FR3048895A1 - PUMP FOR BOTTLE AND VIAL COMPRISING THIS PUMP - Google Patents

Abstract

The pump (1) comprises a tubular pump body (2) delimiting a metering chamber (4), a valve (8) for admission, a pusher (12) comprising an evacuation duct (14) and movable in the pump body (2) between a retracted position and an extended position. In addition, the pump (1) comprises a piston (26) movable relative to the pusher (12) between a closed position in which the piston (26) bears against a valve (22) of the pusher (12) and an opening position in which the piston (26) is at a distance from the valve (22), a tubular sleeve (30) in which the pusher (12) extends, a first duct (34) of delimited air circulation between a side wall (32) and the pusher (12), a second air circulation duct (36) delimited between the side wall (32) and the pump body (2), and an orifice (40) of air inlet formed through the body (2) pump and for establishing a communication between the second conduit (36) and the vial.

Description

The present invention relates to a pump for a bottle for containing a liquid, in particular a sterilizing liquid for use in a hospital environment, and a bottle comprising this pump.

Traditional pumps generally include a pusher inserted through the opening of a vial for containing a liquid. Pressure exerted on the pusher allows to pump and expel a dose of liquid contained in the bottle. These pumps generally include an air passage allowing air to enter the interior of the bottle to replace the volume of liquid expelled.

However, leaks can occur as soon as the bottle is positioned other than in a normal vertical position, for example if the bottle is spilled.

Another disadvantage is that some bottles tend to deform when the air inlet through the pump is insufficient to compensate for the volume of liquid expelled.

Also, the present invention aims to overcome all or part of these disadvantages by providing a pump and a bottle comprising the pump, providing a quality seal without excessively restricting the flow of air entering the vial. For this purpose, the subject of the present invention is a pump for a bottle intended to contain a liquid, the pump comprising a tubular pump body delimiting a metering chamber, the pump body comprising an intake valve configured to admit liquid liquid from the inside of the bottle into the metering chamber, a pusher comprising an expulsion conduit for conducting the liquid from the metering chamber to the outside of the pump, the pusher being movable in translation to the inside the pump body between a retracted position and an extended position, a piston mounted movable in translation relative to the pusher between a closed position in which the piston bears against a valve of the pusher to prevent the liquid from circulating from the expulsion conduit into the metering chamber and an open position in which the piston is remote from the valve to allow liquid to flow from the metering chamber into the expulsion duct, a tubular sleeve inside which the pusher extends, a first air circulation duct delimited between a side wall of the sleeve and the pusher, a second circulation duct; of air delimited between the side wall and the pump body, and an air inlet opening formed through the pump body and for establishing a communication between the second conduit and the interior of the bottle.

Thus, the pump according to the invention offers a seal quality, while allowing air to enter the bottle via the pump to replace the volume of liquid expelled. In addition, the sleeve requires a baffle passage which also limits the risk of liquid leakage via the path taken by the air.

According to a preferred embodiment, the sleeve comprises a lower end, and the piston is configured to bear against this lower end when the pusher is in the deployed position.

This feature improves the seal of the pump when the pusher is deployed, i.e. when the pump is not in use.

According to a preferred embodiment, the lower end is frustoconical.

Thus, the lower end delimits with the pump body an air inlet. This air inlet promotes air penetration between the sleeve and the pump body to the inlet port. This therefore ensures the penetration of a sufficient amount of air into the bottle to prevent deformation thereof.

According to a preferred embodiment, the piston comprises an outer skirt configured to be inserted between the lower end and the pump body when the pusher is in the extended position.

This compresses air trapped between the lower end and the pump body during the ascent of the piston. This therefore ensures the penetration of a sufficient amount of air into the bottle to prevent deformation thereof, despite the contact between the side wall of the sleeve and the pump body to preserve the seal.

According to a preferred embodiment, the sleeve comprises an outer skirt shaped to fit an upper edge of the pump body.

This feature has the advantage of preventing leakage between the pump body and the sleeve, while providing a possible air passage between the sleeve and the pump body to the air inlet port. This improves the seal without reducing the amount of air entering the bottle, so without deformation of the bottle.

According to a preferred embodiment, the pump body has a support collar intended to bear against an edge of the bottle, and clamping means configured to press the support collar against the edge of the bottle.

Thus, the pump offers improved sealing.

According to a preferred embodiment, the pump comprises sealing means positioned under the support flange.

