EP1838588B1 - Fluid product dispensing assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid product dispensing assembly. The inventive assembly consists of: an external container (1) which is equipped with an opening, said container comprising an internal wall defining an internal space; an internal lining (2) which is disposed in the internal space; and a dispensing member (4), such as a pump, which is used to dispense the fluid product. The invention is characterised in that the assembly also comprises a barrier envelope (3) which is intended to contain the fluid product and which is disposed inside the aforementioned internal lining (2), such that the fluid product does not come into contact with the internal lining (2). The invention is also characterised in that the container (1) is made from a transparent or translucent material, such as glass, such that the internal lining (2) is visible through the container. The invention is further characterised in that the internal lining (2) is substantially opaque so as to mask the above-mentioned barrier envelope (3) at least partially and preferably completely.

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser assembly comprising a container defining an internal space, an inner liner disposed in the inner space and a dispensing member, such as a pump, for dispensing fluid product.

Perfumery and cosmetics are preferred but not exclusive fields of application of the present invention.

Numerous fluid product distribution assemblies have been developed in the prior art. The fluid product contained in such sets may for example be a lotion, a cream or a perfume. These sets related to luxury products require a particularly neat appearance to attract the consumer. Thus, the designers of such sets can play on different parameters to highlight these sets such as their shape, their color or their design material (s). Examples of embodiments of such materials include placing an inner liner in a fluid reservoir. This internal lining may for example correspond to plastic leaflets provided with inscriptions or ornamental patterns arranged in a floatation in the fluid reservoir. These leaflets, decorative and / or informative purpose, can then be seen by transparency through the fluid reservoir, thus giving a particularly attractive overall aesthetic appearance.

However, physicochemical interactions are likely to occur between the fluid and the inner liner. These interactions can then give rise to a modification of the physicochemical composition of the fluid product to be distributed that may cause changes in properties or the appearance of the product. Therefore, these effects are particularly troublesome. This therefore results in great complexity to achieve a distribution assembly with an internal liner insusceptible to begin the integrity of the fluid product to be dispensed. the integrity of the fluid product to be dispensed.

In the prior art document is known WO 88/08334 a dispenser comprising a flexible pouch disposed in a container which is housed in a receptacle. On the other hand, we also know the document JP 04102566 which describes a pocket disposed in a receptacle.

The present invention therefore aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

In particular, the present invention aims to provide a dispensing assembly provided with an internal liner insusceptible to generate physico-chemical changes of the fluid contained in the reservoir.

The present invention also aims to provide a dispensing assembly having a particularly original and attractive physiognomy.

The present invention also aims to provide a dispensing assembly that is simple to manufacture and assemble and having a low cost.

Another object of the present invention is to ensure the integrity of the fluid to be dispensed even when the container has a very small opening relative to the body of the container.

The subject of the present invention is therefore a fluid dispenser assembly according to claim 1. This particular arrangement thus makes it possible to separate the internal seal from the fluid product to be dispensed and thus to prevent any alteration of the fluid product by contact with the fluid. garnish. In addition, this invention imparts a particularly aesthetic decorative appearance to the dispensing assembly.

The barrier envelope is flexible so as to be enterable through the opening of the container and deployable to inside the trim. The deformability properties of such an envelope or flexible pouch facilitate its introduction and its deployment in the internal space by insertion into the opening defined by the neck of the outer container. This insertion can thus be performed with the envelope folded or rolled up. Then, this envelope, unfolds so as to occupy substantially all of this internal space. Such a flexible pouch is particularly suitable for use with perfume bottles. Indeed, this type of bottle generally has an upper end provided with a shoulder from which extends a neck defining an opening of restricted diameter. So if the reservoir is formed by a flexible pouch, said pouch can unfold so as to extend to below this shoulder in order to ensure that the volume occupied by the fluid product is maximum relative to the internal space defined by the outer container. The use of such a pocket thus makes it possible not to mislead the buyer of such a bottle on the amount of fluid present in the outer container. According to this exemplary embodiment, the barrier envelope can therefore be defined as a reservoir of fluid product perfectly conforming to the internal space defined by the outer container. The outer container may be defined as a covering shell of a fluid reservoir.

