EP1299294A1

EP1299294A1 - Sprayer valve body

Info

Publication number: EP1299294A1
Application number: EP01947600A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Théophile Derrien
Original assignee: Lindal France SAS
Current assignee: Lindal France SAS
Priority date: 2000-07-13
Filing date: 2001-06-25
Publication date: 2003-04-09
Also published as: FR2811643B1; WO2002006136A1; AU2001269251A1; FR2811643A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a valve body for sprayer. The inventive valve is essentially characterised in that it comprises a valve-supporting sleeve (1), a connection sleeve (2) with a pouch P, and means for connecting the two sleeves. The two sleeves define a sealed channel (7) for ejecting a fluid to be sprayed, the connection sleeve (2) consisting of two walls (11, 12) shaped like curved arches joined along a plane (13), each of the two dihedrals (21, 22) tangent to the outer surface (18, 19) of the two arches and having respectively as ridges (23, 24) the two straight lines common to said two surfaces (18, 19) in the junction plane (13),having an angle at the summit (25, 26) less than 180°. The invention is useful for producing a sprayer wherein the product to be sprayed is contained in the pouch P which is welded on the connection sleeve of the spraying valve body.

Description

VALVE BODY FOR SPRAYER

The present invention relates to valve bodies for a sprayer or the like, essentially comprising a valve support sleeve, a connection sleeve with a pocket capable of containing a fluid, and means for connecting the two sleeves, the two sleeves constituting a channel. waterproof to allow the ejection of the fluid contained in the bag for spraying.

These valve bodies find particularly advantageous applications in bottles for spraying products such as cosmetics, foodstuffs, therapeutics, etc.

Sprayers are already known such as that which is partially and schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. Such a sprayer essentially comprises a valve body 101 comprising a sleeve 102 for supporting the spray valve 103, a connection sleeve 104 with a pocket 105 suitable to contain a fluid to be sprayed. In general, the bag 105 is enclosed in a sealed enclosure 106, the valve body 101 being integral with an orifice 107 formed in the wall of this sealed enclosure so that the spray outlet 108 of the valve 103 is located at the outside 109 of the enclosure 106 but that the pocket 105 is entirely contained in this enclosure. Such a spraying system is known in itself and operates as follows:

The fluid to be sprayed is contained in the pocket 105 while a pressurized ejector fluid is introduced into the enclosure 106 in the space 110 between the wall of the enclosure and the pocket 105. When the valve 103 is actuated, the fluid contained in the pocket 105 pressurized by the ejector fluid crosses the valve body 101 and is sprayed at the outlet 108.

One of the problems which arise during the production of such a sprayer is the construction of the valve body 101 and its connection with the bag 105. In the majority of cases, the connection is made during the production of the bag. by superposition of two waterproof sheets 111, 112 whose edges 113, 114 are welded together by trapping the connection sleeve 104 so that the channel 115 defined in the valve body opens out inside the pocket 105.

One of the solutions which has been adopted for welding the edges of the sheets with the connection sleeve 104 is that which consists in giving the sleeve a shape. cylindrical provided with two diametrically opposite fins 116, 117 on which the two sheets come to bear so that, when the welding is carried out between the two sheets and the sleeve, the fins contribute to ensuring continuity of the edges of the two sheets without angle important to obtain a perfect seal. This solution gives very good results but can have drawbacks.

One of these drawbacks is that it is generally not possible to exert significant pressure on the connection sleeve via the sheets during welding, which sometimes results in welds whose reliability does not is not certain and therefore leaks at the connection with the bag. This drawback makes it necessary to carry out leakage tests on all the sprayers produced according to this technique.

Another drawback consists in the fact that, since these valve bodies are generally produced by molding and that the fins have a non-negligible size, the molds used for the production of these valve bodies have a relatively complicated and expensive structure, as the so-called "slide" molds. This embodiment is for example described in DE-G-93 00 288.

Solutions have been proposed to try to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above, in particular as that which is set out in FR-A-2 792 620.

The solution given in this last document makes it possible to produce relatively easily, separately, each element of the sprayer, in particular by the molding technique. On the other hand, the large number of all these elements, the valve body, the constituent elements of the valve, the pockets, the adapter, etc., and their mounting, make lose all the benefit of their relatively easy realization.