These sealing means, compressed by the clamping means, provide a seal of quality.

According to a preferred embodiment, the inlet orifice is positioned closer to an upper end of the pump body than to a lower end of the sleeve.

This promotes the introduction of air directly from the outside into the bottle, and thus allows a sufficient amount of air enters the bottle to replace the volume of liquid expelled.

According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a bottle comprising a pump having the aforementioned characteristics. Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge clearly from the following detailed description of an embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. longitudinal section of a pump according to one embodiment of the invention, push in the deployed position,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a pump according to one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a pump according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a pump 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The pump 1 is intended to equip a container or bottle containing a liquid, to allow the expulsion of a dose of this liquid when the pump 1 is actuated. The liquid may especially be of the liquid sanitizer type intended for the antisepsis of the hands of a user in a hospital environment, such as for example a gel or hydro-alcoholic solution.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the pump 1 comprises a tubular pump body 2, in particular a cylindrical pump, delimiting a metering chamber 4. The pump body 2 comprises an upper end defining an opening and a lower end provided with an inlet orifice 6 intended to establish communication between the metering chamber 4 and the inside of the bottle. The pump body 2 comprises an inlet valve 8, for example a ball valve, configured to admit liquid from the inside of the bottle into the metering chamber 4 via the inlet orifice 6 and to prevent the returning the liquid from the dosing chamber 4 into the bottle. The pump 1 may comprise a plunger tube connected to the lower end of the pump body 2 to conduct the liquid from a bottom of the flask to the inlet port 6.

The pump 1 comprises a tubular pusher 12 extending inside the pump body 2. The pusher 12 defines a central evacuation conduit 14 for conducting the liquid from the metering chamber 4 to the outside of the pump 1. The pusher 12 comprises a valve 22 secured to a lower end of the pusher 12. The valve 22 is configured to allow the introduction of liquid from the metering chamber 4 into the conduit 14 expulsion, and prevent the liquid in the conduit 14 expulsion back in the chamber 4 assay. According to the example of Figure 1, the valve 22 defines an inlet opening 24 for establishing a communication between the conduit 14 expulsion and the chamber 4 assay.

The pump 1 is advantageously manually controlled. The pusher 12 thus comprises a head 16 at its upper end to allow a user to press the pusher 12 inside the pump body 2. A spout 18 can be attached to the head 16.

The pusher 12 is movable in translation inside the pump body 2 between a retracted position (not shown) and an extended position (FIG. 1). In the retracted position, the pusher 12 is pressed into the pump body 2, the valve 22 being as close as possible to the inlet valve 8, to cause a reduction in the volume of the dosing chamber 4 and the expulsion of a dose of liquid. In the deployed position, the pusher 12 comes out of the pump body 2, the valve 22 being at the farthest distance from the intake valve 8, so as to cause an increase in the volume of the metering chamber 4 and thus cause the introduction of liquid from the bottle to this chamber 4 dosing. The pump 1 may comprise return means, such as a spring 20, to return the pusher 12 in the deployed position.

The pump 1 also comprises a piston 26 which is mounted to move in translation relative to the pusher 12 and to the pump body 2 between a closed position (FIG. 1) in which the piston 26 bears against a stop wall 23 of the valve 22 located under the inlet opening 24 to prevent the liquid from flowing from the expulsion conduit 14 into the metering chamber 4, and an open position (not shown) in which the piston 26 is at a distance abutment wall 23 to allow the liquid to flow from the metering chamber 4 into the conduit 14 for expulsion via the inlet opening 24. The piston 26 may have the shape of a ring defining a central opening through which the pusher 12, and more particularly by the valve 22. The piston 26 has a side wall 28 bearing against the body 2 of the pump. Thus, in the closed position, the piston 26 and the valve 22 close the dosing chamber 4 in a liquid-tight manner.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the pusher 12 comprises an axial stop 13, for example formed by a radial projection. In the deployed position of the pusher 12, the piston 26 is in the closed position, thus bearing against the abutment wall 23 and at a distance from the axial abutment 13. The axial stop 13 is intended to bear against the piston 26 when the pusher 12 is moved to the retracted position in order to move the piston 26 in translation in the metering chamber 4. During this movement, the contact between the abutment wall 23 and the piston 26 is broken so that the piston 26 goes into the open position. When the pusher 12 rises in the extended position from the retracted position, the contact between the axial abutment 13 and the piston 26 is broken, and the abutment wall 23 of the valve 22 abuts under the piston 26 to move the piston in the opposite direction . During this movement, the piston 26 goes into the closed position.

