EP0899210A1 - Device for the instant mixing of at least two components - Google Patents

Abstract

The container (1) comprises a pot (27) for a powdered or high-viscosity product, and a chamber (2) for a liquid product having a lid (21) over an aperture (20) in its base. The pot is connected to the base of the chamber via a hollow intermediate element (14) which contains a rod (37) for opening the lid in the base of the chamber. When the pot is screwed tightly onto the base a projection (36) inside it pushes against the end of the rod and opens the lid, allowing the liquid product in the chamber to flow out and mix with the product in the pot. The resultant mixture is expelled through a hole (8) in a cap (6) on the top of the chamber.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for the extemporaneous mixing of two products. The invention is particularly suitable for mixing two products, one of which is in powder form or of high viscosity (which go up to that of a cream), such as the products sometimes used in the field of perms or hair coloring. Other applications however can be considered.

• un premier flacon destiné à contenir un premier produit, ce flacon étant ouvert à sa base en forme de jupe et étant muni, au sommet, d'un embout de distribution;
• des moyens de raccordement fixés sur la base du premier flacon, comportant une cheminée centrale propre à recevoir en partie haute un obturateur séparable permettant la fermeture du premier flacon;
• un deuxième flacon destiné à contenir un second produit, muni d'un goulot apte à être engagé dans ladite cheminée centrale, ce goulot étant équipé d'un moyen de fermeture amovible, le goulot portant des moyens d'entraínement pour, après enlèvement du moyen de fermeture, coopérer avec des moyens complémentaires prévus sur la cheminée centrale, pour permettre l'expulsion de l'obturateur et permettre le mélange des deux produits.

The patent FR 2 680 357 describes a packaging capable of producing such a mixture, and comprising:

• a first bottle intended to contain a first product, this bottle being open at its base in the form of a skirt and being provided, at the top, with a dispensing nozzle;
• connection means fixed on the base of the first bottle, comprising a central chimney suitable for receiving in the upper part a separable shutter allowing the closure of the first bottle;
• a second bottle intended to contain a second product, provided with a neck capable of being engaged in said central chimney, this neck being equipped with a removable closure means, the neck carrying drive means for, after removal of the means closing, cooperate with additional means provided on the central chimney, to allow the expulsion of the shutter and allow the mixing of the two products.

Although satisfactory for applications in which both components to be mixed are relatively liquid, such a device proves to be entirely unsuitable when one of the components is in the form of a powder or is of a consistency close to that of a cream. Indeed, such a device present in the vicinity of the removable closure means, a constriction zone, or of smaller section, which hardly lends itself to making a good mix. In practice, when the product with high viscosity is placed in the upper compartment, it can difficult to flow by gravity to mix with the product contained in the lower container. When the powdery or high viscosity product is contained in the lower container, the bottleneck leads to a low exchange surface between the two products. Mixing is therefore difficult to achieve.

We also know of mixing systems more suited to products pulverulent or to products of high viscosity. In these devices, the product in the form of a cream, in this case the dye, is placed in a tube deformable (typically aluminum) and is expelled by deformation of the tube, by pressing the walls of the tube so as to expel the contents. In other again devices, the high viscosity or powdery product is contained in a container whose walls are deformable by means of a bellows mechanism. These devices with deformable walls for expelling the product sometimes pose product preservation issues, and are generally unsightly.

It is therefore one of the objects of the invention to provide a device for the extemporaneous mixture of two products, and resolving in whole or in part, the problems evoked with reference to the devices of the prior art.

It is in particular an object of the invention to provide a device suitable for the mixture of two products, one of which is in the form of a powder, or a high viscosity product.

It is in particular another object of the invention to provide such a device, wherein contacting the non-liquid product with the liquid product does not require significant deformation of the container which contains the product not liquid.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a device adapted to the mixture of two products, at least one of which is highly oxidizable in the presence oxygen in the air.

