EP1569859B1 - Fluid product dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser device (such as, for example US Patent 6401987 ), and more particularly such a device comprising means for preventing an accidental or undesirable actuation before the first use of the device.

Systems for preventing accidental actuation of a fluid dispensing device, for example during transport or storage, are well known in the state of the art. They are intended to ensure that when the user decides to operate the device for the first time, the entire product is contained within the device, and that there was no distribution, neither loss of sealing during the storage or transport phase of the device. These systems can be of different types. Thus, it is known to tear strip systems, in which a strip of material tearable and disposed on or around the device, the latter can not be operated until this band has been torn off. These systems are relatively complex to manufacture and assemble, and therefore increase the cost of manufacturing and assembly of the device. This is particularly disadvantageous when the device is disposable. Another type of system includes items such as tabs that the user must move before they can use the device. Again, an additional piece to achieve this blocking is necessary, which implies an increase in the cost of manufacture and assembly of the device.

The present invention aims to provide a fluid dispensing device that does not reproduce the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a fluid dispenser device that prevents accidental or undesirable actuation before the first actuation by the user, without requiring the use of an additional piece for this purpose. The present invention also provides a child safety by preventing the actuation of the device by a child.

The present invention also aims to provide such a device that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, while being particularly safe and reliable use.

The subject of the present invention is therefore a device for dispensing a fluid product, comprising a dispensing orifice, a reservoir containing at least one dose of fluid, at least one piston sliding axially in said reservoir for dispensing said fluid product, a dispensing member. distribution cooperating with said piston, and an actuating element cooperating with said dispensing member, said dispensing member being movable between a locking position preventing the actuation of said actuating element, and a release position, in which the actuation of said actuating member moves said dispensing member to dispense a dose of fluid, said dispensing member being manually moved from its locking position to its release position prior to actuation of said device.

Preferably, said dispensing member is axially displaceable and said actuating element is a lateral actuating element moving in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of axial displacement of said dispensing member.

Advantageously, said dispenser member slides axially between said locking position, in which it is disposed away from said piston, and said release position, in which it is disposed in contact with said piston.

Advantageously, said device comprises a body comprising said dispensing orifice on one side, and a bottom wall on the other side, said dispensing member protruding out of said bottom wall in the locking position.

Advantageously, said dispenser member comprises at least one engaging means cooperating with said actuating element during its actuation.

Advantageously, said dispensing member comprises two gripping means offset axially, the first engagement means cooperating with the element actuator for dispensing a first dose of fluid, and the second engaging means cooperating with the actuating member for dispensing a second dose of fluid.

Advantageously, a gripping means comprises a projection cooperating with a cam surface of said actuating element.

Advantageously, in the locking position of the dispensing member, said at least one engaging means cooperates with the actuating element to prevent its actuation.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en section transversale d'un dispositif de distribution de produit fluide selon un mode de réalisation avantageux de la présente invention, en position de blocage ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective du dispositif représenté sur la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique partielle en perspective d'une partie du dispositif de la figure 1, montrant la position de blocage ;
• la figure 4 est une vue similaire à la figure 1, en position de libération, c'est-à-dire dans une position dans laquelle l'utilisateur peut actionner le dispositif ;
• la figure 5 est une vue similaire à la figure 2, en position de libération, et
• la figure 6 est une vue similaire à la figure 3, montrant de manière plus détaillée la position de libération.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, and on which,

• Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid dispenser device according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, in the locking position;
• Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the device shown in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a partial schematic perspective view of a portion of the device of Figure 1, showing the locking position;
• Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, in the release position, that is to say in a position in which the user can operate the device;
• FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2, in the release position, and
• Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing in more detail the release position.

