ES2379754T3 - Push button for converged distribution channels - Google Patents

Abstract

Push button for a liquid distribution system; said push button includes a body (1) in which the distribution path is formed and to which an insert (17) is associated to form a distribution chamber (18) between said insert (17) and said body (1) and wherein said chamber (18) includes converging channels (19) towards a distribution hole (20); said convergent channels (19) are positioned to allow the impact of the liquid jets distributed by said holes (20); the insert (17) and the body (1) each include a mark that has a truncated conical geometry and said geometries, male and female respectively, are positioned to fit inside each other and to form the convergent channels (19) between them; button characterized in that the truncated conical geometries have a polygonal base respectively for each of the marks and revolution for the other brand; the convergent channels (19) are formed in anticipation that the revolution geometry has a radius adapted to come into contact with the faces (21) of the polygonal geometry forming liquid passages along each of the edges (22 ) of said polygonal geometry.

Description

Push button for converged distribution channels

The invention relates to a push button for a liquid distribution system as well as to said distribution system.

Said system serves, in a particular application, to equip the jars used in perfumery, cosmetics or in pharmaceutical treatments. Indeed, said type of bottle contains a liquid that is replenished by a distribution system that includes a pump or a manually operated valve through a push button to allow the liquid to be sprayed.

Document FR-2 915 470 describes a push-button that includes a female element and a male element closely inserted in said female element through a distribution interface and that delimits with said female element a chamber that will be filled with the fluid product to be go to dispense; the distribution interface is defined by an inner surface of the female element and an outer surface of the male element; said push-button also includes several steps placed in the distribution interface and through which the camera has an outward exit; the interior and exterior surfaces described above are in contact with the two consecutive steps.

Document US-3 568 933 describes a conduit for spraying a liquid in the form of particles and includes several convergent streams of formation of jets to drive the flow of said liquid and in which a cavity is also formed at the point of convergence of these steps.

GB-1 253 221 describes conduits for the impact of the flow of a liquid in an aerosol; said ducts serve to be used together with controlled distribution devices of a product and are mounted in the containers of a pressurized product, such as aerosols.

Document JP-2005/219031 describes a spray duct of an aerosol that can be manufactured simply without using a state-of-the-art manufacturing technique and in which the projected product flows in the form of an aerosol from ejection holes can be collide with each other safely so that the pressure needed to propel the product into the aerosol can be reduced.

Said push-buttons are normally carried out in two parts: an actuator body and a liquid spray duct joined together to form the push-button. In particular, the spray duct can be arranged to form an aerosol with the liquid, thus delimiting a turbulence chamber.

For this, the turbulence chamber is arranged so that the liquid rotates very quickly and to give it speed. Thus, if the turbulence chamber is prolonged in its central part by a distribution orifice, the liquid can escape very quickly by fractioning into very small drops and forming the aerosol.

However, said fractionation is done in an uncontrolled manner and the aerosol is composed of drops of various sizes. For example, in the case of a pump or a valve that feeds a push-button by means of an alcohol flow with a pressure of 5 bars and an exit hole of 0.3 mm, the aerosol will normally consist of a few drops with a diameter between 5 µm and 300 µm.

However, large drops are heavier than small ones, they follow a different distribution path and can cause indelible stains in the case of perfumes. Also, the smallest drops are the lightest and can be inhaled, which could be the goal in the case of medications, but this could produce an unwanted effect in the case of toxic products. Also, in the case of drugs that must be dispensed according to a particular dosage, the place of application, for example, inside the respiratory system, will depend on the size of the drops and the large disparity of sizes could falsify the treatment.

Likewise, the size of the drops that leave the turbulence chamber depends in part on the force and speed with which the user operates the pump by pressing the button with his finger, since the pressure caused will depend on it.

In addition, due to the effects of the centrifugal force at the exit of the turbulence chamber, the aerosol is usually hollow with a practically conical shell, composed of most of the drops, while very few remain inside the cone. Specifically, this distribution of the drops can be detrimental to dermal applications.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, document FR-2 903 328 proposes the use of a duct without turbulence provided with a micro-grid to ensure the calibration and spatial distribution of the drops.

