JP4344098B2 - Pre-compression system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
The present invention relates to a pre-compression system which is arranged between a pump and a discharge nozzle which are connected by a conduit extending in space, in which the system rests on a pedestal above the conduit mouth. A preliminary compression valve is provided that is movable between a position for closing the abutting connection and a position for releasing the connection away from the pedestal in that state. Is biased. Such a pre-compression system is disclosed, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,730,335.
[0002]
Such known pre-compression systems are used, for example, in spray heads for containers such as bottles containing liquid detergents. Such a spray head is formed by a body provided with a manually operable piston pump. Such a pump is operated by a trigger that is pivotally connected to the body. The suction side of the pump is connected to a tube that extends a sufficient length, usually close to its bottom, into which the liquid can be drawn from the bottle. The compression side of the pump is connected to the discharge nozzle of the spray head via a conduit. This precompression system is provided between the pump and the conduit leading to the discharge nozzle, this system is kept closed by spring means and is only opened when a certain pressure is reached in the pump It has. The purpose of this precompression valve is to prevent liquid from leaving the discharge nozzle at pressures that are too low because too large droplets are produced in the spray. In fact, the liquid must be pumped from the discharge nozzle at a predetermined and relatively high pressure in order to obtain an optimal spray pattern.
[0003]
Known precompression systems have the end of the cylinder wall of the pump extending into the annular space. The edge of the cylinder wall forms a pedestal on which a resiliently flexible diaphragm is pressed. In the previous patent, this diaphragm is pressed into the closed state by the spring pressure generated by the bending stress caused by the material of the diaphragm itself. When the pressure in the pump cylinder is sufficiently increased, the diaphragm floats up from the pedestal, so that liquid under pressure can flow from the cylinder to a conduit leading to the discharge nozzle. When almost all of the liquid is pressed from the cylinder and the internal pressure drops again, the diaphragm returns to the closed state where it again contacts the pedestal by the spring force inside.
[0004]
A disadvantage of such a known precompression system is that the annular space is provided in series with the pump cylinder. It is therefore difficult to design such a known pre-compression system so that it can be produced by injection molding, and the resulting design is relatively bulky, so that it is in a compact spray head. It becomes difficult to accommodate. In the aforementioned US Pat. No. 5,730,335, the pump containing such a pre-compression system is provided at an angle between the suction tube and the spray tube for manufacturing reasons, so that its assembly It becomes the thing of the complicated structure which becomes difficult.
[0005]
The object of the present invention is thus to provide a wider design freedom when integrated into a compact spray head because it is easier to manufacture and assemble than known pre-compression systems. It is to provide such a type of pre-compression system. In the present invention this is achieved by connecting the space to the pump and connecting the conduit to the discharge nozzle. In this way, by reversing the direction of the flow when compared with known precompression systems, it is not necessary to place them in series with the pump cylinder, for example a spare which can be provided adjacent to the cylinder. A compression system can be obtained. This substantially simplifies the spray head design, makes the head more compact, and makes its manufacture easier and more suitable. Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide the cylinder and the piston at an angle, which is advantageous for the operation.
[0006]
The spring means is preferably integrated in the precompression valve, and for example, the precompression valve and the spring means are preferably constituted by a diaphragm that is elastically flexible. In this way, it is possible to obtain a valve that is structurally simple. The diaphragm is preferably dome-shaped so that it has a suitable tension in a stationary position.
[0007]
The pre-compression system preferably has stop means that cooperate with the diaphragm, so that the bending of the diaphragm is limited so that the diaphragm can be "repelled" to a different home position from the base. The situation that does not come back is prevented. This stop means is preferably formed integrally with the diaphragm.
[0008]
Furthermore, the space is at least partly annular and preferably at least partly surrounds the end of the conduit, so that it is possible to adopt a simple circular diaphragm. The portion of the conduit surrounded by the annular space and the pump each have a center line that is substantially parallel and offset with respect to each other.
[0009]
The annular space is preferably formed with a boundary line by a substantially cylindrical sleeve. In this way, an appropriate sealing state can be obtained and leakage can be prevented. By integrally forming the diaphragm and the sleeve, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and thus simplify the assembly of the system.
