EP0694483B1 - Container for the storage of at least two products, and for the mixture and distribution of these products - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a container for storage of at least two products, the mixture of these products and the distribution of mixture thus obtained.

We know from the German patent application DE-A-2 809 646, the German utility model DE-U-92 09 105 and the German patent application DE-A-36 35574 containers allowing the storage of two products, the mixture of these products and the distribution of the mixture thus obtained.

These containers have two reservoirs.

One of the tanks is able to slide in the other to play the role of a piston and distribute the mixture.

These containers constitute cartridges for use in pistols fitted with a member for advancing the sliding tank and are not suitable for the distribution of a cosmetic product especially.

We also know by the French patent application FR-A-2 129 079, a container allowing the storage of at least two products, mixing these products and distributing the mixture as well got.

Such a container comprises a first tank capable of containing a liquid product, provided with a dispensing orifice, a second reservoir cylindrical capable of containing a pulverulent product, comprising a bottom and a fixed mouthpiece, at least during the distribution of the mixture by relation to the first reservoir and by which it is contiguous to the first tank.

The container also has a removable sealing wall the mouth of the second reservoir, and a movable cylindrical part, of outer section close to the inner section of the second tank and having a limited travel between a first position in which it located outside the first tank, and a second position in which it enters the first reservoir, spreading the removable wall to thus put the two tanks into communication.

Such a container has the advantage of being able to contain separately a first product, for example a liquid, in the first tank, and a second product, for example a powder, in the second tank.

Thus conditioned, the two products can be kept for long periods, which would not be possible if they were mixed as soon as they are introduced into the container,

This known container, however, has a number disadvantages.

In particular, it has a large number of parts, which makes it difficult and expensive to manufacture.

In addition, its arrangement is such that when mixing the two products, it is necessary to position the container so that the second tank is located above the first to prevent the mixing does occur inside the second tank, the small of which volume is not conducive to good homogenization of the mixture.

In addition, when the second reservoir contains a powder, the introduction of a liquid from the first tank into the second tank causes lumps of powder to form clump in the second tank,

The present invention aims to provide a container which avoids in particular the drawbacks mentioned above.

The present invention relates to a container allowing the storage of at least two products, the mixture of these products and the distribution of the mixture thus obtained, comprising a first tank capable contain a liquid product with a dispensing orifice, a second cylindrical tank capable of containing a pulverulent product, comprising a bottom and a fixed mouth relative to the first tank and by which it is contiguous to first tank, a removable wall closing the mouth of the second reservoir, and a movable cylindrical part, of neighboring outer section of the inner section of the second tank and having a limited stroke between a first position in which it is located outside the first tank, and a second position in which it enters the first tank, spreading the removable wall, characterized by the the moving part has a transverse wall which constitutes the bottom of the second tank, and is located when the moving part is in its first position, at a distance from the mouth of the second tank substantially equal to or less than the stroke of said part mobile and by the fact that when the moving part is in its second position said transverse wall is located near said mouth.

We understand that, when moving the moving part in its second position, the volume of the second tank is reduced until it becomes zero, so that the product contained in the second tank is expelled to the first and the two products contained in the tanks respective mix well, regardless of the orientation of the container.

According to the invention, the term “cylindrical” means a shape generated by moving a straight line parallel to a given direction, along of a given closed contour.

It is understood that this outline can be in particular circular, but also oval, square, rectangular etc ...

In a first embodiment of the invention, the wall transverse of the moving part is flat and surrounded by an edge whose the upper end lies in an inclined plane with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the moving part.

In this embodiment, the generally bevelled shape edge facilitates removal of the removable wall.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the transverse wall of the moving part is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the latter, but includes preferably a protuberance which serves as a perforator of the wall removable.

In a third embodiment, the second reservoir has a circular inner section and the transverse wall of the moving part is arranged to receive a ball of substantially same diameter as the moving part.

So the product from the second tank is initially contained between the removable wall and the ball. In this way, the moving the moving part into its second position causes the ejection of the ball, and consequently, the complete evacuation of the product in the first tank.

The ball thus released can then play its role conventional mixer.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the distribution of the mixture is ensured by a pump mounted on the container.

In a first variant, this pump is housed at near the dispensing orifice of the first tank.

In a second variant, a return member is provided to return the moving part to its first position.

In this latter variant, after mixing has been carried out of the two products by eliminating the removable wall, the part mobile acts as a piston capable of creating an overpressure in the first tank, which overpressure causes a dose to be ejected predetermined mixing through the dispensing orifice of the container.

The recall device that can be used for this purpose can be by example a coil spring or a bellows formed in the wall side of a part supporting the moving part.

