoir pour obturer ou dégager ladite ouverture latérale, la tige-poussoir étant connectée au piston par un premier moyen élastique qui repousse le piston vers une position où il obture ladite ouverture latérale, ledit moyen élastique sollicitant ledit piston vers un fouloir annulaire qui sollicite radialement ladite lèvre vers la tige-poussoir, par effet de coin.A particular type of manual precompression pump is described in document FR-A-2 403 465. This type of pump comprises a cylindrical pump body in which an annular piston slides, said piston being controlled by a push rod which slides in said piston and which comprises an outlet channel opening into the pump body through a lateral opening, the piston comprising a substantially axial annular lip which cooperates with the push rod to close or release said lateral opening, the push rod being connected to the piston by a first elastic means which pushes the piston towards a position where it closes said lateral opening, said elastic means urging said piston towards an annular gland which urges said lip radially towards the push rod, by wedge effect.

Dans ce type de pompe, l'effort radial exercé sur ladite lèvre du piston est mal maîtrisé. Ceci peut conduire au cours du temps à une déformation de la lèvre par fluage, à des coincements, de la lèvre dans l'ouverture latérale de la tige-poussoir, éventuellement à des arrachements de la lèvre.In this type of pump, the radial force exerted on said lip of the piston is poorly controlled. This can lead over time to a deformation of the lip by creep, to jamming of the lip in the lateral opening of the push rod, possibly to tearing of the lip.

La présente invention a pour but de résoudre ce problème technique.The present invention aims to solve this technical problem.

La présente invention a pour objet une pompe du type décrit ci-dessus, caractérisée en ce que le fouloir est en outre adapté à buter contre le piston en dehors de ladite lèvre, ce qui limite le rapprochement relatif entre le fouloir et le piston et limite donc l'effort radial appliqué à ladite lèvre du piston.The present invention relates to a pump of the type described above, characterized in that the gland is further adapted to abut against the piston outside said lip, which limits the relative approximation between the gland and the piston and limits therefore the radial force applied to said lip of the piston.

Selon une première forme de réalisation, correspondant à la pompe décrite dans le document FR-2 403 465 susmentionné, l'invention a pour objet une pompe à précompression comportant au moins :

  • un corps de pompe cylindrique s'étendant entre une première extrémité et une seconde extrémité,
  • un piston annulaire coulissant axialement dans ledit corps de pompe,
  • une tige-poussoir coulissant dans ledit piston et traversant ladite seconde extrémité du corps de pompe, ladite tige-poussoir s'étendant entre une première extrémité à l'extérieur du corps de pompe et une deuxième extrémité à l'intérieur du corps de pompe, ladite tige-poussoir ayant un canal borgne qui s'étend axialement à partir de l'extrémité extérieure de la tige-poussoir jusqu'à une ouverture latérale qui débouche à l'intérieur du corps de pompe, le piston comportant une lèvre centrale annulaire s'étendant sur une certaine distance vers la première extrémité du corps de pompe, ladite lèvre centrale étant adaptée à coulisser en contact étanche au moins sur une partie de la tige-poussoir, située entre ladite ouverture latérale et la deuxième extrémité de la tige-poussoir, ladite lèvre centrale étant adaptée à dégager l'ouverture latérale de la tige-pousssoir lorsque le piston est déplacé suffisamment vers la première extrémité de la tige-poussoir,
  • un premier moyen élastique monté entre la tige-poussoir et le piston de façon à solliciter ledit piston vers la deuxième extrémité de la tige-poussoir,
  • un fouloir annulaire disposé entre le piston et ladite première extrémité du corps de pompe, monté coulissant dans ledit corps de pompe et mobile axialement par rapport à la tige-pousssoir,
  • un second moyen élastique sollicitant le fouloir vers la deuxième extrémité du corps de pompe en appliquant le fouloir contre la lèvre centrale du piston, ledit fouloir et ladite lèvre centrale ayant des formes adaptées à ce que le fouloir applique à la lèvre centrale un effort de serrage radial dirigé vers l'intérieur, par effet de coin, tout en sollicitant axialement ladite lèvre centrale vers la seconde extrémité du corps de pompe,
caractérisée en ce que le fouloir est en outre adapté à buter contre le piston à l'extérieur de ladite lèvre centrale, ce qui limite le rapprochement relatif entre le fouloir et le piston et limite donc l'effort de serrage radial appliqué à la lèvre centrale du piston.According to a first embodiment, corresponding to the pump described in the document FR-2 403 465 mentioned above, the subject of the invention is a precompression pump comprising at least:
  • a cylindrical pump body extending between a first end and a second end,
  • an annular piston sliding axially in said pump body,
  • a push rod sliding in said piston and passing through said second end of the pump body, said push rod extending between a first end outside the pump body and a second end inside the pump body, said push rod having a blind channel which extends axially from the outer end of the push rod to a lateral opening which opens inside the pump body, the piston comprising an annular central lip s extending over a certain distance towards the first end of the pump body, said central lip being adapted to slide in sealed contact at least on a part of the push rod, situated between said lateral opening and the second end of the push rod, said central lip being adapted clearing the lateral opening of the push rod when the piston is moved sufficiently towards the first end of the push rod,
  • a first elastic means mounted between the push rod and the piston so as to urge said piston towards the second end of the push rod,
  • an annular gland placed between the piston and said first end of the pump body, mounted to slide in said pump body and movable axially relative to the push rod,
  • a second elastic means urging the gland towards the second end of the pump body by applying the gland against the central lip of the piston, said gland and said central lip having shapes suitable for the gland applying a clamping force to the central lip radial directed inwards, by wedge effect, while axially biasing said central lip towards the second end of the pump body,
characterized in that the gland is further adapted to abut against the piston outside said central lip, which limits the relative approximation between the gland and the piston and therefore limits the radial tightening force applied to the central lip piston.

La première extrémité du corps de pompe peut comporter un clapet d'admission, et la pompe peur comporter un clapet d'admission et la pompe comporte en outre un second moyen élastique qui sollicite la tige-poussoir vers ladite seconde extrémité du corps de pompe.The first end of the pump body may comprise an intake valve, and the pump may include an intake valve and the pump also comprises a second elastic means which urges the push rod towards said second end of the pump body.

Selon une deuxième forme de réalisation, l'invention a pour objet une pompe à précompression comportant au moins :

  • un corps de pompe cylindrique s'étendant entre une première extrémité dotée d'un clapet d'admission et une seconde extrémité,
  • un piston annulaire coulissant axialement dans ledit corps de pompe,
  • une tige-poussoir coulissant dans ledit piston et traversant ladite seconde extrémité du corps de pompe, ladite tige-poussoir s'étendant axialement entre une première extrémité à l'extérieur du corps de pompe et une deuxième extrémité à l'intérieur du corps de pompe, ladite tige-poussoir ayant un canal borgne qui s'étend axialement à partir de la première extrémité de la tige-poussoir jusqu'à une ouverture latérale qui débouche à l'intérieur du corps de pompe, le piston comportant une lèvre centrale annulaire qui s'étend sur une certaine distance vers la première extrémité du corps de pompe, ladite lèvre centrale étant adaptée à coulisser en contact étanche au moins sur une partie de la tige-poussoir située entre ladite ouverture latérale et la deuxième extrémité de la tige-poussoir, ladite lèvre centrale étant adaptée à dégager l'ouverture latérale de la tige-poussoir lorsque le piston est déplacé suffisamment vers la première extrémité de la tige-poussoir,
caractérisée en ce que la pompe comporte en outre :
  • un fouloir annulaire solidaire de la tige-poussoir et disposé entre l'ouverture latérale de la tige-poussoir et la première extrémité du corps de pompe,
  • un premier moyen élastique monté entre la tige-poussoir et le piston et sollicitant ledit piston vers le fouloir, de sorte que la lèvre centrale du piston est appliquée contre le fouloir, le fouloir et la lèvre centrale ayant des formes adaptées à ce que le fouloir applique à la lèvre centrale un effort de serrage radial dirigé vers l'intérieur, par effet de coin,
et le fouloir est en outre adapté à buter contre le piston à l'extérieur de la lèvre centrale, ce qui limite le rapprochement relatif entre le fouloir et le piston et limite donc l'effort de serrage radial appliqué à la lèvre centrale du piston.According to a second embodiment, the invention relates to a precompression pump comprising at least:
  • a cylindrical pump body extending between a first end provided with an inlet valve and a second end,
  • an annular piston sliding axially in said pump body,
  • a push rod sliding in said piston and passing through said second end of the pump body, said push rod extending axially between a first end outside the pump body and a second end inside the pump body , said push rod having a blind channel which extends axially from the first end of the push rod to a lateral opening which opens into the interior of the pump body, the piston comprising an annular central lip which spans a certain distance to the first end of the pump body, said central lip being adapted to slide in sealed contact at least on a part of the push rod situated between said lateral opening and the second end of the push rod, said central lip being adapted to clear the lateral opening of the push rod when the piston is moved sufficiently towards the first end of the push rod,
characterized in that the pump further comprises:
  • an annular gland integral with the push rod and disposed between the lateral opening of the push rod and the first end of the pump body,
  • a first elastic means mounted between the push rod and the piston and urging said piston towards the gland, so that the central lip of the piston is applied against the gland, the gland and the central lip having shapes suitable for the gland applies to the central lip a radial tightening force directed inwards, by wedge effect,
and the gland is further adapted to abut against the piston outside the central lip, which limits the relative approximation between the gland and the piston and therefore limits the radial tightening force applied to the central lip of the piston.

