EP1991476B1 - Dispensing nozzle for a dispenser of fluid product - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a dispensing head intended to be associated with a dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve, to form a fluid dispenser. The fluid product can be dispensed in any form, for example in the form of spray, jet, cord or hazelnut. In general, the head includes a connecting sleeve for connection to a pump or valve outlet. Internally, the sleeve is connected to a fluid dispensing orifice by an internal channel. Thus, the fluid product can flow from the outlet of the pump or the valve through this internal channel to the dispensing orifice where the user can recover the fluid. This type of dispensing head is very frequently used in the fields of cosmetics, perfumery or even pharmacy.

The dispensing heads of this type can be adapted to dispense fluid products of various kinds, ranging from the more viscous, such as gels, creams, pasta, to less viscous, such as lotions or perfumes. Take for example the case of viscous products such as creams, pastes and gels: the distribution is generally in the form of consistent clusters of fluid like cords or hazelnuts. The user is then forced to recover the fluid dispensed directly at the outlet of the dispensing orifice. Recovery is usually done by means of one or more fingers, or a specific applicator. To facilitate the recovery of this viscous fluid product, the dispensing head may for example be formed with a spout at the end of which is located the dispensing orifice. It is then easy for the user to place his fingers or his hand under the spout and directly distribute the fluid that is deposited on the fingers or the hand. Of course, the dispensing head may also be devoid of such a nozzle so that it is necessary to press the fingers, the hand or the specific applicator against the dispensing head just below the dispensing orifice. In all conventional cases, the user is forced to recover the fluid as soon as it leaves the dispensing orifice. As a result, sometimes the product fluid is not recovered correctly: the product may for example be poorly distributed on the fingers, the hand or the specific applicator. It also happens that the recovery fails and the fluid falls to the ground. Anyway, it is necessary to have a good coordination between the distribution and the recovery, since they are totally distinct.

The document US 2,722,224 A1 discloses a dispensing head for nail polish, comprising a cup in which the user comes to place his finger while pressing a pusher placed at the bottom of the cup. The cup is used to recover surplus products.

The document US 3,792,802 shows a dispensing head with a dispensing orifice opening into the bottom of a cup.

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a dispensing head for which the recovery of the fluid product is easier for the user.

To do this, the present invention proposes a dispensing head intended to be associated with a dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve, to form a fluid dispenser, the head comprising a connecting sleeve intended to be connected. on an outlet of the dispensing member, the sleeve being connected to a fluid dispensing orifice via an internal channel, the head further comprising a fluid product collecting cup for collecting the fluid product at the outlet of the dispensing orifice, the cup defining a bottom which is located below the dispensing orifice in the normal condition of use of the head, so that the fluid product falls by gravity into the cup, the head further comprising a pusher overhanging the cup. Thus, the dispensing orifice is not obstructed or congested with the fluid product that has just been dispensed. With this head, the user proceeds initially to the distribution of the fluid in the recovery cup, and in a second time the recovery of this fluid from the cup. As a result, the distribution of fluid product and the recovery of this fluid product by the user are completely decoupled, since separated by an intermediate phase in a recovery cup.

According to another interesting aspect of the invention, the cup may define a bottom and a substantially vertical edge under normal use of the head, the dispensing orifice being formed at the vertical edge, so that the fluid product can flow by gravity into the bottom of the cup. Advantageously, the cup defines a substantially horizontal access edge which is situated opposite the vertical edge. This access edge allows the user to very easily recover the fluid accumulated in the recovery cup. Advantageously, the bottom of the cup is the deepest near the vertical edge and goes up gently to the access edge. According to an interesting embodiment, the access edge extends over a portion of the outer periphery of the head. Thus, the user can easily recover the fluid product by wiping the bottom of the cup.

According to another interesting aspect of the invention, the cup partially envelops the pusher. In this way, the cup can be given a variety of shapes while maintaining a large capacity for the cup. Advantageously, the bottom of the cup is connected to the pusher by the vertical edge.

According to another advantageous aspect of the invention, the sleeve defines an axis X and the pusher defines an axis Y which is parallel to the axis X, but offset with respect thereto. This means that the thrust axis on the pusher is offset from the axis of the pump or the valve. This is a characteristic that can be implemented regardless of whether the dispensing head has a recovery cup. It is therefore a characteristic that can be protected in itself. However, in combination with a recovery cup, it allows to shift the pusher on one side of the head and use the space thus cleared for the recovery cup which can therefore have a maximum capacity for a dispensing head given.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the dispensing orifice is formed by a self-sealing slot which defines two lips in sealing contact in the absence of fluid under pressure in the head. Advantageously, the slot is formed in a core of deformable flexible material, the head being made by bi-injection, the core being injected into a housing formed by the head.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings giving by way of non-limiting example two embodiments of the invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un distributeur de produit fluide réalisé selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective de la tête de distribution de la figure 1,
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessus de la tête de distribution de la figure 2,
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe transversale verticale à travers la tête de distribution des figures 2 et 3,
• la figure 5 est une vue similaire à la figure 1 pour un second mode de réalisation de l'invention, et
• la figure 6 est une vue similaire à la figure 4 pour le second mode de réalisation.

