EP2279798B1 - Push button for a system for pressurised product distribution - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a push button for a dispensing system of a pressurized product, a dispensing system comprising a pump actuated by such a push button and a bottle containing a product to be dispensed under pressure by means of such a device. distribution system.

In a particular application, the product is of the gel or cream type, for example for use in cosmetics or for pharmaceutical treatments.

EP 1 449 593 discloses a push button according to the preamble of claim 1.

Dispensing systems are known comprising a pump provided with a tube for feeding the pressurized product on which a push button is fixed to actuate the displacement of said tube on a dispensing / suction stroke of the product.

In particular, the push button may comprise an actuating body having a product ejection port and a sleeve having a mounting well of said push button on the pump delivery tube. Thus, by pressing the body of the push button, the pump is actuated to distribute the product in the form of a hazelnut or a continuous stream.

The dispensing systems may be equipped with a means for reversibly closing the ejection orifice between two distributions, in order to limit the contacts between the outside air and the product stationed in the pump, in particular to prevent drying out and / or degradation of said product over time.

To do this, we know the use of an elastically deformable sleeve on which is formed a lip movable by applying the distribution pressure on it. The reversible closure can then be obtained by placing the sleeve on the body, with said lip in sealing contact in the ejection orifice, the displacement of said lip opening said orifice.

However, the sleeves which are components molded separately and then reported on the body, have the disadvantage of a low mechanical strength, that is to say that they are sometimes washed away by the flow of product. In addition, during industrial production at high speeds, they are difficult to place on the body, because made of a flexible material so often adherent on the walls of the supply ducts and grippers assembly machines.

According to another known embodiment, the reversible closure can be obtained by means of a closing needle of the ejection orifice, said needle being movable between its closure and ejection positions on the actuating stroke of the push button, especially at the beginning of this race.

However, the realization of sealing needles is often complex, the components are difficult to produce and their assembly is difficult, which increases the costs of industrial production.

The invention aims to simplify the production of dispensing systems provided with a closure needle of the ejection orifice by proposing a design consisting of simple parts to be produced and limited in number.

In addition, the invention proposes a sealing of the closure which is improved so as to be able to distribute products whose sensitivity to air is important. Therefore, the combined use of a dispensing system according to the invention with a bottle containing an air sensitive product is particularly advantageous.

In particular, by sensitive to air, there are provided products containing a solvent which can evaporate rapidly, for example based on alcohol or water, or containing photosensitive substances, for example sunscreens, or easily oxidizable, for example vitamins including vitamin C. Moreover, the operation of the dispensing system according to the invention limits the pressurization of the product during dispensing. Thus, the combined use of a dispensing system according to the invention with a bottle containing a product sensitive to mechanical stresses is also particularly advantageous.

In particular, by sensitive to mechanical stresses, there are provided products, for example creams, capable of undergoing physico-chemical transformation under pressure, in particular a separation or a phase change.

The operation of the dispensing system according to the invention also allows the distribution of particularly viscous products.

To achieve these various improvements, according to a first aspect, the invention provides a push button according to claim 1 for a dispensing system of a product under pressure, said push button comprising an actuating body having an ejection orifice of the produced, a closure needle of the ejection port and a sleeve having a mounting well of said push button on a tube for supplying the pressurized product, said body being slidably mounted around said sleeve between a high position and a low position forming between them a space for conveying the product from said mounting well to said ejection orifice, said needle being mounted between the body and the sleeve via a reversible displacement device of said needle between a closed position - respectively an ejection position - when the body is in the up position - respectively in the down position - said end push member further comprising at least one elastic return means of the body in the upper position.

According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a system for dispensing a product under pressure comprising a pump actuated by such a button. pusher, said pump comprising a tube for supplying the pressurized product on which the mounting well of said push button is fixed.

According to a third aspect, the invention proposes a bottle containing a product to be dispensed under pressure, said bottle comprising a ring on which the hoop of such a distribution system is associated so as to put the pump in communication with the product to allow conveying the product from the feed tube to the ejection port.

