WO2007042702A1

WO2007042702A1 - Cover member, method of producing one such member and dispenser comprising one such member

Info

Publication number: WO2007042702A1
Application number: PCT/FR2006/050970
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gilles Jourdin; Cédric MESNIL
Original assignee: Valois Sas
Priority date: 2005-10-04
Filing date: 2006-10-02
Publication date: 2007-04-19
Also published as: BRPI0616938A2; CN101312790B; EP1954405B1; FR2891529B1; CN101312790A; ES2537558T3; US20080296309A1; FR2891529A1; EP1954405A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cover member (1) which is intended to be mounted to a fixing ring (2), said cover member and ring together forming a fixing device for fixing a dispensing system (3), such as a pump or a valve, to the neck of a container (40). The cover member has an essentially-cylindrical configuration and comprises an outer wall (14) and an inner wall (15) which is intended to come into tight contact around the ring (2), said inner wall forming a network of hollow grooves (16, 17) from a base zone (151), which extend in at least two different directions.

Description

Covering member, method of manufacturing such a member and dispenser comprising such an organ

The present invention relates to a cover member for mounting on a fixing ring, the ring and the cover member together forming a fastening device for fixing a dispensing system, such as a pump or a valve, on the neck of a container. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a cover member. The present invention also relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a container, a dispensing system (pump or valve) and a fastening device incorporating a covering member of the invention. Such fluid dispensers are frequently used in the fields of perfumery, cosmetics or even pharmacy.

The cover member of the ring may have several technical and / or aesthetic functions. A first technical function of the cover member is to maintain or block the fixing ring on the neck of the container. Indeed, one can use the cover member to prevent the ring from deforming outwardly and thus to disengage the neck of the container. Another aesthetic function of the covering member is to dress the fixing ring so as to give it an aesthetic appearance. The covering member is then produced with materials and shapes that make it attractive to the eye.

The cover member may be made of plastic or metal.

Whether the cover member performs an aesthetic or technical function, it is important that it is fixedly held on the fixing ring. Indeed, the cover member must not be able to be easily torn off the ring by pulling on it. It is therefore necessary that the fastening between the cover member and the ring has a high resistance to traction. To improve the behavior of the cover member on the ring, it is already known to make the inner wall of the hoop intended to come into tight contact with the ring with projections projecting inwards. This is particularly the case in the documents EP-0 704 250 and US-6 253 941. In the aforementioned European document, it is intended to produce oblique reliefs on the inner wall of the cover member. These oblique reliefs allow easy removal of the cover member of the hoop for recycling purposes. In the aforementioned US document, it is intended to make continuous annular grooves or ribs at the inner wall of the cover member. These grooves or ribs provide good tensile strength, but are totally ineffective with respect to the holding of the rotating cover member.

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a cover member whose tensile strength and rotation is particularly important.

To achieve this object, the present invention provides a cover member for mounting on a fixing ring, the ring and the cover member together forming a fastening device for securing a dispensing system, such as a pump or a valve, on a container neck, the covering member having a generally cylindrical general configuration and comprising an outer wall, and an inner wall intended to come into tight contact around the ring, the inner wall forming a network of grooves in hollow from a base area, characterized in that the grooves extending in at least two different directions. Once mounted on the fixing ring, the constituent material of the fixing ring will flow in the network of recessed grooves and thus effectively fix the cover member on the ring. Advantageously, at least two grooves intersect so as to form at least one intersection of grooves. Since the grooves intersect, this means that they extend in different directions. The ring which flows in these secant grooves is thus locked in at least two directions, which ensures good resistance both in rotation and in traction.

In addition, it is advantageous for the grooves to intersect substantially at right angles, or at least at an angle that approaches the right angle. This ensures a better resistance to traction and rotation. According to an advantageous embodiment, a portion of the grooves extend in a first direction and another portion of the grooves extend in a second direction transverse to the first direction. Preferably, the grooves extend to form a diamond checkerboard. A square can also be considered as a particular diamond. According to another definition, the grooves extend in a respective pattern. However, the grooves may also extend with a completely random pattern.

According to another advantageous feature of the invention, the grooves are made by displacement of material, so that the grooves are bordered by sheaves of displaced material which protrude from the base area. The clumps of displaced material also participate in holding the cover member on the ring as they can bite into the material constituting the fixing ring.

The invention also defines a method of manufacturing a cover member comprising the steps of providing a metal stamping cover member, and then machining the grooves by material removal or material movement. Material displacement machining is preferable because, on the one hand, it does not generate debris or metal chips, and secondly clusters of displaced material improve the holding of the cover member on the ring.

The present invention also defines a fluid dispenser comprising a container, a dispensing system and a fastening device incorporating a cover member as defined above.

Advantageously, the ring has an internal diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the fixing ring, so that the constituent material of the ring flows in the groove network. Thus, the cover member must be force-fitted on the fixing ring whose constituent material is then forced to flow in the recessed groove network.

