Classifications

• • 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
  • B05B11/0038—Inner container disposed in an outer shell or outer casing
• • 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
  • B05B11/0054—Cartridges, i.e. containers specially designed for easy attachment to or easy removal from the rest of the sprayer
• • 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
  • B05B11/02—Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons
  • B05B11/026—Membranes separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the 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
  • B05B11/01—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
  • B05B11/1035—Pumps having a pumping chamber with a deformable wall the pumping chamber being a bellow
• • 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
  • B05B11/1043—Sealing or attachment arrangements between pump and container
  • B05B11/1046—Sealing or attachment arrangements between pump and container the pump chamber being arranged substantially coaxially to the neck of the container
  • B05B11/1047—Sealing or attachment arrangements between pump and container the pump chamber being arranged substantially coaxially to the neck of the container the pump being preassembled as an independent unit before being mounted on the container

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a fluid product dispenser and more particularly a refillable dispenser.
• This distributor comprises a reservoir forming a neck, as well as an external covering forming a threaded socket defining a central opening for the passage of the neck.
• the distributor also includes a distribution member provided with a threaded ring to screw onto the threaded socket.
• the neck of the tank is removably or reversibly held in the external casing, so that a user can remove the tank from the casing to replace it with another tank.
• the preferred fields of application of the invention are those of cosmetics, cleaning products or food.
• Flexible bag reservoirs inherently lack strength or rigidity, since advantage is taken precisely of the deformation of the flexible bag to reduce the useful volume of the reservoir as fluid product is extracted from it by the distribution member . It is therefore complicated to mount the dispensing member on the neck of the tank or on the casing, while guaranteeing the tightness of the distributor, due to the freedom of movement of the flexible pocket inside the casing .
• the watertight assembly of the distribution member on the neck of the tank or on the covering is all the more complicated as the tank is introduced into the covering through the open bottom of the covering and the assembly is carried out by screwing.
• the aim of the present invention is to be able to screw the dispensing member onto the casing while guaranteeing a fixed hold of the neck in the casing and a perfect seal between the neck and the dispensing member.
• a fluid product dispenser comprising:
• a reservoir of fluid product forming a neck defining an upper annular edge
• an external covering comprising a threaded socket defining a central opening for the passage of the neck, the reservoir of fluid product extending in the covering along a longitudinal axis X,
• the external covering comprises:
• a cover comprising a threaded skirt intended to come into threaded engagement with the threaded upper edge of the external shell, the cover forming the central opening for the passage of the neck of the rigid end piece.
• the distribution member is fixed by screwing to the external covering, but also engages with the neck of the tank to engage the axial stop between the neck and the threaded socket.
• the neck is thus held fixedly both in relation to the external covering and in relation to the distribution member.
• the axial thrust exerted by the dispensing member on the neck can be used to create a seal between the neck and the dispensing member, for example by crushing a neck seal on the upper annular edge of the neck.
• the dispensing member may comprise a self-sealing lip which comes into sliding radial contact inside the neck.
• the axial stop means In a refillable dispenser, the axial stop means must be removable or reversible, so that the user can easily deactivate them to separate the tank from the external covering. It must be possible to disengage these two parts manually without using any tools. Axial and/or rotational movement must be sufficient to decouple the two parts.
• the axial stop means comprise at least one peripheral support flange formed by one of the neck and the threaded socket and at least one lug formed by the other of the neck and the threaded socket, the lug being intended to come into axial alignment with the peripheral support flange by mutual rotation of the neck in the threaded socket and into mutual axial support by axial thrust on the neck.
• the neck and the threaded socket can also together form rotational stop means to prevent the neck from rotating in the threaded socket, in particular when screwing the threaded ring onto the threaded socket.
• the neck is then blocked both axially and in rotation inside the threaded socket: we can say that the neck is integral with the socket, preferably in a removable or reversible manner.
• the one among the neck and the threaded socket already forming the peripheral support flange can also form an axial blocking flange against which the lug is pressed in abutment, when the neck is rotated in the threaded socket.
• the peripheral support flange and axial locking flange are connected together, substantially at right angles.
• the one among the neck and the threaded socket already forming the peripheral support flange can also form an access ramp to bring the lug into axial alignment with the peripheral support flange.
• the one among the neck and the threaded socket already forming the axial locking flange can also form an access ramp to bring the lug into abutment against the axial locking flange.
