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WO2025238473A1 - Dispositif de distribution à gâchette pouvant fonctionner dans une position renversée - Google Patents

Dispositif de distribution à gâchette pouvant fonctionner dans une position renversée

Info

Publication number
WO2025238473A1
WO2025238473A1 PCT/IB2025/054726 IB2025054726W WO2025238473A1 WO 2025238473 A1 WO2025238473 A1 WO 2025238473A1 IB 2025054726 W IB2025054726 W IB 2025054726W WO 2025238473 A1 WO2025238473 A1 WO 2025238473A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
dispensing head
configuration
bottle
dispensing
cooperation region
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/IB2025/054726
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Mauro MULVONI
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.)
Guala Dispensing SpA
Original Assignee
Guala Dispensing SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Guala Dispensing SpA filed Critical Guala Dispensing SpA
Publication of WO2025238473A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025238473A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

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
    • B05B11/0059—Components or details allowing operation in any orientation, e.g. for discharge in inverted position
    • 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
    • B05B11/0008—Sealing or attachment arrangements between sprayer and container
    • 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
    • B05B11/0037—Containers
    • B05B11/0039—Containers associated with means for compensating the pressure difference between the ambient pressure and the pressure inside the container, e.g. pressure relief means
    • B05B11/0044—Containers associated with means for compensating the pressure difference between the ambient pressure and the pressure inside the container, e.g. pressure relief means compensating underpressure by ingress of atmospheric air into the container, i.e. with venting means
    • 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
    • B05B11/1009—Piston pumps actuated by a lever
    • B05B11/1011—Piston pumps actuated by a lever without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke

Definitions

  • the present invention is in the field of trigger dispensing devices for liquid products ; in particular, the present invention relates to a trigger dispensing head for a device capable of dispensing the product even in the upside-down position, without any product leakage .
  • Trigger dispensing devices are in enormously widespread use today; several hundred million units are manufactured each year . This widespread use is mainly due to the great simplicity of use and versatility, so much so that they are used to dispense products for household hygiene , deodori zers , fabric care , personal hygiene , etc .
  • trigger dispensing devices have become widespread that are capable of dispensing the product even in an upside down position; this feature is highly appreciated by consumers , as it allows the product to be sprayed even on surfaces that are otherwise di f ficult to reach .
  • trigger dispensing devices In order to better protect the environment , some regulations that are or will be applied in the packaging industry require trigger dispensing devices to be free of metal components , and in particular steel components .
  • the obj ect of the present invention is to provide a trigger dispensing device capable of working in an upside down position, without steel shutters . Such obj ect is achieved by a trigger dispensing head for a dispensing device according to claim 1 .
  • the dependent claims describe additional advantageous embodiments o f the invention .
  • FIG. la shows a dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure lb is a cross sectional view of the dispensing device of Figure la ;
  • FIG. 2a shows a first body, or fixed body, of a trigger dispensing head, according to one embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 2b is a cross sectional view of the selector of Figure 2a ;
  • Figure 2c is a plan view from below of the fixed body of Figure 2a ;
  • FIG. 3a shows a frame of a trigger dispensing head, according to one embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure 3b is a sectional view of the frame of Figure 3a ;
  • Figure 3c is a plan view from below of the frame of Figure 3a ;
  • - Figure 4a is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing device , according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the frame 30 , in particular a cooperation region, of the di spensing head is in an UP position;
  • - Figure 4b is a cross-sectional view of the dispensing device , according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the frame 30 , in particular a cooperation region, of the dispensing head is in a DOWN position;
  • Figures 5a, 5b and 5c are sectional views of the interaction zone between the fixed body and the cooperation region, in an UP configuration of the dispensing head;
  • Figures 6a, 6b and 6c are sectional views of the interaction zone between the fixed body and the cooperation region, in an DOWN configuration of the di spens ing head . Detail ed descripti on of the inventi on
  • a dispensing device 1 for a liquid product comprises a bottle B having a neck 2 and a trigger dispensing head 4 which is removably applicable to the neck 2 , for example by means of a threaded connection or a bayonet coupling .
