EP1814672A1

EP1814672A1 - Flexible part forming an output valve and a return spring for a dispensing device

Info

Publication number: EP1814672A1
Application number: EP05815619A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alain Behar
Original assignee: AirlesSystems SAS
Current assignee: AirlesSystems SAS
Priority date: 2004-11-03
Filing date: 2005-10-28
Publication date: 2007-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-28
Also published as: BRPI0517994A; CN100518953C; EP1814672B1; FR2877320A1; US7819290B2; FR2877320B1; WO2006048578A1; DE602005005514T2; CN101052472A; ES2303698T3; US20080110934A1; DE602005005514D1

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid product dispensing device comprising a body (1), an pusher (2) which is axially movable between rest and inserted positions and forms a fluid product dispensing orifice (24) and a flexible piece (3) connecting the body to the pusher. Said piece forms a return spring means (35) attracting the pusher to the rest position thereof and the movable member(38) of the output valve. The piece also comprises holding means (33) connected to the body and anchoring means (37) connected to the pusher, wherein said holding means is surrounded by the anchoring means. The piece comprises an elastically deformable part (34) extending between the holding and anchoring means.

Description

Fluid dispenser member and fluid dispenser provided with such a dispenser member.

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser member comprising a body intended to be mounted or fixed on a tank opening, a pusher axially displaceable back and forth on the body and a flexible part connecting the body to the pusher. The piece forms return spring means which urge the pusher in the rest position. On the other hand, the piece forms a movable outlet valve member cooperating with an outlet valve seat formed by the pusher. The invention also relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a fluid reservoir and a dispensing member mounted on the reservoir. Such a dispensing member and such a dispenser may in particular be used in the fields of perfumery, cosmetics or even pharmacy.

From the prior art, document FR-2 674024, for example, describes a pump comprising a body made integrally with a part of the reservoir. The pump further comprises a pusher movable axially back and forth relative to the body. The pump also comprises an inner part made of a flexible elastic material. This internal part makes the junction between the body and the pusher. Specifically, the pusher forms an inlet manifold that defines an inlet opening that communicates with the reservoir. This inlet manifold is arranged axially centrally. On the other hand, the pusher comprises a side skirt which extends downwardly from a bearing wall on which it can exert pressure to move the pusher. The peripheral side skirt of the pusher extends in a variable manner around the inlet manifold. The inner part is mounted on the inlet pipe and forms a movable inlet valve member in selective sealing engagement with the inlet opening formed by the pipe. On the other hand, the piece forms return spring means in the form of a tubular sleeve elastically deformable by elongation. This return sleeve extends around the inlet tubing inside the peripheral skirt of the pusher. The inner piece also forms an anchor heel in engagement with the pusher, more particularly at the lower end of the side skirt. The spring sleeve thus connects the anchor heel to the part of the part forming the inlet valve. Finally, the inner part forms a deformable annular lip which bears tightly around an outlet valve seat. This annular lip thus fulfills a role of movable outlet valve member for the pressurized fluid within the chamber formed between the pusher and the inner part. The outlet valve movable member lip extends from the anchor heel substantially concentrically around the spring sleeve. Thus, the functions of return spring and movable outlet valve member are provided by two separate parts of the inner part. This of course makes the internal part more complicated to manufacture. In addition, it is not easy to set up the pusher on the inner part, and more particularly to put in place the deformable elastic lip around its seat.

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a dispensing member whose flexible inner part is easier to manufacture and assemble.

To achieve these objects, the present invention provides a fluid dispenser member comprising a body for attachment to a reservoir opening, the body defining a fluid inlet communicating the reservoir with the interior of the body, a pusher axially displaceable back and forth on and relative to the body between a rest position and a depressed position, the pusher forming a fluid dispensing orifice, a flexible part connecting the body to the pusher, the piece forming means for return spring urging the pusher in the rest position, the piece forming a movable outlet valve member cooperating with a seat formed by the pusher, the part comprising means for holding in engagement with the body to fix the part on the body , the piece comprising anchoring means engaged with the pusher for securing the piece to the pusher, the holding means being surrounded by the anchoring means, the part comprising an elastically deformable part which extends between the means of holding and the anchoring means, characterized in that the elastically deformable portion forms both the return spring means and the movable outlet valve member. In contrast to the aforementioned prior art, the functions of spring and movable outlet valve member are here provided by one and the same part of the flexible part. The flexible part of the present invention thus has a separate sealing lip ensuring the function of movable outlet valve member.

