OA18916A - Dispositif de distribution de produit fluide. - Google Patents

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif de distribution (10) d'un produit fluide comportant un corps (12) cylindrique rigide dont l'axe principal du corps (12) est orienté verticalement, un piston (14) rigide orienté principalement horizontalement et qui est mobile en coulissement selon la direction verticale à l'intérieur du corps (12), et une paroi supérieure (24) de prélèvement qui obture l'extrémité supérieure du corps (12), dans lequel le corps (12), le piston (14) et la paroi supérieure (24) délimitent un volume (26) destiné à être rempli par produit à distribuer; dans lequel ladite paroi supérieure (24) comporte un obturateur à fente (28) qui est apte à s'ouvrir pour permettre de relier ledit volume (26) avec l'extérieur, caractérisé en ce que ladite paroi supérieure (24) est déformable élastiquement et est apte à se déformer vers l'intérieur dudit volume (26) lorsqu'une pression est exercée manuellement sur la paroi supérieure (24), pour provoquer une augmentation de pression à l'intérieur du volume (26) et provoquer l'ouverture de l'obturateur à fente (28).

Description

FLUID PRODUCT DISPENSING DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a fluid distribution device, which is intended to prevent the oxidation by air of the fluid contained in the device and to preserve this fluid from the development of yeasts and bacterial contamination for example.

The invention relates in particular to a device for dispensing a cream, a paste, a gel or a liquid for the cosmetic, chemical, pharmaceutical or food industry, which is contained in a rigid container.

The invention is part of an approach to reduce the number and quantity of additives which are incorporated into the products with a view to preserving and preserving the product. The reduction of such additives comes from an action carried out by the health and consumer authorities.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

Many products in pasty or liquid form are contained in containers which provide both protection and distribution of these products.

Such a container is hermetically closed in air, in particular to limit the risks of product oxidation.

Also, many preservative compounds such as for example antioxidant, bactericidal or antifungal compounds are incorporated into the product. Such compounds participate only indirectly, or even do not participate, in the action of the basic formula of the product.

There are also risks of product pollution which arise during the distribution of the product using the container.

The container generally comprises an external sampling surface, onto which a dispensing orifice, connecting the interior volume of the container with the exterior, opens.

The product picking action is performed on this picking surface, for example according to a finger sweeping action on it. There is then an accumulation of numerous external pollutants on the sampling surface and a risk of contamination of the rest of the product contained in the interior volume of the container.

This real risk of contamination in the case of tubes for which the dispensing orifice is continuously open is major for pots having a large opening surface.

Document FR-3.011.826 describes a slit shutter intended to be assembled on such a container and which prevents pollutants which may be present on the sampling face, as well as air from entering the interior volume of the container 15 during, or at the end of, a product sampling operation.

This shutter is adapted to be mounted on a pot with rigid walls, the wall forming the bottom is movable and is capable of being moved relative to the other walls, under the action of the user. This action by the user generates an increase in the pressure of the product in the container, which results in the opening of the slit shutter and the exit of a defined quantity of product.

The displacement of the movable wall makes it possible to compensate for the volume of product which has been withdrawn. However, for the use of this dispensing device, the user must hold the container with both hands, which is not ergonomic.

According to another embodiment, the movable wall of the rigid pot is the upper wall, on which the slit shutter is placed.

This embodiment allows the user to exert the action on the movable wall to cause the pressure increase, with the same finger which is used for the sampling of product.

The use of the dispensing device is thereby improved compared to a dispensing device for which the bottom is movable.

However, as the product is removed, the movable upper wall sinks more and more into the device, which makes the removal less and less easy.

According to another type of dispensing device, this comprises a container with rigid walls and a mini dispensing pump. This pump also makes it possible to prevent air from entering the interior volume of the container and for this purpose it comprises a movable piston which goes up at each dispensing to compensate for the volume of product withdrawn.

