Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/02—Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
  • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
  • B05B11/02—Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons
  • B05B11/025—Membranes or pistons acting on the contents inside the container, e.g. follower pistons with stepwise advancement of the piston, e.g. for spraying a predetermined quantity of content

Definitions

• Fluid product spraying device such as a bidose.
• the present invention relates to a device for spraying fluid products and more particularly to such a spray device intended to deliver at least two doses of product.
• Devices of this kind cause several problems.
• a problem which arises is to obtain a perfect spraying of the entire dose upon actuation of the device.
• Another problem is to obtain in a simple and reliable manner a fractionation of the contents of the reservoir in order to be able to transform the device into a bidose.
• WO 93/02804 has addressed these problems in an attempt to resolve them.
• This document discloses a device such as a bidose, comprising a reservoir mounted on a base and a pusher for actuating the device. Part of the pusher cooperates with a split ring arranged in a groove in the outer wall of the reservoir, so that in order to be able to dispense the first dose, it is necessary to store a forceful citrine in the hand of the user, "until that the split ring comes out of its groove.
• the device of document WO 93/02804 provides for making a second groove in the external wall of the tank and for having a second split ring there, so that after actuation of the device for expelling the first dose, the pusher assembly plus first split ring is stopped by the second ring disposed in this second groove. Then, to spray the second dose, it is again necessary to store a some force to bring out the second split ring from its groove and thus distribute the second dose.
• This device works satisfactorily but can however have certain drawbacks. Thus, since only a little product is contained in the tank, a main objective is to keep the cost of said sprayer as low as possible so as not to negatively influence the final selling price of the product.
• the device disclosed in document WO 93/02804 comprises a certain number of different component parts which are necessary to carry out the functions of energy accumulation and of fractionation of the dose.
• the manufacture and assembly of these various component parts can therefore be relatively expensive.
• due to the presence of the two peripheral grooves on the external surface of the tank it is almost impossible to make the tank and the base in one piece, said grooves being located in the hollow annular space defined between the tank and the base.
• the use of mobile means to perform the energy accumulation function can generate risks of malfunction in the event of breakage or jamming of said split rings.
• Document EP-0 546 607 discloses a single dose comprising a peripheral groove in the internal wall of the body cooperating with a peripheral rib in the external wall of the reservoir to prevent accidental actuation of the device.
• the disadvantage of this kind of device is the difficulty in carrying out a simple and inexpensive molding. Indeed, the groove in the inner wall implies the use of an undercut and therefore a relatively complicated mold.
• Document EP-0 311 863 discloses a bidose comprising dose fractionation means which are arranged on a part fitted on the body and cooperating with the tank. It does not include energy storage means and involves the use of an additional part, the molding of which also has the same drawbacks as those described above, namely a complicated and expensive mold.
• the present invention aims to provide such a device for spraying fluid products which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a device for spraying fluid products, comprising a minimum of constituent parts.
• the present invention also aims to provide such a device which makes it possible to obtain reliable operation while guaranteeing the lowest possible cost of manufacture, in particular of molding, and assembly.
• the present invention also aims to provide a device for spraying fluid products such as a bidose, capable of guaranteeing perfect spraying of the whole of each dose, while being simple to manufacture, assemble and use, with the lowest possible cost.
• the present invention therefore relates to a device for spraying a fluid product comprising a reservoir containing several doses of product, a cylindrical base receiving said reservoir, a dispensing member such as a pump, a manual actuation element, means for fractionation cooperating with said actuating element to fractionate the contents of the reservoir into at least two doses, and means for accumulating energy cooperating, during actuation, with said manual actuating element to accumulate energy in the hand of the user in order to guarantee at each actuation a good spraying of the entire dose of product, said base, said fractionation means and said energy storage means forming an integral part of a single piece.
• said reservoir is made in one piece with said one-piece piece.
• the dispensing device further comprises indexing means cooperating with said manual actuating element to selectively allow or prevent the side of the device, in which said indexing means are made in one piece with said rnonobloc part.
