EP2974797B1 - Dispensing head for a product dispensing system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a dispensing head for a product dispensing system, a dispensing system comprising such a head attached to a tube for feeding the product under pressure and a bottle intended to contain a product to be dispensed under pressure by means of such a distribution system.

In a particular application, the product is of the lotion, gel or cream type, for example for use in cosmetics or for pharmaceutical treatments.

Dispensing systems are known comprising a pump provided with a tube for feeding the product under pressure on which a push-button type distribution head is fixed to actuate the displacement of said tube over a dispensing / suction stroke of the product.

In particular, the dispensing head may comprise a body having a mounting well of said head on the feed tube and a product distribution path between said well and an outlet passage. According to one embodiment, the distribution path is formed at least in part at the interface between an anvil equipping a housing provided in the dispensing head and a nozzle mounted around said anvil. Thus, by pressing on the body of the dispensing head, the pump is actuated to distribute the product through the outlet passage in the form of a hazelnut or a continuous stream.

Around the world, various directives aim to regulate, control and limit the presence of substances potentially dangerous for human health in products, especially cosmetics. One of them is the European REACh directive (Registration Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals). Also, an environmental trend pushes cosmeticians to limit or eliminate from their formulas preservatives that are often cause allergies or intolerances.

Cosmetics are becoming more and more fragile. In particular, they hardly withstand mechanical or thermal stress (causing for example a phase shift), the contact of the air (causing for example a drying out, an oxidation), and are easily contaminable by bacteria, yeasts and molds.

To fight against these contaminations, the formulators try to reinforce the intrinsic conservative activity of their products by adding ingredients with a conservative activity like certain essential oils, essences of orange, vitamin C, ... which are not declared as curators. Also, they limit the free activity of the water they are trying to keep low (AW <0.6) so that the bacteria do not grow or little. The NF 29621 standard describes such means. But the formulators quickly stumble on the limits of such a strategy.

On the other hand, both at the reservoir in which the product is conditioned and at the dispensing head, protective flasks appear on the market. In particular, the flasks must prevent microbiological contamination of the product, not only during storage but especially between two uses, and in particular by retro-contamination from the outlet passage into the tank through the distribution path.

To do this, it has been proposed complex and expensive dispensing heads, the high level of antimicrobial protection is not always essential, especially when the product alone has an intrinsic preservative activity.

US2011 / 0284579 discloses a metered liquid volume dispensing system comprising at one of its ends a reservoir that can store a pure or sterile substance and a check valve at the other of its ends. The operator presses an actuator thus acting on a pumping chamber in fluid communication with the reservoir and the valve. The valve consists of a body surrounded by an elastomeric membrane, a layer also an elastomer interior that ends with a tip and an outer case, each of which may have a microbiocidal action.

WO2013 / 072635 discloses a dispensing head for a dispensing system of a product under pressure. The head comprises a housing equipped with an insert around which is disposed a sleeve. A dispensing orifice is formed in a wall of the sleeve facing a wall of the insert. A product distribution path is formed between the insert and the sleeve. At least one of the walls of the insert and the sleeve comprises metallic copper.

EP1466668A discloses a fluid dispenser comprising a transfer passage connecting an inlet opening for the fluid contained in a supply container and a dispensing opening for dispensing the fluid and having at least one active substance therein oligodynamic way that is in contact with the fluid product. The dispenser further comprises a metering pump having an inlet valve for closing the inlet opening, the inlet valve comprising a material capable of interacting with seeds via an active substance of oligodynamic way.

US20060213408 discloses an outlet cowl which can be mounted at the end of a starting channel of a spraying apparatus, for highly viscous media, the bottom of which has a regular thickness and the outlet channels diverging with respect to each other. to others. The bottom is bulging outward. The bottom is coated on its inner side with an oligodynamic substance.

JPH03289476 discloses an aerosol dispensing head including an actuating knob, an exit spoiler, an interior surface of a hood and at least one surface of a mounting cup comprising a layer comprising an antibacterial containing zeolite. The antibacterial zeolite is obtained by replacing ions in the zeolite with antibacterial ions of silver, copper or zinc.

EP2705904 discloses a dispensing head for a dispensing system of a product under pressure, the head comprising a dispensing orifice of the product, the dispensing orifice being formed between two upper and lower longitudinal walls which are connected on either side by a side wall whose transverse dimension is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the longitudinal walls, each of the side walls has a projection which extends between the longitudinal walls, at least the walls of the dispensing orifice comprising an antimicrobial agent for the product to be distributed.