[0010]
The sleeve is provided with at least one suction port that can be closed by a valve, through which the liquid to be sprayed is drawn. When the shut-off valve is formed integrally with the sleeve, the number of individual parts can be further reduced and the pre-compression system manufacturing and assembly can be further simplified.
[0011]
The invention further relates to a spraying device, which device has a suction side and a compression side, means connected to the suction side of the pump for supplying liquid to be sprayed, and the compression side of the pump And a pre-compression system of the type described above provided between the pump and the discharge nozzle.
[0012]
The invention further relates to an assembly comprising a container and a spray device as described above.
[0013]
The present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0014]
The spray head 1 for the container 2 consists of a pump 3 having a suction side 5 and a compression side 6. The movable operating means 4 is connected to the pump 3, and in the illustrated example, it is accommodated in a hollow space 54 in the frame 22 that carries the pump 3, and is locked by a flexible snap arm 55 inside thereof. The trigger 13 has a continuous rotation shaft 53. Connected to the suction side 5 of the pump 3 is a means 7 for supplying liquid from the container, the free end of which consists of a conduit connected to a tube 23 extending into the container. The compression side 6 of the pump 3 is connected to a discharge nozzle 8 via a conduit 9.
[0015]
Since the axis 53 and the receiving space 54 of the trigger 13 are located at the top of the spray conduit 9, the trigger 13 is provided with an opening 56 through which the end of this conduit 9 extends and is discharged onto it. A nozzle 8 is provided.
[0016]
The pump 3 is a piston-type pump, and includes a pump housing or cylinder 10 and a piston 11 that reciprocates within the pump housing or cylinder 10. The piston 11 is connected to the trigger 13. In order to return the piston 11 and the trigger 13 to their resting position at the end of the pump stroke, the spray head 1 is provided with biasing means 16. In the illustrated example, the biasing means is composed of a pair of parallel bending springs 17 that engage with the edges inside the trigger 13. When the trigger 13 rotates around the rotation shaft 53 toward the pump 3 in the pump stroke and presses the piston 11 into the cylinder 10, the spring 17 is bent. When the pressure on the trigger 13 is released, the spring 17 is forced back to its rest position by bending back. Since the trigger 13 is connected to the piston 11 so as to be fixed under both tension and compression, the piston 11 is similarly pulled back to its stationary position. The connection between the trigger 13 and the piston 11 is a snap-type connection obtained by the projection 14 of the trigger 13 being snapped into the corresponding opening 28 in the piston 11.
[0017]
A pre-compression system is provided between the cylinder 10 and the spray conduit 9, which is annular in the illustrated example and is hermetically or liquid-sealed by a resiliently flexible dome-shaped diaphragm 59. It has a space 58 connected to the cylinder 10 to be stopped and the end of the spray conduit 9 extending into the cylinder 10. The space 58 is accommodated in a cavity 61 in the frame 22, and in the illustrated example, a boundary line is formed by a cylindrical sleeve 60 provided integrally with the diaphragm 59. An opening 15 is formed in the cylindrical sleeve 60, and a valve is provided therein, and is connected to the liquid suction tube 7 through the opening 67 of the frame 22. Similarly, the valve 63 provided integrally with the sleeve 60 is movable. In the illustrated embodiment, the position where the opening 67 is hermetically sealed (FIGS. 3, 4, 6A) and the opening 67 are clear. It can be rotated between the positions (FIGS. 5 and 6B). Further, a stop member 64 is connected to the diaphragm 59, and the bending of the diaphragm 59 is restricted to prevent the diaphragm 59 from being "repelled". The cylindrical sleeve 60 is locked in the cavity 61 of the frame 22 by an end wall that is molded integrally with the container 2 in the illustrated example. The cylindrical sleeve 60 further has a reinforcing flange 75, which prevents deformation of the sleeve 60 and hence leakage along the sleeve 60 under the influence of the pump pressure in the cylinder 10.
[0018]
In the preferred embodiment (FIG. 7), the closing valve 63 has a pair of pivotable telescopic f-shaped arms 68 with one end 69 attached to the sleeve 60 and the other end connected to the valve body 63. Used to connect to the sleeve 60. During the return or suction stroke of the pump 11, the arm 68 is rotated upward and slightly extended, whereby the valve body 63 is lifted from the opening 67 to a height L.
