FR2843709A1 - Equipment for mounting dispensing element on container neck - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly equipment (1) used for mounting a dispensing element on the neck of a container comprises a press element (14) which exerts a force on the dispensing element in order to press fit it on the container neck. It comprises a first truncated guide wall (128) which brings the dispensing element roughly in line with the axis of the neck and a second guide wall (148) which is used to adjust the orientation of the dispensing element precisely into the neck axis.

Description

The present invention relates to mounting equipment for mounting a

  dispensing member on a container neck. This type of mounting equipment is frequently used in various technical fields such as perfumery, cosmetics or even pharmacy, and is used to mount any pumps, valves or any dispensing heads on

  containers with necks. The purpose of the dispenser is to dispense the fluid contained within the container. The dispensing member is frequently engaged in or on the neck in order to be able to withdraw or be supplied with fluid from the container. Generally, the container neck has an axis of symmetry. Most often, this axis of symmetry merges with that of the container.

  There are several mounting techniques using such mounting equipment. There are, for example, mounting equipment adapted to mount the dispensing member by screwing a ring around the container neck. There are also crimping equipment. There are also other mounting devices 15 making it possible to successively lower several constituent elements of a fixing member. A conventional design for a fixing member consists in providing a fixing ring associated with a covering hoop. The fixing ring can be engaged outside the container neck in a relatively simple manner and without exerting considerable pressure, then the mounting equipment 20 lowers the covering band to come and block the ring around the neck. There is yet another simpler mounting technique consisting in forcibly fitting the dispensing member onto or in the container neck. Of course, the dispensing member is or may also be provided with an integrated or associated fastening member which engages the container neck and which thus fixes the dispensing member on the neck after being fitted in

  strength. In this latter mounting technique, the dispensing member with its associated or incorporated fixing means is in unitary form, which does not change between the initial state before mounting and the final state after mounting.

  In other words, the mounting equipment is not intended to move a part of the dispensing member relative to another part, as is the case with the fixing ring and hoop system. of dressing previously discussed. Consequently, the mounting equipment comprises a thrust member capable of exerting a thrust on the dispensing member in order to force it onto the neck of the container. This pushing member is preferably single and presses on a pushing area of the dispensing member which is static with respect to the rest of the dispensing member. In other words, there is no displacement of this thrust zone relative to the whole of the dispensing member during force fitting on the container neck. The present invention relates more specifically to the latter type of mounting equipment allowing a force fitting of a unitary dispensing member on a container neck, without excluding the system to

ring and fret.

  In this context, the dispensing member with these fixing means is mounted in the following manner on a container neck: the dispensing member is first brought, then deposited on the container neck. Of course, the removal of the dispensing member on the container neck does not guarantee its orientation

  aligned with the axis of symmetry of the container neck. It therefore frequently happens that the dispensing member is disposed totally offset or inclined relative to the axis of symmetry of the container neck. It will then be readily understood that it is not possible to exert a push on this offset distribution member in order to force it onto the neck of the container.

  Indeed, a push on such an offset distribution member would simply have the effect of offsetting it even more and then of destroying it by crushing

on the container neck.

  The object of the present invention is therefore to remedy this drawback associated with the offset of the dispensing member during its initial removal from the container neck before exerting the push-in force to fix it on the neck of the container. container. Although such a disadvantage frequently occurs with the force-fitting distribution members, this drawback can also arise with other type of distribution member, such as the one described above which uses a fixing ring. and a covering hoop. To achieve this object, the present invention provides that the mounting equipment further comprises, a first guide wall to bring at least roughly the dispensing member in the axis of the neck, and a second guide wall to refine the orientation of the dispensing member in the axis 5 of the neck. By providing these two successive guide walls, it is possible to straighten

  the distribution member from extreme offset positions. The first guide wall allows a rough straightening while the second guide wall allows practically to confuse the axis of the dispensing member with that of the neck. Advantageously, the second guide wall can be formed by the pushing member.