Le fouloir peut comporter une surface annulaire intérieure en regard de la lèvre centrale du piston, évasée en s'élargissant vers la seconde extrémité du corps de pompe. La lèvre centrale du piston peut comporter la lèvre centrale du piston comporte une surface annulaire extérieure, en regard du fouloir, qui a un diamètre extérieur croissant en direction de la seconde extrémité du corps de pompe.The gland may have an inner annular surface facing the central lip of the piston, flared by widening towards the second end of the pump body. The central lip of the piston may comprise the central lip of the piston has an outer annular surface, facing the gland, which has an outer diameter increasing towards the second end of the pump body.

Le fouloir peut comporter une couronne adaptée à buter contre le piston à l'extérieur de la lèvre centrale, ladite couronne comportant des découpes radiales.The gland may include a crown adapted to abut against the piston outside the central lip, said crown having radial cutouts.

La partie de la tige-poussoir sur laquelle coulisse avec étanchéité la lèvre centrale du piston peut être cylindrique. En variante, cette partie de la tige-poussoir peut comporter un relief périphérique saillant radialement vers l'extérieur au voisinage de l'ouverture latérale de la tige-poussoir, la lèvre centrale du piston présentant une surface intérieure cylindrique en regard dudit relief.The part of the push rod on which the central lip of the piston slides with sealing can be cylindrical. As a variant, this part of the push rod may include a peripheral relief projecting radially outwards in the vicinity of the lateral opening of the push rod, the central lip of the piston having a cylindrical inner surface facing said relief.

Dans le cas où le premier moyen élastique est un ressort hélicoïdal, le piston peut comporter dés reliefs sur lesquels s'appuie ledit ressort hélicoïdal.In the case where the first elastic means is a helical spring, the piston may include reliefs on which said helical spring rests.

Le piston peut comporter au moins une périphérie coulissant en contact étanche contre une partie de la tige-poussoir, entre l'ouverture latérale de ladite tige-poussoir et son extrémité extérieure.The piston may include at least one periphery sliding in sealed contact against a part of the push rod, between the lateral opening of said push rod and its outer end.

D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de l'invention apparaîtront à la lecture de la description suivante de plusieurs formes de réalisation particulières de l'invention, données à titre d'exemples non limitatifs, en regard des dessins joints.Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Sur les dessins :

  • la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'une pompe selon une première forme de réalisation de l'invention, en position de repos,
  • la figure 2 est une vue agrandie en coupe partielle de la pompe de la figure 1, en position de repos,
  • la figure 2a est une vue similaire à la figure 2, pour une variante de réalisation,
  • la figure 3 est une vue agrandie en coupe partielle de la pompe de la figure 1, en position de butée du fouloir,
  • la figure 4 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'une pompe selon une deuxième forme de réalisation de l'invention, en position de repos,
  • la figure 5 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne V-V de la pompe de la figure 4,
  • la figure 6 est une vue développée montrant l'appui du ressort de précompression sur les nervures d'appui du piston de la pompe de la figure 4, en exagérant les déformations des nervures,
  • la figure 7 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'une variante de la pompe de la figure 4,
  • la figure 8 est une vue de détail de la figure 6, et
  • la figure 9 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'une variante de la pompe de la figure 7, destinée à pulvériser une seule dose de produit.
In the drawings:
  • FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a pump according to a first embodiment of the invention, in the rest position,
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in partial section of the pump of FIG. 1, in the rest position,
  • FIG. 2a is a view similar to FIG. 2, for an alternative embodiment,
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in partial section of the pump of FIG. 1, in the stop position of the gland,
  • FIG. 4 is a view in longitudinal section of a pump according to a second embodiment of the invention, in the rest position,
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line VV of the pump of FIG. 4,
  • FIG. 6 is a developed view showing the support of the precompression spring on the support ribs of the piston of the pump of FIG. 4, by exaggerating the deformations of the ribs,
  • FIG. 7 is a view in longitudinal section of a variant of the pump of FIG. 4,
  • FIG. 8 is a detailed view of FIG. 6, and
  • Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a variant of the pump of Figure 7, intended to spray a single dose of product.

Sur les différentes figures, les mêmes références désignent des parties identiques ou similaires.In the different figures, the same references designate identical or similar parts.

Les pompes décrites ici sont généralement réalisées en matière plastique moulée, les joints d'étanchéité étant généralement réalisés en élastomère et les ressorts en métal.The pumps described here are generally made of molded plastic, the seals being generally made of elastomer and the springs of metal.

La pompe présentée sur la figure 1 comporte un corps de pompe 1 cylindrique creux, ayant un axe de révolution 2. Le corps de pompe 1 comporte une extrémité supérieure 1c ouverte et un étranglement inférieur 1a prolongé vers le bas par un conduit d'entrée 1b adapté à communiquer avec un réservoir de produit à distribuer (non représenté), directement ou par un tube plongeur (non représenté). Le corps de pompe comporte en outre une partie inférieure de diamètre intérieur réduit 1e, qui s'étend depuis l'étranglement inférieur 1a en direction de l'extémité ouverte 1c du corps de pompe, jusqu'à un épaulement intérieur 1d dudit corps.The pump shown in FIG. 1 comprises a hollow cylindrical pump body 1, having an axis of revolution 2. The pump body 1 has an open upper end 1c and a lower throttle 1a extended downwards by an inlet duct 1b suitable for communicating with a reservoir of product to be dispensed (not shown), directly or through a dip tube (not shown). The pump body further comprises a lower part of reduced internal diameter 1e, which extends from the lower constriction 1a in the direction of the open end 1c of the pump body, up to an internal shoulder 1d of said body.

Le corps de pompe 1 délimite une chambre de pompe 6 qui contient normalement du produit à distribuer, et qui communique avec le conduit d'entrée 1b par l'intermédiaire d'un clapet d'entrée, qui peut par exemple comporter un siège conique 16, formé dans le corps de pompe 1 entre l'étranglement inférieur 1a et le conduit d'entrée 1b, et une bille 15 adaptéee à s'appliquer de façon étanche sur le siège conique 16 en fermant le conduit d'entrée 1b, lorsqu'une surpression est créée dans la chambre de pompe 6. Lorsqu'une dépression est créée dans la chambre de pompe 6, au contraire, la bille 15 se décolle de son siège 16 en ouvrant le conduit d'entrée 1b. La bille 15 peut être métallique. Le clapet d'entrée pourrait avoir toute autre forme connue, sans sortir du cadre de la présente invention tel que décrit dans les revendications.The pump body 1 delimits a pump chamber 6 which normally contains product to be dispensed, and which communicates with the inlet duct 1b via an inlet valve, which may for example comprise a conical seat 16, formed in the pump body 1 between the lower constriction 1a and the inlet duct 1b, and a ball 15 adapted to be applied so tight on the conical seat 16 by closing the inlet duct 1b, when an overpressure is created in the pump chamber 6. When a depression is created in the pump chamber 6, on the contrary, the ball 15 comes off from its seat 16 by opening the inlet duct 1b. The ball 15 can be metallic. The inlet valve could have any other known shape, without departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.

Le corps de pompe 1 peut par exemple être monté sur le col du réservoir de produit à l'aide d'une coupelle métallique 10 sertie sur l'extrémité supérieure ouverte 1c du corps de pompe, ladite coupelle métallique comportant un fond 10a doté d'un orifice central 10b. Un joint plat annulaire 31 est disposé entre l'extrémité ouverte 1c du corps de pompe et le fond 10a de la coupelle métallique. Il va de soi que le corps de pompe 1 pourrait être fixé par tout autre moyen connu au réservoir, sans sortir du cadre de la présente invention.The pump body 1 can for example be mounted on the neck of the product tank using a metal cup 10 set on the open upper end 1c of the pump body, said metal cup having a bottom 10a provided with a central opening 10b. An annular flat seal 31 is disposed between the open end 1c of the pump body and the bottom 10a of the metal cup. It goes without saying that the pump body 1 could be fixed by any other known means to the reservoir, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Un piston creux 3, de révolution autour de l'axe 2, coulisse dans le corps de pompe 1. Le piston 3 comporte une jupe extérieure 5, dont au moins une périphérie est en contact étanche avec le corps de pompe 1, et un conduit intérieur 3d axial, sensiblement cylindrique. Dans cet exemple, la jupe 5 du piston s'étend vers l'étranglement inférieur 1a du corps de pompe, mais elle pourrait éventuellement s'étendre aussi vers le fond 10a de la coupelle 10, de façon à buter contre le joint 31 lorsque la pompe est dans une position de repos. Le piston 3 comporte en outre une lèvre inférieure 4 annulaire qui s'étend axialement vers l'étranglement 1a du corps de pompe et qui est disposée au centre du piston 3, autour du conduit intérieur 3d.A hollow piston 3, of revolution around the axis 2, slides in the pump body 1. The piston 3 has an outer skirt 5, at least one periphery of which is in sealed contact with the pump body 1, and a conduit interior 3d axial, substantially cylindrical. In this example, the skirt 5 of the piston extends towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body, but it could possibly also extend towards the bottom 10a of the cup 10, so as to abut against the seal 31 when the pump is in a rest position. The piston 3 further comprises an annular lower lip 4 which extends axially towards the constriction 1a of the pump body and which is arranged in the center of the piston 3, around the inner duct 3d.

