FR2772010A1 - Fluid product container dispensing head - Google Patents

Abstract

The dispensing head incorporates a sliding shutter (4) for its nozzle outlet (6), the shutter being actuated by a knob (31) on the underside of the push-button (15) which operates the dispenser's control rod. The knob interacts with the shutter via a membrane (12) with a projection (11) on its underside which engages with a recess (10) in the shutter and slides it away from the nozzle orifice. The membrane is 0.1 - 1 mm thick and molded in one piece with the head. A flexible element, e.g. in the form of a rod (13) projecting from the flexible rear wall of the nozzle chamber, returns the shutter to its closed position when the push-button is released.

Description

 The present invention relates to devices for dispensing a fluid product, and in particular but not exclusively, devices for spraying a liquid for cosmetic use, for example a hair spray.

 More particularly, the invention relates to a dispensing head of the type comprising a body, a shutter movable in this body and a drive member, also movable. The drive member and the shutter have surfaces capable of coming to bear on one another. These surfaces are shaped so that a movement of the drive member can be accompanied by a movement of the shutter from a closed position to a dispensing position allowing the product to leave via an outlet orifice. .

 A dispensing head of this type is known for example from US Pat. No. 5,096,098.

 The shutter makes it possible, in its closed position, to isolate the outlet orifice of the interior channel (s) by which the product (s) circulates in the dispensing head. This prevents the product inside the dispensing head from degrading on contact with air during prolonged storage or drying and clogging the interior channel (s).

 The dispensing head is mounted for example on the control rod of a valve, in particular a valve triggered by depressing the control rod and the drive member is movable in a direction not parallel to the direction of movement of the shutter.

 In this case, the presence of the movable shutter in the body of the dispensing head allows the user to more precisely control the duration during which the product is dispensed, since the shutter is recalled by elastic return means in its closed position as soon as the user reduces the pressure exerted on the dispensing head, even if the control rod is still partially depressed. By way of comparison, in the case of a dispensing head without a movable shutter, the product is dispensed as long as the valve is open, that is to say as long as the control rod is depressed. The user must then, in order to stop dispensing the product, completely release the dispensing head in order to allow it to rise. It is understood that the presence of the shutter makes it easier to actuate the dispensing head for short periods to dispense small quantities of product.

 The subject of the present invention is in particular a new dispensing head, of the type comprising a body defining an interior cavity with at least one product inlet orifice and at least one product outlet orifice, a shutter movable in this body and a also movable drive member, the drive member and the shutter having surfaces capable of coming to bear one on the other and shaped so that a movement of the drive member can d 'Accompany a movement of the shutter, the dispensing head further comprising a control surface on which the user can exert a push to act on the drive member and dispense product.

 The dispensing head according to the invention is characterized by the fact that it comprises a flexible membrane produced in one piece with the body of the dispensing head and by the fact that this membrane is arranged relative to the member d drive so that the thrust exerted by the user on the control surface is transmitted to the drive member via said membrane.

 Thanks to the invention, there is an increased tightness compared to the dispensing head described in the aforementioned US Pat. No. 5,096,098, in which the control surface and the drive member are constituted by a part manufactured from part and attached to the body of the dispensing head, which can cause leakage problems at the junction of this part and the body of the dispensing head.

 In a preferred implementation of the invention, the drive member is movable in a direction not parallel to the direction of movement of the shutter. The control surface is defined by a control member arranged to transmit in a predetermined manner to the drive member the thrust exerted by the user on the control surface. I1 follows that the comfort of use and the reliability of the operation of the dispensing head are increased, because the drive member is moved substantially always in the same way regardless of how the user presses the control unit.

 In a particular embodiment, the control member is connected by a film hinge to the body of the dispensing head.

 In a dispensing head not comprising such a control member and for which the user must act directly on the drive member to move the shutter, it is observed that in certain cases the user does not always press d '' adequately on the drive member, which may cause insufficient movement of the shutter. The product is then not distributed optimally. In addition, it is necessary in this case to make the drive member large enough for the user to exert the necessary thrust on it, which may prove to be unfavorable from an aesthetic point of view.

