WO1991009682A1 - Attachment with foam generator for flexible container - Google Patents

Abstract

Described is an attachment (1, 1', 1'') with a foam generator (3) for a flexible container (2). Associated with the device (3) are an air bag (6) which is compressed by manual pressure on the container (2), subsequently returning to its original position, and a closable first channel (7) for foam discharge. The attachment (1) is fitted with a first valve (8) which sucks atmospheric air into the air bag (6). For convenience of handling and safety of operation of the attachment (1, 1', 1''), the design includes the following features : The first valve (8) is located outside the first channel (7). There is an air/liquid mixing chamber (36). The air bag (6) is joined to the mixing chamber (36) by a second channel (5) and a second valve (9) actuated by an overpressure acting in the direction of the mixing chamber (36). Associated with the mixing chamber (36) is a third channel (4) for the supply of liquid.

Description

 Attachment with a foam generator for a flexible container

The invention relates to an article according to the preamble of claim 1. Such an article is such. B. known from DE 26 10 129 A2. In this case, a vacuum valve is provided within the foam discharge channel for sucking in outside air into the air bellows. Due to the air bellows, the foam generating device is shake-proof, which means that no foam generation impairment can occur by shaking the attachment with the container, but when external air is sucked in, part of the foam or liquid remaining in the discharge channel penetrates into the container Air bellows. By means of a riser pipe leading into the air bellows, the aim is to ensure that the liquid collecting in the air bellows has no harmful influence on the foam generation. However, the liquid that accumulates more and more leads to a reduction in the air volume of the bellows, which is particularly disadvantageous in the case of refillable containers. Providing a correspondingly larger bellows would mean a reduction in the usable volume. A major disadvantage arises when the liquid to be foamed hardens on evaporation, for example through the addition of resin to a hair care product, which leads to a functional impairment of the bellows due to the air exchange in the bellows, since the bellows cannot then be compressed unhindered. Another major disadvantage is the fact that after each foam dispensing process, the dispensing channel consists of the dispensed foam mass must be pulled out (sucking in air) to achieve a larger foam mass.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a generic article which does not have the disadvantages listed, so that reliable and high-quality foam production is provided.

This object is achieved according to the characterizing part of claim 1. Further advantageous refinements / developments of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

The arrangement of the first valve outside the first channel and the second valve between the second channel and the mixing chamber ensures that absolutely no storage liquid can penetrate into the air bellows.

A ball or plate valve can be provided as the first valve.

For an overhead delivery of foam, it is intended to assign a retaining ring to the ball valve so that the ball receives a defined play. The ring also has the advantage that there is no need to provide a targeted orientation for holding the ball. For dispensing foam in the upright position of the attachment with the container, provision is made for the retaining ring to be provided with at least one spring, as a result of which the ball remains in a closed position against gravity, but the spring is dimensioned such that in the event of negative pressure in the Container that opens the ball valve.

The retaining ring, the springs and a carrier part are preferably produced in one piece. The ball valve is advantageous. -: - arranged a cap part and provided with a ball inlet channel, whereby an automatic assembly of the attachment is possible without the ball having to be positioned specifically in the Kugelventil¬ seat. For this purpose, the channel is advantageously designed in a circular shape and provided with an inclination, the ball valve being arranged in the lowest point of the channel.

For dispensing foam in an upright position, provision is made for the third channel to be provided with a receptacle for a riser pipe.

The second channel is provided with a receiving part for the air bellows, as a result of which the air bellows can be connected to the second channel in a simple manner. In addition, the required size of an air bellows can be adapted in a simple manner.

A plate valve has advantageously proven to be the second valve, preferably configured in the form of a ring, as a result of which a centric and swirled liquid outlet is ensured.

An annular sieve is provided as the foaming agent, which is penetrated in the middle by a holding finger, which means that this holding finger is able to hold a further sieve with a corresponding counter bearing if necessary.

For practical use, it is advantageous to provide the third channel (extraction channel) and the suction opening of the first valve with a closure which closes at the same time. -4- 20

It has proven to be advantageous to design the closure as a tilt closure. This makes it easy to see whether the shutter is open or closed.

A further development of the invention provides for the closure to be provided with a lever arranged at a right angle, as a result of which such a tilt closure is also suitable for upright dispensing of foam.

To close the suction opening at the same time, the locking lever is designed with a corresponding plug.

A particularly good closing ability and a particularly low actuating force of the closure is given in that the lever is designed as a ball rotary valve.

By providing the mixing chamber with a plate-like liquid distribution body, a particularly uniform distribution of the liquid to be foamed is thereby achieved.

To refill the liquid to be foamed into the container, a liquid refill closure which is familiar to a person skilled in the art is provided, which is advantageously arranged on the bottom of the container.

