EP3240733B1 - Rigid shell for a compressible tube - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a rigid envelope intended to cover a tube comprising a liquid or pasty product, according to the preamble of claim 1.

This tube is flexible and is gradually compressed as and when dispensing the product. The rigid casing thus makes it possible to maintain a substantially constant external appearance, it also makes it possible to protect the tube against any involuntary compression.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

Among the containers containing cream or paste products, there is a container in the form of a flexible tube that is pressed to release its contents.

Depending on the elasticity or otherwise of its walls, the tube may tend to return to its original shape after releasing the pressure applied to it. In doing so, air is drawn into the tube to compensate for the volume of product that can be taken.

Some tubes are equipped with anti-return devices to automatically close the dispensing orifice, to prevent air from entering the tube.

Also, the tube is deformed gradually by crashing, as and when samples of product.

These deformations of the tube adversely affect the general appearance of the tube.

Also, deformation of the tube, while its dispensing tip is still closed, for example by a plug of the type snap on the tip, produces a positive pressure of the product in the tube. The product can then exit through the dispensing nozzle in an uncontrolled manner, which is unpleasant for the user.

The document US 1889885 discloses a rigid shell for protecting a product delivery tube such as toothpaste.

This envelope consists of two plates between which the product tube is placed.

These two plates partially envelop the dispensing tube, to protect it from a large part of the stresses it could undergo.

However, this envelope does not completely cover the dispensing tube, so that it is clearly visible from the outside, which is not aesthetic.

Also, the envelope described in this document is made in two parts that are movable relative to each other, to allow the mounting of the tube between them. Handling the two parts and means for their attachment can be difficult for a user.

In addition, the tube is secured to the casing at its end at which the dispensing tip is located. This therefore reduces the stability of the tube in the envelope and exposes it to external stresses.

The document US 5,277,332 discloses an envelope according to the preamble of claim 1.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention proposes a rigid casing for a flexible tube comprising the features of claim 1. In detail, the casing comprises a main longitudinal orientation body, which is constituted by an upper wall, a lower wall located in a vertical direction, opposite and away from the upper longitudinal wall and two side walls connecting the upper wall with the lower wall, a rigid head located at a longitudinal front end of the body which comprises a central orifice, it is made in one piece from a rigid material.

The realization of the envelope in one piece makes it easier to use since the user does not need to manipulate different parts during assembly of the flexible tube.

According to the invention the rear longitudinal end of each side wall carries a boss projecting inwardly relative to the inner face of said side wall.

Preferably, each boss has a groove open longitudinally forwards.

Preferably, the bottom wall has a longitudinal opening which is open at the rear end edge of the bottom wall.

Preferably, said opening has a leading edge which is located behind the front end edge of the bottom wall.

Preferably, one and / or the other of the upper wall and the lower wall is substantially flat.

Preferably, one and / or the other of the upper wall and the lower wall is convex curved towards the outside of the envelope.

Preferably, and / or the other of the upper wall and the lower wall is trapezoid-shaped, the parallel sides of the trapezium are formed by the front and rear longitudinal end edges of said upper wall or said lower wall.

The invention also proposes an assembly comprising a rigid envelope according to the invention and a flexible tube disposed inside the envelope, said tube comprising a body of deformable material, a front end comprising a dispensing orifice, and an end rear closed, the tube is held in position in the casing by a resilient interlocking of the front end of the tube in the front end of the casing.

Preferably, the body shape of the envelope is similar to the shape of the body of the tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• la figure 1 est une représentation schématique en vue de dessus d'une enveloppe selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de dessous de l'enveloppe représentée à la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en bout de l'extrémité arrière de l'enveloppe représentée à la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en bout de l'extrémité avant de l'enveloppe représentée à la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 montre différentes formes de la face supérieure ou de la face inférieure de l'enveloppe représentée aux figures 1 et 2 ;
• la figure 6 montre un exemple de forme de l'extrémité avant de l'enveloppe représentée aux figures 1 et 2 ;
• la figure 7 montre différentes formes de l'extrémité arrière de l'enveloppe représentée aux figures 1 et 2 ;
• la figure 8 est un détail à plus grande échelle de l'extrémité avant du corps et du tube, montrant les moyens de solidarisation par clipsage ;
• la figure 9 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 8, pour laquelle l'obturation de l'orifice de distribution du tube est effectuée par un couvercle mobile.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended figures among which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic representation in top view of an envelope according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a bottom view of the envelope shown in the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is an end view of the rear end of the envelope shown at figure 1 ;
• the figure 4 is an end view of the front end of the envelope shown at figure 1 ;
• the figure 5 shows different shapes of the upper or lower face of the envelope shown in Figures 1 and 2 ;
• the figure 6 shows an example of the shape of the front end of the envelope shown in Figures 1 and 2 ;
• the figure 7 shows different shapes of the rear end of the envelope shown in Figures 1 and 2 ;
• the figure 8 is a detail on a larger scale of the front end of the body and the tube, showing the fastening means by clipping;
• the figure 9 is a view similar to that of the figure 8 , for which the closing of the dispensing orifice of the tube is effected by a movable lid.

DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

Representatives Figures 1 to 4 an envelope 10 containing a flexible tube 12.

The flexible tube 12 contains a pasty or liquid product, such as for example a cosmetic cream.

The tube 12 comprises a body 14 of deformable material, a front end 16 comprising a dispensing orifice, and a rear end 18 closed.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the body 14 is obtained from a tubular cylinder which is closed at its rear end by folding to form a straight edge constituting the rear end 18 of the tube 12.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to such a flexible tube and that the shape and / or dimensions of the tube 12 may be different from that shown in the figures.

For example, the body of the tube 12 may be of frustoconical or curved main shape.

The front end 16 of the tube 12 is of similar shape to the main section of the cylinder for producing the body 14 of the tube 12. Here, as can be seen in particular in FIG. figure 4 , the shape of the front end 16 of the tube is circular.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to this form, the front end 16 of the tube may also be oblong or oval, for example.

The envelope 10 is intended to cover at least part of the tube 12.

The casing 10 comprises a body 20 which delimits a volume in which the body 14 of the tube 12 is received, a front end 22 which cooperates with the front end 16 of the tube 12 and a rear end 24 which cooperates with the rear end 18 of the tube 12.

The envelope 10 is preferably made in one piece, for example by molding a plastic material or any other material.

Thus, the body 20, the front end 22 and the rear end 24 of the casing 10 are parts in one piece.

The front end 22 of the casing 10 is of associated shape, and preferably complementary to the shape of the front end 16 of the tube 12.

Here, the front end 16 of the tube 12 is conically shaped, the front end 22 of the casing 10 is also conical.

It comprises a central orifice 32 which is intended to be traversed by a nozzle 34 for dispensing the tube 12.

The body 20 surrounds the body 14 of the tube 12. It comprises an upper face 26 and a lower face 28, the two upper 26 and lower 28 faces are interconnected by side walls 30. These four walls 26, 28, 30 of the body 20 are distributed around the body 14 of the tube 12.

The shape of each of the walls of the body 20 is defined so that the body 20 envelops the body 14 of the tube 12 as much as possible.

Here, as we can see Figures 1 to 3 a clearance is present between the body 14 of the tube 12 and the walls 26, 28, 30 of the body 20 of the casing 10. According to an alternative embodiment, the body 14 of the tube 12 is received without play in the body 20 of the envelope 10, when the tube 12 is filled.

The material constituting the envelope 10 is a relatively rigid material, in particular, it is more rigid than the material constituting the body 14 of the tube 12.

Thus, when the tube 12 is inside the casing 10, it is protected against external pressures that may cause the product to be unwanted.

This material may be transparent, to allow a user to view inscriptions that would be placed on the walls of the body 14 of the tube 12.

This material can also be opaque or translucent, allowing on the contrary to mask inscriptions that would be placed on the walls of the body 14 of the tube 12.

Inscriptions may also be arranged on the walls 26, 28, 30 of the body 20 of the envelope 10, whatever the type of material of the envelope, to replace or complete the inscriptions of the tube 12.

As mentioned above, the body 20 of the casing 10 completely surrounds the body 14 of the tube 12, protecting it from external stresses.

To allow a user to exert a bias on the body 14 of the tube 12, in order to take a certain amount of the contained product, the bottom wall 28 of the casing 10 has an opening 36 through which for example a finger of the user can pass, to press on the body 14 of the tube 12.

Here, as we can see at figure 2 , the opening 36 extends along the longitudinal main direction of the envelope 10, from the rear end edge 28a of the bottom wall 28, at which the opening 36 is open, up to approximately the edge front end 28b of the bottom wall 28.

