EP1171367B1 - Fixing element for dispensing a liquid product and dispenser comprising said element - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser for a liquid product comprising a receptacle (1) containing a liquid product, whereby said receptacle is provided with a neck (10) which defines an inner wall (11), a dispensing element (2) such as a pump or a valve and a fixing element (3; 2) which is used to fix the dispensing element (2) on the neck (10) of the receptacle (1), whereby the fixing element cooperates with the inner wall of the neck, said inner wall of the neck is formed by at least one recess (12) which extends on at least part of the periphery of the neck, and the fixing element comprises locking means(32; 22) which can be accommodated in the recess (12) of the inner wall of the neck, whereby the fixing element comprises a skirt (30; 20) which can be engaged inside the neck of the receptacle and the locking means comprise an outer radial protuberance (32; 22) which can be accommodated in the recess of the inner wall of the neck. The invention is characterised in that the locking means also comprise a locking ring (4; 20; 61) which is forcibly engaged inside the skirt as far as the recess (12) of the inner wall of the neck.

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid dispenser comprising a container formed with a neck, a dispensing member such as a pump or a valve. A fixing member is provided for fixing the pump or the valve on the neck of the container. he this is a completely classic design for a distributor in the field of perfumery, cosmetics or even pharmacy. The actuation of this kind of distributor is carried out by pressure using a finger on a pusher which moves a actuating rod inside the pump or valve body. As a result, a dose or a continuous jet of fluid is dispensed.

Many techniques already exist in the prior art for fixing a pump or a valve on the neck of a container. The most commonly used techniques are latching, crimping and screwing. For this, a fixing member is used which often comes in the form of a ring or a tourette which cooperates with the outer wall of the container neck. The latter is generally provided with a thickened rim which extends over a certain height of the neck or can also be provided with a thread external intended to cooperate with an internal thread formed inside the fixation. For holding the pump or the valve, the fixing member is provided a housing in which the pump or the valve is often received by snap-fastening. Thus, the fixing member makes the transition between the pump or the valve and the neck of the container.

Since the fixing member cooperates, in the devices of the art anterior, with the outer wall of the container neck, it follows that the fixing member must have a relatively large diameter, which sometimes harms the aesthetics of the distributor, particularly in the perfume industry.

There are already devices of the prior art which solve this problem. We can for example, cite the document US-A-5,277,340 which describes a distributor in which the pump is fixed using a fixing ring which cooperates with the internal wall of the neck of the tank. To do this, the neck of the reservoir is formed, at its internal wall, with a recess in which a sleeve formed by the fixing ring is housed. This sleeve has elasticity so that the sleeve can be stressed and can then relax inside the recess formed in the inner wall of the neck of the tank. It is thus possible to fix a pump inside a tank without the fixing ring is visible from the outside.

Mention may also be made of document US-A-3,937,366 which describes a dispenser in which the pump is also fixed with a fixing ring inside a tank neck. Similar to the document cited above, the internal wall of the neck defines a groove in which a cord of the fixing ring comes snap.

These devices of the prior art, however, have the disadvantage that the snap-fastening inside the neck is not perfectly stable, nor secure if comes to pull the pump.

The present invention therefore aims to remedy this drawback of the art by defining a distributor for which the internal snap-fastening of the ring fixation is final is perfectly stable.

• un récipient contenant le produit fluide, ledit récipient comprenant un col définissant une paroi interne,
• un organe de distribution tel qu'une pompe ou une valve, et
• un organe de fixation pour fixer l'organe de distribution sur le col du récipient, l'organe de fixation coopère avec la paroi interne du col, ladite paroi interne du col est formée avec au moins un évidement qui s'étend sur au moins une partie de la périphérie du col, et l'organe de fixation comprend des moyens d'encliquetage aptes à se loger dans ledit évidemment de la paroi interne du col, ledit organe de fixation comprenant une jupe destinée à être engagée dans le col du récipient, les moyens d'encliquetage comprenant une saillie radiale externe apte à venir se loger dans ledit évidement de la paroi interne du col,

les moyens d'encliquetage comprennent en outre un anneau de blocage engagé en force dans la jupe jusqu'au niveau de l'évidement de la paroi interne du col.To do this, the present invention provides a fluid dispenser comprising:

• a container containing the fluid product, said container comprising a neck defining an internal wall,
• a dispensing member such as a pump or a valve, and
• a fixing member for fixing the dispensing member on the neck of the container, the fixing member cooperates with the internal wall of the neck, said internal wall of the neck is formed with at least one recess which extends over at least one part of the periphery of the neck, and the fixing member comprises latching means capable of being housed in said recess of the internal wall of the neck, said fixing member comprising a skirt intended to be engaged in the neck of the container, the latching means comprising an external radial projection capable of being received in said recess of the internal wall of the neck,

the latching means further comprise a locking ring forcibly engaged in the skirt up to the level of the recess in the internal wall of the neck.

