EP1412093B1 - Liquid or gel product dispenser forming a metering stick - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a liquid or gel product dispenser, comprising a reservoir (R) supporting a pump body ( 1 ) including in its lower part an intake valve ( 2 ) and provided with a piston ( 3 ) mobile along an axis, defining with said body a metering chamber communicating with at least an ejection orifice defined in an axially mobile dispensing nozzle at the end of the reservoir; said piston is coupled by friction with said dispensing nozzle, which is axially mobile in both directions by manual actuation, relative to said reservoir; said metering chamber comprises a lower section ( 10 a) and an upper section ( 10 b), both sections communicating via a conduit ( 30 ) arranged across said piston and a closure valve ( 5 ) is arranged between said piston and said nozzle.

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid or gel product dispenser, such as a cosmetic or pharmaceutical product, ( US 3908870 A ).

There already exist distributors of the type comprising a reservoir supporting a pump body closed at the bottom by an intake valve and provided in the upper part of a piston defining, with the body, a dosing chamber having at least one orifice of ejection, the pump body cooperating with a dispensing nozzle axially displaceable on the reservoir.

However, in such dispensers, if there is a shutter valve to stop the escape of the product, it is located in the pump and at an appreciable distance from the ejection orifice. However, the presence of a residue of product in the zone in contact with the outside atmosphere is likely to obstruct, by drying, the distribution channels and / or to induce risks of contamination.

In addition, these distributors use piston return means in the upper position, in the form of one or more metal springs. Such springs are not always chemically or biologically compatible with the packaged products.

Finally, the seal of the lower part of the pump body is not sufficiently reliable, which compromises the accuracy of the dosage.

The present invention aims to solve these various technical problems satisfactorily.

More particularly, the invention relates to a liquid or gel product dispenser, of the type comprising a reservoir supporting a pump body having in the lower part an intake valve and provided with a piston movable along an axis, delimiting with said body a metering chamber in communication with at least one ejection orifice defined in a dispensing nozzle axially displaceable at the end of said reservoir, characterized in that said piston is frictionally coupled to said dispensing nozzle, which is axially displaceable in the two directions by manual operation, relative to said reservoir, between two predetermined positions, in that said metering chamber comprises, on the one hand, a lower compartment defined between said body and said piston and, on the other hand, a defined upper compartment between the piston and said tip, the two compartments communicating via a conduit formed through said piston and in that a shutter valve is arranged between said piston and said tip to isolate said metering chamber of said orifice.

According to a possible embodiment, the tip has the shape of a cap arranged to partially envelop said tank, said cap having an upper wall, substantially perpendicular to said axis, in which is formed said ejection orifice. As this wall may be relatively thin, the or each ejection orifice is summarized in a short hole in which the amount of product likely to dry is very small. According to one embodiment, the piston comes directly into contact with this hole, inside and according to another embodiment, the shutter valve comprises a shutter member carried by the piston and which engages with sealed manner in the ejection port itself so that no amount of product is likely to dry.

According to an advantageous characteristic, the piston carries a flange, external to the pump body which slides sealingly inside the nozzle by compressing the product in the upper compartment, to push it outwards.

According to another advantageous characteristic, the flange comprises an upper shoulder extended at its periphery and downwardly by a lateral skirt. The latter slides with a certain friction in the tip itself.

Preferably, the lower edge of this skirt is provided with a retaining ring cooperating with an upper rim of the pump body, to ensure the abutment of the collar in the upper position.

According to a first variant, one or more ejection orifices are formed through the upper wall of the nozzle to the right of said collar of the piston.

According to another variant, the single ejection orifice is formed through the upper wall of the nozzle in the axis of the central duct of the piston. The shutter member, carried by the piston is likely to engage in this ejection port.

According to another variant, the shut-off valve comprises a shutter member projecting from the inner face of said upper wall of the nozzle, axially. This shutter element is able to engage sealingly in the upper part of the central duct of the piston.

According to another characteristic, the pump body is provided, in the upper part, with a peripheral groove in which axially slides an annular sealing lip, integral with said collar of the piston.

According to a variant, the reservoir comprises a bottle receiving an internal support sleeve for the pump body. The dispensing tip is movably mounted on this sleeve.

