Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D34/00—Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes
  • A45D34/04—Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1042—Components or details
  • B05B11/1052—Actuation means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1028—Pumps having a pumping chamber with a deformable wall
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D2200/00—Details not otherwise provided for in A45D
  • A45D2200/05—Details of containers
  • A45D2200/054—Means for supplying liquid to the outlet of the container
  • A45D2200/056—Reciprocating pumps, i.e. with variable volume chamber wherein pressure and vacuum are alternately generated
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/0005—Components or details
  • B05B11/0008—Sealing or attachment arrangements between sprayer and container
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/0005—Components or details
  • B05B11/0037—Containers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/14—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for delivery of liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure, i.e. aerosol containers comprising propellant for a product delivered by a propellant
  • B65D83/16—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for delivery of liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure, i.e. aerosol containers comprising propellant for a product delivered by a propellant characterised by the actuating means
  • B65D83/20—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for delivery of liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure, i.e. aerosol containers comprising propellant for a product delivered by a propellant characterised by the actuating means operated by manual action, e.g. button-type actuator or actuator caps
  • B65D83/205—Actuator caps, or peripheral actuator skirts, attachable to the aerosol container

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a fluid reservoir provided with an opening, a dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve, provided with a fluid outlet, a fixing ring for fixing the dispensing member on the opening of the reservoir, and a dispensing head mounted on the outlet of the dispensing member, the head comprising a dispensing orifice and a bearing surface on which a user can press the using a finger to actuate the dispenser member, and thus dispense fluid through the dispensing orifice.
• the head further comprises a fluid product recovery cup in which the fluid product from the dispensing orifice is collected before being taken by the user.
• the preferred field of application of the present invention is that of cosmetic products, especially in the form of cream, gel, and more generally high viscosity products.
• a conventional general configuration for this type of fluid dispenser is in the form of a pot with the dispensing head having the appearance of a lid that closes the pot formed by the reservoir, the dispensing member being not visible and the fixing ring can be inserted between the dispensing head and the reservoir.
• a frequent disadvantage of this type of distributor lies in the fact that the dispensing head is mounted axially on the outlet of the dispensing member with the dispensing orifice located in the axis of the dispenser member.
• the object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of pot-type dispensers of the prior art by defining a dispensing head whose actuation is optimal even by eccentric support and for which any risk of product loss in inaccessible locations is eliminated.
• the dispensing head further comprises a peripheral skirt integral with the ring and / or reservoir, the skirt being connected to the cup, to the bearing surface and to the orifice by a flexible deformable zone.
• the peripheral skirt makes it possible to form a junction, advantageously sealed, with the rest of the distributor, which eliminates any risk of loss of fluid in inaccessible places.
• the flexible deformable zone not only allows to connect the skirt to the rest of the head, but above all allows to balance the support force, when it is exerted eccentrically on the dispensing head.
• the dispensing head is made integrally by injection / molding plastic material (s) (s).
• the dispensing head is made in one piece by bi-injection or overmolding two different plastics.
• the deformable zone surrounds the cup, the bearing surface and the dispensing orifice. Therefore, even by pressing eccentrically on the dispensing head, the deformable area distributes the support force around the perimeter of the head, which reduces the tendency of the head to tip or tilt.
• the deformable zone is substantially annular and flat. The outer periphery of the deformable zone connected to the skirt remains static, while the inner periphery of the deformable zone connected to the cup and to the bearing surface moves when the bearing surface is pressed.
• the deformable zone is formed by the skirt in the form of a bellows. In this case, the deformation is purely axial.
• the bearing surface, the cup and the skirt are made of a substantially hard plastic material, while the deformable zone, and optionally the dispensing orifice, are made of a substantially flexible plastic material. It is thus possible to make the dispensing orifice in the form of a self-holding slot which is closed in the rest state and which opens under the effect of the pressure of the fluid product.
• the reservoir has an axis of symmetry X
• the dispensing member has an actuating axis Y
• the bearing surface has a bearing axis Z
• Operating tax Y being parallel, but offset, with respect to the actuating axis Y.