This pump consists of a large number of components of different natures. The production cost of this pump is therefore not negligible, which consequently increases the selling price of the distribution device.

Also, the product extracted by this pump must be withdrawn quickly with one hand by the user, the other holding the dispensing device. The use of the dispensing device is therefore not easy.

The object of the invention is to provide a fluid distribution device which is capable of being manipulated with one hand at the same time to remove a quantity of product from the container and to withdraw this quantity of product.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a device for dispensing a fluid product comprising a rigid cylindrical body whose main axis of the body is oriented vertically, a rigid lower piston oriented mainly horizontally and which is movable in sliding in the vertical direction inside. of the body, and an upper sampling wall which closes off the upper end of the body, in which the body, the lower piston and the upper wall define a volume intended to be filled with product to be dispensed;

wherein said upper wall comprises a slit shutter which is capable of opening to allow said volume to be connected with the outside, characterized in that said upper wall is elastically deformable and is capable of deforming towards the inside of said volume when pressure is exerted manually on the upper wall, to cause an increase in pressure inside the volume and the opening of the slit shutter.

Providing the dispensing device with such a top wall allows a user, by pressing directly on the top wall, to release a quantity of product to be dispensed. Then, the user only has to sweep the external face of the upper wall to take the quantity of product out.

Preferably, the dispensing device includes means for preventing the piston from moving away from the upper wall when pressure is exerted on the upper wall.

Preferably, the piston carries an O-ring which is compressed radially between an internal cylindrical wall of the body and a wall of the piston, said wall of the piston comprising a conical section open towards the upper wall against which the O-ring is supported when the piston is driven to move away from the upper wall.

Preferably, the dispensing device comprises means for driving the piston moving towards the upper wall.

Preferably, the drive means comprise a spring which is compressed vertically between the piston and a bottom plate fixed to the lower end of the body.

The invention also relates to a device for dispensing a fluid product comprising a rigid cylindrical body whose main axis of the body is oriented vertically, a rigid piston oriented mainly horizontally and which is movable in sliding in the vertical direction inside. of the body, and an upper sampling wall which closes off the upper end of the body, in which the body, the piston and the upper wall define a volume intended to be filled with product to be dispensed;

wherein said upper wall has a slit shutter which is capable of opening to allow connection of said volume with the outside, in which said upper wall is elastically deformable and is capable of deforming towards the interior of said volume when pressure is exerted manually on the upper wall, to cause an increase in pressure inside the volume and cause the opening of the slit shutter.

characterized in that it comprises a spring which is compressed vertically between the piston and a bottom plate fixed to the lower end of the body to prevent the piston from moving away from the upper wall when pressure is exerted on the upper wall.

Preferably, the bottom plate includes a vent connecting the volume delimited by the body, the piston and the bottom plate with the outside.

Preferably, the piston has an upper face which is opposite the lower face of the upper wall and the shape of the upper face of the piston is complementary to the shape of the lower face of the upper wall.

Preferably, the upper wall is in the shape of a convex dome curved upwards.

Preferably, the dispensing device comprises a removable cover which is intended to cover the upper wall and which is removably mounted on the upper end of the body.

Preferably, the shape of the cover is complementary to the shape of the upper wall and the cover has a layer of bactericidal material which comes into contact with at least part of the upper wall when the cover is mounted on the upper end of the body. .

Preferably, the upper end of the body has a peripheral groove which receives a complementary part of the upper wall,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended figures among which:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation in section along its median vertical main plane of a device for dispensing a fluid produced according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 showing an alternative embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, showing another alternative embodiment of the invention in which the dispensing device is shown filled with the fluid to be dispensed and equipped with a protective cover;

Figure 4 is a detail on a larger scale of a dispensing device showing an embodiment of the anti-return means of the piston.

DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a device 10 for distributing a fluid product.

By way of nonlimiting examples, the product consists of a cream, a paste or a gel and it is intended for cosmetic or food use.

