FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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This invention relates to a dispensing button.
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In particular, the said invention relates to a dispensing button that can be configured during assembly.
BACKGROUND ART
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Commonly known dispenser caps are coupled with pumps or valves which are fitted onto a stem that operates the said pumps or valves.
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When a user presses the dispensing button to activate the pump or valve, a fluid substance is dispensed.
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Commonly known dispenser caps have a dispensing opening integrated into the said cap which determines the final substance dispensing direction.
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Therefore, an appropriate cap for the purpose must be chosen based on the desired dispensing direction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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The object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing button which is improved compared with the prior art.
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A further object of the present invention is to reduce the cap manufacturing costs, while also ensuring greater flexibility of use and greater customisation.
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A further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing button wherein the dispensing direction can be selected during cap assembly.
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This and other objects are achieved by means of a dispensing button produced according to the technical teachings of the claims annexed hereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
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Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer in the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the dispensing button, illustrated - by way of a non-limiting example - in the drawings annexed hereto, in which:
- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view (with some parts omitted) of a fluid substance dispensing device onto which the dispensing button according to the present invention is fitted;
- Figure 2 is a bottom-up plan view of a portion of the cap according to the present invention;
- Figure 3 is a front view of the part in Figure 2;
- Figure 4 is a section view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 2;
- Figure 5 is a perspective view of an extension element that can be coupled to the part in Figure 2 to form the dispensing button in Figure 1;
- Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the device in Figure 1 with the extension element in Figure 7 coupled thereto instead of the extension element shown in Figure 5;
- Figure 7 is a bottom-up perspective view of an alternative extension element to the extension element shown in Figure 5;
- Figure 8 is a perspective view of a different configuration of the dispensing button according to the present invention;
- Figure 9 is a bottom-up plan view of part of the cap in Figure 8;
- Figure 10 is a front view of the part in Figure 9;
- Figure 11 is a section taken along line XI-XI in Figure 9;
- Figure 12 is a bottom-up perspective view of an extension element that can be coupled to the part in Figure 9 to form the cap shown in Figure 8;
- Figure 13 is a top-down plan view of the extension element in Figure 12.
- Figure 14 is a section view taken along line XIV-XIV in Figure 13;
- Figure 15 is a bottom-up perspective view of an extension element that can be coupled to the part in Figure 9 as an alternative to the extension element in Figure 12;
- Figure 16 is a cross-section similar to the section view shown in Figure 14 but of the extension element shown in Figure 15;
- Figure 17 is a section view taken along line XVII-XVII of the extension element shown in Figure 5;
- Figure 18 shows, in an exploded section view, a possible embodiment of the cap according to the present invention in three pieces; and
- Figure 19 is a perspective view of a base element of the dispensing button in Figure 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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With reference to the figures stated, reference number 1 is used to denote, as a whole, a fluid substance dispensing device 100 featuring a dispensing button.
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The dispensing device 100 may comprise a dispensing element equipped with a hollow stem 12 coupled to the dispensing button 1.
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The dispensing element may be a pump 13 or a valve.
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The dispensing element 13 may be fastened to a ring-nut 101, and a portion of the dispensing button (e.g., a skirt 3 or a shaped body 5) may be configured so as to slide telescopically inside the ring-nut 101 when the dispensing button 1 is pressed.
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The pump 13 or the valve may be coupled - for example, via the ring-nut 101 - to a container (not shown) containing a fluid substance to be dispensed, such as a cream, liquid soap, a medicinal composition, etc.
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The pump 13 or the valve may also be coupled with a dip tube immersed in the substance, or may be devoid of such tube, for example, if coupled with a deformable bag inside the container that holds the substance to be dispensed.
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If there is a pump 13 present (which is airless if coupled to a deformable bag), activation of the stem 12 (by pressing the dispensing button) results in the substance being dispensed through a dispensing opening 10A, 10B (or dispensing light) located on the dispensing button.
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In the case of a valve, the area between the container and the bag is pressurised. Pressing the dispensing button 1 makes the valve open and dispense (also through the opening 10A, 10B) the substance contained in the deformable bag.
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For a clearer understanding of the invention, please see Figures 1 and 6.
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In Figure 1, the dispensing button 1 features - installed thereon - the extension element shown in Figure 5, which features a dispensing opening 10A that dispenses the fluid laterally to the dispensing button 1, therefore in a radial direction.
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In Figure 6, however, the dispensing button 1 has the extension element shown in Figure 7 installed thereon and the said extension element features a dispensing opening 10B that dispenses the fluid downwards, therefore essentially parallel to the axis A of the dispensing button 1.
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Therefore, when assembling the dispensing button 1, it is possible to choose which extension element 8 to couple to the base element 2 (which is the same in all cases) in order to select the desired dispensing direction according to the positioning of the dispensing opening on the extension element 8.
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Once selected and assembled, the extension element 8 cannot be removed, during normal use of the dispenser, by the final user.
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Therefore, the dispensing direction is unchangeable by the final user, during the normal use of the dispensing button 1.
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Obviously, this results in a significant saving in terms of the cost of the button because it is possible to have a single base element 2, which can be coupled to multiple extension elements 8 (which are small, inexpensive, and easily managed in the warehouse) instead of having different versions of the dispensing button according to the desired dispensing direction.
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In Figures 1 and 6, the dispensing direction provided by the extension element selected is only either radial or parallel to (and offset from) axis A.
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Obviously, extension elements may be envisaged with a dispensing opening 10A, 10B which is oriented differently (for example, tilted downwards or upwards, facing upwards, etc.), with a smaller or larger outlet hole depending on the substance to be dispensed, etc. The extension elements 8 described below are therefore provided solely as examples.
