JP2008500173A - Fluid spreader pump - Google Patents

Abstract

  The invention herein relates to pump and valve arrangements for fluid spreaders. The pump herein includes a dosing chamber, a resilient actuator, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid into and out of the dosing chamber, and each of the upper and lower pump halves are integrally molded. And at least the upper pump half comprises a semi-rigid thermoplastic material. Pumps are easily made via injection molding from a small number of parts. The fluid reservoir and pump combination provides a fluid dispenser, which may further include an atomizer for forming a spray when fluid is ejected from the dispenser outlet. A method of making a pump and valve arrangement is also provided by the present invention.

Description

  The present invention relates to a pump that can be easily produced and assembled from a small number of molded parts, in particular from injection molded parts. The invention further relates to a spreader comprising a pump and to a valve arrangement for the pump and the spreader. The pumps and devices are useful for dispensing fluids such as pharmaceuticals, including nasal and throat sprays, fragrances, cosmetics, cleaning products, and the like.

  Discharge of material from the dispenser, particularly in a carefully controlled amount, generally requires a type of pump, which usually has one or more valves associated with the pump. Providing such pumps not only increases the cost and complexity of the dispenser manufacture, but also limits their overall design, as typical pumps contain a large number of separate parts. . Efforts have been made to reduce the complexity of the pump. PCT International Publication No. WO 98/08661 discloses a pump that is easily manufactured with a small number of stackable parts. However, the pump still requires four parts that require separate manufacture and assembly. PCT International Publication No. WO 02/16047 discloses another simple diaphragm pump incorporated inside a flexible reservoir for spraying, which also includes four parts.

  US Pat. No. 6,460,781, US Patent Application 2003/0071071, US Patent Application 2002/0190081, and PCT International Publication No. WO 00/06464 all have deformable elasticity to create a pumping action from a reservoir and reservoir. A simple product spreader suitable as a sampling device is described.

  Each of US Pat. No. 5,492,252, European Patent No. 641,722, and European Patent No. 442858 incorporates a pump that utilizes a resilient actuator as an insert into a pre-molding pump chamber that includes an inlet port. Indicate the spreader.

  In spite of all of the above, in order to be able to manufacture a product spreader with a built-in pump easily and at low cost, it is possible to dispense the product in a particularly reliable and repeatable manner. Further improvement of the vessel is needed. A related challenge is to simplify the modular structure of the dispenser, thereby incorporating different functioning pumps, for example to discharge different doses, into a common dispenser and using a production line to produce different products. Is to enable a flexible way of providing.

  Simple pumps have now been developed that can be manufactured from as few as two separate parts, and in particular, each part can be manufactured from separate parts that can be formed by mass production techniques such as injection molding, compression molding, or thermoforming. Yes. The pump can be employed as a separate part in a more complex dispenser, or indeed can be integrally molded into a simple dispenser. The construction of the pump makes it possible to design the dispenser much more freely in that the pump is employed in the dispenser and as a result.

  The invention herein relates to pump and valve arrangements for fluid spreaders. The invention further relates to a dispenser incorporating a pump. The pump herein includes a dosing chamber, a resilient actuator, and a valve for controlling the flow of fluid into and out of the dosing chamber. The fluid reservoir and pump combination provides a fluid dispenser, which may further include an atomizer for forming a spray when fluid is ejected from the dispenser outlet.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a pump for a fluid spreader,
a) an upper pump half including an upper inlet port wall and an upper outlet port wall;
b) A lower pump half that engages the upper pump half and includes a lower inlet port wall and a lower outlet port wall, the upper inlet port wall engaging the lower inlet port wall and fluid A pump outlet port defining a pump inlet port that allows fluid communication from the source to the pump, and an upper outlet port wall engaging the lower outlet port wall to allow fluid to exit the pump; Defining a lower pump half; and
c) a resilient actuator connected to the upper pump half;
d) an inlet valve associated with the pump inlet port for controlling fluid flow through the pump inlet port;
e) a dosing chamber at least partially delimited by a resilient actuator for containing a single dose before being discharged from the dispenser;
And the depression of the resilient actuator is effective to dispense a fluid dose through the pump outlet port, and the upper and lower pump halves are formed of a unitary molded article, and at least the upper pump half A pump is provided wherein the body comprises a semi-rigid thermoplastic material.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a method for making a pump for a fluid dispenser is provided, the pump comprising an upper pump half comprising a semi-rigid thermoplastic material, a lower pump half, a dosing chamber, A resilient actuator, a pump inlet port, a pump outlet port, an inlet valve, and an outlet valve, the method comprising:
a) forming an upper pump half in a unitary molding comprising a resilient actuator, an upper inlet port wall, and an upper outlet port wall;
b) forming a lower pump half in an integral molded article including a lower inlet port wall, a lower outlet port wall, and a lower dosing chamber wall;
c) A pump in which the upper inlet port wall engages the lower inlet port wall to allow fluid communication from the fluid source to the pump such that the resilient actuator and the lower dosage chamber wall delimit the dosage chamber. The upper pump half is defined so as to define an inlet port and an upper outlet port wall that engages the lower outlet port wall to define a pump outlet port that allows fluid to flow out of the pump. Fixing on the lower pump half,
Including.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a method of making a pump for a fluid dispenser is provided, the pump comprising an upper pump half comprising a semi-rigid thermoplastic material, a lower pump half, a dosing chamber, A resilient actuator, a pump inlet port, a pump outlet port, an inlet valve, and an outlet valve, the method comprising:
a) forming an upper pump half in a unitary molded article comprising an upper inlet port wall and an upper outlet port wall;
b) forming a lower pump half in an integral molded article including a lower inlet port wall and a lower outlet port wall;
c) The upper inlet port wall engages the lower inlet port wall to define a pump inlet port that allows fluid communication from the fluid source to the pump, and the upper outlet port wall is the lower outlet port wall. Securing the upper pump half over the lower pump half so as to define a pump outlet port that engages and allows fluid to flow out of the pump;
d) attaching the elastic actuator to the upper pump half so that the elastic actuator delimits the dosing chamber;
Including.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a valve module for a pump for a fluid spreader is provided, the valve module comprising:
a) an upper pump half comprising an upper inlet port wall, an upper outlet port wall, and a flow channel that provides fluid communication between the upper and lower surfaces of the upper pump half;
b) A lower pump half that engages the upper pump half and includes a lower inlet port wall, a lower outlet port wall, and a lower dosing chamber wall, the upper inlet port wall being the lower inlet port Engaging the wall to define a pump inlet port that allows fluid communication from the fluid source to the pump, the upper outlet port wall engaging the lower outlet port wall to allow fluid to flow out of the pump; A lower pump half that defines a pump outlet port to enable;
c) an inlet valve and an outlet valve for controlling the flow of fluid through the pump inlet and outlet ports, respectively;
With
The valve module includes alignment means selected from positioning protrusions, depressions, non-circular outer wall sections, and combinations thereof, to allow the valve module to be received in a fixed orientation in the dispenser It is.

  In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, a valve arrangement suitable for use in a pump dispenser is provided, the valve arrangement comprising a flow channel having semi-rigid upper and lower walls, and a fluid source of fluid. The fluid channel further includes an inlet and outlet elastomeric flap valve attached to the inside of the flow channel. Each valve has a surface immovably secured to the upper flow channel wall and a flap pressed to seal against the lower flow channel wall so that each valve A positive fluid pressure differential upstream of the flap lifts the flap, thereby preventing fluid flow along the flow channel until the fluid can flow past the valve, and the valve Fluid flow in the same direction along the channel so that an increase in fluid pressure in the flow channel section between the two valves leaves the outlet valve open and the inlet valve closed, and two A drop in fluid pressure in the section of the flow channel between the valves leaves the inlet valve open and the outlet valve closed.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pump is incorporated into a dispenser further comprising a fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the pump inlet port. Preferably, the reservoir is co-molded with the pump.

  The elastic actuator of the pump preferably has a threshold force for actuation that facilitates constant unit dosage. The pumps, valve arrangements, dispensers, and actuators herein are amenable to modular construction for assembly, which provides considerable flexibility in a mass production environment.

  The present invention will now be described in more detail first with respect to general terms and then to specific embodiments with respect to the pump, valve module, and dispenser components herein.

