FR2851483A1 - Distribution head for e.g. cosmetics, has jet forming distribution orifice through which fluid product from supply pipe system is distributed outside head, where jet is soldered on front surface of body - Google Patents

Abstract

The head has a body forming a supply pipe system for fluid product. The system has an inlet connected to a distribution unit and an outlet. A jet (2) is mounted on the body at the level of the outlet. The jet forms a distribution orifice through which the fluid product from the supply pipe system is distributed outside the head. The jet is soldered on a front surface of the body.

Description

The present invention relates to a dispensing head intended to be

  mounted or forming an integral part of a fluid dispenser member such as a pump or a valve. The dispensing head serves as an outlet for the fluid after passing through the dispensing member. The dispensing head 5 comprises a dispensing orifice at the level of which the fluid product is dispensed to be projected onto a target or even recovered by the user. The dispensing head, in addition to this basic function of outputting the fluid, can also serve as a pushing member which is pressed using a finger of one hand to actuate the dispensing member. In this case, the dispensing head is more commonly designated by the term pusher, and therefore fulfills a double function, namely that of dispensing fluid and that of actuating the dispensing member. The present invention relates to any type of dispensing head, whether of the push or simple dispensing type. The present invention finds a preferred application in the fields of cosmetics, pharmacy or even perfumery.

  A conventional dispensing head generally comprises a body, often made of injected plastic, defining an outlet housing intended to receive a nozzle forming a dispensing orifice. The outlet housing is generally annular in shape with a core located in the center. An annular is thus formed around the core. This ring serves as a fixing housing for the nozzle. The nozzle, meanwhile, has a generally bucket shape comprising a cylindrical side wall and a bottom pierced by the dispensing orifice. The side wall is intended to engage in the annular housing formed by the body. In general, the body forms a substantially cylindrical crown and an upper wall which serves as a pushing surface when the head is a pusher. The crown forms a substantially cylindrical peripheral wall at which the outlet housing for the nozzle is formed. Thus, the nozzle is inserted laterally into the housing. The nozzle orifice communicates with an internal duct system formed by the body, generally at the level of its upper wall. The duct system is generally connected to the actuating rod of a pump or a valve. To do this, the body generally forms a connection sleeve intended to be force-fitted on the upper end of a pump or valve actuating rod. The duct system thus connects the outlet of the dispensing member to the dispensing orifice formed by the nozzle. In some cases, the conduit system may also form swirl channels as well as a swirl chamber centered on the dispensing orifice. The channels and the swirl chamber can be formed jointly by the body, for example at the level of its core, and the nozzle, on the internal face of its bottom facing the core.

  The conventional design of the dispensing head described above, incorporating a body and a reportable nozzle is very widely used to form pump or manual valve pushers fitted with fluid dispensers of the vaporizer, atomizer or cream dispenser type. . The presence of channels and a swirl chamber is particularly appreciated for the products intended to be sprayed. For cream, a drop or hazelnut distribution is preferable.

  Since the nozzle must be fixedly and firmly received in the outlet housing of the body, it is firstly necessary for the nozzle to be relatively robust, particularly at the level of its cylindrical side wall 20 which fixes it in the housing around of the nucleus. Likewise, the housing of the body must have a relatively robust structure in order to be able to permanently accommodate the nozzle. It should indeed be known that the pressure generated by the fluid product discharged from the dispensing member can reach relatively high pressures, hence the need for a resistant attachment of the nozzle 25 in the housing of the body. However, to obtain this necessary robust fixing, the nozzle must have a relatively large wall thickness, which considerably increases its outside diameter at its cylindrical side wall. Likewise, the wall forming the outlet housing must be made with a relatively large thickness in order to be able to support the forced insertion of the nozzle into the housing. The core inside the housing must also be robustly formed. All these constraints linked to the robustness of the head considerably increase the size of the zone forming the housing which receives the nozzle. This is not really detrimental to the diameter of the dispensing head, since it must still be of sufficient size to allow comfortable actuation using at least one finger. On the other hand, this large size of the zone forming the housing is detrimental to the height or the vertical thickness of the dispensing head, since it directly increases the total height of the dispenser. In many cases, it is preferable to have a relatively reduced dispenser height for reasons which are functional but above all aesthetic. Indeed, particularly in the fields of perfumery and cosmetics, it is relatively aesthetic to have a pusher having a very low height.

  The present invention aims to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art related to the height of the head due to the importance of the area 15 forming the outlet housing accommodating the nozzle. Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing head, of the push or simple dispensing type, the manufacture of which, that is to say the molding of the parts and the mounting of the parts, is relatively simple. It is also an object of the present invention to keep the number of pieces of a head a minimum number, which is not greater than the number of the prior art, i.e. two.

