NL1011962C2 - Water bottle container dispenser has at least one closing member coacting with opening and movable between position closing opening and position leaving clear opening - Google Patents

Abstract

The dispenser has at least one opening and at least one closing member coacting with the opening and movable between a position closing the opening and a position leaving clear the opening. At least a part of the dispenser is preformed (4) on a neck part of the container, and the remaining part of the dispenser is connected to it. An Independent claim is included for a method of manufacturing and filling the container.

Description

DOSING HEAD FOR A FLUID-FILLED CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AND FILLING SUCH A CONTAINER WITH DOSING HEAD

The invention relates to a dosing head to be connected to a container for the dosed dispensing of a fluid, comprising at least one pump with a suction side and a pressure side, connected to the pump, movable means for operating it, on the suction side of the pump connected means for supplying fluid from the container, and at least one outflow nozzle connected to the discharge side of the pump. Such a dosing head is known in the form of a spray head 10 from spray bottles, for example for cleaning agents.

The known nozzle is formed by attaching a body, usually screwable, to the neck of a container or bottle, in which a manually operated piston pump is included. A trigger is hinged to the body to operate the pump. The suction side of the pump is connected to a tube, which projects into the bottle over a relatively great length, usually close to the bottom, and through which a fluid, in general a liquid, can be drawn up from the bottle. The discharge side of the pump is connected via a pipe to an outlet nozzle of the nozzle. A reset element, usually a biasing spring, is incorporated in the pump, whereby the piston is forced back to its rest position at the end of a pump stroke. The known nozzle is generally screwed onto the bottle in a filling line after it has been filled.

The known spray head has the drawback that it has a relatively large number of parts and is relatively difficult to assemble. This makes both the manufacture and assembly of the spray head expensive and time-consuming, which is particularly a drawback now that increasingly larger numbers of such spray bottles are used. In addition, the various parts of the known spray head made of different materials, which is difficult for processing and re-use after discarding the spray bottle.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a dosing head for a container as described above, wherein the above-mentioned drawbacks do not arise. According to the invention this is achieved by at least part of the dosing head being preformed on a neck part of the container, and the remaining part of the dosing head being connected thereto. By already pre-attaching a part of the dosing head to a neck part of the holder, it is achieved that the assembly of the dosing head actually coincides with the mounting of the dosing head on the holder, so that in total fewer operations are required.

Preferably, the part of the dosing head which is preformed on the neck part is formed integrally with this neck part. In this way, the number of individual parts is reduced and thus assembly is simplified. A further reduction in the number of parts is obtained when the neck part is in turn formed as a whole with the holder.

The part of the dosing head preformed on the neck part of the holder can advantageously comprise at least a part of the operating means. For example, when the pump is a piston pump, and the piston of the pump is connected to means for biasing it to a rest position, these biasing means, which may advantageously comprise at least one spring, are preferably attached to the container. A structurally simple design is obtained when the spring is a bending and / or torsion spring.

In order to simplify the assembly of the dosing head and to improve its operation, the biasing means are advantageously arranged for cooperation with the operating means. The biasing means therefore do not need to engage or be arranged in the pump. This eliminates the air-containing volume occupied by conventional pretensioning springs in the pump chamber, thereby improving the pumping action.

Furthermore, the choice of material for the biasing means is less critical, since these do not come into contact with the fluid.

Incidentally, in this case the operating means are advantageously connected to the piston in a tensile and compression-resistant manner, for example clipped to them, so that the piston follows all movements of the operating means.

The pump advantageously has a housing with which the operating means are movably connected. A dosing head which is easy to assemble is thereby obtained when the operating means comprise a trigger hingedly clipped to the pump housing.

The remaining part of the dosing head is also advantageously connected to the neck part of the container or the preformed part of the dosing head by means of a click coupling, so that the connection between these two parts can be established quickly and easily in a single movement. is.

The dosing head can be a nozzle.

The invention also relates to an assembly of a neck part of a container and an associated dosing head as described above.

Finally, the invention also relates to a method for manufacturing and filling a container with a dosing head with a fluid. Such a method is also generally known. In the conventional method, the container or bottle is formed at a first location, generally by blow molding, and fed to a filling line. The bottle is usually provided with fasteners, such as screw thread, in the vicinity of the filling opening or neck thereof. The dosing head or nozzle, which is built up from a relatively large number of different parts, is assembled at a different location 1011962 4, and is also provided with fasteners such as screw thread. The dosing head is then fed to the filling line in fully assembled form. The bottle is filled in the filling line, after which the dosing head is fixed thereon, for instance screwed.