  • the drawings of the attached sheets refer to a variant having a threaded connection .
  • the dispensing head 4 comprises a connection ring 6 , internally threaded, while the neck 2 of the bottle is externally threaded and the connection ring is screwable to the neck .
  • the connection ring 6 comprises , at the top , a circumferential connection lip 8 , turned inward, for locking additional head components on the neck .
  • the dispensing head 4 further comprises a first body or fixed body 10 which may be attached to the bottle ; in particular, for example , the fixed body 10 is superimposed and attached to the neck 2 of the bottle by means of the connecting ring 6 .
  • a gas ket 12 is arranged between the fixed body 10 and the edge of the mouth of the neck to ensure a seal between the fixed body and the neck of the bottle .
  • the fixed body 10 is substantially cup-shaped and comprises an annular flange body base 14 having a first central axis Z ' , an outer side wall 16 proj ecting axially from the body base 14 , coaxial to the body base 14 , so as to annularly delimit a fixed compartment 16a, and a base bottom 18 delimiting the fixed compartment 16a at the bottom .
  • the connecting lip 8 of the connecting ring 6 operates on the body base 14 .
  • the fixed body 10 comprises a first suction tube 24 having a first suction axis W , protruding axially from the base bottom 18 and preferably entirely contained within the fixed compartment 16a, passing through said base bottom 18 .
  • the first venting axis J ' , the first guide axis K ' and the first suction axis W are coplanar and lie upon the same plane of symmetry as the fixed body .
  • the first suction tube 24 has an upper portion 24a having a first diameter DI and a lower portion 24b wider than the upper portion 24a, i . e . , having a second diameter D2 , greater than the first diameter DI .
  • the second portion 24b is of fset from the first portion 24a, which defines the first suction axis W .
  • the fixed body 10 preferably has at least one coupling window passing through the base bottom 18 .
  • the fixed body 10 has two coupling windows 26 ' , 26" , preferably U-shaped, arranged upon the opposite side with respect to the plane of symmetry whereupon the first axes J ' , K ' , W l ie .
  • the fixed body 10 is made as one piece from a plastic material , for example selected from the polyolefin family, such as PP (polypropylene ) or rPP ( recycled polypropylene ) or HDPE (high density polyethylene ) , made by inj ection molding .
  • a plastic material for example selected from the polyolefin family, such as PP (polypropylene ) or rPP ( recycled polypropylene ) or HDPE (high density polyethylene ) , made by inj ection molding .
  • the dispensing head 4 further comprises a frame 30 for supporting additional components of the dispensing head .
  • the frame 30 comprises a cooperation region 32 , for example within the lower area of the frame 30 .
  • the frame 30 in particular the cooperation region 32 , is coupled slidingly to the fixed body 10 in order to switch from a first position or UP position, wherein it cooperates with the fixed body 10 and is raised, in particular the cooperation region 32 is raised, with respect to the fixed body 10 , a second position or DOWN position, in which it cooperates with the fixed body 10 and is lowered, in particular the cooperation region 32 is lowered, with respect to the UP position .
  • the cooperation region 32 is included in frame 30 .
  • the cooperation region is in one piece with the frame 30 , as shown by way of example in the accompanying figures .
  • the cooperation region 32 is a distinct component and integrally engaged into the frame 30 , so as to move together with the frame.
  • the frame 30, in particular the cooperation region 32 is therefore translatable between two stable limit positions: an UP position ( Figures 4a and Figures 5a to 5c) and a DOWN position ( Figures 4b and Figures 6a to 6c) , by *manual operation on the part of a user or by the action of gravity, as will be discussed below.
  • the outer side wall 36 of the cooperation region 32 is coaxial to the outer side wall 16 of the fixed body 10 (i.e., the first central axis Z' coincides with the second central axis Z") and is suitable for slidingly engaging therewith .
