EP1928611A1

EP1928611A1 - Pump for dispensing a sample product

Info

Publication number: EP1928611A1
Application number: EP06808069A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Guy-Noël SIBILEAU; Christophe Peck; Philippe Moussion; Jean-Baptiste Abonneau
Original assignee: Socoplan SAS
Current assignee: Socoplan SAS
Priority date: 2005-09-27
Filing date: 2006-09-05
Publication date: 2008-06-11
Also published as: FR2891260B1; FR2891260A1; WO2007036618A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a pump (2) for dispensing a sample product, particularly designed to be fixed on a planar support. The pump comprises a pump head (30) mounted freely mobile between a position for delivering said product and an inactive position in a pump body. It also comprises means (8) for being directly or indirectly fixed on said planar support. The pump head and the pump body have a generally flattened shape, having one lateral surface with two opposite main parts, said lateral surface being inscribed substantially entirely between two parallel planes located proximate each other, both main opposite parts being located in or immediately proximate the two planes so that the two main parts form support surfaces for distributing the pressure loads along directions perpendicular to said planes and friction loads along directions parallel to said planes, so as to prevent the pump from being damaged.

Description

Dispensing pump of a sample product

The invention relates to a dispensing pump designed to be implemented in a fluid sample dispenser, said dispenser being particularly intended to be placed flat in magazines, newspapers or other brochures, or in postal mail.

The product sample will be understood to mean any single-dose or bidose quantity of the order of one milliliter.

The invention is particularly applicable to the delivery of a fluid product from the field of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, detergents, perfumery or the like in the form of a sample in the context of a general public distribution to advertising purposes.

The dispensing pumps according to the invention must be designed to be placed in dispensers of the type flexible bags forming reservoir, said pockets being each formed by two flexible walls secured by their edges, the surface of one of the two walls serving as surface fixing the pocket to a flat document, such as a magazine page or an advertising document.

The disadvantage of such bags lies in the fact that they are often difficult to tear to extract the product. Moreover, it happens that the product enclosed in the pockets flows on the outer surfaces of the walls of the pocket, which makes the pocket viscous and not pleasant to handle.

At the origin of the invention, it has therefore been chosen to implement a dispensing pump or the like, ensuring a more precise and cleaner delivery for the consumer.

Fluid dispensers of the type are known comprising a flexible bag forming a reservoir for the fluid product, a pocket support on which the bag is fixed and a pump in fluid communication with the bag forming tank. In particular, the document FR-A-2 804 093 describes a fluid dispenser

Such dispensers are not designed to deliver small doses of product, nor to be laid out flat in magazines, nor to be addressed by mail. Also, In particular, they comprise pumps do ^'not withstand a pressure of more than one ton and explode pockets.

The invention aims to remedy these problems by proposing a distribution pump particularly designed to withstand the stresses of resistance to pressure and friction that are those imposed by the diffusion of sample dispensers in magazines or in postal couriers.

In particular, distributors intended for distribution by press or mail must meet the requirements imposed by a test consisting in applying to the distributor a load of the order of 2.5 tons for 6 seconds.

For this purpose, and according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a dispensing pump for a sample liquid product, especially intended to be fixed on a plane support. The pump comprises a free mounted pump head moving between a delivery position of the liquid product and a rest position in a pump body. The pump also has fastening means on the thin walls. According to the invention, the pump head and the pump body have a generally flattened shape having a lateral face having two opposite main parts, this lateral face being inscribed substantially entirely between two parallel planes located close to one of the other. The two opposite main parts are located in or close to the two planes so that the two main parts form bearing surfaces ensuring the distribution of pressure forces in directions perpendicular to the planes and friction forces in directions parallel to the planes, in order to avoid the degradation of the pump. According to a first embodiment, the dispensing pump is designed to be implemented in a dispenser, between two flexible thin walls having external fixing surfaces, the pump comprising a fastening member on the thin flexible walls, the body being attached to the pump body.

In the context of this first embodiment, the fastener 8 advantageously has a thickness greater than that of the pump body, so that the member prevents any direct pressure on said pump body and thus forms a protective element for the pump body. In addition, the member comprises in particular bearing surfaces on the thin walls and has a generally flat overall shape to withstand pressure forces and friction forces, the bearing surfaces also constituting at least partly surfaces of fixing thin flexible walls.

According to another alternative embodiment, the member comprises at least two substantially flat bearing surfaces, facing one another and substantially parallel to each other.