This known method has the drawback that the manufacturing and filling of the container and dosing head require a relatively large number of operations, which are not coordinated with each other and cannot be integrated, so that the method is therefore time-consuming and expensive. In addition, in the known method, complete compositions are formed at a relatively early stage, with a relatively high value in relation to the end product, which results in the costs of failure at a later stage being relatively high. Finally, the empty containers once manufactured take up a relatively large amount of space during transport and storage before they are filled.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method of the type described, wherein the above-mentioned drawbacks do not arise. According to the invention this is achieved by a method comprising the steps of forming the container, preforming a part of the dosing head on a neck part thereof, forming the remaining part of the dosing head, filling the container and closing it off by connecting the remaining part of the dosing head thereto. By performing part of the dosing head assembly 30 in the filling line in this manner, the total number of operations is reduced, resulting in an increase in productivity and a reduction in costs.

Preferably, the portion of the dosing head pre-formed on the neck portion is integrally formed therewith.

This reduces the number of parts and thus simplifies and speeds up assembly. This applies even more strongly if the neck part is also formed integrally with the holder.

When the container is preformed by injection molding, and inflated to its final shape before filling, the space occupied by the containers for filling is reduced, which results in a reduction of the costs of storage and transport. The container is then advantageously manufactured from a resiliently deformable thermoplastic material, for instance PET, so that the parts of the dosing head integrated therewith can be made robust, and the container can still be easily inflated.

A quick and easy method to carry out is obtained when the remaining part of the dosing head is connected to the neck part of the container or the part of the dosing head preformed thereon by means of a click coupling, because the two parts are then moved in a single movement with can be connected together.

The invention is now elucidated on the basis of two examples, reference being made to the attached drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective detail view of a neck part of a holder and biasing means integrated therewith according to a first embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side view of the holder of Figure 1 and a part of a dosing head in the form of a spray head to be connected thereto, Figure 3 is a view corresponding with Figure 2 of the holder and spray head in assembled condition,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the assembly of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, but partly sectioned,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an assembly of holder and a dosing head designed as a spray head according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle of Figure 6, Figure 8 is a partially sectioned perspective view of the nozzle of Figure 7 in assembled condition during a pump stroke,

Figure 9 is a view corresponding with Figure 8 of the nozzle during the return stroke, Figure 10 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of file head biasing means,

Figure 11 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the assembly of the dosing head and a separate neck part to be connected to a holder,

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the dosing head and the separate neck portion of Figure 11 and a container connected thereto, and Figure 13 shows a schematic representation of the various steps of the method according to the invention.

A dosing head 1, in this example a spray head for a container 2 (figure 2), is provided with a pump 3 with a suction side 5 and a discharge side 6. Movable operating means 4 are connected to the pump 3, in the example shown in the form of a tractor 13 which is clicked around a pivot shaft 14 by means of a hook part 15. Means 7 30 are connected to the suction side 5 of the pump 3 for supplying a fluid from the container 2, in the form of a pipe which is connected at the free end to a tube 23 projecting into the container. the pump 3 is connected via a pipe 9 to an outflow nozzle 8. The pump 3, the operating means 4 and the outflow nozzle 8 are, in the shown example, incorporated in a frame 22, which can be connected to the holder 2 in the manner to be discussed below. .

1011902 7

The pump 3 is a piston pump, which is formed by a pump housing or cylinder 10 and a reciprocating piston 11. The piston 11 is connected to a piston rod 12, which in turn is connected to the trigger 13. In order to piston 11 and the trigger 13 at the end of a pump stroke to be brought back to the folded-out rest position, the spray head 1 has biasing means 16. In the example shown, the biasing means 16 are formed by a number of parallel bending springs 17, which engage on the trigger 13. When the trigger 13 is pivoted around the pivot shaft 14 towards the pump 3 during a pump stroke, and the piston 11 is pressed into the pump housing 10, the springs 17 are bent. When the compressive force on the trigger 13 is removed, it is forced back to its rest position by bending the springs 17 back. Since the trigger is connected to the piston 11 in a tensile and compression-tight manner, the piston 11 is thereby also retracted to its rest position. The connection between the trigger 13 and the piston 11 is thereby formed by the piston rod 12, which is snapped onto the piston 11 and is attached to the trigger 13 by means of a film hinge 26. The snap connection between the piston rod 12 and the piston 11 is formed by a head 27 of the piston rod 12 which is pressed into a corresponding opening 28 in the piston 11.