The present invention therefore aims to achieve a valve body which overcomes the drawbacks mentioned above. More specifically, the subject of the present invention is a valve body for a sprayer or the like, essentially comprising a valve support sleeve capable of containing the components of a valve, a connection sleeve with a pocket capable of containing a fluid, and means for connecting the two sleeves, the two sleeves defining a sealed channel to allow the ejection of a fluid for spraying, said connection sleeve being constituted by two walls in the form of curved arches joining in a plane of junction to form a part of substantially cylindrical shape having symmetry with respect to two perpendicular planes intersecting along its axis of symmetry, said junction plane constituting one of the two planes of symmetry, the outer surface of these two arches having in each point a radius of curvature whose value is greater than the distance separating this point and the axis of symmetry, each of the two dihedrons tangent to the outer surface of the two arches and having for edges the two common lines of these two surfaces in said junction plane, having an apex angle less than 180 °, characterized in that said valve support sleeve capable of contemr the constituent elements of a valve has an outer surface of substantially cylindrical shape and that said piece of substantially cylindrical shape constituting the sleeve of connection is entirely contained in the volume defined by the casing of the cylindrical outer surface of the valve support sleeve.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the following description given with reference to the drawings annexed by way of illustration but in no way limitative, in which:

FIG. 1 represents, in schematic form, a sectional view of part of an embodiment of a sprayer comprising a valve body according to the prior art, described above in the preamble to the present description, FIG. 2 represents, seen in perspective, a valve body for a sprayer according to the invention,

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 represent an advantageous embodiment of a valve body for a sprayer according to the invention, FIGS. 3 and 4 being two views in transverse section along two perpendicular planes and FIG. 5 a view from below, FIG. 6 represents a diagram in bottom view of the valve body according to the view according to FIG. 5, making it possible to highlight the structural advantages of the valve body according to the invention, and

FIG. 7 schematically represents another embodiment of a valve body according to the invention. It is specified that, in the six figures 2 to 7, the same references designate the same elements, whatever the figure on which they appear and whatever the form of representation of these elements. Similarly, if elements are not specifically referenced in one of these Figures 2 to 7, their references can be easily found by referring to another figure. It is also specified that, when, according to the definition of the invention, the object of the invention comprises "at least one" element having a given function, the embodiment described may include several of these elements.

Similarly, if the embodiment of the object according to the invention as illustrated comprises several elements with identical function and if, in the description, it is not specified that the object according to this invention must necessarily include a particular number of these elements, the object of the invention may be defined as comprising "at least one" of these elements.

The present invention relates, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, to a valve body C for a sprayer or the like, for example a sprayer used to deliver in the form of sprayed fluid a medicament, a cosmetic product, a food product, etc.

The valve body according to the invention comprises a valve support sleeve 1 able to contain the constituent elements of a valve, a connection sleeve 2 able to be connected, as will be explained below, with a pocket P suitable to contain a fluid that can be sprayed when it is pressurized, and means 6 for connecting the two sleeves so that these two sleeves define a sealed channel 7 to allow the ejection of the fluid contained directly or indirectly in the pocket P for spraying at the outlet of the spray valve. It is clearly specified that, a spray valve being perfectly known from the prior art, it will not be described here, for the sole and sole purpose of simplifying the present description.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the connection sleeve 2 is constituted by two walls 11, 12 in the form of curved arches, as more particularly visible in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, meeting along a junction plane 13 to form a part 14 of substantially cylindrical shape having substantially symmetry with respect to two perpendicular planes 16, 17 intersecting along its axis of symmetry 15, the junction plane 13 constituting one 17 of the two planes of symmetry.

In addition, the external surface 18, 19 of these two arches have at each point T a radius of curvature R whose value is greater than the distance D separating this point and the axis of symmetry 15, FIG. 6.

In addition, each of the two dihedrons 21, 22 tangent to the outer surface 18, 19 of the two arches and having respectively the edges 23, 24 the two common lines of these two surfaces 18, 19 in junction plane 13, at an angle to the vertex 25, 26 less than 180 °, figure 6.

In a preferred embodiment, the valve support sleeve 1 has an outer surface 30 of substantially cylindrical shape and, in this case, it is particularly advantageous, for ease of production in particular by molding in a material such as plastic material of the type polypropylene or the like, as part 14 of substantially cylindrical shape constituting the connection sleeve 2 as defined above is entirely contained in the volume defined by the casing 31 of the cylindrical outer surface 30 of the valve support sleeve 1, as in the embodiments illustrated in the figures 2 to 6. Indeed, with such a structure, the valve body can easily be produced by means of a mold comprising only two parts, a fixed and a mobile, without having recourse, as for the production of valve bodies according to the prior art, with two parts associated with at least two lateral slides which, as those skilled in the art know, complicate the production of molds and, in addition, greatly reduce the rate of production of the objects to be produced.