The front edge 38 of the opening is thus located behind said front end edge 28b of the bottom wall 28, at which the bottom wall is connected to the front end 22 of the envelope 10.

The shape of the opening 36 is here mainly rectangular, that is to say that the opening has two longitudinal edges 40 located at a distance from one another and a front edge 38. The opening 36 is in further open at its rear end.

As a variant of the invention the shape of the opening 36 is different, it is for example oblong, with a front edge 38 in the form of a circular arc, or the opening 36 is not open at its rear end which is therefore located at a distance and in front of the rear end edge 28a of the bottom wall 28.

With this opening 36, a user can, by compressing the body 14 of the tube 12 between his finger and the upper wall 26 of the casing, generate pressure on the product contained in the tube, so that a certain part of the product comes out of the end piece 34.

The dimensions and the shape of the opening 36 are defined to allow the user to press on the entire body 14 of the tube 12, so that it is possible to extract all of the product contained in the tube 12.

The envelope 10 is open at its rear end 24, which allows the insertion of the tube 12 in the body 20 through the rear end 24 in a main movement of translation longitudinally.

The rear end 24 of the envelope 10 further comprises means for retaining the tube 12 in the envelope 10. These retention means consist according to the invention in two bosses 42 each of which is carried by the rear longitudinal end of the inner face of a side wall 30.

Each boss 42 protrudes inwardly relative to the inner face 30i associated to form a stop member against which the rear end 18 of the tube 12 abuts longitudinally rearwardly when the tube 12 is in position at the inside the envelope 10.

The installation of the tube 12 in the envelope 10 is thus done by progressively inserting the tube 12 in the envelope 10 through the opening of the rear end.

The tube 12 has previously been moved relative to its final position in the envelope 10, so that the insertion is not prevented by the bosses 42 and the tube is not deformed by contact with the bosses 42. displacement is performed either by turning the tube 12 about its longitudinal main axis, or by shifting the tube 12 slightly downwards or upwards, relative to its final position, to be offset with respect to the bosses 42.

The dimensions of the body 20 of the envelope 10 are defined to allow insertion of the tube 12 into the envelope 10. According to the dimensions and the general shape of the tube 12, the tube 12 can then be received in the envelope 10 with some functional game.

However, the dimensions of the body of the envelope 10 are also defined to prevent any exit of the tube 12 from the envelope 10 because of the presence of these clearances between the tube 12 and the faces of the body 20.

As can be seen at Figures 8 and 9 , the tube 12 is held in position in the casing by an elastic interlocking of the front end 16 of the tube 12 in the front end 22 of the casing 10.

Preferably, the resilient interlock is made at the base of the end piece 34 of the tube 12 which is fitted into the central orifice 32 of the front end 22, after the end piece 34 has completely passed through the orifice central 32.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the endpiece 34 of the tube 12 has an external thread 46 for screwing a stopper (not shown) for sealing the endpiece 34 and the base of the endpiece 34, which is located below this thread 46 has a flange 48 of diameter greater than the outer diameter of the thread. The diameter of the central orifice 32 is greater than the diameter of the thread 46 of the tip 34 and is smaller than the external diameter of the collar 48.

Also, the flange 48 comprises a conical front face 50 defined to facilitate an elastic deformation of the front end 22 of the casing 10 at the central orifice 32, when the end piece is introduced through the central orifice .

The flange 48 also has a conical rear face 52 which bears against the edge of the central orifice 32 when the end piece 34 is completely inserted.

The opening angle of the front face 50 is much smaller than the opening angle of the rear face 52, so that the support of the rear face allows the stay in place of the endpiece 34 in the orifice. central 32.

According to the embodiment shown in figure 9 , the tip has a cover 54 which is articulated on the tip 34 and which performs its closure.

The outer wall of the nozzle 34 is smooth and comprises only a flange 48 similar to that described above, having a conical front face 50 and a conical rear face which bears against the edge of the central orifice 32.

These two conical faces cooperate with the edge of the central orifice 32 as previously described.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment of the retaining means by elastic interlocking, and that the retaining means can be arranged at another position in the envelope, for example at the edge of the housing. rear end of the front end 22 of the envelope 10.