Une tige-poussoir 7 centrée sur l'axe 2 coulisse dans le piston 3. La tige-poussoir 7 traverse l'orifice 10b de la coupelle métallique, et s'étend depuis une première extrémité 7j à l'intérieur du corps de pompe jusqu'à une deuxième extrémité 7f à l'extérieur du corps de pompe, qui reçoit généralement un poussoir. La tige-poussoir 7 comporte un collet 7d prolongé vers l'étranglement inférieur 1a du corps de pompe par une partie cylindrique 7g, de diamètre extérieur sensiblement égal au diamètre intérieur du conduit 3d du piston; ladite partie cylindrique 7g de la tige coulissant avec étanchéité dans ledit conduit 3d. Entre le collet 7d et le piston 3 est disposé un ressort 34 hélicoïdal. La tige-poussoir 7 est sollicitée par le ressort 34 vers l'extrémité ouverte 1c du corps de pompe, et sa course est limitée vers le haut par la butée du collet 7d contre le joint plat 31 et le fond 10a de la coupelle. Au repos, le collet 7d de la tige-poussoir est donc appliqué de façon étanche contre le joint 31.A push rod 7 centered on the axis 2 slides in the piston 3. The push rod 7 passes through the orifice 10b of the metal cup, and extends from a first end 7j inside the pump body up to 'at a second end 7f outside the pump body, which generally receives a pusher. The push rod 7 has a collar 7d extended towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body by a cylindrical part 7g, with an outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the pipe 3d of the piston; said cylindrical part 7g of the sliding rod with sealing in said 3d conduit. Between the collar 7d and the piston 3 is disposed a helical spring 34. The push rod 7 is biased by the spring 34 towards the open end 1c of the pump body, and its stroke is limited upwards by the stop of the collar 7d against the flat seal 31 and the bottom 10a of the cup. At rest, the collar 7d of the push rod is therefore applied sealingly against the seal 31.

A partir de son extrémité extérieure 7f, la tige-poussoir 7 est percée d'un canal borgne 7a axial, qui débouche latéralement par au moins un orifice 7b. L'orifice 7b est recouvert par le conduit 3a du piston lorsque la pompe est dans une position de repos, c'est-à-dire lorsqu'aucune action n'est exercée sur la tige-poussoir 7. Le conduit 3d pourrait être en contact étanche avec la tige 7 sur toute la hauteur dudit conduit. Avantageusement, pour limiter les frottements et améliorer l'étanchéité, le conduit 3d comporte deux zones de diamètre intérieur réduit 3b et 3c, situées respectivement au-dessus et au-dessous de l'orifice 7b lorsque la pompe est dans sa position de repos, la zone 3c étant formée à l'intérieur de la lèvre inférieure centrale 4, et lesdites zones 3b et 3c étant en contact étanche avec la tige 7.From its outer end 7f, the push rod 7 is pierced with an axial blind channel 7a, which opens laterally through at least one orifice 7b. The orifice 7b is covered by the conduit 3a of the piston when the pump is in a rest position, that is to say when no action is exerted on the push rod 7. The 3d conduit could be in tight contact with the rod 7 over the entire height of said conduit. Advantageously, to limit friction and improve sealing, the 3d pipe has two zones of reduced internal diameter 3b and 3c, located respectively above and below the orifice 7b when the pump is in its rest position, the zone 3c being formed inside the central lower lip 4, and the said zones 3b and 3c being in sealed contact with the rod 7.

Un fouloir 8 annulaire, ayant sensiblement la forme d'une couronne de révolution autour de l'axe 2, est disposé sous la lèvre inférieure centrale 4 du piston et sollicité vers le haut par un ressort hélicoïdal 35, de raideur inférieure à la raideur du ressort 34, qui s'appuie sur l'étranglement inférieur 1a du corps de pompe.An annular gland 8, having substantially the shape of a crown of revolution around the axis 2, is disposed under the central lower lip 4 of the piston and urged upwards by a helical spring 35, of stiffness less than the stiffness of the spring 34, which rests on the lower constriction 1a of the pump body.

Comme représenté sur la figure 2, la lèvre inférieure centrale 4 du piston peut comporter une surface extérieure tronconique 4a, de diamètre extérieur décroissant vers le bas, à partir d'un diamètre maximal jusqu'à un diamètre minimal. Par ailleurs, le piston 3 peut comporter une face annulaire plane 3a dont la normale est dirigée vers le bas, s'étendant radialement entre la lèvre inférieure centrale 4 et la jupe 5. Le fouloir 8 peut comporter un conduit intérieur cylindrique 8a de diamètre compris entre le diamètre maximal et le diamètre minimal de la surface tronconique 4a, ledit conduit intérieur cylindrique 8a étant prolongé vers le piston 3 par une couronne 8b de diamètre supérieur au diamètre maximal de la surface tronconique 4a. La couronne 8b comporte avantageusement des découpes radiales 8d, dont l'utilité sera vue plus loin. Entre le conduit intérieur cylindrique 8a et la couronne 8b, le fouloir 8 comporte un épaulement annulaire doté d'un bord intérieur 8c, de préférence arrondi pour ne pas présenter d'angle vif. Le bord intérieur 8c est appliqué contre une périphérie de la surface extérieure tronconique 4a du piston par l'action du ressort 35.As shown in FIG. 2, the central lower lip 4 of the piston may comprise a frustoconical outer surface 4a, of outer diameter decreasing downwards, from a maximum diameter to a minimum diameter. Furthermore, the piston 3 may have a flat annular face 3a, the normal of which is directed downward, extending radially between the central lower lip 4 and the skirt 5. The gland 8 may comprise a cylindrical inner conduit 8a of diameter included between the maximum diameter and the minimum diameter of the frustoconical surface 4a, said cylindrical inner duct 8a being extended towards the piston 3 by a ring 8b of diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the frustoconical surface 4a. The crown 8b advantageously comprises radial cutouts 8d, the utility of which will be seen later. Between the cylindrical inner duct 8a and the crown 8b, the gland 8 has an annular shoulder provided with an inner edge 8c, preferably rounded so as not to have a sharp angle. The inner edge 8c is applied against a periphery of the frustoconical outer surface 4a of the piston by the action of the spring 35.

Le bord intérieur 8c exerce sur la lèvre inférieure centrale 4 à la fois une force axiale dirigée vers l'extrémité 1c du corps de pompe, et une force radiale dirigée vers la tige-poussoir 7, par effet de coin, sous l'action des ressorts 34 et 35. Mais en outre, la couronne 8b est en butée contre la face annulaire 3a du piston, et exerce sur le piston une force axiale dirigée vers l'extrémité 1c du corps de pompe.The inner edge 8c exerts on the central lower lip 4 both an axial force directed towards the end 1c of the pump body, and a radial force directed towards the push rod 7, by wedge effect, under the action of the springs 34 and 35. But in addition, the crown 8b is in abutment against the annular face 3a of the piston, and exerts on the piston an axial force directed towards the end 1c of the pump body.

Ainsi, le fouloir 8 applique élastiquement ladite lèvre inférieure centrale 4 du piston contre la tige-poussoir 7, tout en repoussant le piston 3 vers le haut. Mais l'effet de serrage du fouloir 8 est limité par la butée de la couronne 8b sur la surface 3a du piston : on maîtrise ainsi avec une grande précision cet effet de serrage ce qui évite le coincement de la lèvre 4 ou sa déformation par fluage. En outre, on remarquera que la lèvre inférieure centrale 4 est située à une certaine distance au-dessous de l'orifice latéral 7b de la tige-poussoir, de sorte que l'effort radial de serrage exercé sur la lèvre 4 ne risque pas de coincer ladite lèvre 4 dans l'orifice 7b par un phénomène d'extrusion. Avantageusement, l'orificce 7b est chanfreiné ou élargi à son débouché sur la tige 7. Ainsi, la partie élargie 7c de l'orifice 7b peut être réalisée par un relief du moule dans lequel est formée la tige 7, tandis que l'orifice 7b lui-même peut être réalisé par une broche qui pénètre dans le moule pendant le moulage, de sorte que les bords de la partie élargie 7c sont nets et exempts de tout défaut de moulage, tandis que les bords de l'orifice 7b lui-même peuvent comporter de petits défauts de moulage dus à la translation de la broche pendant le moulage. Comme la lèvre 4 coulisse sur les bords de la partie élargie 7c, ces éventuels défauts ne sont pas gênants.Thus, the gland 8 applies said central lower lip 4 of the piston elastically against the push rod 7, while pushing the piston 3 upwards. But the clamping effect of the gland 8 is limited by the stop of the crown 8b on the surface 3a of the piston: this tightening effect is thus controlled with great precision, which prevents jamming of the lip 4 or its deformation by creep. In addition, it will be noted that the central lower lip 4 is located at a certain distance below the lateral orifice 7b of the push rod, so that the radial tightening force exerted on the lip 4 does not risk wedging said lip 4 in the orifice 7b by an extrusion phenomenon. Advantageously, the orifice 7b is chamfered or enlarged at its outlet on the rod 7. Thus, the enlarged part 7c of the orifice 7b can be produced by a relief of the mold in which the rod 7 is formed, while the orifice 7b itself can be produced by a spindle which penetrates into the mold during molding, so that the edges of the enlarged part 7c are sharp and free from any molding defect, while the edges of the orifice 7b itself even may have small molding defects due to the translation of the spindle during molding. As the lip 4 slides on the edges of the enlarged part 7c, these possible faults are not troublesome.