The invention is explained using three exemplary embodiments.

It shows:

1 shows an attachment for an overhead delivery of foam. 2 shows a sectional view through the cap part according to section AA according to FIG. 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the attachment with the tilt lock closed;

4 shows an attachment for dispensing foam in the upright position;

5 shows a side view of the carrier part with springs and retaining ring;

Fig. 6 shows an attachment for an overhead delivery of foam with a first plate valve.

1 shows an attachment 1 for an overhead discharge of foam, the attachment 1 being connected to a flexible container 2. The attachment 1 contains a foam-generating device 3, which has a third channel 4 for the supply of liquid to be foamed, a second channel for the supply of air from a container which can be compressed by manual pressure on the container 2 and is returned to the original position resettable air bellows 6 and a closable first channel 7 are assigned for dispensing foam. For sucking in outside air, the attachment 1 is provided with a first (vacuum) valve 8, which is arranged outside the first channel 7. A second (positive pressure) valve 9 is arranged between the second channel 5 and the device 3. A ball valve 37 or a plate valve 38 shown in FIG. 6 is provided as the first valve 8. A carrier part 10 is provided with a retaining ring 11 for holding the ball 12 of the ball valve 37. The ball valve 37 is provided with a ball inlet channel 13, which is of circular design and has an inclination, the channel 13 being in the lowest point the ball valve 37 is arranged. The second channel 5 is provided with a receiving part 14 for the air bellows 6. This also makes it possible to select the bellows 6 from a class and to match it to the container 2. A plate valve 39 is provided as the second valve 9, an annular valve plate 15 being provided, which is mounted in a liquid-tight and stationary manner on the outer edge region and rests with the inner edge region on an annular valve seat 16. The free end of the third channel 4 opens into the annular opening of the valve 39 and into an air / liquid mixing chamber 36. On the other hand, a cone-like liquid distribution body 17 faces within the mixing chamber 36. A plurality of spray nozzles 18, which are directed onto an annular sieve 19, are arranged in a ring around this distribution body 17. Below this is a further sieve 20, which on the one hand rests on an annular seat 21 and on the other hand is held by a holding finger 22. As a result of this measure, one or more sieves 20 can be held one above the other by the pressure of the finger 22 or can be omitted as desired. The adjoining first channel 7 for removing foam is associated with a tilt closure 23 which at the same time closes the third channel 7 and an intake opening 24 of the first valve 8. A stopper 26 arranged on the lever 25 of the closure 23 serves to close the one suction opening 24. The lever 25 is designed as a ball rotary valve 27, which ensures a particularly smooth and tight closing of the first channel 7. The longitudinal ribs 28 arranged in the third channel 7 serve to improve the quality of the foam.

1 is shown in FIG. 2, the ribs 28 and the seat of the ball valve 37 with the suction opening 24 being shown in FIG. represents are. The ball inlet channel 13 is also better here.

A top view of the attachment 1 'with the locking lever 25' closed is shown in FIG. 3. The lever 25 'is connected to two bearing points 29, 30 for tilting.

An attachment 1 'for foam delivery in the upright position is shown in FIG. 4. The main differences from the previous embodiment are that a spring-loaded retaining ring 11 is provided which, when the attachment 1 'is in the upright position, presses the ball 12 of the first valve 8 in a slightly closing manner, overcoming the gravity of the ball 12 against the seat . The force of the springs 31 is adjusted so that the first valve 8 can open in the case of negative pressure. The third channel 4 is provided with a receptacle 32 for a riser pipe 33, as a result of which the liquid to be foamed is supplied to the foam generating device 3 via the riser pipe 33 by overpressure in the container. The liquid distribution body 17 'here is plate-shaped, whereby a more favorable distribution of the liquid is achieved. In addition, the closure 23 is provided with a lever 25 'arranged at right angles.

The carrier part 35 connected to the cap part 34 is shown as an individual part in FIG. 5, the retaining ring 11, the three springs 31 and the carrier part 35 being produced in one piece from plastic.

To refill a liquid to be foamed into the container 2, the attachment 1, 1 ', 1 "or the bottom of the container 2 is provided with a corresponding closure (not shown). This ensures that the air bellows 6 has its own original form retains and there can be no functional impairment.

In FIG. 6, a plate valve 38 is arranged for an attachment 1 ″ as the first (vacuum) valve 8, which communicates with the suction opening 24 by means of an annular channel 40. The valve 38 consists of an annular plate 41 and an annular valve seat 42, the retaining ring 11 pressing the plate 41 against the seat 42 by means of a spring 31. The plate valve 38 has the advantage over the ball valve 37 (FIG. 1) that it works more reliably (no sticking due to liquids that tend to stick). A particularly good foam formation results with (plastic) screens 19, 20 with a mesh size of approx. 0.06 mm and a thread diameter of approx. 0.06 mm. Ribs 43 and a bulge 44 are provided for a snap connection of attachment 1 ″ / container 2. The attachment 1 ″ can be covered by a cap 45.