However, said embodiment requires sections of the passages through the micro-grid that are extremely small, about 6 µm in diameter, which imposes a fine filtration of the liquid in order to avoid jamming problems. Also, the difficulty of realization and assembly in the body of said micro-grids is important.

In order to facilitate the realization of the sections of the passages of the liquid, document DE-29 25 435 describes the realization of passage slots to the interface between the conduit and the body.

However, the precision of the realization of said grooves, mainly by machining, cannot be guaranteed enough to control the calibration and spatial distribution of the drops.

We also know, thanks to document EP-0 941 144, a button that includes a distribution chamber provided with converging channels that are directed towards a distribution hole; said convergent channels are arranged to allow the impact of the liquid jets distributed by said holes. Therefore, during the high-speed impact of the distributed jets, an aerosol is formed without resorting to a turbulence chamber.

However, to perform said aerosol by satisfactorily controlling the calibration and spatial distribution of the drops, it is necessary to form identical jets whose convergence is perfect. In effect, the jets cross without impact or partially impacting, which causes the degradation of the calibration and the spatial distribution of the drops formed.

The invention proposes a button that allows to obtain reliably identical and convergent jets, using a simple conception that allows the use of tools and assembly machines of the traditional buttons.

The invention proposes for this and according to a first aspect, a button according to claim 1.

According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a liquid distribution system that includes a pump or a valve on which said button is mounted; the distribution channel communicates with said pump or valve to allow the spray of the liquid by impact of the jets that come from the converging channels.

Other objects and advantages of the invention with respect to the figures in the annexes, in which:

-

 Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a distribution system according to the invention; said system is mounted on the neck of a bottle;

-

 Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the button of the distribution system according to Figure 1 in which the shell of the distributed liquid is schematized;

-

 Figure 3 is a sectional view of a quarter of the insert shown in Figure 2;

-

 Figure 4 represents a perspective of the geometry of the pushbutton distribution chamber according to Figure 2.

Next, with respect to the figures, a spray button is described for a distribution system of a liquid of any nature, used mainly in the field of perfumery, cosmetics or for pharmaceutical treatments.

The button includes a body 1 in which a distribution path is formed. Likewise, the body 1 has an annular fairing of aspect 2 that surrounds a compartment 3 for mounting a button on the distribution system. Also, the button includes an upper area 4 so that the user can press said button in order to move it axially.

With respect to FIG. 1, the distribution system includes a pump with a vaporizer 5 tightly inserted in the compartment 3. Also, the pump includes a sleeve 6 for mounting on the neck 7 of a bottle containing a liquid; said sleeve includes an upper surface 8 on which a fairing of aspect 2 of the button is mounted by translation.

Also, the pump shown includes a body 9 mounted on the sleeve 6 and said body houses the dosing and compression means of the liquid and includes a piston 10, mounted around the sprayer 5 through a spring 11. The body 9 it also integrates the spray retention spring 12 of the sprayer 5 as well as the liquid intake valve 13 in the body 9 through a dip tube 14.

The distribution pump shown is of classical construction with respect to the feed of the sprayer 5 and therefore with respect to the distribution path of the pressurized liquid by manual movement of the button. The invention is not limited, however, to a particular type of pump and in the event that the liquid is packed under pressure inside the bottle, a manually operated valve may be used as a distribution system.

The button body has an annual compartment 15 with an axis perpendicular to that of the mounting compartment 3; The lower end of the button has an annular compartment 15 with a perpendicular axis to that of the mounting compartment 3 and the lower end of the distribution path flows into said compartment. Specifically, the distribution path is formed in compartment 3 and at least one lower channel 16 is formed at the bottom of the annular compartment 15 so that compartments 3 and 15 are communicated with each other.