According to a variant, the inner wall of the tank comprises a set of flexible, stop fins cooperating with complementary fins carried by the nozzle.

The configuration of the dispenser according to the invention, provided with a chamber in two compartments forms an airlock promoting a regular distribution of the product.

Furthermore, the location of the shutter valve ensures a high seal, which guarantees the hermeticity of the dispenser and the protection of the product.

In addition, the low seal is reinforced by the locking of the inlet valve in the closed position, by means of the piston itself.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un premier mode de réalisation du distributeur de l'invention;
• les figures 2A à 2D représentent des vues en coupe verticale du distributeur de la figure 1 dans différentes positions ;
• la figure 3 représente une vue en coupe horizontale du distributeur de la figure 1 dans la position de la figure 2A ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective d'un second mode de réalisation du distributeur de l'invention ; et
• les figures 5A et 5B représentent des vues en coupe verticale du distributeur de la figure 4 en position, respectivement, de fermeture et d'ouverture.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows with reference to the drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the dispenser of the invention;
• the Figures 2A to 2D represent vertical section views of the distributor of the figure 1 in different positions;
• the figure 3 represents a horizontal sectional view of the dispenser of the figure 1 in the position of the Figure 2A ;
• the figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the dispenser of the invention; and
• the Figures 5A and 5B represent vertical section views of the distributor of the figure 4 in position, respectively, closing and opening.

The dispenser shown in the figures is more particularly intended for the packaging of cosmetic products or pharmaceuticals. As shown on the figure 1 , the first embodiment of the dispenser has a cylindrical shape comparable to a stick.

This dispenser comprises a tank R supporting a pump body 1 closed at the bottom by an intake valve 2 and extended by a socket tube 11 extending inside the tank. The valve 2 consists of a ball 21 housed in a frustoconical portion 12 of the pump body 1, which delimits a feed channel. The ball has, between two stops, a freedom of axial displacement.

The reservoir R is surmounted by a dispensing nozzle E in the wall of which are formed four ejection orifices e. The tip E has the shape of a generally cylindrical cap, as described above. The body 1 is provided, in the upper part, with a piston 3 delimiting with the body 1 and the nozzle E a metering chamber communicating with the ejection orifices e. A shutter valve 5 is defined between the nozzle E and the piston 3. The nozzle E is axially displaceable relative to the tank R, it is possible for example to provide an axial displacement in translation and sliding of the nozzle E relative to the reservoir. or, according to a variant not shown, an axial displacement by screwing / unscrewing the tip E on the tank R.

In the embodiment of Figures 2A to 2D , the tank R comprises a bottle F receiving an inner socket d of support of the pump body 1.

The bush d is fitted at its lower part in the neck of the tank with a radial clamping. It is shaped to delimit with the reservoir, an annular space 6 in which is housed and moves in translation and / or rotation of the wall of the nozzle E. The pump body 1 is provided with a vent port 14 practiced through its side wall in the part that is inside the tank R and allowing the return of air. This orifice 14 is associated here with a groove 15 because the upper part of the body 1 is also fitted with a slight radial clamping in the neck of the sleeve d.

The metering chamber is formed, on the one hand, of a lower compartment 10a located between the body 1 and the cylindrical central portion 3a of the piston 3 and, on the other hand, of an upper compartment 10b situated between the piston 3 and the inner wall of the tip E (see Figures 2C, 2D and 5B ). The lower compartments 10a and 10b are variable volumes and are capable of communicating with each other via a conduit 30 formed here axially through the central portion 3a of the piston 3.

The piston 3 carries a flange 31 external to the body 1, which delimits a portion of the compartment 10b and which is slidable sealingly inside the nozzle E to compress the product in the upper compartment 10b.

The piston 3 is movable in translation, axially both with respect to the pump body 1 and relative to the endpiece E. It is frictionally coupled to the end piece E, thanks to the skirt 31c. It comes into abutment, downwards, against the ball 21 of the intake valve 2 and upwards against the inner face of the upper wall 7 of the nozzle E. This wall is, as can be seen, substantially perpendicular to the axis of movement of the piston.

The piston 3 thus exerts a double action, successively in the lower compartment 10a and then in the upper compartment 10b of the metering chamber, leading to an ejection of the product in two stages.