The dispensing device 10 comprises a rigid body 12 of cylindrical or tubular shape, and of main vertical axis A. By way of nonlimiting example, the section of the body 12 along a horizontal plane is circular centered on the main axis A, that is to say that the body is a cylindrical element of revolution. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to a form of revolution of the body 12 and that the invention relates to any tubular shape such as for example a tube of square, rectangular or oval section.

The distribution device 10 also includes a horizontal bottom wall 14 forming a piston which is mounted to slide in movable motion relative to the body 12 along the main vertical axis A of the distribution device 10.

The sliding guide of the piston 14 relative to the body 12 is achieved by the cooperation of the peripheral wall 16 of the piston 14 with the internal cylindrical wall 18 of the body 12. For this, the peripheral wall 16 of the piston 14 is cylindrical, or tubular , centered on the main axis of the distribution device 10 and it has the same shape as the internal cylindrical wall 18 of the body 12.

A clearance is present between the two facing walls 16, 18, to allow the piston 14 to slide relative to the body 12.

Sealing means are interposed between the peripheral wall 16 of the piston 14 and the internal cylindrical wall 18 of the body 12. Here, the sealing means consist of one or more O-rings 20, each of which is received in a peripheral groove 22 formed in the peripheral wall 16 of the piston 14 and each O-ring 20 is compressed radially, with respect to the main axis A between the peripheral wall 16 of the piston 14 and the internal cylindrical wall 18 of the body 12.

The distribution device 10 also includes an upper wall 24 which closes the upper end 12s of the body 12.

Thus, the assembly formed by the body 12, the piston 14 and the upper wall 24 defines a closed volume 26 in which the product to be dispensed is stored.

The upper wall 24 includes a slit shutter 28 which is capable of opening to allow the product to exit towards the outside for its removal and which is normally in a hermetically closed position in which the slit shutter 28 maintains the closed volume 26 isolated from the outside.

An exemplary embodiment of the slit shutter 28 is described in document FR-1,359,844.

The slit shutter 28 is capable of opening when the pressure of the product to be dispensed in the closed volume 26 is greater than a predefined pressure. If the pressure is lower than this predefined pressure, the shutter 28 remains in its closed configuration.

In addition, when the slit shutter 28 is open, the pressure in the closed volume is also greater than the external pressure, which causes the exit of a quantity of the product present in the closed volume 26, which is then deposited on the outer surface 30 of the upper wall 24.

When the pressure of the product in the closed volume 26 decreases, the slit shutter 28 closes by elastic return.

Preferably, the slit shutter 28 has two faces which are movable opposite which form the slit and which are able to move apart to open the slit shutter 28 or to approach until they come into contact. 'with each other to close the slit shutter · Also, when they come closer, they cause a flow of the product preventing any foreign compound coming from outside from entering the closed volume 26.

The user then scans this external surface 30 of the upper wall 24, for example with a finger, in order to withdraw the quantity of product which rests on the external surface 30 of the upper wall 24.

The upper wall 24 is made of an elastically deformable material. Thus, when a user exerts pressure on the upper wall 24, the upper wall 24 deforms and transmits the pressure undergone to the fluid present in the closed volume 26. The pressure in the closed volume 26 then increases as a function of the pressure exerted by the user, until the product is released, as described above.

When the user ceases to act on the upper wall 24, the latter automatically resumes its initial shape, which causes a drop in the pressure in the closed volume 26 and consequently the closing of the slit shutter 28.

Since a certain amount of product has been withdrawn, the amount of product present in the closed volume 26 has decreased. Consequently, the volume of product in the closed volume 26 has also decreased.

To compensate for this variation in the volume of product in the closed volume 26, the piston 14 slides in the direction of the upper wall 24, that is to say here upwards, relative to the body 12 over a distance corresponding to the variation volume of the product.

