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EP2069072B1 - Dispensing assembly and fluid product dispenser comprising such a dispensing assembly - Google Patents

Dispensing assembly and fluid product dispenser comprising such a dispensing assembly Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2069072B1
EP2069072B1 EP07848346.8A EP07848346A EP2069072B1 EP 2069072 B1 EP2069072 B1 EP 2069072B1 EP 07848346 A EP07848346 A EP 07848346A EP 2069072 B1 EP2069072 B1 EP 2069072B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
piston
spray
spray head
pump
dispensing
Prior art date
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Application number
EP07848346.8A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP2069072A1 (en
Inventor
Ludovic Petit
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aptar France SAS
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Aptar France SAS
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Publication of EP2069072A1 publication Critical patent/EP2069072A1/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/0005—Components or details
    • B05B11/0062—Outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed
    • B05B11/0072—A valve member forming part of an outlet opening
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B1/00—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means
    • B05B1/34—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl
    • B05B1/3405—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl
    • B05B1/341—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl before discharging the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. in a swirl chamber upstream the spray outlet
    • B05B1/3421—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl before discharging the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. in a swirl chamber upstream the spray outlet with channels emerging substantially tangentially in the swirl chamber
    • B05B1/3431—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl before discharging the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. in a swirl chamber upstream the spray outlet with channels emerging substantially tangentially in the swirl chamber the channels being formed at the interface of cooperating elements, e.g. by means of grooves
    • B05B1/3436—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl before discharging the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. in a swirl chamber upstream the spray outlet with channels emerging substantially tangentially in the swirl chamber the channels being formed at the interface of cooperating elements, e.g. by means of grooves the interface being a plane perpendicular to the outlet axis
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
    • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
    • B05B11/1001—Piston pumps
    • B05B11/1016—Piston pumps the outlet valve having a valve seat located downstream a movable valve element controlled by a pressure actuated controlling element
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B11/00—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use
    • B05B11/01—Single-unit hand-held apparatus in which flow of contents is produced by the muscular force of the operator at the moment of use characterised by the means producing the flow
    • B05B11/10—Pump arrangements for transferring the contents from the container to a pump chamber by a sucking effect and forcing the contents out through the dispensing nozzle
    • B05B11/1001—Piston pumps
    • B05B11/1016—Piston pumps the outlet valve having a valve seat located downstream a movable valve element controlled by a pressure actuated controlling element
    • B05B11/1018—Piston pumps the outlet valve having a valve seat located downstream a movable valve element controlled by a pressure actuated controlling element and the controlling element cooperating with means for opening or closing the inlet valve

