EP3160289A1

EP3160289A1 - Container and distributor head for such a container having a disinfectant effect

Info

Publication number: EP3160289A1
Application number: EP15734104.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sylvain DEFERT; Alain Jupin; Chloé LECUYER
Original assignee: Albea Services SAS
Current assignee: Albea Services SAS
Priority date: 2014-06-27
Filing date: 2015-06-26
Publication date: 2017-05-03
Also published as: FR3022747A1; WO2015197847A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a container comprising a distributor head (3) for distributing a product, in particular a cosmetic product, said distributor head (3) comprising at least one means for treating said product that is capable of providing a disinfectant effect to said product, said distributor head (3) comprising a body (7) defining a product flow pipe (9), the treatment means being inserted in said flow pipe (9). The invention also relates to a distributor head (3) for such a container.

Description

Receptacle and dispensing head for receptacle with disinfecting action

The invention relates to the field of containers, including flexible tubes for storing and dispensing products with a liquid or pasty consistency comprising a dispensing head configured to provide a disinfectant treatment. It is more particularly applications in the field of containers for cosmetic or pharmaceutical products.

Around the world, various directives aim to regulate, control and limit the presence of substances that are potentially dangerous for human health in particularly cosmetic products. One of them is the European REACH Directive (Registration Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals). Also, an environmental trend pushes cosmeticians to limit, or even eliminate from their formulas, preservatives that are often the cause of allergies or intolerances.

Cosmetics are becoming more and more fragile. In particular, they hardly withstand mechanical or thermal stress (causing for example a phase shift), air contact (causing for example drying out, oxidation), and are easily contaminated by bacteria and fungi.

To fight against the contamination, the formulators try to reinforce the intrinsic conservative activity of their products by adding ingredients with a conservative activity like some essential oils, essences of orange, vitamin C, ... which are not declared as curators. Also, they limit the free activity of the water they are trying to keep low (AW <0.6) so that the bacteria do not grow or little.

On the other hand, both at the reservoir in which the product is conditioned and at the dispensing head, protective containers appear on the market. In particular, the receptacles must prevent microbiological contamination of the product, not only during storage but especially between two uses. To do this, there are complex and expensive dispensing heads, whose high level of antimicrobial protection is not always essential.

There is therefore a need for a dispensing head of simple design that is configured to provide disinfecting action on the product effectively.

For this purpose, the present invention proposes a receptacle comprising a dispensing head of a product, in particular a cosmetic product, said dispensing head comprising at least one means for treating said product capable of ensuring a disinfecting action on said product, said dispensing head. distribution comprising a body defining a flow conduit of the product, the processing means being reported in said flow conduit. In other words, any product exiting the tube passes through the dispensing head and is in contact with the processing means placed therein. It is therefore preferentially the product coming out of the tube which undergoes a disinfectant treatment during its distribution and not all or part of the product contained in the tube. In addition, in a number of receptacles, particularly the flexible tubes, a phenomenon of re-aspiration of the product from the opening to the reservoir (suck back effect) can take place. Thus product which is at the opening of the receptacle and which can be potentially contaminated can be reintroduced into the receptacle and contaminate the rest of the content. The presence of the treatment means in the dispensing head then makes it possible to limit this risk of contamination, the product also being treated before it is reintroduced into the receptacle during its passage through the dispensing head. Furthermore, the processing means being attached to the tube, its integration can be performed without complexity.