  According to a practical embodiment, the first guide wall is

  at least partially frustoconical and converges towards the second guide wall. The two guide walls thus form a sort of funnel, inside which the offset distribution member can be brought back to a position substantially aligned with the axis of the container neck.

  According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the second guide wall is movable relative to the first guide wall between a rest position and a push position. Advantageously, a third guide wall can be provided to perfect the alignment of the dispensing member with the axis of the neck. In this case, the second guide wall can be movable relative to the third guide wall between a rest position and a push position, the third guide wall being hidden in the rest position and unmasked in the push position. In an advantageous embodiment, the pushing member gradually unmasks the third guide wall during its displacement from

  from its rest position to its push position. The first guide wall and the third guide wall can moreover be integral and static with respect to each other. In this case, the first guide wall can be at least partially frustoconical and extend by a substantially cylindrical part forming the third guide wall.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the thrust member can

  be biased towards its rest position by elastic return means.

  According to a practical embodiment, the pushing member forms a bushing comprising an internal wall at least partially cylindrical and a free lower end, the internal wall forming the second guide wall, and the free lower end forming a zone of contact adapted to come into thrust contact with the dispensing member. Preferably, the socket

  hides the third guide wall in the rest position.

  The invention therefore provides for the implementation of several successive guide walls 10 making it possible to gradually refine the alignment of the dispensing member with the axis of the neck. Moving the second guide wall relative to the first to unmask the third guide wall is particularly advantageous, since the dispensing member can be further oriented or aligned using the third guide wall while the dispensing member is engaged with the second guide wall. The second and third guide walls can therefore be used simultaneously. This is possible because the second guide wall moves relative to the

  first, and especially compared to the third.

  The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing which gives by way of nonlimiting example an embodiment of the invention. In the figures - Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a mounting device according to the invention in the rest position, - Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 for the mounting device in push position, - Figure 3 shows the mounting equipment of Figures 1 and 2 associated with a fluid dispenser during different successive stages of assembly, - Figure 4 is an enlarged view of detail A of Figure 3 ,

  FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of detail B in FIG. 3.

  Reference will firstly be made to FIGS. 1 and 2 to describe mounting equipment according to an embodiment according to the invention. This mounting equipment comprises a base or mandrel 11 intended to come into engagement with a press or any means making it possible to generate a pressing force s along a predetermined axis. This mandrel 11 therefore comprises an upper part 110 intended to be grasped by fixing means associated with the press and a lower part forming a crown 111 whose internal wall forms a housing 113 for a return spring 13. The crown 111 also forms an annular lower end 114 serving as a stop surface as will be seen below. The crown 111 also defines an external wall 112 which is engaged with a sleeve 12 which forms a part integral with the mandrel 11 by any technical means (force fitting, welding, bonding, screwing, crimping, etc.). For this purpose, the sleeve 12 forms a connection section 121 engaged with the mandrel 11. Beyond this connection section 121, the sleeve 12 forms a cylinder 123 internally defining a sliding ft 124. At its lower end , the cylinder 123 is connected to a head 125 which defines a shoulder 126 which extends radially inwards from the ft 124. From the internal periphery of the shoulder 126, the head 125 defines a substantially cylindrical wall 127. In the extension of this wall 127, the head 20 defines a frustoconical convergence wall 128 which widens outwards from the wall 127. The frustoconical convergence wall 128 can end in an annular wall 129 which defines the lower end of the sleeve 12 and

  assembly equipment as a whole.

  The sleeve 12 thus forms an internal housing defined by the ft 124 and 25 the opening of which is narrowed at the level of the wall 127 due to the shoulder 126

  facing inward. At its upper end, this internal housing is closed by the lower part of the mandrel 11 which defines the crown 111 and the housing 113 in which the upper end of the return spring 13 is received.