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a dispensing assembly for fluid dispenser.
  • the present invention also relates to a fluid dispenser comprising such a dispensing assembly.
  • the present invention relates more particularly to spraying devices, in particular of the nasal type, and is preferably applied to sprayers incorporating a shutter of the dispensing orifice.
  • the spray head In a sprayer, for example of the nasal type, the spray head generally incorporates a spraying profile provided upstream of the dispensing orifice and adapted to swirl the product before its expulsion in the form of a spray.
  • this spray profile may comprise one or more non-radial channels provided at the bottom wall of the spray head, said channels leading to a swirl chamber disposed just upstream of the dispensing orifice.
  • an insert is disposed in the spray head to substantially fill the dead volume of the expulsion channel and thus leave only a small channel, and secondly to form the bottom of the profile of spray.
  • An additional piece forming the insert is necessary to achieve said spray profile.
  • Shutters for closing the dispensing orifice of a fluid dispenser are well known in the state of the art. There are several types.
  • a first family of shutters comprises those which are elastically biased towards their closed position and which are deformed or displaced by the pressure of the product in the dispensing phase to open the dispensing orifice. These devices may either comprise shutters of deformable material, or shutters made in the form of piston sliding in the expulsion channel a distance from the dispensing orifice under the effect of the pressure exerted by the product.
  • the document US-5,806,762 discloses a deformable shutter, surrounding a rigid insert, whose shutter function is directly related to the pressure exerted by the fluid within the device.
  • Another family of shutters comprises shutters mechanically deformed by a portion of the dispensing head at the time of actuation of the device to dispense a dose of product. In this case, the opening of the shutter is independent of the pressure exerted by the product.
  • the document WO 03/041865 discloses a nasal spray, wherein the insert is slidably mounted in the head to form the shutter. A fixed sleeve is attached to define the spray profile.
  • the device of this document WO 03/041865 therefore requires four separate parts to form the head, namely the body of the head, the piston, the movable insert (shutter) and the sleeve. The assembly of these four parts can also be quite complex and therefore expensive.
  • the present invention also aims to provide a fluid dispenser fluid dispenser assembly that does not reproduce the aforementioned disadvantages.
  • the present invention aims to provide a dispensing assembly that is simple to manufacture and assemble, and that does not require modifications of the dispensing head.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing assembly for a fluid dispenser in which the geometry of the spray profile provided upstream of the dispensing orifice is not modified during the expulsion of the product, thus guaranteeing a optimal quality of the spray.
  • the present invention also aims to provide a fluid dispenser comprising such a dispensing assembly.
  • the present invention therefore relates to a fluid dispenser assembly as described in claim 1.
  • the dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments.
  • the present invention also relates to a fluid dispenser device comprising a reservoir and a dispensing assembly as defined above.
  • the present invention more particularly relates to a dispensing assembly provided with a shutter.
  • the Figures 2, 3 and 5 represent the part end of a nasal dispensing head, but the present invention can very well also adapt to distribution heads of another type.
  • the dispensing assembly comprises a pump 50 and a spray head 10.
  • the pump 50 can be mounted on a reservoir 100, only a portion of which is shown in dashed lines on the figure 1 . It may comprise a dip tube 59 extending towards the bottom of the tank.
  • the mounting of the pump can be achieved by means of a fixing ring 80, advantageously with the interposition of a seal 90.
  • the ring 80 can be a separate piece or be formed of a one-piece piece with the pump 50 , as shown on the figure 1 . Its assembly can be arbitrary, for example by snapping, screwing or crimping.
  • the dispensing head 10 comprises a body 11 defining an expulsion channel 12 which terminates in a dispensing orifice 1.
  • a rigid insert 30 is disposed in this expulsion channel 12 making it possible to limit the dead volume of the expulsion channel and thus define a narrow passage for the product, promoting its spraying at the dispensing orifice.
  • the dispensing head comprises a spray profile 20, preferably formed between the bottom end wall of the spray head 10 and said insert 30, the dispensing orifice 3 then being preferably in the center of said spray profile.
  • the spraying profile may comprise non-radial swirl channels (not shown) which connect to a swirl chamber disposed directly upstream of the dispensing orifice 1.
  • the spraying profile 20 may be formed in the bottom wall of the head 10, as shown in the Figures 1 to 4 , or on the contrary in the insert 30, as represented on the figure 5 .
  • the pump 50 comprises a pump chamber 56 provided with an inlet valve 75, such as a ball on the example of the figure 1 .
  • the pump 50 comprises a pump body 52 in which slides at least a first piston 51.
  • the pump also comprises a shutter 40 disposed upstream of the dispensing orifice 1 and adapted to close this orifice when the pump is not not used.
  • This shutter 40 is movable between a closed position, shown on the figure 1, 2 , 4 and 5 , in which it cooperates with the dispensing orifice 1 to close it, and a non-sealing position, represented on the figure 3 , in which it is moved away from said dispensing orifice 1.
  • the shutter In the rest position, the shutter is biased elastically towards its closed position, in particular by means of the return spring 70 of the pump as shown in the drawings. .
  • a specific spring could be assigned to said shutter 40.
  • the swirl chamber of the spray profile 20 is of substantially zero volume in the closed position, the displacement of the shutter 40 towards its non-sealing position creating a volume forming the chamber of swirling.
  • Other implementations are however also possible.
  • the pump represented on the figure 1 comprises a second piston 57 which also slides sealingly in the pump body 52.
  • This second piston 57 is adapted to cooperate with the shutter 40 to move it to its non-sealing position, preferably at the end of the actuation. the pump.
  • This provides a number of advantages. Indeed, this implementation makes it possible to achieve a mechanical opening of the shutter 40 independent of the pressure of the product in the pump during actuation. In addition, this implementation allows to open the shutter at the end of actuation, which ensures a perfect distribution of the entire dose.
  • the present invention is not limited to this example of a particular pump shown in FIG. figure 1 but instead applies to all kinds of pumps.
  • the figure 4 represents another type of pump in which the shutter 40 is extended by a skirt 45 forming the inlet valve 75 of the pump chamber 56.
  • the invention can also be applied to other types of pumps.
  • said rigid insert 30 is integral with said first piston 51, and the first piston 51 is fixed relative to the spray head 10.
  • the insert 30 is formed by said first piston 51, it is to say that these two pieces are made of a single piece.
  • the first piston 51 has a through passage 55 formed in a wall of said first piston 51, and which is adapted to allow the passage of the fluid from the inside of said first piston 51 outwardly of said first piston 51.
  • said shutter 40 slides inside said first piston 51, as shown in the figures. In this way, the geometry of the spraying profile 20 remains unchanged, in particular at non-radial channels (not shown), regardless of the position of the shutter 10.