To complete the holding means by elastic interlocking for the longitudinal retention of the tube inside the casing 10, each boss 42 has a groove 44 which is open longitudinally forwards.

The two grooves 44 of the bosses 42 are intended to receive the flattened rear end 18 of the tube 12.

The grooves 44 of the bosses 42 perform both the longitudinal retention of the rear end 18 of the tube 12 and the maintenance in vertical displacement upwards or downwards of the rear end 18 of the tube 12.

We have shown figure 5 different embodiments of the shapes of the upper and lower walls 28. Preferably, the shape and dimensions of the these walls is identical and is defined according to the shape of the tube 12 which is intended to be disposed inside the envelope 10.

According to a first embodiment, the two walls 26, 28 are of rectangular shape, as for the embodiment of the Figures 1 and 2 .

According to one variant, the two walls 26, 28 are in the form of an isosceles trapezium, whose parallel sides or bases are formed by the front and rear end edges of the walls 26, 28. The large base of this trapezium is thus located at the front end or at the rear end of each wall 26, 28.

In addition, according to one embodiment, one and / or the other of the two walls 26, 28 is substantially flat.

According to an alternative embodiment, one and / or the other of the two walls 26, 28 is substantially curved and is curved towards the outside of the envelope.

According to the embodiment shown in figure 4 , the front end 22 of the casing 10 is of conical shape of revolution, that is to say that its section in a plane perpendicular to the main axis of the casing is circular.

According to an embodiment variant represented in figure 6 , the section of the front end 22 of the casing 10 is oblong, the direction of the largest dimension of this section may be vertical or horizontal.

Finally, as shown in figure 3 , the rear end 24 of the casing 10 is oblong, the large dimension of which is substantially equal to the width of the rear end 18 of the tube 12.

This oblong shape of the rear end 24 of the envelope 10 applies with any shape and any size of the front end 22 of the envelope 10, as shown in FIG. figure 7 .

According to a first example, the large dimension of the rear end 24 of the casing 10 is substantially equal to the diameter of the front end 22 of the casing 10 which is circular in shape.

According to a second example, the large dimension of the rear end 24 of the envelope 10 is smaller than the diameter of the front end 22 of the envelope 10 which is circular in shape.

According to a third example, the front end 22 of the envelope 10 is also oblong, as shown in FIG. figure 6 and its large dimension is greater than the large dimension of the rear end 24 of the envelope 10.

Claims (9)

1. Rigid shell (10) for a flexible tube (12), comprising:

   a body (20) having a longitudinal principal orientation, which is made up of an upper wall (26), a lower wall (28) located facing and at a distance from the longitudinal upper wall (26), and two lateral walls (30) connecting the upper wall (26) to the lower wall (28),

   a rigid head (22) located at a front longitudinal end of the body (20) that comprises a central orifice (32),

   the shell (10) being made of a single part from a rigid material,

   characterised in that the back longitudinal end of each lateral wall (30) comprises a boss (42) projecting inwards from the internal face (30i) of said lateral wall (30).
2. Rigid shell (10) according to the previous claim, characterised in that each boss (42) comprises a groove open longitudinally forwards.
3. Rigid shell (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the lower wall (28) comprises a longitudinal opening (36) that is open at the edge of the back end (28a) of the lower wall (28).
4. Rigid shell (10) according to the previous claim, characterised in that said opening (36) comprises a front edge located behind the front edge end (28b) of the lower wall (28).
5. Rigid shell (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that either one or both of the upper wall (26) and the lower wall (28), is approximately flat.
6. Rigid shell (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that either one or both of the upper wall (26) and the lower wall (28), is convex towards the outside of the shell (10).
7. Rigid shell (10) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that either one or both of the upper wall (26) and the lower wall (28), is in the shape of a trapezium, in which the parallel sides of the trapezium are formed from the edges of the front and back longitudinal ends of said upper wall (26) or said lower wall (28).
8. Assembly comprising a rigid shell (10) according to any one of the previous claims, and a flexible tube (12) inside the shell (10), said tube (12) comprising a body (14) made of a deformable material, a front end (16) comprising a distribution orifice, and a closed back end (18), the tube (12) is held in position in the shell (10) by an elastic engagement of the front end (16) of the tube (12) in the front end (22) of the shell (10).
9. Assembly according to the previous claim, characterised in that the shape of the body (20) of the shell (10) is similar to the shape of the body (14) of the tube (12).

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