EP0813829B1 - Product dispenser with a rotary actuating member and method for making it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a distributor of a product, in particular a cosmetic product, comprising an operating member rotary.

It is already known to use such dispensers for the conditioning and application of stick deodorants, that is to say in the form of solid bread.

These dispensers have a cylindrical container open at one of its ends, a piston movable axially in translation in this body and a drive screw mounted at rotation in the container and passing through a threaded orifice piston.

The stick is linked to the piston and by turning the maneuver in an appropriate direction, the piston moves under the action rotation of the drive screw towards the end open of the cylindrical body to take out the product bread and allow the product to be collected by friction. While turning the operating member in the opposite direction, the piston moves in the opposite direction to bring in the product bread and allow the installation of a closure cover on the container.

To mount the piston inside the body cylindrical container when assembling the dispenser, a first solution is to climb inside the container the drive screw 'and then engage the hole threaded piston on the free end of the screw. The piston is then moved towards the inside of the container by turning the maneuver. This solution can be difficult to implement when the operating member is constituted by a wheel which is only accessible through windows made in the base of the container, which reduces the accessible gripping surface and increases the number of manipulations required to rotate the wheel.

Another solution has thus been proposed which consists in rendering removable by snap-fastening the central part of the piston, taking care that its transverse dimensions are low enough that it can be introduced after one screwing tool through the open end of the cylindrical body and moved on the drive screw by the rotation of the tool until reaching a predetermined position inside the container. Then just slide the remaining part piston from the open end of the cylindrical body until that it snaps onto the central part of the piston already in place inside the container. With this solution, it is no longer necessary to rotate the actuator to position the piston inside the container.

We know from US patent 5,255,990 a distributor comprising a piston provided with connecting means engaging on a drive screw.

The connection means comprise two branches coming normally engaged on the screw, and a pivoting lever connected to a actuation mechanism to spread the branches when is necessary to uncouple the piston and the drive screw.

Such a device is of relatively complex construction and expensive.

The object of the present invention is to further improve a dispenser of the type comprising a container with a cylindrical body open at one of its ends, a piston movable axially in translation in this body and a drive screw passing through a orifice of the piston provided with connecting means capable of transforming a rotational movement of the screw in an axial displacement of the piston, said screw can be rotated by a member of maneuver accessible to the user.

The object of the invention is in particular to make it even easier the manufacture of the distributor.

It achieves this by the fact that said means of connection being radially deformable, they are arranged to deform radially in contact with the thread of the screw when the relative axial displacement of the connecting means and the screw so as to let the latter escape.

Thus, the assembly of the dispenser is facilitated since the piston can be pushed inside the container without it being necessary to turn the operating member or to realize the piston with a removable central part.

The connecting means are preferably elastically deformable and advantageously comprise at least two sectors having a threaded cylindrical internal surface and connected to the rest of the piston so that it can move away from each other.

In addition, it may happen that the user tries to turn the actuator in the wrong direction when first use of the dispenser.

When the operating member is constituted by a wheel of circular section, the torque exerted by the user on the screw remains relatively low and the presence of the piston at the bottom stop simply causes the locking of the wheel requested to rotate in the wrong way. However, the trend is to use operating members having a cross-sectional shape elongated in order to transmit greater torque to the screw and allow a greater axial displacement of the piston at each revolution of the operating member, the torque exerted in this case by the user in the event of blockage in the lower stop of the piston is then likely to cause the screw to break.

The invention makes it possible to use a maneuver having in cross section an elongated shape without risk of screw damage if rotated incorrectly sense of the operating member.

Indeed, in the event of blocking in the lower stop of the piston, rotation of the actuator in the wrong direction causes simply an exhaust of the screw inside the means of connection without risk of damage to the distributor.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned sectors have an elongated shape along the axis of the screws and are connected to the piston at one end.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, said sectors are recalled radially inwards by a elastically deformable return member which exerts its action of recall at least at the free end of said sectors.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, this return member is in the form of a ring or a sleeve of elastomeric material surrounding said sectors at least at their lower part. Alternatively, the return member can be be in the form of bridges of material extending between said sectors.

These material bridges can be made in one piece and in the same material as said sectors or be made in an elastomeric material.

Advantageously, the cylindrical body of the container comprises at least one stop to limit the piston insertion stroke to inside the container.

Advantageously, the operating member has come from molding to less partially in one piece with the screw. Preferably the latter came from molding in one piece with a skirt shaped to snap into a chimney of the container and can rotate freely in it.

Preferably, the drive screw has a pitch between 2 and 16 mm, and preferably between 4 and 7 mm, which allows to obtain a displacement at each rotation of the operating member relatively large piston.