The operation of the attachment 1 is explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 1: Manual pressure on the container wall of the container 2 filled with a liquid to be foamed creates an overpressure which leads to the liquid passing through the third channel 4 into the mixing chamber 36 flows. Synchronously with this, the overpressure in the container 2 compresses the air bellows 6, which creates an air overpressure in the air bellows 6 and thereby raises the valve plate 15 via the second channel 5, as a result of which an air flow flows into the mixing chamber 36 and mixes with the liquid. The plate valve 39 ensures that no liquid can flow into the interior of the bellows 6. A fine air / liquid mixture is achieved through the liquid distribution body 17 and the spray nozzles 18, which then forms the first sieve 19 and then the second for the actual foam formation Sieve 20 passes, wherein the foam can be removed via a fourth channel 46. At the end of the manual pressure, the container 2 returns to its original shape, which creates a negative pressure in the container 2 as well as in the air bellows 6. As a result, the previously closed ball valve 37 opens, causing outside air to flow into the air bellows 6 via the suction opening 24 and into the container 2 via the plate valve 39 and the third channel 4 until the container 2 and the air bellows 6 have reached their original shape.

Claims

Expectations 1. attachment (1, 1 ', 1' ') with a foam generating device (3) for a flexible container (2), The device (3) is provided with an air bellows (6) which can be compressed by manual pressure on the container (2) and can be returned to its original position. and a closable first channel (7) is assigned for dispensing foam, and that the attachment (1) is provided with a first valve (8) for sucking in outside air into the air bellows (6), thanks to the following features: - The first valve (8) is arranged outside the first channel (7). - An air / liquid mixing chamber (36) is provided. - The air bellows (6) is connected to the mixing chamber (36) via a second channel (5), a second valve (9) acting in the direction of the mixing chamber (36) when there is excess pressure. - The mixing chamber (36) is assigned a third channel (4) for a liquid supply. _ ^ _ PCI7EP90 / 02204 2. Attachment according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e ¬ k e n n z e i c h n e t that a ball valve (37) or a first plate valve (38) is provided as the first valve (8). 3. Attachment according to claim 2, d a d u r c h g e ¬ k e n n z e i c h n e t that the valve (8) is assigned a retaining ring (11). 4. An attachment according to claim 3, that the retaining ring (11) is provided with at least one spring (31). 5. Attachment according to claim 4, so that the retaining ring (11) and the springs (31) are made in one piece from plastic. 6. Attachment according to claim 5, so that the retaining ring (11) and the springs (31) are integrally connected to a carrier part (35). 7. Attachment according to at least one of the above-mentioned claims, ie that the ball valve (37) is arranged in a cap part (34). 8. Attachment according to at least one of the above-mentioned claims, ie that the ball valve (37) is provided with a ball inlet channel (13). 9. Attachment according to claim 8, dadurchge ¬ indicates that the channel (13) is designed in the shape of a ring and provided with an inclination is, the ball valve (37) being arranged in the lowest point of the channel (13). 10. Attachment according to at least one of the above-mentioned claims, ie that the third channel (4) is provided with a receptacle (32) for a riser pipe (33). 11. Attachment according to at least one of the above-mentioned claims, ie that the second channel (5) is provided with a receiving part (14) for the air bellows (6). 12. An attachment according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e ¬ k e n n z e i c h n e t that a second plate valve (39) is provided as the second valve (9). 13. Attachment according to at least one of the above-mentioned claims, namely that an annular sieve (19) is provided as the foam generating agent and is penetrated in the middle by a holding finger (22). 14. Attachment according to at least one of the aforementioned claims, by means of a closure (23, 23 ') which simultaneously closes the removal channel (7) and an intake opening (24) of the first valve (8). 15. An attachment according to claim 14, so that the closure (23, 23 ') is designed as a tilt closure (23). 16. An attachment according to claim 15, dadurchge ¬ indicates that the closure (23 ') with a right-angled lever (25 ') is provided. 17. An attachment according to claim 14 or / and claim 15 or / and claim 16, so that the locking lever (25, 25 ') has a stopper (26) for closing the suction opening (24). 18. Attachment according to at least one of the above-mentioned claims, ie that the lever (25) is designed as a ball rotary valve (27). 19. Attachment according to at least one of the above-mentioned claims, that the foam generating device (3) is provided with a plate-like liquid distribution body (17 '). 20. Attachment according to at least one of the above-mentioned claims, namely that the container (2) is provided with a liquid refill closure. 21. An attachment according to claim 20, that the closure is arranged on the bottom side of the container (2).