EP1380520B1 - Distributor device for a container provided with a valve - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to dispensing devices.

• un capot, encore appelé parfois « frette », destiné à être fixé sur le récipient, ce capot présentant une ouverture,
• un embout distributeur mobile par rapport au capot, cet embout distributeur comportant :
  • un orifice de distribution, et
  • un conduit pour canaliser le produit sortant de l'élément de distribution vers l'orifice de distribution,
• un bouton-poussoir mobile par rapport au capot pour agir sur l'embout distributeur afin d'actionner l'élément de distribution, le capot étant configuré d'une part pour masquer l'orifice de distribution quand le bouton-poussoir est au repos et d'autre part pour permettre à l'orifice de distribution de se positionner en regard de l'ouverture du capot quand le bouton-poussoir est enfoncé pour provoquer l'actionnement de l'élément de distribution, c'est-à-dire la distribution du produit.

The invention more particularly relates to a dispensing device for equipping a container provided with a dispensing element comprising, for example, a valve stem through which product contained in the container can exit when the element is actuated, this device being type comprising:

• a cover, sometimes called "fret", intended to be fixed on the container, this cover having an opening,
• a distributor nozzle movable relative to the hood, this dispensing nozzle comprising:
  • a dispensing orifice, and
  • a conduit for channeling the product leaving the dispensing element towards the dispensing orifice,
• a push-button movable relative to the cover to act on the dispensing tip to actuate the dispensing element, the cover being configured on the one hand to hide the dispensing orifice when the push button is at rest and on the other hand to allow the dispensing orifice to be positioned opposite the opening of the hood when the push button is depressed to cause the actuation of the dispensing element, that is to say the product distribution.

Such a device is known from FR-A-2 814 726 but can not function than with a valve allowing to push the valve stem on a large stroke before to trigger the distribution of the product.

However, there are many pressurized vessels equipped with valves requiring a small stroke of the valve stem to cause the distribution of the product, containers for which the device described in FR-A-2 814 726 is therefore not adapted.

Furthermore, other dispensing devices are known from WO 97/25259, EP-A-1 118 554, FR-A-2 767 799, EP-A-0 151 973, CH 442 168 and FR 1 572 537.

The device described in FR 1 572 537 uses a metal spring to act on the dispensing tip, which is relatively expensive.

The invention aims in particular to make it possible to use a distribution device of the type recalled above in association with a valve requiring only a weak displacement of the valve stem to cause dispensing of the product.

According to one of its aspects, the subject of the invention is a device in which the push button is configured to, when enabled to distribute product, move in a first phase the dispensing orifice relative to the hood, so that it come opposite the opening of the hood, the duct of the dispensing nozzle being adapted to deform to allow the displacement of the dispensing orifice without actuation of the distribution element during the first phase, then in a second phase cause the actuation of the dispensing element.

The invention makes it possible to produce at a relatively low cost a device for reliable distribution and able to be used in combination with a distribution element such as a valve or pump requiring only a small displacement of a rod of command to cause the distribution of the product.

• une partie périphérique, par rapport à laquelle l'orifice de distribution est fixe,
• une partie centrale coopérant avec l'élément de distribution, et
• une partie intermédiaire élastiquement déformable, reliant les parties centrale et périphérique.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the dispenser tip may comprise:

• a peripheral part, with respect to which the dispensing orifice is fixed,
• a central part cooperating with the distribution element, and
• an elastically deformable intermediate portion, connecting the central and peripheral parts.

This intermediate portion may comprise material bridges, flexible, and the duct can be advantageously made at least partially inside one said bridges.

At least one of the bridges may have a cross-section substantially rectangular, with a large side substantially perpendicular to a direction of travel of the dispensing nozzle for actuating the dispensing element, this direction which may coincide for example with a longitudinal axis of a valve stem.

The intermediate portion may comprise, for example, three bridges arranged substantially at 120 ° from each other.

The push button can be configured to drive while traveling, during the aforementioned first phase, the peripheral part without driving the central part, then during the second phase, the central part will also be involved.

The force exerted by the intermediate part on the central part, when the pushbutton begins to be released while the distribution element is in distribution position, may be less than the force exerted by the distribution element on the central part to return to its original state.

The central part, the intermediate part and the peripheral part can be made in one piece by molding material, in the same material or in several materials, for example with a thermoplastic elastomer for material connecting the central and peripheral parts.

The peripheral portion may comprise at least one stiffening rib oriented obliquely inwards, on the push button side. The latter can have a skirt configured to support its free edge on a support surface located radially outside this rib.