According to yet another variant embodiment, the fixing member has flats constituting a set of bearing surfaces.

According to yet another variant, the fastener and the pump body are made in one piece.

To avoid any distortion of magazines in which the dispenser (equipped with pump according to the invention) could be slipped, it is in particular provided that the pump head has a thickness of about 3 mm (+ or - 2 mm).

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, among which:

FIG. 1 is a planar representation of a fluid dispenser comprising a pump according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows, in front view, a dispensing pump according to the invention implemented in the dispenser shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 represents, in front view, a lower part of the dispensing pump illustrated in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the part of the pump illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the part of the pump illustrated in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line IX-IX of the part of the pump illustrated in FIG. 6,

FIG. 7 is an enlargement of a part of FIG. 6 indicated by a circle X,

FIG. 8 is an enlargement of a part of FIG. 3 indicated by a circle X1; FIG. 9 shows a second part of the pump illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a view from below of the device illustrated in FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIG. 9,

FIG. 12 is an enlargement of a part of the device of FIG. 11 indicated by a circle XV, and FIG. 13 is an enlargement of a part of the device of FIG. 9 indicated by a circle XVI.

Unless otherwise stated, the dispensing pump 2 which will be described is shown being arranged with its reservoir 3 placed downwards, in the lower part.

The dispensing pump 2 is specially designed to be fixed between two flexible walls 4 and 5 forming an advertising medium or mounting surface on a flat document, such as a magazine page or mail. As shown in FIG. 1, the two walls 4 and 5 are joined by their edges and thus form a pocket containing the dispensing pump, the pocket / pump assembly constituting a dispenser 1.

The bag containing the dispensing pump could constitute a reservoir of sample product to be dispensed.

However, it must be understood that this tank could also have the sole function of protecting the pump and the liquid it contains, in particular thanks to the materials whose walls are formed.

Thus, the thin walls are made in such a way that they protect the sample product and the pump by virtue of its sealing properties against light, gases and liquids.

The walls can also preserve volatile elements such as essential and / or active principles.

A pre-cut line 21 in each of the walls 4 and 5 opens the dispenser and is a tamper evidence before a first opening.

This pre-cut line 21 is represented along a horizontal line, such as the lower edge of the thin flexible walls 4 or 5 enclosing the distribution pump 2.

It is with respect to this typical position of a distributor 1 that the words "horizontal", "vertical", "high", or "low" are understood. The term "upper" will refer to the parts of the dispenser located above the precut line 21, while the term "inferior" will refer to the parts of the dispenser located under the precut line 21. The distributor to which the pump according to the invention applies is illustrated in FIG. 1. The pump 2 is represented in its entirety in FIG.

The pump 2 is made to deliver a single dose of fluid, of the order of one milliliter.

However, it should be understood that the pump 2 according to the invention could be designed to deliver two doses or even three doses, but it can not deliver a total volume greater than 5 mL, so that the pump 2 is exclusively designed for the diffusion of samples of fluid product.

In the context of the exemplary embodiments illustrated, the fluid product is a cosmetic product of the perfume type.

The thin flexible walls 4 and 5, enclosing the dispensing pump, are constituted by two hermetically sealed sheets of substantially rectangular shape, which are arranged opposite one another, on either side of the dispensing pump 2 .

The shape of the walls could be different without affecting the invention. Indeed, the thin walls could be square, round, polygonal or other. The thin walls could also define a rigid container of small thickness, in three dimensions.

The thin flexible walls 4 and 5 are secured in a sealed manner by their side edges 18 and 20, and their lower edges 20 and upper 24 by welding, over a width of about 5 mm.

Thus secured, the thin walls constitute a lower pocket 25 to accommodate the dispensing pump 2, and an upper pocket 26 in which can also slide any part of the dispensing pump 2 emerging from the lower pocket 25, the lower pockets 25 and upper 26 being delimited by the pre-cut line 21 made through the walls 4 and 5. It will be understood that the joining of the walls 4 and 5 along their lower edge 19 is not essential. Indeed, the walls 4 and 5 are not necessarily intended to provide a home pocket for the dispensing pump since the primary function of the walls 4 and 5 is to serve as a mounting support on a flat document, or to constitute an advertising medium. For this purpose, the walls 4 and 5 each have an outer surface 6 and 7 respectively.