Afin d'améliorer encore la qualité du moulage au voisinage de l'orifice 7b, la tige-poussoir 7 peut être réalisée comme représenté sur la figure 2a, en deux pièces. Selon cette variante, la tige 7 comporte une première partie cylindrique rétrécie 60 qui prolonge la partie cylindrique 7g vers le bas. L'orifice latéral 7b débouche dans ladite partie 60. Cette partie 60 se prolonge elle-même vers le bas par une deuxième partie cylindrique 61 plus étroite, puis par un rétrécissement tronconique 62, puis par une courte partie cylindrique 63 qui se termine par un relief extérieur 64 à l'extrémité inférieure de la tige 7. Une bague annulaire 65 cylindrique de diamètre extérieur égal au diamètre de la partie cylindrique 7g, est emboîtée sur les parties 61, 62, 63, et encliquetée sur le relief 64. Avantageusement, la bague 65 comporte un bord supérieur extérieur 65a chanfreiné ou arrondi. Dans cette variante, on supprime toute possibilité de moulage de mauvaise qualité aux endroits où le piston 3 coulisse sur la tige 7 et la bague 65, et en particulier au niveau du bord 65a.In order to further improve the quality of the molding in the vicinity of the orifice 7b, the push rod 7 can be produced as shown in FIG. 2a, in two parts. According to this variant, the rod 7 has a first narrowed cylindrical part 60 which extends the cylindrical part 7g downwards. The lateral orifice 7b opens into said part 60. This part 60 itself extends downwards by a second narrower cylindrical part 61, then by a frustoconical narrowing 62, then by a short cylindrical part 63 which ends in a external relief 64 at the lower end of the rod 7. A cylindrical annular ring 65 of external diameter equal to the diameter of the cylindrical part 7g, is fitted onto the parts 61, 62, 63, and snapped onto the relief 64. Advantageously, the ring 65 has an outer upper edge 65a chamfered or rounded. In this variant, any possibility of poor quality molding is eliminated at the places where the piston 3 slides on the rod 7 and the ring 65, and in particular at the edge 65a.

Le fonctionnement de la pompe est le suivant.The operation of the pump is as follows.

Lorsqu'un utilisateur appuie sur la tige-poussoir 7, généralement par l'intermédiaire d'un poussoir (non représenté), il fait descendre ladite tige-poussoir 7 dans la chambre de pompe 6, ce qui comprime le ressort 34, qui sollicite à son tour le piston 3 vers le bas. Ceci tend à faire diminuer le volume de la chambre de pompe 6, et donc y crée une surpression qui ferme le clapet d'entrée 15, 16. La chambre de pompe 6 est alors isolée. La chambre de pompe 6 contient généralement du produit à pulvériser ou à distribuer. Comme le produit qu'elle contient est incompressible, le piston 3 ne peut pas descendre dans la chambre de pompe : seule la tige-poussoir 7 descend donc, en comprimant le ressort 34 et éventuellement en provoquant une légère remontée du piston 3 dans le corps de pompe. Dès que l'orifice 7b est descendu au dessous de la lèvre inférieure 4 du piston 3, le produit sous pression dans la chambre de pompe sort vers l'extérieur par l'orifice 7b et le canal axial 7a de la tige-poussoir. Le produit est donc expulsé lorsque la pression dans la chambre de pompe est suffisante pour produire sur le piston 3 une force qui, ajoutée à la poussée du ressort de rappel 35, contrebalance la poussée du ressort 34 dans la position représentée sur la figure 3, c'est-a-dire lorsque la lèvre 4 dégage l'orifice 7b. On remarquera que les découpes 8d permettent à la pression régnant dans la chambre de pompe 6 de s'exercer sur une grande partie de la surface du piston lorsque la couronne 8b est en appui sur la surface 3a dudit piston. Les découpes 8d facilitent en outre l'évacuation de l'air contenu dans la chambre de pompe, lors de l'amorçage de la pompe, en évitant que cet air ne soit piégé sous le piston. Le piston 3 descend ensuite dans le corps de pompe 1 au fur et à mesure que le volume de produit contenu dans la chambre de pompe 6 diminue, en comprimant le ressort 35, jusqu'à ce que le fouloir 8 arrive en butée contre l'épaulement 1d, où le mouvement de descente de la tige-poussoir 7 et du piston 3 cesse. En variante, le fouloir 8 pourrait buter contre toute partie solidaire du corps de pompe 1, sans sortir du cadre de la présente invention tel que décrit dans les revendications.When a user presses the push rod 7, generally by means of a push rod (not shown), he lowers said push rod 7 into the pump chamber 6, which compresses the spring 34, which urges in turn the piston 3 down. This tends to decrease the volume of the pump chamber 6, and therefore creates an overpressure there which closes the inlet valve 15, 16. The pump chamber 6 is then isolated. The pump chamber 6 generally contains product to be sprayed or dispensed. As the product it contains is incompressible, the piston 3 cannot descend into the pump chamber: only the push rod 7 therefore descends, compressing the spring 34 and possibly causing a slight rise of the piston 3 in the body pump. As soon as the orifice 7b is lowered below the lower lip 4 of the piston 3, the product under pressure in the pump chamber leaves towards the outside through the orifice 7b and the axial channel 7a of the push rod. The product is therefore expelled when the pressure in the pump chamber is sufficient to produce on the piston 3 a force which, added to the thrust of the return spring 35, counterbalances the thrust of the spring 34 in the position shown in FIG. 3, that is to say when the lip 4 releases the orifice 7b. It will be noted that the cutouts 8d allow the pressure prevailing in the pump chamber 6 to be exerted on a large part of the surface of the piston when the crown 8b is in abutment on the surface 3a of said piston. The cutouts 8d also facilitate the evacuation of the air contained in the pump chamber, when priming the pump, by preventing this air from being trapped under the piston. The piston 3 then descends into the pump body 1 as the volume of product contained in the pump chamber 6 decreases, by compressing the spring 35, until the gland 8 comes into abutment against the shoulder 1d, where the downward movement of the push rod 7 and the piston 3 ceases. Alternatively, the gland 8 could abut against any part integral with the pump body 1, without departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.

Dans cette position de butée, représentée sur la figure 3, l'effort d'appui de l'utilisateur sur la tige-poussoir peut être important. De même, lors du montage de la pompe dans une machine d'assemblage, la pompe peut se trouver dans cette position de butée et la tige-poussoir peut subir une pousée importante de la machine. Dans cette position d'équilibre mécanique, l'effort exercé sur la tige-poussoir est égal à la réaction de l'épaulement 1d qui s'exerce sur le fouloir 8, elle-même égale à l'effort exercé par le fouloir 8 sur le piston 3. L'effort exercé par le fouloir 8 sur le piston 3 peut donc être important, mais il est repris à la fois par la face annulaire 3a et la lèvre inférieure centrale 4, ce qui limite l'effort repris par la partie inférieure tronconique 4a, et donc limite aussi l'effort radial de serrage exercé sur ladite lèvre inférieure centrale 4 vers la tige-poussoir 7. En outre, la position axiale relative du fouloir 8 par rapport au piston est fixée avec précision par la butée de la couronne 8b du fouloir contre la face annulaire 3a du piston, de sorte que la déformation radiale de ladite partie inférieure tronconique 4a vers la tige-poussoir 7 est limitée. Ainsi, les risques de voir ladite partie inférieure tronconique 4a déformée irréversiblement par l'effort radial exercé par le fouloir sont éliminés.In this abutment position, shown in Figure 3, the support force of the user on the push rod can be significant. Similarly, when mounting the pump in an assembly machine, the pump can be in this stop position and the push rod can undergo a significant pushing of the machine. In this position of mechanical equilibrium, the force exerted on the push rod is equal to the reaction of the shoulder 1d which is exerted on the gland 8, itself equal to the force exerted by the gland 8 on the piston 3. The force exerted by the gland 8 on the piston 3 can therefore be significant, but it is taken up both by the annular face 3a and the central lower lip 4, which limits the force taken up by the part frustoconical lower 4a, and therefore also limits the radial tightening force exerted on said central lower lip 4 towards the push rod 7. In addition, the relative axial position of the gland 8 relative to the piston is precisely fixed by the stop of the crown 8b of the gland against the annular face 3a of the piston, so that the radial deformation of said frustoconical lower part 4a towards the push rod 7 is limited. Thus, the risks of seeing said frustoconical lower part 4a irreversibly deformed by the radial force exerted by the gland are eliminated.

Lorsque l'utilisateur relâche la tige-poussoir 7, le ressort 34, plus raide, reprend d'abord sa forme initiale, en repoussant la tige-poussoir 7 vers le haut par rapport au piston 3, de sorte que la lèvre 4 du piston 3 vient occulter l'orifice de sortie 7b, ce qui isole la chambre de pompe 6.When the user releases the push rod 7, the stiffer spring 34 first resumes its initial shape, pushing the push rod 7 upwards relative to the piston 3, so that the lip 4 of the piston 3 obscures the outlet orifice 7b, which isolates the pump chamber 6.

Après la détente du ressort 34, le ressort 35 se détend à son tour, en repoussant le piston 3 et le fouloir 8 vers le haut. Ce mouvement créé une dépression dans la chambre de pompe 6, et donc ouvre le clapet d'entrée 15, 16, en permettant au produit contenu dans le réservoir de rentrer dans la chambre de pompe 6, au fur et à mesure que le piston 3 remonte, jusqu'à ce qu'il arrive en position de repos.After the relaxation of the spring 34, the spring 35 relaxes in turn, pushing the piston 3 and the gland 8 upward. This movement creates a vacuum in the pump chamber 6, and therefore opens the inlet valve 15, 16, allowing the product contained in the reservoir to return to the pump chamber 6, as the piston 3 goes up, until it reaches the rest position.

Dans la forme de réalisation représentée, le corps de pompe 1 est percé d'un orifice de reprise d'air 18, situé au voisinage de l'extrémité supérieure 1c dudit corps de pompe. De plus, lorsque la tige-poussoir est enfoncée, le collet 7d n'est plus en contact avec le joint 31, de sorte que de l'air peut passer entre la tige-poussoir 7 et le joint 31. Ainsi, dans la phase de remontée du piston 3, lorsque du produit est aspiré du réservoir vers la chambre de pompe 6, un volume d'air égal au volume de produit aspiré dans la chambre de pompe peut passer dans le réservoir par l'intermédiaire de l'orifice de reprise d'air 18.In the embodiment shown, the pump body 1 is pierced with an air intake orifice 18, located in the vicinity of the upper end 1c of said pump body. In addition, when the push rod is pressed, the collar 7d is no longer in contact with the seal 31, so that air can pass between the push rod 7 and the seal 31. Thus, in the phase upward movement of the piston 3, when the product is sucked from the reservoir towards the pump chamber 6, a volume of air equal to the volume of product sucked in the pump chamber can pass into the reservoir via the orifice return air 18.