The flange 31 has an upper shoulder 31 has extended at its periphery and downwards by a side skirt 31b sliding with a slight friction against the cylindrical inner side wall of the nozzle E. The lower edge of the skirt 31b is provided a retaining ring 31c cooperating with an upper flange 1a of the body 1, to ensure the upper abutment of the flange 31.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 , the shutter valve 5 is constituted by a shutter element in the form of a needle 4, projecting from the inner face of the wall 7 of the nozzle E. This needle is able to engage with a watertight sliding in the upper part of the conduit 30 of the piston. Four ejection orifices e are arranged around this needle. The sealing of the closing of the shut-off valve is here mainly obtained by the gentle sliding engagement of the needle 4 in the upper part of the conduit 30. However, as the orifices are here formed through the upper wall of the nozzle E , opposite the shoulder 31a of the collar 31, there is a complementary sealing wall. The operation of the embodiment described in Figures 1 to 3 is the next :

When the end piece E is raised from the position shown on the Figure 2A , the piston is driven upwards by friction while remaining locked in the nozzle E, which causes the opening of the intake valve and the filling of the lower compartment ( Fig. 2B ) until the rod 31 c of the piston abuts against the flange 1a of the pump body. Continued unscrewing separates the tip of the piston by releasing the upper compartment 10b which fills in turn. This displacement is accompanied by the clearance of the ejection orifices e and prepares the system for the distribution of the product ( Fig. 2C ).

On descent, the tip moves by first driving the piston 3 retained by radial clamping, the ejection ports being open and the inlet valve 2 closed. The compression of the product in the lower compartment 10a ensures its ejection. When the piston comes into abutment against the pump body, the closing of the intake valve 2 is confirmed and the nozzle E continues its descent by compressing the product in the upper compartment 10b ( Fig. 2D ) until the ejection ports e are closed from the inside.

At the end of the stroke, blocking means 46 operating by clipping effect, stabilize the position of the nozzle E relative to the reservoir R. These locking means here consist of an annular ring 47 provided on the outside of the socket d and a corresponding annular groove 48 formed at the base of the inner wall of the nozzle E. These locking means confirm and reinforce the closure of the inlet valve 2 and that of the shutter valve 5.

In the embodiment of Figures 4, 5A and 5B , parts similar to those of the embodiment of the Figures 1 to 3 bear the same alphanumeric references. The shutter member is carried by the piston 3 and is able to engage in leaktight sliding in a ejection orifice e ', unique, the endpiece E. It comprises a lug 32 integral with the collar 31 and extending coaxially with the conduit 30.

The single ejection orifice e 'is made through the upper wall of the nozzle E in the axis of the duct 30 but here with a diameter greater than that of the orifices e of the embodiment described above. The orifice e 'is of cylindroconic section while the lug 32 is cylindrical.

The central duct 30 opens here into the upper compartment 10b of the metering chamber, through openings 34 formed in the shoulder 31a, defined between connecting bridges around the pin 32.

In this second embodiment, the pump body 1 is provided, in the upper part, with a peripheral groove 13 in which slides an annular sealing lip 33 connected to the piston 3. It is carried by the lower face of the shoulder 31 has flange 31. A vent orifice 14 is made between the upper side wall of the body and the groove 13. This orifice is associated with a groove 15 because the upper part of the body 1 is fitted with a slight radial clamping in the socket d. Air can flow between bushing d and ferrule E (see Fig. 5B ).

The side wall of the lip 33 has a narrowing 35 on its radially outer face and extending over a height h. This constriction defines a passage for the return of air, in the tank R, via the orifice 14, in the high position of the flange 31.

The inner wall of the reservoir R, and more precisely of the bottle F comprises a flexible stop fins game cooperating with complementary ribs a 'carried by the lower part of the outer side wall of the nozzle E.

The flexibility of the fins a ' allows the introduction of the lower edge of the nozzle E in the spacer between the bottle F and the sleeve d.

When the nozzle E arrives in the high position, the fins a 'of the tip are wedged in abutment against the fins a bottle and prohibit any separation.

This embodiment allows easy packaging of the product in the tank R, filling the sleeve d upside down with the tip E in the closed position. The bottle F is then mounted in the manner of a plug on the socket d to form the bottom of the tank before the dispenser is returned.

The mode of operation of the dispenser according to this second embodiment is described below.