Definitions Pumps and dispensers include upper and lower halves. The term “half” herein is intended only for the representation of the corresponding part, and is not intended to imply any equivalence of size, structure, or function. For pumps or spreaders, the terms “upper” and “lower” are used only to distinguish the two halves and are not intended to imply any particular orientation of the parts in use.

  As used herein, “semi-rigid” refers to a material having a flexural modulus of at least about 300 MPa, preferably at least about 500 MPa, as measured using ASTM D790. The pump and dispenser components herein made from semi-rigid materials are typically molded with a wall thickness sufficient to self-support, which is substantially bent by its own weight due to self-support. Means no. However, because the reservoirs of certain embodiments herein, such as flexible bags, are made of thin laminates, they are self-supporting even if the laminate may include a semi-rigid material. It is not a structure.

  By “integral molded product” is meant a molded product formed within a single product or completely formed within a single mold. This may include only one material, but the term “monolithic molded product” refers to common molding operations such as two-shot injection molding where different materials are co-injected or sequentially injected into a common mold. Also includes workpieces formed from two or more materials.

  As used herein, “fluid” refers to a fluid liquid or gel.

  “Monostable”, as used herein with respect to an actuator or element thereof, refers to an element in a reserve region where the force initially increases to increase deflection and then some threshold force, for example, to increase deflection. Mean that it has a force-deflection curve, including that there is at least one inflection point such that further deflection of this occurs with decreasing applied force. Such a curve is shown in FIG. Preferably, the initial reserve area deflection is kept as small as possible.

  “Bistability” for an actuator or its element behaves like a monostable actuator or element until it passes a defined force threshold, but then “jumps” and remains permanently in a depressed position Say about the elements.

Administration chamber The pump according to the invention comprises an administration chamber. The dosing chamber is formed by the cooperation of the upper and lower pump halves when the pump is assembled. The dosing chamber holds a single dose of fluid to be dispensed, which in a preferred embodiment can be replenished from a reservoir in fluid communication with the dosing chamber. The dosing chamber can be in fluid communication with the pump inlet port, through which fluid can be received from the reservoir, and in fluid communication with the pump outlet port, from which fluid can be dispensed. In certain embodiments illustrated herein, the pump inlet and outlet ports are on opposite sides of the dosing chamber, which is the most appropriate arrangement for many applications, but the invention is not limited thereto. Is not to be done. The inlet and outlet ports may be adjacent to each other or placed in any other position with respect to each other and the administration chamber, so long as they serve the intended function of allowing fluid to enter and exit the administration chamber. You can also. The fluid flowing into and out of the dosing chamber is controlled by inlet and outlet valves that are described in more detail below. The pump further comprises a resilient actuator, described further below, which when activated results in the dispensing of fluid dose from the dosing chamber. Since the operation of the pump by a resilient actuator generally does not result in all of the fluid contained within the pump being dispensed, the volume of dose dispensed by the pump is generally smaller than the pump volume. The dose volume herein can vary from a few microliters to several milliliters, depending on the size and structure of the pump. The dose volume is preferably a dose that is substantially predetermined and metered by the dimensions of the dosing chamber. Means for accomplishing this are further described in the section on resilient actuators below, including limiting the user's ability to change the dose volume.

  Prior to first use, the dosing chamber may require priming with the sprayed fluid. The greater the ratio of pump volume to dose volume, the greater the number of priming strokes required to replace the pump's inner air prior to priming with the fluid drawn from the reservoir. The preferred number of priming strokes is 3 or less.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dosing chamber has a lower wall that creates an end point for the flexure of the resilient actuator and stops its movement when the actuator abuts it. Changing the distance between the actuator in the stationary position and the lower dosing chamber wall can provide a way to fine-tune the dosing volume of the pump, thereby at least partially defining the metered dose. The This is advantageous when it is necessary to create different dose volumes in a cost effective manner in a commercial production environment. Of course, the dose volume can also be adjusted by changing other parameters such as the shape and size of the actuator.

Resilient Actuator An important mechanism of the pump herein is an actuator. The actuator is preferably elastic. The actuator can be a separately manufactured piece attached to the upper pump half, but is preferably a resilient wall section that forms part of the upper pump half adjacent the dosing chamber. Elasticity is brought about by the choice of the material from which the actuator is made and the adjustment of its thickness and shape. Suitable materials for the actuator include thermoplastic elastomers, silicones, rubbers, or soft grade polyolefins (eg, polyethylene or polypropylene). Suitable thicknesses for the actuator when manufactured from the same semi-rigid material as the pump body are from about 0.1 to 0.8 mm, preferably from about 0.3 to 0.7 mm, more preferably from about 0.4 to 0.6 mm. In an alternative embodiment, the elasticity may be provided by a two-component system, whereby a spring or other resilient instrument is placed directly under the working wall to cause the working wall to follow the actuation. Return to its uncompressed posture.

  The actuator is pushed down by the user to reduce the volume of the dosing chamber and thus dispense the fluid dose from the pump. In the case of a resilient actuator, when the depressing force is removed, the resiliency causes the actuator to bounce back to its original shape, reducing the pressure in the dosing chamber and drawing fluid from the reservoir into the dosing chamber.

  The actuator design affects the dose size and overall system accuracy. For many applications, the required accuracy for the released dose is not very critical and a dose tolerance of +/− 20% is acceptable. Simple resilient actuators in the form of buttons are well known in the art. The actuator can be integrally molded, co-molded, overmolded (in a manner similar to the gas bellows shown in US Patent Application 2002/074359) with the upper pump half, or separately molded, and PCT It can be assembled by mechanical snap or friction fit, as in the pump of WO 98/08661, or attached by welding.

  Simple actuators can have the disadvantage that the user can select the applied force while spraying the fluid, which can result in a significant change in the amount and quality of the dose. The relationship between the applied force and the degree of deflection of the actuator may be close to linear, or at least always require a continuously increasing force for larger deflections. If the user only pushes lightly, the volume and pressure of the fluid dispensed will be suboptimal and may result, for example, incomplete or indeterminate dosing, undesirable spray patterns, or poor particle size distribution. is there. While this may still be acceptable for certain applications or products, medical device applications typically require tighter dosage tolerances, especially when releasing active pharmaceutical ingredients . In order to overcome this particular disadvantage, the actuators herein preferably include monostable or bistable elements. These elements are characterized by having no linear force-deflection relationship. The use of monostable or bistable elements in the actuator for the discharge device provides additional control over the user's instrument operation.

  The use of monostable elements in the form of buttons or snap-domes is known in the electronics industry in the form of input devices (keypads for cell phones, calculators, etc.) and circuit board switches. Snaptron Inc. of Loveland, Colorado 80537, USA sells metal snap domes of various sizes and shapes. Monostable elements in the form of “snap domes” are known, for example, in switches from US Pat. Nos. 4,933,522 and 5,510,584. The principle is also disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,460,781 for use in a sample-type spray spreader. PCT International Publication No. WO 02/016696 assigned to Valois SA describes a two-leaved spring that acts as a monostable element and can be used in a spray reservoir. To do. A further effort of this type of actuating element is described in US Pat. No. 6,271,487, in which a switch with tactile feedback and tri-state switching is disclosed. Monostable elements are also used in the toy industry. As used herein, the monostable element can be a separate element, such as a snap dome disposed under a resilient actuator, or disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,460,781. Thus, the entire mechanism of the actuator formed by an appropriate configuration of the actuator wall can be obtained.

For a monostable element in an actuator, a typical force-deflection curve is as shown in FIG. Initial deflection requires a continuous increase in force. When only a small force is applied by the user's finger to an actuator attached to a pump that has been primed with fluid, it is usually the case that there is insufficient pressure in the fluid for the applied force to open the pump outlet valve. Since it is not generated, there is no fluid discharge at all. The actuator has a threshold point where further deflection of the element occurs with a decrease in applied force, which is greater than the force required to create sufficient fluid pressure to open the outlet valve. Should be slightly larger. The practical effect is that once a predefined threshold point is passed, the user's finger-pressing momentum results in a sharp increase in deflection, making it difficult to prevent full operation. The result is that changes in the amount of fluid dispensed are kept fairly small and any associated spray pattern is better controlled. This process of passing the threshold point preferably involves an audible “click” or tactile feedback to inform the user of the correct operation of the component. Preferably, beyond the threshold point, even if the force F decreases by at least 10% (in the axis inscribed in Newton), the deflection D increases by at least 50% (in the axis inscribed in mm), more preferably Will increase the deflection by at least 75% even if the force is reduced by at least 25%. The slope of the curve from the origin to the first threshold point is preferably at least 5 Nmm ⁻¹ , more preferably at least 10 Nmm ⁻¹ .

