FR2864044A1 - Fluid product distribution unit e.g. pre-compression pump, for e.g. pharmacy sector, has chamber with inlet and outlet valves, and distribution head with actuator having axial shaft to cooperate outlet valves of chamber with insert - Google Patents

Abstract

The unit has a distribution head (3) axially moved with respect to the body associated to a container (8). The head has an actuator (4) with a lateral wall extending from a support wall. A chamber (6), defined between the body and the head, has inlet and outlet valves (230, 70, 51, 71). A distribution orifice (42) distributes fluid product. The actuator has an axial shaft (7) to cooperate the outlet valves with an insert (5) of the head. An independent claim is also included for a liquid product distributor having a container and a fluid product distribution unit.

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser member

  comprising the following components: a body intended to be associated with a container, a dispensing head mounted to move in axial translation relative to the body, said head being movable relative to the body on a stroke

  actuator, said head having a pusher comprising a bearing wall defining an outer bearing surface and an inner surface and a side skirt extending from said bearing wall, said lateral skirt having an outer surface and an inner surface, a chamber defined between said body and said head, said chamber being provided with at least one inlet and / or outlet valve, a dispensing orifice through which fluid is dispensed. The present invention also relates to a fluid dispenser incorporating such a dispensing member that can be used in particular in the pharmacy or cosmetics sectors.

  Numerous fluid dispensing systems, including those incorporating a pump as a dispensing member, exist at present. These systems may have more or less distinct structural and functional characteristics, thus giving rise to devices which are more or less simple to assemble and more or less costly. Fluid dispensers comprise a container, a dispensing member, such as a pump or a valve, mounted on said container, and a pusher for actuating said dispensing member to dispense a volume of fluid contained in the dispenser. container through a dispensing orifice. In addition, most devices contain a chamber having an inlet valve and / or an outlet valve isolating the fluid contained in the container from the outside.

  The document WO 02/096776 for example discloses an embodiment of a dispensing device in which a median endpiece is integrated into a pusher in order to serve as an inlet valve movable member. In this case, actuation of the pusher first causes a contact with a piston which is then displaced in axial translation. This displacement then simultaneously generates a closure of the inlet valve and an opening of the outlet valve. The descent of the piston is then at the origin of a reduction in volume of the pump chamber having the effect of expelling the fluid contained in said chamber. Then, the pusher is returned to its initial rest position. The pusher disengages from the piston which remains momentarily immobile. The relative displacement between the piston and the pusher causes the opening of the inlet valve, in order to put the chamber in communication with the container, and the simultaneous closure of the outlet valve to isolate the chamber from the outside. Thus, the piston remains stationary until a shoulder of the pusher comes into abutment against a corresponding shoulder of the piston. The piston is then driven in translation and back to its initial position then causing a depression in the chamber at the origin of the suction of the fluid contained in the container.

  Thus, it turns out that this embodiment as described does not include pre-compression, the opening and closing of the inlet valve and the outlet valve being done simultaneously regardless of any increase in pressure in the chamber. pump. In addition, according to this invention, the movements of the piston and the median tip are synchronous only over a short distance from the actuator stroke of the pusher, these two elements requiring to evolve at different axial translation speeds so that the pump described here works correctly. Therefore, the dispensing device that is the subject of this patent has a complex operating principle, thus causing a difficulty of assembly and manufacture of said device as well as a substantially high cost.

  The present invention aims to provide a dispensing member and a fluid dispenser incorporating such a dispensing member which does not reproduce the aforementioned drawbacks.

  In particular, the present invention aims to provide a dispensing member such as a precompression pump preventing any risk of contamination of the product and ensuring on the one hand a good seal and on the other hand a good reproducibility of the doses distributed to each actuation.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing member and a dispenser incorporating such a dispensing member that is simple to manufacture, to assemble and of relatively low cost.

  The present invention proposes to solve the aforementioned problems by developing a fluid dispenser member comprising the following components: a body intended to be associated with a container, a dispensing head mounted to move in axial translation relative to to the body, said head being movable relative to the body over an actuating stroke, said head comprising a pusher comprising a bearing wall defining an outer bearing surface and an inner surface and a lateral skirt extending from said support wall, said lateral skirt having an outer surface and an inner surface; a chamber defined between said body and said head, said chamber being provided with at least one inlet and / or outlet valve; a dispensing orifice through which fluid is dispensed, characterized in that said pusher is provided with an axial rod, said axial rod forming said at least one oins an inlet and / or outlet valve in cooperation with at least one of the components.

  Advantageously, said dispensing head comprises an insert integrally associated with the pusher.

