EP2246122B1 - Application device for liquid or paste media - Google Patents

Description

Field of application and state of the art

The invention relates to a discharge device for liquid or pasty media according to the preamble of claim 1.

Generic discharge devices are known from the prior art. The design of discharge devices with two medium reservoirs, which are filled or filled with different media, allows these media to be passed through just before a discharge process. This makes it possible, for example, to adjust the mixing ratio between the first and the second medium on a case-by-case basis.

From the pharmaceutical field discharge devices are known in which two media, in particular a carrier liquid and a powdery medium, are mixed immediately before a discharge process by first the medium from one of the media storage is promoted in the other, so that it comes to a Durchmengung. Subsequently, the mixed medium thus produced is then discharged through the discharge opening.

From the pharmaceutical field discharge devices are known in which medium is conveyed from each medium by means of a common actuating handle, wherein the conveyed media subsequently pass through in a mixing chamber and then discharged together.

From the EP 1092642 A1 is a dispenser with two liquid reservoirs known whose respective liquids are intended durchmengt before discharge. For this purpose, the liquid is passed from one of the liquid storage before discharge in the other liquid storage. In order to control this transition, the liquid reservoirs are interconnected by means of a siphon-like connection channel.

Task and solution

The object of the invention is to develop a generic discharge to the effect that in a particularly simple manner handling with targeted mixing of the media is possible. The object of the invention is also to provide a production technology favorable discharge device available, with an automatic change of the mixing ratio of the two media can be realized.

According to the invention, it is provided for this purpose that the conveying device for conveying medium with the features of the marked part of claim 1 is formed.

In a discharge device according to the invention it is provided that a manual actuation of the actuating handle by a user has two conveying operations result. On the one hand, part of the medium from the first medium reservoir is discharged through the discharge opening into an environment in the manner known per se. In addition, however, the second medium is transferred from the second medium storage in the first medium storage in response to the actuation of the actuating handle. The two conveying processes can take place simultaneously or one after the other. In particular, the discharge device can be designed such that the delivery of the second medium into the first medium reservoir of the delivery of the medium from the first medium reservoir to the discharge opening is connected downstream. By actuating the actuating handle, the first medium and the second medium originating from the second medium reservoir are mixed in the first medium reservoir.

It is not necessary for the user to make a separate preparatory action other than the actuation handling in order to achieve thorough mixing. Instead, the user already known manner of actuation of a discharge is used both for the discharge itself and for the mixing of the media in the first medium storage.

In order to prevent unwanted mixing of the media in the first and in the second medium storage particularly reliable, it is provided according to the invention that a pressure-dependent opening valve is provided between the medium reservoirs. This valve interrupts the connection between the first and the second medium reservoir, provided that the pressure in the first medium reservoir is not smaller by a valve-specific differential pressure than the pressure in the second medium reservoir is. As a valve is in particular a valve with a pressure-elastically deflectable valve body in question.

In a particularly simple design, the discharge device is designed and filled accordingly, that the entire second medium is transferred in the course of a single operation of the actuating handle in the first medium storage.

However, a design is considered to be particularly advantageous in which, in response to actuation of the actuating handle, only a portion of the medium from the second medium reservoir is conveyed into the first medium reservoir while a portion of the second medium remains in the second medium reservoir. Such a design, in which the medium from the second medium storage is transferred stepwise with each renewed actuation of the actuating handle in the first medium storage, offers the advantage that the mixing ratio of the medium in the first medium storage changes gradually. Thus, during a first actuation of the actuation handle, a discharge of pure first medium takes place, while with subsequent actuations of the actuation handle, the proportion of the second medium on the discharged medium increases until the entirety of the second medium has been transferred into the first medium reservoir, so that from this point in time a constant mixing ratio is present in the discharged medium. Preferably, the volume of the second medium reservoir is dimensioned such that when initially completely filled second medium reservoir in response to at least five, preferably at least ten actuations of the actuating handle each carried a promotion of a portion of the second medium in the first medium storage.

In a discharge device according to the invention, it is not intended that a mixing of the media from the first and the second Media storage takes place by destruction or otherwise removal of an intermediate wall. Instead, for example, a likewise provided with the actuating handle second conveyor may be provided, which is coupled to the first and the second medium storage that it promotes the second medium from the second medium storage in the first medium storage in the course of actuation of the actuating handle and preferably at the same time.