In the figures:

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of a fluid product dispenser made according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• the figure 2 is a perspective view of the dispensing head of the figure 1 ,
• the figure 3 is a top view of the dispensing head of the figure 2 ,
• the figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the dispensing head of Figures 2 and 3 ,
• the figure 5 is a view similar to the figure 1 for a second embodiment of the invention, and
• the figure 6 is a view similar to the figure 4 for the second embodiment.

We will refer first of all to the figure 1 which represents a fluid dispenser integrating a dispensing head according to a first embodiment of the invention. The dispenser comprises a reservoir 2 which can be made from any suitable material and which can have any shape. On the figure 1 , the reservoir has a circular cylindrical configuration.

A distribution assembly 3 is mounted on the reservoir 2: this assembly 3 comprises a dispensing member (not shown), such as a pump or a valve. This pump or valve is mounted in a fixing ring 32 visible on the figure 1 . Conventionally, the pump or the valve comprises an actuating rod 31 which is axially movable back and forth. This rod 31 is partially represented on the figure 4 . The inlet of the pump or the valve is in communication with the interior of the tank 2 so that the pump or the valve can take fluid stored in the tank 2 through its inlet. Then, by actuation of the rod 31, the fluid product is discharged from the pump or the valve through the rod 31. These are characteristics quite conventional for distributors in the field of cosmetics, perfumery or pharmacy.

The dispenser also includes a dispensing head which incorporates the present invention. We will refer now indifferently to all the figures to explain the structure and functions of the dispensing head. On the figure 4 , which is a view in vertical cross section, it can be seen that the head 1 comprises a connecting sleeve 11 which is here fitted on the free end of an actuating and dispensing rod 31 forming part of a pump or of a valve. The sleeve 11 defines an internal housing in which the rod can be received in force. Beyond this sleeve 11, the head defines an outlet channel 12 which ends with a dispensing orifice 13. This orifice 13 opens at a substantially vertical wall 143 which defines a steep edge of a recovery cup 14. The orifice 13 may be located at any height in the vertical edge 143, but preferably the orifice 13 is located near the top of this vertical edge 143. Thus, most of the vertical edge 143 is located below or below the orifice 13. It can also be said that the sleeve 11 and the actuating rod 31 define a vertical actuating axis X, which is in practice merged with the axis of the pump or valve. In this context, it can be said that the dispensing orifice 13 is located axially above the foot of the edge 143. As can be seen in the figures 1 , 2 and 3 this vertical or steep edge 143 extends in a curved manner by defining the limited right of the cup 14. At its foot, the edge 143 is connected to the bottom 141 of the cup 14 which defines its greatest depth near the 143. From its deepest point, the bottom 141 goes up gently to an access edge 142 which is substantially horizontal. This edge 142 defines the left limit of the cup 14 when we look at the Figures 2, 3 and 4 . The steep edge 143 joins the access edge 142 at their respective two ends forming a transition zone.

Due to the positioning of the orifice 13 in the height of the abrupt edge 143, the dispensed fluid product will flow or fall to the bottom 141 of the cup 14 which is located axially below the edge 143. The fluid can be directly projected to the bottom 141 of the cup or flowing along the edge 143 to the bottom 141. The product thus accumulated in the cup 14 can be easily recovered by the user from the access edge 142. The recovery can be performed using one or more fingers, or using a specific applicator. It may be noted that the access edge 142 extends over a considerable part of the external periphery of the head, which further facilitates access to the cup 14. The user can thus recover the fluid product by wiping or passing from one end to the other of the access edge 142. In the embodiment shown in the figures, this access edge 142 extends substantially over one third of the periphery of the head. As for the abrupt edge 143, it extends substantially transversely with a curvature in the same direction as the edge 142, which confers on the cup a form of bean. It may also be noted in the figures that the dispensing orifice 13 is in the form of an elongated window which follows the curve of the abrupt edge 143. In this way, the fluid product is distributed substantially uniformly at the bottom 141 of the cup . Instead of this single elongated orifice, it is also possible to provide a single orifice that is more specific, or on the contrary, several distinct orifices. It can even be provided that the head 1 is mounted on a distributor of the duo type comprising two pumps or two valves. In this case, the recovery cup is intended to collect two different fluid products, for example, distributed through two different dispensing orifices, or a common dispensing orifice.

