EP1268082B1 - Fluid dispensing member with offset delivery channel - Google Patents

Abstract

invention concerns a fluid dispensing member (2) designed to be mounted on the neck (10) of a container (1), said member comprising: a body (2) defining a chamber (43) wherein slides a piston (4); a fixing member (3) designed to co-operate with the neck (10), said fixing member extending around the body; and a delivery channel (23) communicating the chamber (43) with a fixed dispensing orifice (81), said delivery channel (23) being formed between the body (2) and the fixing member (3). The invention is characterised in that the fixing member (3) is adapted to co-operate with an inner wall (11) of the neck (10) to enable the dispensing member to be fixed in the neck.

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser member for mounting on the neck of a container. This type of dispensing member generally comprises a body defining a chamber in which a piston slides. In addition, there is often provided a fastener for fixing the dispensing member on the neck of the container. In order to convey the fluid product from the chamber to a dispensing orifice, a discharge channel is often provided. A particularity of the dispensing member of the present invention is that the dispensing member is fixed.

WO 93/03857 discloses a fluid dispenser member having a fixed dispensing orifice. This dispensing member of the prior art comprises a body in which is engaged a cylindrical piece which defines the pump chamber with a piston. In other words, the piston surmounted by a pusher slides inside this cylindrical piece housed inside the body of the dispenser member. At its lower end, the cylindrical piece defines an outlet valve seat. The body is further provided with a fastener in the form of a snap ring intended to cooperate with the outside of the neck of a container. To maintain this dispensing member on the neck, there is provided a piece of cap which defines a tip at the end of which is the fixed dispensing orifice. More specifically, the cap piece is screwed onto the body while holding the fastener on the body. To connect the chamber to the dispensing orifice, there is provided a discharge channel which extends between the cylindrical part and the body. This discharge channel extends from the lower end of the cylindrical piece to its upper end vertically when the dispenser member is upright. To do this, a groove is made in the inner wall of the body and this groove is sealed in a sealed manner by the cylindrical part attached to the inside of the body.

It should also be noted that in this dispensing member, it has four pieces (except the piston), namely a body, a cylindrical piece, a fastener and a piece of cap.

Document FR 2 714 027 also discloses a manual pump comprising an internal cylinder in which a piston slides and a body in which the cylinder is received. The outer diameter of the cylinder is much smaller than the internal diameter of the body so that a space is defined between the cylinder and the body. This space has a crescent-shaped cross section because the cylinder is positioned off-axis in the body. This crescent-shaped space defines a considerable volume that is a dead volume. On the other hand, the body extends upward to form a fixing ring on the outside of a container neck. It can be said that the body of this pump comprises two distinct parts, namely a skirt receiving the cylinder and a ring coming around a neck, the skirt and the ring being however connected together in one piece. It should be noted that, by being attached to the outside of the neck, the ring also increases the useful diameter of the pump.

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a dispensing member having a minimum number of component parts while defining an off-axis discharge channel of reduced dead volume leading to a fixed dispensing orifice.

To do this, the present invention provides a fluid dispenser member as defined in claim 1.

The fastener thus serves both to the formation of the discharge channel and the fixing in the neck.

Advantageously, the fixing member comprises latching means intended to cooperate with at least one obviously formed in the inner wall of the neck.

According to one embodiment, the fixing member comprises a substantially cylindrical skirt defining internally the delivery channel with the body and externally latching means in the neck. The skirt thus fulfills a dual function alone.

Advantageously, said discharge channel forms a groove in the outer wall of the body, said fixing member comprising a skirt in contact with the body. The skirt is in tight contact with the body so that the bleeding made in the outer wall of the body is insulated along its length. Preferably, the channel extends substantially over the entire height of the body.

According to a practical embodiment, the body is engaged by sliding frictionally in the skirt of the fastener.

Advantageously, the latching means comprise at least one projection intended to snap into at least one recess formed in the inner wall of the neck.

The fixing member which is then virtually invisible then performs a dual function, namely that of isolating the groove with its inner wall and fastening by snapping with its outer wall. The fastener can then be summed up in a simple skirt enveloping the body of the dispensing member.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the discharge channel opens near the fixed dispensing orifice. The flow path of fluid product is thus reduced to a minimum, which reduces the pressure drops and makes it possible to soften the operation of the dispenser.

According to one embodiment, the dispensing orifice is formed in the fastener or in a nozzle received in a housing formed in the fastener.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the single drawing giving by way of non-limiting example an embodiment of the present invention.

The single figure is a section in vertical cross section through a dispensing member according to the invention mounted on a container neck.