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  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)

Description

La présente invention concerne un ensemble de distribution pour distributeur de produit fluide. La présente invention concerne également un distributeur de produit fluide comportant un tel ensemble de distribution.The present invention relates to a dispensing assembly for fluid dispenser. The present invention also relates to a fluid dispenser comprising such a dispensing assembly.

La présente invention concerne plus particulièrement les dispositifs de pulvérisation, notamment du type nasal, et s'applique de préférence à des pulvérisateurs incorporant un obturateur de l'orifice de distribution.The present invention relates more particularly to spraying devices, in particular of the nasal type, and is preferably applied to sprayers incorporating a shutter of the dispensing orifice.

Dans un pulvérisateur, par exemple du type nasal, la tête de pulvérisation incorpore généralement un profil de pulvérisation prévu en amont de l'orifice de distribution et adapté à faire tourbillonner le produit avant son expulsion sous forme de spray. De manière connue, ce profil de pulvérisation peut comporter un ou plusieurs canaux non radiaux prévus au niveau de la paroi de fond de la tête de pulvérisation, lesdits canaux menant à une chambre de tourbillonnement disposée juste en amont de l'orifice de distribution.In a sprayer, for example of the nasal type, the spray head generally incorporates a spraying profile provided upstream of the dispensing orifice and adapted to swirl the product before its expulsion in the form of a spray. In known manner, this spray profile may comprise one or more non-radial channels provided at the bottom wall of the spray head, said channels leading to a swirl chamber disposed just upstream of the dispensing orifice.

Généralement, un insert est disposé dans la tête de pulvérisation pour d'une part remplir sensiblement le volume mort du canal d'expulsion et ainsi ne laisser qu'un canal de petite dimension, et d'autre part pour former le fond du profil de pulvérisation. Une pièce supplémentaire formant l'insert est donc nécessaire pour réaliser ledit profil de pulvérisation.Generally, an insert is disposed in the spray head to substantially fill the dead volume of the expulsion channel and thus leave only a small channel, and secondly to form the bottom of the profile of spray. An additional piece forming the insert is necessary to achieve said spray profile.

La présence d'un obturateur an amont de l'orifice de distribution pose également des problèmes.The presence of a shutter an upstream of the dispensing orifice also poses problems.

Des obturateurs pour obturer l'orifice de distribution d'un distributeur de produit fluide sont bien connus dans l'état de la technique. Il en existe plusieurs types. Une première famille d'obturateurs comprend ceux qui sont sollicités élastiquement vers leur position d'obturation et qui sont déformés ou déplacés par la pression du produit en phase de distribution pour ouvrir l'orifice de distribution. Ces dispositifs peuvent soit comporter des obturateurs en matériau déformable, soit des obturateurs réalisés sous forme de piston coulissant dans le canal d'expulsion un éloignement de l'orifice de distribution sous l'effet de la pression exercée par le produit. Le document US-5 806 762 divulgue un obturateur déformable, entourant un insert rigide, dont la fonction d'obturation est directement liée à la pression exercée par le fluide au sein du dispositif. Une autre famille d'obturateurs comprend des obturateurs déformés mécaniquement par une partie de la tête de distribution au moment de l'actionnement du dispositif pour distribuer une dose de produit. Dans ce cas, l'ouverture de l'obturateur est indépendante de la pression exercée par le produit.Shutters for closing the dispensing orifice of a fluid dispenser are well known in the state of the art. There are several types. A first family of shutters comprises those which are elastically biased towards their closed position and which are deformed or displaced by the pressure of the product in the dispensing phase to open the dispensing orifice. These devices may either comprise shutters of deformable material, or shutters made in the form of piston sliding in the expulsion channel a distance from the dispensing orifice under the effect of the pressure exerted by the product. The document US-5,806,762 discloses a deformable shutter, surrounding a rigid insert, whose shutter function is directly related to the pressure exerted by the fluid within the device. Another family of shutters comprises shutters mechanically deformed by a portion of the dispensing head at the time of actuation of the device to dispense a dose of product. In this case, the opening of the shutter is independent of the pressure exerted by the product.