 It can also be observed that a dispensing head not comprising a control member making it possible to act in a predetermined manner on the drive member as described in the aforementioned US Pat. No. 5,096,098, has a greater fatigue of the deformable wall by which the drive member is connected to the body of the dispensing head, owing to the fact that the drive member is not always correctly stressed in displacement by the user. This leads to oversize the deformable wall to increase its resistance. However, the use of a thicker wall tends to reduce the mobility of the drive member.

 Thanks to the invention, it is easy to ensure that the drive member and the flexible membrane which carries it are not directly exposed to the action of the user, since it is easy to arrange the control member so that it prevents the user from acting directly on said membrane.

 A relatively thin membrane can then be used without fear that it will be damaged by the user during the use of the dispensing head.

 I1 is also not necessary to make this membrane in an elastomeric material since it can have a small thickness.

 The membrane is stressed indirectly by the user through the control member, therefore each time under predetermined conditions.

 It is advantageously made of the same material as the body of the dispensing head, in a rigid or semi-rigid plastic material, such as polyethylene for example.

The invention also relates to a new method for manufacturing a dispensing head comprising a body, a shutter movable in this body and a drive member also movable, this drive member being movable under the action of a thrust exerted by the user on a control surface, the shutter and the drive member having surfaces capable of coming to bear one on the other, these surfaces being shaped so that a displacement of the drive member for dispensing product is accompanied by a displacement of the shutter, the drive member being connected to the body of the dispensing head by a deformable wall, this process being characterized in that it includes the steps of
producing by molding in one piece the body of the dispensing head and a flexible membrane connecting the drive member to said body,
- place the shutter in the body of the dispensing head.

In a particular implementation of this method, it also comprises the steps consisting in:
producing a control member in one piece by molding with the body of the dispensing head, the control member being connected by a film hinge to the body of the dispensing head, and
- Then fold the control member on the body of the dispensing head, in a selected position so that the control member defines the aforementioned control surface, a thrust exerted on the control member being transmitted in a thrust on the drive member, by means of said flexible membrane.

 The invention also relates to a dispensing and packaging device equipped with a dispensing head as defined above.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge on reading the detailed description which follows, of a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment of the invention, and on examining the appended drawing in which
FIG. 1 is a schematic axial section of a dispensing head according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the shutter being shown in the closed position,
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a detail of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the shutter in the dispensing position,
FIG. 4 represents, in front view, the shutter, and
- Figures 5 and 6 show in section, schematically and partially, alternative embodiments of the return means of the shutter in its closed position.

 The dispensing head 1, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is intended to be mounted on the control rod T, shown partially, of a valve fitted to a container of the aerosol can type, known in itself.

 This container may contain a liquid and a pressurized propellant, present in the container above the liquid.

 The invention obviously applies to the distribution of any liquid product, whatever its consistency, or even to the simultaneous distribution of several liquids.

 One could also use other means than a propellant gas to pressurize the liquid to be dispensed into the dispensing head 1, and one could in particular use a pump.

 The dispensing head 1 comprises a body 2 produced by molding plastic material, in a housing 3 from which a shutter 4 can move, in translation along an axis X.

 This shutter 4 is also commonly called "center-post" and has a generally elongated shape along the axis X.

 A nozzle 5 comprising an outlet orifice 6 centered on the axis X is attached to the body 2, so as to close the housing 3 at one of its axial ends, the other axial end of the housing 3 being closed by a wall 7 of the body 2.

 In the following description, the terms "front" and "rear" will be used depending on whether one approaches the nozzle 5 or moves away from it, parallel to the axis X.

 The body 2 of the dispensing head 1 comprises a tubular end piece 8, of axis Y perpendicular to the aforementioned axis X, intended to be force fitted on the upper end of the control rod T.

 This nozzle 8 opens at its upper end into the housing 3.

 The axis Y of the nozzle 8 coincides with the axis of the control rod T and with its sliding direction.

 The body 2 of the dispensing head 1 also includes an outer tubular skirt 9, of axis Y, intended to hide the control rod T and the end piece 8.