An advantageous principle of the invention is to produce recessed grooves at the inner wall of the cover member, these grooves having different directions, so that they can cut. The grooves can be rectilinear or have any profile, even random.

The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings giving by way of non-limiting example an embodiment of the invention. In the figures:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view partially in cross-section and partly in plan of a fluid dispenser using a covering member according to one embodiment of the invention, and

- Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged view of detail A of Figure 1. In the embodiment used to illustrate the present invention, the cover member performs both technical and aesthetic functions. Indeed, the covering member is a member visible from the outside which therefore gives an aesthetic appearance. This is why the collection agency will be designated in the following description by a term frequently used in the fields of perfumery and cosmetics, namely "trim ring". The term dressing is particularly appropriate, since the hoop dresses the fixing ring, as will be seen below. The hoop has been designated as a whole by the numerical reference

1. It can be made of plastic or metal. It has a generally cylindrical general configuration with a hollow interior. More specifically, the hoop comprises a substantially cylindrical barrel 10 comprising a lower end 11 and an upper end which extends inwardly in the form of a tipping flap 12. The edge of the tuck flap 12 defines an opening 13 which extends through the barrel 10. The barrel 10 comprises a visible outer wall 14 and an inner wall 15. This wall 15 defines a smooth cylindrical base area 151.

According to the invention, the inner wall 15 of the drum 10 forms a network of grooves 16, 17 which here has a general configuration of lattice, mesh or checkerboard. The grooves are made recessed with respect to the base area 151 which can form the major part of the inner wall 15. This means that the grooves extend deep into the wall thickness of the barrel 10. The groove network thus delimits many diamond-shaped tiles formed by the base area 151. In the non-limiting embodiment shown in Figure 1, the grooves can be divided into two categories, namely grooves 16 and grooves 17. The grooves 16 and 17 are substantially straight or rectilinear, if the cover member is unfolded so that its inner wall 15 extends in a plane. However, what differentiates the grooves 16 of the grooves 17 is the orientation or the direction of these two categories of grooves. Indeed, the grooves 16 extend from bottom left to top right, while the grooves 17 extend from bottom right to top left in Figure 1. Of course, it is necessary consider that the bottom end 11 is down and that the upper end forming the reentrant flap 12 is at the top. Thus, the grooves 16 intersect the grooves 17 in many points so that the groove network comprises a large number of intersections 18 of grooves. In the example used to illustrate the invention, both the grooves 16 and 17 extend obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis X of the barrel 10.

Instead of the groove network shown in FIG. 1, it is also possible to implement other types of groove networks which form intersections. For example, it is possible for a part of the grooves to extend vertically along the X axis while another part of the grooves extends horizontally so as to form annular grooves. In this case, the vertical grooves provide a rotational hold, while the horizontal grooves provide tensile strength. The angle that the grooves make between them can be very variable, but it is preferable that it is close to the right angle, to ensure an optimal hold in both traction and rotation. The grooves 16 and 17 of Figure 1 have been made substantially rectilinear, but one can also imagine curved grooves. One can also imagine that the inner wall 15 forms a single groove that extends along a path for example random so that the groove itself cuts at different points.

Any kind of groove pattern is likely to be practiced in the present invention, provided that the grooves extend at least in two different directions. It is not necessary that the grooves intersect: it is possible to make a network substantially similar to that of Figure 1 without the grooves intersect. It is sufficient that the grooves do not extend to the level where they would intersect normally. However, it is preferable that the grooves intersect.

The trim band 1 is intended to cooperate with a fixing ring 2 which has a configuration quite conventional for the field of perfumery and cosmetics. The ring is preferably made of plastic. The fixing ring 2 comprises a skirt 20 defining tabs 21 separated by vertical longitudinal slots 22. Each tab 21 internally forms fastening heads 23 which project inwards. The tabs 21 are separated by the slots 22 so as to confer a certain deformation capacity to the tabs which will be necessary to engage the ring on the neck. The skirt 20 is connected at its upper end to a plate 24 which extends inwardly forming a latching housing 25 whose function will be given below. On the other hand, the ring 2 comprises a guiding wall 26 which advantageously extends upwards in alignment with the skirt 20. A distribution system 3, which is the occurrence of a pump, is engaged in the housing of The pump 3 comprises a body 31 defining at its lower end an inlet 32 and at its upper end a flange 33 engaged by snapping inside the housing 25. The pump 3 also comprises a shank 33. actuation 34 which is movable back and forth within the body 3. The actuating rod 34 protrudes out of the body and receives an actuating head 35 which is here in the form of a pusher. Thus, by pressing the pusher 35, the actuating rod 34 is moved inside the body 31, which has the effect of dispensing a dose of fluid. This is a pump quite classic in the field of pharmacy or cosmetics.

