EP1047505B1 - Spray head for a liquid-product distributor - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a spray head (100) for a liquid-product distributor, comprising an expulsion channel (1) ending in a spray hole (9) and a plug (10) which can be moved from a position in which it closes said hole (9) to a spray position. The plug (10) is moved elastically into its closing position and displaced towards the spray position by the pressure of the product. The spray head comprises a swirl chamber (20) of variable volume, the volume of said swirl chamber (20) being greatest when the plug (10) is in the spray position and substantially zero in the closed position. The invention is characterized in that the plug (10) comprises the spray hole (9) and swirl channels (30) which in the spray position link the expulsion channel (1) with the swirl chamber (20), where the volume and geometry of said channels (30) remains the same regardless of the position of the plug (10).

Description

The present invention relates to a spray head for a fluid dispenser, and more particularly a spray comprising a shutter.

The shutters at the outlet of a spray head are especially used in the pharmaceutical field to solve the problem of the risk of contamination of at least part of the fluid to distribute. These shutters are generally actuated, that is to say open, by the pressure created by the pump during its actuation.

A commonly used type of shutter is made in the form of a one-way valve and includes a piston that can slide and move by the pressure created by the pump. In general, this piston is assembled to inside the fluid expulsion channel in the distribution. This expulsion channel must therefore be large enough to contain the piston and allow its movement. Such shutters are in particular described in documents FR-2 671 329 and US-4 830 284.

A disadvantage of these devices is that they do not limit maximum dead volume. Indeed, an essential feature of the most current spraying devices is the maximum limitation of the dead volume in the expulsion channel. This limitation of the dead volume is particularly important in the case of pumps which require a priming consisting of one or more actuations necessary for expel air from the pump chamber and replace it with liquid to distribute. Now, to open the dispensing orifice and, therefore, move the opening that closes it, it is necessary to create sufficient pressure by actuating the pump. In this case, the larger the volume, i.e. the greater the the greater the amount of air, the greater the number of actuations required to priming the pump is important. In some cases. priming even becomes impossible, and standard type pumps are not suitable for this type of application.

One way to solve this problem is to achieve the shutter of such so that the product expulsion channel is defined inside the shutter mobile which then moves relative to a fixed element of the head spray. In this case, the shutter incorporates the outlet and the channel expulsion is defined between said shutter and said fixed element of the head of spraying, the latter can then be carried out so that the volume death in the expulsion channel is minimal. Such a device is in particular described in document DE-435 138.

However, this kind of device faces another drawback major. Indeed, an essential requirement for spraying devices current concerns the quality and consistency of the spray spray to each actuation. To make such sprays, spray heads usually have spray parts connected to the orifice and having a particularly critical geometry. This part is usually formed by very narrow channels arranged in different angles and connected to the spray orifice. In the devices known described above, it is evident that the geometry of the part of spraying is seriously modified by the presence of shutters. It is the same for the deformable shutters which do not move in the expulsion channel but which have a deformable closure part which opens under product pressure.

Document US-3,913,803 discloses a shutter which slides around a fixed element of the spray head and which is produced in such a way in the spray position, a swirl chamber is created upstream of the spray orifice as well as swirl connected to said swirl chamber to create a correct spray. This swirl geometry is achieved by means of corresponding ribs and grooves, respectively in the shutter mobile and in the fixed element of the spray head.

Although this document allows you to create a spray during actuation of the device, the quality of it remains insufficient. Indeed, the whole of the spray geometry, i.e. the channels and the swirling, is influenced by the movement of the shutter shutter position to its spray position. In particular, this moving the shutter causes a gradual increase in dimension of this spray geometry which has a harmful influence on the quality of the spray, in particular on its consistency during actuations successive. Indeed, the quality and intensity of the spray are in this case dependent on the actuating force exerted on the pump, and a too weak actuation can generate a poor quality spray.

