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
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1001—Piston pumps
  • B05B11/1016—Piston pumps the outlet valve having a valve seat located downstream a movable valve element controlled by a pressure actuated controlling element
  • B05B11/1019—Piston pumps the outlet valve having a valve seat located downstream a movable valve element controlled by a pressure actuated controlling element the inlet valve moving concurrently with the controlling element during whole pressure and aspiration strokes, e.g. a cage for an inlet valve ball being part of the controlling element
• • 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
  • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
  • B05B11/1038—Pressure accumulation pumps, i.e. pumps comprising a pressure accumulation chamber
  • B05B11/104—Pressure accumulation pumps, i.e. pumps comprising a pressure accumulation chamber the outlet valve being opened by pressure after a defined accumulation stroke

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a fluid dispenser pump, and more particularly to a pump actuated manually to dispense a dose of fluid product on each actuation.
• Pumps and in particular so-called “metering” pumps, which dispense a dose of product on each actuation, are well known in the state of the art. They are generally used to distribute fluid, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumery or the like.
• a pump generally comprises a pump chamber delimited between an inlet valve of the pump chamber and an outlet valve of the pump chamber. During actuation, the inlet valve is closed automatically, and after a while, the outlet valve is open allowing the expulsion of the product contained in the pump chamber.
• the outlet valve is then opened mechanically, preferably at the end of actuation, when the dose is complete, to open the passage and allow the product contained in the pump chamber to be expelled.
• a pump is described in particular in French patent application FR 00-13569, filed on October 23, 2000.
• the outlet valve being stressed during the actuation of the pump towards its closed position by the pressure of the product, then opened mechanically to allow the expulsion of this product, there is a risk that the flow of the product fluid out of the pump chamber after opening the outlet valve returns it to its closed position, so that the distribution of the dose of product may be incomplete.
• the reproducibility of the dose is therefore not certain.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a pump for dispensing a fluid product which does not have the abovementioned drawbacks.
• the present invention thus aims to provide a fluid dispensing pump which guarantees the total distribution of each dose of fluid product at each actuation of the pump.
• the present invention also aims to provide a fluid dispensing pump which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.
• the present invention therefore relates to a fluid dispenser pump actuated manually to dispense a dose of fluid product on each actuation, said pump comprising a pump body containing a pump chamber and a return spring resiliently urging the pump towards its rest position and automatically returning it to this rest position after each actuation, said pump chamber comprising an outlet valve, said outlet valve being, during actuation of the pump, stressed by the pressure of the product towards a position of closing and being opened mechanically by a valve control element at the end of actuation, when the dose is complete, characterized in that the pump includes valve blocking means to keep the outlet valve in the open position during expulsion of the product out of the pump chamber, to prevent the flow of the fluid product from closing said valve and outlet before the expulsion of the entire dose of fluid, said outlet valve being closed mechanically at the end of expulsion of the fluid by said valve control element, under the effect of said return spring of the pump.
• the pump chamber is defined between a first piston and a second piston.
• said valve blocking means consist in jamming the outlet valve in the open position.
• said outlet valve comprises a valve element and a valve seat, said valve element comprising a valve head cooperating in leaktight manner with said valve seat in the closed position. of the valve, and a valve body extending axially from said valve head, the diameter of said valve body being less than the diameter of said head, said valve body comprising, on the side opposite to said valve head, a valve foot the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of said valve body, the valve control element being slidably mounted around said valve body and mechanically cooperating with said valve foot to open the outlet valve, and with said valve head valve to close the outlet valve.
• valve seat is formed in said first piston, said valve head being inserted with friction in said first piston, a force greater than said friction force being necessary to move said valve head relative to said valve seat between its closing and opening positions.
• valve seat is formed by an annular radial surface approximately perpendicular to the central axis of the pump and surrounding the inlet of an expulsion channel connecting the pump chamber to a dispensing orifice, said valve head. cooperating with said radial annular surface via a respective radial surface.