As mentioned above, the ring 2 is intended to fix the pump 3 on a container, which is here designated by the reference numeral 4. This container, which is only partially shown, comprises a neck 40 which defines an opening communicating the inside the container with the outside. The neck 40 defines an annular upper end edge 41 and an outer peripheral shoulder 42. The fixing ring 2 cooperates with this neck by engagement of the gripping heads 23 below the shoulder 42. To achieve the seal, a neck seal 27 is compressed between the upper edge 41 and the plate 24 of the ring 2. To reach below the shoulder 42, the heads 23 must first pass beyond the shoulder 42. This is possible because the tabs 21 can deform radially outwardly to pass the shoulder 42. Once the shoulder has passed, the heads 23 can at least partially be housed below the shoulder 42. In a completely conventional manner, the trim band 1 is mounted on the fixing ring 2 so as to block the tabs 21 around the neck 40. To do this, the inner wall 15 of the trim band comes into tight contact with the outer wall of the ring, which is here formed by the skirt 20 and the guide wall 26.

The grooves 16 and 17, and their possible intersections 18, greatly contribute to the holding both in rotation and in traction of the cover member on the fixing ring. Indeed, the constituent material of the ring will flow in the network of grooves. For this, it is preferable that the diameter of the inner wall is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the outer wall of the ring at the level of the skirt and / or the guide wall. The different orientation of the grooves 16 and 17 ensures resistance to both rotation and traction.

The grooves 16 and 17 may be made by removing or moving material. Moving material is however preferred because it generates no debris. The fact of making any grooves by displacement of material is a process per se protectable, regardless of the shape or orientation of the grooves.

Reference will now be made to FIG. 2 to explain the macroscopic structure of a network of grooves produced by displacement of material, for example by embossing or knurling. As mentioned above, the grooves 16 extend from the bottom left to the top right, while the grooves 17 extend from bottom right to top left. The grooves 16 and 17 have been made here with a substantially triangular or pointed profile so that each groove defines a bottom line of grooves 161, 171, as well as two inclined flanks of grooves 162, 163 and 172, 173. The grooves 16 and 17 intersect at the intersections 18. The groove bottom lines 161 and 171 intersect, while the flanks 162 connect the flanks 172 and the flanks 163 connect the flanks 173.

Since these grooves were made by material displacement, the material which originally was at the grooves was moved on the edges of the grooves so as to form clusters of material 19 which may be in the form of a barb projecting from the base area 151. Specifically, the cluster 19 may include a flank 191 adjacent the grooves and another flank 192 adjacent to the base area 151. It can thus be seen in the figure 2 that the base area 151 is bordered by four clusters 19. It can thus be said that the base zone 151 is located below the diamond-shaped ridge formed by the four clusters 19. A bowl is thus created which will also participate in the hanging of the band on the ring. Indeed, the constituent material of the fixing ring will be deformed by the clusters 19, so that the constituent material will penetrate inside the bowl and thus create an additional anchor point. It should also be noted that the clusters 19 comprise sharp edges that also promote the attachment of the band on the ring.

Thus, this network of grooves made by displacement of material offers numerous attachment reliefs, namely the grooves 16 and 17, but also the clusters 19 which form diamond-shaped bowls whose bottom is constituted by the base zone 151.

Alternatively, the grooves may be replaced by ribs so as to obtain a network negative consisting of depressions surrounded by a protruding periphery. The overall configuration can be likened to a juxtaposition of cuvettes or cells. The ribs may for example be made by knurling with a wheel forming protruding pins which will form the depressions, cuvettes or cells. The displaced material will form the ribs in the form of protruding barbs. Protection can also be sought for such a rib network fret.

Claims

claims

1.- covering member (1) intended to be mounted on a fixing ring (2), the ring and the covering member together forming a fixing device for fixing a distribution system

(3), such as a pump or a valve, on a container neck (40), the cover member having a generally cylindrical general configuration and comprising an outer wall (14), and an inner wall

(15) intended to come into tight contact around the ring (2), the inner wall forming an array of grooves (16, 17) recessed from a base area (151), characterized in that the grooves extending in at least two different directions.

2. A cover member according to claim 1, wherein at least two grooves (16, 17) intersect so as to form at least one intersection (18) of grooves.

3. A cover member according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the grooves (16) extends in a first direction and another portion of the grooves (17) extends in a second direction transverse to the first direction.

4. A cover member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the grooves extend to form a diamond checkerboard.

5. A cover member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the grooves extend in a respective pattern.

6. A cover member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the grooves are made by displacement of material, so that the grooves are bordered by sheaves of displaced material which protrude from the area of based

(151).

7. A method of manufacturing a cover member according to claims 1 to 5, comprising the following steps: a) achieve a metal stamping cover member, b) machining the ribs by removal of material.

8. A method of manufacturing a cover member according to claim 6, comprising the following steps: a) to achieve a metal stamping cover member, b) machining the grooves by displacement of material.

9. A fluid dispenser comprising a container, a dispensing system and a fastener incorporating a cover member according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. A fluid dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the base (151) has an inner diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the fixing ring, so that the constituent material of the ring flows in the groove network.