It is considered to be particularly advantageous if the first medium reservoir is connected to an environment with the intermediary of the second medium reservoir, wherein preferably a connecting channel is provided between the first and the second medium reservoir at the lower end of the second medium reservoir.

In such a design, the negative pressure, which is generated in a preferably dimensionally stable and volume-constant first medium storage by a discharge process, leads to a pressure equalization with the outer environment of the discharge. However, since the second medium reservoir is interposed, this pressure equalization initially does not take place or at least not exclusively with air entering the first medium reservoir from the environment, but with the second medium from the second medium reservoir. In such a design, the negative pressure generated by a discharge operation is thus used to effect a pressure equalization through the second medium reservoir after each discharge operation or upon reaching a sufficiently large negative pressure in the first medium reservoir. By arranging the connection channel at the lower end of the second medium reservoir, it is ensured that air only enters the first medium reservoir when the second medium reservoir has been completely or almost completely emptied. The indication of the lower end refers to the intended orientation of the discharge during the discharge.

Preferably, the second medium reservoir is not permanently connected to the environment for the purpose of sucking in air from the environment. Instead, preferably, the conveyor is designed such that it allows limited in terms of time and / or quantity of air in the course of a conveying operation. This prevents that at a liquid level in the second medium reservoir above the liquid level of the first liquid reservoir, the medium flows unintentionally into the first medium reservoir. This is prevented by a negative pressure in the second medium storage or the phased air access to the second medium storage.

It is particularly advantageous if the pressure-dependent opening valve is designed such that the second medium only in a negative pressure of at least 100 mbar, preferably at least 200mbar, more preferably at least 400mbar, in the first medium storage relative to the second medium storage in the first medium storage can penetrate.

This ensures that after commissioning of the discharge a certain number of Austragvorgängen must be performed before the connection between the medium reservoirs is opened for the first time and thus the second medium penetrates into the first medium reservoir. As a result, only the first medium is discharged during the first discharge processes and only later does the first medium reservoir become mixed up in the first medium reservoir. This may be advantageous, for example, in cosmetic applications in which it is intended that initially for a few days a first lotion in pure form is applied to the skin and only after the action of this first lotion in pure form in subsequent subsequent applications, preferably a stepwise supplementation with a second lotion or a separate further active ingredient.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of a discharge device according to the invention provides that the first medium storage bottle-like is formed and has a connection opening, on which a discharge head is mounted, which in turn comprises the conveyor. In this case, the second medium reservoir is suspended by the connection opening in the first medium reservoir and rests on an edge of the connection opening of the first medium reservoir.

Such a design allows a very advantageous simple filling of the medium storage and a simple assembly of the discharge. Thus, first of all, the first medium reservoir can be filled with the first medium through the connection opening in order subsequently to suspend the already filled or still unfilled second medium reservoir into the first medium reservoir. If the second medium storage is still unfilled during hanging, it can subsequently also be filled through the connection opening. Therefore, a filling plant can be used, in which the first and the second medium are introduced successively by directly juxtaposed filling nozzles in the discharge. Furthermore, regardless of the total size of the first medium reservoir, the same type of second medium reservoir can always be used given an identical size of the connection opening.

It is preferably provided that for conveying the medium from the first medium reservoir to the discharge opening, a riser pipe protruding into the first medium reservoir is provided, the second medium reservoir being delimited at least in sections by an outer side of a section of this riser. The riser fulfills a dual function in such a design. First, it serves as a supply line from the first medium storage to the conveyor. On the other hand, it limits the second medium storage. The second medium reservoir can be limited by further walls, which are either designed as separate components or are formed integrally with the riser.

Particularly preferred in this case is a design in which the second medium reservoir surrounds the inner wall forming portion of the riser ring and is bounded on the outside by a cylindrical and substantially coaxial with this section of the riser outer wall. In this case, the outer wall may preferably be formed integrally with the portion of the riser forming the inner wall.

Since it is considered advantageous if the same type of second medium reservoir is always used for different types of first medium reservoirs, it can be provided in a particular embodiment of the discharge device that one part of the riser pipe is formed integrally with the remaining walls of the second medium reservoir. while a subsequent part of the riser, which adjoins the first part at the lower end, is formed as a separate component, which is attached to the first part of the riser depending on the type of the first medium reservoir used.

