EP1273245B1 - Device for storing and dispensing a product, particularly a liquid product to be applied on the lips - Google Patents

Abstract

The packaging device comprises a product housing (240) and a piston (250) movable in the housing. A piston drive mechanism comprises a first element (220) able to rotate relative to a second element (210) to cause piston displacement. There is a collar (280) enabling relative rotation of the two elements over a first angular path to be transformed into a relative axial displacement of the two elements.

Description

The present invention relates to packaging devices and application of a product, and more particularly but not exclusively those containing a liquid lipstick.

Many packaging and distribution devices from red to liquid lips have been proposed, comprising a housing to contain the product, a movable piston in this housing to chase the product and a drive mechanism piston having a first member rotatable relative to a second element to cause axial displacement of the piston in the housing.

A device incorporating the features of the preamble of the Claim 1 is known from EP-A-0709041.

When the product is liquid, a leak may occur in case of overpressure in the housing that contains it, for example because of a rise in temperature.

There is therefore a need to benefit from a packaging and distribution capable of reducing the risk of product leakage, which relatively simple construction and inexpensive to achieve, as well as a reliable operation and satisfactory aesthetics.

The invention aims in particular to meet this need.

It succeeds thanks to a new device of conditioning and distribution of a product, in particular a liquid product, comprising a housing for the product, a piston movable in this housing to drive the product, a mechanism for driving the piston comprising a first element that can rotate with respect to a second element to cause axial displacement of the piston in the housing, less from a certain rotational stroke of one element relative to the other, this device being characterized by the fact that it comprises a ring enabling transform a relative rotation of the two elements, on a first angular stroke in the direction of product distribution, in a relative axial displacement of the two elements, this ring being arranged to be able to turn with the first part element during said first angular stroke and to cooperate with the second element so as to cause said axial displacement and secondly, when the rotation relative of the two elements continues beyond the first angular stroke, turn relative to the first element being rotated by the second element.

Thanks to the invention, the two aforementioned elements can move axially under the effect of an overpressure in the housing containing the product during the storage, this movement to create an increase in the volume of housing containing the product, tending to cancel said overpressure.

In a particular embodiment, the ring is mounted on the first element, for example by snapping, with a possibility of rotation relative to this element if a sufficient driving force is exerted on the ring. In particular, the first element may have in the upper part a mounting skirt and the ring be snapped into this mounting skirt, while being rotatable relative to this skirt mounting if sufficient torque is exercised.

In a particular embodiment, the device comprises means to automatically produce a relative movement of the two elements, accompanied by an increase in the volume of housing, when one of the elements driven by the user in the direction of the distribution of the product is released and / or when a closing cap is put back on the device, at the end of its use and / or in case of overpressure inside the housing.

The device may include a spring to produce this movement automatic return. This spring can, in a particular embodiment, work in compression.

Still in a particular embodiment, the first element presents a first bearing surface and the device comprises a closure cap which comprises a second bearing surface, adapted to cooperate with the first, so as to cause, when placing the cover on the device, a displacement of the first element by second, in particular in the absence of the aforementioned jurisdiction or for any reason whatever the latter did not exert sufficient force to cause the displacement in question.

The first element may comprise a ferrule and the second element comprise the body of the device, on which the ferrule is mounted, this body defining with the piston the housing containing the product. The aforementioned ring can be fixed on the ferrule.

In a particular embodiment, the body comprises at least one lug and the ring at least one ramp on which the lug can come in support, so that a relative rotation of the ring relative to the pin is accompanied by an axial displacement of the ring relative to the body. Alternatively, it is the body which can comprise at least one ramp and the ring at least one lug.

The ferrule can be positioned axially between a base of the body and the part upper body. The piston can be secured to a support cooperating by screwing with the ferrule. One of the elements can rotate relative to each other on an angular stroke limited without actuation of the distribution mechanism. In particular, the support can rotate freely relative to the body with limited angular travel relative to the latter, for example a travel of between 5 and 25 °, in particular between 5 and 20 °, even close to 10 ° or 15 °. The body may comprise at least one longitudinal opening and the support comprising at least one extension engaged in this opening, the distance between two longitudinal edges of the opening of the body being greater than the width of said extension, so that the support can rotate with a limited angular movement relative to the body. The aforementioned lateral extension can have a thread portion cooperating with a thread of the ferrule, so that a relative rotation of the shell relative to the support is accompanied by a axial displacement of the support relative to the ferrule. The support can be used to support the end of a spring, this spring being constrained by the axial displacement of the ferrule by relative to the body when dispensing the product. The support may comprise a part lower engaged at least partially through an opening of the base of the body.

