FR2510069A1 - Liquid or paste distribution vessel - has valves integral with reservoir containing inlet and discharge passages - Google Patents

Abstract

The liquid or paste distribution vessel comprises a variable-volume reservoir, and a metering chamber connected alternately to it and to the exterior, to draw in and discharge the product. A first passage from the top of the reservoir connects it to the chamber and a second one the chamber to atmosphere, each passage containing a valve. The reservoir (1) contains the discharge passage (9) and forms the body of the vessel, while the valves (10,11) are integral with its portion containing the two passages.

Description

 The present invention relates to new dispensing and metering devices for products in the liquid, pasty or equivalent state.

These devices find their applications in distribution, especially for domestic use, of pasta, creams, foams or other hygienic, food, dietetic or household products.

 In what follows and for simplicity, we will close, by way of illustration, only in the case of toothpastes, but it is obvious that, without departing from the scope of the invention, those skilled in the art will be able to use the conforming devices. to the invention for a large amount of piety of generally fluid, more or less viscous, that is to say that may or may not immediately spread under their own weight when placed on a horizontal plane.

 In addition, in the case of the least viscous products, it may be necessary to spray or atomize them.

 The devices according to the invention are generally in the form of a container making it possible to store a certain quantity of products and a device for ejecting doses, preferably regular. It is obvious on this subject that, for those skilled in the art, it is well known that certain products require precise doses as is the case for example in the pharmaceutical industry, while, for certain other products, the dosage may be only approximate or even unnecessary; the devices according to the present invention can allow precise dosing of the quantities of products expelled in one movement or a precise number of operations of the device.

 In the prior art, and in many cases, the contact between the stored mass and the air which can even sometimes enter the container, gives rise to oxidations and other degradations or drying rhedibitories.

 The present invention therefore aims to offer products a store never being in contact with air which requires a variable volume to prevent entry of air as the tank empties. In addition, the ejection device with which the container is provided while allowing metering and avoiding contact with air, must be of a sufficiently simple constitution to be safe to operate and of low cost price.

 Additionally, and to avoid losses, it is advantageous for the container to be completely emptied at the end of its use.

 The recourse, no longer to a pressure of propellant fluid, but to conventional pumping, creating in the product a vacuum with respect to the atmosphere, can make it possible, with a variable volume reservoir chamber of any conventional type, to avoid both the disadvantages of the propellant fluid and those of the entry of air into contact with the product.

It is then the difference between atmospheric pressure and vacuum in the variable volume tank which acts both on the product and on the movable wall of said tank. These devices are generally expensive. What is more, the manual pumps generally used are of a high cost price.

 The subject of the invention is therefore a set with manual pumping and a variable volume tank produced very economically, with a limited number of parts but avoiding the entry of air and the final loss of product.

 To better understand the technical characteristics and advantages of the present invention, we will describe embodiments thereof with the understanding that these are not limiting as to their mode of implementation and the applications that can be made of them. .

 Reference will be made to the following figures 1 to 3. which each show in axial schematic section a variant of the device according to the invention.

 Example 1.

 Figures 1 show in axial section a first embodiment: the container is essentially constituted by a re-reservoir with a cylindrical wall 1, the bottom of which is constituted by a piston mounted freely and not shown. Preferably, it is provided with blockings preventing it from descending such as those known in the prior art.

 The upper part of the container 1 is essentially constituted by a transverse disc 2 pierced axially at 3 and by a cylindrical upper edge 4 having a stepped lip 5. The assembly 1, 2, 4, 5 can be in one piece. A dome 6 of elastic material is inserted under the redent 5 over its entire periphery. it has in the upper and central part a flat 7. The disc 2 in its central part has a depression 8 such that when pressing in 7, on the dome 6, by its elasticity, the dome 6 comes to marry the bottom of the depression B. The axial channel 3 drilled in the disc 2 is in communication by a channel 9 with the outside.

 Two valves 10 and 11 are mounted respectively articulated at 12 and 13 on the walls of the channel 3. If the body of the reservoir 1 as well as the disc 2 are molded, for example of plastic material, the articulations 12 and 13 can be reduced to a simple thinning of the material which allows a one-piece molding. The valves 10 and 11 do not then move by pure rotation but by simple deformation. The valve It has a right angle return 14.

 If the interior 15 of the reservoir comprised between the disk 2, the wall 1 and the piston or the movable pocket, not shown, is filled with dough or equivalent, and If you press at 7 until turning the dome 6 on the bottom of the depression 8 (position in FIG. 1c) and that is released, the elasticity of the dome 6 will cause it to rise and there will be a suction of the material from the chamber 15 towards the chamber 16 between the dome and depression 8, the valve 10 lifting (fiv. lob).

 When the chamber 16 which will operate in the metering chamber is full, if the surface 7 is pressed again, the valve 10 remains in the closed position but the valve 11 opens (fiv. 1ct, the product contained in 16 discharging through channel 9 to the outside.

 As pumping progresses, the piston rises in cylinder 1 under the action of the pressure difference between the atmosphere and the pumping vacuum.

 Example 2.

 In FIG. 2, the same numbers and the same elements are found as in FIG. 1. However, it will be noted that the articulation 13 of the valve 11 overflows in the channel 3 relative to the articulation 12 of the valve 10. The valve 11 no longer comes to close the channel 9 itself only in part since it is supported in 17 on valve 10. The articulations and valves can be produced as in Example 1 in one-piece molding.

 In FIG. 2b, it can be seen that on inspiration the valve 10 comes to rest on the valve 11 there to let the material come from 15 to 16. On the other hand, in FIG. 2c, we see that at the time of expulsion, the valve 10 deforms but coming to bear against the wall 18 of the channel 3 letting the material pass between the valve 11 and the valve 10.