It is particularly advantageous if the dispensing device according to the invention contains a first medium in the first medium store and a second medium in the second medium store, wherein these are cosmetic or pharmaceutical media. In this case, the media in the first and in the second medium storage differ from each other, so that it can be achieved that initially the pure or almost pure first medium is discharged and then a mixture of media is discharged with leaps or gradually increasing proportion of the second medium. This is an advantage, in particular in the case of main care products, in which the effectiveness of the second medium depends on a pretreatment with the first medium.

It is particularly advantageous in particular if the two media form a two-component self-tanner, wherein preferably only the second medium contains the sugar required for tanning, in particular dihydroxyacetone or erythrulose. It is particularly advantageous if the first medium in this case is a moisturizer which is able to moisturize the skin of the user, so that the effect of said sugar is improved and, in particular, homogenized.

Brief description of the drawings

Figuren 1a bis 1h

eine erste Ausführungsform ei ner erfindungsgemäßen Austragvorrichtung in verschiedenen Stadien der Verwendung.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the claims and from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is explained with reference to the figures. Showing:

FIGS. 1a to 1h

a first embodiment of egg ner discharge device according to the invention in various stages of use.

Detailed description of the embodiments

The FIGS. 1a to 1h show a dispensing device according to the invention in various stages of use.

Based on FIG. 1a the basic structure of this discharge device 10 will be explained below. The discharge device 10 has an approximately bottle-like container 20, at the upper end of a bottle neck 22 is provided with a connection opening 24. In this connection opening 24, a cap 26 is placed, which is screwed in a manner not shown on the bottle neck 22 of the container 20 or otherwise secured thereto.

Between the bottleneck 22 and the cap 26, a pump module 40 is clamped in a conventional manner. This pump module 40 shown cut in half has two mutually stationary housing sections 41, 42 and in the housing 41, 42 against the force of a return spring 43 movable piston unit 44. The piston unit 44 itself consists of an upwardly projecting out of the pump unit 40 outlet 45 with pump outlet 51 and further piston components 46, 47. At the lower end of the pump module 40, an inlet port 48 with pump inlet channel 52 is provided through which a fluid connection to a volume-variable pumping chamber 50 of the pumping unit 40 exists through the interposition of an inlet valve 49.

On the outlet port 45 of the pumping unit 44, a spray head 60 is placed, on the upper side of an actuating surface 62 is provided and includes an outlet opening 64 connected to the Pumpauslasskanal 51. By manually depressing the spray head 60, the piston unit 44 of the pump module 40 can be displaced within the housing 41, 42, thus triggering a pumping operation.

The operation of the pump module 40 does not differ from the operation of known comparable pump modules. When already filled with medium dosing 50 leads a displacement of the piston unit 44 down to a relative displacement of the piston members 46, 47 against each other, whereby a flow path between the metering chamber 50 and the outlet channel 51 is opened. A continuation of the movement of the piston unit 44 downwards then leads subsequently to a discharge of the medium from the metering chamber 50 through the outlet channel 51 and the outlet opening 64 of the spray head 60 through to the outside. When the piston unit 44 is subsequently displaced upward again under the action of the restoring spring 43, the piston components 46, 47 again come into direct contact with each other, so that in the course of the continued return movement of the piston unit 44, a negative pressure arises in the enlarging pumping chamber 50 through which the inlet valve 49 is opened. Subsequently, medium is sucked through the inlet channel 52 from below until the initial state of the pump unit 40 with filled pumping chamber 50 is restored.

The peculiarity of the dispensing device shown lies in the design and the coupling of the media storage. Within the bottle-like container 20, two media storage 70, 80 are arranged. For this purpose, an insert 30 is suspended in the container 20, which has at its upper end a collar 32 which rests on the bottleneck 22 with the interposition of a lower sealing ring 28a. The substantially rotationally symmetrical insert 30 has two concentric cylindrical walls 34, 36, wherein the outer wall 34 is connected at its lower end by means of a conical portion 34 a with the inner wall 36. The suitability for suspending this insert 30 results from the outer diameter of the outer wall 34, which is smaller than the inner diameter of the connection opening 24, and from the outer diameter of the collar 32, which does not fit through the connection opening 24.

The inner wall 34 of the insert 30 simultaneously forms the upper part of a riser 53, through which the pump module 40 is supplied with medium.

The container 20 and the insert 30 delimit the two mentioned media reservoirs 70, 80. The first medium reservoir 70 is on the outside bounded by the outer wall of the container 20 and on the inside by the outer wall 34 of the insert 30. This first medium reservoir is connected to the pump module 40 via said riser 53.