According to the invention, it is also possible to provide a container whose walls are elastically deformable by pressure external, so that the ejection of the product contained in the first tank can be simply obtained by slightly crushing the side walls of the container. In such a case, there is no point in provide the container with a pump.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation et en coupe partielle d'un récipient selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une même vue du dispositif de la figure 1 après déplacement de la pièce mobile du récipient,
• la figure 3 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 d'un récipient selon un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 4 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 d'un récipient selon un troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 5 est une même vue du récipient de la figure 4 pendant une manoeuvre de distribution d'une dose de produit,
• la figure 6 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 d'un récipient selon un quatrième mode de réalisation de l'invention, et
• la figure 7 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 d'un récipient selon un cinquième mode de réalisation de l'invention.

In order to better understand the invention, we will now describe embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 is a view in elevation and in partial section of a container according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 2 is the same view of the device in FIG. 1 after the moving part of the container has moved,
• FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a container according to a second embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a container according to a third embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 5 is the same view of the container of FIG. 4 during a maneuver for dispensing a dose of product,
• FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a container according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, and
• Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a container according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

The container of Figure 1 has a shaped bottle general cylindrical, which defines a first tank 1 and is provided with its upper part of a push mechanism 2 which allows, by a pump not shown, to deliver a dose of a product contained in the reservoir 1 through a dispensing orifice 3.

Said bottle is made of injected plastic, by example in polypropylene.

At its lower part, the bottle has a base 4 also made of polypropylene which is attached to the bottle by snap-fastening.

The base 4 has sealing lips 5 which take press against the inner wall of the bottle 1 and seal of the last.

The base 4 has, in its central part, a chimney cylindrical 6 which constitutes the side walls of a second tank 7 within the meaning of the invention.

A waterproof seal 8, heat sealed on the base 4, separates the two reservoirs 1 and 7 by closing the mouth of the second reservoir 7. The latter is fixed relative to the first reservoir 1.

A pusher 9 covers the lower part of the base 4 on which it is retained by an internal annular bulge 10 a of its side wall 11, inside a groove 12 provided on the base 4 and terminated by a rib 10 b .

The pusher 9 has, in its central part, a piston 13 whose outer section is close to the inner section of the chimney 6 and which constitutes the moving part within the meaning of the invention.

The piston 13 has a flat wall 14 which is surrounded by an edge 15 whose upper end lies in a plane inclined to a plane perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the piston 13.

We see, in Figure 1, that the tank 1 contains a liquid 16 while the reservoir 7 contains a powder 17.

The container of Figure 1 is used as described below.

For the conservation of products 16 and 17, the container is held in the position shown in Figure 1.

To mix the two products, pressure is exerted on pusher 9 to move it in the direction of the orifice dispensing 3 of the container.

The piston 13 then moves in the chimney 6, the edge 15 cutting the cover 8, as illustrated in Figure 2.

Products 16 and 17 can then mix in the first tank 1.

As seen in Figure 2, the wall 14 comes to touching the inner wall of the tank 1, so that the volume of the second tank becomes zero and there is no formation nook in which the powder 17 is likely to clump together.

This results in good homogeneity of the mixture thus obtained.

The cut-off cover 8 remains in the tank 1 for the entire period of use of the container as a distributor of the mixed.

As seen in Figure 2, the base 4 has a annular boss 18 which retains the pusher 9 in position reentry after mixing products 16 and 17.

The container is then presented in a compact form, this which facilitates its use, the product being delivered in doses obtained by pressing mechanism 2. In a variant, not shown, the latter is replaced by a simple tip and the product distribution is effected by pressing the side wall of the tank 1 when the latter is made of a flexible material.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the removable wall separating the tank 1 and the tank 7 is consisting of an 8 'thin film, molded in one piece with the base 4 ', and having at its periphery a narrowing of thickness 19 intended to facilitate its separation from the base 4 '.

Such a removable wall 8 ′ could also be placed work in the container of Figures 1 and 2.

In the embodiment of Figure 3, the piston 13 'of the pusher 9 'differs from pusher 13 previously described in that that it has a wall 14 'arranged to receive a ball 20 of same diameter as the chimney 6 'of the base 4', which here a circular interior section.

It can be seen in FIG. 3 that the powder 17 is housed in the container 7, between the removable wall 8 'and the ball 20, so that, during movement of the pusher 9 ', the piston 13' ejects simultaneously the powder 17 and the ball 20 in the reservoir 1, which has the effect of preventing any accumulation of powder in the reservoir 7.

Once the pusher 9 'is immobilized in the retracted position, the container also has a compact shape, and the wall 14 'comes substantially touching the interior wall of the container 1.

In the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5, the container has, in place of the dispensing member 2, a simple tip 2 'of elongated shape, provided with a dispensing orifice 3 at its upper end.

The closure of the dispensing orifice 3 can be obtained for example using a cap not shown.

In this embodiment, the base 4 and the pusher 9 are identical to those which have been described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The container further comprises an elastic member constituted here by a coil spring 21 housed around the chimney 6 of the base 4 and piston 13 of pusher 9.

At its lower end, the spring 21 is immobilized between ribs 22, 23 provided on the inner face of the pusher 9.

The groove 12 'of the base 4 does not have a collar 18, unlike that of the embodiments described above.