 The shutter 4 comprises an annular groove 10, symmetrical in revolution about the axis X, in which is partially engaged a drive member 11, which is made in one piece with the membrane 12 and protrudes under the face interior of the latter.

 The membrane 12, connected at its periphery to the body 2, is externally planar at rest.

 The shutter 4 permanently bears, by its rear face, against a lug 13 forming a projection on the front face of the wall 7 closing the housing 3 at the rear.

 A control member 15 is connected by a film hinge 16 to the rear of the body 2 to allow the user to move the shutter 4 from its closed position, shown in FIG. 1, to its position of distribution, shown in Figure 3.

 A stop 45 is formed at the front of the body 2, above the nozzle 5, to limit the downward pivoting stroke of the control member 15.

 In the embodiment described, the nozzle 5 has, when observed in section in the section plane of FIG. 1 containing the axis X, the general shape of a U whose concavity is turned towards the shutter 4 .

 More specifically, the nozzle 5 has a bottom wall 20 generally perpendicular to the axis X, connecting at its periphery to a tubular wall 21, symmetrical in revolution about the axis X.

 This wall 21 is provided at its periphery with a shoulder 22 intended to allow the snap-fit retention of the nozzle 5 on a shoulder 23 of complementary shape of the housing 3, as shown in FIG. 2.

 The front part of the shutter 4 has an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the wall 21, so as to be able to engage inside the nozzle.

 One or more axial channels 24 allow the product opening into the housing 3 and coming from the nozzle 8 to gain the space provided between the bottom wall 20 and the front face of the shutter 4 when the latter is in its position distribution, shown in Figure 3.

 The front face of the shutter 4 is shown in FIG. 4. In the example considered, this comprises a central stud 25 of circular cross section, which is extended in four locations angularly distributed by ribs 26a to 26d, these last tangentially connecting to the stud 25.

 The bottom wall 20 of the nozzle 5 and the front face of the shutter 4 are molded in contact with one another, so that the front face of the shutter 4 retains the imprint of the bottom wall 20 of the nozzle.

 The bottom wall 20 comprises a substantially cylindrical central cavity of revolution, complementary to the stud 25 and four channels for bringing the product into this cavity, complementary to the ribs 26a to 26d.

 The central cavity of the bottom wall 20 constitutes a vortex chamber.

 When the shutter 4 is in its dispensing position, the product flowing through the axial channel (s) 24 reaches the vortex chamber through the supply channels formed between the bottom wall 20 and the ribs 26a to 26d of the shutter and flows in the form of a vortex flow through the orifice 6.

 The nozzle 5 and the obturator 4 can be produced in chemical compounds having different and incompatible melting temperatures, that is to say which cannot establish any chemical bond with one another during molding.

 One can use for example a couple HDPE / PP.

 The control member 15 has on its outer face a recess 30 allowing the user to position his finger.

 The film hinge 16 ensures that the pivoting of the control member 15 takes place around a geometric axis of rotation perpendicular to the cutting plane of FIG. 1.

 The control member 15 has on its inner face a boss 31 intended to come to bear in a predetermined manner on the drive member 11.

 In the embodiment described, the drive member 11 has in the cutting plane of Figure 1 a trapezoidal section, symmetrical with respect to a median plane perpendicular to the axis X.

 The apex 32 of the boss 31 is located near this median plane when it transmits to the drive member 11 the thrust exerted by the user on the control member 15.

 I1 follows that the drive member 11 tends to move parallel to itself when the user presses on the control member 15, the membrane 12 deforming in a substantially symmetrical manner by forming a hollow, to accompany the movement of the drive member 11, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

 An annular recess 34 is formed at the rear of the groove 10 to allow the membrane 12 to deform inwards when the drive member 11 is inserted into the groove 10, which is wider than the latter .

 The drive member 11 has a rear face inclined towards the front substantially at 450 relative to the axis X and the groove 10 has a rear flank 33 making the same angle.