  Advantageously, said insert and said axial rod are integral in their displacement over the entire actuating stroke of said dispensing head.

  Advantageously, said axial rod comprises an outlet valve seat adapted to cooperate with said insert, said insert comprising a movable outlet valve member.

  Advantageously, said outlet valve seat comprises a cylindrical surface adapted to cooperate with an annular lip of the movable outlet valve member for communicating said chamber with an expulsion space which advantageously extends around said axial rod. .

  Advantageously, said insert comprises an outlet channel connecting said expulsion space to the dispensing orifice.

  Advantageously, the insert comprises a ring engaged with said internal surface of the lateral skirt, a radial flange engaged with said inner surface of the support wall and a sleeve, said sleeve comprising a piston lip in sliding contact with said body.

  Advantageously, the insert is a single deformable piece.

  Advantageously, said axial rod comprises a movable inlet valve member adapted to cooperate with an inlet valve seat formed by said body.

  Advantageously, said movable inlet valve member comprises at least one longitudinal groove adapted to cooperate with an annular bead of the inlet valve seat for communicating said container with said chamber.

  Advantageously, said lateral skirt comprises said dispensing orifice.

  Advantageously, the ring of the insert comprises a swirling system, said swirling system being in vis-a-vis the dispensing orifice.

  Alternatively, the inner surface of the side skirt comprises a swirl system vis-à-vis the dispensing orifice, said swirl system being integrally formed in said side skirt. This is a characteristic that can be implemented independently of the fact that the pusher forms an axial valve stem. The swirl system is here supplemented by the insert which is fixedly received in the pusher.

  The present invention also relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a container and a fluid dispenser member according to the invention. In particular, the dispensing member can be adapted to miniature dispensers as used for the samples.

  Thus, the axial rod, which is preferably made in one piece by the pusher, has a seat function and / or movable member inlet or outlet valve. The insert fixedly engaged in the pusher is made separately for reasons of molding techniques. However, it is not excluded that the insert can be made in one piece by the pusher, so that the dispensing head would then be formed in one piece.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description of several embodiments of the present invention given as non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 and in particular of the dispenser member FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an alternative embodiment of the dispenser according to the invention, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of another alternative embodiment of the dispenser according to the invention.

  With reference to the figures, a fluid dispenser according to the present invention comprises two constituent elements, namely a dispensing member 1 and a container 8.

  The container 8 has an opening 80 communicating the interior of said container 8 with the outside, a neck 83, a side wall 81 extending from the neck 83 and a bottom 82. The container 8 advantageously has a cylindrical shape and can be made with any suitable materials: metal, plastic, glass or others. The side wall 81 includes an outer surface 810 in contact with the outside and an inner surface 811 defining a fluid reservoir. The neck 83 advantageously has a hooking section on the side of its outer surface 810 intended to receive the dispenser member 1.

  The dispensing member 1 comprises a body 2 intended to be associated with the container 8 and a dispensing head 3.

  The body 2 can be fixed on the neck 83 of the container 8 by any means. The body 2 has a symmetrical axial revolution and is adapted to come to grip the neck of the container 8. The body 2 comprises a radial plate 20 from which extends a peripheral wall 21, a shaft 22 and a sleeve 23 .

  The peripheral wall 21 extends upwardly and downwardly from the radial plate 20. The peripheral wall 21 has an outer surface 210 and an inner surface 211. The lower part of the wall 21 is advantageously fitted on the neck of the container 2 so that the radial plate 22 comes to rest on the neck of the container and that the inner surface 211 engages the outer surface 810 of the container 8. Advantageously, it results from this fitting that the outer surface 210 of the peripheral wall 21 of the body 2 is in the continuity of the outer surface 810 of the container 8 in order to give the distributor a regular shape advantageously cylindrical. The peripheral wall 21 may also comprise at its internal surface 211 an internal projection 2100 intended to serve as an upper stop for the dispensing head 3.

  The shank 22 defines a sealing sliding surface for a sleeve 55 forming a piston member.

  The sleeve 23 forms an inlet valve seat 230 adapted to cooperate with a movable member of the inlet valve 70. The valve seat 230 advantageously has the shape of an annular bead. The sleeve 23 is advantageously extended downwards in the container so as to form a dip tube 231 having a passage 232 through which fluid can pass.

  The body 2 as described is advantageously made in one piece to facilitate the assembly of the dispenser member. The body 2 can be made of any suitable material: metal, plastic, or others.

  The dispensing head 3 advantageously comprises two constituent elements, namely a pusher 4 and an insert 5. The dispensing head 3 is mounted to move on the body 2 so as to be able to move axially with respect to the body 2 on a stroke. The actuator A. The pusher 4 comprises a bearing wall 40 defining an inner surface 401 and an outer bearing surface 400 and a lateral skirt 41 extending downwards from said bearing wall 40.