Ces obturateurs, bien que fonctionnant de manière correcte, présentent l'inconvénient d'être relativement compliqués à fabriquer et à assembler, et donc coûteux. Généralement, ils nécessitent une modification de la tête de distribution pour permettre l'adaptation de l'obturateur ce qui implique également une élévation du coût de fabrication du dispositif de distribution de produit fluide. D'autre part, lorsque la tête de distribution incorpore un profil de pulvérisation, la présence de l'obturateur altère généralement la géométrie dudit profil de pulvérisation, ce qui est préjudiciable à la qualité du spray lors de l'expulsion du produit.These shutters, although operating correctly, have the disadvantage of being relatively complicated to manufacture and assemble, and therefore expensive. Generally, they require a modification of the dispensing head to allow adaptation of the shutter which also involves an increase in the manufacturing cost of the fluid dispenser device. On the other hand, when the dispensing head incorporates a spray profile, the presence of the shutter generally alters the geometry of said spray profile, which is detrimental to the quality of the spray during the expulsion of the product.

Le document WO 03/041865 divulgue un pulvérisateur du type nasal, dans lequel l'insert est monté coulissant dans la tête pour former l'obturateur. Un manchon fixe est rapporté pour définir le profil de pulvérisation. Le dispositif de ce document WO 03/041865 nécessite donc quatre pièces distinctes pour former la tête, à savoir le corps de la tête, le piston, l'insert mobile (obturateur) et le manchon. L'assemblage de ces quatre pièces peut également s'avérer assez complexe et donc coûteux. Les documents FR-2 645 835 , FR-2 862 106 , FR-2 871 786 , FR-2 862 009 , WO 03/99706 , WO 03/78073 , DE 196 22 124 et EP-0 791 398 montrent d'autres dispositifs de l'état de la technique.The document WO 03/041865 discloses a nasal spray, wherein the insert is slidably mounted in the head to form the shutter. A fixed sleeve is attached to define the spray profile. The device of this document WO 03/041865 therefore requires four separate parts to form the head, namely the body of the head, the piston, the movable insert (shutter) and the sleeve. The assembly of these four parts can also be quite complex and therefore expensive. The documents FR-2 645 835 , FR-2 862 106 , FR-2,871,786 , FR-2 862 009 , WO 03/99706 , WO 03/78073 , DE 196 22 124 and EP-0 791 398 show other devices of the state of the art.

La présente invention a aussi pour but de fournir un ensemble de distribution de produit fluide pour distributeur de produit fluide qui ne reproduit pas les inconvénients susmentionnés.The present invention also aims to provide a fluid dispenser fluid dispenser assembly that does not reproduce the aforementioned disadvantages.

La présente invention a pour but de fournir un ensemble de distribution qui soit simple à fabriquer et à assembler, et qui ne nécessite pas de modifications de la tête de distribution.The present invention aims to provide a dispensing assembly that is simple to manufacture and assemble, and that does not require modifications of the dispensing head.

La présente invention a encore pour but de fournir un ensemble de distribution pour distributeur de produit fluide dans lequel la géométrie du profil de pulvérisation prévu en amont de l'orifice de distribution n'est pas modifiée lors de l'expulsion du produit, garantissant une qualité optimale du spray.Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing assembly for a fluid dispenser in which the geometry of the spray profile provided upstream of the dispensing orifice is not modified during the expulsion of the product, thus guaranteeing a optimal quality of the spray.

La présente invention a aussi pour but de fournir un distributeur de produit fluide comportant un tel ensemble de distribution.The present invention also aims to provide a fluid dispenser comprising such a dispensing assembly.

La présente invention a donc pour objet un ensemble de distribution de produit fluide tel que décrit dans la revendication 1. Les revendications dépendantes décrivent des modes de réalisation avantageux.The present invention therefore relates to a fluid dispenser assembly as described in claim 1. The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments.

La présente invention a également pour objet un dispositif de distribution de produit fluide comportant un réservoir et un ensemble de distribution tel quel défini ci-dessus.The present invention also relates to a fluid dispenser device comprising a reservoir and a dispensing assembly as defined above.

D'autres avantages et caractéristiques de l'invention apparaîtront plus clairement au cours de la description détaillée suivante, en référence aux dessins joints, donnés à titre d'exemples non limitatifs, sur lesquels :

  • la figure 1 est une vue schématique en section transversale d'un ensemble de distribution selon un mode de réalisation avantageux de l'invention, en position de repos,
  • la figure 2 est une vue de détail agrandie de la tête de pulvérisation de la figure 1, en position de repos,
  • la figure 3 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 2, en position d'actionnement,
  • la figure 4 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 1, montrant une variante de réalisation de l'invention, et
  • la figure 5 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 2, montrant une autre variante de réalisation de l'invention.
Other advantages and features of the invention will appear more clearly in the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given as non-limiting examples, in which:
  • the figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a distribution assembly according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, in the rest position,
  • the figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the spray head of the figure 1 , in the rest position,
  • the figure 3 is a view similar to that of the figure 2 in the actuating position,
  • the figure 4 is a view similar to that of the figure 1 , showing an alternative embodiment of the invention, and
  • the figure 5 is a view similar to that of the figure 2 , showing another alternative embodiment of the invention.