According to various embodiments of the invention, which may be taken together or separately:

said treatment means comprises a substrate forming a material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties by diffusion and / or contact with an antimicrobial and / or antifungal agent,

said treatment means comprises a filtering substrate, said processing means comprises a support for said substrate, inserted in said flow conduit,

said substrate is located in said flow conduit,

said substrate is encapsulated in said support so that it is only brought into contact with the product passing through said conduit,

said support is made based on said material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties by diffusion and / or contact with an antimicrobial and / or antifungal agent,

said substrate comprises one or more elements made of fibers and / or foam and / or injected plastic material,

said fibers are woven and form a textile film and / or a screen,

said fibers comprise at least one of the materials chosen from viscose, polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyolefins, such as polyethylene or polypropylene,

said foam comprises polyurethane,

said injected plastics material is, for example, polyethylene and / or polypropylene,

said substrate has a section substantially identical to an internal section of said flow duct,

said substrate has a height substantially identical to or less than a length of said flow duct,

said substrate has a section substantially identical to an internal section of said support,

said substrate has a height substantially identical to or less than a length of said support,

said flow duct is of circular section,

the substrate is of diameter substantially identical to the internal diameter of said flow duct,

the substrate is of diameter substantially identical to the internal diameter of said support,

said substrate is one or more disks and / or a cylinder,

said substrate comprises less than 40 disks, or even less than 30 or even less than 20 or even less than 10,

said disks are superimposed,

the disc or discs are made of plastic,

said discs comprise perforations said disks are arranged in such a way that said perforations create passage ducts for said product,

said passage ducts are of smaller section than the size of the perforations,

said substrate is in the form of a roll obtained by winding a film,

said substrate is in the form of bulk fibers,

said substrate comprises a core and protruding teeth,

said core extends along the longitudinal axis of said flow conduit and said teeth extend radially from the core,

said core and said teeth are made of injected plastic,

said injected plastics material is based on polyethylene, polypropylene and / or polyesters,

- said flow conduit is a neck.

said substrate is housed in said neck.

The invention also relates to a dispensing head for a receptacle as described above.

According to different features of the invention that can be taken together or separately:

said head is configured to be mounted on a tank of said receptacle,

said receptacle is a flexible tube,

said reservoir is a flexible skirt,

- Said dispensing head is a tube head comprising a neck and a connecting shoulder between said neck and said skirt.

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, which is purely illustrative and nonlimiting, and which should be read with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a receptacle according to one embodiment of the invention comprising a filter substrate in the form of superimposed discs;

- Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a receptacle according to one embodiment of the invention wherein the filter substrate is in the form of a cylinder; FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of an exemplary substrate of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 represents a view from above of an exemplary substrate of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

- Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a receptacle according to one embodiment of the invention wherein the filter substrate is in the form of bulk fibers;

- Figure 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a receptacle according to one embodiment of the invention wherein the filter substrate comprises a core and teeth.

In all the figures, the common elements are identified by identical reference numerals. FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6 partially represent a receptacle comprising a reservoir 1 in which a product is intended to be packaged, in particular a cosmetic, toilet or pharmaceutical product. In an exemplary application, the product is a product with a liquid, pasty or gel-like consistency, such as a lotion, a gel or a cream.

The receptacle also comprises a dispensing head 3 of the packaged product in the tank 1 composed of a body defining a flow conduit of the product from said tank 1 to an opening for distribution.

More specifically, in the embodiments shown in the various figures, the receptacle is in the form of a tube comprising a flexible skirt 5 surmounted by a tube head 3. Said flexible skirt 5 has a distal end connected to the tube head and an opposite proximal end (not shown). Said skirt forms a reservoir 1 adapted to receive the product. Said head 3 has a body 7 comprising a neck 9 corresponding to said flow duct and a shoulder 1 1 connecting said neck 9 to the flexible skirt 5.

Furthermore, said head 3 is here provided with an external thread 12 for mounting between two uses of a cap (not shown) for covering the dispensing head. In a conventional manner, the tube is obtained by assembling the head 3 on the skirt 5.

The skirt 5 can be obtained:

by continuous extrusion or coextrusion of several plastic materials in the form of a cylindrical hollow extrudate having a diameter close to that of the final skirt and subsequently cut to the desired dimensions to constitute it;

- By lamination (extrusion-lamination, adhesive-lamination or blown-film process) leading to obtaining a strip of plastic material, shaped cylinder later by matching (contact or superposition) of its two longitudinal edges then longitudinal weld along these edges.