• the support axis Z is parallel, but offset, with respect to the axes of symmetry X and actuation Y.
• the three axes X, Y, and Z are included in a plane of symmetry of the distributor.
• the offset arrangements of these different axes can be implemented on a fluid dispenser of any kind , which does not necessarily include the fact that the dispensing head comprises a peripheral skirt integral with the ring and / or reservoir and that the skirt is connected to the remainder of the head by a deformable flexible zone.
• Various axes are particularly advantageous in the context of the present invention, since the axis offsets make it possible to reduce or even eliminate the problems related to the application of eccentric bearing force.
• the spirit of the invention lies in the fact of providing the dispensing head with a flexible deformable zone which distributes the support force on the dispensing head, even in the case of eccentric application, this flexible zone also serving as a sealing junction between the head and the static remainder of the dispenser, to prevent any loss or infiltration of fluid in inaccessible areas of the dispenser.
• This flexible zone allows a shift of the various axes of the distributor, since it reduces or offsets the harmful effects of a support of an eccentric bearing force.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fluid dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention in the rest state
• FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 in the actuated state;
• FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the dispenser of FIG. 1, and
• Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view perpendicular to that of Figure 3 of the dispenser of Figure 1.
• the fluid dispenser shown in the figures has an overall external appearance similar or comparable to that of a pot, such as those that can be encountered in many fields, such as cosmetics.
• the fluid dispenser of the present invention comprises four essential components, namely a reservoir 1, a dispensing member 2, a fixing ring 3 and a dispensing head 4. These various elements can advantageously be made by injection molding of plastic material.
• the tank 1 can be made of glass, metal, or composite material. Since the reservoir 1 is relatively stocky and the dispensing head is flat and has a diameter substantially comparable to that of the reservoir, this gives the distributor a general appearance of pot, the dispensing head visually acting as a lid.
• this "pot” contains a dispensing member 2 for dispensing the fluid from the reservoir, and a fixing ring for holding the dispenser member on the reservoir.
• the fluid reservoir 1 comprises a bottom 11 and a cylindrical side wall, of circular shape.
• the diameter of the bottom 11 is relatively large compared to the height of the wall 12, which gives the tank 1 a squat form of pot.
• the upper end of the side wall 12 defines an opening 13 which makes the outside of the tank communicate with the interior 10.
• the opening 13 is advantageously provided with appropriate fastening profiles making it possible to cooperate with the fixing ring 3, as will be seen below.
• Tank 1 presents here a circular cylindrical configuration, but other geometric configurations can be used without departing from the scope of the invention.
• the reservoir of the figures has an axis of revolution X.
• the dispensing member 2 which is shown in Figures 3 and 4, is a pump, but it can also implement a valve in the context of the present invention.
• the dispensing member 2 conventionally comprises an inlet 21 and an outlet 24.
• the fluid product from the tank 1 enters the dispensing member through the inlet 21 and leaves the dispensing member via the outlet 24.
• the internal structural elements, as well as the operation of the dispensing member, are those of a conventional pump or valve, and it is therefore not necessary to describe them.
• the fixing ring 3 has the function of fixedly and sealingly mounting the dispensing member 2 on or in the opening 13 of the tank 1.
• Ea fixing ring 3 comprises receiving means 32 in the form of a latching housing in which the dispensing member 2 is received.
• the fixing ring 3 also comprises a protective dome 36 which partially envelops the dispenser member 2. This dome 36 terminates in a guide sleeve 37 which makes it possible to axially guide the dispensing member 2.
• the fixing ring also defines a radial plate 31 which has an eccentric configuration.
• the reception means 32, the dome 36 and the sleeve 37 are not arranged at the center of the plate 31, but instead offset on one side, in this case the right side, when the Fig. 3.
• the plate 31 is practically non-existent on the right side of the dispensing member 2.
• the plate 31 extends on its outer periphery to form a substantially cylindrical section 35 which comes into contact, advantageously sealed, with the inner wall of the opening 13.
• This section 35 extends on the outside of the opening 13 by a fastening belt 33 which ensures the fixing of the ring 3 on the opening 13.