The dispensing device 10 also comprises means for preventing the piston 14 from moving away from the upper wall 24, that is to say a sliding of the piston 14 downwards, when pressure is exerted on the upper wall 24.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the dispensing device 10 comprises a spring 32 which presses against a lower face 14i of the piston 14 and which exerts on the piston 14 a force oriented towards the upper wall 24.

Thus, the spring 32 generates an initial pressure of the product present in the closed volume 26. This pressure generated by the spring is less than the pressure causing the opening of the slit shutter 28.

The spring 32 here consists of a helical spring which is compressed vertically between the piston 14 and a bottom bottom plate 34 which closes the bottom end 12i of the body 12. This bottom plate 34 further forms a base for the dispensing device 10, by which the dispensing device 10 can be placed on a support.

Each of the piston 14 and the bottom plate 34 have a cylindrical barrel 36, 38 in which one end of the spring 32 is received. These barrels 36, 38 make it possible to guide the spring 32 in order to maintain it in its vertical orientation and avoid any fiambernent of it.

According to another embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the means for preventing the piston 14 from moving away from the upper wall 24 when pressure is exerted on the upper wall 24 are formed by the O-ring 20 which is capable of be wedged between the internal cylindrical wall 18 of the body 12 and a bottom wall 66 of the peripheral groove 22 receiving the seal.

The bottom wall 66 has a cylindrical lower section 68 and an upper section 70 extending the lower section 68 towards the upper wall 24 and which is conical in shape. The upper section 70 is in the form of a cone open towards the upper wall 24, that is to say that its diameter increases as one approaches the upper wall 24.

The diameter of the lower section 68 is slightly greater than the internal diameter of the O-ring 20, the diameter of the upper section 70 is therefore also greater than the internal diameter of the O-ring 20 at any point. This allows the O-ring 20 to be compressed radially between the internal cylindrical wall 18 of the body 12 and the bottom wall 66.

When the O-ring 20 is located in the groove 22 at the level of the lower section 68, the radial compression of the O-ring 20 is substantially constant.

Also, since the diameter of the upper section 70 increases as one approaches the upper wall 24, the radial compression of the O-ring 20 increases as the position of the O-ring 20 in the groove 22 is located at the level of the upper section 70 and approaches the upper wall 24.

When the piston 14 tends to move towards the upper wall 24, the friction forces between the O-ring 20 and the internal cylindrical wall 18 of the body 12, which result from the radial compression of the O-ring 20, maintain the O-ring 20 at the lower section 68.

In this case, the radial compression of the O-ring 20 produces friction forces, the value of which does not prevent the displacement of the piston 14 towards the upper wall 24.

When the piston 14 tends to move towards the bottom plate 34, that is to say away from the upper wall 24, the friction forces between the O-ring 20 and the internal cylindrical wall 18 of the body 12, which result from the radial compression of the O-ring 20, maintain the O-ring 20 at the upper section 70, as shown in dashed lines in Figure 4. This is particularly the case when pressure is exerted on the upper wall 24.

At this level, the radial compression of the O-ring 20 produces friction forces which increase as the O-ring 20 approaches the upper end of the upper section 70.

These friction forces then become sufficiently great to prevent the piston 14 from moving away from the upper wall 24.

The piston 14 is then blocked in sliding towards the bottom plate 34.

When the pressure on the upper wall 24 is released, the piston 14 rises towards the upper wall 24, as described above. The O-ring 20 is repositioned at the level of the lower section 68 of the bottom wall 66. The friction forces are then reduced and do not oppose the displacement of the piston 14 towards the upper wall 24.

The piston 14 can then move towards the upper wall 24, either by the suction effect when the upper wall 24 returns to its initial shape or by the action of the spring 32.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to these means and that the dispensing device may include other non-return means, which prevent the piston 14 from moving downwards away from the upper wall. 24 and which allow the piston 14 to slide towards the upper wall 24, that is to say upwards, relative to the body 12. These non-return means can also be combined with the drive means which come from 'be described above.