• the lugs which can for example be three in number, are moved by rotation of the neck in the socket, until they come into contact with their respective access ramps.
• a continuation of the rotation leads the lugs by sliding on the ramps to the level of their respective peripheral support flanges: the lugs and the peripheral support flanges are then aligned axially in pairs.
• a continuation of the rotation leads the lugs by sliding along their respective peripheral support flanges leads them to abut against their respective axial locking flanges.
• Screwing the distribution member onto the threaded socket stresses the lugs in contact pressed against their respective peripheral support flanges, while remaining abutting against their respective axial locking flanges. Sealing is ensured by the compression of a neck seal on the annular edge of the neck or by a self-sealing lip.
• the overall arrangement is comparable to a bayonet attachment, in which a lug or pin is guided in a housing forming a ramp which leads to a final position locked axially and in rotation.
• the housings can be formed by the collar and the lugs by the covering, or vice versa.
• this overall arrangement (axial stop means + rotation stop means + possibly access ramp) can be implemented in any cladding, which does not necessarily include a shell and a cover.
• the covering could, for example, form an open bottom.
• the tank is then inserted through the open bottom of the casing with the neck first.
• the tank is moved axially in the casing until the neck engages inside the threaded socket.
• Axial and/or rotational movement makes it possible to assemble the axial stop means.
• Subsequent screwing of the distribution member onto the threaded socket makes the axial stop and the seal effective.
• the fluid product reservoir comprises a rigid tip and a flexible pocket, the rigid tip forming a fixing zone and the neck, the flexible pocket being connected in a sealed manner to the fixing zone.
• a variable volume tank a deformable can or a follower piston system can also be used in the context of the invention.
• the flanges and ramps can be formed by the neck and the lugs by the cover, or vice versa.
• the first consists of inserting the tank pocket into the external shell, then placing the cover on the neck of the tank. It is then rotated to screw it onto the hull. This In doing so, the lugs will engage with the ramps to guide them respectively into engagement with the peripheral support flanges and the axial locking flanges. This requires that the pocket does not rotate in the outer shell when engaging the lugs with the ramps and flanges. The rotation of the pocket in the shell can be blocked by friction.
• the second procedure consists of mounting the cover on the tank before inserting it into the external shell.
• the user can grasp the bag with one hand and the lid with the other hand: rotating the lid on the tank brings the lugs into engagement with the ramps and flanges.
• the pocket can then be inserted into the outer shell and the cover screwed onto the shell.
• the spirit of the invention lies in blocking the tank axially, and advantageously also in rotation, in the casing in order to be able to screw the threaded ring of the distribution member onto a threaded socket of the casing, which can be made in two pieces.
• the invention applies to any dispenser, but more particularly to a refillable dispenser, in which the reservoir (of fixed or variable volume) constitutes a replaceable element.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a tank ready to be inserted into an external shell
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of an external shell (with its tank) ready to receive a cover to complete the external covering
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cover of Figure 2
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rigid end of the tank of Figure 1
• Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the tank of Figure 1 arranged inside the covering of Figure 2
• Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a distributor according to the first embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 7 is a perspective view of a cover according to a second embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 6 for a distributor according to this second embodiment of the invention.
• the distributor as can be seen in these figures, comprises three constituent elements, namely an external casing H, a fluid product reservoir R and a dispensing member D.
• the reservoir R is received inside the casing H and the distribution member D is removably mounted on the cover H communicating with the tank R.
• the fluid product reservoir R can be of any type, provided that it defines a neck, which allows the interior of the reservoir to communicate with the exterior.
• the fluid product reservoir R can be rigid, but as a reference it has a variable volume.
• variable volume tanks we already know deformable cans and follower piston systems.
• the example in Figures 1 to 6 here uses a tank R with a flexible bag. More precisely, the reservoir R comprises a rigid tip 3 and a flexible pocket P.
• the rigid tip 3 forms a fixing zone 30, visible in Figures 4, 5 and 6, and a neck 31.
• the flexible pocket P is connected in a sealed manner to the fixing zone 30, for example by welding or gluing.
• the flexible pocket P is here of a particular type: in fact, it is formed from four sheets, namely two main sheets F1 and F2 connected together to form a cylinder, an upper sheet F3 fixed on the fixing zone 30 and a backsheet. The top sheet F3 and the bottom sheet are connected to the main sheets F1 and F2.
• This four-sheet P bag has the advantage of defining a large useful volume, while being capable of releasing a maximum of fluid product. Of course, this is only a non-limiting example.
• the neck 31 of the rigid end piece 3 extends upwards from the fixing zone 30.
• the neck 31 defines an upper annular edge 32, as well as several lugs 33, which extend radially outwards from the external wall of the neck 31.
• each lug 33 can be in the form of a small horizontal blade.