The locking ring which must of course be made of a rigid material non-deformable, can be formed by an added element, but also by a element of the distribution organ. The locking ring can be formed by the body of the distribution member, by an attached ring, but also by an engaged ferrule in force in the body of the dispensing member.

As for the fixing member, it can be formed by a fixing ring independent of the dispensing member, but it can also be formed by the body from the distributor itself. In the latter case, the locking ring will be necessarily formed by the ferrule engaged in the body of the dispensing member. he is particularly advantageous to use this ferrule, because it is an element particularly rigid which is not subject to deformation. In general, this ferrule defines the rest position of the piston, that is to say its top dead center. When the organ fixing is formed by a separate fixing ring, it is advantageous that the body of the dispensing member is slidably mounted with friction in the skirt. Indeed, it is then possible when mounting the distributor to first engage the fixing ring in the neck so as to accommodate the radial projection in the recess, then to engage the dispensing member in the ring so as to position the ferrule at the level of the projection so as to block the snap-fastening of the fixing ring in the recess formed in the inner wall of the tank neck. It will thus be possible to deliver the organ of distribution with the body partially engaged in the fixing member. It will then suffice to the person responsible for filling and mounting the distribution device proceed as described above.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the fixing member forms a housing in which a nozzle is received. It is also possible that the organ fixing forms channels and a swirl chamber. Likewise, the organ attachment can form an outlet channel for the fluid. We do without additional room to perform these functions. It also results in simplification of the body of the distribution member.

According to another characteristic, the fixing member is capped with a hoop dressing. Preferably, when the fixing member forms a housing for a nozzle, the cover hoop is pierced with a hole at the nozzle.

According to another characteristic, the fixing member comprises a flange outer intended to come into abutment on the upper edge of the neck, with interposition possible of a joint.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the drawings. joined by giving by way of nonlimiting example several embodiments of the invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue en section transversale verticale à travers un distributeur réalisé selon une première forme de réalisation,
• la figure 2 est une vue en section transversale à travers une deuxième forme de réalisation,
• la figure 2a est une vue en coupe de la partie supérieure de l'organe de fixation selon une variante de réalisation,
• les figures 3a, 3b et 3c sont des vues du distributeur de la figure 2 au cours de différentes étapes de montage, et
• les figures 4 et 5 sont des vues en section transversale de deux autres formes de réalisation.

In the drawings:

• FIG. 1 is a view in vertical cross section through a dispenser produced according to a first embodiment,
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through a second embodiment,
• FIG. 2a is a sectional view of the upper part of the fixing member according to an alternative embodiment,
• FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c are views of the dispenser of FIG. 2 during different assembly steps, and
• Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of two other embodiments.

In all embodiments, the dispenser comprises a container 1 defining a neck 10. The internal wall 11 of the neck 10 is formed with at least one recess 12 which extends peripherally.

The dispenser also includes a pump 2 defining a body 20 and a push-button 51 to activate the pump. We have chosen a pump to illustrate this invention but one could also have used a valve.

In the dispenser of FIG. 1, the body 20 defines a thickened flange 21 in snap socket in a fixing ring 3 which cooperates with the internal wall 11 of the neck for fixing the pump in the neck. The ring 3 includes a skirt 30 which extends in contact with the internal wall 11 of the neck 10. According to the invention, the external wall of the skirt 30 is formed with at least one external radial projection 32 capable of coming to be housed in the recess 12 formed in the internal wall 11 of the neck 10. To limit engagement and fix its position of the skirt 30 inside the neck 10, the ring 3 is formed with a collar 31 adapted to come into abutment on the upper end of the neck 10.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the skirt 30 is connected to a socket 33 so as to define between them a cylindrical annular housing 34. The socket 33 further defines a latching housing for the flange 21 of the body 20.

According to the invention, a locking ring 4 is forcibly engaged in the housing 34 up to the level of the projection 32 formed by the skirt 30 as can be seen on the right of Figure 1. This locking ring 4 made of a rigid non-deformable material definitively blocks the snap-fastening of the fixing ring inside the neck 10 of the container 1.

The assembly of this distributor is carried out as follows. We starts by engaging the fixing ring 3 inside the neck 10 until it comes the projection 32 is snapped into the recess 12. Then the force ring is engaged blocking 4 inside the housing 34 up to the level of the projection 32. The fixing of the pump 2 is then final.

We will now refer to Figures 2, 3a, 3b and 3c, to explain a second embodiment of the invention. It is always a pump comprising a body 20 in which slides a piston 4 mounted on an actuating rod 5 which is capped a pusher 51 which is pressed to move the piston inside the body 20.