La présente invention concerne plus particulièrement un ensemble de distribution pourvu d'un obturateur. Les figures 2, 3 et 5 représentent la partie d'extrémité d'une tête de distribution nasale, mais la présente invention peut très bien également s'adapter à des têtes de distribution d'un autre type.The present invention more particularly relates to a dispensing assembly provided with a shutter. The Figures 2, 3 and 5 represent the part end of a nasal dispensing head, but the present invention can very well also adapt to distribution heads of another type.

L'ensemble de distribution comporte une pompe 50 et une tête de pulvérisation 10. La pompe 50 peut être montée sur un réservoir 100, dont seulement une partie est représentée en pointillés sur la figure 1. Elle peut comporter un tube plongeur 59 s'étendant vers le fond du réservoir. Le montage de la pompe peut être réalisé au moyen d'une bague de fixation 80, avantageusement avec interposition d'un joint d'étanchéité 90. La bague 80 peut être une pièce séparée ou être formée d'une pièce monobloc avec la pompe 50, comme représenté sur la figure 1. Son assemblage peut être quelconque, par exemple par encliquetage, vissage ou sertissage.The dispensing assembly comprises a pump 50 and a spray head 10. The pump 50 can be mounted on a reservoir 100, only a portion of which is shown in dashed lines on the figure 1 . It may comprise a dip tube 59 extending towards the bottom of the tank. The mounting of the pump can be achieved by means of a fixing ring 80, advantageously with the interposition of a seal 90. The ring 80 can be a separate piece or be formed of a one-piece piece with the pump 50 , as shown on the figure 1 . Its assembly can be arbitrary, for example by snapping, screwing or crimping.

En référence aux figures, la tête de distribution 10 comporte un corps 11 définissant un canal d'expulsion 12 qui se termine par un orifice de distribution 1. Un insert rigide 30 est disposé dans ce canal d'expulsion 12 permettant de limiter le volume mort du canal d'expulsion et de définir ainsi un passage étroit pour le produit, favorisant sa pulvérisation au niveau de l'orifice de distribution. La tête de distribution comporte un profil de pulvérisation 20, de préférence réalisé entre la paroi frontale de fond de la tête de pulvérisation 10 et ledit insert 30, l'orifice de distribution 3 se trouvant alors de préférence au centre dudit profil de pulvérisation. De préférence, et de manière connue, le profil de pulvérisation peut comprendre des canaux de tourbillonnement non radiaux (non représentés) qui se connectent à une chambre de tourbillonnement disposée directement en amont de l'orifice de distribution 1. Le profil de pulvérisation 20 peut être formé dans la paroi de fond de la tête 10, comme représenté sur les figures 1 à 4, ou au contraire dans l'insert 30, comme représenté sur la figure 5.With reference to the figures, the dispensing head 10 comprises a body 11 defining an expulsion channel 12 which terminates in a dispensing orifice 1. A rigid insert 30 is disposed in this expulsion channel 12 making it possible to limit the dead volume of the expulsion channel and thus define a narrow passage for the product, promoting its spraying at the dispensing orifice. The dispensing head comprises a spray profile 20, preferably formed between the bottom end wall of the spray head 10 and said insert 30, the dispensing orifice 3 then being preferably in the center of said spray profile. Preferably, and in known manner, the spraying profile may comprise non-radial swirl channels (not shown) which connect to a swirl chamber disposed directly upstream of the dispensing orifice 1. The spraying profile 20 may be formed in the bottom wall of the head 10, as shown in the Figures 1 to 4 , or on the contrary in the insert 30, as represented on the figure 5 .

La pompe 50 comporte une chambre de pompe 56 pourvue d'un clapet d'entrée 75, tel qu'une bille sur l'exemple de la figure 1.The pump 50 comprises a pump chamber 56 provided with an inlet valve 75, such as a ball on the example of the figure 1 .