The ferrule can still be located in the lower part of the device. In that case, the piston can be secured to a part cooperating with a cooperating intermediate part herself with the ferrule. The support may comprise at least one longitudinal amount engaged in an opening of the body, so as to be able to turn with a deflection angular limited to the body. Thus, the amount can have two edges longitudinals whose spacing is different from that of two reliefs of the body. The room intermediate may comprise at least one relief cooperating with the body so as to ability to rotate with limited angular travel. The device may comprise a spring working in compression, taking support at one end on the part intermediate and at the other end on a wall of the body.

The device may, in general, comprise a mouthpiece when the product is liquid.

When the relative movement of the two elements is automatically in case of overpressure, the section of the channels of the application nozzle is chosen such so that the movement of the two elements takes place before the product leaves said channels. In other words, the force required to cause the displacement of two elements in case of overpressure is lower than that required to cause the product release.

• la figure 1 est une coupe axiale schématique d'un dispositif conforme à un premier exemple de mise en oeuvre de l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une coupe transversale schématique, visant à illustrer la possibilité de débattement angulaire du support par rapport au corps du dispositif,
• la figure 3 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, après déplacement axial relatif de la virole par rapport au support,
• la figure 4 est une vue analogue à la figure 2, après rotation relative du support par rapport au corps,
• la figure 5 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, illustrant la distribution de produit,
• la figure 6 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, représentant le dispositif après mise en place du capot de fermeture,
• la figure 7 est une vue schématique en élévation d'un dispositif conforme à un deuxième exemple de mise en oeuvre de l'invention,
• la figure 8 est une coupe axiale schématique du dispositif de la figure 7,
• la figure 9 est une section selon IX-IX de la figure 8,
• la figure 10 représente isolément une partie du mécanisme d'élévation du piston,
• la figure 11 est une vue de dessus selon la flèche XI de la figure 10,
• la figure 12 est une vue analogue à la figure 8, au cours de la distribution du produit,
• la figure 13 est une coupe selon XIII de la figure 12,
• la figure 14 est une vue analogue à la figure 8, le mouvement de montée du piston s'étant poursuivi par rapport à la configuration de la figure 12,
• la figure 15 est une section selon XV de la figure 14,
• la figure 16 est une coupe axiale schématique représentant le dispositif en fin de course vers le haut du piston,
• la figure 17 est une section selon XVII-XVII de la figure 16,
• la figure 18 représente le dispositif après remise en place du capot de fermeture, et
• la figure 19 est une coupe selon XIX-XIX de la figure 18.

Non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic axial section of a device according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a schematic transverse section, intended to illustrate the possibility of angular displacement of the support with respect to the body of the device,
• FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, after relative axial displacement of the ferrule with respect to the support,
• FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, after relative rotation of the support with respect to the body,
• FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the product distribution,
• FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the device after putting in place the closure cap,
• FIG. 7 is a schematic view in elevation of a device according to a second example of implementation of the invention,
• FIG. 8 is a schematic axial section of the device of FIG. 7,
• FIG. 9 is a section along IX-IX of FIG. 8,
• FIG. 10 represents, in isolation, part of the mechanism for raising the piston,
• FIG. 11 is a view from above according to the arrow XI of FIG. 10,
• FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 8, during dispensing of the product,
• FIG. 13 is a section along XIII of FIG. 12,
• FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 8, the upward movement of the piston having continued with respect to the configuration of FIG. 12,
• FIG. 15 is a section along XV of FIG. 14,
• FIG. 16 is a schematic axial section showing the device at the end of the stroke towards the top of the piston,
• FIG. 17 is a section according to XVII-XVII of FIG. 16,
• FIG. 18 represents the device after refitting the closure cap, and
• Figure 19 is a section along XIX-XIX of Figure 18.

FIGS. 1 to 6 show a device 100 comprising a body 110 and a ferrule 120 rotatable relative to said body. The latter is equipped with upper part of an applicator tip 130, made for example of elastomer, optionally flocked, and traversed by channels 131 for supplying the product. The tip 130 present, in the example shown, an application surface 132 which extends according to a oblique plane with respect to the axis X of the body 110. The upper part 111 of the body 110 defines a housing 140 to receive a reserve of a product P, constituted in the example considered by a liquid lipstick.