  This housing formed by the sleeve 12 and the mandrel 11 therefore contains the spring 13, but also a pushing member 14, which is here in the form of a slide mounted inside the sleeve 12. The member thrust 14 also defines a housing 143 in which is received the lower end of the return spring 13. Thus, the thrust member 14 is resiliently biased away from the mandrel 11. The thrust member defines a substantially cylindrical outer wall 142 adapted to come into sliding contact 5 substantially without friction with the sliding ft 124 defined by the sleeve 12. To limit the displacement of the thrust member 14 in the sleeve 12, the thrust member 14 forms a shoulder towards the interior 146 adapted to come into abutment contact against the shoulder 126 formed by the head 125 of the sleeve 12. This is visible in FIG. 1, which shows the pushing equipment in position rest, that is to say with the return spring 13 urging the thrust member 14 away from the mandrel 11. On the other hand, if pressure is exerted on the thrust member 14 so as to move in the direction of the mandrel 11, one arrives at an actuated final position shown in FIG. 2. In this position, the pushing member 14 comes into contact with the abutment surface 114 of the mandrel 11 with a corresponding bearing surface

  141 formed around the housing 143. This is clearly visible in FIG. 2.

  The return spring 13 is then compressed to its maximum state. On the other hand, the shoulder 146 of the pushing member 14 has broken its contact with the shoulder 126 of the head 125 of the sleeve 12. The pushing member 14 is thus 20 translatable movable inside the sleeve 12 between a position of

  rest (Figure 1) and a push or actuate position (Figure 2).

  According to the invention, the pushing member 14 also comprises a socket 147 disposed in the lower part of the pushing member. This socket 147 extends downward to define a lower end 149. This socket 147 extends from the internal periphery of the shoulder 146. The socket 147 forms an internal wall 148 and an external wall 144 which is adapted to slide with or without friction with respect to the wall 127 of the sleeve 12. In the rest position shown in FIG. 1, the sleeve 147 masks the wall 127 of the sleeve 12, while in the thrust position shown in FIG. 2 , the sleeve 147 30 almost completely unmasks the wall 127 of the sleeve 12. Inside the sleeve 147, is defined a receiving housing 140 intended to receive a part

  of the distribution unit as will be seen below.

  It can thus be seen that the frustoconical convergence wall 128 is integral in displacement with the substantially cylindrical wall 127 which, moreover, extends in its extension from its smallest section. On the other hand, the internal wall 148 defined by the sleeve 147 of the pushing member 14 is movable relative to the two walls 127 and 128, because the member

  thrust 14 is translatable in the interior of sleeve 12.

  According to the invention, the frustoconical convergence wall 128 defines a first guide wall, the internal wall 148 of the sleeve 147 forms a second guide wall and the substantially cylindrical wall 127 forms a third guide wall. The first guide wall allows a rough reorientation of the dispensing member, the second guide wall makes it possible to refine the orientation of the dispensing member and the third guide wall makes it possible to perfect its orientation in order to bring it in an orientation suitable for force fitting on a container neck. However,

  the invention can do without the third guide wall in certain cases.

  Reference will now be made to Figure 3 to explain how the mounting equipment operates to force fit a dispensing member onto a container neck. FIG. 3 represents five views illustrating five successive stages of the assembly process using the assembly equipment according to the invention. In the view on the far left, we see a container 2 having a body 21 held in a support 4. The container 2 also forms a neck 22 which defines an opening allowing access to the interior of the body 21. The body 21 is of course adapted to contain any fluid product. The neck 22 has an axis of symmetry X which is here merged with the axis of symmetry of the body 21. One can also imagine containers in which the axis of symmetry of the neck 22 does not coincide with that of the body 21. On the neck 22, is arranged a dispensing member 3 whose only visible parts 30 are constituted by a fixing ring 32 and the pusher 31. The fixing ring 32 has the function of cooperating with the external part of the neck 22 to produce a fixing of the dispensing member on the neck. As for the pusher 31, its function is to allow the actuation of the dispensing member by pressing it. The pusher 31 is translatable in the interior of the ring 32. The term “ring” here means any fixing means adapted to be put in place on a neck by force fitting. It may very well be that the ring

  fixing 32 includes an external covering provided for an aesthetic purpose.