Each of the thin flexible walls 4, 5 also has an inner surface 22 and 23 respectively which are fixed at least partially on a fastener 8 of the dispensing pump 2.

The member 8 has a thickness e greater than or substantially equal to the thickness e 'of a pump body 16 of the dispensing pump 2. It thus constitutes a protection element for the pump body 16 since it prevents any direct pressure on the latter.

The thickness of the dispenser does not exceed 3 mm (+ or - 2 mm), which makes it possible to slide the dispenser between two pages of magazine without substantially deforming it.

The member 8 also has a substantially flattened overall shape.

The member 8 has a side face having two opposite main parts 10 and 13, this lateral face being inscribed substantially entirely between two parallel planes P1 and P2 located close to each other. The two opposite main parts 10 and 13 are located in or close to the two planes P1 and P2 so that the two main parts 10 and 13 form bearing surfaces which provide the distribution of pressure forces in perpendicular directions. said planes and friction forces in directions parallel to said planes, to avoid degradation of said pump The two main parts forming bearing surfaces 10 and 13 (Figure 4) are thus substantially flat, facing one another and substantially parallel to each other.

The fastener 8 may be machined so as to form flats constituting a set of bearing surfaces 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 (Figure 4).

The flats can also be formed by molding.

Incidentally, the fastener could have curved surfaces, these surfaces defining a shape such that they have at least three points of support for the press implemented in the tests carried out to test the resistance to pressure.

Thus achieved, the fastener 8 provides support surfaces sufficient to withstand pressure forces and frictional forces, for example when several documents equipped with a distributor are stacked on top of each other.

The thin walls 4 and 5 of the distributor are fixed on all the bearing surfaces 9 to 14 of the member 8 for optimum fixation.

In addition, the fastener 8 is rigidly associated with the dispensing pump 2, so as to prevent any movement of the dispensing pump 2 between the flexible walls 4 and 5.

The dispensing pump 2 comprises a pump head 30, a pump body 16 (see above) and a reservoir 3.

In a conventional manner, the pump head 30 is movably mounted in the pump body 16 between a delivery position of the liquid product and a rest position. The pump head 30 is extended, in the lower part, by a tube 31 for sampling the product contained in a tank 3 '.

A channel 32 passing through the pump head 30 and the tube 31 ensures the flow of the liquid product in the pump head to an outlet orifice 33.

The pump head 30 comprises a compression chamber, ensuring the delivery of a dose of product, and a vortex chamber for diffusion of the product. Neither the compression chamber nor the tourbiilonnaire chamber has been shown for the sake of clarity of the figures.

The pump head 30 has a generally flattened shape and is of rectangular section.

The pump head has a side face having two opposite main parts 50 and 51, this lateral face being substantially completely inscribed between two parallel planes located close to each other, the two opposite main parts 50 and 51 being located in or near the two planes (Figure 11).

The tube 31 is made in the extension of the vertical axis of symmetry of the pump head 30.

The pump 2 is movably mounted in displacement in a pump body 16 between a rest position and a product delivery position.

To do this, the pump body 16 has a receiving housing 34 of complementary section to that of the pump head 30 (Figure 6 in particular). In addition, the pump head 30 is equipped with elastic return means.

These elastic return means are constituted by arcuate tabs 35 and 36, whose curvature is directed towards the vertical axis of symmetry of the head of the pump 30, the tabs 35 and 36 protruding from the lower edge 37 of the pump head 30 adjacent the side edges 38 and 39.

In the context of an alternative embodiment not shown, the pump could be made without spring. It would then no longer be necessary to provide means ensuring the return of the pump to the initial position, after delivery of the dose of product.

The pump body 16 also constitutes the fastening and protection member 8 of the dispensing pump on the thin and flexible walls 4 and 5.

In the context of the illustrated embodiment, the section of the pump body 16 is hexagonal, and has parallel sides in pairs.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular form.

It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the one-piece construction of a pump body 16 and a fastener 8.

For example, another alternative embodiment of the pump could consist in distinctly making a fastener 8 and a pump body 16, and provide in the fastener 8 a housing of size and shape complementary to that of the body pump 16 to accommodate it.

A tube 40 is made integral with the bottom 41 of the receiving housing 34 of the pump body 16. The tube 40 communicates with the receiving housing 34 by means of a channel 42 passing through the bottom 41 at its center.

The tube 40 comprises in the lower part the reservoir 3 initially closed by a lid 43, tearable during a first use of the pump, to allow the passage of the product contained in the tank 3 in the channel 42.