• les figures 1 sont des vues en coupe longitudinale d'un flacon équipé d'un système de distribution selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention, dans lesquelles le pointeau d'obturation est respectivement en position d'obturation (figure 1a) et en position d'éjection (figure 1b) ;
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 a pour une variante de réalisation du système de distribution ;
• les figures 3a et 3b sont des vues agrandies respectivement des figures 1 a et 1 b montrant plus précisément la réalisation du bouton poussoir ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective coupée du corps du bouton poussoir selon les figures 3 ;
• la figure 5 .est une vue en perspective de la buse du bouton poussoir selon les figures 3 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective du manchon du bouton poussoir selon les figures 3 ;
• la figure 7 est une vue en perspective du pointeau d'obturation du bouton poussoir selon les figures 3 ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en perspective de l'organe de rappel élastique du corps du bouton poussoir selon les figures 3.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the description which follows, made with reference to the appended figures, in which:

• the figures 1 are views in longitudinal section of a bottle equipped with a dispensing system according to one embodiment of the invention, in which the shutter needle is respectively in the closed position ( figure 1a ) and in the ejection position ( figure 1b );
• the figure 2 is a view similar to the figure 1 a for an alternative embodiment of the dispensing system;
• the Figures 3a and 3b are enlarged views respectively of figures 1 a and 1b showing more precisely the realization of the push button;
• the figure 4 is a cut perspective view of the body of the push button according to the figures 3 ;
• the figure 5 .is a perspective view of the push button nozzle according to the figures 3 ;
• the figure 6 is a perspective view of the pushbutton sleeve according to the figures 3 ;
• the figure 7 is a perspective view of the shutter pushbutton shutter according to the figures 3 ;
• the figure 8 is a perspective view of the elastic return member of the body of the push button according to the figures 3 .

In the description, the positioning terms in space are taken with reference to the position of the pump shown on the Figures 1 to 3 .

In connection with the figures, there is described an embodiment of a dispensing system comprising a pump actuated by a push button to allow the dispensing of a product under pressure, for example in the form of a nut or a continuous flow.

To do this, the dispensing system is mounted on a bottle containing the product to be dispensed under pressure. In an exemplary application, the product is a gel or a cream, for cosmetic use or for pharmaceutical treatments.

In the embodiment shown, the bottle comprises a body 1 surmounted by a ring 2 and the dispensing system comprises a hoop 3 on which the pump is mounted, said hoop being associated with the ring 2 so as to put the pump in communication tight with the product.

The hoop 3 shown is made in two parts associated with each other: a lower portion 3a for holding the pump which has a central duct 4 in which the pump is mounted and an upper portion 3b covering said lower portion. More specifically, the central duct 4 is surrounded by an outer surface 5 which is sealingly associated in the ring 2. The upper part 3b has a sleeve 6 associated around the central duct 4 and an outer surface 7 mounted on the outer surface 5 of the lower part 3a.

In the bottle shown, a supply piston 8 of the product is slidably mounted in the body 1 so as to push the product into the pump for distribution without air intake. To do this, the bottle comprises, opposite the pump, a vent hole 9. Although the description is made in connection with a distribution without air intake, the pump according to the invention can be used with other types of distribution, for example for products contained in flexible bottles.

The figures represent a pump known in particular from the document FR-2 908 843 the content of which is incorporated by reference in the present description, without the invention being limited to a particular pump structure, in particular relative to the means necessary for pressurizing the product to be dispensed.

The pump comprises a tube 10 for supplying the pressurized product whose upstream portion is in communication with a metering chamber 11 provided with an inlet valve 12 of the product contained in the bottle. The feed pipe 10 is displaceable over a distribution / suction stroke of the product, said displacement being constrained by an elastic return means formed of a spring 13.

To actuate this movement, the push button is mounted on the downstream portion of the feed tube 10, said push button comprising an actuating body 14 and a sleeve 15 having a well 16 for mounting said push button on said feed tube . Thus, by fixing the mounting shaft 16 on the feed tube 10, the product is dispensed by pressing on the body 14 to actuate the movement of said tube via the sleeve 15.

The actuating body 14 has an orifice 17 for ejecting the product, said orifice being equipped with a closing needle 18 to allow the reversible closure of said orifice between two uses. The described embodiment makes it possible in particular to ensure in a simple manner a good seal while limiting the pressure exerted on the product to open the orifice 17.

The body 14 is slidably mounted around the sleeve 15 between a high position ( figures 1a , 3a ) and a low position ( figure 1b , 3b ) forming between them a space 19 for conveying the product from the mounting shaft 16 to the ejection orifice 17. Thus, the mounting of the dispensing system on the bottle allows the product to be conveyed from the bottle to the container. ejection orifice 17 via the supply tube 10 and the space 19.

In particular, the conveying space 19 is formed essentially under the upper part of the body 14 being delimited by the upper face of the sleeve 15, the closing needle 18 being disposed in said space.