The invention also relates to a manufacturing process according to claim 18.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe axiale schématique d'un distributeur conforme à un premier exemple de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective montant la vis d'entraínement, l'organe de manoeuvre et le piston,
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessous du piston représenté sur la figure 2,
• les figures 4 à 6 montrent la déformation des moyens de liaison conduisant à l'échappement de la vis, et
• les figures 7 et 8 représentent des variantes de réalisation des moyens de liaison.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge on reading the detailed description which follows, of nonlimiting exemplary embodiments of the invention, and on examining the appended drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic axial section view of a dispenser according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the drive screw, the operating member and the piston,
• FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the piston shown in FIG. 2,
• FIGS. 4 to 6 show the deformation of the connecting means leading to the escape of the screw, and
• Figures 7 and 8 show alternative embodiments of the connecting means.

There is shown in Figure 1 a distributor 1 according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

This dispenser 1 comprises a container 2 with a cylindrical body 3, of axis X and having an oval cross section. Well heard the invention is not limited to this particular form of cross section.

The cylindrical body 3 is open at its upper part 4 and has a wall near this upper opening of reduced thickness to constitute the seat of a cover closing 5.

The distributor 1 also includes a piston 6, the straight section corresponds precisely to the internal section of the body 3 cylindrical, so that it is immobilized in rotation in the cylindrical body 3. The piston 6 can move axially in translation inside the cylindrical body 3.

A drive screw 7 is mounted free to rotate around of the X axis inside the container 2, being immobilized axially. This screw extends substantially over the entire height of the cylindrical body 3.

Connection means 8 are provided for transforming a rotational movement of the screw 7 in translation of the piston 6 along the X axis inside the cylindrical body 3.

In the embodiment described, the piston 6 supports a stick S, i.e. a solid bread, for example a deodorant body. In this case, it is not necessary to provide means seal to ensure a tight displacement of the piston 6 to inside the cylindrical body 3 nor a particular seal at level of the crossing of the connecting means 8 by the screw 7. However, it may be otherwise when the product is a cream or gel. The product can then be removed by a dome pierced with multiple outlets and attached in the upper opening of the cylindrical body 3.

In the embodiment described, the piston 6 comprises a side wall 23 and a perforated transverse wall 24, linked to the stick S.

The screw 7 is secured at its lower end to a member maneuver 9 accessible to the user on the side opposite the opening of the cylindrical body 3. In the example described, the member maneuver 9 has a transverse wall 11 made in one holding by plastic molding with screw 7. A skirt outer 10 is snapped onto an inner skirt 32 extending towards the bottom at its periphery the wall 11. The external skirt 10 constitutes a gripping surface allowing the user to grasp the organ maneuver and rotate it around the X axis. Because the outer skirt 10 has a cross-sectional shape elongated, it is possible to transmit to the operating member 9 a significant couple. In addition, the outer skirt 10 is closed below by a bottom 31. The transverse wall 11 is extended upwards in its central part by a skirt cylindrical 12. The latter is provided on its surface radially external of an annular retaining groove 13 allowing its snap-fastening in a chimney 14 extending towards inside the container and formed in the lower part of this latest. The chimney 14 is provided on its radially internal surface an annular rib 15 intended to be housed in the groove of retained 13 at the end of the insertion of the skirt 12.

As seen in Figure 2, the skirt 12 has advantageously at least one axial slot 34 intended to facilitate the elastic crossing of the annular rib 15 by the end free of the skirt 12 during assembly of the operating member 9 and container 2.

The bottom 31 is provided internally with an annular lip sealing 33 which fits in the skirt 12 to close it so waterproof after filling the container 2, as will be specified in the following.

Screw 7 connects to its lower end on the base 16 of a cone 17 converging in the direction of the skirt 12 and fixed to the latter by three oblique connecting lugs 18, equally distributed around the X axis.

A seal 19 is housed in a shoulder formed at the base of the chimney 14 to be interposed between the latter and the skirt 12 in order to avoid an air intake from the lower part of container 2 and degradation of the product contained therein.

Reliefs 21 can be produced on the upper face from the transverse wall there to come and engage in recesses of suitable shape 22 formed on the underside of the container 2 in order to create a point of resistance in the rotation of the organ of maneuver 9 and allow a user to easily position the latter in the extension of the cylindrical body 3 of the container.

Advantageously, as shown in FIG. 1, the container 2 is internally provided with ribs 20 to limit the downward stroke of piston 6. Note that when the piston 6 rests by the side wall 23 in bottom stop on the end upper ribs 20, the lower end of the means of link 8 is located slightly above the base 16 of the cone 17.

We will now describe the connecting means 8 in se referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3.

The connecting means 8 comprise in the example of embodiment describes two sectors 25 separated by two axial slots 26 diametrically opposed and a ring 27 made of an elastomeric material surrounding the lower part of sectors 25.