The central portion may include an element projecting from the push-button side and the latter may include an inner skirt in which this protruding element, the inner skirt being configured to support by its free edge on a bearing surface of the central part, surrounding the projecting element.

The dispensing orifice may be defined for example by a channel nozzle eddy.

The dispensing nozzle may comprise a wall capable of being positioned facing opening the hood when the push button is at rest.

The distribution element may comprise a control rod, such a rod still being called a valve stem when the dispensing element is a valve.

According to another of its aspects, the invention also relates to a container equipped with a dispensing device as defined above.

This container may comprise a valve comprising a valve stem which product is dispensed when the valve is actuated. The axial displacement of the valve stem required to actuate the valve may be less than or equal to 2 mm, by example.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective éclatée d'un dispositif de distribution réalisé conformément à l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective, avec arrachement, du dispositif de la figure 1, à l'état assemblé,
• la figure 3 représente en coupe axiale schématique le dispositif de la figure 1 en place sur un récipient, le bouton-poussoir n'étant pas enfoncé,
• la figure 4 est une vue analogue à la figure 3, représentant le dispositif en cours de distribution,
• la figure 5 est une vue analogue à la figure 3, représentant une variante de réalisation dans laquelle l'élément de distribution est une valve sans tige de valve,
• la figure 6 représente une autre variante dans laquelle l'élément de distribution est une pompe, et
• la figure 7 est une vue partielle et schématique illustrant la réalisation du capot et du bouton-poussoir d'une seule pièce par moulage.

The invention may be better understood on reading the following detailed description, non-limiting examples of implementation, and on examining the appended drawing, in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a dispensing device produced according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view, with cutaway, of the device of FIG. 1, in the assembled state,
• FIG. 3 represents in schematic axial section the device of FIG. 1 in place on a container, the pushbutton not being depressed,
• FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the device being dispensed,
• FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing an alternative embodiment in which the dispensing element is a valve without a valve stem;
• FIG. 6 represents another variant in which the distribution element is a pump, and
• Figure 7 is a partial schematic view illustrating the embodiment of the cover and the push button in one piece by molding.

There is shown in the drawing a dispensing device 1 intended to equip a container 2, the latter being partially shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The container 2 comprises for example a pressurized container 3 provided with a valve 90 crimped in a cup closing the upper part of the can 3, so conventional, this valve 90 having a valve stem 4, hollow.

The valve can be of any known type, the actuation being effected by example by a depression of the rod 4 of a stroke less than or equal to 2 mm.

The container 2 may contain a product to be sprayed, for example a product cosmetic, and a propellant, which may or may not be stored in liquefied form in the container 2 and whether or not delivered with the product.

The dispensing device 1 comprises a cover 10, a push button 20 and a dispensing nozzle 30.

The cover 10 has a mounting skirt 11 provided in the lower part with a bead 12 for securing it by snapping into an annular groove 5 present at the upper part of the can 3.

The mounting skirt 11 is traversed by an opening 13, through which can be dispensed the product, when the pushbutton 20 is depressed as shown in Figure 4.

The opening 13 is for example, as illustrated, of generally circular shape.

The mounting skirt 11 is connected in the upper part to an inner skirt 14, the latter defining an opening 15 to access the push button 20. The latter comprises an upper wall 21, intended to serve as a support for a finger of the user, connecting at the periphery to a first skirt 22 extending at least partially facing the inner skirt 14 of the hood 10.

The push-button 20 has inside the first skirt 22 a second skirt 23, cylindrical in revolution and substantially of the same axis X as the rod of valve 4.

The first skirt 22 is provided externally with vertical ribs 26, as can be seen in Figure 1, as well as in the lower part of a lateral opening 27 bordered by two vertical legs 28 intended to bear on the dispensing tip 30.

The push-button 20 also comprises a horizontal tab 29 intended to to prevent it from leaving the hood 10, abutting against the latter.

The dispensing nozzle 30 comprises a central portion 31 comprising in lower part a cylindrical skirt 32 defining a shouldered housing in which can engage substantially the upper part of the valve stem 4, as can be seen in Figure 4. We also see in this figure that the stem of valve 4 abuts by its upper end 4a against the shoulder of the housing.

The central portion 31 is provided in the upper part with a projecting element 33, generally in the form of a tip, formed of three walls 33a arranged at 120 °, one of other.

