FR3148385A1 - Fluid product dispensing device - Google Patents

Abstract

Fluid product dispensing device comprising either a pump body (14) containing a pump chamber (14a) with a piston (16) sliding in said pump body (14) between a rest position and an actuating position, or a valve body (110) containing a valve chamber (120) with a valve (130) sliding in said valve body (120) between a rest position and a dispensing position, said device comprising a deformable element (60; 160) for either generating a precompression at the start of each actuation of said piston (16), or urging said valve (130) towards its rest position, said deformable element (60; 160) comprising a hollow cylindrical tube (61; 161) made of a deformable material, such as an elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer, said hollow tube (61; 161) being arranged radially inside either said piston (16) or of said valve body (110), and being, in the rest position, slightly deformed radially inwards by a radially projecting profile (65, 65'; 165), said hollow tube (61; 161), upon actuation, folding radially inwards under the effect of an actuation force exerted by the user. "figure for the abstract: figure 6"

Description

Fluid product dispensing device

The present invention relates to a fluid product dispensing device, comprising a pump or a valve.

Documents FR2343137 and FR2403465 describe devices comprising a pump comprising a pump body in which a piston can move, slidably mounted on an actuating rod, the thrust force exerted on the rod by the user being transmitted to the piston by means of a spring, such that by actuating the actuating rod, a relative movement of the piston occurs with respect to the rod.

Document WO2020128269 describes an improved version of the above pump.

These pumps do, however, have some drawbacks. For example, they have two metal springs, which is not advantageous from a recycling point of view. In addition, they have a gland, cooperating with the return spring and necessary to prime the pump.

Document EP0551782 describes a device comprising a valve comprising a valve body in which slides a valve stem which is biased towards its rest position by a spring.

Documents WO2009001005, WO2014195616, WO2018203013 and WO2021156580 describe other types of valves also comprising such a spring.

These valves have some drawbacks. For example, they have a metal spring, which is not advantageous from a recycling point of view.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a fluid product dispensing device which does not reproduce the aforementioned drawbacks.

The present invention also aims to provide a fluid product dispensing device which improves recycling by eliminating metal springs.

The present invention also aims to provide a fluid product dispensing device comprising a pump for which priming is simplified.

The present invention also aims to provide a fluid product dispensing device which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

The present invention therefore relates to a fluid product dispensing device comprising either a pump body containing a pump chamber with a piston sliding in said pump body between a rest position and an actuating position, or a valve body containing a valve chamber with a valve sliding in said valve body between a rest position and a dispensing position, said device comprising a deformable element for either generating precompression at the start of each actuation of said piston, or urging said valve towards its rest position, said deformable element comprising a hollow cylindrical tube made of a deformable material, such as an elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer, said hollow tube being arranged radially inside either said piston or said valve body, and being, in the rest position, slightly deformed radially inwards by a radially projecting profile, said hollow tube, during actuation, folding radially inwards under the effect of an actuating force exerted by the user.

Advantageously, said radially projecting profile is a radially projecting external profile formed on said hollow tube and projecting radially outward from said hollow tube to cooperate, in the rest position, with either said piston or said valve body.

Alternatively, said radially projecting profile is a radially projecting internal profile formed on said piston and projecting radially inward from said piston to cooperate, in the rest position, with said hollow tube.

Advantageously, said radially projecting profile is a peripheral rib.

Alternatively, said radially projecting profile comprises a plurality of lugs arranged around the periphery of said hollow tube or said piston, over the same axial height.

Advantageously, said radially projecting profile is arranged axially approximately in the middle of said hollow tube or said piston.

Advantageously, said pump body comprises an upper opening closed by said piston and a lower opening closed by an inlet valve, held in place by a valve holder fixed in said pump body, said piston sliding in a sealed manner in said pump body around a hollow axial rod connected to a distribution head, said hollow axial rod being provided with an internal axial channel closed axially on the lower side and communicating with the outside by a radial orifice, said piston comprising on a radially external edge an external sealing lip to ensure sealing against said pump body, and on a radially internal edge an internal sealing lip, to seal said radial orifice in a sealed manner at rest.

Advantageously, said hollow tube bears on the upper axial side on a shoulder of said hollow axial rod and on the lower axial side on said piston.