  In another aspect of the invention, an actuator is provided for use with a spray pump, the actuator comprising an outer flange in a first plane and a resiliently deflectable central dome, preferably like a disk. Including a shaped plate, the dome includes an apex and at least one annular trough, whereby the actuator relates to a force applied perpendicular to the first plane when secured at its outer flange. A force-deflection curve comprising a reserve region where the force initially increases with increasing deflection of the dome and at least one inflection point at which additional deflection of the dome occurs with decreasing applied force.

  The additional force required to achieve further deflection, usually at some point past the threshold point on the actuator force-deflection curve, usually when some material limit of the actuator is reached Will increase again. A predefined end point for deflection may be achieved due to the actuator abutting against some stop element, in which case the applied force will naturally be for a slight or zero increase in deflection. Increases rapidly. The end point of deflection may be defined by the physical dimensions of the actuator, or additional stop elements such as lower dosing chamber walls may be introduced.

  In the case of a resilient actuator, once the applied force is removed, the actuator then returns to its original starting point before deflection. A bistable actuator that remains permanently in a depressed position is not resilient as intended herein. Although this type of actuator is not suitable for repeated dosing, it can have advantages for controlling dosing schedules when some are used in one dispensing package. In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a reservoir containing the fluid to be dispensed, the reservoir comprising a boundary wall and a fluid outlet, wherein the reservoir boundary wall includes a plurality of bistable actuators. As a result of each depression, substantially the same dose of fluid is dispensed from the fluid outlet. A preferred bistable actuator provides a convex dome to the exterior of the reservoir and permanently deforms when depressed below its threshold to provide a concave recess to the exterior of the reservoir. A storage tank included in a preferred embodiment of this further aspect of the present invention has a plurality of outwardly convex deformable bistable actuators arranged in a regular array on one side of the storage tank and has the appearance of a blister pack. Bring.

Valves and valve arrangements Further important features of the pumps herein are inlet and outlet valves. An inlet valve is associated with the pump inlet port to control fluid flow through the inlet port, and an outlet valve is associated with the pump outlet port to control fluid flow through the outlet port. “Associated” means that each valve is located in a respective port or in a flow channel directly connected to that port. If not placed in a port, the valve can be upstream or downstream of the port as long as it can perform its intended function of controlling fluid flow through the port. Both the inlet valve and the outlet valve are non-return type and allow unidirectional fluid movement along the conduit or flow channel, but very preferably prevent reverse fluid flow. Suitable valves include flap valves, duckbill valves, ball valves, and slit valves. A flap valve is preferred for ease of in situ molding. In a preferred embodiment, the inlet and outlet valves are made from an elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness of about 5 to about 90, more preferably about 20 to about 70. Suitable elastomer materials include thermoplastic elastomers, silicones, and rubbers. The flaps and slit valves can be of various shapes such as square or triangular or more complex shapes, as described in more detail below. The valves can be co-molded, overmolded, insert molded as an accessory, or can be assembled separately, such as by welding, an interference fit, or a snap fit. In an alternative embodiment, the inlet and outlet valves are molded integrally from either the upper or lower pump halves and the same semi-rigid thermoplastic material as the pump halves in which they are integrally molded. In a further alternative embodiment, the inlet and outlet valves may be injection molded as a single piece with a bridge of material connecting the two. It can be manufactured separately and easily attached to the pump body, allowing a predetermined directional arrangement.

  A preferred valve arrangement includes an elastomeric valve mounted inside the flow channel, the valve having a top surface, the top surface being fixed immovably to the upper flow channel wall, preferably by injection molding, the valve further comprising: A flap having a lower surface that is pressed against the lower flow channel wall when there is no difference in fluid pressure across the valve flap, and an increase in fluid pressure against the lower surface of the flap causes the flap to flow into the lower flow channel Lift from the wall to allow fluid to flow too much through the valve. In embodiments herein, one of the upper or lower pump halves includes the upper flow channel wall of the valve arrangement, and the other of the upper or lower pump halves has the lower surface of the valve flap on the lower flow channel. Preferably, it includes a lower flow channel wall that is pressed to seal against the wall. The lower surface of the valve flap is generally flush with the lower flow channel wall, and the valve flap faces the direction of fluid flow along the flow channel. If the back pressure of the fluid attempts to flow the fluid in the opposite direction, the fluid pushes against the top surface of the valve flap, pushing the flap against the lower flow channel wall, thereby resisting the fluid back flow. Will increase. The desired threshold pressure for valve actuation can be set by changing the profile of the valve flap and / or by design of the upper and lower pump halves. Only when the pressure difference across the valve exceeds a threshold pressure, the valve is opened. A normally closed valve system is beneficial because it ensures that the pump only needs priming once and reduces the risk of external contamination. Preferably, the threshold pressure for the valve is such that the force applied to the resilient actuator is in the range of about 70% to about 100%, preferably about 90% to about 100% of the threshold actuation force for the resilient actuator. Sometimes the outlet valve is like opening.

  In a particularly preferred valve arrangement, the flow channel is limited in that the fluid flowing along it first encounters the valve, and the valve has a foot portion that is permanently pressed against the lower flow channel wall. Including, only the flow path past the valve is along the groove in the lower flow channel wall, so that the groove is protected by the side walls. The groove is bridged by a sealing ridge that rises to the height of the side wall, and the valve flap is placed across the sealing ridge and the side wall so that fluid pressure is adjacent to the sealing ridge and the valve flap. Block fluid flow until it rises sufficiently to lift off the sidewall. More particularly, two such valve arrangements are preferably used in tandem so that the valves in each arrangement are spaced apart from each other and the dosing chamber is located on the fluid flow path intermediate the two valves. Thus, the valves act as inlet and outlet valves for the dosing chamber.

  The pump herein without a resilient actuator can be used as a valve module because it can be combined with actuators of different sizes or shapes to provide pumps with different characteristics, such as different dosing volumes, and Useful by itself. The pump and valve modules herein can of course be designed so that the valve is fixed to either the upper or lower pump half.

Atomizer In certain embodiments herein, the pump or dispenser includes an atomizer associated with the outlet flow channel to disperse the dispensed fluid into the spray. The outlet flow channel can be formed from upper and lower outlet flow channel halves, preferably integrally molded with the upper and lower pump halves.

  US Pat. No. 6,059,150 describes a typical atomizer for nasal spray applications that uses a hollow nozzle adapter that includes a spray orifice that incorporates a swirl chamber geometry.

  Alternatively, atomizers are known in which cup-shaped components, including spray orifices and swirl chamber shapes, are separately incorporated into the nozzle adapter, and examples of such components include US Pat. No. 5,738,282. There is a nozzle cap disclosed in FIG.

  These types of atomizers are usually separate units for the pump, which will later require assembly into the pump unit. This is usually done by a mechanical connection such as friction or snap fit, and precise molding and assembly efforts are required to achieve a fluid-tight seal. This necessarily places some limitations on the overall design of the discharge system.

  A solution for a much more flexible atomizer design is disclosed in PCT International Publication No. WO 01/89958, where an atomizer for an aerosol atomizer enables atomization of a specific fluid. It is formed by two halves of a component that is simply injection molded in a tailor-made shape. Such a method makes it possible to freely design the spray discharge device, and by shaping the flow channel shape in a suitable manner, a larger means of controlling the spray characteristics for a wide range of products is proposed. .

  For very viscous fluids that cannot be dispersed in small particles to form a spray, a simple spray orifice is sufficient. The orifice can be formed entirely in either the upper or lower outlet flow channel half or from a combination of both half halves. If a circular orifice is required, this can be done by molding a semicircular channel in each of the upper or lower outlet flow channel halves. Due to the small dimensions and tolerances, it may be difficult to accurately align the edges of the upper and lower halves. To avoid this particular problem, the orifice can be formed flat on one side, so that small changes in positioning in assembly are not a problem. This principle is described in PCT International Publication No. WO 01/32317. The spray orifice can also be completely formed in either the upper and lower outlet flow channel halves.