For fixing the pump in the neck 11 of a container 1, it is also provided a fixing member 3 in the form of a ring formed with a skirt 30 and a collar 31 adapted to come into abutment on the upper end of the neck 10. The skirt 30 extends around the body 20 which it hugs tightly and tightly.

Just as in the previous embodiment of Figure 1, the inner wall 11 of the neck 1 is formed with a recess 12, and the skirt 30 is formed on its wall exterior with at least one projection or boss 32 housed inside the recess 12.

In this embodiment, the pump comprises a ferrule 6 which is engaged in force in the body 20. This ferrule 6 is formed with a ring 61, a flange of stop 63 and a cuff 62. It is the ring 61 which is forcibly engaged in the body 20 until the flange stop 63 comes to bear on the upper end of the body and more precisely on a shoulder formed by the body 20. As for the cuff 62, it serves firstly as a guide means for the actuating rod 5 and on the other hand, a sealed sliding surface for the outlet valve 7 which is presented in the form of a differential piston biased by a spring 52 which serves both return spring and precompression spring.

According to the invention, the ferrule 6, or more precisely the ring 61 of the ferrule 6, serves locking ring to block the latching of the boss 32 in the recess 12 of the neck 10. In fact, the ferrule 6 is a rigid relative piece and its ring 61 has a relatively large wall thickness (Fig. 2), so that it is not subject to deformations while the body 20 of the pump is often made of a material softer and thinner plastic which deforms. This is why the pump body 20 is not alone sufficient to block the snapping of the ring 3 in the neck 10. In in certain cases, it will however be possible to produce a pump body 20 sufficiently rigid so that one can do without the ferrule 6 for the final blocking. Such embodiment is shown in Figure 5.

We see in Figure 2 that the ring 61 extends down to the level of the boss 32 engaged in the recess 12. The lower end of the ring 61 serves also of abutment surface for the piston 4 in the rest position, that is to say at the point dead high where the pump chamber has its maximum volume.

In this embodiment, the pump is fixed spray, that is to say that the nozzle 8 is not mounted on the plunger 51 but on a fixed member of the pump. As it happens, it is the fixing ring 3 which forms a housing 34 in which the nozzle 8 is mounted. The fixing ring 3 can also form channels and a swirl 36 as well as an outlet duct 35 which communicates with the channels swirl 36.

The mounting of the nozzle on this fixing member, and more generally on any fixing member, whether it cooperates with the internal or external wall of the neck, or with any fixed organ, is an interesting feature that can be implementation regardless of whether the fixing member is snapped into the container neck. We can for example imagine a classic fixing ring to screw on an externally threaded neck and one part (of the ring) forms a housing for receive a nozzle, which defines a fixed dispensing orifice. On the other hand, it should not not be limited to mounting a nozzle on the fixing member, but also provide the case where a dispensing orifice 36 is directly formed by the fixing member, as can be seen in Figure 2a. In sum, the formation of the orifice of distribution or mounting of a nozzle on any fixing member constitutes also an interesting feature of the present invention.

The fixing ring 3 also forms with the pump body 20 a channel of discharge 23 which communicates the pump chamber with the nozzle when the outlet valve 7 open. Advantageously, the fixing ring 3 is capped with a covering 9 which extends with a cylindrical skirt 90 on the neck 10 to mask it. To his upper end, the covering 9 forms a re-entrant flap 91 which defines an opening in which the pusher 51 can move. In addition, the skirt 90 is formed with a hole 92 at the nozzle 8.

We will now refer to Figures 3a, 3b and 3c to explain the process mounting of such a distributor. At the end of the production chain, the distribution 2 and the fixing ring 3 are in the configuration shown in the FIG. 3a, the pump body 20 is only partially engaged in the skirt 30 of the ring 3 so that the ferrule 6 is not yet located at the level of the boss 22. This is in this configuration, the fixing ring is introduced into the neck 10 of the container. The assembly is inserted into the neck 10 until the boss 32 comes lodge in the recess 12 formed in the internal wall of the neck 10, as shown in Figure 3b. The ferrule 6 is still not yet at the level of the boss 32. The penetration of the boss inside the neck is possible, because the fixing ring and the pump bodies are deformable which is not the case with the ferrule 6. The last step consists in sliding the body 20 inside the skirt 30 until the ferrule 6 arrives at the level of the boss 32. The final blocking of the boss in the recess 12 is then realized. It should be noted, in this embodiment, that the sliding of the body pump inside the skirt 30 of the ring 3 is tight and waterproof so as to form and isolate the discharge channel 23 which extends laterally between the body 20 and the skirt 30.