The bottom plate 34 also includes a vent 40 connecting the volume 42 delimited by the body 12, the piston 14 and the bottom plate 34, with the surrounding air, to avoid any depression in this volume 42, which would result from the displacement of the piston 14 upwards and which would hinder this movement of piston 14.

The shape of the upper wall 24 is defined to facilitate the removal of the product by the user. Here, the upper wall 24 is in the form of a hemispherical dome curved upwards. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to this hemispherical shape and that the upper wall 24 can be flat or else have any other convex shape curved upwards.

The material constituting the upper wall 24 is preferably a material chosen, for example, from rubber, an elastomer or a silicone.

The thickness of the upper wall 24 is defined as a function of the force that the user must apply to the upper face 30 in order to cause the deformation of the upper wall 24 and the opening of the slit shutter 28.

The upper wall 24 is further produced in one piece by molding on the body 12 in order to ensure good fixing of these two elements together as well as good sealing between them.

For this, the upper end 12s of the body 12 has a peripheral groove 44 in which a complementary part 46 of the upper wall 24 is received.

According to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper end 12s of the body 12 has an additional thickness allowing the formation of this groove 44.

Obtaining the slit shutter 28 consists for example of making an incision in the upper wall 24 after the molding operation.

A slit with inclined walls 48 extends the incision downward, to facilitate the spacing of the faces of the slit shutter 28 under the action of the pressure of the product.

The piston 14 has an upper face which is opposite the lower face 50 of the upper wall 24. The shape of the upper face of the piston 14 is complementary to the shape of the lower face 50 of the upper wall 24 Thus, when the piston 14 is in contact with the lower face 50 of the upper wall 24, the closed volume 26 is substantially zero. This means that there is substantially no longer any product inside the dispensing device 10.

As mentioned above, the upper wall 24, and consequently its lower face 50 is in the form of a dome.

The piston 14 has for this purpose an upper dome 52 complementary to the lower face 50 of the upper wall 24.

According to an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the dome 52 has a tip 54 which is complementary to the slot 48 with inclined walls, so that a minimum of product remains in the dispensing device 10.

According to an exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, the dome 52 consists of a metal sheet which has been stamped and which is fixed to the rest of the piston by any known means, for example by gluing. According to another embodiment, the dome 52 is made of plastic.

According to the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the dome 52 consists of a solid block, for example made from the same elastic material as the upper wall 24, which is fixed to the rest of the piston 14 by any known means, for example , here, via a shoulder 62.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the piston 14 is entirely in the shape of the dome 52 complementary to the lower face 50 of the upper wall 24.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the dispensing device 10 also includes a cover 56 which is intended to cover the upper wall 24. The cover 56 is in the form of a dome complementary to the shape of the upper face 30 of the wall upper 24. The cover 56 thus protects the upper wall 24 from any unwanted action which could cause the exit of a quantity of product and reinforces the sealing of the closure of the closed volume 26.

The cover 56 is removably mounted on the upper end 12s of the body 12 by clipping or by screwing. For this, the peripheral edge of the cover 56 includes shapes 58 which are intended to cooperate with complementary shapes 60 of the upper end 12s of the body 12.

Here, the cover 56 comprises a layer 64 of a material having a bactericidal or bacteriostatic effect, such as for example copper or silver, which releases ions having a sanitizing effect. This layer 64 comes into contact with the upper wall 24 when the cover 56 is mounted on the body 12, thus operating a sanitizing action on the upper wall 24.

The extent of the layer 64 is preferably defined to come into contact with the whole of the upper wall 24. However, it will be understood that the layer 64 may be of smaller dimensions so as to come into contact only with part of the upper wall 24, centered on the slit shutter 28.

According to an alternative embodiment, the cover 56 does not include such a layer 64.

The method of withdrawing the product contained in this dispensing device 10 makes it possible to withdraw the product with the hand or the finger which exerts the action on the upper wall 24.