• the neck 31 forms an annular collar 34 which projects radially outwards. The function of this collar will be given below.
• the neck 31 can be initially closed by a cover 30, which is fixed in a sealed manner on the upper annular edge 32 of the neck 31.
• the covering H can be produced in a single piece with an open bottom to allow the insertion of the tank R.
• the covering H comprises two separate constituent elements, namely an external shell 1 as well as a cover 2 which is attached to the external shell 1.
• This outer shell 1 can simply be in the form of a cylinder having a threaded upper edge 11.
• the bottom of shell 1 can be open or closed.
• the cross section of the external shell 1 can be circular, or have other geometric shapes depending on the configuration of the tank R.
• the cover 2 comprises a threaded skirt 21 adapted to come into threaded or screwed engagement on the threaded edge 11 of the external shell 1.
• the cover 2 also comprises an annular plate 22, which can be planar or inclined.
• the cover 2 comprises a socket 23 which internally defines an opening 20. Externally, the socket 23 is provided with a thread 24. Internally, the socket 23 forms several flanges which project radially inwards. First of all, there is a peripheral axial support flange 25 which extends horizontally. Then, there is a vertical axial rotation-locking flange 26 which is connected at its lower end to the peripheral support flange 25.
• a ramp 27 which is in the form of an inclined flange which connects to the other end of the peripheral support flange 25.
• These three flanges 25, 26 and 27 form a set of flanges and it is necessary to provide as many sets of flanges as there are lugs 33.
• the distribution member D can be of a completely conventional design. It firstly includes a pump 41, which here is a bellows pump.
• the dispensing member D also includes a pusher 42 on which a user can press using a finger to actuate the pump 41.
• the dispensing member D is also provided with a threaded ring 43, which is in threaded socket with the thread 24 of the socket 23.
• the distribution member D also includes a support plate 44 which makes it possible to compress a neck seal 45 on the upper annular edge 32 of the neck 31.
• the cover 2 is first removed from the outer shell 1.
• the tank R can then be introduced into the outer shell 1, as shown in Figure 1.
• the rotation of the tank R inside the shell 1 can be locked by the friction of the sheets F1 and F2 against the internal wall. of the shell 1 or by the shape of the shell 1.
• the cover 2 can be attached to the outer shell 1 and rotated so as to bring the lugs 33, by sliding on the ramps 27, on the peripheral support flanges 25 and in contact with the axial rotational stop flanges 26.
• the threaded skirt 21 also comes into threaded engagement with the upper threaded edge 11 of the shell 1.
• the cover 2 is attached to the shell 1 and the lugs 31 are engaged with the flanges 25 and 26.
• the cover 2 can first be mounted on the tank R. Then the tank R, with the cover 2 mounted on it, can be inserted into the outer shell 1 and finally the cover 2 can be screwed onto the outer shell 1.
• This second operating mode does not require blocking the pocket inside the outer shell.
• the cover 2' differs from that 2 of the first embodiment in that the sleeve 23' internally forms three lugs 28, in place of the flanges 25, 26 and 27. These lugs 28 cooperate respectively with the sets of flanges 35 , 36 and 37 in the same way as in the first embodiment, but in reverse. The lugs 28 slide along the ramps 37 to fit against both the peripheral flanges 35 and the axial flanges 36. From then on, screwing the distribution member D has the effect of pushing the lugs 28 against the flanges. peripherals 35, given the axial thrust exerted on the upper annular edge 32 of the neck 3T by the neck seal 45 which is stressed by the support plate 44.
• the lugs can be formed outside the neck 31 or inside the socket 23'.
• the flange assemblies can be formed inside the socket 23 or outside the neck 3T.
• the lugs 33 or 28 engage with their respective sets of flanges when screwing the cover 2 or 2' onto the external shell 1. The user does not need to perform any prior operation to engage the lugs with their respective flange assemblies. The simple rotation of the cover 2 or 2' on the external shell 1 is enough to carry out this operation imperceptibly.
• the covering H is here represented in two pieces, namely an external shell 1 and a cover 2 or 2'.
• the engagement of the lugs 33 or 28 with their respective sets of flanges requires a prior operation, since it is necessary to engage the tank R inside the external shell 1 by its bottom open, then rotate the tank inside the casing to engage the tabs with their respective flange assemblies. It is obvious that this operation is not intuitive, because the user does not know that the tank R must be rotated inside the casing to block it axially and in rotation. This is why the first embodiment with a two-piece covering is preferred.
• the neck seal 45 we can also imagine a self-sealing lip which slides watertight around the neck 31 or 3T.
• the axial rotation locking flanges 26 and 36 and the ramps 27 and 37 are optional, but preferable. It should be noted that screwing the threaded ring 43 onto the socket 23 has the effect of pushing the collar 31 or 3T inside the covering, which allows the lugs 33 or 28 to stop with their peripheral flanges d support 35 or 25.

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• Closures For Containers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=82385326

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2022
  • 2022-05-11 FR FR2204466A patent/FR3135406B1/fr active Active
• 2023
  • 2023-05-10 EP EP23728397.3A patent/EP4522342A1/de active Pending
  • 2023-05-10 CN CN202380039829.XA patent/CN119212800A/zh active Pending
  • 2023-05-10 WO PCT/FR2023/000092 patent/WO2023218141A1/fr not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (1)

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