The second medium reservoir 80 is bounded on the outside by the outer wall 34 of the insert 30 and on the inside by the inner wall of the insert 30 forming the riser 53. The media storage 70, 80 are connected to each other via a connecting channel 76, which in the state of FIG. 1a is closed by a pressure-responsive opening valve 78.

In the illustrated discharge device 10 are in the initial state of FIG. 1a two different liquid media 12, 14 held. The first medium 12 is in the initial state of FIG. 1a stored within the first medium storage 70. It is symbolized by small white circles. The second medium 14 is in the initial state of FIG. 1 a stored exclusively within the second medium storage 80. It is symbolized by small black circles.

At the in FIG. 1 a state shown, the so-called intake strokes have already been carried out so that both the pumping chamber 50 and that already filled by the riser 53 with the first medium 12.

Starting from this initial state, the depression of the spray head 60 and thus of the piston unit 44 leads to a first discharge process, wherein the pure first medium in the dosing chamber 50 is discharged through the outlet channel 51 and the outlet opening 64. This discharge process is in FIG. 1b shown.

Once the manual application of force to the spray head 60 is omitted, the piston unit 44 returns to the in Figure 1c manner shown together with the spray head 60 under the action of the return spring 43 in its initial position, shown in FIG Figure 1d , back. In this case, due to the negative pressure in the pumping chamber 50, the inlet valve 49 opens, so that first medium 12 is again drawn in along the arrow 90 into the pumping chamber 50 through the inlet channel 52 and the riser 53. This results in a lowering of the liquid level of the first medium 12 in the first medium reservoir 20, which is indicated by the dashed line 12 'in the Figure 1c and 1d is clarified. The reduction of the amount of the first medium in the first medium reservoir 70 causes a negative pressure in the first medium reservoir 70, which can not be compensated initially, since the only access to the first medium reservoir 20 through the second medium reservoir 80 and the connecting channel 76 is given by the vacuum generated in the first medium reservoir 70 is not sufficient to open the valve 78 between the medium reservoirs 70, 80. During the subsequent four operations, not shown, of the discharge device 10, which lead to further discharge operations, the amount of the first medium 12 in the first medium reservoir is further reduced, so that the negative pressure in the first medium reservoir continues to increase due to lack of pressure equalization.

Only with the sixth actuation of the discharge device 10, the in Figure 1e is shown, this changes: in the following on the sixth actuation return stroke of the piston unit 44 and the resulting further aspiration of the first medium from the first medium storage along the arrow 90, the negative pressure in the first medium reservoir 70 reaches a limit, which is to open the Valve 78 leads. As in FIG. 1f This results in a connection of the first medium reservoir 70 and the second medium reservoir 80, so that by the negative pressure built up in the first Media storage 70, a portion of the second medium 14 from the second medium reservoir 80 penetrates through the connecting channel 76 in the first medium reservoir 70 and there mixed with the first medium 12 to a mixture 13, the proportion of the second medium 14 is initially very low. As soon as the limit pressure of the valve 78 falls below again, the valve 78 closes again. Initially, air does not enter the first medium reservoir 70 because, due to the arrangement of the connecting channel 76 at the lower end of the second medium reservoir 80, there is no possibility for the air in the second medium reservoir 80 to enter the first medium reservoir 70. However, within the second medium store 80 with the delivery of a portion of the second medium 14 into the first medium store 70, a pressure equalization takes place along the flow path illustrated by the arrow 92, so that there is no negative pressure within the second medium store 80. However, this pressure equalization in the second medium reservoir 80 is limited in time to the period of actuation. Once the piston member 47 has reached its upper end position, the connection between the second medium reservoir 80 and the environment is interrupted again, so that no air can flow. This limitation of the air inflow into the second medium reservoir during the actuation makes it possible to achieve a very reliable prevention even in designs without a pressure-dependent opening valve 78, as shown for example in FIG. 2, and in the presence of a higher liquid level in the second medium reservoir 80 compared to the first medium reservoir 70 "creeping" mixing the media 12, 14 between the discharge operations, since an outflow of the second medium 14 in the first medium reservoir 70 in these phases associated with an increase in the negative pressure in the second medium reservoir 80.

Now that in the first medium storage 70, a mixture 13 of the first medium 12 and the second medium 14 is present, it comes in subsequent discharging operations to the discharge of this mixture 13, which initially still contains a very small proportion of the second medium 14. Such a discharge process of the mixture 13 is in Figure 1g shown.

