WO2004092016A1 - Device for filling liquid into a container - Google Patents

Abstract

The device for filling liquid into a container comprises a base (1) which comprises a filling housing (3) which cooperates with a container of use (4) and a refill housing (12) which cooperates with a refill container (13). The container of use and refill container are joined to each other via a filling pipe (17,18) conduit, said filling pipes being joined to each other by a pump (19) and by a return pipe (20). The pump (19) is actuated by a contactor (21) which is actuated by engaging the operating container (4). When the container of use is full, the liquid is discharged in a closed circuit via the return pipe to the pump stop.

Description

DEVICE FOR FILLING A LIQUID IN A CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a device for filling a liquid in a container, and more particularly to a filling device which comprises a pump which makes it possible to fill a use container by pumping liquid from a refill container. In many fields, for example the field of perfumes, toilet waters, deodorants, pharmaceuticals, medicine, the liquid is contained in a bottle comprising a sprayer for example. Very often, it is practical that the bottle is small so that it can be put in a handbag or in a pocket. Small bottles are therefore very practical but they have the drawback depending on their small dimensions, that is to say that since they contain little liquid they are quickly empty. People who travel a lot and who are attached to a particular type of perfume, for example, wish to have their perfume available in their handbag or in their pocket when traveling and have the possibility of filling the small bottle with a refill of filling.

Forms of embodiments allowing the filling of a small bottle with a larger bottle are known but they have several drawbacks. With the known forms of execution, filling requires the impractical disassembly of the sprayer plug, which in most cases causes a leak of liquid which can, for example, cause stains, pollution or an allergy. Another important drawback of the known forms of execution consists in the fact that they do not have a filling control and that consequently the overflows are very frequent which, in addition to the other drawbacks, causes the loss of part of liquid. The aims of the present invention therefore consist in remedying the aforementioned drawbacks of the known embodiments.

The objects are achieved according to the principles of the invention defined by claim 1.

The filling device according to the principles of the invention comprises a base which has two housings. A housing for the introduction of a refill container and a housing for the introduction of a use container, that is to say in the case of perfumes, of a large refill bottle and a bottle of poached. The refill container has a liquid delivery opening and a return opening. The use container has a filling opening and a return opening which is connected to a tube which is installed inside. The sending opening of the refill container and the filling opening of the use container are connected together by a filling duct to a pump which is mounted in the base and which is powered by batteries. A contactor is arranged in the housing of the use container. The connections between the base and the containers include valves and gaskets. When the refill container is installed in its housing, the filling of the use container begins as soon as said container is mounted in its housing by actuating the contactor which controls the pump. When the use container is filled, the overflow of liquid passes through the return openings through a ^" return duct and the device operates in a closed circuit until the user removes the use container from its housing. which acts on the contactor which in this case stops the pump. The return openings and the return duct also allow the transfer of the air contained in the use container into the refill container during filling.

The principles of the invention have many advantages.

An important advantage is that the container can be small and be refilled. When the use container is a perfume spray bottle, it can easily be carried in a handbag or also in a pocket. The possibility of refilling the spray bottle makes it possible to make a very small bottle while avoiding the replacement of the bottle each time it is empty. In the case of a spray bottle for perfume, another advantage is that the spray bottle being refillable, it can also be made as a luxury jewel with elaborate shapes and using precious materials.

Regarding the filling device, it is constituted by a base which includes a pump which has the advantage of being light and compact which allows it to be easily transported in small luggage. The filling device includes batteries of very great diffusion for the supply of the pump which has the advantage that these batteries can be easily found in all countries. The filling device also has the very important advantage of excluding the possibility of improper use which could cause leaks. Indeed with the principle of the closed circuit, as soon as the container of use is full the overflow automatically returns to the refill bottle and therefore the user does not have to control the filling, and he has a lot of room for time to remove the use container which stops the pump. The advantage of the device is that even a complete forgetting to remove the use container cannot damage the device or cause leaks, but at most discharge very inexpensive batteries.

The accompanying drawings illustrate schematically and by way of example the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 shows an overall sectional view of the filling device in the filling position.

Figure 2 shows a sectional view of the base without the containers.