Furthermore, the pump 1 comprises a tubular sleeve 30, in particular cylindrical, which can conform to the shape of the pump body 2, inside which the pusher 12 extends. The sleeve 30 comprises a lateral wall 32 whose internal face delimits with the pusher 12 a first duct 34 of air circulation allowing the outside air to enter the pump 1. In addition, an outer face of the side wall 32 delimits with a side wall of the pump body 2 a second duct 36 air circulation to allow the introduction of air inside the bottle. The first duct 34 and the second duct 36 can communicate below a lower end 38 of the sleeve 30, in a space defined between this lower end 38 and the piston 26. The second duct 36 opens into an inlet opening 40. air which is formed through the side wall of the pump body 2 and intended to establish a communication between the second conduit 36 and the inside of the bottle. The air inlet 40 is facing the side wall 32, which improves the liquid tightness without prejudice to the flow of air. In addition, the side wall 32 may be positioned at least partially against the side wall of the pump body 2, the second conduit 36 may correspond to a slight clearance between the side wall 32 and the pump body 2. This game offers a sufficient passage to allow the air to circulate but too narrow for the liquid contained in the bottle. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the second duct 36 may also be partly formed by a groove 42 formed in the side wall of the pump body 2 and / or the side wall 32 of the sleeve 30.

The sleeve 30 may comprise an internal radial projection 31, extending from an internal face of the side wall 32 and being able to serve as a support for the spring 20. Where appropriate, this radial projection 31 internally delimits in part with the pusher 12 the first conduit 34.

To improve the seal, by separating the first and second conduits 34, 36 when the pump 1 is inactive, the piston 26 may be configured to bear against the lower end 38 of the sleeve 30 when the pusher 12 is in the deployed position (Figure 1), and to be at a distance from the lower end 38 when the pusher 12 is in the retracted position.

Furthermore, the lower end 38 may have a frustoconical shape converging towards the inlet valve 8. Thus, the lower end 38 delimits with the side wall of the pump body 2 an air inlet promoting the passage of air from the first conduit 34 into the second conduit 36 narrower.

In addition, the piston 26 advantageously comprises an outer skirt 44 which is configured to be inserted between the lower end 38 and the pump body 2 when the pusher 12 is in the extended position (FIG. 1). The outer skirt 44 may more precisely have a shape complementary to the space delimited between the lower end 38 and the pump body 2 in order to be inserted therein when the pusher 12 is in the extended position. This makes it possible to compress the air trapped in this space during the ascent of the piston 26 and thus to push it back into the second duct 36.

To improve the seal, it may be provided that the axial abutment 13 of the pusher bears against the lower end 38 and / or the internal radial projection 31 of the sleeve 30 when the pusher 12 is in the extended position.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the sleeve 30 advantageously comprises an outer skirt 46 projecting from the side wall 32, and more precisely from an upper end of the sleeve 30. The outer skirt 46 is shaped to fit an upper edge. of the pump body 2, so as to allow a possible air passage between the sleeve and the pump body to the air inlet orifice. This improves the seal without reducing the amount of air entering the bottle, so without deformation of the bottle.

The skirt 46 and the pump body 2 may have complementary threads to improve the liquid tightness while allowing the air to pass.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the pump 1 may comprise a cover piece 48 covering the upper end of the sleeve 30, the cover piece 48 comprising radial lugs 50 intended to bear against the pusher 12 in order to guide the latter. in translation, the lugs 50 delimiting between them inlet openings 51 to allow air to enter the first duct 34.

The pump body 2 may advantageously have a bearing flange 52 extending here radially projecting from the side wall of the pump body 2 at an upper end thereof, this bearing flange 52 being intended for abut against an edge of the bottle, and clamping means configured to press the bearing flange 52 against the edge of the bottle. The clamping means comprise for example a clamping skirt 54, having a radial portion 56 bearing on the flange 52 and a thread intended to cooperate with a complementary thread of the bottle. Preferably, the outer skirt 46 of the sleeve 30 has an end intended to bear on the radial portion 56 to strengthen the clamping. Also, the pump comprises sealing means, such as a seal 58, positioned under the flange 52 support.