The skirt 5 may be connected to the tube head 3 either by overmoulding the tube head 3 on the skirt 5, or by welding or gluing by assembling the skirt 5 on the previously formed tube head 3, in particular by injection or by injection compression, or by any other technique.

The tube can also be obtained in one piece by an extrusion blow molding or injection process, the skirt 5 and the head 3 are then continuous material.

In all these processes, the skirt 5 may be formed of a monolayer or multilayer film commonly formed essentially of plastic, for example polyolefin, such as polyethylene and / or polypropylene, polyester and / or polyamide. The multilayer film may optionally comprise a barrier layer limiting infiltration and leakage of the components through the skirt 5. The barrier layer, preferably central, typically comprises a metal layer (aluminum for example) and / or an ethylene layer vinyl alcohol (EVOH).

The tube head 3 is commonly formed of plastic, for example polyolefin (polyethylene and / or polypropylene), polyester and / or polyamide. According to the invention, said dispensing head 3 comprises at least one treatment means adapted to ensure a disinfecting action on said product. For this purpose, the treatment means may comprise a substrate forming a material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties by diffusion and / or contact with an antimicrobial and / or antifungal agent.

Said material may comprise a base material chosen from viscose, polyurethane, polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyolefins, such as polyethylene or polypropylene. In order to bring the biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties to said material, said base material may be loaded with at least one antimicrobial and / or antifungal agent, on an organic base such as Trichlosan (trade name of Melcoplast) or on a silver base, or on a mineral basis. Said base material can also be loaded with metal particles, such as zinc or copper, and / or undergo a surface treatment by fluorination, zinc plating or copper plating. Copper and / or zinc and / or fluorine thus provide the necessary biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties. It is also possible for the base material to be loaded with at least one additive which makes it photoluminescent after exposure to external light and / or an additive capable of emitting photoluminescent radiation of the order of magnitude of the sterilizing ultraviolet radiation, for example in particularly a wavelength of between 250 and 260 nanometers, and in particular of 254 nanometers. The biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties are then obtained by irradiation of the material with radiation of suitable wavelength.

It is still possible that said material comprises a metallic material, such as a copper or zinc alloy, which provides the necessary biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties.

Another way to obtain these biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties is, for example, to impregnate the base material with at least one antimicrobial and / or antifungal agent, such as Trichlosan, polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB).

The treatment means is reported in the flow duct or neck 9. It may comprise a filter substrate 13 that can be made based on said material described above and having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties by diffusion and / or contact with an antimicrobial and / or antifungal agent. Said substrate 13 is located in the flow duct or neck 9.

The presence of the treatment means and in particular of the filtering substrate in the flow conduit (or neck 9) makes it possible in particular to limit the phenomenon of re-aspiration of the product from the opening towards the reservoir 1. The limitation of the re-suction phenomenon contributes to the antimicrobial protection between two uses because it prevents the product at the level of the opening or the flow conduit and potentially contaminated during distribution from being reintroduced into the tank 1 and contaminates the remaining product. The reintroduction of product after its distribution is reduced, thus limiting the risks of contamination.

In the embodiments shown here, the substrate 13 is attached to the dispensing head 3 via a support 15 inserted in the neck 9 of the tube. The support 15 has an outlet orifice 33 opening into an upper wall 35. Said wall 35 is equipped with a peripheral skirt 37 which is fitted into the neck 9 of the head 3. Said skirt 37 is surmounted by a radial flange 39 forming a groove 41 bearing axially on a ring 43 of the neck 9 to define the end of fitting of the support 15. Said skirt 37 forms an internal cavity in which the substrate 13 can be placed.

Furthermore, the support 15 comprises slots 45 extending axially on the skirt 37, for example on a half of the height of the skirt, or a third or a quarter. Said slots 45 facilitate the fitting of the support 15 in the neck 9 of the head 3 by a reduction of its diameter when it enters the neck forcefully. They also allow it to snap and stay in the neck 9.