• said indexing means are formed by one or more thickenings provided on a portion of an inner surface of said one-piece and cooperating in a first position of the actuating element, with one or more tab projecting to c inside the actuating element, to prevent actuation of the device, said actuating element being movable in rotation relative to said one-piece part in a second position in which said legs no longer cooperate with said thickenings, allowing 1 actuation of the device.
• said means for accumulating energy cooperate with said actuating element by deforming it elastically when a predetermined minimum force is exerted on it.
• said energy accumulation means are lugs produced on the external surface of said one-piece part which cooperate with corresponding shoulders provided on the internal surface of the actuating element.
• the dispensing device is a bidose adapted to dispense two doses of product, said actuating element being rotatably mounted on said monobloc piece which comprises: first indexing means formed by a or thickenings extending over a first part of the internal peripheral surface of the base and cooperating, in a first position of the actuating element, with one or more protruding axial tabs in the actuating element, for preventing the distribution of the first dose, of the first energy storage means formed by one or more protruding lugs on the external surface of said base and cooperating, after a first rotation of the actuating element towards a second position in which said first indexing means no longer cooperate with the actuating element, with one or more shoulders provided on the inter surface ne of the actuating element, to accumulate energy in the hand of the user during
• said first and second energy storage means each comprise a pair of diametrically opposite projecting lugs, the two pairs of lugs being offset i ⁇ lernent and entirely circumferential with respect to each other, "ir la external surface of said non-block piece.
• the one or more shoulders of the actuating element cooperate, for example by snap-fastening, with hooking means provided on the upper peripheral edge of said non-block piece, for maintain said actuating element on said piece.
• said nonblock piece comprises on an external surface first means of rotation stop cooperating with said actuating element to define said first position of the actuating element, and second rotation stop means cooperating with actuating element for defining said second position of the actuating element, and third rotation stop means cooperating with the element actuator to define said third position of the actuating element.
• FIG 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the rest position;
• Figure 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the actuating element, showing its axial tabs;
• FIGS. 3a and 3b are schematic views in vertical section showing the device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, respectively in a rest position preventing contact and in a standby position allowing the distribution of the first dose,
• Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views.
• perspective thematics of the dispensing device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention Figures 7 ⁇ and 7b are schematic perspective views of the actuating element; and
• - Figures 8 and 9 are schematic perspective views of the one-piece part.
• the dispensing device comprises a reservoir 11 containing the product to be dispensed mounted on a base 14, a dispensing member such as a pump, a manual actuating element 20, such a pusher, for actuating the dispensing member in order to dispense product, said actuating element 20 being provided with an outlet orifice 29 through which said spray will be sprayed product.
• the pump comprises a piston 1 sliding in the reservoir 11, the interior of which is connected to the outlet orifice 29 by an expulsion channel 3.
• the device comprises dose fractionation means 16.
• the fractionation means are intended to split the contents of the reservoir into two or more doses, thus transforming the distribution into a multidose, advantageously a bidose, that is to say ie a device dispensing two doses of product.
• a bidose that is to say ie a device dispensing two doses of product.
• the example shown in the figures relates in particular to a nasal sprayer, which functions as a bidose, a dose being provided for each nostril.
• the invention is not limited to this particular application.
• the invention provides energy storage means 12 which cooperate with the actuating element 20 during the operation of the sprayer to accumulate 1 energy dm ⁇ the user's hand.
• said energy accumulation means cooperate with said actuating element 20 in that they deform it elastically when a predetermined minimum force is exerted on
• said base 14, said means for accumulating energy 12 and said closing fractionation means 16 are produced in the form of a single piece of nonblock 10.
• This implementation makes it possible to reduce the number of component parts and thus the cost of manufacturing and mounting the distribution device.
• the manufacturing and mounting of the device are simplified since it is no longer necessary to provide mobile means (split rings) to accumulate energy.
• the reliability of the device is also improved, a split ring being able to break or jam during the actuation of the device.
• the reservoir 11 is preferably also made in one piece with the monobloc piece 10, which preferably comprises two concentric hollow cylinders, the inner cylinder defining the reservoir 11, and the outer cylinder forming the base 14 comprising on said external surface said energy storage means 12.
