OA18295A - Fluid dispensing tip with bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic properties - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a dispensing nozzle (10) for a fluid product comprising a dispensing orifice (16) opening into an application face (18) and comprising a movable cover (30) able to cover the dispensing orifice (16). ) and the application face (18), the cover (30) comprising a wall (48) intended to come opposite the application face (18) when the cover (30) is in a closed position, characterized in that the cover (30) comprises a layer (50) of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material which is affixed to the wall (48) of the cover (30) and which is in contact with the application face (18) when the cover (30) is in the closed position.

Description

FLUID DISTRIBUTION TIP WITH BACTERICIDAL AND / OR BACTERIOSTATIC PROPERTIES

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a fluid dispensing tip which has a cover which gives it bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic properties.

Such a dispensing tip is particularly advantageous for an application to the dispensing of cosmetic, pharmaceutical or food products for example, which are intended to come into contact with the skin. Indeed, the tip makes it possible to dispense a product without risk of contaminating the product.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

Many fluid products, that is to say products which are in pasty or liquid form, are contained in a container which allows both the conservation of the product and the distribution of the latter.

The preservation of the product is generally ensured by means of an airtight container and also by introducing into the product preservatives, antioxidants, bactericides etc.

A source of product pollution is also located at the distribution device. Indeed, the dispensing device comprises an outlet opening for the product at which air can penetrate inside the container and pollute the product.

Also, the product is taken by scanning the external surface of the device, for example with the finger, the tongue or any other part of the human body. This sweeping action brings bacteria or other polluting elements to the external surface, but also disseminates them.

A dispensing tip is the interface between the reservoir containing the product to be dispensed and the user who takes this product.

For this purpose, the nozzle comprises a dispensing orifice which opens both into the reservoir and onto a withdrawal face of the nozzle, and it is through this orifice that the product to be withdrawn leaves the reservoir.

The pick-up face constitutes the interface at which the user has access to the product.

This sampling face is exposed to the open air as well as to contact with numerous elements such as a user's finger.

Each of these exposures of the sampling face involves a risk of contamination thereof, and a risk of the contaminant being transferred to the sampled product.

Document FR-A-2,791,955 describes a dispensing tip comprising a removable cover and an element for closing the dispensing orifice, which is able to come into contact with part of the sampling face.

According to this document, the closure element comprises a bacteridde / bacteriostatlque substance which makes it possible to treat the product remaining at the orifice.

However, such a closure element is particularly difficult to produce and implement, which consequently increases the manufacturing costs of the dispensing nozzle. In addition, this document does not teach the nature or the concentration of the bactericidal element, nor its homogeneity.

In addition, the closure element may be subjected to risks of wear, such that its contact with the sampling face is no longer optimal, or else the quantity of bactericidal / bacteriostatic substance that it contains may decrease as it is used.

The object of the invention is to provide a dispensing tip having bactericidal / bacteriostatic properties which are substantially constant over the entire period of use of the reservoir on which the tip is mounted.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a fluid dispenser nozzle comprising a dispensing orifice opening into an application face and comprising a movable cover capable of covering the dispensing orifice and the application face, the cover comprising a wall intended for come opposite the application face when the cover is in a closed position, characterized in that the cover comprises a layer of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material which is affixed to the wall of the cover and which is in contact with the application face when the cover is in the closed position.

The deposition of a layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material on the cover facilitates the manufacturing process of the tip. In addition, the material does not lose its bactericidal / bacteriostatic properties as it is used.

Preferably, the dispensing orifice is closed by a slit shutter.

Preferably, the layer of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material consists of a metal plate attached to the wall of the cover.

Preferably, the layer of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material consists of a layer of said material deposited on the wall of the cover.

Preferably, the layer of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material is made from copper or silver or any other bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic alloy.

Preferably, the cover is removable.

Preferably, the cover is hinged with respect to a body of the nozzle in which the dispensing orifice is formed.

Preferably, the application face and one face of the layer of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material, which is opposite the application face, are of identical shapes.

Preferably, the application face and said face of the layer of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material are flat.

Preferably, the application face and said face of the layer of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material are concave or convex.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the detailed description which follows, for the understanding of which reference is made to the appended figures, among which:

- Figure 1 is an axial section of a dispensing nozzle according to the invention, in which the cover of the nozzle is shown in the open position allowing product to be taken;

- Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, showing the cover of the nozzle in the closed position;

- Figure 3 is an axial section of another embodiment of the end piece in which the cover is able to be screwed onto the body of the end piece.

DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

There is shown in Figures 1 and 2 a nozzle 10 for dispensing a fluid such as for example a paste, a cream, a gel or a liquid solution.

The tip 10 here forms part of a container 12 inside which the product to be dispensed is contained. The container 12 consists for example of a tube made of an elastic, semi-rigid or soft material, or else the container 12 consists of a rigid container such as a pot.

The dispensing nozzle 10 comprises a main body 14 which is mainly axially oriented with respect to the main axis A of the nozzle 10.

The body 14 comprises a dispensing orifice 16, through which the fluid is able to exit from the container 12 via the nozzle 10, and an application face 18, onto which the dispensing orifice 16 opens.

It is at the level of the application face 18 that the user withdraws the fluid exiting through the orifice 16, for example by passing his finger over the application face.

18.

According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the dispensing orifice 16 is intended to be closed by a slit shutter 20 making it possible to have a hermetic closure of the dispensing orifice 16.

The slit shutter 20 comprises a main frame 22 which is mounted in a complementary housing 24 formed in the main body 14, and a deformable element 26 mounted in the frame 22.

A slot 28 is formed in the deformable element, and it extends parallel to the main axis A of the end piece 10.