La pompe 50 comporte un corps de pompe 52 dans lequel coulisse au moins un premier piston 51. Avantageusement, la pompe comporte également un obturateur 40 disposé en amont de l'orifice de distribution 1 et adapté à obturer cet orifice lorsque la pompe n'est pas utilisée. Cet obturateur 40 est déplaçable entre une position d'obturation, représentée sur les figure 1, 2, 4 et 5, dans laquelle il coopère avec l'orifice de distribution 1 pour l'obturer, et une position de non-obturation, représentée sur la figure 3, dans laquelle il est déplacé en éloignement dudit orifice de distribution 1. En position de repos l'obturateur est sollicité élastiquement vers sa position d'obturation, en particulier au moyen du ressort de rappel 70 de la pompe comme cela est représenté sur les dessins. En variante, un ressort spécifique pourrait être assigné audit obturateur 40.The pump 50 comprises a pump body 52 in which slides at least a first piston 51. Advantageously, the pump also comprises a shutter 40 disposed upstream of the dispensing orifice 1 and adapted to close this orifice when the pump is not not used. This shutter 40 is movable between a closed position, shown on the figure 1, 2 , 4 and 5 , in which it cooperates with the dispensing orifice 1 to close it, and a non-sealing position, represented on the figure 3 , in which it is moved away from said dispensing orifice 1. In the rest position, the shutter is biased elastically towards its closed position, in particular by means of the return spring 70 of the pump as shown in the drawings. . Alternatively, a specific spring could be assigned to said shutter 40.

Dans l'exemple représenté sur les figures, la chambre de tourbillonnement du profil de pulvérisation 20 est de volume sensiblement nul en position d'obturation, le déplacement de l'obturateur 40 vers sa position de non-obturation créant un volume formant la chambre de tourbillonnement. D'autres mises en oeuvre sont toutefois aussi envisageables.In the example shown in the figures, the swirl chamber of the spray profile 20 is of substantially zero volume in the closed position, the displacement of the shutter 40 towards its non-sealing position creating a volume forming the chamber of swirling. Other implementations are however also possible.

Avantageusement, la pompe représentée sur la figure 1 comporte un second piston 57 qui coulisse également de manière étanche dans le corps de pompe 52. Ce second piston 57 est adapté à coopérer avec l'obturateur 40 pour le déplacer vers sa position de non-obturation, de préférence en fin d'actionnement de la pompe. Ceci fournit un certain nombre d'avantages. En effet, cette mise en oeuvre permet de réaliser une ouverture mécanique de l'obturateur 40 indépendante de la pression du produit dans la pompe lors de l'actionnement. De plus, cette mise en oeuvre permet d'ouvrir l'obturateur en toute fin d'actionnement, ce qui garantit une parfaite distribution de la totalité de la dose. Bien entendu, la présente invention n'est pas limitée à cet exemple de pompe particulier représenté sur la figure 1, mais s'applique au contraire à toutes sortes de pompes.Advantageously, the pump represented on the figure 1 comprises a second piston 57 which also slides sealingly in the pump body 52. This second piston 57 is adapted to cooperate with the shutter 40 to move it to its non-sealing position, preferably at the end of the actuation. the pump. This provides a number of advantages. Indeed, this implementation makes it possible to achieve a mechanical opening of the shutter 40 independent of the pressure of the product in the pump during actuation. In addition, this implementation allows to open the shutter at the end of actuation, which ensures a perfect distribution of the entire dose. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this example of a particular pump shown in FIG. figure 1 but instead applies to all kinds of pumps.

La figure 4 représente un autre type de pompe dans laquelle l'obturateur 40 se prolonge par une jupe 45 formant clapet d'entrée 75 de la chambre de pompe 56. L'invention peut aussi s'appliquer à d'autres types de pompes.The figure 4 represents another type of pump in which the shutter 40 is extended by a skirt 45 forming the inlet valve 75 of the pump chamber 56. The invention can also be applied to other types of pumps.