US6443370 discloses a spray head for a fluid dispenser, comprising an expulsion channel opening into a spray orifice, and a shutter movable between a shutter position of the orifice and a spray position, the shutter being biased elastically towards its closed position and being moved towards its spraying position by the pressure of the product. The shutter is disposed around the upper part of an insert. A tube slides along the periphery of the end of the upper portion of the insert and is attached to a tubular jacket of the shutter.

The invention aims to improve the prior art by proposing in particular a dispensing head of simple design in which the return of the product is ensured by avoiding its microbial contamination between two uses, including by retro-contamination from the exit passage to the inside the tank.

For this purpose, according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a dispensing head according to claim 1.

According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a system for dispensing a product under pressure, said system comprising such a dispenser head according to claim 1 and a tube for feeding under pressure the product on which the mounting well of said head is fixed.

According to a third aspect, the invention proposes a bottle comprising a reservoir in which a product is intended to be packaged, said reservoir being equipped with such a dispensing system according to claim 14 which is mounted so as to put the tube of brought into communication with said reservoir to allow the product to be conveyed from said feed tube to the outlet passage.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'une tête de distribution selon un mode de réalisation, les figures 1a et 1b étant des vues respectivement en coupe transversale suivant l'axe A-A et agrandie de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'une tête de distribution selon un mode de réalisation, les figures 2a et 2b étant des vues respectivement en coupe transversale suivant l'axe B-B et agrandie de la figure 2.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the description which follows, made with reference to the appended figures, in which:

• the figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a dispensing head according to one embodiment, the Figures 1a and 1b being views respectively in cross-section along the axis AA and enlarged of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a dispensing head according to one embodiment, the Figures 2a and 2b being respectively cross-sectional views along the BB axis and enlarged of the figure 2 .

In connection with the figures, there is described a pushbutton type dispensing head for a system for dispensing a product under pressure, for example in the form of a hazelnut or a continuous stream. In an exemplary application, the product is a lotion, a gel or a cream, for a cosmetic use or for pharmaceutical treatments.

The dispensing head comprises a body 1 having an annular skirt 2 which surrounds a well 3 for mounting said head on a feed tube under pressure of the product. Furthermore, the dispensing head comprises an upper zone 4 allowing the user to exert a digital support on said head in order to be able to move it axially.

The dispensing head is intended to equip a dispensing system which comprises a sampling device provided with a delivery pipe under pressure of a product to be dispensed, on which the mounting shaft 3 of said head is attached in a sealed manner to allow, by axial displacement of said head, the displacement of said tube on a dispensing / suction stroke of the product.

The sampling device of the dispensing system may comprise a manually operated pump or, in the case where the product is packaged under pressure, a manually operated valve. Thus, during a manual movement of the dispensing head, the pump or the valve is actuated to supply the feed tube with pressurized product.

In particular, a manually operated pump conventionally comprises a body in which are arranged means necessary for pressurizing the product to be dispensed. According to a particular embodiment, the pump is of the type without air intake in compensation of the volume of product dispensed, so as not to introduce contaminant in the packaged product.

In known manner, the dispensing system further comprises means, for example a hoop, to allow its mounting on the tank of a bottle in which a product to be dispensed is intended to be packaged, and means for supplying the device sampling device conditioned product, for example a dip tube disposed in the reservoir or a supply piston slidably mounted in the body of said reservoir so as to push the product in said sampling device.

The body 1 also has an annular housing 5 which is in communication with the mounting shaft 3. In the embodiment shown, the housing 5 is of axis perpendicular to that of the mounting shaft 3 to allow lateral distribution of the product relatively 1. As a variant not shown, the housing may be collinear with the mounting well, in particular for a dispensing head forming nasal dispensing nozzle.

The housing 5 is provided with an anvil 6 around which a nozzle 7 is mounted so as to form at their interface a path 8 for dispensing the product between said housing and a passage 9 of the product outlet. To do this, the anvil 6 extends from the bottom of the housing 5 leaving a communication channel 10 between the well 3 and said housing.

Thus, by fixing the mounting well 3 on the feed tube, the product is dispensed by pressing on the body 1 to actuate the movement of said tube in order to convey the packaged product from the feed tube to the passage output 9 of the distribution path 8.

