EP0737628B1 - Device for storing and dispensing of a liquid or pasty product - Google Patents

Abstract

The packaging and distributor comprises a flexible deformable membrane (4), with an ejection hole (41), housed in the upper part of the product container (1). The membrane is sealed in its upper part by a cap (2) which passes axially through a tube forming a jet whose upper end (31) projects outside and whose lower internal end is supported on the membrane, sealing the hole. The membrane is constituted by an axial truncated valve (40) whose upper end has the ejection hole and whose lower edge is attached to a U section collar (42). The collar is extended upwards, the length of the internal wall of the container by a thin extensible skirt (43) connected in its upper part, by a fixing flange (44) onto the container.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for packaging and distribution of a liquid or pasty product.

There are packaging and distribution systems which include in particular means for compressing a product in a container, tightly closed, on the one hand at its part upper by a cover axially traversed by a nozzle tube the upper end of which protrudes outside and, on the other hand, at its lower part by an internally movable bottom.

However, in traditional systems, the means of compression generally consist of a pump fitted with a spring.

However, the presence of such a pump makes the device complex and expensive insofar as it then consists of the assembly of a large number of pieces made with various and varied materials.

The object of the present invention is to solve the problems previous techniques satisfactorily.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by means of a device for packaging and dispensing a liquid product or pasty comprising in particular means for compressing a container sealed on the one hand at its upper part by a cover axially overturned by a tube forming a nozzle, the upper end protrudes on the outside and, on the other hand, at its part lower by an internally movable bottom, characterized in that said compression means comprise a membrane elastically deformable, pierced with a central ejection orifice which is housed in the upper part of the container and in that the end internal lower part of the nozzle is provided on the one hand with a support element on said membrane and, on the other hand, a sealing element of said ejection port.

According to an advantageous characteristic, said membrane is consisting of a substantially frustoconical axial valve whose the upper end is provided with the ejection orifice and the edge of which lower is attached to a U-shaped section ring extending towards the high, along the inner wall of the container by a thin skirt extendable connected at its upper part to a mounting flange on the recipient.

According to a particular embodiment, said cover covers the upper part of the container by trapping the fixing flange of said membrane.

According to another characteristic, said support element of the nozzle on the membrane consists of a peripheral corolla surrounding the shutter element.

The lower edge of said corolla is preferably made up of a tapered crown.

According to yet another characteristic, said element closing the ejection orifice consists of a central lug delimiting around it a cavity communicating with the conduit internal nozzle by at least one lateral opening.

According to another aspect of the invention, said movable bottom is consisting of a sliding element towards the nozzle and self-locking of substantially cylindrical shape having on the one hand an upper wall, elastically deformable convex, intended to be constantly at product contact and, on the other hand, a peripheral side wall intended to come into bracing against the internal lateral face of the container.

Preferably, the peripheral edge of the upper wall of the movable bottom has a profile ensuring both the scraping of the product on the internal lateral face of the container when raising the bottom and the bottom seal of the container.

According to a complementary variant, the movable bottom comprises at besides under its upper wall a crown of flexible lamellae inclined downwards, the ends of which bear against the face internal container to reinforce the blocking of the bottom.

Finally, it is expected that the upper end of the nozzle tube is capped by a dispensing nozzle.

The device of the invention is particularly simple because it consists only of a small number of parts.

In addition, the assembly of these parts is very easy.

This device has no metal parts and can therefore be easily recycled.

It ensures perfectly airtight packaging as well as efficient product distribution and finds its main application in the cosmetic or pharmaceutical field.

• les figures 1a, 1b et 1c représentent des vues en coupe d'un premier mode de réalisation du dispositif de l'invention lors de différentes phases du fonctionnement ; et,
• la figure 2 représente une vue en coupe d'un second mode de réalisation du dispositif de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, accompanied by the drawings in which:

• Figures 1a, 1b and 1c show sectional views of a first embodiment of the device of the invention during different phases of operation; and,
• Figure 2 shows a sectional view of a second embodiment of the device of the invention.

The device shown in Figures 1a, 1b and 1c is intended for packaging and distribution of a liquid or pasty product P. This product can therefore have a high viscosity and be present in form of a cream.

The device notably comprises compression means of a product P in a container 1 so as to allow the ejection of the product P.

The container 1 is sealed on the one hand, at its upper part by a cover 2 and, on the other hand, at its lower part by an internally movable bottom 5. The cover 2 is crossed axially by a tube 3 forming a nozzle. The upper end 31 of the tube 3 and its internal duct 31a protrude and open to the outside.

Optionally, a dispensing tip 6 comes to cap the upper end of the tube 3 above the cover 2.

The means of compressing the product P in the container 1 include an elastically deformable membrane 4.

The membrane 4 is pierced with a central ejection orifice 41 and is housed in the upper part of container 1.

The membrane 4 consists of an axial valve 40 substantially frustoconical, the upper end of which is provided with the ejection orifice 41 and the lower edge of which is attached to a ring 42 of U-shaped section. The ring 42 extends upwards, along the inner wall of container 1 by a thin, extendable skirt 43, connected at its upper part with an annular flange 44 for fixing on the container 1.

The annular flange 44 preferably comprises a shoulder 45 intended to marry the neck 10 of the container 1.

In this configuration, the cover 2 covers the neck 10 while being in support on the flange 44 and trapping the shoulder 45 of the flange 44 between its lateral wall and the external face of the neck 10.

Furthermore, the lower edge of the cover 2 is in abutment against a shoulder 11 of the container 1 and is fitted in force on a span cylindrical 12 formed on the neck 10 of the container above shoulder 11.