The use of a flexible pouch disposed in a rigid outer container or shell is already known from the prior art. The pocket then serves as a reservoir without air and without air intake. In the present invention, the flexible pouch is used as a barrier to separate the fluid from the liner with which it could interact.

According to another characteristic, the barrier envelope extends inside the lining being at least locally out of contact with the lining. This is for example the case of a flexible pouch.

Advantageously, the liner is flexible and extends at least locally out of contact with the container. The liner can thus be mounted floating in an intermediate space between the inner wall of the outer container and the fluid reservoir, which can be rigid or flexible.

The lining is formed by a coating, such as lacquer or varnish, applied to the inner wall of the container. The liner may extend over all or part of the inner wall of the container. Some areas of the inner wall may remain bare.

Advantageously, said dispensing member is a pump, of the atmospheric or airless type, capable of taking off the fluid contained in said barrier envelope. Advantageously, said envelope is vented by an atmospheric pump and / or by a vent passage formed at the neck of the container.

It should be noted that the use of an atmospheric pump mounted in a flexible envelope and the venting of such a flexible envelope can be implemented and protected independently of the characteristics related to the lining. Indeed, by venting the flexible bag, it is diverted from its primary function, namely to maintain the fluid contained in it out of contact with the ambient air. In this, the venting of a flexible pouch is surprising because it goes against its conventional use. In addition, the venting of the pocket keeps it in its maximum deployed configuration. This avoids the formation of folds and compartments that could trap a portion of the fluid.

Advantageously, said envelope is directly attached to the opening of the container by wedging between the upper edge of the neck and a seal. This arrangement makes it possible to dispense with the use of a specific support to maintain the barrier envelope in position in the outer container. The fact of dispensing with such a part has the effect of lowering the overall cost of the dispensing device. In addition, the assembly of said envelope is facilitated due to the suppression of the ultrasonic welding step of the pocket on its support conventionally implemented with this type of pocket. In addition, it is possible to use a pump of larger diameter, because there is room in the opening of the container because of the absence of a pocket support which normally surrounds the pump.

Advantageously, said inner liner is physically or chemically incompatible with the fluid product to be dispensed.

Advantageously, the fluid product is perfume.

Advantageously, said opening of the outer container has an internal diameter of between 8 and 20 mm. The body of the container may have a diameter much greater than 20mm.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en section transversale d'un ensemble de distribution selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en section transversale d'un ensemble de distribution selon un non couvert par mode de réalisation l'invention,
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique en section transversale d'un ensemble de distribution selon un non couvert par mode de réalisation l'invention,
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique en section transversale d'un ensemble de distribution selon un non couvert par mode de réalisation l'invention.

The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings giving, by way of non-limiting examples, several embodiments of the invention and in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a distribution assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• the figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dispensing assembly according to a non-covered embodiment of the invention,
• the figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dispensing assembly according to a non-covered embodiment of the invention,
• the figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dispensing assembly according to a non-covered embodiment of the invention.

With reference to the figures, the fluid dispenser assembly according to the invention comprises an outer container 1, an inner lining 2, and a barrier envelope 3.

The outer container 1 is made of a transparent or translucent material, such as material (s) (s) plastic (s) or preferably glass. This container 1 comprises a side wall 10 comprising a lower end closed by a bottom 12 and an upper end provided with a neck 13. The neck 13 has a restricted cross-sectional dimension relative to the cross-sectional dimension of the side wall 10 and is connected to the side wall 10 by a shoulder 11 preferably substantially radial. This neck 13 protrudes upwardly from this shoulder 11 and defines an upper edge 14. Such a neck defines an opening communicating the interior of the outer container with the outside. This opening is advantageously of the order of 8 to 20 mm in diameter, this range corresponding to standard neck diameters for perfume-cosmetic bottles.