Advantageously, a hollow axial insert is fixed in said hollow axial rod, said hollow axial insert comprising said radial orifice.

Advantageously, the pump comprises a non-metallic elastic return member.

Advantageously, said elastic return member is a bellows arranged between a distribution head fixed to said piston and a part fixed to said pump body, such as a fixing ring.

Advantageously, said hollow tube rests on the one hand on a bottom wall of said valve body and on the other hand on a radial collar of said valve.

These and other features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, given as non-limiting examples, and in which:

there is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid product dispensing device comprising a fluid product dispensing pump according to a first advantageous embodiment of the invention, in the rest position,

Figures 2 and 3 are schematic cross-sectional detail views showing the precompression of the pump of the , respectively before and during actuation,

cf

there is a schematic perspective view of the deformable element generating the precompression,

there is a view similar to that of the , showing an advantageous variant embodiment,

there is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluid product dispensing device comprising a valve according to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, in the rest position, and

there is a view similar to that of the , in distribution position.

In the description, the terms "upper", "lower", "top" and "bottom" refer to the upright position of the device shown in the . The terms "axial" and "radial" refer to the longitudinal center axis of the pump or valve.

There represents a device according to a first advantageous embodiment of the invention, comprising a pump, and which improves a pump of the prior art as described in document WO2020128269A1.

This pump comprises a pump body 14 containing a pump chamber 14a. The pump body 14 is axially open on both sides, with an upper opening advantageously closed by a piston 16 and a lower opening 29, advantageously closed by an inlet valve 20.

A fixing ring 10 is provided for fixing the pump body 14 to the neck of a tank (not shown), preferably with the interposition of a neck seal 11. A ring seal 13 ensures the sealing of the fixing ring 10 with the pump body 14.

The piston 16 slides in a sealed manner in the pump body 14, between a rest position and an actuating position, advantageously around a hollow axial rod 15 with a first internal axial channel 15a.

The first internal axial channel 15a opens axially towards the top of the rod 15 to connect to a distribution head 1 provided with a distribution orifice 2.

The dispensing head 1 advantageously comprises a nasal tip 3 intended to be at least partially inserted into a nostril during use, as well as a radial flange 4 forming a support for the user's fingers during actuation.

Downwards, the first internal axial channel 15a is advantageously also axially open and the hollow axial rod 15 advantageously receives a hollow axial insert 17.

This hollow axial insert 17 comprises a second internal axial channel 17a which opens axially upwards into the first internal axial channel 15a of the hollow axial rod 15.

Downwardly, the second internal axial channel 17a is advantageously axially closed, and the hollow axial insert advantageously comprises a radial orifice 17b for connecting the second internal axial channel 17a with the exterior of the hollow axial insert 17.

Optionally, the rod 15 and the insert 17 could be formed from a single piece, for example by molding.

An elastic return member 50, advantageously non-metallic, is provided to urge the pump towards its rest position, and return it to this rest position after each actuation.

In the example shown, this elastic return member 50 is formed by a bellows arranged between the dispensing head 1 and the fixing ring 10, which elastically biases the dispensing head towards its rest position. During actuation, this bellows 50 is compressed, so that after actuation, the compressed bellows will elastically return to its uncompressed position, driving with it the dispensing head 1 towards its rest position, which in turn returns the piston 16 to its rest position by sucking the next dose of fluid product into the pump chamber 14a.

A radially outer edge of the piston 16 advantageously forms an external sealing lip 16a, to ensure sealing against the internal surface of the pump body 14.

An upper axial edge 16b of the piston 16 advantageously ensures, at rest, sealing against the ring seal 13.

The pump body 14 is advantageously closed downwards by the inlet valve 20, held in place by a valve holder 21. This inlet valve 20 closes the lower opening 29, communicating with the interior of the tank, and to which a dip tube 29a can be connected, in the well-known conventional manner.

The rod 15 advantageously comprises a shoulder 23, which serves in particular to limit the upward movement of the rod 15, by forming a stop with the ring seal 13.

When the pump is at rest, the upper edge 16b of the piston 16 is advantageously applied against the ring seal 13.