The housing 140 has a cylindrical inner surface of X axis, revolution in the example described, and the device 100 comprises a movable piston 150 in the housing 140 to create during use an overpressure to hunt a certain amount of product through the channels 131 to the application surface 132.

The piston 150 is secured to a support 160, which comprises a hollow rod 161 attached to its upper end to the piston and connecting to its lower end a skirt 162 provided with two lateral extensions 163 threaded externally, diametrically opposite.

The rod 161 forms with the skirt 162 a groove 164 housing the end lower of a spring 170. The upper end of the latter comes to bear against a transverse wall 112 of the body 110, traversed at its center by an opening for the passage of the support rod 160. The skirt 162 passes through an opening 113 of the base 114 of the body 100.

A ring 180 is snapped into a mounting skirt 121, present at the upper end of the ferrule. This ring 180 comprises an annular bead 181 snapped into a corresponding groove 122 of the mounting skirt 121. The ring 180 has, on its radially inner surface, at least one helical groove 183 that FIG. 1 is a dashed line defining a ramp, and the portion 111 of the body 110 comprises at least one corresponding lug 115, which is engaged in this groove, and whose diameter substantially corresponds to the width of it.

The device may comprise two diametrically opposite lugs 115 and the ring 180 two grooves 183 corresponding.

The body 110 comprises, between the transverse wall 112 and the wall defining the opening 113, two longitudinal openings 116 in which are engaged the lateral extensions 163 of the support 160, as can be seen in FIG. 2. Each opening 116 is delimited. by two longitudinal edges 116a and 116b whose spacing is greater than the width of an extension 163, so as to allow a certain angular displacement of the support 160 in the body 110, by an equal angle i in the example described in FIG. About 15 °.

The base 114 of the body 110 has a godron 117 for snapping of a closure cap 190, as can be seen in FIG. a shoulder 191 intended to bear against a shoulder 125 of the ferrule, as will be explained below. The base 114 is closed by a bottom 119 reported.

The operation of the device 110 is as follows. It is assumed that the housing 140 is full of product P and that the cover 190 has just been removed, as shown in FIG. 1. The user firstly turns the shell 120 relative to the body 110, with a first angular stroke of the value of the aforesaid angle i in the direction of the arrow A. During this first angular stroke, the support 160 rotates with the shell 120 and the lateral extensions 163 of the support 160 pass from a bearing on the longitudinal edges 116a to a bearing on the opposite longitudinal edges 116b. The spring 170 is initially only slightly compressed. Given the cooperation of the ring 180 and the body 110, the rotation of the shell 120 is accompanied by an axial displacement upwardly thereof relative to the base 114, the ring 180 rotating with the shell 120 and the lug 115 moving in the helical groove 183. The assembly consisting of the ferrule 120, the ring 180, the support 160 and the piston 150 is thus axially displaced by the same value j , of the order of 2 mm in the example described. The space 141 which was above the level of the liquid in the housing 140 fills with liquid under the effect of the rise of the piston 150 in the housing 140, as can be seen in Figure 3. The displacement of the ferrule 120 upwards is accompanied by a slight compression of the spring 170, since the support 160 has followed the upward movement of the ferrule 120.

When continuing the rotation of the shell 120 relative to the body 110 in the sense of a distribution of the product, ie in the direction of the arrow A, the support 160 becomes motionless in rotation relative to the body 110, in view of the abutting the lateral extensions 163 against the longitudinal edges 116b as shown in FIG. 4. Then there is relative rotation of the ferrule 120 with respect to support 160 which, given the cooperating threads of the support 160 and the ferrule 120, causes upward movement of the support 160, the ring 120 being prevented to move further upwardly by the lug 115 of the body 110.

The upward movement of the support 160, therefore of the piston 150, is accompanied by of a product distribution through the channels 131 on the application surface 132, as it can be seen in FIG. 5. When the user releases the shell 120, the spring 170 tends to bring down the shell 120, until it bears against the base 114. The ring 180 causes rotation of the shell 120 in the direction of arrow B of FIG. The support 160 rotates with the ferrule 120 in the longitudinal openings 116 and goes down, which causes a recoil of the piston 150 in the reservoir and generates a depression which ensures at least partial evacuation of the product present in the channels 131, and allows to form again above the product, in the housing 140, a free space 141.