 The orientation of the surfaces in contact with the drive member 11 and the groove 10 means that when the drive member 11 is moved close to the axis X towards the bottom of the groove 10 by l 'control member 15, the movement of the drive member 11 is transformed into a rearward movement of the shutter 4, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

 One could give the surfaces in contact with the drive member and the shutter other inclinations while allowing the drive member to move, by wedge effect, the shutter.

 The shutter 4 moves against elastic return means formed here by the wall 7 closing the rear of the housing 3.

 A recess 35 is made in the body 2 of the dispensing head 1 behind the wall 7 to allow it to deform backwards when the shutter 4 is moved to its dispensing position. This recess 35, opening inside the outer skirt 9, is delimited radially outside by a wall 46 of the body 2, cylindrical around the axis Y.

 When the user releases the control member 15, the wall 7 which keeps the memory of its initial shape returns, via the lug 13, the shutter 4 to its closed position shown in FIG. 1, in which the front face of the shutter 4 rests against the bottom wall 20 of the nozzle 5, the ribs 26 and 27 blocking the product supply channels produced in the bottom wall 20 and the stud 25 adjusting in the vortex chamber.

 There are shown by way of example, in FIGS. 5 and 6, two alternative embodiments of the return means making it possible to return the shutter 4 to its closed position.

 In the embodiment of Figure 5, the body of the dispensing head, referenced 2 ', comprises, in place of the wall 7 and the lug 13 described above, a flexible blade 40 having in section a shape of V, coming from molding with the body 2 ', symmetrical with respect to a median plane containing the X axis and perpendicular to the Y axis.

 The shutter 4 presses on the top of the blade 40, which is concave towards the rear, when the user presses on the control member 15.

 As a variant, the body of the dispensing head, referenced 2 "and shown partially in FIG. 6, comprises as elastic return means of the shutter 4 a wall 44 having in cross section a U shape, the inside of the U opening outside the dispensing head by a recess 42 of axis X.

 The shutter 4 presses on the top of the wall 44, as in the previous embodiment, when the user presses on the control member 15.

 The return means could also be produced in the form of other hollow walls, the memory of the initial shape of which is sufficient to return the shutter to its closed position.

 It will be noted that, when the shutter 4 returns to its closed position, the drive member 11 rises, the membrane 12 tending to resume its initial shape.

 Thanks to the fitting of the shutter 4 and the nozzle 5 when the dispensing head is at rest, there is no product remaining in contact with the air in the interior regions of the dispensing head, where the formation a solid product residue would be detrimental to further operation.

 It may be advantageous for the nozzle 5 to adhere to the shutter 4 before the first use, in order to constitute a tamper-evident indicator indicating to the user, who must exert greater pressure on the control member 15 to separate the shutter of the nozzle during the first use, that the device has not yet been used.

 In addition, it is possible by virtue of the adhesion of the nozzle 5 and of the obturator 4 to mount the assembly in one piece in the body 2 of the dispensing head, which facilitates its manufacture.

 When the shutter is inserted in the housing 3, the drive member 11 can move outward. The rear part of the shutter 4 can thus pass, by elastic deformation of the membrane 12 outwards, the drive member 11 before the latter is housed in the groove 10.

 It should be noted that, thanks to the symmetrical shape of revolution of the groove 10, there is no need to orient in a particular manner around the axis X the assembly constituted by the nozzle 5 and the shutter 4, during of its implementation.

 The membrane 12 is produced during the molding of the body 2 preferably in the same plastic material.

 By way of example, the thickness of the membrane 12 is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm.

 It should be noted that the fact of making the membrane 12 in one piece with the body 2 of the dispensing head 1 proves advantageous in itself for sealing reasons, independently of the use of a command 15.

 It is not going beyond the scope of the present invention to produce the membrane 12 in a material other than that used to produce the body 2 of the dispensing head, by a bi-injection or overmolding technique for example.

 The use of a control member to move the drive member has the advantage of improving the comfort of use and of ensuring that the force exerted by the user on the control member is reflected. almost entirely and locally on the drive member 11.

