EP1054820B1 - Atomizer-head for a pump or a valve - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a spray head intended to be mounted on the valve stem of a fluid dispenser device, such as a pump or valve. The spray head serves as an organ actuator which is operated with a finger to actuate the pump or the valve. The fluid is discharged from the pump or the valve through the valve stem on which the spray head is mounted. To allow the distribution of the fluid, the spray head includes a dispensing orifice which communicates with the valve stem by through an outlet duct. In the case of a liquid such as perfume, the spray head can incorporate a nozzle allowing a spraying the liquid.

A spray head of the prior art is shown in Figure 1 and designated as a whole by the reference numeral 10. The head 10 comprises a body 2 which has a cylindrical shape. At its end upper, the body 2 forms a wall 27 which is supported with a finger to operate the pump or valve. In addition, the body 2 defines a peripheral skirt 28 which extends from the wall 27 downwards on a certain height. The height of this peripheral skirt 28 is determined by part by the stroke height of the valve stem of the pump or the valve on which the head is mounted. Indeed, for aesthetic reasons, the skirt 28 must extend to the level of the pump fixing ring or valve on the container to hide the valve stem. So when actuates the pump or the valve, the peripheral skirt 28 of the head distribution 10 engages above the fixing ring. The height of the peripheral skirt 28 is therefore directly dependent on the type of pump or valve on which the spray head 10 is mounted.

In addition, the body 2 is provided with a housing 21 intended for reception from the upper end of the valve stem. This housing 21 communicates with one or more outlet conduits 22. This or these conduit (s) 22 opens (s) into an annular space formed around a core 23 made in one piece in the body 2. The housing thus formed by this space annular is intended to receive a nozzle 4 which is forcibly engaged in this annular space. Conventionally, the nozzle 4 comprises a orifice distribution, and in the case of a fluid product such as perfume, the nozzle 4 may further comprise spraying means such as a chamber swirl connected by tangential swirl channels connecting conduit 22.

In sum, a spray head of the prior art comprises a housing for receiving the valve stem, an outlet opening connecting said housing, a pushing surface which is pressed with the finger and a peripheral skirt to hide the valve stem.

This kind of spray head is usually made of plastic mold. The mold necessary for the manufacture of such a spray head basically consists of three parts, namely a lower core which defines the inside of the dispensing head and in particular the housing for the valve, an upper shell which defines the outer wall of the head in particular the bearing surface and the outer wall of the peripheral skirt, and a pin that can be inserted through the upper shell to define the space ring for receiving the nozzle and the conduit 22 which communicates the housing with the nozzle. The pin is inserted horizontally through the upper shell while the joint plane of the mold is defined at the end bottom of the peripheral skirt 28. We therefore understand that we cannot vary the height of the peripheral skirt 28 since the distance between the joint plane and the spindle forming the annular space is fixed. Through therefore, multiple molds must be used to make distribution having a peripheral skirt of different height to hide the valve stem, resulting in a much more expensive investment.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem of the prior art by defining a spray head whose skirt height device can be varied without using a different mold for the formation of the body of the head.

In addition, because the spray head is made of material plastic, there occurs locally shrinkage phenomena or sagging which locally affect the visible surfaces of the head in because of the uneven thicknesses of the plastic part. In particular, this shrinkage phenomenon is often visible on the upper side head support in the area corresponding to the housing and the duct. This shrinkage phenomenon negatively affects the aesthetic appearance of the distribution head. Another object of the present invention is therefore to alleviate to the visible effects of this shrinkage phenomenon.

On the other hand, it is sometimes required that the color of the spray head matches that of the fixing ring or container. In this case, it is necessary to color the plastic material constituting the head of distribution. The dyes used to tint the plastic being expensive products, the cost of a colored dispensing head suffers. The present invention also aims to be able to produce heads colored spray for reduced cost.

To do this, the present invention relates to a spray head intended to be mounted on the valve stem of a distribution device fluid product such as a pump or valve, said spray head comprising a body provided with a housing intended for the reception of the rod valve, at least one conduit communicating said housing with a dispensing orifice, the body being fixedly received in an overcap which covers it, leaving the housing free. The overcap, which can be made of metal but preferably plastic, solves in one go all the problems of the prior art as well related to the height of the skirt peripheral, the phenomenon of shrinkage as well as the color of the head. Regarding the height of the peripheral skirt, it is easier and less expensive to vary the height of the overcap rather than that of the body of the head due to the fact that the mold necessary to achieve the overcap is much simpler. The body of the head therefore becomes a standard element for a given head diameter, regardless of the head height. A only one body mold is sufficient for a head of a given diameter.