It is not beyond the scope of the invention by removing the spring 170. In this case, the return movement of the shell 120 towards the base 114 can be carried out by the installing the closure cap 190 and supporting the shoulder 191 against the recess 125, as seen in Figure 6.

Finally, in the absence of spring 170, hood 190, and in case of overpressure in the housing 140 containing the product, the piston 150 can move back from the configuration of Figure 5 to axial stop of the shell 120 on the base 114 of the body 110.

A device 200 will now be described with reference to FIGS. according to a second example of implementation of the invention. This device 200 has a body 210 of X axis and a ferrule 220 rotatable relative to the body 210 about the axis X. The body 210 is provided, in the upper part, with a tip 230 similar to the tip 130 previously described, and defines a housing 240 having a cylindrical inner surface, in which can slide a piston 250 integral with a 260 mechanism in two parts 260a, 260b. The first part 260a has a screw 261, fixed at its upper end on the piston 250 and two longitudinal uprights 262, diametrically opposed, made in one piece with the screw 261. The other part 260b comprises a hollow rod 263, threaded internally, in which is engaged the screw 261 and in the lower part a crown 264. The latter is connected to the rod 263 by a wall 266 serving to support a spring 270. The ring 264 is threaded externally and cooperates by screwing with an internal thread 229 of the ferrule 220.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show separately the part 260b of FIG. 260. It can be seen that the rod 263 is provided externally, in part with two anti-rotation ribs 265, substantially diametrically opposed, the function of which will be specified below. The ribs 265 extend only over substantially half of the height of the rod 263, from its upper end. Only one of the ribs 265 is shown in Figure 10.

The aforementioned spring 270, which works in compression and supports its lower end on the wall 266, bears against the other end against a wall transverse 212, traversed by an opening 217 allowing the passage of the mechanism 260.

A ring 280 is snapped into a mounting skirt 221 located in part 220. This ring 280 comprises, like the ring 180 previously described, a godron 281 snapped into an annular groove 222 of the skirt 221. The ring 280 comprises two helical grooves 283 diametrically opposed, in each of which is engaged a pin 215 of the body 210. The ferrule 220 is closed at the bottom by an attached bottom 229.

It will be noted on examining FIG. 9 that the wall 212 includes notches 216 in which are engaged the uprights 262 and that the edges longitudinals 216a and 216b of these notches are spaced a distance greater than the width of the uprights 262, so as to allow a certain angular deflection of the mechanism 260 relative to the body 210, the opening 217 of the transverse wall 212 being also shaped to allow the same angular deflection of the same magnitude of anti-rotation ribs 265.

The device 200 comprises a closure cap 290, which can be seen on Figure 8.

The operation of the device 200 is as follows.

After removing the cover 290, the user turns the ferrule 220 relative to the body 210 of a first angular stroke i. The ring 280 being stationary with respect to the ferrule 220, the relative movement between the body 210 and the ferrule 220 is accompanied by a upward movement of the ferrule relative to the body 210, as shown in FIG. FIG. 14. In the example described, this first angular stroke causes the abutment of the uprights 262 against the edges 216b of the notches 216, as illustrated in FIG. FIG. 13, as well as a stop of each anti-rotation rib 265 against an edge of the opening 217 of the transverse wall 212. The ferrule 220 has moved upwards with the mechanism 260 and the piston 250. The lugs 215 come into abutment against the ferrule 220, as can be seen in Figure 12.

The continuation of the rotation movement, in the direction of the distribution of the product, provokes in a first step, as illustrated in Figure 14, the displacement of the crown 264 upwards in the threading 229 of the ferrule, then in a second time, the unscrewing of the screw 261 out of the hollow rod 263, as illustrated in the figure 16. The spring 270 is compressed.

During the rotational movements of the ring 264 in the shell 220 and of the screw rod 261 in the hollow rod 263, the ring 280 can rotate relative to the 220. When the user releases the shell 220 or the body 210, the spring 270 tends to bring the ferrule 220 down and it can go down by making a movement of rotation, the pins 215 traversing the annular groove 283, until the amounts 262 abut on the edges 216a of the notches 216, as seen on the figure 19. The movement of descent of the shell is accompanied by a movement corresponding mechanism 260, and therefore a recoil of the piston 250 in the housing 240.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described. In particular, the mechanism drive of the piston.