The dispensing member of the present invention has an architecture or design substantially similar to that of the document of the aforementioned prior art, namely that the flexible piece has a diameter less than the level of its connection to the body at the level of its connection to the pusher, which amounts to saying that the holding means are surrounded by the anchoring means, even if the holding means and the anchoring means are axially offset.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the movable outlet valve member is deformable radially outwardly from its seat between the rest position and the depressed position. Preferably, the movable outlet valve member and its seat are of annular shape, the movable outlet valve member surrounding the seat from the outside.

According to a practical embodiment, the return spring means comprise an inverted dome-shaped annular crown.

In another aspect, the deformable portion forms a corolla that extends outwardly around the holding means to the anchoring means, the corolla having in section a siphon shape or gooseneck recumbent. Advantageously, the corolla comprises a first inner section which extends radially outwards by forming an upward curvature and a second outer section connected outside the first section and which extends radially outwards in forming a bend down. Preferably, the movable outlet valve member is formed at the junction of the first and second sections. We can say that the means of are formed radially inside the first section and the anchoring means are formed radially outside the second section.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the part also forms a movable member of the inlet valve biased resiliently by elastic tabs on an inlet valve seat. Thus, as in the aforementioned document of the prior art, the flexible part forms both the movable members of the inlet valve and the outlet valve and the return spring means.

The invention also relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a fluid reservoir and a dispensing member as defined above.

The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings giving by way of non-limiting example an embodiment of the invention.

In the figures:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a fluid dispenser comprising a dispensing member according to one embodiment of the invention; and

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged vertical cross-sectional views of the dispensing member of Figure 1, during different phases of actuation.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a fluid dispenser which is particularly suitable for dispensing pasty or viscous products such as creams. Therefore, it is more particularly a cosmetic dispenser. However, it is not excluded to distribute other types of fluid, such as gels, pasta in various fields including the food field.

The dispenser comprises a reservoir which here consists of an inner flexible pouch 6 and an outer shell 5, which is preferably rigid. The outer shell 5 defines a neck 51 and the flexible pouch 6 defines an opening 61. This opening 61 may for example be folded over the neck 51 as seen in the figures. The flexible pouch 6 constitutes a fluid reservoir of volume variable as fluid is removed from the bag. One can speak of "airless" tank or without air intake, in which the fluid is protected from outside air. One can of course imagine other types of tank associated with the dispensing member of the invention. In particular, it is possible to use a reservoir comprising a drum and a follower piston slidably mounted inside the drum. This is another tank of the airless type. It is also possible to use more conventional constant volume tanks such as glass, plastic or metal flasks. In this case, the dispensing member of the invention must be provided with a dip tube.

The dispensing member of the invention is mounted on the opening 61 of the pocket 6, which coincides here with the neck 51 of the rigid outer shell 5. The dispensing member of the invention comprises three constituent elements, namely a body 1, a pusher 2 and a flexible part 3. Optionally, the dispenser member may comprise a protective cover 4 which caps the pusher and a part of the body. The body 1, the pusher 2 and the protective cover 4 can be made by injection molding a relatively rigid plastic material. As for the flexible part 3, it can be made by injection molding a softer plastic material, such as an elastomer. Thus, the flexible part 3 has elastic deformability characteristics at least in certain places of its extent. In other words, some parts of the flexible part may be rigid while other parts may be elastically deformable. The deformability characteristic can be conferred by the material used to form the flexible part, or by the configuration, the architecture or the wall thickness.