The pusher 9 is thus permanently brought back by the spring helical 21 in the position shown in FIG. 4,

To mix the two products 16 and 17, we proceed as for the embodiments described above, when the pusher 9, which has the effect of cutting the cover 8.

Once the two products 16 and 17 are mixed, the pusher 9 which returns to its initial position.

We can then release the dispensing orifice 3 and use pusher 9 as a dispenser for a dose of mixed.

Indeed, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the piston 13, by moving in the chimney 6 of a stroke defined by the distance separating the rib 10b and the upper end of the groove 12 ', creates an overpressure in the tank 1, and causes the evacuation through the orifice 3 of a predetermined dose of the mixture contained in the tank 1.

Thus, the pusher 9 is used both for mixing the products and dispensing a predetermined dose of these products.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, we have combined some of the features of the embodiments described previously, with new features.

The reservoir 7 contains a ball 20 which rests on a wall 14 'arranged for this purpose.

The pusher 9 'serves both as an organ for mixing the products and metering device.

The sealing of the moving part 13 ′ after elimination of the removable wall 8 '' is increased by the presence of a second wall 24 which surrounds the piston 13 'by reserving an annular space whose dimensions are substantially the same as those of the wall of the chimney 6 'from base 4.

The removable wall 8 '' can be made of a material adequate for the good conservation of products 16 and 17.

The snap of the wall 8 '' on the edges 4 ' a of the base 4 is a possible form of removable wall. In this case, the wall 8 '' is removed without cutting, by simple separation from the base 4,

In this figure, there is also shown a ring of inviolability 25, which guarantees, as long as it is not torn off, that products 16 and 17 are not mixed

A vent 26 allows the passage of air between on the one hand the space between the base 4 'and the bottle and on the other hand outside.

In Figure 7, there is shown a container which comprises the same elements as that of Figure 6, with the difference that the reservoir 1 is not cylindrical and that the base 4, the piston 13 and the second smaller tank 7, are located on the front wall of the container.

It is understood that the embodiments which have just been described have no limiting character and that they can receive any desirable changes without going out for this the scope of the invention.

In particular, the second tank can allow store two or more products, separated by removable partitions superimposed which would be torn or cut by the moving part at during its passage in its second position.

In addition, the dispensing orifice can be of any plain, for example a porous applicator such as a sintered foam, a brush or a dropper.

Claims (10)

1. Container for storing at least two products, mixing these products and dispensing the mixture thus obtained, comprising a first reservoir (1) able to contain a liquid product and equipped with a dispensing orifice, a second, cylindrical, reservoir (7) able to contain a powdered product, having an end wall and a mouth which is fixed with respect to the first reservoir (1), and via which it is contiguous with the first reservoir (1), a removable wall (8) closing the mouth of the second reservoir (7), and a movable cylindrical part with an external cross-section similar to the internal cross-section of the second reservoir (7) and having a limited travel between a first position in which it lies outside the first reservoir (1), and a second position in which it enters the first reservoir, moving the removable wall (8) away, characterized in that the moving part (13, 13') comprises a transverse wall (14, 14') which constitutes the end wall of the second reservoir (7) and lies, when the moving part (13, 13') is in its first position, some distance from the mouth of the second reservoir (7), this distance being approximately equal to or less than the travel of the said moving part (13, 13') and in that, when the moving part (13, 13') is in its second position, the said transverse wall lies close to the said mouth.
2. Container according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a return member (21) for returning the moving part (13, 13') to its first position, so that this moving part can be used as a piston to create raised pressures in the first reservoir (1) with a view to dispensing a predetermined dose of the mixture obtained each time the moving part (13, 13') moves between its first position and its second position.
3. Container according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the transverse wall (14) of the moving part (13) is flat and surrounded by an edge (15), the upper end of which is in a plane which is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the said moving part (13).
4. Container according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the second reservoir (7) has a circular internal cross-section, and in that the transverse wall (14') of the moving part (13') is designed to accommodate a ball (20) of approximately the same diameter as the moving part (13').
5. Container according to any one of Claims 1, 3 and 4, characterized in that it comprises means (10a, 10b, 18) for immobilizing the moving part (13, 13') in its second position.
6. Container according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a base (4) which, in its central part, has a cylindrical hollow shaft (6) constituting the side walls of the said second reservoir,
7. Container according to Claim 6, characterized in that the base (4) is secured to the container by snap-fastening.
8. Container according to Claim 2 and one of Claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the return member consists of a coil spring (21) housed around the hollow shaft (6) of the base (4).
9. Container according to any one of Claims 6 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a sealing wall (24) surrounding the moving part (13'), leaving an annular space the dimensions of which are approximately the same as those of the wall of the hollow shaft (6).
10. Container according to any one of Claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the moving part (13; 13') is secured to a pusher (9; 9') held by an internal annular bulge (10a) of its side wall inside a groove provided on the base (4) and ending in a rib (10b).

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