JP2004531367A - Fluid product dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid product dispenser comprising: a fluid product tank (2); a dispensing component having a perforated membrane (3) directly connected to the tank (2); and a vibrating means for vibrating the perforated membrane (3). 34) and a drive button (9) for activating the oscillating means, characterized in that under normal operating conditions the tank (2) is located above the perforated membrane (3). The dispenser, wherein the result is that the fluid product is delivered from the tank to the membrane utilizing the force of gravity.

Description

【Technical field】
[0001]
The present invention relates to a fluid product dispenser having a tank for a fluid product and a vibrating membrane serving as a dispensing component.
[Background Art]
[0002]
Generally, the vibrating membrane is perforated with one or more dosing holes through which fluid products are dispensed by vibrating forces of the membrane. In order to vibrate such a perforated film, a vibration means is generally provided, and if a piezoelectric component is used, an excellent vibration means for film vibration can be obtained.
[0003]
The invention more particularly relates to the cosmetic, perfumery or pharmaceutical field. Therefore, the dispenser is small enough that the user can hold it with one hand. In addition, the dispenser should be driven when the user presses a driving button (made to drive the membrane vibrating means) with one hand.
[0004]
In a standard pump that operates using suction and reflux techniques, the pressure inside the tank does not directly affect the operation of the pump. Standard pumps work with tanks placed under pressure or vacuum, provided that excessive values are not reached. This is not the case with a perforated diaphragm having neither an inlet valve nor an outlet valve. Thus, the fluid product must be provided to the vibrating membrane under a pressure approximately equal to the outside air pressure. However, the pressure can be too low or too high, if only slightly. If the tank is under pressure, the fluid product may leak out of the holes in the perforated membrane, but this will have unacceptable consequences of seepage. On the other hand, if the pressure is reduced in the tank, air will enter the dispenser through the holes in the perforated membrane. Then the quality of the spray will be very poor.
[0005]
European Patent Publications 0 615 470 and 0 696 234 describe a fluid product dispenser having a tank and a perforated membrane vibrated by piezoelectric components. Fluid supply means for supplying the perforated membrane from the tank by connecting the tank to the membrane is provided. Under normal operating conditions, the perforated membrane is located above the tank and requires fluid to rise against gravity. To enable this, the supply means are capillary conduits, of course, the fluid product rising up to the perforated membrane.
[0006]
However, control of supply is not always easy due to the use of capillary action.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
[0007]
Therefore, the present invention aims at overcoming the above-mentioned problems of the prior art caused by the capillary phenomenon, and for that purpose, a technique different from the above is used for a technique for supplying a fluid product from a tank to a vibrating membrane.
[0008]
US Pat. No. 4,882,096 and Japanese Patent No. 04 23 6962 describe a vibrating perforated membrane dispenser of the type that utilizes gravity. However, this type of dispenser often suffers from leakage problems in the perforated membrane. Such leaks are due to pressure applied from a fluid column formed in the reservoir located above.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
[0009]
To solve the above problem, under normal operating conditions, the tank is located above the perforated membrane, so that the fluid product is fed from the tank to the membrane using the force of gravity, Is connected to the tank by a passage, the passage having an inlet valve capable of selectively opening or closing the passage.
【The invention's effect】
[0010]
This ensures that the delivery to the membrane is not dependent on the specific physical properties (ie, capillarity) that cause the dosing of the product to be irregular. Gravity ensures that the membrane is supplied in a direct and reliable manner with a fluid product under a pressure approximately equal to the outside air pressure. The phrase "under normal operating conditions" means "during the period during which the button is being driven to activate the oscillating means". In other words, the tank in the present invention is positioned on the membrane when the drive button is pressed.
[0011]
Preferably, the vibration means and the inlet valve are electrically controlled. The inlet valve allows the membrane to be isolated from the tank, so that the membrane is not subjected to any pressure. Therefore, the danger of fluid product leaking or oozing through the holes in the perforated membrane is completely eliminated. Advantageously, the inlet valve opens only during the time the dispenser is being driven (i.e., when the drive button is pressed). For example, the drive button can simultaneously activate the oscillating means and open the inlet valve. Therefore, the fluid product is supplied to the perforated membrane only while the dispenser is being driven.
[0012]
Also, as an effective configuration, the dispenser has a bottom portion made to contact a substantially horizontal surface at a rest position, at which position the tank comes above the diaphragm. And
[0013]
Another feature of the invention is that the tank has an upper section with a vent. In addition, as an effective configuration, the air passage has a component made of a porous material. The venting passage ensures that the pressure of the fluid product inside the tank is always about the same as the outside pressure. In addition, the location of the vent on the top of the dispenser prevents fluid products from leaking through the vent. These features relating to venting can also be realized with a vibrating perforated membrane dispenser utilizing gravity, but without an inlet valve.
[0014]
In another feature, the drive button is positioned within the upper section of the tank, the vent is formed to surround the drive button, and the vent is formed between the drive button and the upper section of the tank. Is formed between them. It is also effective that the drive button masks a part made of a porous material. In this way, the drive button is used to mask as well as create a ventilation path. Such a drive button incorporating a ventilating function can be implemented in a gravity-based membrane dispenser, but does not include an inlet valve.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0015]
The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description. The description is directed to embodiments of the invention, given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the attached single drawing, which shows a transverse cross-section of a fluid product dispenser of the invention.
[0016]