Advantageously, the external surface 30 of the valve support sleeve is cylindrical of revolution and the maximum overall dimension, FIG. 6, of the part 14 taken in a direction perpendicular to its axis of symmetry 15 is substantially equal to the diameter of this surface. , the smallest dimension of this part 14 also taken in a direction perpendicular to its axis of symmetry therefore being less than this diameter.

Of course, the curved vaults can be of any shape under the structural conditions defined above. However, in an advantageous embodiment, the two walls 11, 12 are constituted by two cylindrical sectors of revolution, FIG. 6. In a preferred embodiment, like that which is illustrated, the means 6 for connecting the two sleeves 1, 2 as mentioned above above, are constituted by a wall 32 substantially perpendicular to the axis of symmetry 15 of the part 14, the two sleeves 1, 2 being respectively integral with the two opposite faces 33, 34 of this wall, this wall further comprising a breakthrough through 35 constituting the continuity of the sealed channel 7. In addition, it is understood that the axes 50 and 15 respectively of the two sleeves 1 and 2 are advantageously coaxial, as in the embodiments illustrated in the figures.

In a practical embodiment, the external surface 45 of the connection sleeve 2 advantageously comprises a plurality of fine circular grooves 46.

The valve body described above may further comprise, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 7, a fluid connection end piece 40 situated in the space 41 defined inside the connection sleeve 2, FIGS. 3 to 6, one end 42 of this nozzle 40 being tightly secured to the wall 32 while being substantially centered on the through hole 35, the inside 42 of the valve support sleeve 1, the through hole 35 and the inside 43 of the tip 40 defining the sealed channel 7. In the embodiment illustrated in these figures, the length of this nozzle 40 is substantially equal to the depth of the connection sleeve 2, but it is obvious that it can be longer or shorter. However, its outer section must be less than the section of the inner wall 44 of the connection sleeve. According to another embodiment schematically illustrated in FIG. 7, the fluid connection end piece 40 can be integral in a sealed manner with the end 72 of the connection sleeve 2 opposite to that which is linked to the connecting means 6 of the two sleeves 1 and 2. The end piece 40 is then located outside of the connection sleeve 2, advantageously being entirely contained in the volume delimited by the casing 73 defined by the cylindrical outer surface 45 of the connection sleeve 2. The channel 7 is then in this embodiment, successively formed by the interior 42 of the valve support sleeve 1, the through-hole 35, the interior 41 of the connection sleeve 2 and the interior of the fluid connection nozzle 40.

With such a valve body, the bag P is connected to the connection sleeve 2 in the following advantageous manner:

Anything ^? first, we start by making two sheets 51, 52, for example made of a stack of three layers, a layer of aluminum sandwiched between two layers for example of polypropylene, then these two sheets are applied one on the other so that part of their edges traps the connection sleeve 2. Then the edges 53, 54 of the two sheets in contact with each other are welded together, and the parts of the edges in contact with the outer surface 45 of the two arches constituting the connection sleeve are welded to this surface.

Welding is for example carried out by heat welding by applying opposing pressure forces, as shown by arrows 60 and 61, for example by means of two dies which press the edges 53, 54 of the two sheets on each other and the parts of these edges at the level of the two arches of the connecting sleeve 2 on these two arches thanks to complementary hollow shapes of these two arches.

The substantially ovoid shape of the part 14 constituting the connection sleeve allows this part to perfectly resist antagonistic forces 60, 61 of high intensity applied to the surface 45.

Thus, the weld is in every way of good quality and the forces which are applied at and in the vicinity of the edges 23, 24 of the dihedrons 21, 22 make it possible to properly apply the two edges of the two sheets to one another and on the sleeve, and to obtain a perfect seal at these two edges. The pocket P thus formed is perfectly linked to the connection sleeve 2 by making a leak-tight passage without leakage, the fine grooves 46 possibly facilitating degassing and / or evacuation of the vapors at the time of welding.