The springs 17 each have a closed contour, having one end 18 attached to a column or "spine" 19, while the opposite side of each spring 17 has a projection 24 which engages a cavity 25 in the tractor 13. The column 19, which consists of a curved body 20 and a reinforcing rib 21 included therein, has a partly cylindrical base 29 which is attached to the neck 30 of the container 2. The base 29, the column 19 and the springs 17 are thereby manufactured as a whole with the neck 30, which in turn is integrally formed with the holder 2. In the base 29, two opposing openings 31 are recessed, which cooperate with two protruding snap-on cams 10 1 1962 8 32 the frame 22 which carries the pump 3, the operating means 4 and the outflow nozzle 8. This frame 22 is further provided with a cylindrical underside or skirt 33 which can be closely fitted in the neck 30 of the container 2, thereby forming a gas- and liquid-tight closure with the inner edge 34 of that neck. The frame 22 further has an edge 35 and a shoulder 43 which in the assembled state of the spray head 1 rest on the top edge 36 of neck 30.

Because a part of the spray head 1, in the example shown, the biasing means 16, forms part of the neck 30 of the holder 2, the assembly of the spray head 1 ultimately takes place only when the holder 2 is filled, and subsequently by placing the frame 22 with the different parts of the spray head 1 is closed. Thus, since in this way some of the assembly operations of the nozzle 1 are in fact integrated with also necessary assembly operations, the total number of operations to be performed to form the container with the nozzle is considerably less than with conventional nozzles fully assembled beforehand. In addition, the number of individual parts is considerably smaller than with a conventional nozzle, because certain parts are integrated with the holder.

In order to assemble the remaining part of the spray head, the bending springs 17 have to be included in the cavity 25 of the tractor 13.

For this, the piston 11 must be moved to its outer position. The remaining part of the spray head 1 can then be pressed into the neck of the holder 2 and fixed therein by means of the snap-on cams 32 which engage in the openings 31.

In another embodiment of the assembly of dosing or spraying head 1 and holder 2, which is currently the preferred embodiment (figure 6), the biasing means 16 are designed as loose bending springs 17, 1011962 9 which are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis from container 2, rather than transversely thereto as in the first embodiment. These bending springs 17 cooperate with ribs 52 which are arranged in the hollow space 25 of the tractor 13. In this exemplary embodiment, the trigger 13 is provided with a continuous pivot shaft 53 which is received in a hollow space 54 in the frame 22. , and is enclosed therein by a flexible click arm 55. The shaft 53 and the receiving space 54 are located above the spray line 9, so that a recess 56 is provided in the trigger 13, through which the end of this line 9 protrudes, on which the outflow nozzle 8 is fitted. The trigger is further provided with protruding cams 57 which engage directly in openings 68 of the piston 11. Thus, in this embodiment there is no question of a separate piston rod.

Incidentally, for instance when the holder 2 and the springs 17 are manufactured from a material that is less flexible, instead of the shown bending springs 17, combined bending and torsion springs can be used, which are deformable in several directions (figure 10). In the example shown, such combined bending torsion springs 17 consist of an outrigger 69 connected to the holder 2 and a torsion spring 70 arranged transversely thereon, which protrudes to two sides. The actual bending springs 17 are attached to the free ends 71 of the torsion spring 70, and in themselves also have a curved shape, for example an inverted U-shape. In this way, the springs 17 can also be formed integrally with the neck part 30 and the holder 2 when they are made of a less flexible material.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, in which the dosing head forms a spray head, a pre-pressure system 40 is shown between the cylinder 10 and the spray line 9, which is formed by an annular space 58 connected to the cylinder 10, which becomes gas and liquid-tight 101 19 6 Closed by a resilient flexible membrane 59. The space 58 is then bounded by a cylindrical sleeve 60 which is received in a recess 61 in the frame 22, and which in the example shown is formed as a whole with the membrane 59. In this cylindrical sleeve 60, an opening 62 is provided, in which a movable valve 63 is received, and which communicates via an opening 67 in the frame 22 with the suction pipe 7 for the fluid. In the example shown, the valve 63, through which the opening 67 can be closed hermetically, is also integrally formed with the sleeve 60. Furthermore, a stop 64 is connected to the membrane 59, which serves to prevent the deflection of the membrane 59 limit. The cylindrical sleeve 60 is enclosed in the recess 61 of the frame 22 by an end wall 65 which is integrally formed with the holder 2.