[0019]
In another preferred embodiment (FIG. 8), the cylindrical sleeve 60 does not include an opening connected to the suction tube 23. Instead, the sleeve 60 has a slightly outwardly extending peripheral edge 70 located in close proximity to the cavity 61 wall. The peripheral edge 70 is relatively flexible and has an inner surface 73 that is slightly inclined. The sleeve 60 further has a reduced diameter and a flexible end 70 forms a boundary on one side and a cylindrical portion of the sleeve 60 forms a boundary on the other side. A portion 71 is provided. Along with the walls of the cavity 61, the reduced diameter portion 71 defines an opening 67 and an annular space 72 through which liquid can flow.
[0020]
During the pumping stroke of the piston 11, the pressure of the fluid acting on the inclined inner surface 73 of the peripheral edge 70 presses this part inwardly in the direction of the wall of the cavity 61, so that along the entire periphery of the cavity 61. It will give an excellent seal. On the other hand, the suction behind the piston 11 and the atmospheric pressure in the container 2 during the return or suction stroke cause a pressure difference across the peripheral end 70, which is pushed away from the wall inwardly, and the suction tube 23. The liquid can flow between the annular space 72 and the cylinder 10 which are directly connected to the inside of the container 2 through the cylinder 10.
[0021]
In this way, the peripheral end portion 70 functions as a valve having excellent sealing properties. Due to the sealing action of the peripheral edge 70, the pump pressure does not act on the cylindrical part of the sleeve 60, so that the liquid along the cylindrical part and the annular sealing ridge 74 connected thereto is not affected. The risk of leakage is reduced. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to provide a reinforcing flange along the peripheral edge, the sleeve 60 can be configured to be smaller and less heavy than that of the conventional embodiment. Furthermore, since the sleeve 60 of this embodiment eliminates the opening in the side wall, it can be easily manufactured by injection molding, and the corresponding valve has the effect that it is not necessary to provide a slide or mandrel in the mold. Finally, the sleeve 60 can also be installed more easily because it is completely symmetrical in the direction of rotation around the centerline and there is no opening to be aligned with the opening 67.
[0022]
The exact shape of the peripheral end 70 of the sleeve 60 is not critical and the only requirement is that it exerts sufficient pressure on the walls of the cavity 61 to ensure a complete seal during the pump stroke and during the suction stroke. It is lifted off the wall at any point along its periphery. Obviously, the shape of the end 70 and the wall should be further selected so that they define an annular space. Therefore, the inclination angle of the peripheral end portion is slightly smaller than that of the other embodiment (FIG. 9), but the cavity wall has a more inclined portion, and the annular space 72 has substantially the same volume.
[0023]
The pre-compression system 40 has a function of prohibiting liquid from being transported from the container 2 to the discharge nozzle in a state where a predetermined pump pressure has not yet been achieved by a known method. If the liquid is sprayed through the nozzle 8 at a pressure that is too low, the droplets produced in the spray cone are too large due to insufficient spraying of this liquid. In order to prevent this from occurring, the connection between the container 2 and the discharge nozzle 8 is closed by a diaphragm 59. This diaphragm is determined by a dome-like shape and is surrounded by the surroundings behind the diaphragm 59. Is forced against the edge 66 of the spray conduit 9 which functions as a pedestal by internal stress assisted by the pressure at. For example, the diaphragm 59 is lifted from the pedestal 66 only when a sufficient pressure of about 3 bar is generated in the cylinder 10 by moving the piston 11 to its end position.
[0024]
Therefore, the spray head 1 functions as follows. When the user wants to spray liquid from the container 2, first the trigger 13 is pulled. Thus, the air that exists in the cylinder 10 and cannot be returned to the container 2 because the opening 67 is closed by the valve 63 is compressed by the piston 11. When the air pressure is sufficiently increased at the end of the pump stroke, the diaphragm 59 is lifted from the pedestal 66, and this air can be released.
[0025]
Thereafter, during the return stroke forced by the biasing means 16, the liquid returns from the container 2 into the cylinder 10 via the tube 23, the conduit 7 and also the openings 62 and 67 or is filled at the end of the suction stroke (FIG. 6A). It is pulled out until it becomes. In order to prevent a partial vacuum from being generated in the container 2 during this stroke, a vent hole 51 is provided in the wall of the cylinder 10, and this hole opens when the piston 11 moves inward. Is opened when the outer peripheral sealing lip 39B passes, and is reconnected to the closed space defined by the outer peripheral and inner peripheral sealing lips 39B and 39A of the piston 11 when the piston 11 performs an outer stroke.