The dispenser has a base 1 on which a tank 2 is installed.
[0017]
The base 1 forms a shell which is divided into two sections 10, 12, the peripheries of which are joined by a clip mechanism 13. The horizontal cross section of the base 1 may be of any shape (eg, circular, oval, or polygonal). The longitudinal cross-section of the base is relatively flat, and the lower section 10 of the shell has a bottom part 11 on which the dispenser can be placed in a stable state. The base 1 has an aperture 14, and the diaphragm 3 is accommodated in the aperture 14. The position of the aperture 14 may be on the line of the seam between the lower section 10 of the shell and the upper section 12 of the shell. A large aperture is formed in the upper section 12 of the shell, and the tank 2 is accommodated in the large aperture. To hold the tank 2 in the aperture, the upper section 12 of the shell has a retaining edge 15 which makes it possible to hold the tank 2 on the base 1.
[0018]
The base 1 also has an inlet valve 4, an electromagnet 5, one or more batteries 6, and an electrical control system 7.
[0019]
The tank 2 has a bottom portion 22 and a dome portion 20, and the peripheral portions 24, 25 of the two are joined using a seal 26, and the seal is sandwiched between the two to prevent leakage. May be guaranteed. The tank 2 thus produced is held in the upper section 12 of the shell at the perimeters 24,25. The dome portion 20 has an upper section 21 that forms the top of the dome. In the present invention, the upper section 21 comprises an aperture 210 formed by a small sleeve 211. Then, a component 91 made of a porous material is inserted into the small sleeve 211 to block the air passage while allowing the passage of air. The ventilation channel is thus created, so that when a fluid product is dispensed through the perforated membrane 3, external air can enter the tank through the ventilation channel. As another feature of the invention, the drive button 9 is also located on the aperture 210 of the upper section 21 of the dome 20. The drive button 9 may be a tactile contactor. The button 9 is positioned directly above the perforated part 91 and, together with the small sleeve 211, forms an air passage 92, which allows outside air to contact the perforated part 91. The air passage is thus formed so as to surround the button 9 and masks the porous part 91. Again, it should be noted that the button 9 is ideally positioned to face the bottom surface 11 that will be lower when the dispenser is placed on a substantially horizontal surface.
[0020]
The button 9 (which may be an electric switch) is connected to the electric control system 7 by a flat track feed line, which runs around the dome 20 and passes the base 1 through the holding edge 15. pass. Therefore, when the button 9 is pressed, the electric circuit is closed, and electricity is supplied to the electric control system.
[0021]
An outlet aperture 23 is formed in the bottom portion 22 of the tank 2, and the end of the aperture forms a fluid product supply passage 27. A portion of the passage 27 comprises a first section 271 of the passage, which extends downward and slightly downstream of the outlet aperture 23. The first section 271 of this passage is defined by a tube 230 defined by the bottom part 22 of the tank. Further, the tube 230 is connected to the valve main body 40, and a connector sleeve 46 that contacts the tube 230 is formed on the main body. Beyond the first section 271 of the passage, the valve body 40 forms the second section 272 of the passage, in which the inlet valve 4 is configured. The inlet valve 4 is an electromagnetic valve and has a magnetic core 41 disposed in a second section of the passage, and one end of the core 41 is blocked by a plug 45. The electromagnet 5 is disposed immediately behind the plug 45 so that an electromagnetic field can be guided to the magnetic core 41. Further, a valve ball 43 (for example, made of steel) is held by a seat 44 formed on the main body 4 by a spring 42. Therefore, in the rest position (that is, in a state where power is not supplied to the electromagnet 5), the ball 43 guarantees the leakage resistance of the seat 44 and further isolates the diaphragm 3 from the tank 2. On the other hand, as soon as power is supplied to the electromagnet 5, the magnetic core 41 is magnetized and attracts the valve ball 43. Then, the ball 43 moves against the force of the spring 42 and separates from the seat 44, so that a communication between the second section 272 of the passage and the subsequent section 273 of the passage is made. The trailing section 273 communicates directly with a gap 274 arranged in contact with the hole 30 in the passage of the perforated membrane 3.
[0022]
In the case of the present invention, when the inlet valve 4 is opened, the fluid product is directly supplied from the tank 2 to the perforated membrane 3 only by the force of gravity. As such, the membrane may appear to be in direct contact with the fluid product from the tank. This is because the passage 27 can be considered as a section or extension of the tank, thereby forming part of the tank surface. It is also possible to envisage an embodiment in which the membrane is positioned directly in the area around the tank and thus constitutes the wall. In other words, when the valve is open, the membrane is directly, continuously, and always connected to the tank. This is probably due to the fact that when the dispenser is held in the position as shown in the drawing (ie with the bottom facing down and the drive button facing up), the tank 2 is perforated membrane 3 Due to the fact that it is located above. The fluid product may be supplied by gravity in the direction of a supply passage 27 (first section 271 extends downward and sections 272, 273 extend horizontally towards perforated membrane 3). It is possible. In order to guarantee the correct operation of the device (ie high quality spray from the perforated membrane 3), the inlet valve 4 must be kept open during the operation of the dispenser. On the other hand, when the dispenser is in the rest position to prevent leakage or seepage through the holes of the perforated membrane 3, it is effective that the perforated membrane 3 is isolated from the tank 2. Further, as a practical embodiment, the button 9 can be used in such a manner that both the electric control system 34 of the piezoelectric component and the electromagnet 5 are simultaneously turned on. The valve will then open at the same time the product is sprayed through the membrane. When the valve opens, the passage connects directly and continuously from the tank to the perforated membrane, where the perforated membrane, on its inner surface, forms part of the tank surface.
[0023]
According to the invention, from the tank to the vibrating perforated membrane, the fluid product can be provided under a pressure approximately equal to that of the outside air, and there is no danger of leakage from the membrane when the dispenser is in the rest position. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
[0024]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional vertical section of a fluid product dispenser of the present invention.