• the two concentric cylinders are preferably connected by a substantially horizontal annular flange at their lower ends, thus defining an annular hollow space between the internal surface of the base 14 and the external surface of the reservoir 11.
• the device includes: the energy storage means 12 and the dose fractionation means 16, indexing means 15.
• the indexing means are intended to selectively prevent or allow actuation of the device, in particular to guarantee security against unwanted activation, for example during transport.
• said indexing means are produced in one piece with the single piece 10, which is in particular visible in FIG. 9.
• these indexing means are produced in the form one or more thickenings 15 provided on the internal surface of the base 14, said thickenings extending over part of the periphery of said internal surface. They cooperate with the actuating element 20 to selectively prevent or allow an axial displacement of said actuating element 20 relative to said one-piece piece 10.
• said thickenings 15 cooperate with one or more protruding tabs 25 inside the actuating element 20, preferably axially, and which abut against said thickenings 15 in the rest position where actuation is prevented. In this first position of the actuating element, shown in particular in FIGS. 1 and 3a, any force exerted on the actuating element 20 will have no effect and no product will be dispensed by the device.
• hooking means 19 are advantageously provided on said non-locking piece 10, advantageously on the upper peripheral edge of the base 14. These hooking means 19 can cooperate with one or more shoulders 22 provided on the lower peripheral edge of the actuating element 20.
• these fastening means 19 may include, for example in the first position of the element d 'actuation- 20, that is to say the rest position where one actuation of the device is prevented, a particular shape 19a facilitating the attachment of the actuating element 20 on the base 14 during assembly. This particular shape can, for example, be produced as a ramp 19a which makes it possible to gradually deform elas t.
• this particular shape 19a latching means 19 defines the position in which the actuating element 20 is mounted on the monobloc piece 10, which corresponds advantageously at said first position of the actuating element.
• the actuating element 20 is preferably rotatably mounted on the rnonobloc part 10.
• the user wishes to dispense product, he rotates the actuating element 20 relative to the monobloc part 10 around its main axis, towards a second position of the actuating element 20, or standby position, in which the indexing means 15 no longer cooperate with said actuating element 20.
• the tabs 25 provided inside the actuating element 20 do not rest. on the thickenings 15 of the rnonobloc part 10, so that an actuation is no longer prevented.
• the single piece 10 has on its external surface first means of rotation stop 18a to define the direction of rotation between its first and second positions, and second rotation stop means ISb to define the second position of the actuating element 20.
• these means of rotation stop can be produced by projections which protrude from the external surface of the onobloc part 10 and which cooperate with said shoulders 22 of the actuating element 20 during of the rotation of it.
• the energy storage means are advantageously produced in the form of one or more lugs 12, in particular in the form of two diametrically opposite lugs, arranged on the external surface of the single piece 10. As visible in FIG. 3b , said pins 12 cooperate with the shoulders 22 of the actuating element 20 and generate a certain resistance against an axial displacement of the actuating element 20 relative to the non-block part 10. Thus, when the user wants to spray a dose, he exerts a force on the device which urges the actuating element 20 to move axially on the single piece 10, this movement being prevented by the pins 12.
• the element actuator 20 being preferably made of a suitable plastic, it can deform elastically and thus, said shoulders 22 can pass over said lugs 12 when a predetermined minimum force is exerted on the device.
• This threshold corresponding to this minimum force therefore makes it possible to accumulate energy in the hand of the user and, when the shoulders 22 of the actuating element 20 pass over the lugs 12 of the single piece, all of this energy accumulated in the user's hand is transmitted at once to the device so that the entire dose is sprayed. There is no risk of doing a partial race only, which would result in a partial distribution of the dose.
• the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings corresponds to a bidose.
• the device comprises fractionation means 16 intended to split the content of the reservoir 11 into two doses, preferably equal.
• said fractionation means 16 are produced in one piece with the single piece 10.