The sleeve 15 shown includes an outer bearing surface 20 on the outside of which the skirt of the body 14 is slidably mounted, said bearing area surrounding the mounting well 16. In one embodiment, the sliding may be sealed to confine the space of routing 19 at this level.

Furthermore, the end of travel of the sliding body 14 on the sleeve 15 is defined by bearing a wall 21 of the body 14 in a groove 22 formed in the sleeve 15. Thus, the actuating force of the pump is transmitted at the level of this support which can be adapted for this purpose.

The needle 18 is mounted between the body 14 and the sleeve 15 via a reversible displacement device of said needle between a closed position - respectively an ejection position - when the body 14 is in the up position - respectively low-.

In relation to the figure 7 , the needle 18 comprises an arm whose front end is provided with a closure head 23, the rear end of said arm being associated with the sleeve 15 via the reversible displacement device.

In addition, the ejection orifice 17 is provided with a nozzle 24 in which the sealing head 23 is mounted between its closure and ejection positions. In relation to the figure 5 , the nozzle 24 comprises a fitting part in the ejection orifice 17, said portion being extended by a front portion 26. The parts 25, 26 have a bore 27 in which the head 23 is slidably mounted, front end 27a of said bore forming a sealed seat for the head 23 in the closed position.

In relation to the figure 6 , the reversible displacement device of the needle 18 comprises a tongue 28 integrated on the sleeve 15 via a hinge 29, the needle 18 being secured to the tongue 28. In particular, the sleeve 15 may be made by molding in forming a thinned zone forming the hinge 29 at the base of the tongue 28, said zone also having a cutout 30 to allow the rotation of said tongue around said hinge.

In relation to the figure 4 , the reversible displacement device also comprises a hook 31 integral with the body 14 to actuate the movement of the tongue 28 around the hinge 29 during the sliding of said body. In particular, in the embodiment shown, the hook 31 is integrated under the body 14, in the conveyance space 19.

In the embodiment shown, the tongue 28 comprises an axle 32 movably mounted in a slide 33 of the hook 31, the needle 18 comprising bridges 34 for fixing on said axis. This embodiment makes it possible to transform the axial sliding of the body 14 into a substantially radial translation of the needle 18 between its closed and ejection positions.

The needle 18 comprises two rear flanks 18a on each of which a bridge 34 is formed, the hook 31 being arranged in the middle position to be interposed between said bridges during their mounting on the axis 32. In addition, the tongue 28 is inclined to that axial support on the axis 32 via the hook 31 induces a folding of said tongue and thus a sliding of said axis in the slideway 33. More specifically, the tongue 28 has two arms 28a inclined inwardly between which the axis 32 is formed.

The push button further comprises at least one elastic return means of the body 14 in the high position so that, in the absence of support on said body, it is in the upper position of closure of the ejection orifice 17. This embodiment, by integrating the elastic return means in the push button, allows to limit the number of components to assemble while facilitating the assembly of the distribution system. In addition, the reproducibility of the performance relative to the closing function of the ejection orifice 17 is also improved.

According to one embodiment, the force exerted by the elastic return means 13 of the feed tube 10 may be greater than the force exerted by the elastic return means of the body 14. Thus, a bearing on the body 14 induced by first a movement of said body relative to the sleeve 15 to open the ejection port 17 and a displacement of the sleeve 15 and thus the supply tube 10 to pressurize the product to be dispensed.

According to one embodiment, the push button comprises a ring 35 secured to the sleeve 15 and a ring 36 integral with the body 14, said rings being connected to each other by means of a resilient biasing means of said body in the high position.

In particular, the elastic return means may comprise at least one tab 37 for connecting the rings 35, 36, said tab being deformed between a stable state and a state constrained during the sliding of the body 14 with respect to the sleeve 15.

The figure 8 represents the integration of the rings 35, 36 and elastic return tabs 37 in a member 38, said rings being respectively fixed to the sleeve 15 and the body 14. To do this, the sleeve 15 comprises a lower bearing surface 39 on which the ring 35 is fixed and the other ring 36 is fixed around the lower end of the body 14. However, at least one ring 35, 36 could be integrated respectively to the sleeve 15 or to the body 14.

In this figure, three tabs 37 are equidistributed between the rings 35, 36 having a curved stable state to allow their stretching in a stressed state, said tabs being made of a shape memory material. in order to exert the desired elastic return force. In exemplary embodiments, the elastic return member 38 can be made by molding an elastomeric polymer such as Poly (OxyMethylene) or polypropylene Adflex type.