The pre-pressure or pre-compression system 40 aims in a known manner to make the transport of fluid from the container 2 to the outflow nozzle 8 impossible as long as a certain pump pressure has not been built up. Namely, when fluid is sprayed through the nozzle 8 at too low a pressure, this fluid is not atomized sufficiently and thus too large droplets will be present in the spray cone. To prevent this, the connection between the container 2 and the outflow nozzle 8 is closed by the membrane 59, which due to its internal tension determined by the curved shape, and aided by the atmospheric pressure prevailing behind the membrane 59, with force against the end edge 66 of the spray pipe 9, which functions as a seat, is pressed. Only when a sufficient pressure has been built up in the pump chamber 10, for example on the order of 3 bar, by moving the piston 11 to the end position, will the membrane 59 be lifted off this seat 66.

The operation of the spray head 1 is thus as follows. When a user wishes to atomize the fluid from the container 2, he first depresses the trigger 13. As a result, the air, which is present in the pump chamber 10, and which cannot flow back to the container 2, because the valve 63 closes the opening 67, is compressed by the piston 11. When the air pressure is high enough during the pumping stroke, the membrane 59 is lifted from the seat 66 and the air can escape.

In the subsequent return stroke under the influence of the biasing means 16, fluid is drawn from the container 2 through the tube 23, the line 7, and the openings 62 and 67 to the pump chamber 10 until it is completely at the end of the return suction stroke. is filled. In order to prevent an underpressure from developing in the container 2, an aeration opening 51 is formed in the wall of the pump chamber 10, which opening is released when an outer, circumferential sealing lip 39B has passed through the opening 51 when the piston 11 is moved in, and which, at the outgoing stroke of the piston 11, reconnects with a closed space defined between the outer and inner circumferential sealing lips 39B and 39A of the piston 11.

The nozzle 1 according to this embodiment of the invention is now assembled by inserting the annular sleeve 60 and the suction tube 23 into the frame 22 obtained by injection molding. The piston 11 is then pushed into the pump chamber 10 and the trigger 13 with its pivot shaft 53 is snapped into the hollow space 54 of the frame 22. The trigger 13 and the piston 11 are then snapped together, after which the outflow nozzle 8 can finally be attached to the end of the spray pipe 9. The assembly thus formed can then simply be inserted into the neck of the holder 2, until the click lugs 32 of the frame 22 snap into the openings 31 in the cheeks 29 above the neck 30 of the holder 2. This embodiment is thus easier to assemble than the first embodiment.

The total process for forming, assembling and filling the container 2 with the spray head 1 thus proceeds as follows. At a first location 44, the frame 22 with the housing 10 of the pump 10 1 1962 12 3, the suction line 7 and the spray line 9 is formed by injection molding (figure 13, block 74). Also, by means of any suitable technique, for example injection molding, the trigger 13 (block 75), piston 11 (block 76), sleeve 60 (block 5 77) and the outflow nozzle 8 (block 78) are formed. All these parts are built together in block 79. If desired, the suction tube 23 (block 80) can already be fitted here.

At the same or another location 45, the holder 2 is formed (block 81), as is the neck integrated therewith with a part of the spray head, in the example shown above, therefore, the biasing means 16. The holder 2 with the biasing means 16 is preferably preformed by injection molding, the biasing means 16 already taking their final form, but the holder 2 is initially formed as a relatively thick-walled piece 46 in the form of a test tube. This molding 46 has a considerably smaller volume than the final container 2, so that the costs for storage and transport are greatly reduced. The different parts are then transported (block 82) to another location 47, where the filling and the final assembly take place.