Other objects will appear in more detail in the description. following.

a) un pot destiné à recevoir un premier produit, et dont une extrémité ouverte délimite une ouverture de section voisine de celle du pot;

b) un récipient supérieur destiné à contenir un second produit et dont une première extrémité est surmontée par un embout de distribution présentant un orifice pour la distribution du mélange;

c) un élément intermédiaire dont une première extrémité, destinée à être montée de manière étanche sur l'ouverture du pot, définit une ouverture de section voisine de l'ouverture du pot, et dont une seconde extrémité, opposée à la première, est destinée à être montée de manière étanche sur une seconde extrémité du récipient supérieur, opposée à la première, un moyen d'obturation obturant de manière amovible une ouverture située entre le récipient supérieur et l'élément intermédiaire, ledit élément intermédiaire définissant avec le pot un volume au moins égal au volume du mélange; et

d) des moyens pour provoquer l'expulsion de l'organe d'obturation et la réalisation du mélange dans le volume défini par le pot et par l'élément intermédiaire.

According to the invention, these objects are achieved by producing a device for the extemporaneous mixing of at least two products, comprising:

a) a pot intended to receive a first product, and one open end of which delimits an opening of section close to that of the pot;

b) an upper container intended to contain a second product and a first end of which is surmounted by a dispensing nozzle having an orifice for dispensing the mixture;

c) an intermediate element, a first end of which, intended to be mounted in leaktight manner on the opening of the pot, defines an opening of section close to the opening of the pot, and a second end of which, opposite the first, is intended to be mounted in a sealed manner on a second end of the upper container, opposite to the first, a closure means removably closing an opening situated between the upper container and the intermediate element, said intermediate element defining with the pot a volume at least equal to the volume of the mixture; and

d) means for causing the expulsion of the shutter member and the production of the mixture in the volume defined by the pot and by the intermediate element.

Thus, a mixing zone is created which offers a large exchange surface between the two products. The mixing zone is devoid of any "dead" zone able to retain and isolate a portion of one and / or the other of the front components mixing, which makes it possible to produce a perfectly homogeneous mixture. The all the products are mixed, which allows the proportions to be respected required, and to offer a mixture whose properties are optimized, and correspond to those announced.

Advantageously, the first product is a non-liquid product, in the form in particular a powder or a product with high viscosity, such as a cream.

In this case, the production of the mixture does not require any deformation of the container containing the powdery or high viscosity product, which provides more great latitude in the choice and thickness of materials. The body language is also simplified. Finally, the conservation of the formula is significantly improved.

Advantageously, the volume defined by the intermediate element is at least equal by volume of said second product, contained in the upper container, the first product occupying before mixing, substantially the entire volume of the pot. So, in the case where the first product is highly oxidizable in air, the risks of deterioration of it are reduced.

Advantageously, the section of the volume defined by the pot and by the element intermediate is substantially straight over its entire height, even varying so progressive in one direction or the other (increasing or decreasing). Variation is however preferably light. A slight variation can mean a variation of a few mm over a height of about 10 cm. In other words, the mixing zone defined by the pot and the intermediate element, does not have any sensitive bottleneck, or any sudden change in section which could affect the successful completion of the mix.

According to one embodiment, the closure means comprise a plug carried by an axial skirt located near the second end of the element intermediate, and a free edge of which defines said opening. The cap can be mounted on the axial skirt by snap-fastening.

The means for causing the expulsion of the obturation member can include a rod carried by a surface of the plug located inside the intermediate element, said rod being suitable, during assembly of the pot on the element intermediate, to come into engagement with a projecting member arranged axially in the bottom of the pot, and to cause the expulsion of the cap. Of preferably, the rod is centered on the axis of the device. Other arrangements are however possible to cause the mixture to be produced. Such arrangements have been the subject of numerous descriptions in the literature patents, and therefore do not require additional description.

According to a preferred embodiment, the rod is slightly in length less than the axial height of the intermediate element, so that before being mounted on the pot, the intermediate element can rest on a flat surface without causing the expulsion of the obturation member.

Advantageously, the first end of the intermediate element is mounted tightly on the opening of the pot by screwing. For this purpose, a collar is formed in the vicinity of the opening of the pot, said neck comprising a thread on a external surface, and intended to cooperate with a corresponding thread provided on an internal surface of the intermediate element, in the vicinity of the first end, an internal skirt with an external diameter slightly smaller than the diameter internal of the neck being carried by the first end of the intermediate element of so as to ensure a tight mounting of the pot on the intermediate element.