• the first piston includes an axial sleeve in which said valve head slides, the internal diameter of said axial sleeve being slightly less than the external diameter of said valve head to define said friction force, and therefore the force necessary to move said head. valve relative to said valve seat.
• said axial sleeve includes stop means, such as a radial shoulder, for defining the open position of said valve head.
• the surface of said axial sleeve on which slides said valve head is at least partially frustoconical.
• said valve head comprises means for passing the product, such as one or more opening (s) provided (s) on the periphery of said valve head.
• the present invention also relates to a device for dispensing a fluid product comprising a pump as described above.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid dispensing pump according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, in the pump's rest position, - Figure 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, in the pump actuation position,
• FIG. 3 is a schematic detail view in cross section showing on an enlarged scale the outlet valve of the pump of Figures 1 and 2, in the closed position of the outlet valve
• - Figure 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, in the open position of the outlet valve
• FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an alternative embodiment of the invention, in the closed position of the valve.
• the present invention relates to a pump comprising a pump body 10 containing a pump chamber 11.
• the pump chamber 11 is defined between a first piston 20, called “high piston” and a second piston 30 called “piston bottom ”, and the pump chamber 11 comprises an inlet valve 80 and an outlet valve 40.
• the inlet valve 80 can advantageously be produced in the form of a ball cooperating with a suitable valve seat. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the top piston
• the pump 20 advantageously slides in a part of the pump body of larger diameter, and the low piston 30 slides in a part of the pump body of smaller diameter. This is classic for this type of pump.
• the pump also comprises a return spring 50 which resiliently biases the pump towards its rest position shown in FIG. 1, and which automatically returns it to this rest position after each actuation.
• the return spring 50 is disposed between the pump body and the inlet valve seat 80, but any other positioning of the return spring 50 is also possible.
• the outlet valve 40 is designed so that during actuation of the pump, it is stressed by the pressure of the product contained inside the pump chamber 11 towards its closed position, said outlet valve 40 being mechanically opened by a valve control element 60 at the end of actuation when the dose is complete.
• This valve control element 60 cooperates on the one hand with the outlet valve 40, and on the other hand with the low piston 30 or an element integral with the latter.
• the pump comprises valve blocking means for turning the outlet valve 40 in the open position during the expulsion of the product from the pump chamber 11.
• valve blocking means for turning the outlet valve 40 in the open position during the expulsion of the product from the pump chamber 11.
• the outlet valve 40 is closed mechanically, at the end of expulsion of the fluid product, by said valve control element 60 under the effect of the return spring 50 of the pump.
• the outlet valve blocking means consist of wedging the outlet valve 40 in the open position, as will be described below with reference to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention.
• the outlet valve 40 comprises a valve element 41 which cooperates with a valve seat 42.
• the valve element 41 comprises a valve head 43 which cooperates in leaktight manner with said valve seat 42 in valve 40 closed position.
• the valve element 41 also includes a valve body 44 which in the example shown extends axially from said valve head 43.
• the diameter of the valve body 44 is smaller. to the diameter of the valve head 43, and the valve body 44 comprises on the side opposite to said valve head 43, a foot valve 45 whose diameter is again greater than the diameter of said valve body 44. In this way, the valve body 44 defines a central part of smaller diameter disposed between the valve head 43 and the valve foot 45.
• valve control element 60 is slidably mounted around said valve body 44, in particular around said portion of smaller diameter, and mechanically cooperates on the one hand with the valve foot 45 to open the outlet valve 40, and on the other hand with the valve head 43 to close the outlet valve 40.
• opening and closing operations of the outlet valve are carried out mechanically by said valve control element 60.
• the valve seat 42 of the outlet valve 40 is formed inside said first piston 20, or high piston, said valve head 43 being inserted with friction in said first piston 20. In this way, a higher force said friction force is necessary to move said valve head 43 relative to said valve seat 42 between these closed and open positions.
• the valve seat 42 can be formed by a transverse or radial annular surface, approximately perpendicular to the central axis of the pump, and which surrounds the inlet 71 with an expulsion channel 70 connecting the pump chamber. 11 to a dispensing orifice.
• the high piston 20 can be secured to an actuating rod which incorporates the central channel 70 for expelling the product.
• the valve head 43 advantageously cooperates with said radial annular surface 42 via a respective radial surface 43 '.