  • the cooperation region 32 further comprises a venting tube 38 having a second venting axis J" arranged in the bottom compartment 36a, protruding from the bottom face 34a, preferably beyond the edge of the outer side wall 36. [0025] Through a venting passage 39, created for example through the bottom portion 34 , the venting tube 38 flows into a pressure chamber 40 of the frame 20 in order to contain the product to be dispensed .
  • the cooperation region 32 comprises a guide pin 42 having a second guide axis K" arranged in the bottom compartment 36a, protruding from the bottom face 34a, preferably past the edge of the outer side wall 36 .
  • the guide pin 42 is coaxial to the guide tube 22 of the fixed body 10 and suitable for slidingly engaging with said guide tube 22 in order to guide the cooperation region 32 in axial translation with respect to the fixed body 10 .
  • the guide pin 42 of the cooperation region 32 , and the guide tube 22 o f the fixed body 10 therefore form an example of dispensing head guiding means suitable for guiding the relative translation between the fixed body 10 and the cooperation region 32 .
  • the cooperation region 32 comprises at least one coupling flap protruding from the bottom face 34a ; the cooperation region 32 comprises for example a pair of coupling flaps 44 ' , 44" .
  • Each coupling flap 44 ' , 44" is adapted to pass through the respective coupling window 26 ' , 26" of the fixed body 10 and, in the UP position, to engage the base bottom 18 in order to prevent or hinder disassembly of the cooperation region 32 from the fixed body 10 .
  • the coupling flaps 44 ' , 44 ' ' and the respective coupling windows 26 ' , 26 ' ’ there fore form an example of coupling means suitable for axially constraining the cooperation region 32 to the fixed body 10 in the UP position in order to prevent or hinder mutual axial disassembly between the cooperation region 32 and the fixed body 10 .
  • the cooperation region 32 comprises a second suction tube 46 having a second suction axis W" arranged in the bottom compartment 36a, protruding from the bottom face 34a, preferably past the edge of the outer side wall 36 .
  • the second suction tube 46 is provided with at least one bypass window 48 passing through the side wall of the second suction tube 46 .
  • the second suction tube 46 is coaxial to the first suction tube 24 of the fixed body 10 and is adapted to engage with said first suction tube 24 in such a way that , in the UP position, the at least one by-pass window 48 is obstructed or closed by the upper portion 24a of the first suction tube 24 , while in the DOWN position, said at least one by-pass window 48 is open or unobstructed for product trans fer, insofar as , for example , it is located in the lower portion 24b of the first suction tube 24 which is wider than the upper portion 24a .
  • the second suction tube 46 is in communication with the pressure chamber 40 .
  • the first suction tube 24 of the fixed body 10 and the second suction tube 26 of the cooperation region 32 , provided with the by-pass windows 48 form an example of by-pass means suitable , in the DOWN position, for forming between the fixed body 10 and the cooperation region 32 at least one by-pass window 48 for product trans fer to the pressure chamber 40 during the "upside down" usage configuration of the dispensing head and, in the UP position, for closing said at least one by-pass window 48 in order to prevent the passage of air towards the pressure chamber 40 during the "upright" configuration of use of the dispensing head .
  • the dispensing head 4 further comprises pressure means adapted to create alternately, between an initial configuration and a final configuration, an overpressure within the pressure chamber 40 for dispensing the product from the pressure chamber 40 , and between the final configuration and the initial configuration, a vacuum within the pressure chamber 40 for sucking the product towards the pressure chamber .
  • Said pressure means comprise , for example , a piston 60 sealingly slidable within the pressure chamber 40 .
  • the piston 60 is provided with a head 62 provided with a front sealing lip 64 and a rear sealing lip 66 , sealingly slidable also upon the surface where the venting passage 39 emerges , for example the bottom portion 34 .
  • the venting tube 38 In an UP position, during a sub-step of the product dispensing step and a sub-step of the product suction step, when the rear sealing lip 66 is downstream of the venting passage 39 , the venting tube 38 is arranged in communication with the external environment through said venting passage 39 ; at the same time the venting tube 38 is disengaged from the venting l ip 20 such that air may enter the bottle .