  The dispensing orifice can also include a movable plug for sealing the orifice when not in use. The movable plug can assist in avoiding obstruction of the orifice and also provide better protection from contaminants for fluid remaining in the dispenser. PCT International Publication No. WO 03/078073 discloses a mechanism in which, when the instrument is operated, the plug element can be moved between a sealed position and an unsealed position without other user intervention.

Reservoir The purpose of this pump is to allow the spraying of fluid from a fluid source or reservoir. The fluid can be anything that is compatible with the components of the pump and is not excessively viscous to be pumped, cosmetic products such as fragrances and lotions, pharmaceuticals, veterinary products, Other household products such as, but not limited to, liquid foods or sauces and cleaning fluids. The pump can be permanently or removably connected to the reservoir and, optionally, to the atomizing nozzle or applicator to form a complete dispenser and / or other such as a housing and handle. It is possible to form a part of a more complex product comprising these parts. Atomizing nozzles are preferred for certain medical applications such as nasal and throat treatments. For other processes, an applicator suitable for spreading the fluid onto the substrate may be preferred. Useful applicators include magnifying means selected from brush heads, elastomeric application blades, and disposable fabrics. The pump can be connected directly to the reservoir, or can be connected, for example, by intermediate piping means if it is desired that the pump and reservoir be remote from each other. Preparation for permanent attachment to the reservoir can be carried out, for example, by co-molding a weld spout with the pump inlet port so that the pump is fluid-free against the flexible bag. It becomes possible to seal in a leak-free manner.

  The pumps provided herein can be manufactured at low cost and are economically compatible with applications where each reservoir is equipped with a pump. In this case, the reservoir and the pump are preferably permanently connected by heat sealing, welding, in-mold, or snap-fit operations. However, it may be beneficial for the reservoir to be removably connected to the pump so that the replacement reservoir can be attached to the same pump, especially when the pump is associated with more complex equipment. There is. Removable connection avoids throwing away the pump when the reservoir has to be replaced, but adds complexity to provide a reliable, fluid-free, reusable connection Is raised. However, suitable fittings for this purpose are known in the art. Representative fixtures are disclosed in PCT International Publication Nos. WO 99/05446, WO 00/66448, and WO 03/095322.

  The reservoir itself can be semi-rigid or flexible. If the reservoir is semi-rigid, it is necessary to provide means for venting the reservoir, for example by means of a one-way valve that allows air to enter, in order to avoid the development of a vacuum in the reservoir. The vacuum may prevent further spraying or cause suck back past the pump outlet valve, which may require the pump to be primed again. The venting means can also include a fine mesh filter that prevents fluid from passing through it to the outside environment. For example, it is a biofilter that filters bacteria, spores, etc. from the intake air, and thus the fluid in the storage tank can be made free of preservatives. Biofilters that can maintain a sterile filtration barrier are available from W. Newark, Delaware, USA. L. It can be made from a GORE-TEX® expanded PTFE laminate available from W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. In a preferred embodiment of the dispenser herein, the pump is combined with a reservoir in the form of a flexible bag containing fluid that collapses as the fluid is drawn by the pump. A storage tank made of a flexible laminate has the effect of improving barrier properties. The flexible reservoir is preferably filled with fluid by an airless filling operation so that the filled reservoir is free of air.

  In many cases, the pump is convenient and simpler to manufacture as an external accessory to the reservoir. However, if the total space is an issue, the reservoir can be assembled around the pump so that the pump is inside or contained within the reservoir, even if the pump components In particular, even if the actuator and the lower pump surface opposite the actuator may be adjacent to the upper and lower outer walls of the reservoir, it means that the reservoir wall substantially surrounds the pump. Preferred embodiments herein include a spreader comprising a reservoir with a pump housed in and part of the reservoir. Alternatively, as shown for example in the instrument of PCT International Publication No. WO 02/16047, the pump is housed in a flexible bag and the pump actuator is pushed by pushing the portion of the bag wall that overlies the actuator. Can be made operable. Preferably, in embodiments having a pump housed in a reservoir, the upper and lower halves of the pump are molded integrally with the upper and lower halves of the reservoir.

  Whether the reservoir is semi-rigid or flexible, a dip tube is included inside the reservoir to assist in removing all of the fluid in the reservoir in one orientation depending on the orientation of the sprayer in use. May be preferred. Dip tubes are generally used when the reservoir is semi-rigid and can also be useful for flexible bags. The method of assembling the pump, reservoir, and dispenser herein from the upper and lower molded halves is also applicable to the assembly of the dispenser and reservoir with dip tubes, even if the pump is not incorporated. . Accordingly, in a further inventive aspect of the present description, a dispenser is provided that includes an upper and lower half, the upper and lower halves cooperating to form a dispensing outlet at the fluid reservoir and the first end of the reservoir. Each of the upper and lower halves includes an integrally molded section of channels that cooperate to fluidly communicate with the sparging outlet and from the first end of the reservoir. Characterized by forming a dip tube or flow channel that terminates at the inlet end near the far second end. The dip tube preferably has a length from the spray outlet end to its inlet end of at least 90%, preferably at least 95% of the length of the reservoir. In a preferred embodiment of the dispenser, at least one of its upper and lower halves includes a resiliently deformable region that allows fluid to be pumped from the reservoir through the dispense outlet. This elastically deformable region may comprise a substantial proportion of the external area of the pump half containing it, for example at least 30%, more preferably at least 50%. Alternatively, the deformable region may be relatively small and may be in the form of a resilient actuator as described herein, preferably including a monostable element. A further mechanism for dispensing fluid from the device includes providing a plurality of bistable actuators as further described above, such that compression of each actuator releases a unit dose of fluid. . For other embodiments herein, the dispenser may also include an atomizing nozzle in fluid communication with a spray outlet, and optionally an outlet valve and a vent valve.

In general, the pumps, spreaders, valves, valve modules, and actuators herein can be made by molding techniques that are made at low cost, such as injection molding, compression molding, and thermoforming. Injection molding is preferred. However, it is also possible that at least one of the upper and lower pump halves is compression molded or thermoformed, and the present invention includes a compression molded or thermoformed upper comprising a valve as described herein. And / or a pump having a lower pump half. Assembly of the components can be by snap or friction fit or by welding. Where required, further seals can be formed by additional injection molding seals or by other techniques known in the art such as ultrasonic sealing, laser welding, or heat sealing. .

  In certain embodiments, each of the upper and lower pump or dispenser halves is formed from a suitable semi-rigid thermoplastic material in a single single shot injection molding operation. Alternatively, the upper and lower pump or dispenser halves may be assembled after molding. Suitable resins include thermoplastic resins having a flexural modulus of at least 300 MPa, preferably at least 500 MPa, preferably at least 1000 MPa, as measured using ASTM D790, and polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Examples include polyesters, polycarbonates, polyamides, polystyrenes, and blends thereof. Preferred materials include polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate, most preferred is polypropylene. By carefully selecting the dimensions, the flap valve can be molded integrally with the upper or lower pump half in a single shot injection molding process. Alternatively, the valve can be co-molded from a more flexible material by two-shot injection molding.

  In certain embodiments, it may be appropriate for all or part of either the upper or lower pump half to be made of a more flexible material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer. For example, the upper pump half may be generally composed of a semi-rigid material in a two-shot injection molding operation and the resilient actuator may be formed from a thermoplastic elastomer. In particular, the inlet and outlet valves can and are preferably formed from a second resin material that is co-molded with either the upper or lower pump half material in a two-shot injection molding operation. Conveniently, this can be done in the same mold or jig employed in the first step. The second resin material is preferably an elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness of 5 to 90, preferably 20 to 70, as measured using ASTM D2240.