Documents US-4 120 456, US-4 182 496 and EP-0 686 433 disclose shutters sliding in the dispensing head to open and close the dispensing opening. The head incorporates the orifice and the profile of swirl, and the shutter is moved inward of the head in distance from the orifice by the pressure of the product. This type of shutter has several drawbacks. On the one hand, the cooperation between the shutter, dispensing orifice and spray pattern must be very precisely defined to prevent leaks on the one hand, and on the other side, any risk of jamming of the shutter. No tolerance of dimension is therefore not permitted, which complicates manufacturing and assembly of the device. On the other hand, to allow the movement of the shutter towards the inside of the head, this one must have a fairly large dimension, and it the problem of too large a dead volume may arise in the rest position. In addition, the effectiveness of the device is not optimal, since the pressure of the product, to open the shutter, acts in the opposite direction to the direction of expulsion of the product.

Another problem that can arise with spray heads concerns the risk of product contamination at the orifice of spray and / or shutter. Indeed, with certain types of shutters sliding relative to the spray head, there is a thin slit between the shutter and the head, and bacteria or germs can enter the inside of the head through this slit.

The object of the present invention is to provide a spray head for a fluid dispenser that does not reproduce the drawbacks supra.

The present invention therefore aims to provide a head spray comprising a shutter in which the quality of the spray spraying is optimal and constant each time the device is actuated. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a head spraying in which the quality of the spray is identical to a device with no shutter of the spray orifice.

The present invention also aims to provide a head spray with a shutter, in which the dead volume of the channel deportation is limited to the maximum.

The present invention also aims to provide such a head spraying which is simple and inexpensive to make and assemble.

The present invention also aims to provide such a head spray which prevents any contamination of the product at the shutter and / or the spray orifice.

The present invention also aims to provide such a head spraying which achieves all the above-mentioned goals.

The present invention therefore relates to a spray head for a fluid dispenser, comprising an expulsion channel opening into a spray orifice, and a movable shutter between a closed position of said orifice and a spray position, said shutter being urged elastically towards its closed position and being moved to its spray position by product pressure, the spray head spraying further comprising a swirl chamber of variable volume, the volume of said swirl chamber being maximum in the spray position of the shutter and substantially zero in shutter position, and said shutter has channels for swirl connecting, in spraying position, said expulsion channel with said swirl chamber, the volume and geometry of said channels remaining unchanged regardless of the position of the shutter.

Preferably, the movable shutter has at one end the orifice of spraying and at its opposite end a piston sliding so sealed in the expulsion channel.

Advantageously, in the closed position, the spray orifice is closed by an insert fixedly disposed in the expulsion channel, said swirl chamber formed between said insert and said orifice spray when the shutter moves to its spray position.

Preferably, said swirl chamber is cylindrical, the side wall and the upper front face being formed by the obturator, and the lower front face being formed by the insert.

Advantageously, said swirl channels open out into said side wall of the swirl chamber, so that shutter shutter position, they are closed by said insert.

Advantageously, said movable shutter comprises a sleeve hollow tubular provided with a bottom wall incorporating in its center the orifice spray tube, and a small hollow tube fixedly fitted inside the tubular sleeve abutting against said bottom, said tube comprising in its upper surface in abutment against the bottom of the shutter one or more spray channels connecting the outer peripheral surface of said tube to the internal peripheral surface of said tube.

Advantageously, said small hollow tube comprises one or more passages in its outer peripheral surface fitted into the tubular shutter sleeve, said passages being connected to said channels and forming part of the expulsion channel.

Preferably, said shutter is disposed sliding around an insert fixedly disposed in the spray head, said expulsion channel being at less partially defined between said shutter and said insert.

According to an advantageous embodiment, said spray head comprises a body, an elastic element forming a seal being disposed between the movable shutter and the body of the spray head, said element elastic urging said shutter towards its closed position and being compressed when the shutter moves to its spray position.