The distribution system can also be used for other types of distribution. In particular, the tank of the bottle may comprise a flexible body, the pressurization of the product in the feed tube then taking place by bringing the walls of said tank closer together without the use of a pump.

In the embodiments shown, the nozzle 7 has a cylindrical side wall 7a of revolution which is closed forwards by a distal wall 7b.
In addition, an orifice 11 is formed in the distal wall 7b, the outlet passage 9 of the product opening into said orifice.

The combination of the nozzle 7 in the housing 5 is formed by fitting the outer face of the side wall 7a, the rear edge of said outer face may further be provided with a radial projection anchoring the nozzle 7 in said housing. Advantageously, the nozzle 7 and the body 1 of the dispensing head are made by molding, in particular of a different thermoplastic material.

In particular, at least the side wall 7a of the nozzle 7 may be made of a material whose stiffness is greater than the stiffness of the material forming the body 1. Thus, the significant stiffness of the side wall 7a prevents its deformation when mounted in the housing 5. In addition, the lower stiffness of the body 1 provides improved sealing between the mounting well 3 and the feed tube.

In an exemplary embodiment, the nozzle 7 is made of low density polyethylene (LDPE), cycloolefinic copolymer (COC), poly (oxymethylene) or poly (butylene terephthalate), and the body 1 is made of polyolefin .

Between two distributions, the product can remain immobilized in the distribution path 8, bringing it into contact with the potentially contaminating outside air by bacteria and / or fungi. Thus, by backscattering from the outlet passage 9 in the distribution path 8, at least the dose to be distributed later can be contaminated.

To limit this contamination, the dispensing head comprises a sleeve 13 which is attached around the periphery of the anvil 6 to define at least a portion of the distribution path 8, said sleeve being able to ensure a microbiocidal action on the product contained in the distribution path 8, in particular by being made based on at least one material having microbiocidal properties.

In particular, the fact of reporting a sheath 13 with microbiocidal properties in the distribution path 8 makes it possible more simply to perform the function of decontaminating the product contained in said path between two distributions, in particular by avoiding constraining the choice of the material forming the body 1 and / or the nozzle 7.

According to one embodiment, the microbiocidal properties of the material are obtained by contacting the product with a microbiostatic agent, for example by using a metallic material such as a copper or zinc alloy or a material comprising at least one charge of such metal particles or having undergone a surface treatment by fluorination, zinc plating or copper plating.

In particular, the sheath 13 may comprise metallic copper which, by virtue of its microbiostatic properties, prevents the proliferation or even eliminates the contaminants in contact with said sheath, and without migration into the product of any antimicrobial agent. The use of the sleeve 13 then makes it possible to locate the use of copper at the level of the distribution path 8, without having to copper and / or charge in copper particles the body 1 and / or the nozzle 7.

In relation to figures 1 the sheath 13 is made of synthetic material, for example of the polyolefin type and in particular based on polypropylene (PP), at least one surface for delimiting the distribution path 8 is metallized with a copper deposit.

In relation to figures 2 the sheath 13 is made of metallic copper or one of its alloys, for example with zinc, in particular by forming a sheet by stamping. This solution has the particular advantage of being simple and inexpensive to achieve.

In these embodiments, when a portion of the sheath 13 is visible to the user, it can be provided that the copper is visible on said visible portion so that said user can identify the microbiostatic properties of the dispensing system.

According to another embodiment, the sleeve 13 is made of synthetic material, for example of the polyolefin type and in particular based on polypropylene (PP), said material being loaded with copper metal particles with a charge rate sufficient for copper particles are disposed on the surface to be in contact with the product.

In connection with the figures, the distribution path 8 is defined in particular at the interface between the sleeve 13 and at least one wall of the nozzle 7 and / or the housing 5. Therefore, to reinforce the protection vis-à-vis the risk of contamination of the product by bacteria and fungi, at least one of the walls of the nozzle 7 and / or the housing 5 which delimits the distribution path 8 may also be able to ensure a microbiocidal action on the product contained in said distribution path.

To do this, the possible wall of the nozzle 7 and / or housing 5 delimiting the distribution path 8 are made based on at least one material having microbiocidal properties. In particular, the nozzle 7 and the body 1 can be made entirely of a material having microbiocidal properties. According to one embodiment, the nozzle 7 is made with the same type of material as that described above in connection with the embodiment of the sheath 13.