Claims (21)

 1. Dispensing head for a fluid product, comprising a body defining an interior cavity with at least one product inlet orifice and at least one product outlet orifice, a shutter movable in this body and a drive member also mobile, the drive member and the shutter having surfaces capable of coming to bear one on the other and shaped so that a displacement of the drive member can be accompanied by a movement of the shutter, the dispensing head further comprising a control surface on which the user can exert a push to act on the drive member and dispense product, the dispensing head being characterized by the fact that it comprises a flexible membrane (12) produced integrally with the body (2) of the dispensing head and by the fact that this membrane is arranged relative to the drive member (11) of such way that the p the thrust exerted by the user on the control surface (30) is transmitted to the drive member via said membrane.  2. Dispensing head according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive member is movable in a direction not parallel to the direction of movement of one shutter.  3. Dispensing head according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control surface is defined by a control member arranged to transmit in a predetermined manner to the drive member the thrust exerted by the user on the control surface.  4. Dispensing head according to claim 3, characterized in that the force exerted by the control member (15) on the drive member (11), when the user pushes on the control surface , is oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction (X) of movement of the shutter (4).  5. Dispensing head according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the control member (15) is pivotally mounted about a geometric axis of rotation which extends perpendicular to the directions of movement of the shutter (4) and the drive member (11).  6. Dispensing head according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said control member (15) is connected by a film hinge (16) to the body (2) of the dispensing head (1) .  7. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the control member (15) is arranged to apply a force to the drive member near a median plane of symmetry of the drive member (11).  8. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the control member (15) includes a boss (31) intended to transmit the thrust to the drive member (11) exercised by the user on the control member (15).  9. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said flexible membrane (12) is made of the same material as the body (2) of the dispensing head (1).  10. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the body (2; 2 '; 2 ") of the dispensing head comprises return means (7; 40; 44) of the shutter (4) in a closed position, these return means preferably being constituted by a deformable wall molded with the body (2) of the dispensing head (1).  11. Dispensing head according to claim 10, characterized in that said deformable wall (7) has a generally planar shape and supports a central lug (13) which bears at its free end against the shutter (4).  12. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the shutter (4) has an annular groove (10) symmetrical in revolution, against a side (33) of which the member d bears. drive (11) to move the shutter.  13. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said flexible membrane (12) is externally planar at rest.  14. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the body (2) of the dispensing head comprises an attached nozzle (5), and by the fact that the shutter (4) and the nozzle (5) have been molded in contact with each other, so that the shutter and the nozzle have faces having complementary shapes.  15. Dispensing head according to claim 14, characterized in that before the first use, the nozzle (5) and the shutter (4) adhere to each other and that after the first use they n 'adhere more.  16. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the shutter (4) has an elongated shape and is movable in translation along its longitudinal direction (X).  17. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the body of the dispensing head comprises a nozzle (8) adapted to be fitted on the end of a control rod (T ) sliding of a valve of a container of aerosol can type, the valve being of the trigger type by depressing the control rod.  18. Dispensing head according to claim 17, characterized in that the direction (X) of movement of the shutter (4) is substantially perpendicular to the direction of sliding of the control rod (T).  19. Method for producing a dispensing head comprising a body, a shutter movable in this body and a drive member also movable, this drive member being movable under the action of a thrust exerted by the user on a control surface, the shutter and the drive member having surfaces capable of coming to bear one on the other, these surfaces being shaped so that a displacement of the drive member to dispense of the product is accompanied by a displacement of the shutter, the drive member being connected to the body of the dispensing head by a deformable wall, this method being characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting in  produce by molding in one piece the body (2) of the dispensing head (1) and a flexible membrane (12) connecting the drive member (11) to said body (2),  - Place the shutter (4) in the body (2) of said dispensing head (1).  20. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it further comprises the steps consisting in  making a control member (15) in one piece by molding with the body of the dispensing head, the control member being connected by a film hinge (16) to the body of the dispensing head,  - Then fold the control member (15) on the body of the dispensing head, in a selected position so that the control member defines said control surface, a thrust exerted on the control member being transmitted in a thrust on the drive member, via said flexible membrane.  21. Packaging and distribution device equipped with a distribution head as defined in any one of claims 1 to 18.