  The upper and lower pump halves are then assembled on top of each other. If flap valves are used, their compression occurs at this stage. Once the two pump halves are assembled, the sealing element can be formed by injecting additional resin and bonding it to the upper and lower halves, thus holding them together To create a fluid-free seal. An alternative choice for sealing the upper and lower halves together is the use of a welding operation such as high frequency sealing. A third option for assembling the upper and lower halves is to incorporate a snap mechanism in one or both halves so that the upper and lower halves are assembled once they are joined together. Can hold the posture. In this case, the use of an O-ring or gasket may be required to provide a sufficient seal. In an alternative embodiment, a co-molded TPE seal may be used.

  In a preferred embodiment, all of the foregoing steps are aggregated into a single injection molding process using one injection molding jig, but it will be understood that each may be performed with a separate dedicated injection molding jig. Will.

  If the resilient actuator is not molded integrally with the pump upper half, it can be made and assembled in a separate operation and formed into a finished pump, for example, by in-mold sealing.

  The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to preferred specific embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
1 to 11 show a first embodiment of a pump according to the present invention and its operating mode. FIG. 1 shows the assembled pump 101 in a perspective view. The pump 1 includes an extended nozzle and a connector 125 in the form of a weld spout that allows the pump to be connected to a fluid reservoir (not shown). The pump includes an upper pump half 102 and a lower pump half 103 that are sealed together by a coupling element 104. 2 and 3 show the lower and upper pump halves in more detail, respectively. Connector 125 is not shown in these figures. The upper and lower pump halves cooperate to form a dosing chamber 114, an inlet flow channel 116, and an outlet flow channel 117, which are in fluid communication with each other and the reservoir. The coupling element 104 is added by a molding shot and seals the upper and lower halves of the pump together, securing both parts against further movement, and leakage when fluid passes through the pump. Create no flow paths for fluids. In an alternative embodiment, the upper and lower pump halves can be directly attached together by snap fit, welding, or adhesive action, eliminating the need for the sealing element 104.

  With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 in further detail, the shape of the lower pump half 103 corresponds to the upper pump half 102 that includes an opposing sealing ridge 129 for receiving the lower pump half 103. Has a shape. Sealing ridge 129 includes an upper inlet port wall 115a, an upper dosing chamber wall 130, and an upper outlet port wall 115b. A lower inlet port wall 110a is received inside the upper inlet port wall 115a to define an inlet flow channel 116 and a pump inlet port 112. An inlet sealing ridge 108 bridges the lower inlet port wall. A lower dosing chamber wall 122 is received inside the upper dosing chamber wall 130 and delimits the dosing chamber 114 that is closed by the resilient actuator 105. The lower dosing chamber wall in this embodiment is a substantially solid block divided by a flow channel that extends across the width of the dosing chamber. This limits the movement of the resilient actuator 105, thereby assisting in defining the dosing volume. This also has the effect of reducing the pump volume and consequently requiring less priming stroke. A lower outlet port wall 110b on the lower pump half is received inside the upper outlet port wall 115b on the upper pump half to define a pump outlet port 113. An exit seal ridge 109 bridges the lower exit port wall. An outlet flow channel wall 111 on the lower pump half 103 is received inside the sealing ridge 129 of the upper pump half to form an outlet flow channel 117 leading from the pump outlet port 113 to the outlet orifice 118. The outlet flow channel 117 is further bounded by an outlet flow channel upper wall 121 on the upper pump half 102. The outlet flow channel wall 111 is concentrated at one end of the flow channel 117 and cooperates with the outlet flow channel upper wall 121 to form an outlet orifice 118 as shown more clearly in FIGS. Inlet and outlet positioning projections 123 and 124 are provided on the upper pump half 102 and are received in corresponding recesses in the outer rim of the dosing chamber wall 122 to assist in positioning and sealing during pump assembly.

  The upper pump half 102 is shown with an inlet flap valve 106 and an outlet flap valve 107 shown separately in FIG. In a preferred embodiment, the valve is co-molded on the upper pump half 102 either in the same molding operation or in a separate molding operation (“upper molding”). Alternatively, the valve can be molded independently, for example by friction fit and / or by heat sealing or gluing, or clamped between the upper and lower pump halves, and the upper pump halves. It can be built in. The inlet valve prevents back flow of fluid from the dosing chamber 114 to the reservoir. When the upper and lower pump halves are assembled, the flap of the inlet valve 106 is pressed against the inlet sealing ridge 108 and the lower inlet port wall 110a. Similarly, the flap of the outlet valve 107 cooperates with the outlet sealing ridge 109 and the lower outlet port wall 110b to form a check outlet valve at the pump outlet port 113. The outlet valve prevents back flow of fluid from the outlet flow channel 117 to the dosing chamber. The outlet valve can also prevent the fluid in the dosing chamber from being contaminated by air or other possible external contamination sources. The outlet sealing ridge 109 corresponding to the outlet valve 107 moving closer to the outlet orifice 118 of the pump prevents the fluid in the outlet flow channel from drying out and avoids the possibility of some products becoming occluded. Can help, as well as avoiding contamination. However, this also has the effect of increasing the pump volume.

  The upper pump half includes a resilient actuator 105 that is a thin wall section of the upper pump half at a location that delimits the dosing chamber 114. FIG. 5 shows the structure of the dosing chamber 114 between the resilient actuator 105 and the lower dosing chamber wall 122 more clearly in cross section. A coupling element 104 helps seal the upper and lower pump halves together. The pressure on the actuator 105 by the user's finger reduces the volume of the dosing chamber 114 and causes fluid to flow out of the dosing chamber through the pump outlet port 113 and along the outlet flow channel 117 toward the outlet orifice 118. In another embodiment according to the present invention, the actuator can be made from a different material than that of the upper pump half that can be co-injected in the same processing step when the valve is formed. It will be appreciated that the actuator can also be formed by a combination of materials when advantageous for a particular application.

Here, the operation mode of the pump 101 is shown more clearly with reference to FIGS. FIG. 9 shows the situation when the user first applies force F ₁ to the elastic actuator 105. The pump is priming and the dosing chamber 114 contains the dose of fluid to be sprayed. At this stage, the actuator has not been sensibly deformed, and the inlet and outlet valves 106 and 107 are still in a standard mode pressed against the inlet and outlet sealing ridges 108 and 109 and the pump inlet And the outlet ports 112 and 113 are closed.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the applied force is increased to the actuator threshold force F ₂ , the actuator deforms rapidly, significantly reducing the volume inside the dosing chamber 114, and of the contained fluid. Increase pressure. The increase in pressure has the effect of adding additional pressure to the upper surface of the inlet valve 106, thereby holding the inlet port 112 closed. At the same time, however, the pressure under the flap of the outlet valve 107 rises and lifts to open the pump outlet port 113 so that fluid flows from the dosing chamber to the outlet flow channel 117 as indicated by the arrows. And finally can be sprayed through the exit orifice 118.

FIG. 11 shows the state after the fluid dose has been dispensed and the force applied by the user to the actuator has been removed. Here, elasticity of the actuator, a force F _3, pulled back actuator to its starting position. The effect of this is an increase in the volume inside the dosing chamber 114, reducing its internal pressure. The pressure drop results in the outlet valve 107 closing once again due to its natural resiliency combined with the atmospheric pressure above the top surface of the outlet valve flap. At the same time, the pressure on the flap of the inlet valve 106 is reduced, so that fluid pressure from the reservoir lifts the flap away from the sealing ridge 108, thereby opening the pump inlet port 112 and opening the dosing chamber. It can be refilled from the storage tank. It will be appreciated that for this method to work effectively, the reservoir is preferably collapsed or requires ventilation.

  FIGS. 12 and 13 show cross-sectional views of the atomization outlet body 119, which can be molded in two halves and can be molded integrally with the nozzle of the first embodiment design according to the present invention. A swirl chamber shape is incorporated into the upper and lower halves around the exit orifice 118 without requiring side movement on the mold jig. This shape, in combination with baffles (not shown), also molded into each of the upper and lower halves of the nozzle, allows fluid to flow through the swirl chamber.