The dispensing head according to the invention also comprises a pusher 18 on which the user can press with the aid of one or more fingers to move the dispensing head and thus the actuating rod 31 of the pump or the valve. In response, a dose of fluid product is distributed through the orifice 13 in the bottom 141 of the cup 14. The pusher 18 overhangs the cup 14 and is connected to the cup by the steep wall 143 defining the orifice 13. in other words, the pusher 18 is situated axially higher than the bottom 141 of the cup 14. As can be seen on the figures 1 , 2 and 3 , the steep edge 143 partially surrounds the pusher 18 which here has a circular or annular shape. The pusher 18 may define a central depression in which the user can insert a finger to exert the pressing force. Thus, the pusher 18 defines a thrust axis Y which is preferably parallel to the axis of actuation X. However, as can be seen in FIG. figure 4 , the Y axis is distinct from the X axis, since they are arranged parallel but offset. The shift of the thrust axis on the pusher relative to the axis of actuation of the pump or the valve is a characteristic that can be implemented independently of the fact that the dispensing head incorporates a recovery cup.

Referring to the figure 3 it can be seen that the cup 14 here has the shape of a bean forming a concave part into which the pusher 18 fits. As a result, the cup at least partially envelops the pusher, in particular at its abrupt wall 143. On either side of the pusher 18, the cup 14 is connected to the pusher 18 by two lateral surfaces 17 of complex shape. Beyond, the head defines a peripheral ring 16 of variable thickness. Indeed, the thickness of this ring 16 is maximum at the pusher 18 and minimum at the access edge 142. This asymmetrical crown 16 is then extended downwards by a cylindrical skirt 15 adapted to move to the inside or around the fixing ring 32 of the fixing assembly 3.

We will now refer to Figures 5 and 6 which show a dispensing head according to a second embodiment of the invention.

The head has a general configuration substantially similar to that of Figures 1 to 4 . Indeed, the head comprises a cup 14 defining a bottom 141, a steep wall 143 and an access edge 142. However, the fluid dispensing orifice is here formed by a self-sealing slot 13 'which is made in a core 130 made of a deformable flexible material. The slot 13 'comprises two opposite lips which are in sealing contact at rest, that is to say when there is no fluid under pressure in the outlet channel 12. In contrast, when fluid product in channel 12 exceeds a certain threshold pressure, the lips deviate, to define an outlet passage for the fluid product. The core 130 fills a housing. 131 which connects the channel 12 to the steep wall 143 of the cup. The housing 131 extends over all or part of the steep wall. The core 130 is advantageously made by bi-injection, co-molding with the remainder of the head, the plastic material is harder. The bi-injection or co-molding technique provides that the core and its housing are molded in a single mold. Alternatively, the core may be overmolded on the head. Bi-injection or overmolding is possible here because the housing 131 connects the channel 12 which can be achieved using a pin. In addition, the thickness of the core taken between the channel 12 and the steep wall 143 is reduced. At the outlet of the mold, it is sufficient to cut the core 130 with a blade to make the self-sealing slot 13 '.

Since the self-sealing slot is waterproof at rest, it performs an automatic shutter function. It can also fulfill an output valve function for a pump without an outlet valve.

Of course, the figures represent only one particular embodiment with specific shapes for the pusher and the cup 14. Without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is of course possible to imagine a cup 14 with a completely different shape as well as a pusher with a shape or a totally different configuration.

Claims (10)

1. A dispenser head (1) for associating with a dispenser member, such as a pump or a valve, so as to form a fluid dispenser, the head including a connection sleeve (11) for connecting to an outlet (31) of the dispenser member, the sleeve (11) being connected to a fluid dispenser orifice (13, 13') via an internal channel (12), the head further including a fluid collection dish (14) for collecting the fluid at the outlet from the dispenser orifice, the dish defining a bottom (141) that is situated below the dispenser orifice under normal conditions of use of the head, such that the fluid drops by gravity into the dish,
   the head being characterized in that it further includes a pusher (18) that overlies the dish (14).
2. A dispenser head according to claim 1, in which the dish (14) defines a bottom (141), and a side (143) that is substantially vertical under normal conditions of use of the head, the dispenser orifice (13, 13') being formed in the vertical side (143), such that the fluid can flow by gravity into the bottom of the dish.
3. A dispenser head according to claim 2, in which the dish (14) defines an access rim (142) that is substantially horizontal, and that is situated opposite the vertical side (142).
4. A dispenser head according to claim 3, in which the bottom (141) of the dish (14) is deeper in the proximity of the vertical side (143) and slopes gently up to the access rim (142).
5. A dispenser head according to claim 3 or claim 4, in which the access rim (142) extends over a fraction of the outer periphery of the head.
6. A dispenser head according to any preceding claim, in which the dish (14) partially surrounds the pusher (18).
7. A dispenser head according to claim 2, in which the bottom (141) of the dish (14) is connected to the pusher (18) via the vertical side (143).
8. A dispenser head according to any preceding claim, in which the sleeve (11) defines an axis X, and the pusher (18) defines an axis Y that is parallel to the axis X, but that is offset therefrom.
9. A dispenser head according to any preceding claim, in which, the dispenser orifice is formed by a self-sealing slot (13') that defines two lips that are in leaktight contact in the absence of fluid under pressure inside the head.
10. A dispenser head according to claim 9, in which the slot (13') is formed in a core (130) of deformable flexible material, the head being made by dual-injection, the core being injected-molded into a housing (131) formed by the head.

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