Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/14—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for delivery of liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure, i.e. aerosol containers comprising propellant for a product delivered by a propellant
  • B65D83/44—Valves specially adapted therefor; Regulating devices
  • B65D83/52—Valves specially adapted therefor; Regulating devices for metering
  • B65D83/54—Metering valves ; Metering valve assemblies

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a metering valve, and a fluid dispenser device comprising such a valve.
• Metering valves are well known, and generally comprise a valve body in which a valve slides between a rest position and a dispensing position.
• the valve has a metering chamber which defines a dose of product dispensed on each actuation.
• This metering chamber is generally connected to the dispensing orifice of the valve when the latter is in the dispensing position, and fills with the product contained in the reservoir when the valve returns from its dispensing position to its rest position. .
• the metering chamber is formed by a cylindrical tabular element with which are associated two horizontal annular walls axially delimiting said metering chamber and each having in their center a through hole for the valve. To ensure a tight movement of the valve relative to the metering chamber, these two passage holes are generally associated with seals.
• a well-known problem with metering valves concerns the reproducibility or repeatability of the dose, that is to say a precise and identical dosage on each actuation.
• the conventional metering chambers have a drawback in that they define a corner or an angle at the junction of the cylindrical tube and the elements of horizontal annular walls.
• the product contained in the metering chamber is capable of forming a meniscus at these angles or corners of the metering chamber. This has the effect of retaining propellant and active product at the level of these menisci, and therefore altering the precision of the dosage. Likewise, this type of meniscus promotes sticking of the product on the walls of the chamber, which also has the effect of adversely altering the homogeneity of the dose.
• a metering valve is actuated, the user presses the valve axially and maintains it in the dispensing position for a limited time.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a valve for dispensing a fluid product which does not have the abovementioned drawbacks. More particularly, the present invention aims to provide a metering valve for dispensing a fluid product which ensures optimum reproducibility of the dose on each actuation of the valve.
• the present invention also aims to provide a metering valve for dispensing a fluid product which improves the homogeneity of the metering on each actuation of the valve.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a metering valve for dispensing a fluid product which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, and of safe and reliable use at each actuation.
• the present invention therefore relates to a metering valve for dispensing a fluid product, comprising a valve body, a metering chamber and a valve sliding in said valve body for dispensing the product contained in the metering chamber, the wall of said metering chamber being at least partially curved in axial section.
• said metering chamber has an upper orifice and a lower orifice, said valve passing through said upper and lower orifices, a wall of revolution defining said metering chamber by connecting said upper and lower orifices, said wall of revolution being at least partially curved or rounded so as not to form any angle.
• said wall of revolution comprises a middle wall part, an upper wall part connecting the middle wall part to said upper orifice and a lower wall part connecting the middle wall part to said lower orifice.
• said middle wall portion is cylindrical.
• said upper wall part is rounded, in particular spherical.
• said lower wall part is rounded, in particular spherical.
• said metering chamber is formed by two wall elements fixed to one another in a sealed manner.
• the upper and lower orifices respectively comprise a seal, said wall elements substantially covering said seals to limit the contact surface between said seals and the product contained in said metering chamber, and / or limit the flapping of these seals during actuation.
• the present invention also relates to a device for dispensing a fluid product comprising a metering valve as described above.
• a schematic cross-sectional view of a metering valve according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the single figure, the valve comprises a valve body 10 and a valve 30. A metering chamber 20 is defined in the valve, and the valve 30 slides relative to the valve body 10 between a rest position
• a dispensing position in which the valve is pressed axially inside the valve body 10.
• This metering valve is intended to be assembled on a fluid reservoir (not shown ), for example by means of a fixing ring or capsule 60 which may be of any type.
• the dosing chamber is intended to be assembled on a fluid reservoir (not shown ), for example by means of a fixing ring or capsule 60 which may be of any type.
• the dosing chamber Conventionally, the dosing chamber
• the metering chamber 20 is isolated from the tank when the valve 30 is moved to its position of dispensing, in which the interior of the metering chamber 20 is connected to the dispensing orifice 35 of the valve 30.
• the metering chamber 20 is connected to the reservoir in any known manner, allowing the filling of this metering chamber under the effect of the vacuum created by the distribution of the previous dose, and / or by gravity if said valve is used in the inverted position.
• the metering chamber 20 is at least partially curved in axial section.
• axial section is meant a section plane which comprises the central axis X of the valve, as shown in the figure.
• the metering chamber 20 has a wall of revolution 27 which connects the upper orifice 25 to the lower orifice 26, the valve 30 passing through these lower and upper orifices during its movement between its rest and distribution positions.
• This wall of revolution 27 is advantageously and at least partially curved or rounded so as to form no angle.
• curved or rounded is meant that this wall has substantially no edges. or abrupt angle, as would be the case for example on a polygonal surface.
• the absence of a corner or corner in the dosing chamber makes it possible to avoid the formation of a meniscus, and therefore improves the reproducibility and the homogeneity of the dosing with each actuation of the valve.
• the wall of revolution 27 has a middle wall portion 22, which can advantageously be cylindrical.
• This middle wall part 22 is connected to the upper orifice 25 by an upper wall part 21 and to the lower orifice 26 by a lower wall part 23.
• These upper and / or lower wall parts are preferably rounded or curves, especially spherical or elliptical, in order to avoid any meniscus formation at this level.
• the metering chamber 20 is in fact formed by two wall elements 28, 29 which are fixed to each other in a sealed manner. Each wall element can therefore be both partially rounded, curved or spherical, and partially cylindrical.
• This implementation also has an additional advantage, namely that the seals 45, 46 which are associated with the upper and lower orifices 25, 26, and against which the valve 30 slides during its movement, are substantially covered by said curved wall elements 28 and 29, which has the effect of limiting the contact surface between said seals 45, 46 and the fluid product contained in said metering chamber 20.
• This can have a beneficial effect depending on the nature of the fluid product to distribute, especially when it is a pharmaceutical product.
• the flapping of the seals is advantageously limited during actuation by the presence of these rounded upper and lower walls.
• the rounded shape of the metering chamber could be different from that shown, provided that it avoids any meniscus formation, and therefore any presence of a corner, edge or angle likely to favor such creation. meniscus.
• Other modifications are also possible for a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Self-Closing Valves And Venting Or Aerating Valves (AREA)
• Nozzles (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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• 2003
  • 2003-10-07 FR FR0311720A patent/FR2860502B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2004
  • 2004-10-04 DE DE602004005473T patent/DE602004005473T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-10-04 EP EP04805725A patent/EP1670698B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-10-04 JP JP2006530457A patent/JP4464967B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-10-04 US US10/574,421 patent/US7793807B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-10-04 CN CNB2004800331085A patent/CN100534875C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-10-04 WO PCT/FR2004/050482 patent/WO2005032971A2/fr active IP Right Grant

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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