  FIGS. 14-16 show a second embodiment according to the present invention, which is a spreader 250 with a pump having essentially the same configuration as that of FIG. 1, but with a modification to the nozzle. A flexible laminate reservoir 220 is coupled to the weld spout connector 225. To provide some protection to the reservoir and to provide a more aesthetically attractive package, a sleeve 260 that can be made of, for example, folded paperboard or plastic wraps the reservoir. A hole in the sleeve allows access to the resilient actuator 205. If the sleeve is flexible, it can of course be provided without a hole and the actuator can be pushed down through the sleeve. In this case, an indicia may be provided on the sleeve to indicate where the user needs to press. Changes to the nozzle 266 provide a shoulder 265 that provides support to the sleeve 260 and a cap 255 provided to cover and keep the nozzle clean. The shoulder 265 can be integrally formed in two halves with the pump and nozzle, or alternatively can be a separate piece here assembled by a clip / snap or friction fit.

  A very different solution for the dispenser according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 17-20, which represents a third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the entire spreader 350 including the storage tank 320 is integrally formed with the pump 301 in two halves. The advantage of following this method is that an entire controlled dispenser dispenser can be obtained with minimal parts and molding / assembly operations. Compared to the spreader 250 shown in FIGS. 14-16, this solution takes advantage of the otherwise unused space by assembling the reservoir around the pump so that the pump is inside the reservoir. Provide a more compact dispenser for the same amount of fluid it holds. The need for molded reservoirs places some limitations on the materials that can be used for the reservoir, for example, laminates are generally not suitable, but this may not be fatal for many applications. is there. This design also provides a method of sealing the two regions: a first inner seal that isolates the pump components including the outlet flow channel 317 from the reservoir 320 and a second outer periphery that seals the reservoir 320 from the outside air. Requires two outer seals. Due to this design, the inner seal can no longer be created by an injection molded coupling element, as in the pump of FIG. The seal is instead created by snap-fit, welding, or gluing methods when the upper pump / disperser half 302 is assembled to the lower half 303. The outer seal can be formed using other methods, such as by use of the previously described coupling element or in-mold seal. The sprayer further comprises an atomizer 319 to generate a spray from the sprayed fluid as the fluid exits the outlet flow channel 317. The inlet flow channel 316 is open to the reservoir 320 at a point near the sprayer end located opposite the atomizer 319 to provide an inlet point whereby fluid is drawn from the reservoir into the flow channel. It becomes possible. Having an entry point near the end of the dispenser ensures that most of the fluid can be dispensed from the reservoir in normal use. Both the inlet and outlet flow channels and the pump 301 act like a dip tube with an outlet end from which fluid is sparged through the dispenser and an inlet end from which fluid is drawn through the reservoir. Forming a continuous reservoir channel, the channel being isolated from the reservoir along its length, except for its inlet end. In order to optimize the fluid draw from the reservoir, the reservoir channel has a length of at least 90% of the length from the outlet end to the inlet end, preferably at least 95% of the length of the sprayer .

  Reservoir 320 is in the form of a compartment arranged symmetrically with respect to pump 301 and inlet and outlet flow channels 316 and 317. The inlet and outlet valves are not shown in the figure, but after the fluid dose has been dispensed from the dosing chamber 314, it is operated in the same manner as described above in connection with FIGS. From the inlet flow channel 316 to refill the dosing chamber. Although not shown in the figure, it is also highly preferred that the reservoir is provided with a vent membrane filter in order to keep the reservoir at atmospheric pressure. During initial manufacture, after the upper and lower halves 302 and 303 have been assembled, the reservoir is filled with fluid via the fill port 381, which in turn is the port of the upper or lower halves 302 and 303. It is sealed with a full port plug 380 that may be molded integrally with either. It will be appreciated that the dispenser 350 can be a variety of shapes and thicknesses and sizes to suit a particular application. The spreader can also be molded with a shoulder to receive the protective cap. In a preferred embodiment of the drug dispenser, the dispenser has a length of about 20 to about 100 mm, more preferably about 40 to about 70 mm, a width of about 15 to about 80 mm, more preferably about 20 to about 55 mm, Having a depth of 5 to about 10 mm. The reservoir preferably has a volume of about 0.5 to about 40 ml. Of course, larger reservoirs may be appropriate for other applications.

  As described in the first embodiment, the spreader 350 can incorporate an integrally molded actuator as a part of the upper half 302, but FIGS. 21 to 23 are used in the third embodiment. FIG. 2 shows in more detail a resilient actuator 305 composed of a plurality of elements. The actuator includes separate monostable buttons 340 that are covered on the top and bottom surfaces by a flexible elastomeric material that forms a resilient actuator. The separate monostable element can be made of a variety of materials, but in this embodiment is a metal snap dome that can be purchased from Snaptron Inc. The actuator is insert molded into the upper pump half 302 and positioned and secured by means of positioning protrusions 341.

  FIG. 24 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and the included spreader 450 has a configuration similar to that shown in FIGS. 17 to 20 and is molded around a pump that forms part of a unitary body. The storage tank 420 is composed of two halves. The reservoir 420 includes a fill port plug 480 to seal the fill port through which it is possible to fill the reservoir with fluid during manufacture. In this embodiment, the outlet flow channel 417 in fluid communication with the dosing chamber 414 runs as far as the cylindrical protrusion on the upper half 402 and the protrusion is the boss of the lower half 403. , Which are open to the outside by an outlet orifice 418. Cylindrical protrusions and outlet orifices 418 are shown as penetrating vertically through the lower half 403, but of course they can be formed at an oblique angle with respect to the lower half, so that, for example, they are scattered. Fluid exits at an angle with respect to the plane of the reservoir.

  The elastic actuator 405 of this embodiment is a thermoformed polypropylene disc that is insert molded into a corresponding recess on the upper half 402. The actuator is shown in cross section in FIG. 25 so that its shape is better recognized. The actuator includes a central dome 487, a flange 486 for securing the actuator to the pump, and an annular trough 485. The function of the annular trough is to make the central dome fully deformable by a fixed and supporting flange until it is reversed without being deformed. The actuator can also be provided as an integrally molded thin wall section of the upper half 402, as in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 27 shows a cross-sectional view of a spreader 550, which is a fifth embodiment according to the present invention. Since the dispenser now requires a minimum of three parts, this configuration of the spreader offers several advantages for configuration and assembly by the addition of parts. In this dispenser, including the lower dosing chamber wall 522 is an upper pump half 502, shown separately from above and below in FIGS. In the middle of the lower dosing chamber wall is a pump inlet port 512, which provides fluid communication between the dosing chamber and the inlet flow channel. In this embodiment, the resilient actuator 505 is formed as a separately injection molded piece having two integrally formed strips extending therefrom, as shown in FIG. Upper pump half 502 further has a recessed portion whose outer shape corresponds to the actuator and strip mold. This recessed portion has a substantial portion of the lower side of the inlet flow channel 516 and outlet flow channel 517 as a groove running longitudinally along the center of the recessed portion. For these flow channel portions, the outlet flow channel upper sidewall 521 and the upper portion of the inlet flow channel 516 are provided by actuators and strip moldings. A reservoir port 526 at one end of the inlet flow channel 516 provides fluid communication between the inlet flow channel and the reservoir 520.

  Referring again to FIG. 27, the inlet valve 506 and outlet valve 507 are pre-formed duckbill valves that are placed in the recesses of the upper pump half 502, the recesses on the lower side There is a hole in the bottom for fluid communication with the pump half 503. One of these holes serves as the pump outlet port 513. Suitable duckbill valves include the DU027.001SD valve available from Minivalve International of Jaartsveldstraat 5a, 7575 BP Oldenzaal, The Netherlands. An alternative valve, such as a slit valve, can be co-molded with the upper half 502, the lower half 503, or indeed a strip formed integrally with the actuator.

  Referring now to FIG. 30, the lower pump and dispenser half 503 is a simple molded article that has a lower inlet port wall 510 a at one end of a dumbbell shaped wall that defines a portion of the inlet flow channel 516. including. An additional dumbbell shaped wall provides a lower outlet port wall 510 b that is continuous with the outlet flow channel side wall 511, and the outlet flow channel side wall 511 defines a short portion of the outlet flow channel 517. The raised lips that run around the lower pump and dispenser half fit snugly inside the outer wall of the upper pump and dispenser half 502. The two dumbbell shaped walls receive correspondingly shaped protrusions on their upper space on the upper pump and dispenser half 502 shown in FIG. The protrusion includes an upper inlet port wall 515a and an upper outlet port wall 515b.