Typically, the dispensing member shown in the single figure is a pump comprising a pump body 2 defining a füt in which slides a piston 4 mounted at the end of an actuating rod 5 equipped at its upper end. of a pusher 51. The pump body 2 defines with the piston 4 a pump chamber 43 of variable volume having an inlet 230 communicating with the interior of a reservoir and an outlet 231. A return spring 52 brings the piston 4 in a rest position in which the volume of the pump chamber 43 is maximum. To limit the stroke of the piston and fix its dead weight high corresponding to its rest position, there is provided a ferrule 6 engaged in force inside the pump body 2 at its upper end.

This is a quite conventional design for a fluid pump such as can be found in the fields of perfumery, cosmetics and pharmacy.

For fixing on a neck 10 of a container 1, there is provided a fixing member 3 in the form of a fixing ring which cooperates with the neck 10. In general, this type of fixing ring cooperates with the outer wall of the neck 10 which forms a reinforcement. Although this fastening technique on the outside of the neck is also applicable in the context of the present invention, it is preferred here a fixing ring which cooperates with the inner wall 11 of the neck 10. To do this, the inner wall 11 the neck 10 forms at least one recess 12 and the fixing ring 3 comprises a skirt 30 which forms on its outer wall at least one projection 32 intended to snap inside the recess 12. At its upper end , the skirt 30 forms a shoulder 33 intended to bear on the upper end of the neck 10. The shoulder 33 comes into contact with the neck 10 when the projection 32 is snapped into the recess 12. In this embodiment, the fixing ring 3 forms a housing 34 in which is mounted a nozzle 8 which forms a fixed dispensing orifice 81. This orifice may alternatively also be directly formed in the fixing ring 3. In addition, the ring forms a channel of FIG. outlet 35 and channels and a swirl chamber 36. A trim ring 9 can also cover the fixing ring so as to hide it as well as the neck 10.

The body 2 of the pump is engaged inside the skirt 30 of the ring 3. The outlet of the pump chamber 43 is formed in the pump body 2 and connects the nozzle 8 through a discharge channel 23. The discharge channel 23 is formed between the body 2 and the fixing ring 3, in particular its skirt 30. More specifically, the outer wall of the body 2 is formed with a groove extending from the outlet 231 to another bore 232 made through the wall of the pump body. As the body 2 is engaged in force inside the skirt 30, the skirt 30 completes the groove made in the body of the pump to isolate and thus form the discharge channel 23. At the outlet of the bore 232 the product arrives in a chamber 73 of variable volume. An outlet valve is made in the form of a differential piston and is slidably mounted on the collar 6 and is resiliently biased by the spring 52 which thus serves both as a return spring and precompression. Thus, when the pressure inside the chamber 43 is sufficient, the differential piston 7 moves upwards and releases another bore 25 formed in the body 20 which communicates with the outlet duct 35 made by the fixing ring. 3. This is a particular construction of the dispensing member which can of course undergo many modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention which resides in the fact that the discharge channel 23 is formed between the fastener, in this case the skirt 30 of the ring 3, and the pump body 20. It is also advantageous that the fastener cooperates with the inner wall of the neck so that a single piece, namely the skirt 30, performs a dual function using these inner and outer walls.

Claims (10)

1. A fluid-dispensing member designed to be mounted on the neck (10) of a container (1), said dispensing member comprising:

   a body (2) defining a chamber (43) that slidably receives a piston (4);

   a fixing member (3) designed to co-operate with the neck (10), said fixing member extending around the body; and

   a delivery channel (23) connecting the chamber (43) to a stationary dispensing orifice (81);

   
   said dispensing member being characterized in that said delivery channel (23) is formed between the body (2) and the fixing member (3) and in that the fixing member (3) is suitable for co-operating with an inside wall (11) of the neck (10) so as to fix the dispensing member in the neck.
2. A dispensing member according to claim 1, in which the fixing member (3) is provided with snap-fastening means (32) serving to co-operate with at least one notch (12) formed in the inside wall of the neck.
3. A dispensing member according to claim 1 or 2, in which the fixing member (3) is provided with a substantially cylindrical skirt (30) internally co-operating with the body (2) to define the delivery channel (23), and externally defining snap-fastening means (32) for snap-fastening in the neck.
4. A dispensing member according to any preceding claim, in which said delivery channel forms a groove in the outside wall of the body.
5. A dispensing member according to any preceding claim, in which the channel (23) extends substantially over the entire height of the body.
6. A dispensing member according to any preceding claim, in which the body (2) is engaged to slide snugly in leaktight manner in the skirt (30) of the fixing member.
7. A dispensing member according to any preceding claim, in which the delivery channel (23) opens out in the vicinity of the stationary dispensing orifice (81).
8. A dispensing member according to any preceding claim, in which the dispensing orifice (81) is formed in the fixing member (3).
9. A dispensing member according to any preceding claim, in which the dispensing orifice (81) is formed by a nozzle (8) mounted in a recess (34) formed in the fixing member (3).
10. A dispensing member according to claim 2 or 3, in which the snap-fastening means (32) comprise at least one projection (32) serving to snap-fasten into the notch (12) in the neck.

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