Regarding the shrinkage phenomenon, it does not occur in the case of a plastic overcap, since its thickness of wall is uniform.

Finally, with regard to the color of the head, since the amount of plastic required to mold the overcap is less than that needed to mold a classic body, we save on the amount of dye needed.

Document FR-A-1 482 900 certainly describes a pusher with a cap which covers internal organs of the pusher defining a valve. The hairdo is therefore slidably mounted axially on the hood. The element for maintain the cap on the hood is the nozzle which protrudes from the skirt of the cap. To this end, since the cap is movable relative to the nozzle, the opening through which the nozzle projects, is oversized to allow the cap to slide. The cap in this pusher has only one wall function for actuating the valve to keep it closed until release of pressure. The sliding feature is therefore essential the operation of this pusher.

Although this document describes a headdress, it is not used in the same goals, and moreover, is mounted sliding.

According to one embodiment, the dispensing orifice is formed by a nozzle attached to the body, the overcap being provided with a simple opening for the passage of the nozzle when it is mounted on the body. In alternatively, the dispensing orifice is formed in the overcap.

In both cases, the head may include spraying means in the form of a swirl chamber centered on the orifice of distribution and fed by at least two swirl channels tangentials connecting said at least one conduit. In this case, the swirl and channels can be formed in the nozzle. In variant, the swirl chamber and the channels can be formed in the body.

In the case where the dispensing orifice is formed in the overcap and the chamber and the swirl channels in the body it's not necessary to use a nozzle attached to the body. We thus realize saving a part and therefore an appropriate mold. The overcap fills then an additional function, namely that of dispensing orifice.

In another aspect, the body and the overcap include orientation means for determining the orientation of the overcap by relation to the body during assembly so that the spray orifice is centered during assembly with respect to the axis of the swirl chamber. Advantageously, the overcap internally forms a needle penetration and orientation cooperating with a shape recess corresponding in the body. We automatically impose when mounting the orientation of the overcap on the body.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to attached drawings giving by way of nonlimiting example two modes of realization of the present invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe transversale d'une tête de pulvérisation selon l'art antérieur,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe transversale à travers une tête de pulvérisation selon une première forme de réalisation de la présente invention,
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe transversale du gicleur utilisé dans la tête de pulvérisation de la figure 2,
• la figure 4 est une vue en plan de l'intérieur du gicleur de la figure 3,
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe transversale d'une tête de pulvérisation selon un deuxième mode de réalisation de la présente invention,
• la figure 6 est une vue en plan de la partie du corps de la tête de pulvérisation formant les moyens de pulvérisation, et
• la figure 7 est une vue en plan de l'intérieur de la surcapsule au niveau de l'orifice de distribution.

In the drawings:

• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a spray head according to the prior art,
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through a spray head according to a first embodiment of the present invention,
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle used in the spray head of FIG. 2,
• FIG. 4 is a plan view of the interior of the nozzle of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a spray head according to a second embodiment of the present invention,
• FIG. 6 is a plan view of the part of the body of the spray head forming the spray means, and
• Figure 7 is a plan view of the interior of the overcap at the dispensing orifice.

In a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the spray head 1 of the present invention comprises three elements components, namely a body 2, an overcap 3 and a nozzle 4. These three elements are preferably made of molded plastic, although the overcap 3 can also be made of metal. Body 2 can by example be molded in polypropylene and the overcap 3 and the nozzle 4 in one harder plastic such as acetal.

Referring now more specifically to Figure 2, the body 2 is of a completely classic design similar to that of the head of spray of the prior art shown in Figure 1. Therefore, the body 2 forms an axial central housing 21 for receiving the end upper part of the valve stem of the pump or the valve on which the head 1 is mounted. This housing 21 communicates via a channel outlet 22 with an annular space 224 defined around a core 23 having a perfectly flat annular end surface 24. Space ring 224, as can be seen in Figure 2, is intended for reception by snap-fitting of a nozzle 4, the details of which will be described below with reference in Figure 3. On the other hand, the body 2 forms an annular upper surface 27 and a peripheral flange 28 which extends downwards over the whole of the periphery of the body 2. At the level of the annular housing 224 for the nozzle 4, the annular flange 28 is pierced with a hole. The essential difference with the body of a prior art spray head resides in the length of the skirt peripheral which is reduced here to a peripheral flange 28.