Reference will now be made more particularly to FIG. 2 to explain in detail the structure of the dispensing member of the invention. While the dispensing member is shown in the rest position in FIG. 1, that is to say with the pusher 2 in its position farthest from the body, the dispensing member is shown during actuation. in FIG. 2, in this case a phase of beginning of distribution of fluid product Pf. The body 1 is preferably made in one piece. However, it is not excluded that it consists of two, three or four pieces reported together. The body 1 here comprises an outer fixing ring 11 engaged around the neck 51 of the rigid shell 5. This ring 11 can be provided with any appropriate attachment means allowing a firm and preferably definitive fixation of the body 1 on the rigid shell 5, or more generally on the fluid reservoir. This external fixing ring 11 is connected to an inner sleeve 12 which, in its lower part, penetrates inside the neck 51. Advantageously, the sleeve 12 wedges the opening 61 of the flexible bag 6 against the inner wall of the neck 51 of the rigid outer shell 5. The opening 61 can even be wedged between the neck 61 and the outer fixing ring 11. This ensures a perfect seal between the flexible bag 6 and the body 1. At its upper free end, the Internal bushing 12 forms a reentrant thrust profile 121, the function of which will be explained hereinafter. At its lower end, the sleeve 12 is extended by a substantially horizontal annular flange 13 which closes the opening 61 of the pocket 6. This annular flange 13 acts as a roof or shoulder retreating for the fluid reservoir. On its inner periphery, the flange 13 extends upwards in the form of a substantially cylindrical pipe 14 which terminates in a free upper end. This tubing 14 is internally provided with an inlet flange 15 which defines both a fluid product inlet 16 and an inlet valve seat 17. It can be said that the fluid reservoir extends to the fluid inlet 16. Inside the tubing 14 to the level of the inlet flange 15. In its upper part, the tubing 14 forms a pump chamber shaft. The body 1 may have a perfect symmetry of revolution about a vertical axis X. The fixing ring 11, the sleeve 12 and the tubing 14 may be of circular cylindrical shape with a common generator coincides with the X axis. other words, the ring 11, the sleeve 12 and the tubing 14 extend concentrically: the sleeve 12 extends inside the ring 11 and the tubing 14 extends inside the socket 12. The pusher 2 comprises a bearing surface 21 on which can be pressed with one or more finger (s) of a hand to move it axially back and forth relative to the body 1. The bearing surface 21 extends substantially perpendicular to the axis X. On its outer periphery, the bearing surface 21 is extended downwardly by a peripheral side skirt 25 whose lower free end defines a bead of stop 251 intended to cooperate with the retaining end profile 121. The skirt 25 has an outer diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the sleeve 12. On the other hand, the pusher 2 forms a dispensing nozzle internally defining an outlet conduit 23 opening at a dispensing orifice 24. The user can collect the fluid dispensed at this dispensing orifice 24. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the nozzle 23 extends radially or laterally. outward. However, one can imagine a distribution nozzle that extends vertically axially or eccentrically. According to the invention, the pusher 2 also defines a seat flange 22 which extends downwardly from the bearing surface 21. The seat flange 22 is of substantially cylindrical annular shape whose generator is also confused with the X axis. The seat flange 22 has a diameter smaller than that of the side skirt 25, but greater than the outside diameter of the tubing 14. The pusher 2 is mounted on the body 1 with its skirt 25 engaged inside. of the sleeve 12. The pusher 2 is prevented from disengaging from the body 1 because of the engagement between the bead 251 and the profile 121.

According to the invention, the flexible piece 3 is preferably made in one piece. The part 3 comprises a fixing sleeve 33 engaged inside the tubing 14 at its free upper end. The sleeve 33 may be engaged in force inside the tube 14. It is possible, however, to design latching means to assist in the attachment of the sleeve 33 to the tube 14. The sleeve 33 protrudes axially beyond the The free end of the tubing 14. The sleeve extends radially outwardly by a resiliently deformable portion 34 similar to a corolla which has a substantially sign-shaped cross-sectional configuration. lying down or siphon. More specifically, the elastically deformable portion or corolla comprises a first internal section 35 similar to an annular ring curved upwardly in the form of an inverted dome which is then extended by a second outer section 36 bent downwards. The sections 35 and 36 meet at a substantially cylindrical portion. At this point, the elastically deformable portion 34 forms a movable outlet valve member 38 intended to come into selective sealing contact with the outer wall of the seat flange 22 formed by the pusher 2. It can also be said that the seat flange 22 forms an outlet valve seat for the movable outlet valve member 38 formed by the elastically deformable portion 34 of the piece 3. At its outer free end, the elastically deformable portion forms an anchoring ring 37 in gripping engagement This ring 37 fulfills a function of anchoring means of the flexible part 3 inside the pusher 2.

Thus, it can be seen in the figures that the second outer section 36 extends outside the seat flange 22, but inside the skirt 25. As for the first inner section 35, it extends substantially between the seat flange 22 and the tubing 14. The configuration of the resiliently deformable portion 34 in the form of a coated sign collar or siphon gives it a deformability characteristic which allows the movable outlet valve member 38 to take off from its seat 22 by a radial outward movement. It can be seen in particular in FIG. 3 that the elastically deformable portion is moved away from the seat 22 by a distance e which defines an annular gap through which the fluid can escape towards the distribution duct 23.

Optionally, the flexible part 1 may also form a movable inlet valve member 31 in selective sealing engagement with the inlet valve seat 17 formed by the body 1. Advantageously, the movable inlet valve member 31 is resiliently urged on its seat by resilient tabs 32 integrally formed by the flexible part 3. These resilient tabs 32 connect the movable valve member inlet 31 to the retaining sleeve 33. The movable member of the inlet valve 31 may be in the form of a cup or a bowl adapted to engage sealingly inside the sealing seat 17, and the inlet 16 of fluid product.