When the valve body C has a connection end piece like the end piece 40, it is possible to connect to this valve body another pocket Pi before making and connecting the pocket P as described above. This internal pocket Pi will be inserted by its outlet orifice 70 on the end piece 40. If its outlet orifice is constituted by a long female end piece, it may be inserted in the end piece 40 according to the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 If its outlet orifice consists of a tip of short length or zero length, it will be plugged into the tip 40 according to the embodiment of FIG. 7. When the valve body C comprises a connection tip 40, the product to be returned will be contained in the internal pocket Pi connected to the end piece 40, while the propellant gas will be located in the space 71 defined between the external pocket P welded to the connection sleeve 2 and the internal pocket Pi. The elements constituting the valve, like the valve, the valve seat, the push button, the return spring, etc., (all of these elements are known in themselves and will not be described more fully here, for the sole purpose of simplify this e description) are then placed in the valve support sleeve 1, to form the valve, and the valve body C is mounted in cooperation with, for example, a metal casing shown diagrammatically at 74 in FIG. 7. These valve elements and the method for mounting the valve body C in cooperation with the casing 74 not falling within the protective field of the present invention, they will not be described here.

In the present description, it appears that the valve body according to the invention has, as mentioned before, a final cost price much lower than those of the prior art. Because its structure gives it in particular, on the one hand a greater ease of realization by molding in one piece with a mold of very simple structure, and therefore a very lower manufacturing cost, and on the other hand a versatile use as explained above.

Claims

1. Valve body (C) for sprayer or the like, essentially comprising a valve support sleeve (1) capable of containing the components of a valve, a connection sleeve (2) with a pocket (P, Pe) able to contain a fluid, and means (6) for connecting the two sleeves, the two sleeves defining a sealed channel (7) to allow the ejection of a fluid for spraying, said connection sleeve (2) being constituted by two walls (11, 12) in the form of curved vaults meeting along a junction plane (13) to form a part (14) of substantially cylindrical shape having symmetry with respect to two perpendicular planes (16, 17) intersecting along its axis of symmetry (15), said junction plane (13) constituting one of the two planes of symmetry, the outer surface (18, 19) of these two arches having at each point a radius of curvature whose value is greater than the distance between this p anointed and the axis of symmetry (15), each of the two dihedrons (21, 22) tangent to the outer surface (18, 19) of the two arches and having for edges (23, 24) the two common lines of these two surfaces (18, 19) in said junction plane (13), having an apex angle (25, 26) of less than 180 °, characterized in that said valve support sleeve (1) capable of containing the constituent elements of '' a valve has an outer surface (30) of substantially cylindrical shape and that said substantially cylindrical part (14) constituting the connection sleeve (2) is entirely contained in the volume defined by the envelope (31) of the surface cylindrical outer surface (30) of the valve support sleeve (1).

2- valve body according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface (30) of the valve support sleeve (1) is cylindrical of revolution, the maximum overall dimension of said part (14) taken along a direction perpendicular to its axis of symmetry (15) being substantially equal to the diameter of the outer surface (30) of said valve support sleeve (1).

3- valve body according to claim 2, characterized in that the two walls (11, 12) in the form of curved arches are formed by two cylindrical sectors of revolution.

4- valve body according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (6) for connecting the two sleeves (1, 2) consist of a wall (32) substantially peφendicular to the axis of symmetry ( 15) of said part (14), the two sleeves being respectively secured to the two opposite faces (33, 34) of said wall, said wall comprising a through hole (35) constituting the continuity of said sealed channel (7).

5. Valve body according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises a fluid connection end piece (40) located in the space (41) defined inside said connection sleeve (2), one end (42) of said end piece (40) being tightly secured to said wall (32) being substantially centered on said through-hole (35), the external section of said end piece (40) being smaller than the section of the internal wall (44) of said connection sleeve (2), the interior (42) of said valve support sleeve (1), the through hole (35) and the interior (43) of said end piece (40) defining said sealed channel ( 7)

6. valve coφs according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it further comprises a connecting piece (40) integral in a sealed manner with the end (72) of said connecting sleeve (2 ) which is opposite to that which is linked to the connecting means (6) of the two sleeves, said end piece being situated outside said connection sleeve (2) and entirely contained in the volume delimited by the envelope (73) defined by the cylindrical outer surface (45) of the connection sleeve (2).

7. Coφs valve according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the outer surface (45) of the connecting sleeve comprises circular grooves (46).

8. Valve coφs according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is made in one piece by molding.