We will now refer to Figures 3 and 4 which represent a enlarged scale the nozzle 4 used in the spray head 1 of the figure 2. The nozzle 4 is a completely conventional nozzle in the form a small bucket whose bottom 41 is pierced with a dispensing orifice 45. This distribution orifice 45 communicates with a recess 47 which forms in combination with the flat annular end wall 24 of the core 23 a swirl chamber 47. The bottom 41 is further provided with other recesses 46 three in number as can be seen in Figure 4, which make swirl chamber 47 communicate with the periphery internal of the nozzle 4. These recesses 46 in combination with the wall planar annular 24 of the core 23 form three swirl channels 46 which connect the swirl chamber 47 tangentially for cause the fluid to flow in a swirling fashion in the room 47. To communicate the annular space 224 with the channels swirl 46, the cylindrical wall 42 of the nozzle 4 is internally provided with grooves 44. Thus, the fluid product discharged at through the valve stem can flow through the conduit 22 in space annular 224, and from there through the grooves 44 and the channels of swirl 46 into the swirl chamber 47 where it is finally distributed through the dispensing orifice 45 to the outside under the in the form of a spray of sprayed product. Good insulation of the swirl 46 and swirl chamber 47 is possible by using plastics of different hardness: for example, the nozzle can be made of acetal and the body 2 of polypropylene so that the nozzle 4 slightly deforms the flat end wall 24 of the core 23 and thus achieved a good seal. For fixing the nozzle 4 on the core 23, the cylindrical wall 42 of the nozzle is provided with snap notches 43 which cooperate with body 2 by material interference due to the difference in hardness of the plastics used to make them. We thus obtain a stable and solid positioning of the nozzle on the body.

According to the invention, the body 2 is coated with the overcap 3 which covers the upper end wall 27 and the peripheral flange 28 leaving the housing 21 cleared. It is preferable that the internal wall of the overcap 3 follows the shape of the body 2 at its peripheral flange 28 and its upper surface 27 as can be seen in FIG. 2. It is therefore important that the inner ribs of the overcap correspond so precise to the outer ribs of the body 2. It will thus be possible to engage in forces body 2 inside the overcap without the need to use other means to block the body 2 inside the overcap 3. The body 2 is thus fixedly received in the overcap 3. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the overcap is in the form of a simple bucket cylindrical with a bottom defining the upper annular surface of thrust 31 which is acted on using a finger and a peripheral wall defining a peripheral skirt 32 which fulfills the same function as that of the head of the prior art shown in FIG. 1. The overcap 3 has a perfectly uniform wall thickness so that none shrinkage cannot affect it. It can also be carried out at using colored plastic.

In this embodiment, the overcap 3 has at its peripheral skirt 32 an opening 33 intended for the passage of the nozzle 4 during of its mounting on the body 2. Indeed, during the mounting operation of this spray head, it is first necessary to engage the body 2 in the overcaps 3, then put the nozzle 4 on the core 23 of the body 2. Consequently, the overcap 3 must have an opening allowing the passage of the nozzle 4. It should be noted that the mounting of the head spraying of the invention can be carried out with a conventional machine a once the body is engaged in the overcap. It is easy to understand that it is easy to vary the height of the head of spray 1 using a different height overcap. It is therefore not no need to touch the body 2 which in no way determines the height of the head. Because of its simplicity, the overcap 3 can be easily produced at a lower cost with different heights. On the other hand, given that the body 2 is no longer a visible element, it does not matter that it is affected by aesthetic defects such as shrinkage phenomena.

We will now refer to Figures 5 to 7 to describe a second particularly advantageous embodiment. The advantage of this head spraying lies in the fact that it consists of only two elements, namely the body 2 and the overcap 3. The function of the nozzle is here fulfilled by combination by the body 2 and the overcapsule 3. As we can see on the Figure 6, the swirl chamber 25 and the channels of swirl 26 are formed on the end wall 24 of the core 23 formed by the body 2. In the example shown, it is a form of special implementation using two swirl channels 26 connected to two symmetrical lateral conduits 22 which open into the housing 21. This configuration allows a totally power supply symmetrical swirl channels 26. While traditionally, the chamber 25 and the channels 26 are formed in the attached nozzle, in this embodiment, the chamber and the channels are formed directly on the body 2. Symmetrically, the wall used to isolate the channels 26 from each other and complete the chamber 25 is formed by the overcap 3. As can be seen in Figures 5 and 7, this closing wall must be breakthrough of a distribution orifice 35 which communicates the swirl 25 with the outside. Advantageously, the overcap 3 can form downstream of the spray orifice 35 a directional cone of spray 36.

It should also be noted that this embodiment makes it possible to reduce considerably the height of the nozzle and therefore the total height of the head.