The seal between the piston 16 and the hollow axial insert 17 is advantageously ensured by an internal part of the piston 16, preferably of conical shape, forming an internal sealing lip 16c.

The external 16a and internal 16c sealing lips advantageously extend axially downwards from a radial bottom wall 16d, as seen in particular in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5.

At rest, the radial orifice 17b is advantageously in line with the internal sealing lip 16c, so as to be perfectly sealed. The seal between the outside and the inside of the tank is therefore advantageously ensured on the one hand by the contact between the upper edge 16b of the piston 16 and the ring seal 13, and on the other hand between the internal sealing lip 16c and the hollow axial insert 17.

To achieve precompression during actuation, which in particular ensures good distribution of the entire dose without risk of partial actuation stroke, the pump comprises a deformable element 60.

This deformable element 60 comprises a hollow cylindrical tube 61 made of a deformable material, for example an elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer.

This tube 61 is arranged radially inside the piston 16, advantageously bearing on the upper axial side on the shoulder 23 of the rod and on the lower axial side on said piston 16, in particular on the radial bottom wall 16d.

Thus, the deformable element 60 transmits to the piston 16 the actuating force exerted by the user on the rod 15, and it is only when this deformable element 60 deforms that the rod 15 will be able to move axially in the piston 16.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate this precompression.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the tube 61 has on its external radial surface a radially projecting external profile 65 which projects radially outwards from said tube 61.

This radially projecting external profile 65 can advantageously be a peripheral rib, as illustrated in the , but as a variant it could be composed of a plurality of lugs arranged all around the periphery of the tube 61 over the same axial height thereof.

Advantageously, the radially projecting external profile 65 is arranged axially approximately in the middle of said tube 61, but other implementations are possible.

Thus, at rest, the tube 61 is arranged radially close to the piston 16, radially inside it, and the presence of the radially projecting external profile 65 generates a small deformation towards the inside of said tube 61, as visible in the figure. .

In the variant embodiment of the , the radially projecting external profile 65 of the tube 61 is removed and replaced by a radially projecting internal profile 65' made in the internal surface of the piston 16 and projecting radially inwards from the piston 16.

The result is the same, namely that at rest, the tube 61 is slightly deformed radially inwards at the level of this radially projecting internal profile 65', which will cause a radial deformation towards the inside of the tube 61 during actuation.

As for the first embodiment, this radially projecting internal profile 65' can advantageously be a peripheral rib, but as a variant it could be composed of a plurality of lugs arranged all around the periphery of the piston 16 over the same axial height thereof.

Advantageously, the radially projecting internal profile 65 is arranged axially approximately in the middle of said tube 61, but other implementations are possible.

At the start of the actuation stroke, the force exerted by the user on the dispensing head will be transmitted via the shoulder 23 of the rod 15 to said deformable element 60, which, from a threshold force, will be able to deform by folding radially inwards, due to this small initial deformation already present at rest. The resistance to this elastic deformation generates a resistance to actuation, and therefore a precompression, which requires the application of said threshold force to achieve actuation of the pump.

In addition, this elastic deformation of the deformable element 60 elastically biases the piston 16 towards its rest position, in which the internal sealing lip 16c of the piston closes the radial orifice 17b of the hollow axial insert 17. Thus, after each actuation, as soon as the user releases pressure on the dispensing head 1, the piston 16 automatically returns to its position for closing the radial orifice 17b, thus allowing the pump chamber 14a to be loaded with a new dose of fluid product drawn from the reservoir.

A vent (not shown) can advantageously be provided in the pump body 14 to allow the replacement of the product expelled by the pump with air each time it is actuation.

The pump described above operates as follows. At rest, the seal inside the reservoir (not shown) is ensured by the neck seal 11 between the ring 10 and the reservoir (not shown), by the ring seal 13 between the ring 10 and the pump body 14, by the contact between the upper edge 16b of the piston 16 and the ring seal 13, and by the internal sealing lip 16c of the piston 16 against the hollow axial insert 17.

The tank, not shown in the drawings, and which can be any, is filled with a liquid, in particular pharmaceutical, to be distributed, in particular to be sprayed.

The fixing ring 10 may be made of plastic. It may be screwed, crimped, snapped or otherwise fixed to the tank.