The sectors 25 are connected at their upper end to the threads of material constituting the transverse wall 24 of the piston 6 and are made by molding in one piece with the latter. The sectors 25 are threaded on their radially internal face of so as to be able to engage on the thread of the screw 7 and transform a rotational movement of the latter in an axial displacement piston 6, like a screw jack. We have referenced 28 the hollow nets formed on the sectors 25. The relief net of the screw 7 bears the reference 29.

According to the invention, the sectors 25 can deviate in order to cross the thread of the screw 7 when the piston is not free to move inside the cylindrical body 3 because coming resting against the ribs 20, or when a thrust is exerted on piston 6 to move it down.

The deformation has been illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 progressive sectors 25 allowing the escape of the screw.

When one tends to force the relative axial displacement of the screws 7 and sectors 25, the latter tend to deviate from one of the other as shown in Figure 4.

Sectors 25, which are only connected to the transverse wall 24 that by their upper end, tend to pivot each around a geometric axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the X axis and parallel to the plane joining the slots 26. The spacing sectors 25 causes ring 27 to stretch initially at rest, which exerts a restoring force-increasing with distance separating the lower ends of the sectors 25.

We indicated by the arrow R in Figure 5 the force of return exerted by the ring 27 on a sector 25. After the release of the net 29 and of a hollow net 28, the net 29 tends to rest on the surface of sector 25 below this net 28 due to the return action exerted by the ring 27. It results a tilting torque P exerted by the ring 27 on the sector 25, around the contact line C of the thread 29 on this sector 25 in a direction tending to spread the upper part of this sector 25 of sector 25 diametrically opposite. So we avoid on the one hand too great a spacing of the lower parts of the sectors 25, which could lead to the rupture of the link between the sectors 25 and the transverse wall 24, and it facilitates on the other hand the clearance of the threads 28 in the upper part of the sectors 25, as shown in Figure 6.

It will be noted that when the piston is in bottom stop on the ribs 20 and that the screw 7 is rotated in the direction tending to lower the piston, the ribs 20 keep the transverse wall 24 perpendicular to the axis X, this which facilitates the escape of the screw 7.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the example of realization of the connecting means 8 which has just been described.

We can thus realize the connecting means allowing the exhaust of the screw in a different way. We can in particular provide more than two sectors, for example four sectors 25 ' angularly distributed around the X axis as shown schematically in perspective in Figure 7. We can still realize the elastic return means differently. So the ring made of elastomer material from the previous embodiment example that surrounded the sectors at their bottom was replaced in the embodiment of Figure 7 by a sleeve 27 'in elastomeric material, molded over the entire height of the sectors 25 '. It is also possible, in a variant not shown, to connect the sectors by bridges of S-shaped material, made in the same material as said sectors, and allowing the latter to move away while exercising a recall action.

It is also possible, as shown in cross section in figure 8, exercise the recall action not by means of a ring or sleeve surrounding the sectors 25 'but by means of 27 "material bridges extending between sectors 25 'over all or part of their height and made of an elastomeric material. The connecting means shown in Figure 8 can advantageously be made by bi-injection, that is to say by injection molding in a first plastic material, relatively rigid, cylindrical sectors 25 'and the wall 24 of the piston and by injection molding of the bridges material 27 "in an elastomeric material, which binds to the first plastic material by local fusion. As a couple of materials a polyolefin / EPDM pair can be used, polystyrene / styrene ethylene-butadiene styrene.

It is also possible, in an alternative embodiment not shown, making said sectors in an elastomeric material.

To assemble the distributor 1, we start by fixing the operating member 9 by introducing the screw 7 then the skirt 12 in the chimney 14 until it snaps onto the annular rib 15. The operating member 9 is positioned with the internal skirt 32 substantially in continuity with the cylindrical body 3 of the container 2.

Then the piston 6 is brought into the opening of the body cylindrical then lowered onto screw 7 by a thrust exerted parallel to the X axis. During the descent of the piston 6, which can be carried out using a jack, the screw 7 escapes the means 8. When the piston is in the desired position inside the container, which advantageously corresponds to the abutment of the side wall 23 on the ribs 20, the threads 28 are normally engaged on thread 29 of the screw 7, and the ring 27 is no longer stressed in this relative position of the piston and of the operating member. So it keeps all its elasticity even in the event of prolonged storage before use.

When product S is solid bread, it is advantageously set up by pouring it in liquid form, the container 2 being upside down, by the skirt 12. The cover of closure 5 is in place on the container. The openings formed in the transverse wall 24 allow the product to fill the space located in the container 2 on the side of the opening 4 of the body cylindrical 3. The height of the product is chosen so that slightly cover the transverse wall 24, which ensures the attachment of the stick and the piston 6 when the product cools. Then, the outer skirt 10 of the operating member is latched on the internal skirt 32.