Alternatively, a continuous elastic membrane may be disposed between the rings 35, 36 to form the elastic return means, this embodiment having the advantage of also forming a seal for the conveying space 19 when the rings 35, 36 are fixed in a sealed manner respectively to the sleeve 15 and the body 14.

The figure 2 presents an alternative embodiment in which the dispensing system comprises a second elastic return means 40 of the body 14 in the high position which, unlike the first means 37, is not integrated in the push button. This embodiment is particularly advantageous to be able to complete the return force conferred by the tabs 37, especially when the viscosity of the product is high and / or when the nervousness of said tabs is not sufficient to make reliable on its own the return to the high position. of the body 14.

In this figure, the second means is formed of a spring 40 which is in lower support on the hoop 3 and in upper support on the ring 36 integral with the body 14. To do this, the ring 36 has internal projections 41 of bet in support of said spring on it, said projections being interposed between the tabs 37.

Claims (14)

1. Push-button for a system for dispensing a product under pressure, said push-button comprising an actuator body (14) having an orifice (17) for ejecting the product, a closing off valving element (18) of the ejection orifice (17) and a sleeve (15) having a mounting well (16) of said push-button on a feed tube (10) for the product under pressure, said body being mounted around said sleeve between a high position and a low position by forming between them a space (19) for carrying the product from said mounting well to said orifice for ejecting the product, said valving element being mounted between the body (14) and the sleeve (15) by the intermediary of a device for reversible displacing of said valving element between a closing off position - respectively an ejection position - when the body (14) is in high position - respectively in low position -, said push-button further comprising at least one means of elastic recalling of the body (14) in high position, said push-button being characterised in that it comprises a ring (35) integral with the sleeve (15) and a ring (36) integral with the body (14), said rings being connected together by the intermediary of said means of elastic recalling of the body (14) in high position.
2. Push-button according to claim 1, characterised in that the means of elastic recalling comprises at least one connecting lug (37) of the rings (35, 36), said lug being deformed between a stable condition and a stressed condition during the sliding of the body (14) in relation to the sleeve (15).
3. Push-button according to claim 2, characterised in that the lug (37) is made from a shape memory material.
4. Push-button according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the rings (35, 36) and the means of elastic recalling are incorporated into a member (38), said rings being fixed respectively to the sleeve (15) and to the body (14).
5. Push-button according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the valving element (18) comprises an arm of which the front end is provided with a closing off head (23), the rear end of said arm being associated to the sleeve (15) by the intermediary of the device for reversible displacing.
6. Push-button according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the device for reversible displacing of the valving element (18) comprises a tab (28) mounted on the sleeve (15) by the intermediary of a hinge (29), the valving element (18) being integral with said tab, said device further comprising a hook (31) integral with the body (14) in order to actuate the displacement of said tab around said hinge during the sliding of said body.
7. Push-button according to claim 6, characterised in that the tab (28) comprises an axis (32) mounted mobile in a slider (33) of the hook (31), the valving element (18) comprising at least one bridge (34) for fastening on said axis.
8. Push-button according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the orifice for ejecting the product (17) is provided with a nozzle (24) wherein the end of the valving element (18) is mounted between its closing off and ejection positions.
9. Dispensing system for a product under pressure comprising a pump actuated by a push-button according to any of claims 1 to 8, said pump comprising a feed tube (10) for the product under pressure whereon the mounting well (16) of said push-button is fixed.
10. Dispensing system according to claim 9, characterised in that the feed tube (10) can be displaced by the intermediary of the sleeve (15) over a dispensing / suction stroke of the product, said displacement being limited by a means of elastic recalling.
11. Dispensing system according to claim 10, characterised in that the effort exerted by the means of elastic recalling the feed tube (10) is greater than the effort exerted by the means of elastic recalling of the body (14).
12. Dispensing system according to any of claims 9 to 11, characterised in that it comprises a second means (40) of elastic recalling of the body (14) in high position.
13. Dispensing system according to any of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that it comprises a hoop (3) whereon the pump is mounted.
14. Bottle containing a product to be dispensed under pressure, said bottle comprising a ring (2) whereon the hoop (3) of a dispensing system according to claim 13 is associated in such a way as to place the pump in communication with the product in order to allow for the carriage of the product from the feed tube (10) to the orifice for ejecting the product (17).

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