The user must first prime the pump by operating it to expel air until the pump chamber 14a is filled with liquid. During priming, the air contained in the pump chamber 14a is compressed, and it is by a mechanical stop between the valve holder 21 and the piston 16 that the insert 17 and the rod 15 can move relative to the piston 16 to open the radial orifice 17b and allow the expulsion of the compressed air. When the pump returns to the rest position, liquid is sucked into the pump chamber 14a through the dip tube 29a, in a well-known manner.

Advantageously, the valve holder 21 comprises an axial sleeve 22 projecting axially upwards, the upper edge 22a of which cooperates during priming with the piston 16, in particular the internal sealing lip 16c, to move the piston 16 axially upwards, to open the radial orifice 17b and allow the expulsion of the air contained in the pump chamber 14a.

The pump therefore makes it possible to achieve reliable priming without using an additional part, such as a gland, inserted between the piston 16 and the rod 15 and/or the insert 17, as is the case in the pump of document WO2020128269A1.

After priming, the pump is ready to be used to dispense a dose of liquid with each actuation.

To achieve such actuation, the user presses axially on the dispensing head 1 to push in the rod 15. Since the liquid is incompressible, the piston 16 moves around the insert 17, deforming the deformable element 60. When the pressure is sufficient to overcome the resistance to deformation of the deformable element 60, the piston 16 uncovers the radial orifice 17b, allowing the liquid to be expelled from the pump chamber 14a.

The liquid is rapidly expelled through the radial orifice 17b, the second internal channel 17a and the first internal channel 15a, towards the distribution head 1 assembled on the pump.

After which, the user stops exerting pressure on the rod 15. The deformable element 60 immediately urges the piston 16 to return to its rest position, which ensures the sealing of the radial orifice 17b, and closes the pump chamber 14a relative to the dispensing head 1. At the same time, the bellows 50 returns the dispensing head 1 to its rest position, which drives the rod 15 and the insert 17 upwards. This creates a vacuum in the pump chamber 14a, so that liquid is sucked in through the orifice 29, lifting the valve 20, while air replaces this liquid in the reservoir, passing through the central opening of the ring seal 13 around the rod 15, and advantageously through the vent. When the upper edge 16b of the piston 16 comes into contact with the ring seal 13, the air can no longer enter, and the piston 16 is blocked, the pump has returned to its rest position and is ready for further actuation.

An advantage of the pump shown in the is that it does not contain any metal parts, which on the one hand makes the manufacture and assembly of the pump less complex and therefore less expensive, and which on the other hand is advantageous for recycling.

Another advantage is that the pump ensures reliable priming without an intermediate part between the piston and the rod and/or insert.

Figures 6 and 7 show another embodiment, in which the device comprises a valve, in particular a metering valve, for dispensing a dose of fluid product at each actuation. In this example, the valve is a retention valve, but the present invention also applies to so-called non-priming valves, as described for example in document WO2014195616.

The retention metering valve shown in Figures 6 and 7 comprises a valve body 110. Inside said valve body 110, a valve 130 slides between a rest position, which is that shown in the , and a distribution position, shown on the , in which the valve 130 is pressed inside the valve body 110.

This valve is intended to be assembled on a tank (not shown), preferably by means of a fixing element 105, which can be a crimped, screwed or snap-on cap, and advantageously with the interposition of a neck seal 106.

Advantageously, a ring 104 can be assembled around the valve body 110, in particular to reduce the dead volume in the inverted position and to limit the contact of the fluid product with the neck seal.

The valve 130 is biased towards its rest position by a deformable element 160.

According to the invention, the deformable element 160 comprises a hollow cylindrical tube 161 made of a deformable material, for example an elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer.

This hollow tube 161 is arranged radially inside the valve body 110 and cooperates on the one hand with a bottom wall of the valve body 110, and on the other hand with a radial collar 1320 of the valve. This radial collar 1320 slides in the valve body 110 when the valve 130 moves between its rest and distribution positions.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, the hollow tube 161 has on its external radial surface a radially projecting external profile 165 which projects radially outwards from said tube 161.

This radially projecting external profile 165 can advantageously be a peripheral rib, but as a variant it could be composed of a plurality of lugs arranged all around the periphery of the tube 161 over the same axial height thereof.

