EP1560661B1 - Element for fixing a fluid product dispensing member and fluid product dispensing member comprising same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an element (10) for fixing a fluid product dispensing member (20), such as a pump or a valve, on a fluid product reservoir (1), said fixing element (10) comprising a deformable snap-lock part (15) designed to be interlocked on the neck (2) of the reservoir (1). The invention is characterized in that said snap-lock part (15) includes stiffening means (20) for substantially preventing deformation in the snap-locked part (15) after it has been interlocked.

Description

The present invention relates to a fastener of a dispenser member on a reservoir, and a fluid dispenser device comprising such a fastener.

It is well known to attach a pump or valve on the neck of a tank to use a fastener, such as a pump or a valve. These fixing rings can be any, and one knows in particular the crimpable rings, screwable or snap-fit. When using a snap ring, it generally comprises deformable latching means which deviate during assembly to return then elastically snap under the neck of the tank. These latching means must be sufficiently flexible to allow snapping. According to a first variant, there are provided latching lugs, and it is then generally necessary to have a hoop around the ring and in particular around said lugs to avoid that after snapping, said lugs do not deviate again, which would make fixing too easily removable. In another variant, the ring comprises a lateral skirt generally provided with a snap-fitting bead, said skirt and / or said bead being deformed until the bead snaps under the neck of the reservoir. Again, said snap portion must be deformable to allow this snap. This flexibility or elasticity of the snap portion also makes the attachment unreliable in the absence of a cover piece, such as a band surrounding said ring. A fastener according to the preamble of claim 1 is known in the document GB 857,189 .

The present invention aims to provide a fixing member of a fluid dispenser member on a reservoir that does not reproduce the aforementioned drawbacks.

More particularly, the present invention aims to provide a snap-on fastener ring which provides secure and substantially secure attachment. can not be dismantled, even without the use of an external cover such as a hoop.

The present invention also aims to provide such a fastener element that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

The present invention also aims to provide a fluid dispensing device comprising such a fastener.

The subject of the present invention is therefore an element for attaching a fluid product dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve, to a reservoir of fluid product, said fastener element comprising a deformable snap-fitting part intended for snap on the neck of the tank, characterized in that said detent portion comprises stiffening means for substantially preventing deformation of said detent portion after snapping.

Advantageously, said detent portion comprises a lateral skirt of said fastener element and a projection projecting radially inwards from the inner wall of said lateral skirt.

Advantageously, said stiffening means are inserted, integrated, recessed and / or embedded in said detent portion.

Advantageously, said stiffening means comprise one or more element (s) rigid (s) and / or elastic (s).

Advantageously, the element (s) rigid (s) and / or elastic (s) extend in or around the periphery of the snap portion.

Advantageously, said stiffening means comprise at least one substantially rigid and / or elastic circular insert.

Advantageously, the internal diameter of said at least one circular insert is equal to or greater than the external diameter of the neck of the reservoir.

According to a first variant embodiment, said circular insert is in one piece.

According to a second variant embodiment, said circular insert consists of several insert sections.

Advantageously, said circular insert is a wire, in particular a metal wire.

Advantageously, said wire comprises several turns.

Advantageously, said fixing element is a snap ring intended to fix a pump on a tank neck, said ring comprising in one piece a pump receiving part cooperating with the pump body, and a ferrule portion extending to inside said pump body to define the rest position of the pump.

Advantageously, said snap ring is made from a single plastic material.

Alternatively, said ring is made from a number of different plastic materials.

The present invention also relates to a fluid dispensing device, comprising a dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve, mounted on a fluid reservoir by means of a fastener, said fastener being performed as described above.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawing, given by way of non-limiting example, and in which the single figure shows a fluid dispensing device having a fastener element according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the figure, there is shown a reservoir 1 containing a fluid to be dispensed, this reservoir being provided with a neck 2. A fluid dispenser member 20, which may be a pump or a valve, is assembled on the tank by means of a fastening element 10, in this case a snap-fastening ring. A dispensing head or pusher 5 is assembled (e) on the dispensing member (which is a pump in the figure, which will be designated as such below). The pusher 5 serves in particular to actuate the pump to dispense a dose of fluid.

The fixing ring 10 has a deformable snap-fitting portion 15 which is intended to snap onto the neck 2 of the reservoir 1. Preferably, this snap-fitting portion 15 is formed by the lateral skirt of the ring 10 and is provided with a radial projection 16 on its inner lateral surface.

This radial projection 16 can form a continuous circular snap profile extending all around said lateral skirt 15 of the fixing ring, but it is also conceivable to make only latching lugs 16 circumferentially separated from each other but distributed all around the inner periphery of said ring, at this latching portion 15.

During assembly, an axial force is exerted on the fixing ring 10 which is deformed at its internal radial projections 16, the latter deviating to pass the neck 2 of the tank and snap under it. ci as shown in the figure. The latching portion 15 of the fixing ring 10 is therefore preferably made of a deformable material to allow this snap.