  The side skirt 41 has an outer surface 410 and an inner surface 411. The outer surface 410 advantageously has an outer shoulder 4100 for cooperating with the inner projection 2100 of the peripheral wall 21 of the body 2 to form a high stop. Thus, this stop defines the rest position of the dispensing member 1 and ensures an anti-tear function of the dispensing head. It should be noted that in the embodiment as shown, a portion of the inner surface 211 located between the internal projection 2100 and the radial plate 22, serves as a guide wall for the pusher 4 thus ensuring a better axial orientation of the pusher when moving.

  A dispensing orifice 42 is advantageously provided at the level of the lateral skirt 41. The dispensing orifice 42 can then be located at the end of a channel in a dispensing spout 43.

  The pusher 4 is according to the invention provided with an axial rod 7 which is integral in axial displacement of said pusher. The rod is formed in one piece or not with said pusher. The axial rod 7 advantageously extends from the bearing wall 40 into the sleeve 23. The axial rod 7 has an advantageously cylindrical shape similar to the shape of the sleeve 23. The axial rod 7 forms the movable member of inlet valve 70 adapted to cooperate with the inlet valve seat 230 of the sleeve 23. The movable inlet valve member 70 is advantageously in the form of at least one longitudinal groove formed along the rod axial 7 on a height such that fluid can pass through said grooves to join a chamber 6 located between the dispensing head 3 and the body 2. The axial rod 7 also comprises an outlet valve seat 71, said valve seat outlet 71 thus advantageously defining a cylindrical surface adapted to cooperate with a movable outlet valve member 51.

  The insert 5 is made of an elastically deformable material. It advantageously comprises a ring 53, a radial flange 54 and a sleeve 55. The insert 5 is advantageously fitted into the pusher 4 so that the ring 53 comes into engagement with the inner surface 411 of the lateral skirt 41 and that the radial flange 54 engages the inner surface 401 of the bearing wall 40. The sleeve 55 is provided with a movable outlet valve member comprising an annular valve lip 51 adapted to cooperate with the outlet valve seat. 71 and ends with a piston lip 550 able to slide in a sealed manner in the barrel 22 of the body 2.

  Thus, once the dispensing head 3 mounted on the body 2, the chamber 6 extends around the axial rod 7 occupying a volume from a portion of the radial plate 22 located between the barrel 22 and the sleeve 23 until at the outlet valve 51, 71.

  The insert 5 is, in the example shown, traversed by an outlet channel 52 making it possible to communicate an expulsion space 50 with the dispensing orifice 42. The expulsion space 50 extends around the axial stem. thus forming an annular space extending from the outlet valve 51, 71 to the inner surface 401 of the support wall 40 of the pusher 4. It should be noted that a recess network 530 can be realized at the of the crown 53 of the insert. This network forms a swirl system 43 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 3, it is the internal wall 411 of the skirt, at the level of the dispensing orifice 42, which forms a swirl system 43 , which is completed by the outer surface of the ring 53, formed by the insert 5.

  In FIG. 4, the dispensing head is devoid of a swirling system, but comprises a distributor spout 43 communicating directly the outlet channel 52 with the dispensing orifice 42 situated at the end of the spout.

  A return spring 9 may advantageously extend from the radial plate 22, between the peripheral wall 21 and the shank 22, as far as the ring 53 of the insert 5 as shown in FIG. 1 or may be housed between the plate radial 22 and the lower end of the side skirt 41 as shown in Figure 2.

  In the latter case, it can be envisaged to make a return spring 9 and a pusher 4 which are monobloc.

  The operation of the dispenser incorporating a dispensing member according to the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 showing a dispensing member in a rest position.

  In this rest position, a quantity of fluid product is contained in the chamber 6, the inlet valve 70, 230 is open while the outlet valve 51, 71 is closed.

  When the user wishes to dispense the product, the latter actuates the dispensing member 1 by applying a pressure on the support wall 40 of the pusher 4. This pressure causes an axial displacement of the dispensing head 3 by report to the body 2 still. The displacement of said dispensing head therefore causes the outer surface 410 of the lateral skirt 41 and of the piston lip 550 of the sleeve 55 to slide respectively against the inner surface 211 of the peripheral wall 21 and against the barrel 22. moreover, the axial rod 7 secured to the pusher 4 sinks into the sleeve 23. The sliding of the axial rod 7 in the sleeve 23 causes a closing of the inlet valve 70, 230, the product contained in the container 2 being unable to thus more access to the chamber 6. The descent of the dispensing head is also causing a pressure increase in the chamber 6 having the effect of opening the outlet valve 51, 71. Thus, the product fluid initially present in the chamber 6 can be removed from it due to a reduction in volume of said chamber 6. The fluid then passes the open outlet valve and then gains the expulsion space 50 before being routed to a outlet channel 52. The fluid product in the outlet channel 52 then joins the swirl system centered on the dispensing orifice 42. The fluid product is thus expelled. This expulsion can continue until abutment of the lower end of the side skirt 41 against the radial plate 22 synonymous with complete or almost complete evacuation of the product contained in the chamber 6.