With reference to the figures, a fluid dispenser device according to the invention generally comprises a body 1 incorporating a dispensing orifice 5. A fluid reservoir 10 is disposed in said body and is connected to said dispensing orifice 5. By product Fluid means any type of liquid product, gaseous, pasty or powder, depending on the desired use of the device. The invention applies more particularly to so-called devices single-dose or bidose, in which the reservoir contains a dose or two half-doses of fluid. In this type of device, a piston 15 slides axially in said reservoir 10 to dispense the one or more doses of fluid product in one or two actuation of the device. To carry out the displacement of the piston 15 inside the reservoir 10, there is provided a dispensing member 20 which cooperates with said piston 15, said dispensing member 20 itself being displaced by means of an actuating element 30. that the user operates. Thus, to dispense a dose of fluid product, the user moves the actuating element 30, which causes a displacement of the dispensing member 20 which, cooperating with the piston 15, displaces the latter inside the reservoir 10, which causes the expulsion of a dose of product through the dispensing orifice 5.

In the example shown, the reservoir 10 is formed by a hollow tube closed on one side by the piston 15 and on the other side by a sealing plug 11, an opening system of said plug 11 being provided, this system of opening may include a needle 19 to pierce the plug 11 during the first actuation of the device. In the example shown, the needle 19 is fixed relative to the body 1 and the dispensing orifice 5, and it is the plug 11 which, under the effect of the pressure created inside the reservoir 10 by the displacement of the piston 15, moves towards the needle to be pierced by it. Of course, the present invention is not limited to a device as shown in the drawings, which represents only one advantageous embodiment to which the present invention applies.

According to the invention, to avoid any risk of accidental or undesirable actuation, for example during transport, the dispenser member 20 is movable between a locking position, shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and a release position shown. in FIGS. 4 to 6. In the blocking position, the dispensing member 20 prevents movement, and therefore actuation of the actuating element 30. In the release position, the user can move the element actuation to cause dispensing of a dose of product as described above. It is the user who manually moves the dispensing member 20 from its locking position to its release position before actuating the device. Thus, any risk of unwanted actuation is prevented by the blocking position of the dispensing member, and when the user wishes to use the device, he manually moves the dispenser member to its release position thus allowing actuation of the device. The present invention therefore makes it possible to provide means for blocking the actuation of the device which do not require any additional part, since it is the dispensing member 20 itself which serves as a locking element. The present invention thus makes it possible to save one or more pieces to produce a locking system, which therefore has advantages in terms of manufacturing and assembly costs of the device. This is all the more important that the device according to the invention can be of the disposable type.

Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the dispensing member 20 is axially displaceable, i.e. in the same direction as the movement of the piston 15 in the reservoir 10, while the actuating element 30 is a lateral actuating element which moves in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of axial displacement of said dispensing member 20. The present invention therefore provides a clever and economical locking system for a device that may comprise a component of lateral actuation.

Advantageously, the dispensing member 20 is mounted to slide axially between its locking position and its release position, said dispensing member 20 being disposed away from the piston 15 in the locking position, as can be seen in FIG. in contact with said piston 15 when it is moved towards its release position, as can be seen in FIG. 4. This implementation is an additional security, since it avoids any risk of accidental displacement of the piston 15, for example during transport, even if said dispensing member 20 was to be slightly moved out of its blocking position.