The bottom 12, the wall 10, the shoulder 11 and the neck 13 respectively define an inner surface 120, 100, 110, 130. These internal surfaces together define the inner wall of the outer container. This inner wall thus delimits an internal space accessible through the opening of the neck 13.

It should be noted that the outer container may have any suitable configuration such as a cylindrical, spherical, parallelepipedic, cubic configuration etc., the invention is not limited to a particular form.

• Les figures 1, 3 et 4 représentent une garniture interne 2 sous forme de couche ou de revêtement tapissant la paroi interne du récipient externe 1. Avantageusement, ce revêtement est une laque, une peinture ou un vernis de finition appliqué sur la totalité ou seulement une partie de la paroi interne du récipient. Cette laque, cette peinture ou ce vernis peuvent par exemple être appliqué au moyen d'une buse de pulvérisation introduite dans l'ouverture définie par le col 13 du récipient.
• La figure 2 représente une garniture interne 2' non couverte par l'invention montée lâche ou flottante dans l'espace interne du récipient externe. Cette garniture peut par exemple se présenter sous forme de feuillets réalisés en matériau plastique. Ces feuillets peuvent alors être fixés au niveau du bord supérieur 14 du col par thermosoudage ou par coincement. La garniture peut aussi être totalement flottante sans fixation au récipient.

Two embodiments of the inner lining 2, 2 'have been shown in the figures.

• The figures 1 , 3 and 4 represent an internal lining 2 in the form of a layer or coating lining the inner wall of the outer container 1. Advantageously, this coating is a lacquer, a paint or a finishing varnish applied to all or only a portion of the inner wall of the container . This lacquer, this paint or this varnish may for example be applied by means of a spray nozzle introduced into the opening defined by the neck 13 of the container.
• The figure 2 represents an internal lining 2 'not covered by the invention mounted loose or floating in the internal space of the outer container. This lining may for example be in the form of sheets made of plastic material. These leaflets can then be fixed at the upper edge 14 of the neck by heat sealing or by wedging. The lining can also be totally floating without attachment to the container.

It should be noted that the internal linings 2, 2 'have the particularity of being made of a substantially opaque material. This opacity allows a liner to be visible from the outside through the transparent or translucent walls of the container and thus allows a user to clearly distinguish the pattern or shape of the liner from the container as such. In addition, such an opacity has the advantage of partially or completely masking, according to the degree of distribution of said lining in the container, the barrier envelope 3, 3 ', 3 ", in other words, the barrier envelope 3, 3'. , 3 "will not be visible from the outside where the trim will be provided.

Three embodiments of the barrier envelope will now be described. The barrier envelope 3, 3 ', 3 "is intended to receive or be in contact with the fluid to be dispensed, this envelope thus constituting the reservoir of fluid product itself. Advantageously, the fluid product contained in this reservoir is a perfume, a cream or a lotion chemically or physically incompatible with the internal lining.

The figures 1 and 2 represent a flexible or deformable barrier envelope 3. This envelope corresponds to a flexible pouch generally encountered in "airless" systems. Such flexible bags are foldable and therefore adapted to be inserted through the opening of the neck so as to be placed in the internal space defined by the container 1. They are generally made from a complex aluminum / plastic film.

This flexible bag has a peripheral wall 30 comprising a lower end closed by a bottom 32 and an upper end provided with a neck 33 defining an opening. A substantially radial shoulder 31 makes the junction between the neck 33 and the peripheral wall 30.

The bottom 32, the wall 30 and the shoulder 31, once introduced into the internal space of the container 1, are preferably deployed so as to occupy substantially all of this internal space. Thus, this flexible pouch can be dimensioned so that the bottom 32, the wall 30 and the shoulder 31 come into contact respectively against the internal surfaces of the bottom 12, the wall 10 and the shoulder 11 of the outer container 1.