Néanmoins, la pompe pourrait ne pas comporter d'orifice de reprise d'air 18, sans pour autant sortir du cadre de la présente invention tel que décrit dans les revendications.However, the pump could not include an air intake orifice 18, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.

Les figures 4 et 5 représentent une deuxième forme de réalisation de la pompe selon l'invention. La pompe des figures 4 et 5 est un perfectionnement de la pompe représentée sur la figure 7b de la demande de brevet européen EP-A-0 486 378.Figures 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the pump according to the invention. The pump of FIGS. 4 and 5 is an improvement on the pump shown in FIG. 7b of European patent application EP-A-0 486 378.

Comme précédemment, la pompe comporte un corps de pompe 1 cylindrique creux, ayant un axe de révolution 2. Le corps de pompe 1 s'étend entre une extrémité supérieure 1c ouverte, et un étranglement inférieur 1a qui se prolonge par un conduit d'entrée 1b adapté à communiquer avec un réservoir contenant du produit à distribuer (non représenté), directement ou par un tube plongeur 1f.As before, the pump comprises a hollow cylindrical pump body 1, having an axis of revolution 2. The pump body 1 extends between an open upper end 1c, and a lower throttle 1a which is extended by an inlet duct 1b adapted to communicate with a reservoir containing the product to be dispensed (not shown), directly or through a dip tube 1f.

Le corps de pompe 1 délimite une chambre de pompe 6 qui contient normalement du produit à distribuer, et qui communique avec le conduit d'entrée 1b par l'intermédiaire d'une clapet d'entrée. Le clapet de sortie peut par exemple comporter un siège conique 16 et une bille 15 adaptée à s'appliquer de façon étanche sur le siège conique 16 en fermant le conduit d'entrée 1b, lorsque une surpression est créée dans la chambre de pompe 6. Lorsqu'une dépression est créée dans la chambre de pompe 6, au contraire, la bille 15 se décolle de son siège 16 en ouvrant le conduit d'entrée 1b. Le clapet d'entrée pourrait avoir tout autre forme connue, sans pour autant sortir du cadre de la présente invention tel que décrit dans les revendications.The pump body 1 delimits a pump chamber 6 which normally contains product to be dispensed, and which communicates with the inlet duct 1b by means of an inlet valve. The outlet valve can for example comprise a conical seat 16 and a ball 15 adapted to be applied in a sealed manner on the conical seat 16 by closing the inlet duct 1b, when an overpressure is created in the pump chamber 6. When a vacuum is created in the pump chamber 6, on the contrary, the ball 15 comes off from its seat 16 by opening the inlet duct 1b. The inlet valve could have any other known shape, without departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.

Comme précédemment, le corps de pompe 1 peut être monté sur le col du réservoir de produit à l'aide d'une coupelle métallique 10 sertie sur l'extrémité supérieure ouverte 1c du corps de pompe, ladite coupelle métallique comportant un fond 10a doté d'un orifice central 10b. Dans l'exemple de la figure 4, la coupelle métallique 10 présente en outre un élargissement 10c, et un joint plat annulaire 31b est disposé entre l'élargissement 10c et le col du réservoir.As before, the pump body 1 can be mounted on the neck of the product reservoir using a metal cup 10 crimped on the open upper end 1c of the pump body, said metal cup having a bottom 10a provided with 'a central opening 10b. In the example of FIG. 4, the metal cup 10 has at in addition to a widening 10c, and a flat annular seal 31b is disposed between the widening 10c and the neck of the reservoir.

Un piston creux 3, de révolution autour de l'axe 2, coulisse dans le corps de pompe 1. Le piston 3 comporte une jupe extérieure 5, dont au moins une périphérie est en contact étanche avec le corps de pompe 1, et un conduit intérieur 3d axial. Le piston 3 comporte en outre une lèvre inférieure 4 annulaire qui s'étend axialement vers l'étranglement 1a du corps de pompe et qui est disposée au centre du piston 3, autour du conduit intérieur 3d.A hollow piston 3, of revolution around the axis 2, slides in the pump body 1. The piston 3 has an outer skirt 5, at least one periphery of which is in sealed contact with the pump body 1, and a conduit interior 3d axial. The piston 3 further comprises an annular lower lip 4 which extends axially towards the constriction 1a of the pump body and which is arranged in the center of the piston 3, around the inner duct 3d.

En outre, la pompe comporte une tige-poussoir 40 axiale, centrée sur l'axe 2, qui traverse l'orifice 10b de la coupelle métallique. La tige-poussoir 40 est formée en deux pièces, et comporte un manchon extérieur 41 fixé sur un noyau intérieur 42, par emboîtement à force ou par un autre moyen. Le manchon extérieur 41 a une forme de révolution autour de l'axe 2. Il traverse l'orifice central 10b de la coupelle métallique 10, et s'étend à l'extérieur du corps de pompe 1, jusqu'à une extrémité extérieure ou supérieure 41f, qui peut recevoir un poussoir 43. Le poussoir 43 permet à la fois l'actionnement de la pompe et la sortie dit produit. Comme représenté sur la figure 4, le poussoir peut comporter une sortie latérale, éventuellement doté d'un gicleur de pulvérisation 43a. Néanmoins, le poussoir 43 pourrait avoir toute autre forme connue sans pour autant sortir du cadre de la présente invention. Le manchon 41 comporte un canal axial 41a qui le traverse. A partir de l'extrémité extérieure 41f, le manchon 41 se prolonge jusqu'à l'intérieur du corps de pompe, jusqu'à un collet 41c qui s'étend sensiblement radialement vers l'extérieur. En outre, le manchon 41 peut être doté d'une jupe 41d cylindrique, qui s'étend vers l'étranglement inférieur la du corps de pompe à partir du collet 41c. La jupe cylindrique 41d a un diamètre extérieur inférieur au diamètre du collet 41c, et un diamètre intérieur supérieur au diamètre externe du noyau intérieur 42.In addition, the pump comprises an axial push rod 40, centered on the axis 2, which passes through the orifice 10b of the metal cup. The push rod 40 is formed in two parts, and comprises an outer sleeve 41 fixed to an inner core 42, by force fitting or by other means. The outer sleeve 41 has a shape of revolution around the axis 2. It passes through the central orifice 10b of the metal cup 10, and extends outside the pump body 1, to an outer end or upper 41f, which can receive a pusher 43. The pusher 43 allows both the actuation of the pump and the said product outlet. As shown in Figure 4, the pusher may have a side outlet, optionally provided with a spray nozzle 43a. However, the pusher 43 could have any other known shape without departing from the scope of the present invention. The sleeve 41 has an axial channel 41a which passes through it. From the outer end 41f, the sleeve 41 extends to the inside of the pump body, to a collar 41c which extends substantially radially outward. In addition, the sleeve 41 may be provided with a cylindrical skirt 41d, which extends towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body from the collar 41c. The cylindrical skirt 41d has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the collar 41c, and an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the inner core 42.

Le noyau intérieur 42 comporte une première partie cylindrique 42c qui s'étend depuis une extrémité supérieure 42f en direction de l'étranglement inférieur 1a du corps de pompe. L'extrémité supérieure 42f est emboîtée dans le manchon 41. Ladite première partie cylindrique 42 c du noyau 42 se prolonge vers l'étranglement inférieur 1a du corps de pompe par une seconde partie cylindrique 42d de diamètre supérieur. A partir de l'extrémité supérieure 42f, le noyau 42 est percé d'un canal borgne axial 42a qui communique avec la canal 41 a du manchon extérieur 41, et qui débouche latéralement, par au moins un orifice 42b formé dans la première partie cylindrique 42c, au voisinage de la seconde partie cylindrique 42d. Ladite première partie cylindrique 42c du noyau 42 coulisse dans le conduit intérieur 3d du piston, sans étanchéité. La lèvre intérieure centrale 4 du piston est cylindrique, et comporte une surface intérieure cylindrique 4b ayant un diamètre intérieur sensiblement égal au diamètre externe de la seconde partie cylindrique 42d du noyau 42. Ainsi, la lèvre 4 peut coulisser de façon étanche sur ladite seconde partie cylindrique 42. En outre, le piston 3 comporte une partie cylindrique 45 qui s'étend axialement dans la direction de l'extrémité 1c du corps de pompe, autour du noyau 42. Ladite partie cylindrique 45 a un diamètre externe sensiblement égal au diamètre interne de la jupe 41d du manchon 41, de sorte que ladite partie cylindrique 45 coulisse avec étanchéité à l'intérieur de la jupe 41d. La partie cylindrique 45 pourrait avantageusement être remplacé par une partie tronconique qui s'élargit légèrement vers le haut, de façon à améliorer l'étanchéité. En outre, afin de limiter ou de supprimer les effets de fluage de la partie 45, qui peuvent diminuer son étanchéité au cours du temps, ladite partie 45 peut être renforcée par des nervures (non représentées) qui s'étendent radialement vers l'intérieur et qui coulissent contre la deuxième partie cylindrique 42c du noyau 42. La partie cylindrique 45 et la jupe 41d définissent ainsi une chambre annulaire d'aspiration 46, disposée autour du noyau 42, qui communique avec l'orifice 42b, du fait que le piston 3 n'est pas en contact étanche avec la première partie cylindrique 42c du noyau 42. L'utilité de cette chambre d'aspiration sera vue plus loin.The inner core 42 has a first cylindrical part 42c which extends from an upper end 42f in the direction of the lower constriction 1a of the pump body. The upper end 42f is fitted into the sleeve 41. Said first cylindrical part 42 c of the core 42 extends towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body by a second cylindrical part 42d of greater diameter. From the upper end 42f, the core 42 is pierced with an axial blind channel 42a which communicates with the channel 41 a of the outer sleeve 41, and which opens laterally, through at least one orifice 42b formed in the first cylindrical part 42c, in the vicinity of the second cylindrical part 42d. Said first cylindrical part 42c of the core 42 slides in the inner pipe 3d of the piston, without sealing. The inner lip central 4 of the piston is cylindrical, and has a cylindrical internal surface 4b having an internal diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the second cylindrical part 42d of the core 42. Thus, the lip 4 can slide in leaktight manner on said second cylindrical part 42. In addition, the piston 3 comprises a cylindrical part 45 which extends axially in the direction of the end 1c of the pump body, around the core 42. Said cylindrical part 45 has an external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the skirt 41d of the sleeve 41, so that said cylindrical part 45 slides with sealing inside the skirt 41d. The cylindrical part 45 could advantageously be replaced by a frustoconical part which widens slightly upwards, so as to improve the seal. In addition, in order to limit or eliminate the creeping effects of part 45, which can reduce its tightness over time, said part 45 can be reinforced by ribs (not shown) which extend radially inwards. and which slide against the second cylindrical part 42c of the core 42. The cylindrical part 45 and the skirt 41d thus define an annular suction chamber 46, arranged around the core 42, which communicates with the orifice 42b, because the piston 3 is not in leaktight contact with the first cylindrical part 42c of the core 42. The usefulness of this suction chamber will be seen below.