According to another advantageous embodiment, said head spray comprises a body surmounted by an elastically element deformable fixed to said body, the shutter cooperating with said element which biases said shutter towards its closed position and which is deformed when the shutter moves to its spray position.

Preferably, the elastically deformable element is fixed so tight to said body of the spray head and to said shutter, such so that tightness is guaranteed in all positions of the shutter.

Advantageously, said elastically deformable element is a cap made of elastomeric thermoplastic.

Advantageously, one or more parts of said head spray which are in contact with the product contain material bacteriostatic.

• les figures 1 et 2 sont des vues schématiques en coupe de la tête de pulvérisation selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention, respectivement en position d'obturation et en position de pulvérisation de l'obturateur ;
• les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues schématiques en coupe de la partie supérieure de la tête de pulvérisation représentée sur les figures 1 et 2, respectivement en position d'obturation et en position de pulvérisation de l'obturateur,
• la figure 5 représente un autre mode de réalisation de l'invention, et
• la figure 6 représente encore un autre mode de réalisation de l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear during the following detailed description of several embodiments thereof, given by way of nonlimiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figures 1 and 2 are schematic sectional views of the spray head according to an embodiment of the invention, respectively in the closed position and in the spray position of the shutter;
• FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic sectional views of the upper part of the spray head shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively in the closed position and in the spray position of the shutter,
• FIG. 5 represents another embodiment of the invention, and
• Figure 6 shows yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the spray head 100 shown in the general shape typical of a nasal tip. Although it is mainly in this application that the quality and consistency of the spray be important, the invention is not limited to the use in the tips of nasal type, but can, on the contrary, be adapted to all types of head spray.

The present invention being located at the closure system of the spray head spray hole, shape and structure general of this spray head will not be described in more detail here, and the present description will be limited to the invention itself.

The spray head 100 has a body 101 which is advantageously statically fixed an insert, commonly called internal nozzle, which partially defines the expulsion channel 1 of the head spray. Around the upper part of said insert 5, there is disposed a shutter 10 which, on the one hand incorporates the spray opening 9 of the head spray and on the other hand. incorporates a piston 19 which slides from sealingly with respect to said insert 5. Thus, the expulsion channel 1 is defined, at this upper part of the insert 5, between said insert 5 and said movable shutter 10.

In the example shown in Figures 1 to 4, the shutter 10 is biased towards its closed position by a spring 16 which rests on the one hand on the body 101 of the spray head and on the other hand on said shutter mobile 10. The insert 5 extends into the spray head up to close to the spray hole so that in position shutter, said spray orifice 9 is closed by the front face upper part of insert 5, as visible in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The movable shutter 10 is preferably produced in the form of a hollow tubular sleeve 11 which has on one side the upper side on the Figures, a bottom wall 12 which incorporates the spray orifice 9. The tubular sleeve 11 of the movable shutter 10 is slidably disposed around of the insert 5 so as to leave a narrow passage between the shutter 10 and the insert 5 which forms part of the expulsion channel 1 of the product. The sleeve tubular and the bottom wall are preferably non-deformable, the opening of the spray orifice being made by displacement of the shutter.

According to the invention, to ensure perfect spraying of the product, the spray head has a swirl chamber 20 of variable volume which forms upstream of the spray orifice 9 when the shutter 10 is in the spraying position. This room swirl 20 is connected to expulsion channel 1 by one or more swirl channels 30. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, this swirl chamber 20 forms between the bottom wall 12 of the shutter 10 in which the spray orifice 9 and the face are located upper front of the insert 5. Thus, this swirl chamber has maximum volume in spray position (fig. 2 and 4) and maximum volume substantially zero in the closed position (fig. 1 and 3), in which the face upper front of the insert 5 rests tightly against the face of bottom 12 of the shutter so as to close the spray orifice 9.