  As most clearly shown in FIG. 31, the strip incorporating the actuator has two C-shaped protrusions on its lower side that are placed inside the recess of the upper pump half 502 to provide a duckbill valve. In place. A portion of the strip includes an outlet flow channel upper sidewall 521 that covers the outlet flow channel 517 on its upper side. Similarly, a portion of the strip on the opposite side of the actuator covers the inlet flow channel 516 on its upper side.

  When the actuator 505 is pushed down with sufficient force, fluid in the dosing chamber located between the dosing chamber lower wall 522 and the actuator 505 is pumped through an outlet valve 507 disposed in the outlet port 513 and the upper side. Passes along a portion of the outlet flow channel 517 formed between the half 502 and the lower half 503. The fluid then flows through the connecting channel formed in the upper half along the remaining section of the outlet flow channel 517 between the outlet flow channel upper wall 521 and the upper pump and dispenser half. , Sprayed through the exit orifice.

  When the actuator is released, fluid from the reservoir 520 is drawn along a section of the inlet flow channel 516 between the upper pump and dispenser half 502 and one of the actuator strip extensions. The fluid then passes through the inlet valve 506 and along the section of the inlet flow channel 516 formed between the upper half 502 and the lower half 503 and from there through the pump inlet port 512. Pass into the dosing chamber. Although not shown in the figure, the reservoir of this embodiment similar to that of the sprayer of the fourth embodiment may further include a vent valve so that the pressure inside the reservoir is maintained at atmospheric pressure. it can. A microfilter in the vent valve can substantially prevent external contamination of the fluid in the reservoir.

  Finally, the sixth embodiment of the present invention is a valve module as shown in FIGS. The valve module can be manufactured as a separate item for incorporation into various shaped pump or dispenser structures, thereby providing greater manufacturing flexibility. The valve module includes upper and lower halves 602 and 603. The lower half 603 includes a flat injection molded strip with a central groove that forms the base of the inlet and outlet ports 612 and 613. The groove is interrupted by inlet and outlet sealing ridges 608 and 609 against which the flaps of inlet and outlet valves 606 and 607 are pressed (in the case of outlet valve 607 during spraying or at the inlet In the case of valve 606 (during refilling of the dosing chamber), fluid flow along the groove is blocked until sufficient pressure is applied by the fluid to lift the valve flap. The upper surface of the upper half 602 provides the lower dosing chamber wall 622. A channel passes through the center of this to provide fluid communication between the dosing chamber and the inlet and outlet ports. As shown in FIGS. 34 and 35 which show that a dispenser section (only partially shown) including a resilient actuator 605 incorporates a valve module to provide a finished pump 601, the lower dose chamber wall has an actuator It is bounded by a raised annular boundary wall 631 for receiving or interacting with the dispenser. The lower half 603 of the valve module is shaped with a generally square outer wall section, which provides a means to ensure correct alignment of the valve module with other parts of the dispenser that are intended to be attached together. Alternative alignment means that can be used include positioning protrusions and depressions. One or more types of alignment means can of course be used. An important feature of this embodiment is that the valve is sandwiched between the upper half 602 and the lower half 603, thus allowing for the provision of a compact valve module for design. Provides considerable flexibility.

Reference Keys for the Parts Shown in the Figures The following list provides keys for the part numbers used in the figures and previous description. The same part number may be referenced in different embodiments of the present invention, starting with a number representing the embodiment number. Accordingly, the “pump inlet port” number, referred to below as “12”, appears as 112 when referenced as a part of the first embodiment, but 612 when referenced as a part of the sixth embodiment. Appears as For numbering consistency, numbers with only the last digit are extended to two digits with a leading zero before the embodiment number is added. Therefore, “elastic actuator” (the last digit is 5) appears in the description as 405 when described as a component of the fourth embodiment. In each embodiment, not all parts are described or necessarily used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pump 2 Upper pump (and sprayer if desired) half 3 Lower pump (and sprayer if desired) half 4 Coupling element 5 Resilient actuator 6 Inlet valve 7 Outlet valve 8 Inlet sealing ridge 9 Outlet Sealing ridge 10a Lower inlet port wall 10b Lower outlet port wall 11 Outlet flow channel side wall 12 Pump inlet port 13 Pump outlet port 14 Administration chamber 15a Upper inlet port wall 15b Upper outlet port wall 16 Inlet flow channel 17 Outlet flow channel 18 outlet orifice 19 atomizer 20 storage tank 21 outlet flow channel upper side wall 22 lower administration chamber wall 23 inlet positioning projection 24 outlet positioning projection 25 connector 26 reservoir port 29 upper pump half sealing ridge 30 upper administration chamber wall 31 Boundary wall 40 Single unit for use with elastic actuators Constant button 41 monostable button positioning projection 50 dispenser 55 Cap 60 Sleeve 65 Shoulder 66 nozzles 80 fill port plug 81 filling port 85 actuators annular trough 86 actuator flange 87 actuator dome

1 is a perspective view of a pump according to the present invention shown with associated nozzles and connectors. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lower half of the pump of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upper half of the pump of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pump of FIG. Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the pump of Fig. 1. The perspective view of the flap valve used with the pump of FIG. The perspective view of the shape of an alternative flap valve. FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the lower half of the pump of FIG. 1 showing the outlet orifice. FIG. 2 is a partial end view of the nozzle of the pump of FIG. 1 showing that an exit orifice is formed at the part line of the upper and lower pump halves. FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pump of FIG. 1 showing the initial force applied to the resilient actuator. FIG. 2 is a further cross-sectional view of the pump of FIG. 1 showing the deformation of the resilient actuator and the operation of the outlet valve when fluid is sprayed. FIG. 2 is a further cross-sectional view of the pump of FIG. 1 showing the resilient actuator returning to the starting point and the pump reinfusion with fluid from a reservoir (not shown). FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an atomization outlet body for use with a spreader according to the present invention. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one half of the atomization outlet body shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a pump according to the invention, in which a storage tank forming a spreader is incorporated. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 14 shown without its protective sleeve. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 14 with a protective cap. The perspective view of 3rd embodiment of the spreader by this invention. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view through the pump of the spreader of FIG. 17. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the lower half of the spreader of FIG. 17. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the upper half of the spreader of FIG. 17. Figure 18 shows a resilient actuator for use with the dispenser of Figure 17; The top view of the monostable element integrated in the actuator of FIG. FIG. 18 is a further cross-sectional view of the pump of FIG. 17 more clearly showing the structure and use of the actuator of FIG. Sectional drawing of 4th embodiment of the spreader by this invention. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view through a monostable elastic actuator of the dispenser of FIG. Curve of force (F) versus deflection (D) showing the characteristics of the monostable element. Sectional drawing of 5th embodiment of the spreader by this invention. The perspective view from the upper half of the spreader of FIG. FIG. 28 is a perspective view from below of the upper half of the spreader of FIG. 27. FIG. 28 is a perspective view from above of the lower half of the spreader of FIG. 27. FIG. 28 is a perspective view of an actuator strip of the spreader of FIG. 27. The perspective view of the valve module for pumps. FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view through the valve module of FIG. 31. FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of the valve module of FIG. 31 incorporated into the upper pump half. FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of a pump assembled including the valve module of FIG. 31.