Claims (9)

A fluid product dispenser,
・ Fluid product tank (2)
A dosing component having a perforated membrane (3) directly connected to the tank (2);
A vibrating means (34) for vibrating the perforated membrane (3);
A driving button (9) for activating the vibration means,
Under normal operating conditions, the tank (2) is located above the perforated membrane (3) so that the fluid product is supplied from the tank to the membrane using the force of gravity,
Characteristic is that the membrane (3) is connected to the tank (2) by a passage (27), which passage (27) can selectively open or close the passage (27). )
Said dispenser. A bottom portion (11) made to contact a substantially horizontal surface in the rest position;
At that position, the tank (2) comes to a position above the diaphragm (3);
The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: The vibration means (34) and the inlet valve (4) are electrically controlled;
The dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Opening the inlet valve (4) when the oscillating means (34) is driven;
The dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The tank (2) has an upper section (21) with a vent (92);
The dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The air passage (92) has a part (91) made of a porous material;
The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein: The drive button (9) is located in the upper section (21) of the tank (2), and the ventilation path (92) surrounds the drive button so that the drive button (9) and the upper section (21) of the tank (2). Being formed between
The dispenser according to claim 5 or 6, wherein The drive button (9) masking a part (91) made of a porous material;
The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein: The perforated membrane (3) forms part of the surface of the tank (2);
The dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein

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