Referring firstly to FIG. 1, a base 1 comprises a removable bottom 2, a filling housing 3 which cooperates, in the filling position, with a use container 4 and a charging housing 12 which cooperates, in filling position, with a refill container 13. -AT -

The use container 3 comprises a female return connection element 7 which cooperates, in the filling position, with a male return connection element 10 which is mounted in the filling housing 3, and a female filling connection element 8 which cooperates, in the filling position with a male filling connection element 9 which is mounted in the filling housing 3. A level conduit 11 is mounted in the use container 4 and is connected to the connection element back 10. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the container for use may be a spray bottle with a plunger line 6 and a sprayer 5.

The refill container 13 comprises a membrane 16 which is made of a flexible or semi-rigid material, of synthetic rubber, for example. The recharging housing 12 includes a filling element 14 and a return element 15. In FIG. 1, these filling and return elements 14 have a point shape, the points making it possible to pierce the membrane 16 during installation. of the refill container, the elasticity of the membrane guarantees sealing.

The filling element 14 is connected to a filling conduit 18 which is connected at its other end to a pump 19. A filling conduit 17 is connected to the pump and is connected at its other end to the male connection element 9. The return element 15 is connected to the male return connection element 10 by a return conduit 20.

A contactor 21 is mounted in the filling housing 3. The contactor 21 is connected to an electronic circuit 22 which is itself connected to the pump 19. Batteries 23 supply the pump 19 via the electronic circuit, and supply also through the same intermediary the contactor 21.

Figure 2 shows the base 1 with the filling housing 3 and the charging housing 12, without the containers.

In practice, the refill container which is filled with liquid, for example perfume, is mounted in the refill housing. When mounting in the charging compartment the membrane of the container is pierced by the filling and return elements 14 and 15. As mentioned above, sealing is guaranteed by the elasticity of the membrane. The use container, which can be a spray perfume bottle, is installed in the filling housing and the male and female connection, filling and return elements are tightly connected to each other. The complete installation of the container of use in the filling housing causes the actuation of the contactor which via the electronic circuit causes the actuation of the pump. When the pump is actuated, the liquid contained in the refill container is brought through the conduits and filling elements into the use container. In the first phase, the level duct which is mounted in the filling container and which is connected to the return elements, makes it possible to transfer the air which is compressed in the use container into the refill container by the elements and return ducts. When the liquid reaches the upper end of the level pipe, the liquid returns in a closed circuit to the refill container until the user removes the use container, which stops the pump.

In order to obtain a practical, light and space-saving device, and by way of example, the device is powered by three 1.5 volt batteries providing a total voltage of 4.5 olts.

The voltage used, as well as the reduced dimensions imply the use of a piston pump with a coil actuated by alternating current, the electronic circuit transforming the direct current produced by the batteries into alternating current.

For larger versions for which the weight and size do not have any drawbacks, other cells or batteries can be used as well as other types of pump.

The contactor used can be a push button contactor acting on a contact, but many others come out of electronic sensors can be used.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the refill container has a membrane which is pierced during the first use and until, after several refolding, it is empty.

It is also possible to provide the refill container and the refill housing with female and male connections to reduce the bulk during travel, for example, and also to allow refilling of the refill container.

It is mentioned in the examples, the use of the filling device for perfume bottles. The device can be used for many forms of application requiring small containers to be filled, petroleum lighters, de-icing sprayers for locks, sprayers containing cleaning fluid or anti-fog for glasses, for example.

It is mentioned above that the contactor causes the pump to be actuated by means of an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit can also include a timer which causes the pump to stop after a certain period of time.

Claims

1. Device for filling a liquid in a container, characterized in that it is formed by a base (1) which comprises a filling housing (3) which cooperates, in the filling position, with a container of use (4) and a refill housing (12) which cooperates with a refill container (13), the refill and use containers being interconnected, by means of connection elements, by conduits filling (17, 18) which are interconnected by a pump (19) which is powered by batteries and which is actuated by a contactor (21), and by a return duct (20), engaging the container d use in the filling housing acting on the contactor and causing the actuation of the pump and thus the filling of the use container, the liquid being able to flow in closed circuit by the return duct as soon as the use container is filled and until the pump stops. 2. Filling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pump is a piston pump which is supplied with alternating current by batteries, by means of an electronic circuit which transforms the direct current of the batteries. 3. Filling device according to claim 1, characterized in that a level conduit (11), which is connected via a connection element to the return conduit, is mounted in the container use. 4. Filling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the refill container comprises an elastic membrane.