The seal 43 thus constitutes a tamper proof indicator for the pump before use. The tube 40 (integral with the pump body 16) has an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the tube 31 (integral with the pump head 30).

In this way, the tube 31 is introduced into the tube 40 and can move in vertical translation.

To tear the lid 43 closing the tank 3, the end of the tube 31 is made in the form of a bevel 44.

In order to avoid any accidental tearing of the lid 43, means are provided which create resistance to vertical displacement of the pump head 30 before a first voluntary use.

These resistance means may consist, on the one hand, of two lateral rods 45 and 46 projecting from the inner side walls of the receiving housing 34 formed in the pump body 16, and on the other hand by a bead 47 projecting punctually on each of the lateral sides of the pump head 30, in the vicinity of the arcuate tabs 35 and 36.

The projecting beads 47 and the projecting internal rods 45 and 46 are of a size and shape such that a bead 47 is housed between two projecting rods 45 and 46.

The projecting internal rods 45 and 46 are made at a distance d from the bottom 41 of the housing 34. The distance d is such that, before a first use, when the pump head 30 is introduced into the housing 34, the beveled end 44 of the tube 31 does not come into contact with the lid 43.

To tear the lid 43, it is necessary that the user exerts a pressure on the pump head 30 sufficient to clear the beads 47 from between the inner rods 45 and 46. The tapered end 44 then tears the lid 43 under the action of the vertical downward movement generated by the pressure exerted on the pump head 30. The distributor can then be slipped between two pages of a magazine without, however, greatly deforming the latter.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the pump according to the invention is not limited to that specifically described above.

Furthermore, the pump according to the invention could be used alone, without being attached to thin walls, and be slid directly into a magazine.

Claims

1. Dispensing pump (2) of a sample liquid product, specially intended to be fixed on a plane support, said pump comprising a pump head (30) freely mounted in displacement between a delivery position of said liquid product and a position resting device in a pump body (16), said pump having direct or indirect fixing means (8) on said flat support, characterized in that said pump head and said pump body have a generally flattened shape having a face having two opposite main portions (50, 51; 10, 13), said lateral face being substantially completely inscribed between two planes

. parallel to each other, the two opposite main parts (50, 51; 10; 13) being located in or in close proximity to the two planes so that the two main parts form bearing surfaces ensuring the distribution of pressure forces in directions perpendicular to said planes and friction forces in directions parallel to said planes, in order to avoid degradation of said pump.

2. Dispensing pump according to claim 1, designed to be implemented in a distributor (1), between two flexible thin walls (4, 5) having external fixing surfaces, said pump comprising a fixing member (8). on said thin walls (4, 5), said member being attached to said pump body (16).

3. Pump according to claim 2, characterized in that said fastener (8) has a thickness (e) greater than that (e ') of said pump body (16), so that said member (8) prevents any direct pressure on said pump body (16) and thereby forms a protection element for said pump body (16), said member also having bearing surfaces (9-14) on the thin walls (4, 5) and having a generally flattened overall shape for supporting said pressure and friction forces, said bearing surfaces (9-14) also at least partly constituting attachment surfaces of said thin walls (4, 5).

4. Pump according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said member comprises at least two bearing surfaces (10, 13) substantially flat, facing one another and substantially parallel to each other.

5. Pump according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the fastener (8) has flats constituting a set of bearing surfaces (9-14).

6. Pump according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the fastener (8) has a maximum thickness (e) of the order of 3 mm (+ or - 2 mm).

7. Pump according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the fastener (8) and the pump body are made in one piece.

8. Pump according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said reservoir is closed by a tamper-proof seal (43) before a first use.

9. Pump according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises means creating resistance to the vertical displacement of the pump head (30) before a first voluntary use.

10. Pump according to claim 9, characterized in that said resistance means are constituted, on the one hand, by two lateral rods (45, 46) provided in projecting internal side walls to a receiving housing (34) arranged in the pump body (16), and on the other hand by a bead (47) punctually projecting on each of the lateral sides of the pump head

(30).

11. Pump according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises elastic return means of the pump head (30) in the rest position.

12. Pump according to claim 11, characterized in that said elastic return means are constituted by arcuate tabs (35, 36), whose curvature is directed towards the vertical axis of symmetry of the pump head (30), the tabs (35,36) projecting from the lower edge (37) of the pump head (30) in the vicinity of its side edges (38,39).