A partir de la seconde partie cylindrique 42d, le noyau 42 se prolonge radialement vers l'extérieur par un élargissement 42e, qui lui-même peut se prolonger vers l'étranglement inférieur 1a du corps de pompe par une jupe 42g. Dans l'exemple représenté sur la figure 4, la jupe 42g coopère avec des nervures 1g axiales, formées à l'intérieur du corps de pompe 1 et qui s'étendent sur une certaine distance à partir de l'étranglement inférieur 1a dudit corps de pompe, pour guider le noyau 42 dans son mouvement à l'intérieur du corps de pompe. L'élargissement 42e du noyau 42 comporte une couronne 44, qui s'étend axialement à partir dudit élargissement 42 vers le piston 3. Avantageusement, cette couronne est interrompue par des découpes radiales 44a, comme représenté sur la figure 5.From the second cylindrical part 42d, the core 42 is extended radially outwards by a widening 42e, which itself can extend towards the lower constriction 1a of the pump body by a skirt 42g. In the example shown in Figure 4, the skirt 42g cooperates with axial ribs 1g, formed inside the pump body 1 and which extend over a certain distance from the lower constriction 1a of said body pump, to guide the core 42 in its movement inside the pump body. The enlargement 42e of the core 42 comprises a crown 44, which extends axially from said enlargement 42 towards the piston 3. Advantageously, this crown is interrupted by radial cutouts 44a, as shown in FIG. 5.

Un ressort de précompression 47 est disposé entre le collet 41c du manchon 41 et le piston 3, de façon à repousser ledit piston 3 vers la couronne 44. Comme dans l'exemple de la figure 1, le piston 3 comporte une surface annulaire 3a radiale entre la jupe 5 et la lèvre 4. Sous l'effet du ressort de précompression 47, ladite surface annulaire 3a s'applique contre la couronne 44. En outre, la couronne 44 comporte une surface intérieure 44b tronconique, qui s'élargit en direction de l'extrémité supérieure 1c du corps de pompe et qui exerce un effort de serrage radial, par effet de coin, sur la lèvre 4 lorsque la couronne 44 est en butée contre la surface 3a du piston. Ainsi, l'étanchéité du contact entre la lèvre 4 et la seconde partie cylindrique 42d du noyau 42 est renforcée, tandis que la force de serrage exercée par la couronne 44 est contrôlée avec précision par la butée de ladite couronne 44 contre la surface 3a du piston, ce qui évite les déformations irréversibles ou les coincements de la lèvre 4 du piston. Dans l'exemple de la figure 4, l'élargissement inférieur 42e du noyau 42 est percé d'orifices 42h qui facilitent le passage du produit lors de l'expulsion, mais ces orifices pourraient être omis sans pour autant sortie du cadre de l'invention tel que décrit dans les revendications.A precompression spring 47 is disposed between the collar 41c of the sleeve 41 and the piston 3, so as to push said piston 3 towards the crown 44. As in the example in FIG. 1, the piston 3 has an annular surface 3a radial between the skirt 5 and the lip 4. Under the effect of the precompression spring 47, said annular surface 3a is applied against the crown 44. In addition, the crown 44 has an internal surface 44b frustoconical, which widens in the direction of the upper end 1c of the pump body and which exerts a radial clamping force, by wedge effect, on the lip 4 when the ring 44 is in abutment against the surface 3a of the piston. Thus, the seal of the contact between the lip 4 and the second cylindrical part 42d of the core 42 is reinforced, while the clamping force exerted by the crown 44 is precisely controlled by the abutment of said crown 44 against the surface 3a of the piston, which avoids irreversible deformations or jamming of the lip 4 of the piston. In the example of FIG. 4, the lower enlargement 42e of the core 42 is pierced with orifices 42h which facilitate the passage of the product during expulsion, but these orifices could be omitted without leaving the frame of the invention as described in the claims.

Enfin, la pompe comporte un ressort de rappel 48 disposé entre l'élargissement 42e du noyau et l'étranglement inférieur 1a du corps de pompe. Le ressort de rappel 48 sollicite le noyau 42 et donc l'ensemble de la tige-poussoir 40, vers l'extrémité ouverte du corps de pompe. Ainsi, sous l'action du ressort de rappel 48, le collet 41c du manchon 41 est appliqué en butée contre le fond 10a de la coupelle métallique 10. Un joint annulaire d'étanchéité 31a est interposé entre le collet 41c et le fond 10a de la coupelle 10.Finally, the pump comprises a return spring 48 disposed between the enlargement 42e of the core and the lower constriction 1a of the pump body. The return spring 48 biases the core 42 and therefore the assembly of the push rod 40, towards the open end of the pump body. Thus, under the action of the return spring 48, the collar 41c of the sleeve 41 is applied in abutment against the bottom 10a of the metal cup 10. An annular seal 31a is interposed between the collar 41c and the bottom 10a of the cup 10.

Avantageusement, le piston 3 comporte des créneaux ou des nervures 49 disposés sensiblement radialement, sur lesquels s'appuient le ressort de précompression 47. En effet, lorsque le ressort de précompression 47 est un ressort hélicoïdal, ses spires d'extrémité peuvent être au repos comprises dans un plan non perpendiculaire à l'axe 2. Dans ce cas, le ressort 47 aurait tendance à déformer le piston, ou au moins la jupe extérieure 5 du piston, en lui imposant un certain dévers, c'est-à-dire une certaine rotation autour d'un axe perpendiculaire à l'axe 2, et ce d'autant plus facilement que la tige-poussoir 40 est formée en deux parties emboîtées l'une dans l'autre. Mais comme le ressort 47 s'appuie sur les nervures 49 et non sur une surface continue, la pression exercée localement par le ressort 47 sur les nervures 49 est importante, de sorte que lesdites nervures 49 se déforment en permettant au ressort 47 de s'enfonçer plus ou moins dans lesdites nervures 49 en direction du piston 3. De cette façon, même si la spire d'extrémité du ressort 47 est comprise dans un plan non perpendiculaire à l'axe 2, les nervures 49, du fait de leur déformation sont en contact avec le ressort 47 sur sensiblement toute la périphérie de sa spire d'extrémité. Ainsi, la force d'appui du ressort 47 est repartie sur sensiblement toute la périphérie du piston 3, de sorte que le piston 3 n'est pas déformé. On garantit ainsi le maintien d'une bonne étanchéité du contact entre la jupe 5 du piston 3 et le corps de pompe 1, au cours du temps. On remarquera en outre que la couronne 44, qui est en butée contre la surface 3a du piston, tend elle-aussi à limiter les déformations du piston 3 sous l'effet du ressort 47, en maintenant la position dudit piston. Ces avantages permettent de réaliser une pompe ayant un piston de faible hauteur axiale, dans la mesure où une grande hauteur du piston n'est plus nécessaire pour guider le piston dans le corps de pompe de façon à lutter contre le dévers du piston. Ainsi, la hauteur totale de la pompe peut être diminuée, ce qui constitue un avantage technique important.Advantageously, the piston 3 has slots or ribs 49 arranged substantially radially, on which the precompression spring 47 rests. In fact, when the precompression spring 47 is a helical spring, its end turns may be at rest included in a plane not perpendicular to the axis 2. In this case, the spring 47 would tend to deform the piston, or at least the outer skirt 5 of the piston, by imposing on it a certain cant, that is to say a certain rotation around an axis perpendicular to the axis 2, and this all the more easily as the push rod 40 is formed in two parts fitted one inside the other. But as the spring 47 rests on the ribs 49 and not on a continuous surface, the pressure exerted locally by the spring 47 on the ribs 49 is high, so that said ribs 49 are deformed allowing the spring 47 to s' press more or less into said ribs 49 in the direction of the piston 3. In this way, even if the end turn of the spring 47 is included in a plane not perpendicular to the axis 2, the ribs 49, due to their deformation are in contact with the spring 47 over substantially the entire periphery of its end turn. Thus, the bearing force of the spring 47 is distributed over substantially the entire periphery of the piston 3, so that the piston 3 is not deformed. This guarantees the maintenance of good sealing of the contact between the skirt 5 of the piston 3 and the pump body 1, over time. It will also be noted that the crown 44, which is in abutment against the surface 3a of the piston, also tends to limit the deformations of the piston 3 under the effect of the spring 47, while maintaining the position of said piston. These advantages make it possible to produce a pump having a piston of small axial height, insofar as a large height of the piston is no longer necessary to guide the piston in the pump body so as to combat the cant of the piston. Thus, the total height of the pump can be reduced, which constitutes an important technical advantage.