  It can clearly be seen in this view located at the far left of FIG. 3 that the dispensing member 3 is deposited on the neck 22 in a tilted or inclined manner, which results from the random deposition of the dispensing member 10 on the neck 22. The distribution member 3 here has an axis of symmetry Y which forms an angle Z with respect to the axis of symmetry X of the neck 22. The equipment for

  assembly 1 has not yet entered actuation.

  In the second view located to the right of the far-left view previously commented on, the pusher 31 of the dispensing member 3 has already come into contact with the first guide wall 128 which forms a convergence cone. In reality, the pusher 31 comes into contact with the convergence wall 128 with its upper annular stop. We can also see in this view that the distribution member 3 has already been straightened since its axis of symmetry Y is already approaching the axis of symmetry X of the neck 22. To bring the distribution member 20 into contact of the convergence wall 128, it is necessary either to raise the container 2 or preferably to lower the mounting equipment by exerting a thrust materialized by the arrow located at the upper end of the mounting equipment. Thus, as the mounting equipment lowers, the pusher 31 slides on the wall 25 of convergence 128 which is preferably made with a particularly smooth surface state. This has the effect of gradually but roughly straightening the dispensing member 3 so as to bring its axis of symmetry Y towards the axis of symmetry X of the neck 22. By continuing to lower the mounting equipment, the pusher 31 ends up leave the convergence wall 30 128 to engage in the receiving housing 140 formed by the pushing member 14. As the pusher 31 engages in the housing 140, it is guided by the second wall guide 148 formed by the internal wall of the bushing 147 of the thrust member 14. The guidance of the plunger 31 becomes more refined

  and as it enters the housing 140.

  The pusher 31 enters the housing 140 until the lower end 149 of the sleeve 147 comes into contact with the upper end of the ring 132. The end 149 thus forms a zone of contact with the member which is adapted to transfer the thrust force generated by the mounting equipment. It can moreover be clearly seen that the upper end of the pusher 31 does not come into contact with the bottom of the housing 140. Thus, no thrust is exerted on the pusher 131. This position is shown in the median view of the Figure 3. We can almost say that the dispensing member is now perfectly aligned with the axis of the neck 22. In some cases, the position of the dispensing member is sufficient to allow a force fit without problem. In this case, it is not necessary for the pushing member 14 to be movable relative to the sleeve 12. The mounting equipment then only comprises two guide walls, namely the

  convergence 128 and the substantially cylindrical wall 148.

  However, in certain cases, it is necessary to further perfect the alignment of the dispensing member with respect to the axis of the neck to ensure force fitting with a success percentage close to 100%. In this case, it is preferable that the thrust member 14 is movable relative to the

  sleeve 12, as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  We will now refer to the fourth view of FIG. 3 located to the right of the median view that we have just commented on. Continuing to exert a thrust on the mounting equipment, the thrust member 14 which is in contact with bearing on the ring 32 of the dispensing member begins to move inside the sleeve 12 against the action of the spring 13. As the thrust member 14 moves, the third guide wall 127 is unmasked by the sleeve 147. The outer wall of the ring 32 then comes to slide with or without friction with this third guide wall 127, which makes it possible to perfect the perfectly aligned orientation of the axis of the dispensing member with that of the neck 22. This thus ensures 100% perfect engagement in force of the member distribution on the collar. It should be noted that the dispensing member is not yet fitted onto the neck at this level of

the assembly stage.

  This only takes place when the pushing member 14 abuts against the

  mandrel 11 as shown in the last view of Figure 3 located on the far right. The spring is then compressed to its maximum. The pushing force exerted on the mandrel 11 is then entirely transmitted to the pushing member 14 which in turn transmits it to the ring 32 which has the effect of forcibly lowering the ring 32, and thereby l '' the entire distribution member, on the neck 22.