  To do this, the present invention provides a dispensing head comprising a body forming a fluid product supply duct system, said system comprising an inlet intended to be connected to a dispensing member and an outlet, and a nozzle mounted on the body at the outlet, said nozzle forming a dispensing orifice through which the fluid from the supply duct system is distributed outside the head, characterized in that the nozzle is welded to the body. The bulky structure linked to the formation of the nozzle receiving housing has thus been eliminated. The height or thickness of the dispensing head, or more particularly of its body, can thus be considerably reduced.

  Advantageously, the body forms a front surface at the level of which said outlet opens, said nozzle being welded to the front surface. The nozzle is preferably welded around the outlet, but this requires much less space than the structure for forming the nozzle housing of the prior art.

  Indeed, the welding technique provides much better resistance than a simple fitting by interlocking or even snap-fastening. As such, the term "welding" should be understood to mean any bonding or assembly technique using a fusion or a chemical bond between two materials. The bonding technique in certain cases can also be included in this definition of the term "welding". Conventional welding techniques, with or without the addition of welding material, and implementing any application or creation of heat is, of course, part of the definition of the term "welding" of the present invention.

  Advantageously, the front surface is flat. On the other hand, the nozzle may include a front face and a rear face, the dispensing orifice 15 extending from the rear face to the front face, the rear face being flat. Preferably, the front face is flat. The nozzle can then be in the form of a flat plate pierced with a hole forming the dispensing orifice.

  According to another aspect of the invention, the duct system forms channels and a swirl chamber at the outlet, said channels and said chamber being delimited by wall elements extending up to the front surface, the nozzle being welded to the wall elements so as to isolate the channels and the chamber. Advantageously, the wall elements form fusion ribs which protrude very slightly from the front wall so as to be welded to the nozzle. The function of the welding ribs is to at least partially melt in contact with the nozzle to form a reliable welding line around the swirl channels and the swirl chamber. This ensures perfect sealing and good insulation of the channels and the chamber.

  Advantageously, a covering overcap in which the body and its nozzle are fixedly received.

  According to another aspect of the invention, the dispensing head comprises a covering overcap in which the body and its nozzle are fixedly received.

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

  In the figures: - Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dispensing head according to the invention, - Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a variant of the dispensing head, and - Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the dispensing head of FIG. 2 in the assembled state.

  The dispensing head according to the invention comprises two essential constituent elements, namely a body 1 and a nozzle 2. Optionally, the head can also include a covering overcap 3. The body 1 as well as the nozzle 2 are preferably made of plastic. The body 1 is preferably produced by injection molding, and the nozzle 2 can also be produced by this injection molding technique but can also be produced by cutting and drilling a plastic plate. As for the overcap 3, it can be made of plastic or also of metal.

  The body 1 has a generally substantially cylindrical shape with a reduced thickness compared to the diameter. Therefore, the body 1 has a shape comparable to that of a tablet or a tablet of the drug type.

  The body 1 comprises an outer peripheral ring 11 as well as a closing plate 12 which extends in the ring 11. The closing plate 12 has a certain thickness, in particular at the level of a local thickening 13. The closing plate 12 also forms on its underside a connection sleeve 14 which delimits a receiving space 15 for the upper end of a hollow actuating rod of a dispensing member such as a pump or a valve. Above this receiving space 15, the plate 12 forms a chamber 16. The chamber 16 and the receiving space are preferably arranged axially centered with respect to the generally cylindrical shape of the body 1. However, this n is not compulsory and an offset of these elements may in certain cases be desired. The reception space 15 as well as the chamber 16 form part of a duct system 5 for supplying a fluid product formed by the body 1. In fact, a longitudinal duct 17 extends in the body 1 at the level of the thickening 13 radially extending as far as the periphery of the body 1, that is to say at the level of the crown 11. This duct 17 can simply lead to the external wall of the crown 11, but preferably, this duct 17 opens into a swirl system formed by swirl channels 18 which tangentially open into a swirl chamber 19. The body supply duct system is thus formed by the receiving space 15, the chamber 16 , the conduit 17, the swirl channels 18 and the swirl chamber 19. The swirl channels 18 as well as the swirl chamber 19 open directly on the peripheral outer wall formed by the courtyard onne 11. More specifically, the outer wall of the crown It forms a plane front surface or facet 111 at which the channels 18 and the swirl chamber 19 open.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the front surface 111 is extended laterally by the crown 11. However, in the variant of FIGS. 2 and 3, the front surface 111 is bordered on three of its sides by a projecting rim 112, so as to form a housing whose bottom is formed by the front surface 111. This housing is adapted to receive the nozzle so as to center 25 its dispensing orifice relative to the chamber. This rim 112 thus acts as a means of precise positioning of the nozzle before its final fixing.