Le fonctionnement de la pompe de la figure 4 est le suivant. Lorsqu'un utilisateur appuie sur le poussoir 43, il fait descendre la tige-poussoir 40 à l'intérieur du corps de pompe, ce qui sollicite le piston 3 vers le bas, du fait du ressort de précompression 47. Le volume de la chambre de pompe 6 a donc tendance à diminuer, de sorte qu'il s'y crée une surpression qui appuie la bille 15 contre son siège 16, en isolant la chambre de pompe 6. Comme le produit contenu dans la chambre de pompe est généralement imcompressible, le piston 3 ne peut pas descendre dans la chambre de pompe : seule la tige-poussoir 40 descend donc, et éventuellement le piston 3 remonte légèrement dans le corps de pompe. Au cours de ce mouvement, le ressort de rappel 48 est comprimé, de même que le ressort de précompression 47. Lorsque la pression dans la chambre de pompe est suffisante pour contrebalancer la force du ressort de précompression 47, le piston 3 coulisse sur la tige 40 en direction de l'extrémité supérieure 1c du corps de pompe, de sorte que la lèvre 4 du piston se dégage de la seconde partie cylindrique 42d du noyau 42, et la chambre de pompe communique avec l'orifice 42b, par où le produit est expulsé. Au cours de cette phase de coulissement du piston 3, le volume de la chambre d'aspiration 46 diminue. On remarquera que l'étanchéité entre la lèvre 4 du piston et la seconde partie cylindrique 42d du noyau 42 n'est pas rompue tant que ladite lèvre 4 coulisse sur ladite partie cylindrique 42d. Ainsi, la valeur de la pression régnant dans la chambre de pompe pour laquelle le produit est expulsé est déterminée par la poussée exercée par le ressort 47 à la fin de course de coulissement de la lèvre 4 sur la partie cylindrique 42d, et cette poussée est supérieure à la poussée exercée par le ressort de précompression 47 sur le piston 3 au repos. Ceci est avantageux dans la mesure où on peut ainsi diminuer légèrement la poussée au repos exercée par le ressort 47 sur le piston 3, ce qui tend encore à diminuer les éventuelles déformations imposées par le ressort 47 au piston 3.The operation of the pump in FIG. 4 is as follows. When a user presses the plunger 43, he lowers the push rod 40 inside the pump body, which biases the piston 3 downwards, due to the precompression spring 47. The volume of the chamber pump 6 therefore tends to decrease, so that there is an overpressure which presses the ball 15 against its seat 16, isolating the pump chamber 6. As the product contained in the pump chamber is generally uncompressible , the piston 3 cannot descend into the pump chamber: only the push rod 40 therefore descends, and possibly the piston 3 rises slightly in the pump body. During this movement, the return spring 48 is compressed, as is the precompression spring 47. When the pressure in the pump chamber is sufficient to counterbalance the force of the precompression spring 47, the piston 3 slides on the rod 40 towards the upper end 1c of the pump body, so that the lip 4 of the piston emerges from the second cylindrical part 42d of the core 42, and the pump chamber communicates with the orifice 42b, through which the product is expelled. During this sliding phase of the piston 3, the volume of the suction chamber 46 decreases. It will be noted that the seal between the lip 4 of the piston and the second cylindrical part 42d of the core 42 is not broken as long as said lip 4 slides on said cylindrical part 42d. Thus, the value of the pressure prevailing in the pump chamber for which the product is expelled is determined by the thrust exerted by the spring 47 at the end of the sliding stroke of the lip 4 on the cylindrical part 42d, and this thrust is greater than the thrust exerted by the precompression spring 47 on the piston 3 at rest. This is advantageous insofar as it is thus possible to slightly decrease the thrust at rest exerted by the spring 47 on the piston 3, which further tends to reduce the possible deformations imposed by the spring 47 on the piston 3.

On remarquera en outre que l'orifice latéral 42b du noyau 42 est percé dans la première partie cylindrique 42a dudit noyau, sur laquelle le piston 3 coulisse sans étanchéité. Ainsi, même si les bords de l'orifice 42b présentent de légers défauts de moulage, ceux-ci ne gênent pas du tout le coulissement du piston 3 sur le noyau 42. De plus, comme il existe un certain jeu entre le piston 3 et la première partie cylindrique 42c du noyau 42, le débit d'expulsion du produit est amélioré.It will also be noted that the lateral orifice 42b of the core 42 is drilled in the first cylindrical part 42a of said core, on which the piston 3 slides without sealing. Thus, even if the edges of the orifice 42b have slight molding defects, these do not interfere at all with the sliding of the piston 3 on the core 42. In addition, as there is a certain clearance between the piston 3 and the first cylindrical part 42c of the core 42, the expulsion rate of the product is improved.

Le mouvement de descente du piston 3 se poursuit jusqu'à ce que la jupe 5 du piston 3 bute contre les nervures 1g du corps de pompe, a l'extrémité supérieure 1k desdites nervures 1g. Lorsque l'utilisateur relâche le poussoir 43, le ressort de rappel 48 repousse la tige-poussoir 40 vers l'extrémité 1c du corps de pompe, et simultanément, le ressort de précompression 47 maintient la jupe 5 en butée sur l'extrémité 1k des nervures 1g, de sorte que la lèvre inférieure centrale 4 du piston vient recouvrir à nouveau la deuxième partie cylindrique 42d du noyau 42, et que la couronne 44 applique nouveau un effet de serrage radial sur ladite lèvre 4 du piston. Au cours de ce mouvement du piston, le volume de la chambre d'aspiration 46 augmente, et comme le piston 3 coulisse sans étanchéité sur la première partie cylindrique 42c du noyau 42, la chambre d'aspiration 46 communique avec l'orifice 42b, de sorte que l'augmentation de volume de la chambre d'aspiration 46 produit une aspiration dans le canal axial 42a du noyau 42, dans le canal 41a du manchon 41, et dans le passage de sortie du poussoir 43. Ainsi, on évite que le produit contenu dans le poussoir 43 ne goutte ou ne suinte à l'extérieur dudit poussoir pendant le stockage du dispositif, particulièrement lorsque le produit a une consistance pâteuse.The downward movement of the piston 3 continues until the skirt 5 of the piston 3 abuts against the ribs 1g of the pump body, at the upper end 1k of said ribs 1g. When the user releases the plunger 43, the return spring 48 pushes the push rod 40 towards the end 1c of the pump body, and simultaneously, the precompression spring 47 keeps the skirt 5 in abutment on the end 1k of the ribs 1g, so that the central lower lip 4 of the piston comes again cover the second cylindrical part 42d of the core 42, and the crown 44 again applies a radial tightening effect on said lip 4 of the piston. During this movement of the piston, the volume of the suction chamber 46 increases, and as the piston 3 slides without sealing on the first cylindrical part 42c of the core 42, the suction chamber 46 communicates with the orifice 42b, so that the increase in volume of the suction chamber 46 produces suction in the axial channel 42a of the core 42, in the channel 41a of the sleeve 41, and in the outlet passage of the pusher 43. Thus, it is avoided that the product contained in the pusher 43 does not drip or ooze outside of said pusher during storage of the device, particularly when the product has a pasty consistency.

En variante, le ressort de rappel 48 de la tige-poussoir 40 pourrait être monté à l'extérieur du corps de pompe, par exemple entre un collet du manchon 41 et le fond 10a de la coupelle 10.As a variant, the return spring 48 of the push rod 40 could be mounted outside the pump body, for example between a collar of the sleeve 41 and the bottom 10a of the cup 10.

Les figures 7 et 8 représentent une variante de la pompe des figures 4 à 6. La structure de la pompe des figures 7 et 8 est très voisine de celle des figures 4 à 6, de sorte qu'elle ne sera pas décrite à nouveau en détail ici. Elle se différencie de la pompe des figures 4 à 6 par le fait que l'élargissement 42e du noyau 42 ne comporte pas d'orifice 42h, et aussi par le fait que la partie inférieure élargie 42d du noyau 42 n'est plus cylindrique, mais tronconique, en s'élargissant vers le haut. Ainsi, ladite partie 42d du noyau 42 forme un bord annulaire 50 saillant autour du noyau 42. De cette façon, lorsque la surface tronconique 44b de la couronne 44 exerce son effort de serrage radial sur la lèvre 4 du piston, ledit bord annulaire 50 exerce sur la lèvre 4 une pression concentrée sur une ligne périphérique intérieure de la lèvre 4. De la sorte, l'étanchéité du contact entre ladite lèvre 4 et la partie 42d est améliorée.Figures 7 and 8 show a variant of the pump of Figures 4 to 6. The structure of the pump of Figures 7 and 8 is very similar to that of Figures 4 to 6, so that it will not be described again in detail here. It differs from the pump in FIGS. 4 to 6 by the fact that the enlargement 42e of the core 42 does not include an orifice 42h, and also by the fact that the enlarged lower part 42d of the core 42 is no longer cylindrical, but frustoconical, widening upwards. Thus, said part 42d of the core 42 forms an annular edge 50 projecting around the core 42. In this way, when the frustoconical surface 44b of the crown 44 exerts its radial tightening force on the lip 4 of the piston, said annular edge 50 exerts on the lip 4 a pressure concentrated on an inner peripheral line of the lip 4. In this way, the sealing of the contact between said lip 4 and the part 42d is improved.