Said slots 45 allow, moreover, a better restitution of the product by allowing its passage to the outlet orifice 33, in particular product that could accumulate in the top of the tank 1 between the head 3 and the support 15. Said support 15 may also comprise a bottom 47 having orifices 49 distributed uniformly and allowing the passage of the product from the tank 1 to the outlet orifice 33. Said bottom 49 may also comprise a bead 51 ensuring its maintenance in the internal cavity formed by the skirt 37. Said bottom 47 ensures a better maintenance of the substrate 13 in the support 15 and limits the risk that it is driven into the tank 1. Said support thus offers an encapsulation of the processing means. However, said support 15 may also be made based on said material described above and having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties by diffusion and / or contact with an antimicrobial agent and / or antifungal.

In FIG. 1, the substrate 13 is in the form of several superimposed discs 17 whose diameter is substantially identical to an internal diameter of the support 15 so that the product contained in the tank 1 of the tube is necessarily in contact with that when it is distributed.

In FIG. 2, the substrate 13 is in the form of a cylinder 19 whose diameter is, as before, substantially identical to the internal diameter of the support 15.

In these two embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the discs 17 or the cylinder 19 may be one or more fiber and / or foam and / or injected plastic elements comprising the material having biocidal properties and / or microbiostatic.

It can thus be envisaged that the fibers are for example woven and form a textile film and / or a screen having a certain permeability and / or porosity and through which the product contained in the tube can diffuse during its distribution and be in contact with the material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties.

The textile may also be a nonwoven fabric having the same characteristics as the woven fabric described above. Preferably, the textile film will comprise as a base material previously described viscose and / or polyester, such as polyethylene terephthalate, and / or a mixture of these materials. The screen is preferably of woven polyethylene fiber. Weaving makes it possible to obtain meshes of variable size and provides a permeability and a porosity permitting the diffusion of the product contained in the tube through one or more disks 17 without damaging the distribution of the product. In other embodiments, the discs 17 or the cylinder 19 may be of foam. Preferably, it is polyurethane foam, including expanded polyurethane foam.

In yet another embodiment shown in Figure 3, the discs 17 may also be superimposed disks plastic injected for example. The injected plastics material may be, for example, polyethylene and / or polypropylene.

In this embodiment, the discs 17 comprise perforations 21 and are arranged in such a way that said perforations 21 create passage ducts for said product. More precisely, the discs 17 are superposed by shifting the perforations 21 so that the passage ducts created are of smaller section than the size of the perforations 21. This reduction of the section of the passage ducts with respect to the size of the perforations 21 makes it possible to use discs 17 with perforations 21 large enough to be injected. Thus, despite significant perforations 21 on each disk 17, the offset superposition allows filtration of the product during its distribution and good contact with the material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties.

In some embodiments, the cylindrical substrate (cylinder 19) of Figure 2 may be in the form of a roll obtained by winding a film 23 as shown in Figure 4. The film 23 may be a woven fabric or no, foam or any other suitable material to make a roll having the filtration properties (permeability and / or porosity) described above and allowing a good distribution of the product while ensuring good contact with the material with biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties.

In general, the thickness and the number of discs 17, as well as the height of the cylinder 19, vary according to the product contained in the tube, in particular of its liquid, gel or pasty consistency, but also as a function of the composition of the substrate. 13. Indeed, the substrate 13 may be more or less permeable and / or porous depending on its composition. A very dense substrate 13, a number of discs 17 that are too high, a disc thickness 17 or a height of cylinder 19 that are too large make the passage of the product difficult and limit its distribution.

As examples:

in the case of textile discs made of a mixture of viscose and PET, the substrate will comprise at most 40 disks, preferably at most 10 disks;

in the case of expanded polyurethane foam discs, the substrate will comprise at most 40 discs, preferably at most 10 discs;

in the case of woven polyethylene mesh discs, the substrate will comprise at most 40 discs, preferably between 10 and 30 discs.

in the case of injected plastic disks, the substrate will comprise at most 40 disks, preferably at most 10 disks;

It is also possible that the substrate 13 is in the form of bulk fibers 25, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5.