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The position of the dispensing opening 10A, 10B on the extension element 8 defines the dispensing direction. Basically, the dispensing opening lies in a plane, and the dispensing direction is orthogonal to the plane where the opening lies.
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After this introduction, which is useful for better understanding of the invention, a more detailed description follows below.
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Reference will now be made to Figures 2 through 5.
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The dispensing button 1 comprises a base element 2 that features a shaped body 5.
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The base element 2 may also feature a skirt 3, surrounding the shaped body 5. Advantageously, the shaped body 5 and the skirt 3 are produced as a single piece.
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There is also an actuating portion 11 configured to at least partially accommodate a user's finger when operating the dispensing button 1, with the said actuating portion 11 (when the cap is seen in the bottom-up plan view) protruding peripherally from the shaped body 5 and - advantageously - also from the skirt 3.
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In practice, the actuating portion 11 is the part that is pressed by a user's finger during normal use of the dispensing button.
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As shown in Figure 2, the actuating portion can not only protrude along the entire perimeter from the shaped body 5 (or skirt 3, if present) but also features an elongated portion (the portion on the right in Figure 2) that protrudes significantly from the outer perimeter of the shaped body 5 (or skirt 3).
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This elongated portion is exactly where the dispensing opening 10A, 10B will be positioned.
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The shaped body 5 forms a conduit.
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The conduit formed by the shaped body 5 features a first section 4A, which extends axially with respect to axis A of the base element 2, and a second section 4B, which essentially extends radially.
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This is clearly visible in the section view shown in Figure 4.
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In this case, the extension of the second section 4B is essentially perpendicular to axis A, but in other configurations, the extension may be inclined differently with respect to axis A (and therefore oblique thereto).
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At one end of the first section 4A, a seat 6 may be featured that houses the hollow stem 12 of the pump 13 or valve, preferably in a sealed manner.
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The second section 4B forms, at one end thereof, a first connection element 7 coupled to a conduit 4 extension element 8.
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The extension element 8 forms a third section 4C of the said conduit 4.
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The length of the third section 4C is comparable to that of the second section 4B and is preferably equal to or greater than that of the second section.
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The third section 4C features, at one end, a second connection element 9 for connection with the first connection element 7 and - at the opposite end thereof - a dispensing opening 10A, 10B.
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The first connection element 7 and the second connection element 9 mutually couple in a sealed manner.
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In practice, the extension element 8 can be selected during the dispensing button 1 assembly stage so as to choose a dispensing direction, which is determined by the positioning of the dispensing opening 10A, 10B on the chosen extension element 8.
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The selected extension element 8 cannot be moved, changed or decoupled from the dispensing button by the final user, during normal use of the dispensing button.
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For fastening purposes, the extension element 8 features connection means 20A, 20B that cooperate with counter-connection means 21A, 21B made on the actuating portion 11 or on the base element 2.
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The connection means and counter-connection means also fulfil the function of maintaining alignment (preventing rotation) of the extension element with respect to the base element 2.
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The connection and counter connection means (20A, 20B, 21A, 21B) are configured to stably fix the extension element 8 to the shaped body 5, so that, once coupled (during assembly) to the shaped body 5, the extension element cannot be decoupled from the shaped body during normal use of the dispenser.
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This means that, once the extension element 8 is mounted on the shaped body 5 during the assembly of the dispensing button 1, it can be removed by the final user during normal use of the dispensing button 1.
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Therefore, when on the shaped body 5 an extension element 8 with a unique dispensing direction (defined by the position of the dispensing opening 10A, 10B on the chosen extension element 8) is mounted during the assembly phase of the dispensing button 1, the dispensing direction cannot be modified or changed by the final user, during normal use of the dispensing button 1.
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In the configuration shown in Figure 4, it should be noted that the actuating portion 11 and the base element 2 are produced as a single piece.
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Nevertheless, the actuating portion 11 can also be a separate piece from the base element 2, which can optionally be snap-fitted to the base element, as shown in Figures 18 and 19 (it should be noted that the teeth 102 cooperate with the protrusion(s) 103).
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The said connecting means and counter-connecting means may form an interference or snap fit 20B, 21B, as shown for example in the configuration in Figures 11, 12, or 15, or a dovetail fit 20A, 21A, as shown in the configuration in Figures 4, 5, or 7.
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If there is a dovetail coupling present (e.g. in Figures 4 and 18), to install the extension element on the base element 2, one must simply insert the said extension element into the dovetail guide of the element 11 and push it towards the base element 2, so as to engage the second connecting element 9 with the first connecting element 7.
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If there is no dovetail coupling present (e.g. in Figure 11), greater care must be taken to simultaneously make both the interference or snap fit 21A, 21B and the fit between the second connecting element 9 and the first connecting element 7.
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Regarding the extension element 8, it should be noted that the dispensing direction determined by the positioning of the dispensing opening 10B can be essentially parallel to and offset from the axis A of the base element 2 (Figures 7 and 15) or the said dispensing direction determined by the positioning of the dispensing opening 10A can be essentially perpendicular to the said axis A (as in Figures 5 and 12).
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As shown in Figures 8-16, the extension element 8 can form a portion of the surface of the dispensing button 1 opposite the part where the base element 2 is present.
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For this purpose, the actuating portion 11 (or the base element 2) can feature a recess 105 whose conformation corresponds to a part 106 of the external perimeter of the extension element 8 (Figures 9, 12, 13, and 15).
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In conclusion, it must be underlined that the parts that form the dispenser (of which there are two or three, as described above) can be made of recyclable materials, such as PP-PE and PET, so as to fit into established recycling chains.
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Various embodiments of the innovation have been disclosed herein, but further embodiments may also be conceived using the same innovative concept.