• a particular profile may be provided at the interface between said annular radial surfaces 42 and 43 'to promote the sealing of the outlet valve 40 in the closed position. The outlet valve 40 is thus urged towards its closed position as soon as a pressure is created in the pump chamber 11, which ensures a total tightness of said valve.
• the top piston 20 comprises an internal axial sleeve 21 in which said valve head 43 slides.
• the internal diameter of said axial sleeve 21 can be slightly less than the external diameter of said valve head 43. From this way we define said friction force between said valve head 43 and said axial sleeve 21 j and therefore also the force necessary to move said valve head 43 relative to said valve seat 42.
• the sleeve axial 21 of the high piston 20 may include stop means 22, produced for example in the form of a continuous or segmented radial shoulder, to define the open position of said valve head 43.
• the surface 23 of the sleeve axial 21 on which slides the valve head 43 can be at least partially frustoconical, narrowing between the closed position and the open position, as shown in Figure 5.
• this frustoconical portion 23 can be combined with a abutment shoulder as described above.
• the valve head 43 may include product passage means 48, for example made in the form of one or more opening (s) which may (wind) be provided ( s) on the periphery of said valve head 43.
• the operation of the pump according to the invention is as follows.
• the user actuates the pump from its rest position shown in FIG. 1, he requests the actuating rod, which is integral with the high piston 20, axially downwards in FIG. 1, which creates an overpressure inside the pump chamber 11.
• This overpressure automatically closes the inlet valve 80 and causes the bottom piston 30 to move under the effect of the pressure created inside the pump chamber 11.
• the diameter of the pump body in which the low piston slides being less than the diameter of the pump body in which the high piston slides, the low piston 30 moves axially faster than the high piston 20.
• the low piston 30 cooperates with the control element 60 by means of a radial shoulder, so that when the low piston 30 moves axially, it drives with it said valve control member 60.
• Said control element valve member 60 therefore slides around the valve body 44 of reduced diameter.
• the valve element 41 moves together with the first piston 20 while the valve control element 60 moves together with the second piston 30, so that the valve control member 60 moves axially faster downward than the valve member 41.
• the valve control member 60 reaches the lower end position , in which it cooperates by means of a shoulder 61 with the valve foot 45, it will then drive said valve element 41 axially downward, so that said valve element 41 will come off the valve seat 42 against which it was pressed by the pressure of the product contained in the pump chamber 11. As shown in FIG.
• valve element 41 moves axially inside the sleeve internal axial 21 of the first piston 20 over a short distance A, sufficient to open a passage for the product contained in the pump chamber 11.
• the product contained in said pump chamber 11 then flows through said product passage 48 towards said can al expulsion 70 contained inside said first piston 20.
• the shoulder 22 (and / or the frustoconical surface 23), which can be provided in the side wall of the axial sleeve 21, advantageously defines the opening position of the valve outlet 40, shown in FIG. 4.
• the external diameter of the valve head 43 is greater than the internal diameter of the axial sleeve 21.
• valve control element 60 will mechanically close the outlet valve 40 by pushing axially the valve element 41 towards the high in tight contact with the valve seat 42, despite the friction force existing between the valve head 43 and the axial sleeve 21 of the high piston 20.
• the present invention therefore provides a fluid dispensing pump in which the outlet valve is biased towards its closed position during the entire actuation stroke of the pump, which guarantees an absolute seal at this level, then is opened. mechanically at the end of the stroke to allow the expulsion of the product contained in the pump chamber, the distribution of the entire dose contained in the pump chamber being guaranteed by the fact that the outlet valve cannot accidentally close under the effect of the flow of product leaving before the end of expulsion of the product contained in the pump chamber.

Landscapes

• Details Of Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
• Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=28686135

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2002
  • 2002-04-17 FR FR0204809A patent/FR2838783B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2003
  • 2003-04-14 EP EP03740604A patent/EP1497039B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-04-14 DE DE60301572T patent/DE60301572T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2003-04-14 WO PCT/FR2003/001182 patent/WO2003086650A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2003-04-14 CN CN03808560.7A patent/CN1646231B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-04-14 AU AU2003262156A patent/AU2003262156A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-04-14 JP JP2003583649A patent/JP4295121B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (1)

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