Preferably, a small hollow tube 15 is fixedly fitted at inside the tubular sleeve 11 of the shutter 10, abutting against the bottom 12 of it. This small hollow tube 15 cooperates with an end part top of insert 5 of reduced diameter so that the surface inner device of the small hollow tube 15 slides on the surface external device of said upper part of insert 5 so substantially waterproof, preventing the passage of product at this level, the channel expulsion 1 of the product therefore extending outside said small hollow tube 15. Advantageously, the upper front face of the small tube hollow 15 incorporates the spray channels 30 which, in the position of spray, connect the expulsion channel 1 to said swirl 20 and which, in the closed position, are closed by said peripheral wall of said upper part of the insert 5. Advantageously, the small hollow tube 15 has on its outer peripheral wall fitted into the tubular sleeve 11, one or more passages for the product, said passages forming part of the expulsion channel 1.

Thus, the geometry of the spray channels 30 remains unchanged whatever the position of the shutter 10. In the shutter position, they are closed at their downstream end by the peripheral wall of the insert 5, this downstream end being open when the shutter 10 moves towards its spray position, thereby creating the swirl chamber 20. The geometry of the swirl channels influencing the quality of the spray, the fact that this geometry remains unchanged guarantees everything actuation of a perfect spray and spray, whatever the strength actuation on the device. Likewise, the implementation described above implies that the swirl chamber 20, which is of variable volume, has however a constant cross section, which also promotes quality and consistency of the spray.

When the user operates the spray device, the product is pressurized in the expulsion channel and in the swirling. This pressure is transmitted to the shutter piston which is moves to its spray position, thus forming the swirling. As soon as the downstream end of the channels is cleared, the product is expelled to the swirl chamber and then sprayed through the spray orifice. Because the geometry of the channels remains unchanged, there is an immediate increase in product pressure from the start of actuation, so the spray spray is always the same and of good quality. In particular, the fact that the channels include pressurized product also accelerates the movement of the shutter towards its spraying position as soon as the downstream end of the channels is partially cleared. It is therefore impossible to make a spray poor or poor quality, even with weak actuation of the device.

In Figure 5, there is shown an advantageous alternative embodiment of the invention. According to this variant, the shutter 10 is no longer biased towards its rest position by a spring, but it cooperates with a compressible seal 116 disposed between the shutter 10 and the body 101 of the head. In position of rest, shown in Figure 5, the seal 116 biases the shutter towards its rest position. When the device is actuated, the seal 116 is compressed by the shutter 10 under the effect of the pressure of the product and the shutter can move to its spray position. When the product is expelled, the elasticity of the seal 116 brings the shutter 10 back to its rest position. This variant has the following advantages in particular: the metal spring is replaced by a plastic seal, which is favorable, in particular in terms of cost and material compatibility. The seal 116 ensures in in addition to the seal between the spray head 100 and the shutter 10 and prevents the penetration of bacteria or germs into said head. Moreover, the thickness of the seal 116 may be significantly less than that of the spring, so that the spray head can have a smaller dimension.

With reference to FIG. 6, another variant is shown. advantageous of the invention. In this example, the body 101 of the head is surmounted at its end by an elastically deformable element 216, such than an elastomeric thermoplastic cap. This cap 216 is fixed with a part to the body 101 and secondly to the shutter 10, preferably so waterproof. It urges the shutter 10 towards its rest position and deforms under the effect of the pressure exerted by the product on the shutter during actuation of the device to allow movement of the shutter 10 toward its spray position. Then, the cap 216 brings back the shutter towards its rest position. This variant has the advantage of avoiding any penetration of bacteria or germs, even at the tip of the head, in the slot located between the shutter 10 and said cap 216. Indeed. in this variant, the shutter 10 does not slide relative to said cap 216, so that the slot at the end of the head between the cap 216 and the shutter 10 can be completely sealed.