According to the invention, the detent part 15 of the ring 10 comprises stiffening means 20 which are intended to substantially prevent deformation of said detent part 15 once the ring 10 has been assembled on the neck of the reservoir . Preferably, as shown in the figure, these stiffening means 20 are inserted, integrated, recessed or embedded in said detent portion 15. In an advantageous embodiment, these stiffening means 20 are formed by a circular insert substantially rigid and / or elastic which extends inside the snap portion 15, at the level of said internal radial projection 16. This circular insert may be continuous, or alternatively formed by sections of inserts disposed circumferentially one after the other. The purpose of these elements or rigid inserts and / or resilient 20 is to prevent deformation of the snap portion 15 after snapping, to prevent the ring is released from its attachment to the neck of the tank.

Preferably, the stiffening means may be formed by a metal wire or any other material more rigid than that constituting the ring. This thread may extend over the entire periphery within said snap portion 15 of the ring 10. It may also consist of several turns. The internal diameter of said insert is preferably at least equal to or even slightly greater than the external diameter of the neck 2 of the reservoir 1, so that the presence of said insert 20 does not prevent the deformation of the projection 16 during the latching. Several variants are possible. Thus, the insert 20 can be completely rigid. It can also be slightly deformable to facilitate the snapping of the ring 10. It can also be elastic and return elastically to its initial position after snapping. The essential is that the insert 20 stiffens the snap portion 15, to improve the fixing after assembly.

As shown in the figure, the fixing ring 10 can be made in one piece with a receiving portion 11 of the pump body 21, the pump body 21 being fixed in this receiving portion 11. This receiving portion 11 is generally referred to as "turret". This turret may itself extend inside the pump body 21 by a ferrule portion 12, generally used to define the rest position of the pump, the ferrule 12 cooperating with the piston or an integral element thereof. this. According to the embodiment chosen, this ferrule may comprise relatively flexible parts to seal with the actuating rod connected to the piston of the pump. Thus, when such a fixing ring is made in one piece from a single plastic material, it is necessary to use a relatively flexible plastic material to allow the ferrule to perform its sealing function with the actuating rod. Of course, in this case, the snap-fitting portion 15 is also made of this relatively flexible material, and the presence of the stiffening insert 20 makes it possible to prevent the fixing ring from being released from its clipped position too easily. .

However, it is specified here that the present invention applies equally well to fastening rings made from several different plastic materials, for example two-material rings, comprising a material relatively flexible at the ferrule, and other more rigid material at the turret and / or the detent portion.

More generally, the example shown in the single figure is given by way of non-limiting example, and it is understood that a person skilled in the art can make any useful modification without departing from the scope of the present invention as as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. A fastener element (10) for fastening a fluid dispenser member (20), such as a pump or a valve, on a fluid reservoir (1), said fastener element (10) including a deformable snap-fastener portion (15) for snap-fastening on the neck (2) of the reservoir (1), said fastener element being characterized in that stiffener means (20) are provided in said snap-fastener portion (15) for substantially preventing said snap-fastener portion (15) from deforming after snap-fastening.
2. A fastener element according to claim 1, in which said snap-fastener portion (15) comprises a lateral skirt of said fastener element (10), and a projection (16) projecting radially inwards from the inside wall of said lateral skirt.
3. A fastener element according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which said stiffener means (20) are inserted, integrated, sunk, and/or embedded in said snap-fastener portion (15).
4. A fastener element according to any preceding claim, in which said stiffener means (20) comprise one or a plurality of rigid and/or resilient elements.
5. A fastener element according to claim 4, in which the rigid and/or resilient element(s) (20) extend in or around the periphery of the snap-fastener portion (15).
6. A fastener element according to any preceding claim, in which said stiffener means (20) comprise at least one substantially rigid and/or resilient circular insert.
7. A fastener element according to claim 6, in which the inside diameter of said at least one circular insert (20) is not less than the outside diameter of the neck (2) of the reservoir (1).
8. A fastener element according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which said circular insert (20) is made as a single part.
9. A fastener element according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which said circular insert (20) is constituted by a plurality of insert sections.
10. A fastener element according to any one of claims 6 to 9, in which said circular insert (20) is a metal wire or the like.
11. A fastener element according to claim 10, in which said wire (20) includes a plurality of turns.
12. A fastener element according to any preceding claim, in which said fastener element is a snap-fastenable ring (10) for fastening a pump (20) on a neck (2) of a reservoir (1), said ring (10) being made integrally with pump-receiver means (11) co-operating with the pump body (21), and a ferrule portion (12) extending inside said pump body (21) so as to define the rest position of the pump (20).
13. A fastener element according to claim 12, in which said snap-fastenable ring (10) is made from a single plastics material.
14. A fastener element according to claim 12, in which said snap-fastenable ring (10) is made from a plurality of different plastics materials.
15. A fluid dispenser device, including a dispenser member (20), such as a pump or a valve, mounted on a fluid reservoir (1) by means of a fastener element (10), said device being characterized in that said fastener element (10) is made according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

Images