  The displacement of the pushing member 14 causes the engagement of the fixing ring 32 inside the third guide wall 127, while the pusher 31 is engaged in the second guide wall 148. It is thus used prepositioning the dispensing member from the engagement of its push button in the second guide wall 148 to perfect its alignment by engagement of the external wall of the fixing ring 32 in the third

guide wall 127.

  Reference will now be made to FIGS. 4 and 5 which are enlarged views of details of FIG. 3 which make it possible to understand how the third guide wall can perfect the aligned positioning of the dispensing member. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the external wall 311 of the pusher 31, which is advantageously cylindrical, is not in contact with the wall 148 forming the second guide wall of the mounting equipment of the invention. On the contrary, there is a small spacing U which makes it possible to avoid jamming of the pusher 31 in the second guide wall 148. In fact, it should not be forgotten that the pusher 31, before entering the second guide wall 148, is not perfectly aligned or in line, since coming from the first wall of

  guide 128 which only performs a rough recovery.

  Referring to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the fixing ring 32, which defines an advantageously cylindrical external wall 321, comes almost into contact with the third guide wall 127: in practice, there remains a small gap W which is good less than the spacing U which exists between the pusher and the guide wall. This small gap W allows perfect alignment of the dispensing member relative to the axis of the neck. Thus, a perfect force fit is guaranteed. This perfect alignment resulting from the engagement of the ring 32 in the third guide wall is facilitated by the fact that the pusher 31 has been previously engaged in the second guide wall, and especially that the pusher is still engaged in the second wall of guide when the ring

  fixing 32 enters the third guide wall.

  The spirit of the invention resides in the fact of using mounting equipment which makes it possible to straighten and gradually align the dispensing member during distinct stages until it comes into perfect alignment,

  thus guaranteeing a forceful engagement.

Claims (12)

claims   1.- mounting equipment (1) for mounting by force fitting a distribution member (3) on a neck (22) of container (2) having an axis of symmetry (X), said equipment comprising a thrust member (14) capable of exerting a push on the dispensing member (3) to force it onto the container neck, characterized in that it further comprises: - a first guide wall (128) for bringing at least roughly the distribution member in the axis (X) of the neck (22), and - a second guide wall (148) to refine the orientation of   the dispensing member in the axis of the neck.   2.- mounting equipment according to claim 1, wherein the   second guide wall (148) is formed by the pushing member (14).   3.- mounting equipment according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the second guide wall (148) is movable relative to the   first guide wall (128) between a rest position and a position thrust.   4.- mounting equipment according to claims 1,2 or 3, in   wherein the first guide wall (128) is at least partially frustoconical and converges towards the second guide wall (148).   5.- Assembly equipment according to any one of   previous claims, comprising a third guide wall (127) for perfect alignment of the dispensing member with the axis of the   collar. 6.- mounting equipment according to claim 5, wherein the second guide wall (148) is movable relative to the third guide wall (127) between a rest position and a push position, the third guide wall (127) being hidden in the position of   rest and unmasked in the push position.   7.- mounting equipment according to claim 5, wherein the thrust member (14) gradually unmasks the third guide wall (127) during its movement from its rest position to its thrust position. the first guide wall and the third guide wall are integral and static with respect to each other. 8.Mounting equipment according to any one of   claims 5 to 7, wherein the first guide wall (128) and the third guide wall (127) are integral and static one by compared to each other.   9.- mounting equipment according to claim 8, wherein the first guide wall (128) is at least partially frustoconical and is extended by a substantially cylindrical part forming the third guide wall (127).   10.- mounting equipment according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein the pushing member (14) is biased towards   its rest position by elastic return means (13).   11.- Assembly equipment according to any one of   preceding claims, in which the pushing member (14) forms a bush (147) comprising an internal wall at least partially cylindrical and a free lower end (149), the internal wall forming   the second guide wall (148), and the free lower end forming a contact zone adapted to come into thrust contact with the distribution (3).   12.- mounting equipment according to claims 5 and 11, wherein the sleeve (147) masks the third guide wall (127) in rest position.