Advantageously, the radially projecting external profile 165 is arranged axially approximately in the middle of said tube 161, but other implementations are possible.

Thus, at rest, the tube 161 is arranged radially close to the valve body 110, radially inside the latter, and the presence of the radially projecting external profile 165 generates a small deformation towards the inside of said tube 161, as visible in the .

A metering chamber 120 is defined within the valve body 110, said valve 130 sliding within said metering chamber 120 to allow the contents thereof to be dispensed when the valve is actuated. The metering chamber 120 is preferably defined between two annular seals, a valve seal 121 and a chamber seal 122, in a well-known manner. This metering chamber 120 is filled before or after each actuation with a dose of fluid product from the reservoir. The volume of the metering chamber 120 may be defined by means of a chamber insert 140, of substantially cylindrical shape.

The valve body 110 comprises one or more fluid passage openings 111, which may be holes or longitudinal slots. These openings allow the filling of the dosing chamber 120 after each actuation, when in the inverted position of use (with the valve arranged under the reservoir), the valve 130 returns from its dispensing position to its rest position.

The present invention has been described with reference to several advantageous embodiments, but it is understood that a person skilled in the art can make any modifications thereto, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (12)

Fluid product dispensing device comprising either a pump body (14) containing a pump chamber (14a) with a piston (16) sliding in said pump body (14) between a rest position and an actuating position, or a valve body (110) containing a valve chamber (120) with a valve (130) sliding in said valve body (120) between a rest position and a dispensing position, said device comprising a deformable element (60; 160) for either generating a precompression at the start of each actuation of said piston (16), or urging said valve (130) towards its rest position, characterized in that said deformable element (60; 160) comprises a hollow cylindrical tube (61; 161) made of a deformable material, such as an elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer, said hollow tube (61; 161) being arranged radially inside either said piston (16) or said valve body (110), and being, in the rest position, slightly deformed radially inwards by a radially projecting profile (65, 65'; 165), said hollow tube (61; 161), upon actuation, folding radially inwards under the effect of an actuation force exerted by the user. Device according to claim 1, wherein said radially projecting profile (65; 165) is a radially projecting external profile formed on said hollow tube (61; 161) and projecting radially outwardly from said hollow tube (61; 161) to cooperate, in the rest position, with either said piston (16) or said valve body (110). Device according to claim 1, wherein said radially projecting profile (65') is a radially projecting internal profile formed on said piston (16) and projecting radially inward from said piston (16) to cooperate, in the rest position, with said hollow tube (61). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said radially projecting profile (65, 65'; 165) is a peripheral rib. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which said radially projecting profile (65, 65'; 165) comprises a plurality of lugs arranged around the periphery of said hollow tube (61; 161), over the same axial height. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said radially projecting profile (65, 65'; 165) is arranged axially approximately in the middle of said hollow tube (61; 161). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said pump body (14) comprises an upper opening closed by said piston (16) and a lower opening (29) closed by an inlet valve (20), held in place by a valve holder (21) fixed in said pump body (14), said piston (16) sliding in a sealed manner in said pump body (14) around a hollow axial rod (15) connected to a distribution head (1), said hollow axial rod (15) being provided with an internal axial channel (15a) closed axially on the lower side and communicating with the outside by a radial orifice (17b), said piston (16) comprising on a radially external edge an external sealing lip (16a) to ensure sealing against said pump body (14), and on a radially internal edge an internal sealing lip (16c), to seal said radial orifice (17b) in a sealed manner at rest. Device according to claim 7, in which said hollow tube (61) bears on the upper axial side on a shoulder (23) of said hollow axial rod (15) and on the lower axial side on said piston (16). Device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a hollow axial insert (17) is fixed in said hollow axial rod (15), said hollow axial insert (17) comprising said radial orifice (17b). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the pump comprises a non-metallic elastic return member (50). Device according to claim 10, in which said elastic return member (50) is a bellows arranged between a dispensing head (1) fixed to said piston (16) and a part fixed to said pump body (14), such as a fixing ring (10). Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which said hollow tube (161) bears on the one hand on a bottom wall of said valve body (110) and on the other hand on a radial collar (1320) of said valve (130).
* * *