  When the user stops pressing the wall 40 of the pusher 4, the return spring 9 automatically raises the dispensing head 3. This 2864044 io rise of the dispensing head 3 generates solidly a rise of the piston lip 550 the sleeve 55 then having the effect of opening the inlet valve 70, 230 and closing the outlet valve 51, 71. The displacement of the piston 550 relative to the body 2 then creates a vacuum at the chamber 6 causing suction of the enclosed product in the container. Thus, the product gains the dip tube 231 by passing through the passage 232 and reaches the inlet valve 70, 230 located at the sleeve 23. The product then passes through the longitudinal grooves of the movable inlet valve member 70 to finally reach the chamber 6. The chamber 6 fills as the outer shoulder 4100 of the side skirt 41 comes into abutment against the internal projection 2100 of the peripheral wall 21 of the body 2. Once the dispensing head 3 is in abutment against the body 2, the rest position is reached and a cycle can be re-engaged by the user.

Claims (14)

claims   1.- Fluid dispenser member (1) comprising the following components: - a body (2) intended to be associated with a container (8), -a dispensing head (3) mounted in axial translation relative to the body (2), said head (3) being movable relative to the body (2) over an actuating stroke A, said head (3) comprising a pusher (4) comprising a bearing wall (40) defining a surface external bearing (400) and an inner surface (401) and a side skirt (41) extending from said bearing wall (40), said lateral skirt (41) having an outer surface (410) and an inner surface (411), a chamber (6) defined between said body (2) and said head (3), said chamber (6) being provided with an inlet valve (230, 70) and a flap outlet (51, 71), - a dispensing orifice (42) through which fluid is dispensed, characterized in that said pusher (4) is provided with an axial rod (7), said ti axial geometry (7) forming said at least one inlet valve (230, 70) and / or outlet (51, 71) in cooperation with at least one of the components.   2. Fluid dispenser member according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing head (3) comprises an insert (5) integrally associated with the pusher (4).   3.- fluid product dispensing member according to claim 2, wherein said insert (5) and said axial rod (7) are integral in their displacement over the entire actuating stroke A of said dispensing head ( 3).   4.- fluid product dispensing member according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said axial rod (7) comprises an outlet valve seat (71) adapted to cooperate with said insert (5), said insert (5) comprising a movable outlet valve member (51).   5. A fluid dispenser member according to claim 4, wherein said outlet valve seat (71) comprises a cylindrical surface adapted to cooperate with an annular lip of the movable outlet valve member (51) to communicating said chamber (6) with an expulsion space (50) which preferably extends around said axial rod (7).   The fluid dispenser member according to claim 5, wherein said insert (5) has an outlet channel (52) connecting said expulsion gap (50) to the dispensing orifice (42).   7. A fluid dispenser member according to claims 2 to 6, wherein the insert (5) comprises a ring (53) engaged with said inner surface (411) of the lateral skirt (41), a radial flange. (54) engaged with said inner surface (401) of the bearing wall (40) and a sleeve (55), said sleeve (55) having a piston lip (550) in sealing contact with said body ( 2).   8. Fluid dispenser member according to claims 2 to 7, wherein the insert (5) is a single piece deformable.   9. A fluid dispenser member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said axial rod comprises a movable valve member inlet (70) adapted to cooperate with an inlet valve seat (230) formed by said body (2).   10. A fluid dispenser member according to claim 9, wherein said movable inlet valve member (70) comprises at least one longitudinal groove adapted to cooperate with an annular bead of the inlet valve seat (230). for communicating said container (8) with said chamber (6).   11. Fluid dispenser member according to claim 1, wherein said side skirt (41) has said dispensing orifice (42).   12. A fluid dispenser member according to claim 11, wherein the ring (53) of the insert (5) comprises a swirling system (530), said swirl system being located opposite the the dispensing orifice (42).   13. A fluid dispenser member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner surface of the skirt forms a swirl system (43) centered on the dispensing orifice.   14. A fluid dispenser comprising a container (10) and a fluid dispenser member (1) according to any one of the preceding claims. * * *