FIG. 4 shows in particular that the central portion 31 defines, around the projecting element 33 and at its base, a bearing surface 34 against which can come press the second skirt 23 of the push button by its lower end 23a, when the pushbutton 20 is sufficiently depressed.

The dispensing nozzle 30 comprises, in addition to the central portion 31, a portion peripheral 40 of generally annular shape.

The central parts 31 and peripheral 40 are interconnected by bridges of spring material, namely in the illustrated example two substantially radial arms 41 arranged at 120 ° from each other and a substantially radial duct 42 arranged at 120 ° with each of the arms 41.

Each arm 41 has a generally rectangular cross section flattened, long side perpendicular to the X axis.

The conduit 42 has a cross section of generally circular shape.

The peripheral portion 40 has an annular rib 43, extending obliquely inwardly on the side of the pushbutton 20, being interrupted at the connection of the arms 41 and at an opening 45 extending around the duct 42.

The peripheral portion 40 includes a nozzle support 46 to which the conduit 42 is connected and on which can be fixed a swirling channel nozzle 50, conventional, as can be seen in Figures 3 and 4. The support 46 presents to this effect a stud 47 also called "centerpost". The support 46 has, in the lower part, a wall 48 which is positioned behind the opening 13 when the push button 20 is at rest, as can be seen in Figure 3, to seal.

The nozzle 50 defines a dispensing orifice 51.

In the example shown, the dispensing nozzle 30 is made in one piece by molding plastic material (s). The material in which the mouthpiece is made distributor 30 is chosen such that the peripheral portion 40 can move axially with respect to the central portion 31 by elastic deformation of the arms 41 and the leads 42.

The peripheral portion 40 defines, radially outside the rib 43, a bearing surface 49 on which can support the first skirt 22 of the push button 20 by its lower end 22a, as can be seen in Figure 2.

It can also be seen in this figure that when the pushbutton 20 is at rest, the first skirt 22 and the legs 28 come to bear substantially on the part 40, while the second skirt 23 is spaced from the bearing surface 34. tabs 28 are positioned on either side of the duct 42.

The operation of the dispensing device 1 is as follows.

At rest, the wall 48 is located behind the opening 13 and prevents the impurities to return inside the hood 10. The dispensing orifice 51 is protected by the hood wall 11 which is located above this opening 13.

When the user presses the push button 20 to dispense produced, in a first phase, the push-button 20 displace the part device 40 downward, which has the effect of positioning the dispensing orifice 51 in With this movement of the peripheral portion 40, the rod of valve 4 is substantially not or insufficiently displaced for the valve to be actuated, the force to be exerted on the valve stem 4 to actuate the valve being greater than the force required to move the peripheral portion 40 relative to the central portion 31 to bring the dispensing orifice 51 opposite the opening 13.

Then, when the end 23a of the skirt 23 of the push button reaches the support surface 34, the continuation of the descent movement of the pushbutton 20 is accompanied by a depression of the valve stem 4 of a sufficient stroke to cause the valve to operate. The dispensing orifice 51 is at this moment in approximately in the center of the opening 13 and the product contained in the container 2 may leave the inner channel of the valve stem 4, circulate inside the central part 31 and win the duct 42 and the nozzle 50.

During the movement of the peripheral portion 40 relative to the portion central 31, the duct 42 and the arms 41 have elastically deformed.

The force exerted by the arms 41 and the duct 42 on the central part 31, when the pushbutton 20 begins to be released while the valve is in the process of distribution, is less than the force exerted by the valve stem 4 on the central portion 31 when it returns to its original state.

Thus, when the user releases the pushbutton 20, the valve stem 4 can rise and the distribution of the product is interrupted, the skirt 22 being moreover always bearing on the peripheral portion 40.

When the upward movement of the pushbutton 20 continues, the contact between the central portion 31 and the second skirt 23 ceases and the peripheral portion 40 accompanies the upward movement of the push-button 20, the wall 48 coming from place behind the opening 13 and the dispensing orifice 51 is again protected by the hood 11.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment just described.

The dispensing element may for example be constituted by a valve devoid of valve stem.

By way of example, FIG. 5 shows a device 1 'which differs from that previously described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 in that the valve 90 'used is of the type without valve stem, the central portion 31 being replaced by a central portion 31 'configured to support a control member of the valve, not apparent on the figure, in order to provoke the distribution of the product.

The invention also applies to the case where the distribution element is a pump.

By way of example, FIG. 6 shows a variant comprising a pump 100 having a control rod 101 similar to the valve stem 4 previously described.