The push-button also includes an insert 17 associated in the body 1 that forms a distribution chamber 18 between said insert and said body, specifically, in the free space formed at the interface between said insert and said body. The distribution chamber 18 includes converging channels 19 towards a distribution hole 20; said convergent channels are positioned to allow the impact of the liquid jets distributed through said holes to form the desired aerosol.

To make the convergent channels 19, the insert 17 and the body 1 each include a mark having a truncated conical geometry; said geometries, male and female respectively, are positioned to fit into each other forming the convergent channels 19 between them. Therefore, the converging channels 19 are obtained by cooperating with the shapes that are easily made by molding and that do not include any grooves.

Likewise, the identity and the perfect convergence of the channels 19 are geometrically secured, as well as the angle of convergence corresponding to that of the truncated cone geometries. Also, the section of the converging channels 19 can be large enough, for example, of more than 10,000 m 2, to exclude any risk of clogging.

As shown in the figures, the truncated conical geometries can have a polygonal base for one of the marks and revolution for the other brand, respectively. Therefore, the convergent channels 19 are formed in anticipation that the revolution geometry has a radius adapted to be in contact with the faces 21 of the polygonal geometry forming liquid passages along each of the edges 22 of said polygonal geometry. Likewise, the truncated conical geometries have an analogous convergence angle to form convergent channels 19 with a practically constant section.

Specifically, the female geometry can be conical with a polygonal base and the male geometry is conical with a revolution, although the inverse construction could be considered. In the embodiment shown, the female geometry is frustoconical and has a base with four sides to form four convergent channels 19. Also, the angle of convergence of the truncated cone geometries serves to make the channels 19 converge according to an angle C of about 70 °, and to produce an aerosol A with immediate proximity to the distribution holes 20. In said embodiment, the aerosol A is composed of a few drops in suspension in the air whose size is very uniform and small. Likewise, the section of the aerosol envelope A has a more or less square shape but nevertheless this shape may be a little more rounded depending on the nature of the liquid and / or the position of the point of impact.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the insert 17 can be placed to form the distribution holes 20 backwards with respect to the front face 23 of the push-button and to bring the impact point p of said face closer together. However, other constructions can be contemplated knowing that, the smaller the convergence angle C, the more detached will be the aerosol A of the distribution holes 20 and the smaller the aerosol a of the angle A, the larger the drops.

According to other embodiments, the polygonal base may include a different number of sides 22 knowing that the number of convergent channels 19 formed will be equal to said number of sides 22. Specifically, six sides can be used to form a practically round aerosol or two sides to form a practically flat spray.

In the embodiment shown, the distribution chamber 18 also includes an upper annular conduit 24 that communicates with the lower channel 16 of the distribution path.

For this, the compartment 15 includes a central rod 25 which extends from the rear wall of said compartment and which has an opposite end 26. Also, the insert extends from the rear wall of said compartment and has an opposite end 26. Likewise , the insert 17 has a mounting duct 27 delimited by a front wall 28 and is mounted in the compartment 15 around the rod 25 to form an annular duct 24 between the inner wall of the duct 27 and the outer wall of the rod 25.

The conduit 27 has an internal cylindrical geometry of revolution and the insert 17 is collinearly positioned in the axis of the compartment 15 to allow lateral spraying of the liquid with respect to the body 1 of the push button. Also, the outer face of the rear edge of the conduit 27 is provided with a lateral projection 29 anchored in the compartment 15.

The distribution chamber 18 shown also includes radial transport channels 3 connected on one side with the upper annular conduit 24 and on the other with a converging channel 19, respectively. To this end, the inner face of the front wall 28 is provided with a circumferential alternation of complementary holes 31 and projections 32 and, by the tight support of the projections 32 on the front end 26 of the rod 25, is positioned to form a channel of transport 30 in each of said gaps.

An insert 17 is described with respect to Figure 3 in which a truncated conical female geometry is formed with a square base that has a central opening 33 in which the distribution holes 20 of the converging channels 19 are formed. More specifically, the front wall 28 of the insert 17 is provided with an opening 33 in which the female geometry is formed and in which the front end 26 of the rod has a projection 34 that forms the male geometry and fits into said opening thus forming the channels converging 19 (figure 2).