Advantageously, the outer surface 12 of the distal wall 7b is also capable of providing a microbiocidal function to prevent the contamination of soils disposed on it between two distributions, thus ensuring that the product subsequently dispensed is not contaminated by said soils. Similarly, the peripheral surface defining the orifice 11 may also be able to ensure a microbiocidal function, since the product contained in the outlet passage 9 between two distributions is also in contact with the air.

The microbiocidal properties of the material can be obtained by diffusion into the product of an antimicrobial agent, for example on an organic basis such as Trichlosan (trade name of Melcoplast) or on a silver or mineral basis. In particular, the material may comprise at least one polyolefin, for example polyethylene (PE), in particular at low density (LDPE), polypropylene (PP) and / or polystyrene, which is loaded with at least one antimicrobial agent.

The microbiocidal properties of the material can also be obtained by irradiation of the product with radiation of suitable wavelength, in particular by means of a material which exhibits photoluminescence properties after exposure to external light. In particular, the material may be based on at least one polyolefin, for example low density polyethylene (LDPE), said polyolefin being charged with at least one additive capable of emitting photoluminescent radiation which has a wavelength between 250 and 260 nanometers, including 254 nanometers, which corresponds to the order of magnitude of sterilizing ultraviolet radiation.

In the embodiments shown, the sleeve 13 has a sleeve 14 sealingly mounted around the periphery of the anvil 6, said sleeve being disposed radially facing the side wall 7a to form between them at least a central portion 8a of the distribution path 8.

Advantageously, the spacing between the sheath 13 and the side wall 7a depends on the viscosity of the product and its sensitivity to microbial contamination, for example being between 0.2 mm and 1 mm, in particular being less than 0.3 mm.

Thus, by reducing its quantity, it is possible to ensure reliable and rapid decontamination of the product contained in the central part 8a of the distribution path 8 between two distributions. In particular, the microbiocidal action on the product contained in the distribution path 8 is expected to be faster than the microbial growth towards the reservoir, thus stopping its progression.

In relation to figures 1a and 2a , the side wall 7a comprises three axial projections 21 which are equi-part on its inner face, each projection 21 having a free wall which is disposed on the outer surface 14a of the sleeve 14 to center the nozzle 7 relative to the sleeve 13. In particular, the projections 21 define between them three axial ducts 22 which form the central part 8a of the distribution path 8.

In relation to figures 1 , the sleeve 14 is hooked by snapping a projection 15 carried by the periphery of the anvil 6 in a groove 16 formed on the inner face of said sleeve. Furthermore, the sleeve 14 is in tight contact around the anvil 6 to ensure sealing at their interface.

In relation to figures 2 , the sleeve 14 is fitted on the periphery of the anvil 6. To do this, the anvil 6 has a chamfer 23 formed on its front end. Furthermore, the anvil 6 has a bore 24 which extends axially over at least a part of its length, so that the fitting of said sleeve on said anvil causes a deformation of said anvil allowing, by elastic return of said anvil in said sheath, to make reliable the attachment of said sheath on said anvil.

In the embodiments shown, the sleeve 14 covers the periphery of the anvil 6, so that all said periphery is isolated from the product passing through the distribution path 8. In addition, the distribution path 8 has an upstream portion 8b formed between the sleeve 14 and a side wall 5a of the housing 5.

On the downstream side, the sheath 13 has a cap 17 which closes the distal end of the sleeve 14, said cap being disposed opposite axial view of the distal wall 7b so as to form the outlet passage 9 of the product at the interface between the orifice 11 and said cap. In particular, at least the distal wall 7b of the nozzle 7 is made of rigid material in order to define the geometry of the outlet passage 9.

The outlet passage 9 may have a maximum dimension which is less than or equal to 0.5 mm, in order to limit the maximum distance separating the product contained in said passage from the wall (s) exhibiting a microbiocidal action which delimits said passage. Thus, by surface effect on a very thin film of product, decontamination of the product contained in the outlet passage 9 is ensured.

In addition, the reduced dimensions of the outlet passage 9 make it possible to limit the drying of the product contained in the distribution path 8 between two distributions.

According to one embodiment, at least the distal wall 7b of the nozzle 7 is made of a flexible material, for example based on a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and / or a silicone, in order to be deformable reversibly by pressure of the product. on it between a state at rest in which the outlet passage 9 is open and a constrained state of expansion of said passage.