Once the flexible pouch is in place, the flexible pouch can be filled with fluid. An outwardly extending fold may then be formed at the upper end of the neck 33 of this pocket. This fold then forms a radial flange 34 adapted to rest on the upper edge 14 of the neck. A seal 5 can then be interposed between this radial flange and a dispensing member 4 to seal the dispenser member to the pocket.

The dispensing member 4 may be a pump. This pump may be of the atmospheric type, that is to say with air intake, or airless type, that is to say without air intake. It should be noted that an atmospheric pump is advantageously used so as to keep a substantially constant volume of the bag as the fluid product is dispensed. Indeed, the volume of outgoing fluid product will be substituted by an equivalent volume of air entering. The incoming air then generally passes through a vent passage formed in the same pump. Therefore, the flexible pouch will not retract on itself contrary to what is the case when used with an airless pump and therefore will not present folds responsible for trapping fluid product. Otherwise a similar result can be obtained with an airless pump if a venting passage is provided at the neck of the bottle so as to allow atmospheric air to enter said flexible bag. Finally, if an airless pump is used without venting the flexible pouch, the fluid product will be kept out of the air. This isolation of the product thus makes it possible to avoid any microbial contamination or physico-chemical modification of the product contained in the flexible pouch.

The pump conventionally comprises a body 40 provided at its upper end with a collar 41 intended to bear against the seal 5 and at its lower end with a sleeve for fixing a dip tube 42. fixing ring 44 holds the flexible pouch 3, the seal 5 and the dispensing member 4 at the neck of the outer container. This ring can be a crimp ring, snap or screw. An actuating rod 43 adapted to move by leaktight sliding in the body 40 is provided to cause volume variations of a metering chamber generally delimited by inlet and outlet valves. This rod internally defines an outlet channel for the fluid product contained in the metering chamber. As shown on figures 1 and 2 this actuating rod can be connected to a pusher 45 forming a dispensing orifice 46.

According to this particular embodiment, the dispensing of fluid contained in the flexible bag 3 is done by exerting an axial manual pressure on the pusher. The use of an atmospheric pump allows the flexible pouch to keep a constant volume as previously explained. On the contrary, when an airless pump is implemented, each actuation will tend to gradually reduce the volume of the flexible bag 3.

According to an embodiment not covered by the invention illustrated on the figure 3 , the barrier envelope 3 'advantageously forms a coating applied to the internal liner 2. This coating then forms an overlayer with respect to the inner lining 2 pressed against the inner wall of the container 1. In the embodiment of the figure 3 , the inner wall of the container is completely covered with internal lining and the barrier envelope completely covers the inner liner. It is also conceivable that the lining is locally interrupted, so that the barrier envelope is visible. The fluid product contained inside the barrier envelope 3 'can then in no case come into contact with the inner liner 2. It should be noted that such a barrier envelope in the form of a coating can also be applied on a floating mounted internal seal.

In this embodiment of the figure 3 , the dispensing member is formed by a plug 4 'provided with an outlet orifice 46. This plug can be secured to the outer container by means of snap lugs or a snap ring 47 which is housed under the upper edge 14 of the neck. It is also possible that this plug has a lip selfjoint. In this case, the side wall 10 of the outer container is deformable and the exercise of manual pressure on the wall tends to cause a displacement of the fluid to the lip. This movement of fluid product then generates a crack in the lip which results in a fluid outlet fluid.

According to an embodiment not covered by the invention shown on the figure 4 , the dispensing assembly comprises a barrier envelope in the form of a rigid reservoir 3 ", advantageously maintained in the container 1 by a support 6.

The support 6 forms a holster capable of extending inside the internal lining 2 provided in the form of a coating applied to the inner wall of the container 1. This holster may comprise a body 60 provided with a lower end closed by a bottom 61 and an upper end defining an opening. The upper end may comprise a bearing flange 62 adapted to bear on the upper edge 14 of the neck in the mounting position. It should be noted that it is desirable for the cylindrical body to have an external diameter substantially equal to or slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the neck 13 of so that the filling of the internal space by the holster is optimal. Similarly, the bottom 61 of the case can abut against the bottom 120 of the outer container.