Also, the transport channel 30 is connected to a convergent channel 19 by an opening 35 formed in the female geometry; said transport channels converge from the annular conduit 24 towards the opening 35. Also, to facilitate the molding of the insert 17, as well as the flow of the liquid, the opening 35 has a radius r1 of connection between the transport channel 30 and the channel convergent 19. Also, the male boss 34 is formed at the front end 26 of the rod 25 and has a radius r2 of attachment.

The formed female geometry therefore includes four faces 21 on which the male geometry rests tightly; said faces are joined by edges 22 and in them a converging channel 19 is formed and an opening 35 opens.

Likewise, in order to improve the coupling reliability of the insert 17 in the body 1 as well as the cooperation of the male and female geometries to realize the distribution chamber in a sealed manner, the body 1 can be made with a flexible material and the insert 17 can be made With a harder material. As regards flexible materials, polyolefin (polyethylene or polypropylene for example) can be used and for hard materials cycloolefin (COC), polybutylene terephthalate or polyoxymethylene can be used.

In a variant not shown, mainly in relation to a button that forms a nasal nozzle of axial distribution of a pharmaceutical product, the central opening 33 can be made in the body 1 and is coaxial with the compartment 3: the central rod 25 can be made by therefore in the form of an insert 17 to be mounted in the compartment 3 and to form the distribution chamber.

Claims (10)

one.

 Push button for a liquid distribution system; said push button includes a body (1) in which the distribution path is formed and to which an insert (17) is associated to form a distribution chamber (18) between said insert (17) and said body (1) and wherein said chamber (18) includes converging channels (19) towards a distribution hole (20); said convergent channels (19) are positioned to allow the impact of the liquid jets distributed by said holes (20); the insert (17) and the body (1) each include a mark that has a truncated conical geometry and said geometries, male and female respectively, are positioned to fit inside each other and to form the convergent channels (19) between them; button characterized in that the truncated conical geometries have a polygonal base respectively for each of the marks and revolution for the other brand; the convergent channels (19) are formed in anticipation that the revolution geometry has a radius adapted to come into contact with the faces (21) of the polygonal geometry forming liquid passages along each of the edges (22 ) of said polygonal geometry.

2.

 Pushbutton according to claim 1, characterized in that the female geometry is conical with polygonal base and the male geometry is conical with conical revolution.

3.

 Button according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the body (1) has a male geometry fitted in the female geometry formed in the insert (17), which has an opening (33) in which the distribution holes (20) are formed. ) of the converging channels (19).

Four.

 Push-button according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distribution chamber (18) includes an upper annular conduit (24) that communicates with the distribution path and transport channels (30) that communicate on one side with said upper annular duct and on the other with a converging channel (19).

5.

 Button according to claim 4, characterized in that the transport channel (30) communicates with a converging channel (19) by means of an opening (35) formed in the female geometry.

6.

 Button according to claim 5, characterized in that the opening (35) has a radius (M) of connection between the transport channel (30) and the convergent channel (19).

7.

 Button according to any of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the body (1) has a compartment (15) provided with a central rod (25) and that the insert (17) has a conduit (27) delimited by a front wall ( 28) and is mounted around said rod to form the annular duct (24) between the inner wall of said duct and the outer wall of said rod.

8.

 Push-button according to claim 7, characterized in that the inner face of the front wall (28) is provided with an alternation of recesses (31) and projections (32) which is placed, by supporting the projections (32) on the end front (26) of the rod (25), to form a transport channel (30) in each of said holes.

9.

 Button according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the front wall (28) of the insert (17) is provided with an opening (33) in which the female geometry is formed; the front end (26) of the stem (25) shows the male geometry (34).

10.

A liquid distribution system that includes a pump or valve in which a button according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is mounted; the distribution channel communicates with said pump or said valve to allow the spray of the liquid by impact of the jets coming from the converging channels (19).