When pressure is exerted on the walls of the container, the pressure of the fluid increases and the deformable element 26 is designed so that the slot 28 opens under the action of the pressure of the fluid to open the dispensing orifice 16. and consequently allow a certain quantity of fluid to exit through the dispensing orifice 16 under the action of this same pressure.

When the pressure on the walls of the container 12 is released, the deformable element then returns elastically to its initial configuration of hermetic closure of the dispensing orifice 16.

Such a slotted shutter 20 helps prevent contamination of the fluid in the container with air or other contaminants, such as bacteria.

The dispensing tip 10 also comprises a removable cover 30 which is movable relative to the main body 14 between a closed position of the dispensing orifice 16 shown in FIG. 2, in which the cover 30 covers the dispensing orifice. 16 and the application face 18, and a disengaged position shown in Figure 1, in which the cover 30 allows access to the application face 18 and to the orifice 16.

The cover 30 mainly comprises a closure wall 46 which comes opposite, and preferably, in contact with the application face 18. This closure wall comprises a face 48 situated opposite. the application face 18 which is of complementary shape to the application face 18. Here, the application face 18 is flat, the face 48 of the closure wall 46 is therefore also flat.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to this form of the application face 18 and of the face facing the closure wall 46 which can also be concave or convex.

According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cover is mounted articulated relative to the main body 14 of the nozzle 10.

Preferably, the means 32 providing the articulation of the cover 30 with respect to the body 14 are located at the level of respective first edges of the cover 30 and of the body 14, which are here located on the left side of Figures 1 and 2.

The cover 30 and the body 14 also include means for locking the cover 30 in the closed position.

These locking means are preferably locking means by elastic interlocking, or snap-fastening, and comprise an elastic hook 34 carried by a second edge of the cover 30, which is opposite the first edge of the cover 30, which carries the articulation means. 32. When the cover 30 is in the closed position, the elastic hook 34 cooperates with an associated tooth 36 formed on a second edge of the body 14, which is opposite the first edge of the body 14 which carries the articulation means 32.

According to another embodiment shown in Figure 3, the cover 30 is mounted on the body 14 by screwing.

To this end, the cover 30 comprises a cylindrical wall 38 which axially extends the edges of the closure wall 46 and whose internal face has a thread 40 which is able to cooperate with a complementary thread 42 formed on the external cylindrical wall of the body. 14. The cylindrical wall 38 of the cover has vents 44 allowing the air trapped between the cover and the body 14 to escape to the outside when the cover 30 is screwed on.

The application face 18 is in prolonged contact with the air and it is liable to receive contaminants, such as bacteria, in particular when the user comes into contact with the latter when he takes the fluid present on the face. application 18.

Contaminants that settle on the application face 18 can then transfer to the fluid the next time the product dispenser is used.

To destroy these contaminants, in particular the bacteria which could develop on the application face 18 between two uses, the end piece comprises a layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 exhibiting bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic properties, which is capable of coming into existence contact with the application face 18.

According to a preferred embodiment, the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 is carried by the cover 30.

Thus, the closing and opening of the cover allows the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 to come into contact or move away from the application face 18, respectively.

Preferably, the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 is located on the face 48 of the closing wall 46 of the housing 30. Thus, when the housing 30 is in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2, the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 is in contact with the application face 18, thus making it possible to destroy the contaminants.

Here also, the shape of the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50, and more precisely the shape of its face 52 located opposite the application face 18 is complementary to the shape of the application face 18 .

Here, the application face 18 is flat, the face 52 of the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 is therefore also flat.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to this shape of the application face 18 and face 52 of the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 which can also be concave or convex.

Preferably, the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 is made from copper or silver, which are naturally bactericidal / bacteriostatic materials, or else based on any other bactericidal alloy, in particular an alloy based on copper and / or money. Thus, the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 does not lose its properties as it is used. In addition, these materials are inexpensive and easy to process compared to specific bactericidal / bacteriostatic compositions which must be developed in the laboratory.

According to a first embodiment, the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 consists of a thin plate which is bonded to said face 48 of the closure wall 46 of the housing 30.

According to another embodiment, the layer of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material 50 is deposited on said face 48 of the closure wall 46 of the housing 30. By this embodiment, a small but sufficient quantity of bactericidal / bacteriostatic material is used. .

Claims (10)

1. Fluid product dispensing nozzle (10) comprising a dispensing orifice (16) opening into an application face (18) and comprising a movable cover (30) capable of covering the dispensing orifice (16) and the application face (18), the cover (30) comprising a wall (48) intended to come opposite the application face (18) when the cover (30) is in a closed position, characterized in that the cover (30) comprises a layer (50) of bactericidal and / or bacterlostatic material which is affixed to the wall (48) of the cover (30) and which is in contact with the application face (18) when the cover ( 30) is in the closed position. 2. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the dispensing orifice (16) is closed by a slit shutter (20). 3. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer (50) of bactericidal material and / or bacteriostatlque consists of a metal plate contiguous to the wall (48) of the cover (30) . 4. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer (50) of bactericidal material and / or bacterlostatic consists of a layer (50) of said material deposited on the wall (48) of the cover (30). 5. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer (50) of bactericidal material and / or bacteriostatic is made from copper or silver or any other bactericidal alloy and / or bacteriostatic. 6. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (30) is removable. 7. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cover (30) is hinged relative to a body (14) of the nozzle (10) in which the orifice distribution (16) is formed. 8. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the application face (18) and one face (52) of the layer (50) of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material, which is opposite the application face (18) are of identical shapes. 9. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the application face (18) and said face (52) of the layer (50) of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material are flat. 10. Dispensing nozzle (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the application face (18) and said face (52) of the layer (50) of bactericidal and / or bacteriostatic material are concave or convex.