This case can be held in place on the neck 13 of the container by means of a fastener 7. The fastener 7 comprises a radial plate 70 traversed by a substantially central opening. An inner skirt 71 and a peripheral skirt 72 extend downwardly from this radial plate. The inner skirt may be provided with projections projecting radially inwardly adapted to snap under the upper edge 14 of the neck. This snapping then makes it possible to hold the case 6 in position on the neck by wedging the bearing flange 62 between the upper edge 14 of the neck and a portion of the radial plate 70. On the other hand, it can be provided that the skirt Device 72 is placed in the continuity of the side wall 10 of the outer container during the final assembly of the fastener 9 on the neck.

The rigid reservoir 3 "forms an elongate tube that can be received in the case 6 previously positioned in the outer container The rigid reservoir 300" may be made of plastic material or advantageously of glass. This rigid reservoir comprises a cylindrical shaft 30 provided with a lower end formed by a bottom 32 and an upper end defining an opening. This upper end advantageously comprises a projecting neck 33. Furthermore, a plug 4 "provided with an outlet passage 46 can be assembled at the upper end of the tank 3". This cap can be secured to the reservoir by means of a fixing ring 8. The reservoir 3 "can be introduced through the respective openings of the fastener 7 and the case 6 so as to extend to the The final position of the reservoir is reached when the fixing ring 8 bears against the radial plate 70 of the fixing member 7. This reservoir can be easily extracted from the holster and thus can be replaceable charging office by the user as soon as its contents are exhausted It should be noted that it is desirable for the reservoir 3 "to conform perfectly to the appearance of the case. The reservoir therefore advantageously has a substantially equal or slightly smaller external diameter. the inner diameter of the case and the bottom 32 of the reservoir advantageously comes into contact with the bottom 61 of the case in the final position of mounting the reservoir in the case. Such a configuration thus makes it possible to have a distribution assembly with a refill having an optimized fluid volume.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular examples, those skilled in the art could make any useful modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention defined by the appended claims.

Claims (8)

1. A fluid dispenser assembly comprising:

   . an outer receptacle (1) including an opening, said receptacle including an inside wall defining an inside space, said receptacle (1) being made of a transparent or translucent material, such as glass, the receptacle (1) containing a fluid;

   . internal trim (2) disposed in the inside space, the internal trim (2) being visible through the receptacle (1);

   . a dispenser member (4; 4'; 4"), such as a pump, for dispensing the fluid; and

   . a barrier envelope (3) for containing the fluid, said envelope being disposed inside the internal trim (2) so that the fluid is not in contact with said internal trim (2), the internal trim (2) being opaque so as to mask at least some, and preferably all, of said barrier envelope (3), the barrier envelope (3) is flexible, in such a manner as to be insertable through the opening in the receptacle (1) and deployable inside the trim (2),

   the assembly being characterized in that the trim (2) is formed by a coating, such as a lacquer or a varnish, that is applied to the inside wall of the receptacle (1).
2. A dispenser assembly according to claim 1, in which the barrier envelope (3) extends inside the trim (2), and, at least locally, it is not in contact with the trim (2).
3. A dispenser assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which said envelope (3) is fastened directly onto the opening in the receptacle (1) by pinching it between the top edge (14) of the neck and a gasket (5).
4. A dispenser assembly according to any preceding claim, in which said internal trim (2) is physically or chemically incompatible with the fluid to be dispensed.
5. A dispenser assembly according to any preceding claim, in which the fluid is perfume.
6. A dispenser assembly according to any preceding claim, in which said opening in the outer receptacle (1) presents an inside diameter that lies in the range 8 mm to 20 mm.
7. A dispenser assembly according to any preceding claim, in which said dispenser member (4) is a pump, of the atmospheric or airless type, that is suitable for taking the fluid contained in said barrier envelope (3).
8. A dispenser assembly according to any preceding claim, in which said envelope (3) is vented by an atmospheric pump and/or by a vent hole formed in the neck (13) of the receptacle (1).

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