To collect product, the user removes the cover 5 and raises the product by turning the operating member 9. The product is removed by friction. The connecting means exercise, when the product is collected, sufficient force on the screw 7 to prevent the piston from sinking inside the container, the thrust to exert on the piston to cause the escape of the screw being chosen significantly larger than the force normally exerted on the piston when the stick is moved on the skin.

As has just been explained, the assembly of a dispenser according to the invention is greatly facilitated compared distributors of the prior art.

In addition, if the user turns the actuator in the wrong direction, the piston 6 being in the bottom stop in contact with the ribs 20, the screw 7 escapes the connecting means 8 without risk of break. As soon as the user turns the screw in the opposite direction, more than half a turn, the ring 27 brings the threads 28 in engagement with the thread 29 of the screw 7 and the piston can go back up.

Finally, when the stick S is out, it can be brought back very quickly by the user inside the container by a simple pressure exerted axially on it, without having to turn the operating member 9. This pressure can be exerted by placing the closing lid 5 on the container and pushing it in until it comes up against its seat formed in upper part of container 2.

The screw 7 can escape the connection means without the user has to act on any unlocking member.

The connecting means 8 deform themselves on contact of the screw when the relative axial displacement of the means is forced connection and screw.

Of course, it is not going beyond the scope of the invention to using as an operating member a wheel accessible to the through windows formed at the base of the container.

Claims (18)

1. Product dispenser (1) comprising a container (2) with a cylindrical body (3) open at one of its ends, a piston (6) which can move axially in terms of translation inside this body and a drive screw (7) passing through an orifice in the piston equipped with means of connection capable of converting a rotational movement of the screw into an axial displacement of the piston, it being possible for the said screw to be turned by an operating member (9) accessible to the user, the said connecting means (8) being radially deformable, characterized in that the connecting means are arranged in such a way as to deform radially upon contact with the thread of the screw when there is forced relative axial displacement of the connecting means and of the screw, so as to allow the latter to escape.
2. Dispenser according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said connecting means are elastically deformable.
3. Dispenser according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said connecting means (8) comprise at least two sectors (25; 25') having a threaded cylindrical interior surface and connected to the rest of the piston in such a way as to be able to move apart.
4. Dispenser according to Claim 3, characterized in that the said sectors (25; 25') have an elongate shape along the axis of the screw and are connected to the piston at one end.
5. Dispenser according to either one of Claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the said sectors (25; 25') are moulded integrally as a single piece with at least one transverse wall of the piston.
6. Dispenser according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the said sectors (25; 25') are returned radially inward by an elastically deformable return member (27; 27'; 27").
7. Dispenser according to Claims 4 and 6, characterized in that the said return member exerts its return action at least at the free end of the sectors.
8. Dispenser according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the said return member is in the form of a ring or of a sleeve (27; 27') of elastomeric material surrounding the said sectors at least at their lower part.
9. Dispenser according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the said return member is in the form of bridges (27") of material extending between the said sectors.
10. Dispenser according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the said bridges of material are made as a single piece with and from the same material as the said sectors.
11. Dispenser according to Claim 10, characterized in that the said bridges of material are in the shape of an S.
12. Dispenser according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the said cylindrical body (3) has at least one stop (20) to limit the travel through which the piston can be pushed down inside the container (2).
13. Dispenser according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the said operating member (9) is formed at least partially by moulding as a single piece with the said screw (7).
14. Dispenser according to any one of Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the said screw is formed integrally by moulding as a single piece with a skirt (12) shaped to clip into a hollow shaft (14) of the container (2) and capable of rotating freely therein.
15. Dispenser according to any one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the said operating member (9) has an external skirt (10) which in cross section has an elongate shape.
16. Dispenser according to any one of Claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the said screw (7) has a pitch of between 2 and 16 mm.
17. Dispenser according to any one of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the said product is a personal deodorant.
18. Method for producing a dispenser for a product, particularly a cosmetic product such as a deodorant in stick form, comprising a container (2) with a cylindrical body (3) open at one of its ends, a piston (6) which can move in terms of translation inside this body and a screw passing through an orifice in the piston equipped with means of connection capable of converting a rotational movement of the screw into an axial displacement of the piston, it being possible for the said screw to be turned by an operating member (9) accessible to the user, comprising the steps which consist in:

    mounting the screw (7) in the container,

    bringing the piston (6) to face the said open end of the cylindrical body (3),

    pushing the piston down into the container, characterized in that the said connecting means (8) are radially deformable upon contact with the thread of the screw so as to be able, by radial deformation, to pass over the thread of the screw when the piston is pushed in.

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