Advantageously, the body 1 may comprise a bottom wall 2 on the opposite side to the dispensing orifice 5, said bottom wall having an opening through which an end of said dispensing member 20 protrudes in the locking position. This appears more particularly in Figures 1 and 2. Thus, when the user wishes to use the device, he grasps the body 1 and with a finger or preferably his thumb, exerts an axial pressure on the protruding part of the body of distribution 20 which protrudes from the bottom wall 2, causing a displacement of said dispensing member 20 towards its release position. The release position is reached when the dispensing member 20 no longer protrudes from said bottom wall of the body 1, as shown in Figure 5. This implementation ensures in particular that it is impossible to move the dispensing member beyond its release position, which could cause an undesirable displacement of the piston 15 in the reservoir and therefore a partial product distribution. From the moment, when the end of the dispensing member 20 no longer protrudes from the bottom wall 2, the user can no longer move the dispensing member 20, and this risk is eliminated.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, the dispensing member advantageously comprises at least one gripping means 25 which cooperates with said lateral actuating element during its actuation. In the case of a unit dose, that is to say when the entire product has to be dispensed in a single actuation, the dispensing member has only one means of setting 25. However, in the case of a single dose A bidose, as shown in the figures, the contents of the reservoir 10 must be separated into two doses successively distributed during two successive actuations of the device. In this case, the dispensing member 20 preferably comprises two engagement means 25 and 26 offset axially, the first engagement means 25 cooperating with the actuating element 30 to dispense the first dose of product, and the second means engaging member 26 cooperating with the actuating member 30 to dispense the second dose of product. Referring more particularly to the example shown in the figures, these means each may comprise a projection which cooperates with a cam surface 31 of said actuating element 30. Thus, the actuating element 30 is pivotally mounted on the body 1 and the cam surface 31 can slide under said projection 25 or 26, in the release position of the dispenser member. Pivoting of the lateral actuating element 30 then causes an axial upward displacement of said dispensing member 20 to dispense a dose of product. Advantageously, it is the gripping means that block the actuation of the actuating element 30 in the locked position of the dispenser member 20. This is clearly apparent in FIGS. 1 and 3, which show the first gripping means , in this case the projection 25, which cooperates with the end of the cam surface 31 of the lateral actuating element 30 to prevent any displacement thereof.

The present invention therefore advantageously uses the dispensing means of the device to achieve locking in the actuating element before the first use of the device. No additional parts are needed, and the various components of the actuating system are neither modified nor made more complicated to allow this blocking. Of course, the example shown in the figures is not limiting, and other engagement means could be envisaged. For example, the dispensing member 20 could comprise, in place of the projections, openings in which the cam surface 31 of the lateral actuating element 30 could penetrate in order to cause a displacement of said dispensing member. Other variants are obviously also possible.

The present invention thus provides a simple and inexpensive way a reliable and effective system to prevent undesired or accidental actuation of the device, it is brought manually by the user in a position allowing its use at the desired time.

The present invention has been described with reference to an advantageous embodiment thereof, but it is understood that it is not limited to the example described and shown in the drawings, but that on the contrary a person skilled in the art may make any modification without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (8)

1. A fluid dispenser device, comprising: a dispenser orifice (5); a reservoir (10) containing at least one dose of fluid; at least one piston (15) axially slidable in said reservoir (10) so as to dispense said fluid; a dispenser member (20) co-operating with said piston (15); and an actuator element (30) co-operating with said dispenser member (20); said device being characterized in that said dispenser member (20) is displaceable between a blocking position, preventing said actuator element (30) from being actuated, and a release position in which the actuation of said actuator element (30) displaces said dispenser member (20) so as to dispense a dose of fluid, said dispenser member (20) being displaced manually from its blocking position to its release position before said device is actuated.
2. A device according to claim 1, in which said dispenser member (20) is axially displaceable, and said actuator element (30) is a lateral actuator element that is displaced in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the axial displacement direction of said dispenser member (20).
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which said dispenser member (20) slides axially between said blocking position in which it is disposed remote from said piston (15), and said release position in which it is disposed in contact with said piston (15).
4. A device according to any preceding claim, in which said device includes a body (1) including said dispenser orifice (5) at one end, and a bottom wall (2) at the other end, said dispenser member (20) projecting from said bottom wall (2) when in the blocking position.
5. A device according to any preceding claim, in which said dispenser member (20) includes at least one engagement means (25, 26) co-operating with said actuator element (30) while it is being actuated.
6. A device according to claim 5, in which said dispenser member (20) includes two axially offset engagement means (25, 26), the first engagement means (25) co-operating with the actuator element (30) so as to dispense a first dose of fluid, and the second engagement means (26) co-operating with the actuator element (30) so as to dispense a second dose of fluid.
7. A device according to claim 5 or claim 6, in which said at least one engagement means (25, 26) includes a projection co-operating with a cam surface (31) of said actuator element (30).
8. A device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, in which, when the dispenser member (20) is in the blocking position, said at least one engagement means (25, 26) cooperates with the actuator element (30) so as to prevent it from being actuated.

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