Similarly, according to a preferred embodiment, the second end of the intermediate element is tightly mounted on the second end of the upper container, by screwing. Also for this purpose, a neck is formed at the near the second end of the upper container, said neck comprising a thread on an external surface, and intended to cooperate with a thread corresponding provided on an internal surface of the intermediate element, at near the second end, an internal skirt of external diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the neck being carried by the second end of the intermediate element so as to ensure a tight mounting of the upper container on the intermediate element.

Before being mounted on the intermediate element, for the realization of the mixture, the pot is closed with a screw cap. Alternatively, we could provide a heat-sealed or glued seal by any other appropriate means.

The dispensing tip can be screwed onto the first end of the container upper, the orifice being closed by a breakable tab, to be broken before the distribution of the mixture. According to a variant, the orifice is closed by a plug screwed.

The mixture can be a hair application product. The second product can be an oxidizing product in liquid form, the first product being a dye in the form of a cream or powder.

• les figures 1A et 1B représentent un mode de réalisation du dispositif, lors du montage du récipient contenant un produit pulvérulent ou à forte viscosité, sur le reste du dispositif (figure 1A), et lors de la réalisation du mélange (figure 1B); et
• la figure 2 représente le récipient contenant un produit pulvérulent ou à forte viscosité, avant montage sur le dispositif.

The invention consists, apart from the arrangements set out above, of a certain number of other arrangements which will be explained below, with reference to nonlimiting exemplary embodiments, described with reference to the appended figures, among which:

• FIGS. 1A and 1B represent an embodiment of the device, during assembly of the container containing a pulverulent or high viscosity product, on the rest of the device (FIG. 1A), and during the production of the mixture (FIG. 1B); and
• Figure 2 shows the container containing a powdery or high viscosity product, before mounting on the device.

The mixing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1A has a longitudinal axis X and includes an upper container 2 (intended to contain the oxidant). A first end 38 of container 2 is surmounted by a neck 3 whose external surface has a thread 4 able to cooperate with a corresponding thread 5 carried by a distribution nozzle 6. The tightness of the installation of the distribution nozzle on the container 2 is reinforced by the presence of a skirt 7 carried by said mouthpiece. The dispensing nozzle 6 has an outlet orifice 8 which, before the first use, is closed by a breakable tab 9. As an example of embodiment, the dispensing nozzle is made of polypropylene, and the container upper 2 is made of polyethylene.

The lower end 10 of the container 2 is open, and forms a wide neck opening 11 on the outer surface of which a thread 12 is produced, capable of cooperate with a corresponding thread 13 provided on the inner surface of a intermediate element 14, near its upper end 15.

The intermediate element 14 also comprises in the vicinity of the end upper 15 a transverse annular wall 39 carrying a sealing skirt 16, concentric with the side wall of the intermediate element 14, and diameter less than the diameter of said side wall, so as to define with the side wall of the intermediate element, in the vicinity of the second end 15, an annular U-shaped groove for forcibly receiving the free edge of the neck 11. For this purpose, the outer diameter of the sealing skirt 16 is slightly less than the internal diameter of the neck 11 of the container 2. A snap ring 17 can be provided to ensure that the upper container 2 / element arrangement cannot be dismantled intermediate 14, and strengthen the tightness of the assembly. Another skirt 18, from diameter smaller than the diameter of the sealing skirt 16, is also formed in the vicinity of the upper end of the intermediate element 14. This skirt 18 is carried by the transverse annular wall 39 and has a free edge 19 defining an opening 20, removably closed by a plug retractable 21. In the illustrated embodiment, the plug 21 is mounted by snap on the axial skirt 18. Thus, in this configuration, the container upper 2 is isolated from the intermediate element 14. For information, the shutter 21 can be made of polyethylene or polypropylene.