In particular, the distal wall 7b is arranged not to be in contact with the cap 17 at rest, in order to prevent its adhesion to said cap and the violent ejection of product during the expansion of the outlet passage 9.

In relation to the figures, the cap 17 has a front ring 18 which is disposed opposite the distal wall 7b to form between them at least one downstream portion 8c of the distribution path 8, and a projection 19 which is arranged at least partially in the orifice 11 to form the outlet passage 9 between the respectively outer and inner peripheral walls of said projection and said orifice.

The volume of the downstream part 8c may be less than 0.1 mm ^{3 in} order to ensure the decontamination of the product contained in said volume by contact with the ring 18. Moreover, the reduced dimensions of the downstream part 8c make it possible to limit the desiccation of the product contained in the distribution path 8 between two distributions.

Claims (16)

1. Dispensing head for a product dispensing system, said head comprising a body (1) having a mounting well (3) of said head on a pressurised feed tube of the product and a housing (5) connected to said well, said housing being provided with an anvil (6) around which a nozzle (7) is mounted so as to form at the interface thereof, a path (8) for dispensing the product between said housing and an outlet passage (9) of said product, said head comprising a sheath (13) which is added around the periphery of the anvil (6) to delimit at least one portion (8a-8c) of the dispensing path (8), at the interface between the sheath (13) and at least one wall of the nozzle (7) and/or of the housing (5), said dispensing head being characterised in that the nozzle (7) has a distal wall (7b), wherein an orifice (11) is formed, with the outlet passage (9) being formed at the interface between said orifice and a cap (17) of the sheath (13), said sheath being capable of providing a microbiocidal action on the product contained in said dispensing path.
2. Dispensing head according to claim 1, characterised in that at least the distal wall (7b) can be reversibly deformed by the pressure of the product on it between an idle state, wherein the outlet passage (9) is open and a stressed expansion state of said passage.
3. Dispensing head according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cap (17) has a protrusion (19) which is arranged at least partially in the orifice (11) to form the outlet passage (9) between the respectively outer and inner peripheral walls of said protrusion and of said orifice.
4. Dispensing head according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cap (17) has a front ring (18) which is arranged axially facing the distal wall (7b) to form between them at least one downstream portion (8c) of the dispensing path (8).
5. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the outlet passage (9) has a maximum dimension which is less than or equal to 0.5mm.
6. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the sheath (13) has a sleeve (14) mounted sealed around the periphery of the anvil (6), said sleeve being arranged axially facing a side wall (7a) of the nozzle (7) to form between them at least one central portion (8a) of the dispensing path (8).
7. Dispensing head according to claim 6, characterised in that the sleeve (14) covers the periphery of the anvil (6), with the dispensing path (8) having an upstream portion (8b) formed between said sleeve and a side wall (5a) of the housing (5).
8. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the dispensing path (8) is delimited by a wall (7a, 7b, 5a) of the nozzle (7) and/or of the housing (5), said wall being capable of providing a microbiocidal action on the product contained in said dispensing path.
9. Dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the sheath (13) and the possible wall (7a, 7b, 5a) are made on the basis of at least one material that has microbiocidal properties via diffusion of a antimicrobial agent, by contact with a microbiostatic agent and/or by irradiation with a radiation of a suitable wavelength.
10. Dispensing head according to claim 9, characterised in that the sheath (13) and/or the nozzle (7) comprises copper metal.
11. Dispensing head according to claim 10, characterised in that the sheath (13) and/or the nozzle (7) is made in a synthetic material of which at least one surface intended to delimit the dispensing path (8) is metallised with a deposit of copper.
12. Dispensing head according to claim 10, characterised in that the sheath (13) and/or the nozzle (7) is made of copper metal.
13. Dispensing head according to claim 10, characterised in that the sheath (13) and/or the nozzle (7) is made of a synthetic material loaded with particles of copper metal.
14. System for dispensing a pressurised product, said system comprising a dispensing head according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and a pressurised feed tube of the product on which the mounting well (3) of said head is fixed.
15. Dispensing system according to claim 14, characterised in that it comprises a pump actuated by the dispensing head, said pump comprising the pressurised feed tube of the product.
16. Bottle comprising a reservoir wherein a product is intended to be packaged, said reservoir being equipped with a dispensing system according to one of claims 14 or 15 which is mounted so as to place the feed tube connected to said reservoir to make it possible for the conveyance of the product from said feed tube to the outlet passage (9).

Images