The already assembled part of the spray head 1 (block 83) is, if this has not yet been done, in a station 85 provided with a suction tube 23 supplied from block 84. Subsequently, the combination thus formed is fed via a buffer 89 to a positioning -station 90. The molding 46 with the biasing means 16 integrated therewith is fed from block 86 to a filling line, where in a first station 48 the molding 46 is heated and then inflated to a container 2 with the desired final shape. The molding 46 has a handling edge 37 for this purpose, on which it can be picked up and clamped. After passing through a buffer 88, the container 2 thus formed is then filled with a fluid, generally a liquid, for example a liquid cleaning agent, in a subsequent station 49. Finally, in a subsequent station 50, the filled container 2 is closed by applying the remaining part of the spray head 1. The assembly thus formed then still goes through the usual steps 5 of labeling (block 91), packing in boxes (block 92) and palletizing and shrink-wrapping (block 93), the usual buffers 94, 95 and 96 being present in between these steps.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, which can also be used with conventional screw thread bottles, the neck part 30 to which the dosing head 1 is attached is not formed integrally with the holder 2, but as a separate part. The different parts of the dosing head 1 are then not directly attached to the holder, but are attached to this separate neck part 30 or formed therewith as a whole (figure 11). This neck portion 30, which may take the form of an internally threaded ring, may then be attached to a cooperating neck portion 72 of a conventional container 73 (Figure 12). Although the advantage of the simple assembly is somewhat lost, the advantages of a dosing head with relatively few parts are retained.

Thus, it is possible, by including one or more parts of a dosing head in the neck of the container to which it is to be mounted, to considerably simplify the assembly of the holder and dosing head, and moreover to reduce the number of parts. . Moreover, by replacing the conventional steel piston springs with injected plastic springs, the use of material can be reduced, and the dosing head is easier to recycle. In addition, the placement of the springs outside the pump chamber makes it possible to eliminate the air-containing volume therein for receiving the spring. Finally, the springs no longer come into contact with the fluid, so that the material of the springs does not have to be resistant to the fluid, but can be freely chosen.

1011982 14

Although the invention has been elucidated above on the basis of a number of examples, it will be clear that it is not limited thereto. For example, other parts of the dosing head could also be integrated in the neck of the holder 5. Furthermore, instead of the spray heads shown, other dosing systems can also be connected to the holder, such as, for example, pump systems for liquid soap and the like. In addition, of course, instead of the different click couplings shown, other ways of fixing the different parts are also possible. Finally, the described method could also be adapted. For example, the container could be inflated outside the fill line, rather than inside it.

The scope of the invention is therefore exclusively determined by the appended claims.

10 1 1982

Claims (21)

1. A dosing head to be connected to a container for the dosed dispensing of a fluid, comprising at least one pump with a suction side and a pressure side, movable means connected to the pump for operating it, means connected to the suction side of the pump for supplying fluid from the container, and at least one outflow nozzle connected to the discharge side of the pump, characterized in that at least a part of the dosing head is preformed on a neck part of the container, and the remaining part of the dosing head is connected to it. Dosing head according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the dosing head preformed on the neck part is formed as one unit with the neck part. Dosing head according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the neck part is formed integrally with the holder. 4. Dosing head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the part of the dosing head preformed on the neck part comprises at least a part of the operating means. Dosing head according to claim 4, characterized in that the pump is a piston pump, the piston of the pump is connected to means for biasing it to a rest position, and the biasing means are attached to the holder. Dosing head according to claim 5, characterized in that the biasing means comprise at least one spring. Dosing head according to claim 6, characterized in that the spring is a bending and / or torsion spring. 8. Dosing head, in particular according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the biasing means are adapted to cooperate with the operating means of the pump. 1 0 1 1? 3 2 Metering head according to claim 8, characterized in that the operating means are connected to the piston in a tensile and compression-resistant manner. 10. Dosing head according to claim 9, characterized in that the operating means are snapped onto the piston. Metering head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pump has a housing with which the operating means are movably connected. Dosing head according to claim 11, characterized in that the operating means comprise a trigger hingedly clipped to the pump housing. 13. Dosing head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the remaining part of the dosing head is connected by means of a click coupling to the neck part of the container or the part of the dosing head which is preformed thereon. Dosing head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dosing head is a spray head 20. Assembly of a neck part of a container and a dosing head connected thereto according to any one of the preceding claims. 16. A method of manufacturing and filling a container with a dosing head with a fluid, comprising forming the container, preforming a part of the dosing head on a neck part thereof, forming the remaining part of the dosing head, filling the container and closing it by connecting the remaining part of the dosing head therewith. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that the part of the dosing head preformed on the neck part is integrally formed therewith. Method according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the neck part is formed integrally with the holder. 1011962 A method according to any one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the container is preformed by injection molding and inflated to its final shape before filling. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, characterized in that the container is made of a resiliently deformable thermoplastic material. 21. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 20, characterized in that the remaining part of the dosing head is connected by means of a click coupling to the neck part of the container or the part of the dosing head preformed thereto. 101 19 52