The intermediate element has a substantially cylindrical body 23 of height axial greater than the axial height of the container 2. The lower end 22 of the intermediate element 14, opposite the end 15, is also open. She has a skirt 24, with a slight external recess, relative to the body 23, and the internal surface of which has a thread 25, capable of cooperating with a thread 26 carried by the outer surface of the upper end of the container 27. In alignment with the body 23, is arranged a sealing skirt 28, which defines with the skirt 24, a U-shaped groove capable of receiving the free edge 31 of the container 27. A snap bead may also be provided to ensure, after screwing the container 27 onto the intermediate element 14, the the assembly thus produced. The thread 26 of the container 27 is carried by one end 32, forming a neck in a very slight internal recess relative to the body 29 of the container. However, like a pot, the opening 30 delimited by the free edge 31 of the container 27, is of section substantially equal to the section of the pot 27. From even, the opening of the pot 30 is of section substantially equal to the section of the opening delimited by the free edge of the sealing skirt 28. Thus, when the pot is mounted on the lower end of the intermediate element 14, the diameter internal of the assembly is substantially uniform from the bottom of the pot to the transverse wall 39. In reality, in the illustrated embodiment it decreases very slightly gradually. The intermediate element 14 can be made in polypropylene (PP).

The pot 27 has at its bottom 35, a protruding member 36, and suitable, as we will see it in more detail later, coming in engagement with the free end a rod 37 carried by the lower surface of the plug 21, which engagement causes the plug to be expelled and the mixture to be made. The rod 37 is of axial height slightly less than the axial height of the element intermediate 14 so that the upper container 2 / element arrangement intermediate 14 can be placed upright on a flat surface without risking cause the accidental expulsion of the plug 21. The presence of the organ in projection 36 in the bottom of the pot limits the axial height of the element intermediate 14. The member 36 can be obtained by molding with the container 27. The member 37 can be obtained by molding with the shutter 21.

By way of illustration, the pot 27 is obtained from molding of plastic materials chosen from polyvinyl chlorides, or from a complex of type materials polyethylene terephthalate (PET) / polyethylene (PE), or polyethylene (PE) / ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) / polyethylene (PE). In the case of a device used for hair coloring, container 27 contains the dye, in the form of a cream or a powder. Unlike conventional devices, the mixture is without having to compress the walls of the container that contains the cream or powder. The cream (or powder) may therefore be contained in a semi-rigid or rigid structure, which allows better conservation.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, during transport or storage, the pot 27 is sealed by a cover 33, which is screwed and comprises a sealing skirt 34 of the type of sealing skirts 28 or 16 discussed previously. The cover 33 can be made of polypropylene.

To use the device according to the invention, the user removes the cover 33 from the container 27, and has its opening 30 facing the lower end 22 of the intermediate element 14 (FIG. 1A). She screws pot 33 onto the element intermediate. During screwing, the projecting member 36 abuts against the end free from rod 37. By continuing to screw, the pressure exerted by member 36 on the rod 37 causes the plug 21 to be expelled (FIG. 1B). The liquid (in the oxidant) contained in the upper container 2, falls by gravity in the volume delimited by the body 23 of the intermediate element, where it is placed contact on a large exchange surface, with the cream or powder contained in the pot 27. The intermediate element 14 is of sufficient height so that everything the liquid contained in the container 2 can flow under the wall portion transverse annular (39) carrying the skirts 16 and 18. In other words, the volume delimited by the pot 27 and the intermediate element 14 is greater than or equal the volume of the mixture. For this purpose, in the event that the cream or powder occupies substantially the entire volume defined by the pot 27, the volume circumscribed by the intermediate element 14 is at least equal to the volume of liquid contained in the upper container 2.

After expulsion of the plug 21, it only remains to agitate the assembly so to homogenize the mixture. The mixture can then be applied by means of the dispensing nozzle 6 after breaking the breakable tab 9. The product outlet is favored by pressing on the walls of the container 2.

Although particularly advantageous for applications involving a non-liquid product, especially powdery or high viscosity, the device does not remains no less attractive for liquid products, particularly because its advantageous mixing zone, which optimizes the production of mixture, whatever the nature and consistency of the mixed products.

In the foregoing detailed description, reference has been made to modes of preferred embodiments of the invention. Obviously there may be variations made without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed below. AT As an example, although in the illustrated embodiment, the expulsion of the shutter 21 is caused by an axial pressure, via the axial rod 37 and the protruding member 36, it is obvious that this expulsion can be encouraged by eccentricating the rod 36 and the member 37. Similarly, it can be provided that, in the position of storage or transport, the pot 27, closed by its cover 33, is wedged in the lower end 22 of the intermediate element 14. For this purpose, to prevent the expulsion of the plug 21, an axial recess is provided in the cover 33, so as to receive the free end of the rod, without the bottom of the recess can come into engagement with the free end of the rod.

