EP0812775B1 - Container for mixing and dispensing two components contained therein - Google Patents

Abstract

The container consists of a body (12) housing a first chamber (20) designed to hold a first product, with a second chamber (22) for a second product linked to the first via a passage (24) closed by a stopper (26). The stopper is attached to one chamber which has an extending zone (46) in its wall allowing the stopper to be removed and the passage (24) to be freed when the wall is extended. The extending wall zone is in the shape of a bellows, and the chamber containing it has a neck at the opposite end to the passage (24) which connects with an outlet (18) for the mixture of the two products. The stopper itself comprises a hollow shaft (29), generally cylindrical in shape and having a lengthwise channel (44). The two chambers are closed by a cap (48) prior to use.

Description

The present invention relates to a container for distribution of products allowing an extemporaneous mixing products, especially cosmetics or parapharmaceuticals.

An extemporaneous mixture is a mixture of products with a limited shelf life, and the constituents of which are not mixed until the first use of the container.

For this purpose, it is usual, in the case of a mixture of two products, to keep each product in a respective chamber of a container, the rooms being connected at the time of first use of the container.

We know such dispensing containers of products of the type comprising a body delimiting a first chamber intended to contain a first product and a second chamber intended to contain a second produced and connected to the first chamber by a passage product flow between said chambers, a closure member for said passage mounted axially movable in the body between a first position closing the passage and a second position of release of said passage for mixing said products, and associated product distribution means to one of said chambers (see for example the document US-A-5088627).

In dispensing containers of this type, the shutter member is operated by applying a force on an elastically membrane deformable placed inside one of the chambers and on which the shutter rests.

These containers have many drawbacks, especially due to the fact that they are made up an assembly of at least four parts which makes their realization in a production line at a rate relatively expensive.

The object of the invention is to overcome this drawback and provide a dispensing container of products consisting of a relatively small number of rooms.

It therefore relates to a container of the type above, characterized in that the shutter member being carried by the wall of one of said chambers, said wall includes an expandable zone intended for cause, during its extension, the release of said passage, and in that it comprises removable means for holding the shutter member in the shutter position of said passage.

• la zone extensible est constituée par un soufflet ménagé dans la paroi de ladite deuxième chambre et délimitant ladite zone extensible ;
• il comporte en outre un organe élastiquement déformable associé à la paroi de ladite deuxième chambre et sollicitant l'organe d'obturation en position de libération dudit passage d'écoulement de produit ;
• la paroi de ladite deuxième chambre forme un col s'étendant à l'opposé dudit passage d'écoulement et débouchant par un orifice de sortie de produit dont le bord délimite un siège pour l'organe d'obturation ;
• l'organe d'obturation comporte une queue munie d'une première extrémité portant un obturateur proprement dit et une extrémité opposée munie d'un rebord annulaire venant en appui sur ledit siège ;
• l'obturateur est réalisé en un matériau élastiquement déformable surmoulé sur ladite queue ;
• ladite queue a une forme générale cylindrique et est munie en son centre d'un canal longitudinal d'écoulement de produit et, entre lesdites extrémités opposées, de perforations ;
• le récipient comporte en outre un capuchon muni de moyens de fixation sur ledit col ;
• le capuchon est muni d'un conduit longitudinal de distribution de produit obturé par une pointe d'extrémité sécable et destiné à venir en communication avec ledit canal longitudinal d'écoulement de produit ;
• les moyens de maintien de l'organe d'obturation en position d'obturation dudit passage d'écoulement de produit comportent une jupe périphérique externe reliée au capuchon par des moyens frangibles d'inviolabilité et munie d'une collerette interne délimitant une rampe d'encliquetage sur un bourrelet périphérique externe ménagée dans ledit corps ; et
• ledit capuchon comporte une jupe interne d'étanchéité destinée à coopérer avec la surface interne de la queue.

The container according to the invention can also have one or more of the following characteristics:

• the extendable zone is constituted by a bellows formed in the wall of said second chamber and delimiting said extendable zone;
• it further comprises an elastically deformable member associated with the wall of said second chamber and urging the shutter member in the release position of said product flow passage;
• the wall of said second chamber forms a neck extending opposite to said flow passage and opening out through a product outlet orifice, the edge of which delimits a seat for the closure member;
• the shutter member comprises a tail provided with a first end carrying a shutter proper and an opposite end provided with an annular flange bearing on said seat;
• the shutter is made of an elastically deformable material overmolded on said tail;
• said tail has a generally cylindrical shape and is provided in its center with a longitudinal product flow channel and, between said opposite ends, with perforations;
• the container further comprises a cap provided with fixing means on said neck;
• the cap is provided with a longitudinal product distribution duct closed by a breakable end tip and intended to come into communication with said longitudinal product flow channel;
• the means for holding the shutter member in the closed position of said product flow passage comprise an external peripheral skirt connected to the cap by frangible tamper-evident means and provided with an internal collar delimiting a ramp snap-fastening on an external peripheral bead formed in said body; and
• said cap has an internal sealing skirt intended to cooperate with the internal surface of the tail.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'un récipient selon l'invention en position d'obturation du passage d'écoulement de produit ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe longitudinale du flacon représenté sur la figure 1, en position de libération du passage d'écoulement de produit ; et
• la figure 3 est une vue éclatée du flacon des figures 1 et 2.

Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the following description, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a container according to the invention in the closed position of the product flow passage;
• Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bottle shown in Figure 1, in the release position of the product flow passage; and
• FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the bottle of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Figures 1 and 2 show a bottle for dispensing product according to the invention, respectively in storage position and in use position.

The container, designated by the general reference 10 comprises an axis of symmetry X-X assumed to be vertical.

The container 10 made of plastic material, mainly polyethylene or polypropylene, contains a hollow body 12 provided with a lower end or posterior 14 closed and from an opposite end upper and anterior 16 open forming a neck opening out through a neck 18.

The hollow body 12 delimits a first chamber 20 containing a first product, for example a solvent, and a second chamber 22 containing a second product, for example a substance in powder form intended to be mixed with the solvent when using the container.

The first 20 and second 22 rooms are connected by a product flow passage 24 constituted by a narrowing of the body section 12. This product flow passage 24 is closed, in position for storing the container 10, by a closure member 26 mounted axially displaceable in the body 12, parallel to the axis of symmetry X-X, between a first closing position of passage 24, shown on the Figure 1 and a second position for releasing the passage 24, shown in FIG. 2.

The shutter member 26 consists of a shutter 28 proper and an operating tail 29 of it generally cylindrical in shape and extending in the second cavity 22 along the axis X-X.

The tail 29 has a generally cylindrical shape and has a first lower end region 30 closed on which is fixed the shutter 28 and a second upper end region 32 open, the end face is provided with an annular rim 34 in support on a seat 36 formed by the free edge of the neck 16.

The shutter 28 is produced from a elastically deformable material, such as an elastomer, and has a cross section of diameter substantially lower, at rest, than the internal diameter of the passage flow of the product 24 in order to ensure a seal effective in prohibiting communication between first 20 and second 22 rooms when the container 10.

The shutter 28 has on its peripheral surface external surface irregularities 38 for also allow easy release of passage 24 when using the container.

The tail 29 also has a central region 40 provided with perforations 42 and has, in its center, a longitudinal product flow channel 44 extending along the middle area 40 and the end area upper 32.

The perforations 42 connect the second chamber 22 and the flow channel 44 of product.

We also see in Figures 1 and 2 that the wall of the body 12 delimiting the second chamber 22 has an expandable zone 46 constituted by a bellows elastically deformable.

The bellows 46 constitutes a spring and is located in the constrained state in the container storage position 10 and in the unconstrained state in the position of use of the container 10.

We see in Figures 1 and 2 that the container 10 is completed by a cap 48 provided with a first upper end region 50, a central region 52 and a lower end region 54.

The upper end zone 50 has a shape general substantially conical and delimits internally a longitudinal product distribution duct 56 of steadily decreasing section towards the summit of the end zone 50.

The dimensioning of the distribution conduit 56 of product is preferably suitable for ensuring drop by drop distribution of product. It is closed in downstream, considering the product flow direction, by a breakable spherical end point 58.

The central region 52 of the cap 48 has a shape substantially frustoconical. It has on its surface external of coaxial longitudinal grooves 60 delimiting a manually operable operating surface by a user and, on its internal surface, by thread 62 cooperating with complementary thread 64 formed in the external peripheral surface of the neck 16.

We also see in Figures 1 and 2 that the median zone 52 further comprises an internal skirt 66 extending upstream the upper end zone 50 of the cap 48 and cooperating with the internal surface of the shank 29 in order to ensure an effective seal between the cap 48 and the tail 29.

Finally, the lower end region 54 of the cap 48 is constituted by an external skirt of form general cylindrical connected to the median zone 52 by a tearable ring 68. The outer skirt 54 is provided with two opposite longitudinal lines of least resistance mechanical (not shown) delimiting two zones semi-cylindrical removable.

Furthermore, the outer skirt 54 is provided with near its free end of an internal flange 70 delimiting a snap-on ramp on a bead 72 external device formed in the wall of the body 12.

For the assembly and filling of such container, we first fill, in a chain of filling the first chamber 20 of the body 12 using a filling rod inserted in the first room 20.

The filling rod is retracted and the bottle is in the configuration shown on the figure 3.

The tail 29 is then positioned fitted with the shutter 28 in the second chamber 22 so that the peripheral annular rim 34 comes to bear on the seat 36 of the neck 16 and that the shutter 28 is inserted tightly in the flow passage 24 of product.

It should be noted that, in this position, the bellows 46 is in the constrained state, the effort of friction applied by the shutter 28 on the wall internal product flow passage 24 against the force applied by the bellows on the tail 29.