In this embodiment, it is essential that the dispensing hole 35 is perfectly centered with respect to the swirl chamber 35. To do this, means of orientation are provided for determining precisely the orientation of the overcap 3 relative to the body 2. According to a embodiment, these orientation means are in the form a penetration and orientation needle 37 which cooperate with a recess 29 of corresponding shape formed in the body 2. This needle 37, as can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 7, can be provided at the level of the spray orifice 35. This needle 37 is in the form of a wall thickness made at the peripheral skirt 32. As its name suggests, this needle 37 defines a downward pointing point which is intended to cooperate with the recess 29 formed in the body 2 and which has a corresponding shape. As can be seen in Figure 6, the core 23 with its end wall 24 in which the chamber is formed 25 and the channels 26, is situated at the level of this recess 29. By the cooperation of this needle 37 and this recess 29, thus ensuring a perfect orientation and therefore centering of the dispensing orifice 35 relative to the swirl chamber 25.

Although not shown and technically more complicated to produce, it is also possible to form the chamber and the channels of swirl in the overcap. The body then presents a nucleus whose the end wall is perfectly flat, as in the first form of production.

Thanks to the overcap, it is possible to vary the cost at a lower cost. height of the spray head, and improve the aesthetics of the head by eliminating all problems related to the shrinkage phenomenon and reducing the costs related to coloring the plastic.

Claims (17)

1. A spray head (1) designed to be mounted on the plunger stem of a dispenser device, such as. a pump or a valve, for dispensing a fluid substance, said spray head (1) comprising a body (2) provided with a recess (21) serving to receive the plunger stem, and with at least one duct (22) causing said recess (21) to communicate with a dispenser orifice (45; 35), said dispenser head being characterized in that the body (2) is received securely in an over-cap (3) which covers it while leaving the recess (21) unobstructed.
2. A spray head according to claim 1, in which the over-cap (3) is made of metal.
3. A spray head according to claim 1, in which the over-cap (3) is made of plastic.
4. A spray head according to any preceding claim, in which the dispensing orifice (45) is formed by a spray jet-forming insert (4) mounted on the body (2), said over-cap (3) being provided with an opening (33) for enabling the insert (4) to pass through on mounting it on the body (2).
5. A spray head according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said dispensing orifice (35) is formed in the over-cap (3).
6. A spray head according to any preceding claim, including spray means (46, 47; 25, 26) in the form of a swirl chamber (47; 25) centered on the dispensing orifice (45; 35) and fed via at least two tangential swirl channels (46; 26) connecting to said at least one duct (22).
7. A spray head according to claims 4 and 6, in which the swirl chamber (47) and the channels (46) are formed in the insert (4).
8. A spray head according to claims 5 and 6, in which the swirl chamber (25) and the channels (26) are formed in the body (2).
9. A spray head according to any preceding claim, in which the body (2) and the over-cap (3) are provided with angular positioning means (29, 37) for determining the angular positioning of the over-cap (3) relative to the body (2) while they are being assembled.
10. A spray head according to claim 9, in which the inside of the over-cap (3) forms an angular positioning and penetrating spike (37) co-operating with a setback (29) of corresponding shape provided in the body (2).
11. A spray head comprising a body (2) forming a peripheral flange (28) and at least one outlet duct (22) exiting on the exterior of said flange (28), characterized in that the peripheral flange (28) is securely received in an over-cap (3) matching the shape of the peripheral flange, the over-cap and the flange forming together spraying means (46, 47; 25, 26) as a swirl chamber (47; 25)centered on dispensing orifice (45; 35) and fed through at least two tangential swirl channels (46, 26) connecting to said at least one duct (22).
12. A spray head according to claim 11, wherein said flange forms said two swirl channels (26) and said swirl chamber (25), the over-cap completing and isolating the swirl channels et completing the swirl chamber, the over-cap forming said dispensing orifice (35) centered on the swirl chamber.
13. A spray head according to claim 11, wherein said flange forms said two swirl channels (26) and said swirl chamber (25), the flange completing and isolating the swirl channels et completing the swirl chamber, the flange forming said dispensing orifice (35) centered on the swirl chamber.
14. A spray head according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein said over-cap (3) is made of metal.
15. A spray head according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein said over-cap (3) is made of plastic.
16. A spray head according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein said body (2) and over-cap (3) are provided with angular positioning means (29, 37) for determining the angular positioning of the over-cap (3) relative to the body (2) while they are being assembled.
17. A spray head according to claim 16, wherein the inside of the over-cap (3) forms an angular positioning and penetrating spike (37) co-operating with a setback (29) of corresponding shape provided in the body (2).

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