In the position shown on the Figures 5A , the end of the piston comes, by the lower edge of the conduit 30, bearing downwards against the ball 21 to lock the inlet valve in the closed position. The blocking means 46 confirm this lock.

In this position, the volume of the metering chamber is minimal because the tip E is in the low position in contact with the shoulder 31a of the flange 31. The free volumes of the compartments 10a and 10b are virtually zero.

The shutter element 32 is engaged in the ejection orifice e '( Fig. 5A ) which guarantees complete sealing of the dispenser without contact of any fraction of the product with the atmosphere.

When the tip E is moved from the previous position upwards, by driving with it the flange 31 of the piston 3, the inlet valve opens and the lower compartment 10a fills with product. The movement continues until the rod 31 c abuts against the upper edge of the body 1. The further movement of the tip E causes the separation between the latter and the flange 31 of the piston ( Fig. 5B ) which remains in abutment against the body 1. This releases the central duct 30 and the ejection orifice e '. This gives an opening of the shutter valve.

Then, the further movement of the nozzle E is accompanied by the filling of the upper compartment 10b of the metering chamber as shown in FIG. Figure 5B , while compressing the product in the two compartments of the chamber, which ensures its distribution through the orifice e '.

It is remarkable that in the two embodiments described above, the shutter valve is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the ejection orifices (e or e ') formed in the end wall of the nozzle E. Thus it is avoided that the product is in contact with the atmosphere when the dispenser is closed. This eliminates the risk of clogging the device by drying an excessive amount of product and the risk of contamination of this product.

Claims (13)

1. A dispenser for a liquid or a gel product, of the type comprising a container (R) supporting a pump casing (1) including, in its lower part, an inlet valve (2) and provided with a piston (3) movable along an axis, defining with said pump casing a discharge chamber communicating with at least one discharge hole defined in a dispensing tip movable axially at the end of said container, characterized in that said piston is frictionally coupled to said dispensing tip which is movable axially in both directions by hand operation with respect to said container, between two predetermined positions, in that said discharge chamber includes on the one hand a lower compartment (10a) defined between said pump casing (1) and said piston (3) and on the other hand an upper compartment (10b) defined between the piston and said tip, both compartments communicating through a conduit (30) arranged through said piston and in that a seal valve (5) is arranged between said piston and said tip for isolating said discharge chamber from said hole.
2. A dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that said tip (E) is in the shape of a cap arranged to partially enclose said container, said cap having an upper wall substantially perpendicular to said axis, in which said discharge hole is provided.
3. A dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said piston (3) has a collar (31) outside the pump casing (1), which sealingly slides inside said tip (E) while compressing the product in the upper compartment (10b).
4. A dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that said collar (31) of the piston (3) includes an upper shoulder (31a) extending on its periphery and downwards by a side skirt (31 b), said side skirt sliding inside said tip.
5. A dispenser according to claim 4, characterized in that the lower edge of said skirt (31 b) is provided with a snap-ring (31 c) co-operating with the upper edge of the pump casing (1) to provide the stoppage of said collar (31) in the upper position.
6. A dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lower end of said piston (3) is conformed to lock said inlet valve (2) in a closing position.
7. A dispenser according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said discharge hole (e) is arranged through the upper wall of the tip (E), at right angles with said collar (31) of said piston (3).
8. A dispenser according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that said discharge hole (e') is arranged through the upper wall of the tip (E) in the axis of the central conduit (30) of said piston (3).
9. A dispenser according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that said seal valve includes a sealing element (4) protruding from the inner face of said upper wall of the tip (E) and likely to engage sealingly with the upper part of the central conduit (30) of the piston.
10. A dispenser according to claim 8, characterized in that said seal valve includes a sealing element (32) carried by the piston and likely to sealingly engage with the discharge hole (e').
11. A dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pump casing (1) is provided, in its upper part, with a peripheral groove (13) in which an annular sealing lip (33) connected outside to said piston (3), slides axially.
12. A dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said container (R) comprises a flask (F) receiving an inner socket (d) for supporting the pump casing (1) and on which the dispensing tip (E) is mounted movably.
13. A dispenser according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said inner wall of said container (R) includes a set of flexible stop wings (a) co-operating with complementary wings (a') carried by the tip (E).

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