 But, in -Figures 2, the body 1 is not cylindrical. it is here spherical constituted by two hemispheres 20 and 21 assembled one on the other, for example by a screwing enclosing a joint 22 and the rim 23 of a pocket 24 also hemispherical. This pocket can be made of all waterproof materials and sufficiently deformable to be able, under the conditions defined below, from the position in contact with the hemisphere 20 to end up in contact with the hemisphere 21. This can be done with all kinds of films in metal alloys, in polymeric substances or even in combined metal sheets / polymer films, for example aluminum / linear low density copolymerized polyethylene, bonded to each other.

 The bottom of the hemisphere 20 has a hole 25 closed by a valve 26 of any suitable type, for example of the same type as the valve 10.

Channels, grooves or the like 27 can bring air between the bottom of the pocket 24 and that of the hemisphere 20. When the head is pumped, a vacuum occurs in the tank 15 and the pocket 24 lifts ; the valve 26 opening at atmospheric pressure and the air entering through the channels 27 between the pocket bottom 24 and the hemisphere bottom 20.

 When the head pump is at rest, the valve 26 closes and prevents the air introduced between the pocket and the sphere from coming out.

 Thus, step by step, the sphere 1 fills with air and the emptying pocket sticks against the upper hemisphere 21. It is understood that this pocket arrangement passing from a position to the symmetrical can be suitable for any volume symmetrical about the same sphere plane, ellipsoid, double cone, double truncated cone, double spherical segment, double pyramid, etc. The general shape must be roughly doubly concave so that the pocket has no difficulty in turning. However, it is possible to conceive shapes which are not completely concave and which have certain convexities.

 Example 3.

 One can also consider other forms of tanks and other forms of bags allowing the volume between it and the pumping head to be gradually brought to zero. For example, in Figures 3, there is a head very close to those of Figures 1 and 2 and a cylindrical body 1 fixed at the top on the head 2. As in Figures 2, a pocket 24 is held by its rim 23 between the body 1 and head 2 with a sealing washer 22.

 A rigid ring 30 is placed in the pocket 24. The pocket has substantially the same shape and the same dimensions as the internal face of the reservoir 1 and the ring also. Its height is appreciably half that of the tank; it can therefore slide from a height substantially equal to its own.

 The bottom of the pocket 24 turns over at 31 on the lower lip of the ring 30 and the bottom 32 of the pocket 24 is more rigid than the pocket itself, for example, by ribs or by simple extra thickness.

 The bottom 33 of the tank has a dome 34 pierced at 35 which allows atmospheric air to enter under the bottom 32 of the pocket.

 Pumping at the head will therefore create the depression at 15. The atmospheric air will penetrate at 35 and the pocket will be lifted by its bottom 32 causing the ring 30 to rise. It will be noted that it rises twice as slowly that the bottom of the pocket and when the bottom 32 arrives at 32 'ten dotted lines), that is to say that it has traversed the internal height of the reservoir, the ring 30 arrives at 30' and has not traversed than half the height. It will also be noted that the shape of the head 1 against which the bottom 32 'is applied is therefore substantially the same as that of the pocket bottom 32 and that of the assembly 33-34 of the bottom of the tank 1. This allows complete emptying of the tank.

 The rigidity of the ring and of the bottom of the pocket, the friction and the possible viscosity of the contents of the tank can prevent the assembly from tending to descend as the emptying takes place. However, for safety reasons, a valve system can be provided in place of 34-35 as in FIGS. 2.

 The head of Figures 3 is very similar to that of Figures 2 but the valve 10 is L-shaped, in 19, which allows a better seal when closed (Fig. 3c). We find in Figures 3b and 3c the same bodies and the same operation as in Figures 1 and 2 corresponding as well as the possibility of one-piece molding of the head and the valves.

 In all the cases in FIGS. 1 to 3, any ejection device, socket, sprayer or the like can be placed at 9, taking into account the product stored and the shape desired at the outlet.

Claims (1)

CLAIM 1  Containers for the distribution of liquid, pasty or equivalent products comprising a variable volume reservoir, a metering volume in communication with the reservoir at the time of the aspiration of the product and in external communication at the time of the expulsion of the product, the reservoir having in the upper part, a first channel connecting the reservoir and the metering volume, two valves or the like, one closing the first channel, the other a second expulsion channel, characterized in that the reservoir has the second channel expulsion, the container body and the part having these two channels being in one piece with the valves. CLAIM 2  Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the metering volume is arranged between the part of the container having channels and valves and an elastic member fixed in leaktight manner to the upper part of the container. CLAIM 3  Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one valve has at least one angular return with respect to the valve itself. CLAIM 4  Device according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the variable volume is constituted by a piston movable in a cylinder. CLAIM 5  Device according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the variable volume is formed at least in part by a deformable wall. CLAIM 6  Device according to claim 5 characterized in that the wall is a pocket. CLAIM 7  Device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the pocket, when the reservoir is full, is applied to the wall of the reservoir on the side opposite to the metering volume, that as the reservoir becomes empty, it gradually deforms and that, when the tank is empty, it applies to the walls of the tank on the side of the metering volume.  CLAIM 8  Device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the reservoir is symmetrical with respect to a plane, the pocket having the same shape as one of the two half-tanks and being fixed at the intersection of the plane of symmetry and the wall internal tank. CLAIM 9  Device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the bag is fixed in the vicinity of the metering volume and gradually turns over on itself and on the lips of a sliding guide element.