Claims (24)

1. A device for packaging and distributing a substance, in particular a liquid, comprising a housing (140; 240) for the substance, a piston (150; 250) that is movable in said housing to expel the substance, a piston-driving mechanism comprising a first element (120; 220) that is turnable relative to a second element (110; 210) to cause axial displacement of the piston in the housing, brought about at least once one of the elements has turned a certain amount relative to the other, the device being characterized in that it comprises a ring (180; 280) for transforming relative rotation of the two elements over a first angular stroke in the substance-dispensing direction into relative axial displacement of the two elements, said ring (180; 280) being arranged to be capable firstly of turning with the first element (120; 220) over said first angular path and to co-operate with the second element (110; 210) to cause said axial displacement and secondly, when relative rotation of the two elements is continued beyond the first angular stroke (i), to be capable of turning relative to the first element (120; 220) by being driven in rotation by the second element (110; 210).
2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ring (180; 280) is mounted on the first element (120; 220) with the ability to rotate relative to the element if a sufficient driving force is exerted.
3. A device according to either preceding claim, characterized in that the top portion of the first element (120; 220) has a mounting skirt (121; 221) and in that the ring (180) is snap fastened into the mounting skirt, while being capable of turning relative to the mounting skirt if sufficient torque is exerted.
4. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it includes means for automatically producing relative movement of the two elements, accompanied by an increase in the volume of the housing (140; 240), when one of the elements driven in displacement by the user in the substance-dispensing direction is released and/or when a cap (190; 290) is placed on the device after use and/or in the event of excess pressure inside the housing.
5. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a spring (170; 270).
6. A device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the spring works in compression.
7. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the first element (120) has a first bearing surface (125) and in that the device includes a cap (190) which has a second bearing surface (191) that can co-operate with the first bearing surface so that, when placing the cap on the device, the first element (120) is displaced relative to the second element (110).
8. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the first element comprises a sleeve (20; 220) and the second element comprises the body (110; 220) of the device on which the sleeve is mounted, the body co-operating with the piston to define the housing (140; 240) containing the substance.
9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that the ring (180; 280) is fixed on the sleeve (120).
10. A device according to claim 8 or claim 9, characterized in that one of the body and the ring includes at least one pin (115; 215) and the other one includes at least one ramp on which the pin can bear, so that rotation of the ring relative to the pin is accompanied by an axial displacement of the ring relative to the body.
11. A device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the sleeve (120) is axially positioned between a body base (114) and the top portion (111) of the body.
12. A device according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the piston (150) is integral with a support (160) co-operating with the sleeve (120) by screwing.
13. A device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the support (160) is free to turn relative to the body (110) over a limited angular stroke relative thereto, in particular a stoke ( i ) in the range 5° to 25°.
14. A device according to claim 12 or claim 13, characterized in that the body has at least one longitudinal opening (116) and the support (160) has at least one extension (163) engaged in said opening, the distance between two longitudinal edges (116a, 116b) of the body opening (116) being greater than the width of said extension (163).
15. A device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the extension (163) has a threaded portion co-operating with a screw thread on the sleeve (120), so that rotation of the sleeve relative to the support is accompanied by an axial displacement of the support relative to the sleeve.
16. A device according to any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the support (160) acts as a bearing for the end of a spring (170), the spring being biased by the axial displacement of the sleeve relative to the body when dispensing the substance.
17. A device according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the support (160) comprises a bottom portion at least partially engaged through an opening (113) in the base (114) of the body.
18. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the sleeve (220) is located in the bottom portion of the device.
19. A device according to claim 18, characterized in that the piston is integral with a part (260a) co-operating with an intermediate part (260b) itself co-operating with the sleeve (220).
20. A device according to claim 18 or claim 19, characterized in that the support (260a) has at least one longitudinal finger (262) engaged in an opening (217) in the body, to be capable of turning with a limited angular stroke relative to the body.
21. A device according to any one of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that the finger (262) has two longitudinal edges spaced apart by a distance that differs from the distance between the two portions in relief (216a, 216b) of the body.
22. A device according to claim 20, characterized in that the intermediate part (260b) comprises at least one portion in relief (265) co-operating with the body (210) so as to be capable of turning through a limited angular stroke.
23. A device according to any one of claims 18 to 22, characterized in that it includes a spring (270) working in compression, one end of which bears on the intermediate part (260b) and the other end of which bears on a wall (212) of the body.
24. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it includes an applicator tip (130; 230), the substance being a liquid.

Images