• said fractionation means are formed by one or more thickenings 16 which form, with the thickening or thickenings 15 acting as a means indexing, at least one step in the axial direction.
• These second thickenings 16 extend over a second part of the internal surface of the base 14 as an extension of the first thickenings 15, and therefore cooperate at the end of the expulsion of the first dose with said tabs 25 of the element d actuation 20 to stop the axial movement of the actuating element 20 relative to the single piece 10.
• Said fractionation means 16 also act in this case as a second indexing means, because they prevent, in the position reached after the distribution of the first dose, the distribution of the second dose.
• a particularly advantageous embodiment is produced by two diametrically opposite thickenings which, on a part 15, extend to the peripheral upper edge of the base 14 to form the first indexing means, and, on a second part 16 , extend only up to about half the height of the hollow annular space between the base 14 and the reservoir 11 to form the fractionation means also acting as second indexing means. At least part of said internal surface must be free of thickening to allow movement of the actuating element 20 in order to dispense the second dose.
• the actuating element 20 is turned on the single piece 10 to a third position, where the tabs 25 no longer cooperate with the second thickenings 16, thus allowing the distribution of the second dose.
• second energy storage means 13 are also provided, preferably also produced in the form of projecting lugs on the external surface of the piece 10, two lugs 13 being advantageously also diametrically opposite one to the other.
• third rotation stop means 18c which make it possible to define said third position of the actuating element 20, and which are advantageously produced in a similar manner to the first and second rotation stop means 18a and 18b.
• the shoulders 22 of the actuating element 20 cooperate with the lugs 13 which operate in the same way as the lugs described above for accumulating energy in the hand of the user when dispensing the second dose.
• said first energy storage means 12 and said second energy storage means 13, respectively formed by a pair of diametrically opposite lugs, are made in such a way so that the two pairs of lugs are offset axially and angularly with respect to each other on the external surface of the base.
• the user to actuate the device, first turns the actuating element 20 from its first position, where the actuation is blocked, to its second position, then dispenses the first dose, then it again turns the actuator from its second position to its third position, then actuates the device again to dispense the second dose.
• Another particular advantage of the energy storage means arranged on the external surface of the single piece 10 is achieved by the fact that said pins can also act as a dose indicator. Indeed, when the two pins 12 and 13 are visible, this means that no dose has been dispensed. When one of the two pins is visible, this means that only the first dose has been dispensed, and when no pin is no longer visible, this means that the two doses have been dispensed.
• the single piece 10 incorporates the base, the reservoir, the energy storage means, the indexing means, the dose fractionation means , the stop means of rotation defining the angular positions of the actuating element, and the hooking means for holding the actuating element on the onobloc part.
• the present invention therefore saves several component parts of the device. Due to the fact that the energy storage means are not provided in the hollow annular space defined between the base and the reservoir, but on the contrary on the external surface of the base, said one-piece part can be produced so simple and economical, for example by molding.
• the component parts of the device can all be mounted using simple molds which are inexpensive because they do not have a counter - remains.
• the assembly of the device is also greatly facilitated due to the small number of parts.
• the manufacturing and mounting costs of the device of the invention are therefore particularly low without affecting the reliability of its operation.
• the present invention obviously also applies to multidoses comprising more than two doses, in which case the means of fractionation and energy accumulation can be scheduled multiple times.
• the reservoir 11 may not be an integral part of the one-piece part, but be fixed on the latter, for example by snap-fastening.
• the interior of the reservoir 11 can also be provided with a cylinder made of glass or any other suitable material, to improve the seal.

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• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)

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• 1997
  • 1997-03-26 FR FR9703703A patent/FR2761281B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1998
  • 1998-03-16 JP JP54511798A patent/JP4045557B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-03-16 CN CN98803700A patent/CN1095697C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-03-16 EP EP98914922A patent/EP0969933B2/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-03-16 DE DE69811644T patent/DE69811644T3/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-03-16 US US09/381,811 patent/US6257457B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-03-16 WO PCT/FR1998/000522 patent/WO1998042447A1/fr not_active Ceased

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