Selon l'invention, ledit insert rigide 30 est solidaire dudit premier piston 51, et le premier piston 51 est fixe par rapport à la tête de pulvérisation 10. De préférence, l'insert 30 est formé par ledit premier piston 51, c'est-à-dire que ces deux pièces sont réalisées d'une seule pièce monobloc. La présente invention permet donc d'économiser une pièce par rapport aux pompes connues. De préférence, le premier piston 51 comporte un passage traversant 55 réalisé dans une paroi dudit premier piston 51, et qui est adapté à permettre le passage du produit fluide à partir de l'intérieur dudit premier piston 51 vers l'extérieur dudit premier piston 51. En effet, à partir du moment où le premier piston 51 forme l'insert 30 qui est adapté à définir le profil de pulvérisation 20 au niveau de l'orifice de distribution 1, le produit doit s'écouler à l'extérieur dudit insert, entre la surface extérieure dudit insert 30 et la surface intérieure du corps 11 de la tête 10. Avantageusement, ledit obturateur 40 coulisse à l'intérieur dudit premier piston 51, comme visible sur les figures. De cette manière, la géométrie du profil de pulvérisation 20 reste inchangée, en particulier au niveau des canaux non-radiaux (non représentés), quelle que soit la position de l'obturateur 10.According to the invention, said rigid insert 30 is integral with said first piston 51, and the first piston 51 is fixed relative to the spray head 10. Preferably, the insert 30 is formed by said first piston 51, it is to say that these two pieces are made of a single piece. The present invention therefore saves a room compared to known pumps. Preferably, the first piston 51 has a through passage 55 formed in a wall of said first piston 51, and which is adapted to allow the passage of the fluid from the inside of said first piston 51 outwardly of said first piston 51 Indeed, from the moment when the first piston 51 forms the insert 30 which is adapted to define the spray profile 20 at the dispensing orifice 1, the product must flow outside said insert , between the outer surface of said insert 30 and the inner surface of the body 11 of the head 10. Advantageously, said shutter 40 slides inside said first piston 51, as shown in the figures. In this way, the geometry of the spraying profile 20 remains unchanged, in particular at non-radial channels (not shown), regardless of the position of the shutter 10.

La présente invention permet donc de réaliser avec seulement trois pièces, à savoir le corps 11 de la tête, le premier piston 51 et l'obturateur 40, les fonctions suivantes :

  • Une parfaite pulvérisation du produit lors de sa distribution, du fait que la géométrie du profil de pulvérisation 20 n'est pas modifiée par le déplacement de l'obturateur 40 vers sa position de non-obturation ; en effet, le piston 51 formant l'insert 30 est avantageusement fixe par rapport audit corps 11, de sorte que la géométrie du profil de pulvérisation 20, et en particulier des canaux non-radiaux, reste inchangée au moment de la distribution.
  • Une parfaite obturation de l'orifice de distribution lorsque la pompe n'est pas utilisée ; en effet, l'obturateur 40 peut venir coopérer directement avec l'orifice de distribution 1, en étant sollicité élastiquement par le ressort de rappel de la pompe vers sa position d'obturation, ce qui empêche toute pénétration de germes ou de bactéries à l'intérieur du dispositif entre deux actionnements, et ce qui minimise de manière importante les risques de contamination du produit à distribuer.
  • Une distribution garantie de la totalité de la dose à chaque actionnement ; en effet, l'ouverture de l'obturateur peut se faire en toute fin d'actionnement et peut être réalisée mécaniquement par le second piston de la pompe ; ceci fournit une parfaite précompression de cette pompe lors de son actionnement, de sorte qu'au moment de son ouverture il est garanti que la totalité de la dose sera distribuée.
The present invention therefore makes it possible to produce with only three parts, namely the body 11 of the head, the first piston 51 and the shutter 40, the following functions:
  • A perfect spraying of the product during its distribution, since the geometry of the spray profile 20 is not modified by the displacement of the shutter 40 towards its non-sealing position; indeed, the piston 51 forming the insert 30 is advantageously fixed relative to said body 11, so that the geometry of the spray profile 20, and in particular non-radial channels, remains unchanged at the time of dispensing.
  • Perfect sealing of the dispensing orifice when the pump is not in use; indeed, the shutter 40 can cooperate directly with the dispensing orifice 1, being elastically biased by the return spring of the pump towards its closed position, which prevents any penetration of germs or bacteria to the the interior of the device between two actuations, and this significantly minimizes the risk of contamination of the product to be dispensed.
  • Guaranteed distribution of the entire dose at each actuation; indeed, the opening of the shutter can be done at the very end of actuation and can be performed mechanically by the second piston of the pump; this provides a perfect precompression of this pump during its actuation, so that when it opens it is guaranteed that the entire dose will be distributed.