La pompe de la figure 9 a une structure très similaire à celle de la figure 7, et ne sera donc pas à nouveau décrite en détail ici. Cette pompe se différencie de celle de la figure 7 en ce qu'elle est destinée à pulvériser ou distribuer une seule dose de produit, contenue initialement dans la chambre de pompe 6. En général, la pompe de la figure 9 ne comporte pas d'orifice de reprise d'air 18. Elle ne comporte pas non plus la chambre de réaspiration 46 de la pompe de la figure 7, auquel cas le piston 3 doit coulisser avec étanchéité sur le noyau 42 de la tige 40. On notera toutefois que la chambre de réaspiration 46 pourrait éventuellement être maintenue comme sur la figure 7, bien que la réaspiration présente peu d'intérêt dans le cas présent. Enfin, la pompe de la figure 9 ne comporte pas de clapet d'entrée 15, 16, ni de conduit d'entrée 1b, mais seulement un passage de remplissage 60 dans le fond 1a du corps de pompe, fermé par une bille ou un autre moyen équivalent.The pump of Figure 9 has a structure very similar to that of Figure 7, and will therefore not be described again in detail here. This pump differs from that of FIG. 7 in that it is intended to spray or distribute a single dose of product, initially contained in the pump chamber 6. In general, the pump in FIG. 9 does not have any air return orifice 18. It also does not include the re-aspiration chamber 46 of the pump of FIG. 7, in which case the piston 3 must slide with sealing on the core 42 of the rod 40. It will however be noted that the re-aspiration chamber 46 could possibly be maintained as in FIG. 7, although re-aspiration is of little interest in the present case. Finally, the pump of figure 9 does not has no inlet valve 15, 16, or inlet duct 1b, but only a filling passage 60 in the bottom 1a of the pump body, closed by a ball or other equivalent means.

Dans la description qui précède, pour plus de clarté, il a été fait réference à une pompe se trouvant en position verticale, la tige-poussoir dirigée vers le haut, ce qui est la position la plus courante de ces dispositifs : bien entendu, la pompe peut être utilisée dans une autre position, sans pour autant sortir du cadre de la présente invention tel que décrit dans les revendications.In the above description, for the sake of clarity, reference has been made to a pump located in a vertical position, the push rod directed upwards, which is the most common position of these devices: of course, the pump can be used in another position, without departing from the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.

Claims (11)

  1. A precompression pump comprising a cylindrical pump housing (1) containing a slidable annular plunger (3) controlled by a push-rod (7, 40) which slides in said plunger and including an outlet passage (7a, 41a, 42a) leading to the pump housing (1) via a side opening (7b, 42b), the plunger including a substantially axial annular lip (4) that interacts with the push rod to block or clear said side opening, the push rod being connected to the plunger by a first resilient member (34, 47) which pushes the plunger back into a position in which said side opening is blocked, said first resilient member urging said plunger towards an annular ram (8, 44) which urges said lip (4) radially towards the push rod (7, 40) by wedging it, the pump being characterized in that the ram (8, 44) is further designed to abut the plunger (3) outside said lip (4), thereby limiting movement of the ram (8, 44) and the plunger (3) towards each other, and thus limiting the radial clamping force applied to said plunger lip (4).
  2. A precompression pump including at least:
       a cylindrical pump housing (1) having first and second ends (1a, 1c),
       an annular plunger (3) slidable axially in said pump housing (1),
       a push rod (40) slidable in said plunger (3) and passing through said second end (1c) of the pump housing, said push rod extending axially between a first end (41f) outside the pump housing and a second end (42e) inside the pump housing, said push rod having a blind passage (41a, 42a) extending axially from the first end (41f) of the push rod to a side opening (42b) inside the pump housing, the plunger including an annular central lip (4) extending partway towards the first end (1a) of the pump housing, said central lip (4) being adapted to slide in sealed contact with at least one part (42d) of the push rod between said side opening (42b) and the second end (42e) of the push rod, said central lip (4) being adapted to clear the side opening of the push rod when the plunger (3) is displaced sufficiently far towards the first end (41f) of the push rod,
    characterized in that the pump further includes:
       an annular ram (44) fastened to the push rod (40) and disposed between the side opening (42a) of the push rod and the first end (1a) of the pump housing,
       a first resilient member (47) mounted between the push rod (40) and the plunger (3) and urging said plunger (3) towards the ram (44) so that the central lip (4) of the plunger is pressed against the ram (44), the ram (44) and the central lip (4) having shapes such that the ram applies an inward radial clamping force to the central lip (4), by wedging it,
    and the ram (44) is further adapted to abut against the plunger (3) outside the central lip (4), which limits movement of the ram (44) and the plunger (3) towards each other and thereby limits the radial clamping force applied to the central lip of the plunger.
  3. A pump according to claim 2 further characterized in that said first end of the pump includes an inlet valve (15, 16) and the pump further includes a second resilient member (48) which urges the push rod (40) towards said second end (1c) of the pump housing.
  4. A precompression pump including at least:
       a cylindrical pump housing (1) having a first end (1a) fitted with an inlet valve (15, 16) and a second end (1c),
       an annular plunger (3) slidable axially in said pump housing (1),
       a push rod (7) slidable in said plunger (3) and passing through said second end (1c) of the pump housing, said push rod extending axially between a first end (7f) outside the pump housing and a second end (7j) inside the pump housing, said push rod having a blind passage (7a) extending axially from the outside end (7f) of the push rod to a side opening (7b) inside the pump housing, the plunger including an annular central lip (4) extending partway towards the first end (1a) of the pump housing, said central lip (4) being adapted to slide in sealed contact with at least one part (42d) of the push rod between said side opening (7b) and the second end (7j) of the push rod, said central lip (4) being adapted to clear the side opening of the push rod when the plunger (3) is displaced sufficiently far towards the first end (7f) of the push rod,
       a first resilient member (34) disposed between the push rod and the plunger to urge said plunger towards the second end (7j) of the push rod,
       an annular ram (8) disposed between the plunger (3) and the first end (1a) of the pump housing, slidable in said pump housing and mobile axially relative to the push rod (40),
       a second resilient member (35) urging the ram (8) towards the second end (1c) of the pump housing so that the ram (8) is pressed against the central lip (4) of the plunger, said ram (8) and said central lip (4) having shapes such that the ram applies an inward radial clamping force to the central lip (4), by wedging it, simultaneously urging said central lip axially towards the second end (1c) of the pump housing,
    characterized in that the ram (8) is further adapted to abut against the plunger (3) outside the central lip (4), which limits movement of the ram (8) and the plunger (3) towards each other and thereby limits the radial clamping force applied to the central lip (4) of the plunger.
  5. A pump according to any one of claims 2 to 4 further characterized in that the ram (44) has an annular inside surface (44a) facing the central lip (4) of the plunger, widening in the direction towards the second end (1c) of the pump housing.
  6. A pump according to any one of claims 2 to 4 further characterized in that the central lip (4) of the plunger has an annular outside surface (4a) facing the ram (8) and whose outside diameter increases in the direction towards the second end (1c) of the pump housing.
  7. A pump according to any one of claims 2 to 5 further characterized in that the ram (8, 44) has a ring (8b, 44) adapted to abut against the plunger (3) outside the central lip (4) and said ring includes radial cut-outs (8a, 44a).
  8. A pump according to any one of claims 2 to 6 further characterized in that the part (7, 42d) of the push rod on which the central lip (4) of the plunger slides in sealed manner is cylindrical.
  9. A pump according to any one of claims 2 to 6 further characterized in that the part (7g, 42d) of the push rod on which the central lip (4) of the plunger slides in sealed manner has a peripheral radially outward projection (50) near the side opening (42b) of the push rod (40) and the central lip (4) of the plunger has a cylindrical inside surface (4b) facing said projection (50).
  10. A pump according to any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that the first resilient member (47) is a coil spring and the plunger (3) includes projections (49) on which said coil spring (47) bears.
  11. A pump according to any one of the preceding claims further characterised in that the plunger has at least one periphery (3b, 45) sliding in sealed contact with a part (7, 41d) of the push rod between the side opening (7b, 42b) of said push rod and its outside end (7f, 41f).
EP93904092A 1992-01-20 1993-01-19 Improved precompression pump Expired - Lifetime EP0623060B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9200559A FR2686377B1 (en) 1992-01-20 1992-01-20 IMPROVED PRECOMPRESSION PUMP.
FR9200559 1992-01-20
PCT/FR1993/000046 WO1993013873A1 (en) 1992-01-20 1993-01-19 Improved precompression pump

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0623060A1 EP0623060A1 (en) 1994-11-09
EP0623060B1 true EP0623060B1 (en) 1995-08-23

Family

ID=9425795

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93904092A Expired - Lifetime EP0623060B1 (en) 1992-01-20 1993-01-19 Improved precompression pump

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US5482188A (en)
EP (1) EP0623060B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3265347B2 (en)
DE (1) DE69300399T2 (en)
FR (1) FR2686377B1 (en)
WO (1) WO1993013873A1 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69300399D1 (en) 1995-09-28
JPH07503927A (en) 1995-04-27
EP0623060A1 (en) 1994-11-09
FR2686377B1 (en) 1994-03-25
US5482188A (en) 1996-01-09
FR2686377A1 (en) 1993-07-23
WO1993013873A1 (en) 1993-07-22
JP3265347B2 (en) 2002-03-11
DE69300399T2 (en) 1996-04-18

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