The push-button and the cover can for example be made under the form of a single piece made by molding, the push button being for example connected by a hinge 80 to the hood, as shown in Figure 7.

Throughout the description, including the claims, the expression "Comprising one" must be understood as being synonymous with "comprising at least a ", unless the opposite is specified.

Claims (21)

1. A dispenser device (1) for fitting to a receptacle (2) provided with a dispenser element (90; 90'; 100) through which substance contained in the receptacle can flow out when said element is actuated, the device comprising:

   a cover (10) presenting an opening (13);

   a dispenser endpiece (30) movable relative to the cover and itself comprising:

   a dispenser orifice (51); and

   a duct (42) for conveying the substance flowing out from the dispenser element towards the dispenser orifice;

   a pushbutton (20) movable relative to the cover in order to act on the dispenser endpiece (30), thereby actuating the dispenser element (90; 90'; 100), the cover (10) being configured to mask the dispenser orifice (51) when the pushbutton is at rest, so as to enable the dispenser orifice (51) to take up a position facing the opening (13) of the cover when the pushbutton is depressed in order to actuate the dispenser element, characterized in that the pushbutton (20) is configured in such a manner that when it is actuated to dispense the substance:

   it acts in a first stage to move the dispenser orifice (51) relative to the cover in such a manner that it comes into register with the opening (13) of the cover, the duct (42) of the dispenser endpiece (30) being suitable for deforming so as to enable the dispenser orifice (51) to move without actuating the dispenser element (90; 90'; 100) during this first stage; and

   thereafter, in a second stage, it actuates the dispenser element.
2. A device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the dispenser endpiece (30) comprises:

   a peripheral portion (40) relative to which the dispenser orifice (51) is stationary;

   a central portion (31) co-operating with the dispenser element; and

   an elastically deformable intermediate portion (41, 42) interconnecting the central and peripheral portions.
3. A device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the intermediate portion comprises flexible bridges of material (41, 42).
4. A device according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the duct (42) is made at least in part within one of said bridges.
5. A device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the fact that at least one of the bridges(41) presents a right section that is substantially rectangular, having a long side substantially perpendicular to a displacement direction of the dispenser endpiece for actuating the dispenser element.
6. A device according to any of the three immediatly preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the intermediate portion comprises three bridges (41, 42) disposed at substantially 120° from one another.
7. A device according to any of claims 2 to 5, characterized by the fact that the pushbutton (20) is configured, during the first stage, to entrain movement of the peripheral portion (40) without entraining movement of the central portion (31), and then during the second stage to entrain movement of the central portion.
8. A device according to any of claims 2 to 7, characterized by the fact that the force exerted by the intermediate portion on the central portion (31) when the pushbutton begins to be released while the dispenser element is still in the dispensing position is less than the force exerted by the dispenser element on the central portion in order to return to its initial state.
9. A device according to any of claims 2 to 8, characterized by the fact that the central portion (31), the intermediate portion (41, 42) and the peripheral portion (40) are made as a single piece by molding material.
10. A device according to any of claims 2 to 9, characterized by the fact that the pushbutton side of the peripheral portion (40) includes at least one stiffening rib (43) oriented obliquely towards the inside, and by the fact that the pushbutton (20) includes a skirt (22) configured to press via its free edge (22a) on an abutment surface (49) situated radially outside the rib (43).
11. A device according to any of claims 2 to 10, characterized by the fact that pushbutton side of the central portion (31) includes a projecting element (33), and by the fact that the pushbutton includes a skirt (23) in which the projecting element can engage, the skirt (23) being configured to press via its free edge (23a) on an abutment surface (34) of the central portion, surrounding the projecting element.
12. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the dispenser orifice (51) is defined by a nozzle (50) having swirling channels.
13. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the dispenser endpiece (30) has a wall (48) for occupying a position in register with the opening in the cover when the pushbutton is at rest.
14. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the dispenser element includes a control rod (4; 101).
15. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the dispenser element is a valve (90; 90').
16. A device according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized by the fact that the dispenser element is a pump (100).
17. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized by the fact that the cover and the pushbutton are made as a single piece by molding material.
18. A device according to claim 17, characterized by the fact that the cover and the pushbutton are connected together by a hinge (80).
19. A receptacle fitted with a dispenser device (1) as defined in any preceding claim.
20. A receptacle according to claim 19, including a valve having a valve rod (4) through which the substance is dispensed when the valve is actuated.
21. A receptacle according to claim 20, characterized by the fact that the valve is actuated by axial displacement of the valve rod (4) that is not greater than 2 mm.

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