Claims (33)

A pump (101, 201, 301) for a fluid spreader,
a) an upper pump half (102, 302) comprising an upper inlet port wall (115a, 515a) and an upper outlet port wall (115b, 515b);
b) a lower pump half (103) that engages the upper pump half (102) and includes a lower inlet port wall (110a, 510a) and a lower outlet port wall (110b, 510b), Pump inlet ports (112, 512), wherein the upper inlet port walls (115a, 515a) engage the lower inlet port walls (110a, 510a) to allow fluid communication from a fluid source to the pump. A pump outlet port (113,) that defines and allows the upper outlet port wall (115b, 515b) to engage the lower outlet port wall (110b, 510b) to allow fluid to flow out of the pump. 513) defining a lower pump half (103);
c) a resilient actuator (105, 205, 305, 405, 505) connected to the upper pump half;
d) an inlet valve (106, 506) associated with the pump inlet port (112, 512) for controlling fluid flow through the pump inlet port;
e) an outlet valve (107, 507) associated with the pump outlet port (113, 513) for controlling fluid flow through the pump outlet port;
f) a dosing chamber (114, 314, 414) at least partially delimited by the resilient actuator for containing a single dose before being discharged from the dispenser;
With
Depressing the resilient actuator is effective for dispensing the dose of fluid through the pump outlet port, and the upper and lower pump halves are formed from a unitary molded article, and at least the upper A pump, wherein the pump half comprises a semi-rigid thermoplastic material.   The dosing chamber (114, 414) is bounded by lower dosing chamber walls (122, 522) arranged to limit the movement of the elastic actuator, so that the metered dose is at least The pump of claim 1, defined in part.   3. A pump according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower pump half (103) is formed from a single piece comprising a semi-rigid thermoplastic material.   4. A pump according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the inlet and outlet valves are made from an elastomeric material having a Shore A hardness of 5 to 90.   The pump of claim 4, wherein one or more of the inlet and outlet valves are integrally molded with either the upper or lower pump half.   4. One or more of the inlet and outlet valves according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the upper or lower pump halves are integrally molded from the semi-rigid thermoplastic material. pump.   The pump of claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper and lower pump halves is thermoformed.   The pump of claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper and lower pump halves is compression molded.   9. A pump according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resilient actuator is molded integrally with the upper pump half.   The pump according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resilient actuator (305) comprises a monostable element (340).   11. A pump according to any preceding claim, wherein the pump is co-molded with a weld spout (125) for attachment to a flexible bag.   The semi-rigid thermoplastic material is preferably selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyesters, polycarbonates, polyamides, polystyrenes, and blends thereof, preferably polypropylene, polyethylene, and 12. A pump according to any one of the preceding claims, selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate. In a method of making a pump (101) for a fluid dispenser, the pump comprises an upper pump half (102) comprising a semi-rigid thermoplastic material, a lower pump half (103), and a dosing chamber (114). A resilient actuator (105), a pump inlet port (112), a pump outlet port (113), an inlet valve (106), and an outlet valve (107), the method comprising:
a) forming the upper pump half (102) in a unitary molded article including the resilient actuator (105), upper inlet port wall (115a), and upper outlet port wall (115b);
b) forming the lower pump half (103) in an integral molded product including the lower inlet port wall (110a), the lower outlet port wall (110b), and the lower dosing chamber wall (122). When,
c) The upper inlet port wall (115a) is the lower inlet port wall (110a) such that the resilient actuator (105) and the lower dosage chamber wall (122) delimit the dosage chamber (114). ) To define a pump inlet port (112) that allows fluid communication from a fluid source to the pump, and the upper outlet port wall (115b) is the lower outlet port wall (110b). The upper pump half (102) of the lower pump half (103) to define a pump outlet port (113) that allows fluid to flow out of the pump. Fixing on top,
And a method comprising. In a method of making a pump (101) for a fluid dispenser, the pump comprises an upper pump half (102) comprising a semi-rigid thermoplastic material, a lower pump half (103), and a dosing chamber (114). A resilient actuator (105), a pump inlet port (112), a pump outlet port (113), an inlet valve (106), and an outlet valve (107), the method comprising:
a) forming said upper pump half (102) in an integral molded article comprising an upper inlet port wall (115a) and an upper outlet port wall (115b);
b) forming the lower pump half (103) in an integral molded article including the lower inlet port wall (110a) and the lower outlet port wall (110b);
c) The upper inlet port wall (115a) engages the lower inlet port wall (110a) to define a pump inlet port (112) that allows fluid communication from a fluid source to the pump. , As well as the upper outlet port wall (115b) engaging the lower outlet port wall (110b) to define a pump outlet port (113) that allows fluid to flow out of the pump, Securing the upper pump half (102) on the lower pump half (103);
d) attaching a resilient actuator (105) to the upper pump half (102) such that the resilient actuator (105) delimits the dosing chamber (114);
And a method comprising.   Before securing the upper pump half (102) to the lower pump half (103), the inlet valve (106) and the outlet valve (107) may be connected to the upper pump half (2) or the lower side. 15. A method according to any of claims 13 or 14, further comprising attaching to any of the pump halves (103), wherein the inlet and outlet valves are made of an elastomeric material.   14. The claim 13 or claim, wherein the inlet valve (106) and the outlet valve (107) are formed in a single piece with either the upper pump half (2) or the lower pump half (103). Item 15. The method according to Item 14.   17. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the upper and lower pump halves are formed by injection molding.   The method of claim 15, wherein the inlet and outlet valves are formed by injection molding.   A pump according to any one of the preceding claims and a fluid reservoir (120) in fluid communication with the pump inlet port (112), whereby the fluid reservoir serves as the fluid source. A sprayer.   20. A dispenser according to claim 19, wherein the fluid reservoir includes upper and lower halves molded integrally with the upper and lower pump halves, respectively.   21. A dispenser according to claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the pump is inside the fluid reservoir.   The sprayer of claim 19, further comprising an atomizer (119) in fluid communication with the pump outlet port (113).   23. A dispenser according to claim 22, wherein the atomizing nozzle is formed from upper and lower halves molded integrally with the upper and lower halves of the pump, respectively.   The applicator of claim 19, further comprising an applicator suitable for spreading the fluid over the substrate.   25. The applicator of claim 24, wherein the applicator includes an expanding means selected from a brush head, an elastomeric application blade, and a disposable fabric.   A reservoir channel having an outlet end from which fluid is distributed through the sprayer and an inlet end from which fluid is drawn out through the reservoir, the channel being long at the inlet end Is separated from the reservoir along a length excluding the length and has a length of at least 90% of the length from the outlet end to the inlet end, preferably at least 95% of the length of the sprayer The spreader according to claim 21. A valve module for a pump for a fluid spreader,
a) an upper pump half (602) comprising an upper inlet port wall, an upper outlet port wall, and a flow channel that provides fluid communication between the upper and lower surfaces of the upper pump half;
b) a lower pump half (603) that engages the upper pump half (602) and includes a lower inlet port wall, a lower outlet port wall, and a lower dosing chamber wall (622); The upper inlet port wall engages the lower inlet port wall to define a pump inlet port (612) that allows fluid communication from a fluid source to the pump; and the upper outlet port wall A lower pump half (603) that engages a lower outlet port wall to define a pump outlet port (613) that allows fluid to exit the pump;
c) an inlet valve (606) and an outlet valve (607) for controlling the flow of fluid through the pump inlet port and outlet port, respectively;
With
The valve module includes alignment means selected from positioning protrusions, depressions, non-circular outer wall sections, and combinations thereof, allowing the valve module to be received by the dispenser in a fixed orientation module.   28. A valve module according to claim 27, wherein the lower dosing chamber wall (622) is provided by the upper surface of the upper pump half.   29. The valve module according to claim 28, wherein the lower dosing chamber wall is bounded by a raised boundary wall (631) for receiving an actuator or interacting with a dispenser.   30. A valve module according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein the inlet and outlet valves are attached to the lower surface of the upper pump half.   31. The inlet and outlet valves according to any one of claims 27 to 30, wherein the inlet and outlet valves are respectively located upstream and downstream of the flow channel providing fluid communication between the upper and lower surfaces of the upper pump half. Valve module.   A valve arrangement suitable for use in a pump spreader, comprising a flow channel having semi-rigid upper and lower walls, a fluid inlet through which fluid enters the arrangement through a fluid source, and A fluid outlet from which the fluid exits through the valve arrangement, the flow channel further comprising an inlet and outlet elastomeric flap valve mounted inside the flow channel, each valve comprising: A surface immovably secured to the upper flow channel wall and a flap pressed to seal against the lower flow channel wall so that each valve is upstream of the flap of the valve. A positive fluid pressure differential on the side lifts the flap, thereby preventing fluid flow along the flow channel until fluid can flow past the valve; A valve allows fluid flow in the same direction along the flow channel so that an increase in fluid pressure in the section of the flow channel between the two valves opens the outlet valve and the inlet valve And a drop in fluid pressure in the section of the flow channel between the two valves keeps the inlet valve open and the outlet valve closed.   33. The flow channel includes at least one sealing ridge (108, 109) formed on the lower flow channel wall against which the valve flap of one of the valves is pressed. Valve arrangement as described in

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