With further discharge operations, further penetration of the second medium 14 from the second medium reservoir 80 into the first medium reservoir 70 occurs gradually, so that the concentration of the second medium 14 within the medium mixture 13 in the first medium reservoir 70 gradually increases until the liquid level of the second medium 14 in the second medium storage 80 in the FIG. 1h shown in such a way that the pressure Compensation in the first medium storage 70 no longer takes place via inflowing second medium 14, but via incoming air along arrow 94. From this point on, the mixing ratio of the mixture 13 in the first medium reservoir 70 no longer changes.

Thus, in total for the illustrated dispenser 10, starting from an initial state with a filled pumping chamber 50, first over a few dispensing operations (FIG. Figures 1b . 1e ) only the first medium 12 is discharged and subsequently then a mixture 13 of the first medium 12 and the second medium 14 is discharged with gradually increasing concentration of the second medium 14 ( Figure 1g ). During the last discharge operations after complete emptying of the second medium reservoir 80, a mixture 13 with a constant mixing ratio between the media 12, 14 is discharged.

Claims (9)

1. A discharge device (10) for liquid or paste media (12, 13, 14) for cosmetic or pharmaceutical purposes, comprising

   - a housing (20, 26, 60) having a discharge opening (64),

   - a first medium reservoir (70) for accommodation of a first medium (12),

   - a second medium reservoir (80) for accommodation of a second medium (14) separate from the first medium reservoir (70),

   - an actuating handle (62), and

   - a supply device (40) operatively coupled to the actuating handle (62) for supplying medium (12, 13) to the discharge opening (64) in response to an actuation of the actuating handle (62),

   wherein

   - the supply device (40) is arranged for supplying medium (12, 13) from the first medium reservoir (70) to the discharge opening (64) in response to an actuation of the actuating handle (62), and

   - the first medium reservoir (70) and the second medium reservoir (80) are configured and/or connected to one another such that in response to an actuation of the actuating handle (62) the second medium (14) is at least partially supplied from the second medium reservoir (80) to the first medium reservoir (70),

   characterized in that
   the first medium reservoir (70) and the second medium reservoir (80) are coupled to one another via a valve (78) opening as a function of pressure.
2. The discharge device according to claim 1, characterized in that the volume of the second medium reservoir (80) is dimensioned such that in response to at least five, preferably at least ten, actuations of the actuating handle (62) a respective supply of the second medium (14) to the first medium reservoir (70) is caused.
3. The discharge device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first medium reservoir (70) is connected to an environment via the intermediate second medium reservoir (80), wherein preferably a connection duct (76) between the first and the second medium reservoir (70, 80) is provided on the lower end of the second medium reservoir (80).
4. The discharge device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve (78) opening as a function of pressure is configured such that the second medium (14) is allowed to enter the first medium reservoir (70) not earlier than upon a lower pressure of 100 mbar, preferably at least 200 mbar, particularly preferred at least 400 mbar being present in the first medium reservoir (70).
5. The discharge device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first medium reservoir (20, 70) is configured in a bottle type and includes a connection opening (24) on which a discharge head (26, 40) is attached, which head comprises the supply device (40), wherein the second medium reservoir (30, 80) is fitted in the first medium reservoir (20, 70) through the connection opening (24) and abuts on a rim of the connection opening (24) of the first medium reservoir (20, 70).
6. The discharge device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for supplying the medium (12, 13) from the first medium reservoir (70) to the discharge opening (64) an ascending pipe (53) is provided and projecting into the first medium reservoir, wherein the second medium reservoir (80) is limited by an exterior surface of a section (36) of said ascending pipe (53), at least in sections.
7. The discharge device according to claim 6, characterized in that the second medium reservoir (80) surrounds in an annular shape the section (36) of said ascending pipe (53) constituting an inner wall and is limited on the exterior by a cylindrical outer wall (34) that is oriented essentially coaxially to said section of the ascending pipe, wherein preferably the outer wall (34) is integral to the section (36) of the said ascending pipe (53) constituting the inner wall.
8. The discharge device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the first medium reservoir (70) a first medium (12) is provided and in the second medium reservoir (80) a second medium (14) is provided, wherein the media are preferably cosmetic or pharmaceutical media (12, 14).
9. The discharge device according to claim 8, characterized in that the media (12, 14) form a two-component self-tanner, wherein preferably only the second medium (14) includes the sugar required for tanning.

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