It should be noted that the inlet orifice 40 is preferably positioned closer to the upper end of the pump body 2 than to the lower end 38 of the sleeve 30. In particular, the inlet orifice 40 is positioned under the support collar 52, close to the latter, so as to open closer to an upper edge of the bottle. This inlet port 40 is closer to the support flange 52 than the lower end 38.

The operation of the pump 1 is described below, starting from a situation illustrated in Figure 1 where the pusher 12 is in the deployed position, the piston 26 in the closed position and remote from the abutment 13 axial. A user presses the head 16 to push the pusher 12 into the pump body 2. The pusher 12 is moved to the retracted position. In doing so, the valve 22 moves relative to the piston 23: the contact between the abutment wall 23 and the piston 26 is broken, the piston 26 moves to the open position. The axial stop 13 then bears against the piston 26 and drives it in translation inside the pump body 2. The piston 26 reduces the volume of the dosing chamber 4; the inlet valve 8 is closed, and the liquid contained in the metering chamber 4 is compressed, forced to escape from the metering chamber 4, passing between the abutment wall 23 and the piston 26, then through the 24 opening input into the conduit 14 expulsion. The liquid initially present in the expulsion duct 14 is thus pushed towards the spout 18 and expelled out of the pump 1 (arrows 60). Air enters from the outside via the first and second ducts 34, 36 (arrows 62).

When the user stops pressing the head 16 of the pusher 12, the pusher 12 is translated in the opposite direction, that is to say goes back to the deployed position under the action of the spring 20. The contact between the stop 13 and the piston is broken, then upwardly relative to the piston 26, the abutment wall 23 abuts against it: the piston 26 goes into the closed position and is driven in translation in the pump body 2 through the valve 22. By moving, the piston 26 increases the volume of the metering chamber 4, which causes the suction of liquid from the bottle into the chamber 4 dosing, the valve 8 intake passing to an open state. In parallel, the piston 26 delivers in the second conduit 36 discharge the air previously admitted into the pump body 2, in particular between the lower end 38 of the sleeve and the piston 26, so that air enters via the inlet port 40 in the bottle to replace the volume of liquid sucked into the chamber 4 dosing.

In another aspect, the invention also relates to a bottle (not shown) comprising a pump 1 as described above, the bottle having an opening through which the pump body 2 is introduced.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, this embodiment having been given as an example. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various devices or by the substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. Pump (1) for a vial for containing a liquid, the pump (1) comprising a tubular pump body (2) defining a metering chamber (4), the pump body (2) comprising a valve (8) ) configured to admit liquid from inside the bottle into the metering chamber (4), a pusher (12) including an expulsion conduit (14) for conducting the liquid from the chamber (4) dispensing device to the outside of the pump (1), the pusher (12) being movable in translation inside the pump body (2) between a retracted position and an extended position, a piston (26) mounted movable in translation relative to the pusher (12) between a closed position in which the piston (26) bears against a valve (22) of the pusher (12) to prevent the liquid from flowing from the pipe (14) of expulsion into the metering chamber (4) and an open position in which the piston (26) is at a distance from the valve ( 22) to allow liquid to flow from the metering chamber (4) into the expulsion conduit (14), a tubular sleeve (30) within which the pusher (12) extends, a first conduit (34) defined between a side wall (32) of the sleeve (30) and the pusher (12), a second duct (36) circulating air delimited between the side wall (32) and the body (2) pump, and an air inlet (40) formed through the pump body (2) and for establishing a communication between the second conduit (36) and the interior of the vial. 2. Pump (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve (30) comprises a lower end (38), and the piston (26) is configured to bear against this end (38) lower when the pusher (12). ) is in the deployed position. 3. Pump (1) according to claim 2, wherein the lower end (38) is frustoconical. The pump (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the piston (26) comprises an outer skirt (44) configured to be interposed between the lower end (38) and the pump body (2) when the pusher (12) is in the deployed position. 5. Pump (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sleeve (30) comprises an outer skirt (46) shaped to fit an upper edge of the body (2) pump. 6. Pump (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the body (2) pump has a flange (52) support for abutting against an edge of the bottle, and clamping means configured to press the flange (52) against the edge of the flask. 7. Pump (1) according to claim 6, wherein the pump (1) comprises sealing means positioned under the flange (52) support. 8. Pump (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the inlet orifice (40) is positioned closer to an upper end of the pump body (2) than one end (38). ) of the sleeve (30). 9. Bottle comprising a pump (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8.