La présente invention a été décrite en référence à plusieurs modes de réalisation avantageux de celle-ci, mais il est entendu que diverses modifications peuvent y être apportées sans sortir du cadre de la présente invention tel que défini par les revendications annexées.The present invention has been described with reference to several advantageous embodiments thereof, but it is understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (7)

  1. A fluid dispenser unit comprising:
    • a pump (50) comprising a pump body (52) and at least a first piston (51) that slides in leaktight manner in said pump body (52) between a non-dispensing position and a dispensing position; and
    • a spray head (10) that is mounted on said pump (50) and that is movable manually between a rest position, in which said first piston (51) is in a non-dispensing position, and an actuated position, in which said first piston (51) is moved towards its dispensing position, said spray head (10) including a body (11) that defines an expulsion channel (12) and that is provided with a dispenser orifice (1), said spray head (10) including a rigid insert (30) that is disposed upstream from said spray profile (20), said spray head including, upstream from said dispenser orifice (1), a spray profile (20) that is adapted to spray the fluid while it is being dispensed, said spray profile (20) being made between a front end wall of said spray head (10) and said rigid insert (30), such that an end surface of said rigid insert (30) forms the end of said spray profile (20) at least in part, the dispensing orifice (1) being located prefereably in the center of said spray profile (20),
    the unit being characterized in that said rigid insert (30) is secured to said first piston (51), said first piston (51) being stationary relative to said spray head (10), and in that said unit further comprises a closure member (40) that is disposed in said expulsion channel (12) of the spray head (10) directly upstream from the dispenser orifice (1), said closure member (40) being movable between a closed position, in which it co-operates with said dispenser orifice (1) in order to close it, and a non-closing position, in which it is moved away from said dispenser orifice (1), said closure member (40) being urged towards its closed position in the rest position of said spray head (10).
  2. A unit according to claim 1, in which said rigid insert (30) is made integrally with said first piston (51).
  3. A unit according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which said first piston (51) includes at least one through passage (55) enabling the fluid to pass from the inside to the outside of said first piston (51).
  4. A unit according to any preceding claim, in which said closure member is disposed inside said first piston (51), in particular in slidable manner.
  5. A unit according to any preceding claim, in which said pump (50) includes a second piston (57) that slides in leaktight manner in said pump body (52), said second piston (57) co-operating with said closure member (40) in order to move it towards its non-closing position.
  6. A unit according to claim 5, in which said second piston (57) co-operates with said closure member (40) at the end of actuation, when said spray head (10) arrives in its actuated position.
  7. A fluid dispenser device, including a reservoir (100), said device being characterized in that it includes a dispenser unit according to any preceding claim, assembled on said reservoir.
EP07848346.8A 2006-09-20 2007-09-20 Dispensing assembly and fluid product dispenser comprising such a dispensing assembly Active EP2069072B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0653830A FR2905941B1 (en) 2006-09-20 2006-09-20 FLUID PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION ASSEMBLY AND DISPENSER HAVING SUCH A DISPENSING ASSEMBLY
PCT/FR2007/051974 WO2008035015A1 (en) 2006-09-20 2007-09-20 Dispensing assembly and fluid product dispenser comprising such a dispensing assembly

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2069072A1 EP2069072A1 (en) 2009-06-17
EP2069072B1 true EP2069072B1 (en) 2017-07-12

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US (1) US9095864B2 (en)
EP (1) EP2069072B1 (en)
JP (1) JP5060560B2 (en)
CN (1) CN101528356B (en)
FR (1) FR2905941B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2008035015A1 (en)

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FR2962351B1 (en) * 2010-07-09 2015-01-16 Valois Sas SPRAY HEAD FOR DEVICE FOR DISPENSING FLUID.
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FR3004128B1 (en) * 2013-04-08 2017-01-13 Aptar France Sas IMPROVED SPRAY HEAD.
US20150127472A1 (en) * 2013-11-01 2015-05-07 LiveIntent, Inc. Future decisioning for creative slots
US20170220570A1 (en) * 2016-01-28 2017-08-03 Echostar Technologies L.L.C. Adjusting media content based on collected viewer data
CN107626017B (en) * 2017-08-16 2019-12-31 深圳博纳精密给药系统股份有限公司 Liquid dropping device
EP4186509A1 (en) 2021-11-26 2023-05-31 Alpha Cognition Inc. Alpha-1062 for treating traumatic brain injury
FR3132288B1 (en) * 2022-01-31 2024-01-05 Aptar France Sas Fluid product dispensing device and its priming method

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN101528356A (en) 2009-09-09
WO2008035015A1 (en) 2008-03-27
US9095864B2 (en) 2015-08-04
FR2905941A1 (en) 2008-03-21
EP2069072A1 (en) 2009-06-17
US20100032499A1 (en) 2010-02-11
CN101528356B (en) 2011-09-07
JP2010504254A (en) 2010-02-12
FR2905941B1 (en) 2011-02-11
JP5060560B2 (en) 2012-10-31

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