In addition, it is possible to modify the quantity of product that will be expelled. In fact, depending on the position of the pressure with respect to the axis of the slot, it will open more or less easily, releasing a greater or lesser volume of product. For a pressure perpendicular to the slit, the extraction will be weaker than for the same pressure exerted in the axis of the latter.

Also, despite its simple structure there is no modification of the external appearance of the dispensing device 10, its pleasure in use therefore does not drop as the dispensing progresses.

Claims (12)

1. Dispensing device (10) for a fluid product comprising a rigid cylindrical body (12) whose main axis of the body (12) is oriented vertically, a rigid piston (14) oriented mainly horizontally and which is movable in sliding in the vertical direction inside the body (12), and an upper sampling wall (24) which closes the upper end of the body (12), in which the body (12), the piston (14) and the upper wall (24) define a volume (26) intended to be filled with product to be dispensed; wherein said upper wall (24) comprises a slotted shutter (28) which is capable of opening to allow said volume (26) to be connected with the outside, characterized in that said upper wall (24) is elastically deformable and is capable of deforming inwardly of said volume (26) when pressure is exerted manually on the upper wall (24), to cause an increase in pressure inside the volume (26) and cause opening of the slit shutter (28). 2. Dispensing device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (32) for preventing the piston (14) from moving away from the upper wall (24) when pressure is exerted on the upper wall (24). 3. Dispensing device (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the piston (14) carries an O-ring (20) which is compressed radially between an internal cylindrical wall (18) of the body (12) and a wall ( 66) of the piston (14), said wall (66) of the piston (14) comprising a section (70) of conical shape open towards the upper wall (24) against which the O-ring (20) is supported when the piston is driven to move away from the top wall (24). 4. Dispensing device (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that it comprises means (32) for driving the piston (14) moving towards the upper wall (24). 5. Dispensing device (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the drive means comprise a spring (32) which is compressed vertically between the piston (14) and a bottom plate (34) fixed to the lower end (12i) of the body (12). 6. Dispensing device (10) for a fluid product comprising a rigid cylindrical body (12) whose main axis of the body (12) is oriented vertically, a rigid piston (14) oriented mainly horizontally and which is movable in sliding in the vertical direction inside the body (12), and an upper sampling wall (24) which closes the upper end of the body (12), in which the body (12), the piston (14) and the upper wall (24) define a volume (26) intended to be filled with product to be dispensed; wherein said upper wall (24) has a slit shutter (28) which is capable of opening to allow connection of said volume (26) with the outside, in which said upper wall (24) is elastically deformable and is able to deform inward of said volume (26) when pressure is exerted manually on the upper wall (24), to cause an increase in pressure inside the volume (26) and cause the opening of the '' slit shutter (28). characterized in that it comprises a spring (32) which is compressed vertically between the piston (14) and a bottom plate (34) fixed to the lower end (12i) of the body (12) to prevent the piston ( 14) does not move away from the upper wall (24) when pressure is exerted on the upper wall (24). 7. Dispensing device (10) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the bottom plate (34) comprises a vent (40) connecting the volume (42) delimited by the body (12), the piston (14 ) and the bottom plate (34) with the outside. 8. Dispensing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston (14) has an upper face which is opposite a lower face (50) of the upper wall (24) and in that the shape of the upper face of the piston (14) is complementary to the shape of the lower face (50) of the upper wall (24). 9. Dispensing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper wall (24) is in the form of a convex dome curved upwards. 10. Distribution device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a removable cover (56) which is intended to cover the upper wall (24) and which is removably mounted on the 'upper end (12s) of the body (12). 11. Dispensing device (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the shape of the cover (56) is complementary to the shape of the upper wall (24) and the cover (56) comprises a layer (64) of material bactericide which comes into contact with at least part of the upper wall (24) when the cover is mounted on the upper end (12s) of the body (12). 12. Dispensing device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper end (12s) of the body (12) has a peripheral groove (44) which receives a complementary part (46) of the upper wall (24).