Advantageously, in all of the embodiments described above, the spray head 100 may include a bacteriostatic material at the level of one or more surfaces in contact with the product to be expelled. In particular, this bacteriostatic material can be a material acting by contact, rather than by relaying ions in the product.

Other modifications and variants are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. A spray head (100) for a fluid dispenser for dispensing a fluid, the spray head being provided with an expulsion channel (1) opening out in a spray orifice (9), and with a moving closure member (10) mounted to move between a closed position, in which it closes said orifice (9), and a spray position, said closure member (10) being urged resiliently towards its closed position, and being displaced towards its spray position by the pressure of the fluid, the spray head being provided with a swirl chamber (20) of variable volume, the volume of said swirl chamber (20) being at its maximum when the closure member (10) is in the spray position, and being substantially zero when said closure member is in the closed position, said spray head being characterized in that said closure member (10) is provided with the spray orifice (9) and with swirl channels (30) which, when the closure member is in the spray position, connect said expulsion channel (1) to said swirl chamber (20), the volume and the geometrical configuration of said channels (30) remaining unchanged whatever the position of the closure member (10).
2. A spray head according to claim 1, in which that end of the moving closure member (10) which is opposite from the spray orifice (9) is provided with a piston (19) mounted to slide in leaktight manner in the expulsion channel (1).
3. A spray head according to claim 1 or 2, in which, in the closed position, the spray orifice (9) is closed by an insert (5) disposed in fixed manner in the expulsion channel (1), said swirl chamber (20) being formed between said insert (5) and said spray orifice (9) when the closure member (10) moves towards the outside of the spray head into its spray position.
4. A spray head according to claim 3, in which said swirl chamber (20) is cylindrical, the side wall and the top end face being formed by the closure member (10, and the bottom end face being formed by the insert (5).
5. A spray head according to claim 4, in which said swirl channels (30) open out in said side wall of the swirl chamber (20) so that, when the closure member (10) is in the closed position, they are closed by said insert (5).
6. A spray head according to any preceding claim, in which said moving closure member (10) comprises a hollow tubular sleeve (11) provided with an end wall (12) incorporating the spray orifice (9) at its center, and a short hollow tube (15) fitted in fixed manner inside the tubular sleeve (11) in abutment against said end wall (12), the top surface of said tube (15) that is in abutment against the end wall (12) of the closure member (10) being provided with one or more spray channels (30) connecting the outside peripheral surface of said tube (15) to the inside peripheral surface of said tube (15).
7. A spray head according to claim 6, in which said short hollow tube (15) is provided with one or more passageways in its outside peripheral surface fitted into the tubular sleeve (11) of the closure member (10), said passageways being connected to said channels (30) and forming a portion of the expulsion channel (1).
8. A spray head according to claim 6 or 7, in which said closure member (10) is disposed to slide around an insert (5) disposed in fixed manner in the spray head, said expulsion channel (1) being defined at least in part between said closure member (10) and said insert (5).
9. A spray head according to any preceding claim, in which said spray head (100) comprises a body (101), a gasket-forming resilient element (116) being disposed between the moving closure member (10) and the body (101) of the spray head (100), said resilient member (116) urging said closure member (10) towards its closed position and being compressed when the closure member (10) moves towards its spray position.
10. A spray head according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which said spray head (100) comprises a body (101) underlying an elastically-deformable element (216) fixed to said body (101), the closure member (10) co-operating with said element (216) which urges said closure member (10) towards its closed position, and which is deformed when the closure member (10) moves towards its spray position.
11. A spray head according to claim 10, in which the resiliently-deformable element (216) is fixed in leaktight manner to said body (101) of the spray head, and to said closure member (10), so that the leaktightness is guaranteed when the closure member (10) is in all of its positions.
12. A spray head according to claim 10 or 11, in which said elastically-deformable element (216) is a cap made of elastomer thermoplastic.
13. A spray head according to any preceding claim, in which one or more portions of said spray head (100) that are in contact with the fluid include a bacteriostatic material.

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