The body 1, the pusher 2 and the flexible part 3 together form a pump chamber 10 closed at its inlet by the inlet valve and at its outlet by the outlet valve. In the configuration shown in Figure 1, the dispenser member is in the rest position. This rest position is determined by the rest position of the flexible part 3. In fact, the elastically deformable portion 34, more particularly at the level of the first internal section 35, performs a function of return spring means which make it possible to solicit the pusher 2 in the rest position relative to the body 1. This rest position corresponds to the position of the pusher 2 farthest from the body 1. This rest position can also be defined by the abutment of the bead 251 in 121. In this case, the rest position would not correspond to the rest position of the flexible part 3, since it would remain constantly under stress. However, in the rest position of the dispensing member, the pump chamber 10 defines a maximum useful volume, with its closed inlet valve and its outlet valve also closed. Indeed, the movable member 31 is pressed on its seat 17 while the movable member 38 is in sealing contact against its seat 22.

By pressing on the surface 21 of the pusher 2, the latter moves axially downwards towards the body 1. This axial displacement, guided by the bushing 12, has the effect of deforming the elastically deformable portion 34, more particularly at the level of its first internal section 35. However, the second outer section 36 is slightly deformed to allow the movable outlet valve member 38 to separate from its seat 22, as seen in Figure 2. Thus, the displacement axial of the pusher 2 has the effect of deforming the first inner section 34 so as to further pronounce its inverted dome shape. Depressing the pusher 2 has the effect of pressing the movable valve member inlet 31 on its seat 17 and reduce the effective volume of the chamber 10, which has the effect of exerting pressure on the organ movable outlet valve 38 so that it comes off its seat 22. In Figure 2, we see that the valve member 38 is moved away from its seat 22 by a distance e. As a result, the pressurized fluid within the chamber 10 is forced through the outlet valve open to the dispensing conduit 23 and the dispensing orifice 24 where it can be collected by the user. The fully depressed position is reached when the bearing wall 21 abuts against the retaining sleeve 33. This is shown in Figure 3. The first section 35 then has an annular channel shape. The entire dose of fluid product Pf is then dispensed. As soon as the pressure inside the chamber 10 falls below a predetermined threshold, the outlet valve closes. By releasing the pressure on the pusher 2, as can be seen in FIG. 4, the latter is urged in the upward rest position by the elastic memory of the elastically deformable portion 34 which tends to return towards its position of rest or departure. This return to the rest position has the effect of increasing the volume of the chamber 10 and thus create a vacuum which has the effect of opening the inlet valve to allow suction of fluid from the flexible bag inside the chamber 10 whose volume increases.

It is the particularly advantageous configuration of the elastically deformable portion 35 which makes it possible to fulfill both the functions of the return spring and the movable member of the outlet valve of the pump.

One can very well imagine a movable member of a much simpler inlet valve, for example in the form of an elastically deformable disk located inside the retaining sleeve 33.

Claims

claims

1.- fluid product dispensing member comprising:

a body (1) intended to be fixed on a tank opening (61), the body defining a fluid product inlet (16) communicating the reservoir with the interior of the body,

- A pusher (2) movable axially back and forth on and relative to the body between a rest position and a depressed position, the pusher forming a fluid dispensing orifice (24),

- A flexible part (3) connecting the body to the pusher, the piece forming return spring means (35) urging the pusher in the rest position, the piece forming a movable member of the outlet valve (38) cooperating with a seat (22) formed by the pusher, the part comprising holding means (33) engaged with the body for fixed mounting of the part on the body, the part comprising anchoring means (37) engaged with the pusher for securing the part with the pusher, the holding means being surrounded by the anchoring means, the part comprising an elastically deformable part (34) which connects the holding means to the anchoring means, characterized in that the elastically deformable part (34) ) forms both the return spring means (35) and the movable outlet valve member (38).

2. Dispensing member according to claim 1, wherein the movable outlet valve member is deformable radially outwardly from its seat between the rest position and the depressed position.

3.- Dispensing member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable outlet valve member and its seat are of annular shape, the movable outlet valve member surrounding the seat from the outside.

4. A dispensing member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the return spring means comprises an annular crown (35) in the shape of an inverted dome.

5. A dispensing member according to any preceding claim, wherein the deformable portion forms a corolla (34) which extends outwardly around the holding means to the anchoring means, the corolla having in section a form of siphon or gooseneck lying down.

6. The dispensing member according to claim 5, wherein the corolla comprises a first inner section (35) which extends radially outwardly forming an upward curvature and a second outer section (36) connected to the outside the first section and extending radially outwardly forming a bend downwardly.

7. The dispensing member of claim 6, wherein the movable outlet valve member is formed at the junction of the first and second sections.

8. A dispensing member according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the holding means are formed within the first section and the anchoring means are formed outside the second section.

9. A dispensing member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the piece also forms a movable member of the inlet valve (31) resiliently biased by resilient tabs (32) on an inlet valve seat ( 17).

10. A fluid dispenser comprising a fluid reservoir (6) and a dispensing member according to any one of the preceding claims.