[0026]
When the trigger 13 is pulled again, the pressure in the cylinder 10 rises quickly because the liquid is difficult to compress. Thus, the diaphragm 59 floats almost instantaneously from the pedestal 66, and the liquid can be pressed through the space between the diaphragm 59 and the pedestal 66 into the spray conduit 9 and further into the discharge nozzle 8 (FIG. 6B) where it is sprayed. The
[0027]
In the present invention, the annular space 58 is connected to the pump cylinder 10 and the conduit 9 extending therein is connected to the discharge nozzle, which is the opposite of the known pre-compression system. 58 need not be in parallel with the cylinder 10 and can be offset as shown. Therefore, since the spray head can be efficiently manufactured by injection molding, the design can be made compact.
[0028]
While the invention has been illustrated by way of example, it is clear that the invention is not so limited. For example, the diaphragm and the sleeve can be provided separately. Furthermore, the stop member can be omitted depending on the case, and the selection of the material can naturally be changed. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims that follow.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly consisting of a container and a spray device in which a pre-compression system according to the present invention may be used.
2 is an enlarged perspective view of the spray head of the assembly in FIG. 1 including a pre-compression system.
3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the spray head of FIG. 2 during a pump stroke.
FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 of the spray head during the return stroke.
FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the precompression system as seen from the direction of arrow V in FIG. 3;
FIG. 6A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pre-compression system at the start of the pump stroke.
FIG. 6B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the precompression system at the end of the pump stroke.
FIG. 7 is a detailed schematic perspective view showing another embodiment of the valve in the pre-compression system.
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the preliminary compression system.
FIG. 9 is a detailed view showing a pre-compression system of this embodiment.

Claims (10)

A pre-compression system arranged between the pump (3) and the discharge nozzle (8), the system comprising a conduit (9) and a space connected to the pump (3) and the discharge nozzle (8) (58), wherein the space (58) is connected to the pump (3), the conduit (9) is connected to the discharge nozzle (8), and the conduit (9) is in the space (58) Having a mouth extending, the space (58) is at least partly annular and at least partly encloses the end of the conduit (9), the system further comprising a conduit (9 in the location and the condition for closing the coupling, which contact with the seat (66) in the top of the mouth) is movable between a position to clear the connection that is remote from the base (66) precompression valves wherein the pre-compression valves are closed In what is thus biased to spring hands stage relative to the position, the spring hand stage is integrated into the pre-compression Bal in blanking, said spring means and said diaphragm and precompression valve is resiliently flexible (59 And the system further comprises a substantially cylindrical sleeve (60) that forms a boundary with the space (58) and is integrally formed with the diaphragm (59). It is characterized by.   The pre-compression system according to claim 1, characterized in that the diaphragm (59) is dome-shaped.   3. Pre-compression system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a stop member (64) cooperating with the diaphragm (59).   The pre-compression system according to claim 3, characterized in that the stop member (64) is integrally formed with the diaphragm (59). The portion of the conduit (9) surrounded by the space (58) and the pump (3) each have a centerline, the centerlines being substantially parallel and offset with respect to each other. A pre-compression system according to any of the preceding claims.   Pre-compression system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve (60) is provided with at least one suction opening (15) that can be closed by a closing valve (63).   Pre-compression system according to claim 6, characterized in that the closing valve (63) is integrally formed with the sleeve (60).   The sleeve (60) comprises a peripheral end (70) that is relatively flexible and a reduced diameter portion (71) that forms a boundary line on the flexible peripheral end (70). The pre-compression system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-compression system is provided.   A spray head (1) having a suction side (5) and a compression side (6) and a liquid to be sprayed connected to the suction side (5) of the pump (3) Means (7), a discharge nozzle (8) connected to the compression side (6) of the pump (3), and provided between the pump (3) and the discharge nozzle (8) The preliminary compression system according to any one of 8. A spray device comprising a container (2) having a neck (30) and a spray head (1) according to claim 9 attached to the neck (30).

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