As previously described, the fibers comprise said material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties whose base material may be chosen from viscose, polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyolefins, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or a mixture of these materials. Preferably, the fibers are of viscose, of polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate, or a mixture of these materials.

In a further embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the substrate 13 added in the neck 9 of the tube comprises a core 27 and teeth 29 protruding from said core 27. Said core 27 extends along the longitudinal axis A said flow conduit, here the neck 9 of the dispensing head 3. From Preferably, said teeth 29 extend radially from the core 27. In other words, the teeth 29 project from the core 27 in directions substantially orthogonal to said longitudinal axis A of the neck 9. Said core 27 and / or said teeth 29 are made based on said material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties described above. Preferably, it will be a plastic material, especially based on polyolefin, such as polyethylene and / or polypropylene (for example a low density polyethylene based material (LDPE)) and / or polyesters or a mixture of these materials. Preferably, it is an injected plastic material.

The core 27 and the teeth 29 may be molded together or the teeth 29 may be overmolded on the core 27. This allows for a soul and teeth with original shapes. It is thus possible to produce, directly and by a single molding operation, the complex shape that will give its characteristics to the teeth.

The section of the substrate 13 is of diameter substantially identical to the internal diameter of the support so that the teeth 29 occupy the entire flow conduit 9. The product contained in the tube is thus necessarily in contact with the material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties during its distribution and the substrate thus ensures good filtration and effective antimicrobial action. Said teeth 29 may have, at their free end, excrescences. These protuberances extend over a small proportion of the radial extension of said teeth 29, for example over a quarter of their radial extension, or even a fifth. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion is in the form of a trident 31, thus increasing the contact with the material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties. It is obvious that all other designs of teeth allowing a good filtration and a good restitution of the product are possible.

It should be noted that alternative embodiments are of course possible and that the present invention is not limited to a flexible tube-type receptacle and a dispensing head comprising a support for the filtering substrate as described in FIG. previous figures. Although not shown, it is quite possible to bring the filter substrate directly into the flow conduit of a flexible tube or other type receptacle. It is also possible to combine the different substrates to obtain a more effective antimicrobial action and product distribution.

Claims

claims

1. Receptacle comprising a dispensing head (3) of a product, especially a cosmetic product, said dispensing head (3) comprising at least one means for treating said product capable of providing a disinfecting action on said product, said dispensing head (3 ) comprising a body (7) defining a flow conduit (9) of the product, the processing means being attached to said flow conduit (9).

2. Receptacle according to the preceding claim, wherein said processing means comprises a material having biocidal and / or microbiostatic properties by diffusion and / or contact with an antimicrobial agent and / or antifungal.

Receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said processing means comprises a filter substrate (13).

The receptacle according to claim 3, wherein said processing means comprises a support (15) of said substrate (13) inserted into said flow conduit.

5. Receptacle according to any one of claims 3 or 4, wherein said substrate (13) comprises one or more fiber elements and / or foam and / or injected plastic material.

The receptacle according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said substrate (13) has a section substantially identical to an internal section of said flow duct and a height substantially the same as or less than a length of said flow duct. .

7. Receptacle according to claim 6, wherein said duct is of circular section and said substrate (13) is one or more disks (17) and / or a cylinder (17).

Receptacle according to claim 7, wherein said discs (17) are superimposed.

Receptacle according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein said discs (17) comprise perforations (21) and are arranged so that said perforations (21) create conduits for passage of said product.

Receptacle according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein said substrate (13) is in the form of a roll obtained by winding a film.

1 1. A receptacle according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said substrate (13) is in the form of bulk fibers (25).

The receptacle according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said substrate (13) comprises a protruding web (27) and teeth (29).

13. Receptacle according to the preceding claim, wherein said flow conduit is a neck (9).

14. Dispensing head (3) for a receptacle according to any one of the preceding claims.