• the fixing ring 3 also forms an annular flange 34 which protrudes upwardly at the fastening belt 33.
• the flange 34 internally forms a snap groove, whose function will be given below.
• the particular embodiment of the fixing ring which has just been described must not be considered unique: on the contrary, one can imagine many other forms for a fixing ring for sealingly securing a dispensing member. such as a pump or a valve on an opening or tank side.
• the dispensing head 4 is mounted on the outlet 24 of the dispensing member 2, and defines for this purpose an outlet chamber 42 downstream of the outlet 24.
• This chamber 42 communicates with the outside through a dispensing orifice 43 which can advantageously be made in the form of a selfjointing slot which is closed in a sealed manner at rest and which opens under the effect of the pressure of the fluid product to define an outlet passage.
• the selfjointing slot may advantageously be made of a flexible plastic material.
• the head 4 comprises a plug sleeve 41 which engages around the outlet 24 of the dispensing member 2.
• the guide sleeve 37 surrounds the socket sleeve 41.
• the dispensing head 4 also comprises a bearing surface 44 on which the user can press with a finger to actuate the dispensing member 2
• This bearing surface 44 is located above the dispensing orifice 43, slightly offset, as can be seen in the various figures. It can be said that the bearing surface 44 overhangs the dispensing orifice 43, which is formed on the slope of a recovery cup 45 intended to collect the fluid that is dispensed through the dispensing orifice 43. may notice that the bottom of the cup is located below the dispensing orifice 43, so that the fluid can flow or fall by gravity in the bottom of the cup 45.
• the dispensing head 4 also defines a peripheral skirt 46, here of generally circular cylindrical shape, which is united of the fixing ring 3, and more particularly of the flange 34. More specifically, the free lower end of the skirt 46 is snapped inside the groove formed by the flange 34, so that the skirt 46 is firmly fixed on the ring 3.
• the skirt 46 is to be fixed directly on a portion of the tank 1, or on another element integral with the reservoir and / or the fixing ring.
• the bottom line is that the skirt is static with respect to the tank and / or the ring.
• the peripheral skirt 46 is connected to the remainder of the head, namely the recovery cup 45, the bearing surface 44 and the dispensing orifice 43, by a flexible deformable zone 47.
• This deformable zone allows axially moving the cup 45, the bearing surface 44 and the orifice 42 leaving the peripheral skirt 46 perfectly static.
• the flexible zone therefore performs a function of articulation between the skirt 46 and the remainder of the head 4.
• the deformable zone 47 may be formed by or integrated with the peripheral skirt 46, for example in the form of a bellows.
• the deformable zone is in the form of an annular ring and substantially flat which connects the cylindrical skirt 46 to the rest of the head.
• the flexible zone 47 may have a slightly inward and upward orientation.
• the deformable zone 47 adopts an inclined configuration inwardly and downwardly, as can be seen in FIG.
• the deformable flexible zone 47 there is no risk that the fluid product can spread or seep under the dispensing head, since the skirt 46 is in engagement, advantageously sealed, with the fixing ring 3 at the flange 34.
• the flexible zone deformable ensures a better distribution of the pressing force exerted on the surface 44.
• the reservoir 1 has an axis of symmetry and / or of revolution X
• the distribution member 2 has an actuating axis Y and the bearing surface 44 presents a Z axis of support.
• These three axes X, Y and Z are here all distinct, but we can also consider to confuse the Y and Z axes.
• the three axes X, Y and Z are contained in the same plane of symmetry P which is common to the whole distributor.

Landscapes

• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=41527673

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (8)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 2009
  • 2009-06-18 FR FR0954090A patent/FR2946965B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2010
  • 2010-06-15 BR BRPI1014848A patent/BRPI1014848A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2010-06-15 CN CN201080026706.5A patent/CN102458678B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2010-06-15 EP EP10738007.3A patent/EP2442914B1/de active Active
  • 2010-06-15 WO PCT/FR2010/051183 patent/WO2010146297A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2010-06-15 US US13/378,882 patent/US20120091168A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2010-06-15 ES ES10738007.3T patent/ES2448392T3/es active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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