  Advantageously, the channels 18 as well as the chamber 19 are delimited by wall elements which extend up to the level of the planar facet 111 30 o they advantageously form fusion ribs 182, 192 which protrude very slightly on the facet plane 111. The planar facet 111 forms a front wall which is preferably perfectly flat except at the level of the fusion ribs 182, 192. Of course, this is the structure of the body 1 before mounting the nozzle 2.

  The nozzle 2 is here in the form of a simple flat plate of generally rectangular or square shape. However, one can imagine other shapes for the nozzle 2. This nozzle 2 advantageously comprises two parallel flat faces 22 and 23, namely a front face 22 and a rear face 23. A hole 21 passes through the plate by joining the two faces. 22 and 23. This hole 21 serves as a dispensing orifice. This nozzle 2 is intended to be attached to the planar facet 111 of the body 1. According to the invention, the nozzle 2, once attached to the body 1, will be welded by any welding technique (conventional, ultrasound, introduction , laser, etc.). The rear face 23 of the nozzle can be welded over a considerable extent, for example at the level of the planar facet 111.

  However, preferably the rear face 23 is first welded at the level of the fusion ribs 182 and 192 formed around the channels and the swirl chamber. The rear face 23 can also be welded to the area surrounding the fusion ribs. The nozzle 2 has the effect of completing and isolating the channels 18 from one another and of completing the swirl chamber 19. Thus, the fluid product coming from the distribution member at the level of the space receiving 15 will then pass through the chamber 16, the conduit 17, the swirl channels 18, the chamber 19 to be finally dispensed through the dispensing orifice 21. Of course, it is preferable that the dispensing orifice 21 is perfectly centered on the swirl chamber 19. The purpose of the fusion ribs is to partially melt 25 when the nozzle 2 is welded to the body 1. After welding, the fusion ribs practically do not or no longer protrude from the wall frontal 111 of the body 1.

  According to the invention, the dispensing head can also include an overcap 3 inside which the body and its welded nozzle can be fixedly received. This is shown in FIG. 2. The covering overcap 3 30 comprises a peripheral lateral skirt 31 as well as an upper thrust wall 33. In addition, the skirt 31 is pierced with an opening 32 at the level of which the dispensing orifice 21 is disposed. The use of such a covering over-cap is more particularly suitable when the dispensing head is used as a pusher. Indeed, the upper wall 33 can then serve as a bearing surface on which the user can exert a force using one or more finger (s). Of course, the dispensing head according to the invention can also be used in cases where it does not form a pusher. The body of fig. 1 can also be fitted with an overcap.

  The principle of the present invention is to achieve a fixing of the nozzle by welding to the body to avoid all the problems of space associated with the conventional nozzle of the prior art reported by force in a housing formed by the body.

Claims (9)

claims   1. - Dispensing head comprising: - a body (1) forming a system for supplying fluid (15, 16, 17, 18, 19), said system comprising an inlet (15) intended to be connected to a dispensing member and an outlet (19), and - a nozzle (2) mounted on the body at the outlet (19), said nozzle forming a dispensing orifice (21) through which the fluid coming from the supply duct system is distributed outside the head, characterized in that the nozzle is welded to the body.   2. Head according to claim 1, wherein the body (1) forms a front surface (111) at which opens said outlet (19), said nozzle being welded to the front surface.   3. Head according to claim 2, wherein the front surface (111) is planar.   4. Head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the nozzle comprises a front face (22) and a rear face (23), the dispensing orifice (21) extending from the rear face to the face. front, the rear face being flat.   5. Head according to claim 4, wherein the front face is flat. 6. Head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the nozzle is in the form of a flat plate pierced with a hole forming the dispensing orifice.   7. Head according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the duct system forms channels (18) and a swirl chamber (19) at the outlet, said channels and said chamber being delimited by elements. wall (191) extending to the front surface (111), the nozzle being welded to the wall elements so as to isolate the channels and the chamber.   8. Head according to claims 2 and 7, wherein the wall elements (191) form fusion ribs which protrude very slightly on the front wall so as to be welded to the nozzle.   9. Head according to any one of claims 2 to 8, in which the front surface is bordered at least partially by a centering flange allowing the nozzle to be positioned precisely on the front surface.   10. Head according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a covering overcap (3) in which the body (1) and its nozzle (2) are fixedly received. * * *