According to another embodiment shown in Figure 4, the fixing inside the neck 10 is directly carried out by the body 20 of the pump 2 which forms on its outer wall a boss 22 adapted to be housed in the recess 12 the neck 10. Again, we use the ferrule 6, and more particularly the ring 61, to permanently block the boss 2 in the recess 12. For mounting, you can proceed in a similar manner to that described above. We can start to engage the pump body 20 inside the neck 10 so as to accommodate the boss 22 in the recess 12, then the ferrule 6 is forcibly engaged inside the body 20 of so as to bring the ring 61 to the level of the boss 62.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a ring is used attachment 3, but the locking ring is directly produced by the body 20 of the pump which is made of a sufficiently rigid material to permanently block the boss 32 in the recess 12.

In all the embodiments described, a ring is used, whether it is formed by a separate ring 4, the ferrule 6 or the pump body 20, to block the latching of a ring 3 or of the body 20 inside the neck 10 of the container formed with a recess 12.

Claims (15)

1. A fluid dispenser comprising:

   a receptacle (1) containing the fluid, said receptacle having a neck (10) defining an inside wall (11) ;

   a dispensing member (2) such as a pump or a valve; and

   a fixing member (3; 2) for fixing the dispensing member (2) to the neck (10) of the receptacle (1);

   the fixing member co-operating with the inside wall of the neck, said inside wall of the neck being provided with at least one notch (12) which extends over at least a portion of the periphery of the neck, and the fixing member being provided with snap-fastening means (32; 22) suitable for being received in said notch (12) in the inside wall of the neck, said fixing member being provided with a skirt (30, 20) serving to be engaged in the neck of the receptacle, the snap-fastening means comprising an outside radial projection (32; 22) suitable for coming to be received in said notch in the inside wall of the neck;

   said dispenser being characterized in that the snap-fastening means further comprise a locking ring (4; 20; 61) engaged by force in the skirt to the level of the notch (12) in the inside wall of the neck.
2. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which the dispensing member (2) has a body (20), the fixing member being formed by said body.
3. A dispenser according to claim 1, in which the locking ring is formed by an element (20, 61) of the dispensing member (2).
4. A dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 3, in which the dispensing member has a body (20) which extends in contact with the skirt (30) to the level of its radial projection (32), the locking ring being formed by said body (20).
5. A dispenser according to claim 1 or claim 3, in which the dispensing member has a body (20) which extends in contact with the skirt (30) to the level of its radial projection (32), the locking ring (61) being formed by a ferrule (6) engaged by force in the body of the dispensing member.
6. A dispenser according to claim 5, in which the ferrule (6) defines the top dead center of the dispensing member.
7. A dispenser according to any one of claims 3 to 6, in which the body (20) of the dispensing member is slidably received in tight-fitting manner in the skirt (30).
8. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the fixing member (3) forms a dispensing orifice (36).
9. A dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the fixing member (3) forms a recess (34) in which a nozzle (8) is received.
10. A dispenser according to claim 9, in which the fixing member (3) forms a swirl chamber and swirl channels (36).
11. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the fixing member (3) forms an outlet channel (35) for the fluid.
12. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the fixing member (3) is covered with a trim band (9).
13. A dispenser according to claim 12, in which the fixing member (3) forms a recess (34) for a nozzle (8), the trim band (9) being provided with a hole (92) at the level of the nozzle.
14. A dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the fixing member (3) is provided with an outside collar (31) serving to come into abutment against the top edge of the neck, optionally with a gasket being interposed.
15. A method of assembling a fluid dispenser comprising:

    a receptacle (1) containing the fluid, said receptacle having a neck (10) defining an inside wall (11);

    a dispensing member (2) such as a pump or a valve; and

    a fixing member (3; 2) for fixing the dispensing member (2) to the neck (10) of the receptacle (1);

    the fixing member co-operating with the inside wall of the neck, said inside wall of the neck being provided with at least one notch (12) which extends over at least a portion of the periphery of the neck, and the fixing member being provided with snap-fastening means (32; 22) suitable for being received in said notch (12) in the inside wall of the neck, said fixing member being provided with a skirt (30, 20) serving to be engaged in the neck of the receptacle, the snap-fastening means comprising an outside radial projection (32; 22) suitable for coming to be received in said notch in the inside wall of the neck;

    the snap-fastening means further comprising a locking ring (4; 61; 20) engaged by force in the skirt (30; 20) to the level of the notch (12) in the inside wall of the neck;

    the method comprising the steps of:

    engaging the fixing member in the neck of the receptacle so that the radial projection is received in the notch in the neck; and

    then engaging the dispensing locking ring in the fixing member so as to position the locking ring at the level of the projection engaged in the notch.

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