Claims (16)

Device (1) for the extemporaneous mixing of at least two products, comprising: a) a pot (27) intended to receive a first product, and of which a free edge (31) delimits an opening (30) of section close to that of the pot (27); b) an upper container (2) intended to contain a second product and a first end (38) of which is surmounted by a dispensing nozzle (6) having an orifice (8) for dispensing the mixture; c) an intermediate element (14), a first end (22) of which is intended to be mounted in leaktight manner on the opening (30) of the pot (27), defines an opening of section close to the opening (30) of the pot, and a second end (15), opposite the first, is intended to be mounted in a sealed manner on a second end (10) of the upper container (2), opposite the first (38), a means of obturation (21) removably obturating an opening (20) located between the upper container (2) and the intermediate element (14), said intermediate element (14) defining with the pot (27) a volume at least equal to the volume mixture; and d) means (36, 37) for causing the expulsion of the shutter member (21) and the production of the mixture in the volume defined by the pot (27) and by the intermediate element (14). Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the first product is a non-liquid product, in particular a powder or a product with high viscosity, the second product being a liquid product. Device according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the defined volume by the intermediate element (14) is at least equal to the volume of said second product contained in the upper container (2), the first product occupying before mixture, substantially the entire volume of the pot (27). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that that the volume defined by the pot and by the intermediate element is of section substantially straight, or varying gradually in one direction or in the other. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that that the sealing means (21) comprise a plug carried by a skirt axial (18) carried by a transverse annular wall (39) located in the vicinity of the second end (15) of the intermediate element (14), and of which a free edge (19) delimits said opening (20). Device according to claim 5 characterized in that the plug (21) is mounted on the axial skirt (18) by snapping. Device according to claim 5 or 6 characterized in that the means for cause expulsion of the obturation member include an axial rod (37) carried by a surface of the plug (21) located inside the element intermediate (14), said rod (37) being suitable, when mounting the pot (27) on the intermediate element (14), coming into engagement with a projecting member (36) disposed axially in the bottom of the pot (27), and causing the expulsion of the plug (21). Device according to claim 7 characterized in that the rod (37) is length slightly less than the axial height of the intermediate element (14), so that, before being mounted on the pot, the intermediate element (14) can rest on a flat surface without causing expulsion of the obturation member (21). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that that the first end (22) of the intermediate element (14) is mounted sealingly on the opening (30) of the pot (27) by screwing. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that a neck (32) is formed in the vicinity of the opening (30) of the pot, said neck (32) comprising a thread (26) on an external surface, and intended to cooperate with a corresponding thread (25) provided on an internal surface of the intermediate element (14), in the vicinity of the first end (22), an internal skirt (28) of slightly external diameter less than the internal diameter of the neck (32) being carried by the first end (22) of the intermediate element (14) so as to ensure a tight mounting of the pot (27) on the intermediate element (14). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that that the second end (15) of the intermediate element (14) is mounted sealingly on the second end (10) of the upper container (2), by screwing. Device according to claim 11 characterized in that a neck (11) is formed in the vicinity of the second end (10) of the upper container, said neck (11) comprising a thread (12) on an external surface, and intended to cooperate with a corresponding thread (13) provided on an internal surface of the element intermediate (14), near the second end (15), an internal skirt (16) with an external diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the neck (11) being carried by said transverse annular wall (39) of the intermediate element (14) so as to ensure a tight mounting of the upper container (2) on the intermediate element (14). Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that that, before being mounted on the intermediate element, with a view to producing the mixing, the pot (27) is closed by a screwed cover (33). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dispensing end piece (6) is screwed onto the first end (38) of the upper container (2), the orifice (8) being closed by a tab breakable (9), to be broken before dispensing the mixture. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mixture is a hair application product. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the second product is an oxidizing product in liquid form, the first product being a dye in the form of a powder or a product with high viscosity.

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