The internal lower end of the nozzle tube 3 is provided on the one hand, of a support element on the membrane 4 and, on the other hand, of a closure element of the ejection orifice 41.

The support element of the inner lower end of the tube 3 on the membrane 4 consists of a peripheral corolla 32 surrounding the closing element of the orifice 41.

The lower edge of the corolla 32 has a crown frustoconical 32a in contact with support on the ring 42.

Crown 32a has a larger width and diameter than the upper part of the corolla 32 to guarantee a bearing force uniform on the ring 42.

The closure element of the ejection orifice 41 is constituted a central lug 33 defining around it a cavity 34 communicating with the internal conduit 31a of the tube 3 by at least one lateral opening 35.

The movable bottom 5 consists of a sliding element towards the high in the direction of the nozzle and self-locking substantially shaped cylindrical. This element has, on the one hand, an upper wall 51, convex and elastically deformable intended to be constantly in contact with the product 2 and, on the other hand, a peripheral side wall 52 intended to come into bracing against the internal lateral face of the container 1 so to prohibit the return of the bottom 5 to the bottom.

The peripheral edge 50 of the upper wall 51 of the bottom mobile 5 has a profile ensuring both the scraping of the product P on the face internal lateral of the container 1 during the raising of the bottom 5 and the sealing bottom of said container.

As shown in Figure 1b, the manual pressure F exerted on the nozzle 6 causes the descent of the tube 3 and the support of the crown 32a of the corolla 32 on the ring 42, which causes the elongation of the skirt 43 of the membrane 4 and the compression of the product P in container 1 by the piston effect of ring 42.

The overpressure created within product P causes the opening of the ejection orifice 41 around the lug 33, the filling of the cavity 34 and the expulsion of the product P outside, via the internal conduit 31a of the tube 3.

The quantity of product distributed is therefore a direct function of the lengthening of the skirt 43.

The overpressure created inside the container 1 causes also elastic deformation and, more precisely, flattening of the convex upper wall 51 of the bottom 5. This deformation is affects the peripheral edge 50 of the wall 51 by pressing reinforced then prohibiting any descent from the bottom 5. Simultaneously, we witness the erasure of the side wall 52 and the disappearance temporary bracing.

When the nozzle 6 is released, the tube 3 rises releasing thus the membrane 4 which then resumes its original shape and position.

In this closed position, the orifice 41 is again closed by lug 33.

Due to the expulsion of a dose of product P the reminder of the membrane 4 however creates a depression in the container 1 which is immediately offset by the rise of the bottom 5 by maintaining the contact with product P.

The bottom 5 slides in a guided way upwards by sliding of its lateral wall 52 against the internal lateral face of the container 1. This movement is made possible by the temporary absence of bracing and is accompanied by scraping of the internal lateral face of the container.

As the membrane 4 returns to its position of closure, the bottom 5 regains its initial shape and the bracing of the side wall 52 reappears thus ensuring the blocking of the bottom 5 in its new position of equilibrium.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the bottom mobile 5 further comprises, under its upper wall 51, a crown flexible strips 53 inclined downwards. The free ends of strips 53 come to bear against the internal face of the container 1 for reinforce the hold of the bottom in its blocking position.

The blade crown 53 is fixed to a central bush 54 integral with the upper wall 51 and projecting downward.

Claims (9)

1. A device for packaging and dispensing a liquid or semi-liquid substance (P), the device comprising, in particular, an elastically deformable membrane (4) provided with an ejection orifice (41) that is received in the top of a receptacle (1) of substance (P) that is closed in sealed manner firstly at its top end by a cap (2) having a nozzle-forming tube (3) passing axially therethrough with the top end (31) of the tube projecting to the outside and the internal bottom end being provided with an element for bearing against said membrane (4) and with a closure element for closing said ejection orifice (41), and secondly at its bottom end by an internally movable punt (5), characterised in that said membrane (4) is constituted by a substantially frustoconical axial valvular-like valve (40) whose top end is provided with the ejection orifice (41) and whose bottom edge runs into a channel section ring (42) that is extended upwards along the internal wall of the receptacle (1) by a stretchable thin skirt (43) connected at its top to a flange (44) for fixing to the receptacle (1).
2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that said cap (2) covers the top portion of the receptacle (1), holding captive the flange (44) for fixing said membrane (4).
3. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said element of the nozzle (3) for bearing against the membrane (4) is constituted by a peripheral hood (32) surrounding the closure element.
4. A device according to claim 3, characterised in that the bottom edge of said hood (32) carries a tapering rim (32a).
5. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said closure element for closing the ejection orifice (41) is constituted by a central nose (33) surrounded by a cavity (34) which communicates with the internal duct (31a) of the nozzle (3) via at least one lateral opening (35).
6. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said movable punt (5) is constituted by an element that slides towards the nozzle and that is self-locking, the element being substantially cylindrical in shape and having both a top wall (51) which is convex and elastically deformable and which is designed to be continuously in contact with the substance (P), and also a peripheral side wall (52) designed to jam against the internal side face of the receptacle (1 ).
7. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that the peripheral edge (50) of the top wall (51) of the movable punt (5) has a profile that serves both to scrape the substance (P) on the internal side face of the receptacle (1) when the punt (5) rises and also to seal the bottom of the receptacle.
8. A device according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the movable punt (5) also includes, beneath its top wall (51) a set of downwardly sloping flexible blades (53) whose ends bear against the internal face of the receptacle (1) to reinforce locking of the punt (5).
9. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the top end (31) of the nozzle tube (31) is covered by a dispensing endpiece (6).

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