A second filling rod is then inserted into the product flow channel 44 and the second chamber is filled with a second product, which product flows through the perforations 42.

The body 12, equipped with the tail 29 and the shutter 28 is then capped by the cap 48, the internal skirt 66 fits into the collar 16 resting against the inner surface of the tail 29.

The cap 48 is then screwed onto the neck 16 of so that the collar 70 snaps onto the bead device 72.

the container is then in the position shown in Figure 1, in which the organ shutter 26 is locked in the shutter position of the product flow passage 24 under the action of the outer skirt 54 snapped into the bead 72.

When using the container, and as previously mentioned, the two products contained in chambers 20 and 22 must be mixed immediately. To do this, the user tears the ring tearable 68 and separates the two hemispherical parts constituting the outer skirt 54.

The user then exerts a slight pull on the operating surface of the cap, causing an extension of the bellows 46 as well as a displacement of the shutter member 26 from its storage position shown in Figure 1 to its release position passage 24, shown in Figure 2.

The user then shakes the bottle so as to make an effective mixture of the two products.

It should be noted that in this position the cap 48 sealingly seals the neck 18 of the body.

For the distribution of the mixture, the user breaks the breakable tip 58 and causes the flow of the produced through the distribution conduit 56 in returning the product and, where applicable, exercising a pressure on the upper end region 50 of the cap 48.

We can see that the container which has just been described allows efficient storage of two products kept separately in a corresponding room of the container.

In addition, the container consisting of three parts, namely the body 12, the closure member 26 and cap 48, this container can be made to low cost in a production line high.

In the example of realization which has just been described, the release of the flow passage 24 of product is carried out by exerting a traction on the operating surface of the cap.

It is possible, in an embodiment not shown, to provide the container with an elastically member deformable associated with the second chamber 22 and requesting the shutter member in the release position of the passage.

Consequently, as soon as the external skirt 54 for holding of the shutter member in the shutter position is removed, the elastically deformable organ causes automatic release of the passage.

Of course, in this embodiment, for filling the second chamber it is necessary to exert an effort on the free edge of the neck so to maintain the bellows in the constrained state, practicing at against the force exerted by the elastically organ deformable.

According to yet another embodiment, it is possible to endow the neck with a long thread and equip the outer skirt with a thread complementary internal, the rotation of this skirt causing then the extension of the bellows.

Therefore, the passage of the container from the position closing the product flow passage to the position for releasing this passage takes place in unscrewing the cap, causing an extension of the bellows.

Claims (11)

1. Product-dispensing container comprising a body (12) defining a first chamber (20) designed to contain a first product and a second chamber (22) designed to contain a second product and connected to the first chamber (20) by a passage (24) through which product can flow between the said chambers, a member (26) for closing the said passage (24), mounted in such a way that it can move axially inside the body (12) between a first position in which it closes the passage (24) and a second position in which it opens the said passage (24) to allow mixing of the said products, and product-dispensing means (50) connected to one of the said chambers, the container being characterized in that, the said closing member (26) being supported by the wall of one of the said chambers (22), the said wall comprises an extensible zone (46) designed to bring about, in the course of its extension, the opening cf the said passage (24), and in that it comprises removable means (54) for keeping the closing member (26) in the closed position of the said passage (24).
2. Container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the extensible zone is a bellows (46) formed in the wall of the said second chamber (22).
3. Container according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it also comprises an elastically deformable member (46) connected to the wall of the said second chamber (22) and tending to move the closing member (26) towards the open position of the said product flow passage (24) .
4. Container according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the wall of the said second chamber (22) forms a neck extending away from the said flow passage (24) to a product outlet orifice (18) whose edge defines a seat (36) for the closing member (26).
5. Container according to Claim 4, characterized in that the closing member (26) comprises a stem (29) with a first end carrying a closing member (28) properly so-called and an opposite end with an annular lip (34) that sits on the said seat (36).
6. Container according to Claim 5, characterized in that the said closing member (28) is made of an elastically deformable material overmoulded onto the said stem (29).
7. Container according to either of Claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the said stem (29) is of cylindrical general shape and is provided in its centre with a longitudinal product-flow channel (44) and, between the said opposite ends, perforations (42).
8. Container according to any one of Claims 4 to 7, characterized in that it also comprises a cap (48) with means (62) of attachment to the said neck.
9. Container according to Claim 8, dependent upon Claim 7, characterized in that the cap (48) is provided with a longitudinal product-dispensing duct (56), closed by a tip (58) that can be cut off, and is designed to communicate with the said longitudinal product-flow channel (44).
10. Container according to either of Claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the means for keeping the closing member in the closed position of the said product-flow passage comprise a peripheral outer skirt (54) connected to the cap by breakable tamper-resistant means (68) and provided with an inner collar (70) that defines a slope for a snapfitting onto a peripheral outer bead (72) formed in the said body.
11. Container according to any one of Claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the said cap (48) comprises an inner sealing skirt (66) designed to engage with the inner surface of the stem (29).

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