  • the dispensing device may be used "upright" (UPS IDE operating configuration) , so as to ensure smooth product dispensing and compensate for the air inside the bottle .
  • bypass windows 48 are closed and the product is smoothly sucked through a plunger applied to the second suction tube 46 , the second suction tube 46 , the suction duct 50 , and the inlet duct 52 .
  • the venting tube 38 In a DOWN position, the venting tube 38 is sealingly engaged with the venting lip 20 , so that the product contained within the bottle may not leak out ; moreover, air may not enter the bottle from the outside .
  • the dispensing device In the DOWN position, therefore , the dispensing device may be used "upside down” (UPS IDE DOWN operating configuration) , so that the product is dispensed smoothly without leaking out .
  • bypass windows 48 are open and the product , which in the UPS IDE DOWN operating configuration, due to the upside down pos ition, occupies the neck of the bottle , is sucked through the bypass windows 48 , the second suction tube 46 , the suction duct 50 , and the inlet duct 52 .
  • venting tube 38 of the cooperation region 32 and the venting lip 20 of the fixed body 10 thus form an example of venting means suitable , in the UP position, for creating between the fixed body 10 and the cooperation region 32 at least one venting passage 49 (e . g . , an annular gap between the edge of the venting lip 20 and the edge of the venting tube 38 ) for the passage of air towards the bottle during an "upright" configuration of the dispensing head and, in the DOWN position, for closing said venting passage 49 in order to prevent the leakage of product during an "upside down" configuration use of the dispensing head .
  • venting passage 49 e . g .
  • the dispensing head 4 further comprises an outlet duct 70 branching of f from the pressure chamber 40 and a dispensing duct 72 that places the outlet duct 70 in communication with the external environment .
  • the dispensing duct 72 preferably extends along a dispensing axis Y parallel to , and spaced apart from, a piston axis X wherealong the piston 60 is operable in trans lation .
  • the dispensing head 4 further comprises suction valve means that are operational between the pressure chamber and the inlet duct and adapted, in a suction step, to allow product to pass from the suction duct to the pressure chamber, and, in a dispensing step, to prevent or limit product from passing from the pressure chamber to the inlet duct .
  • the dispensing head 4 further comprises dispensing valve means which are operative between the pressure chamber and the outlet duct and adapted, in a dispensing step, to allow product to pass from the pressure chamber to the outlet duct and, in a suction step, in order to prevent or limit the return of product from the outlet duct to the pressure chamber .
  • the dispensing valve means are precompression valve means adapted to allow product to pass from the pressure chamber to the outlet duct only when a predefined threshold pressure in the pressure chamber is exceeded .
  • the suction valve means and the dispensing valve means are integrated into a single valve element 80 housed within the pressure chamber 40 .
  • the dispensing head 4 further comprises trigger actuation means for actuating the pressure means ; for example , said trigger actuation means comprise a trigger 82 , preferably engaged with the frame 30 , for example hinged thereto or translatable upon said frame , engaged directly or indirectly with the piston 60 .
  • said trigger actuation means comprise a trigger 82 , preferably engaged with the frame 30 , for example hinged thereto or translatable upon said frame , engaged directly or indirectly with the piston 60 .
  • the dispensing head 4 further comprises elastic return means suitable for permanently biasing the piston 60 , directly or indirectly, for example by means of the trigger 82 , towards an initial rest position .
  • the dispensing head 4 comprises a noz zle 90 , arranged at the free end of the dispensing duct 72 for adj usting the j et of the dispensing product .
  • the dispensing head 4 is adapted to switch from an UP configuration, in which the frame 30 , in particular the cooperation region 32 , is in the UP position, to a DOWN configuration, in which the frame 30 , in particular the cooperation region 32 is in the DOWN position, by manual action on the part of the user who , holding the bottle B with one hand, raises or lowers the frame ( and thus the cooperation region) , using the other hand .
  • the UP and DOWN configurations are stable insofar as the frame 30 , in particular the cooperation region 32 stably maintains the UP position or the DOWN position by virtue , for example , of the friction based actions that develop between the fixed body and the cooperation region . Only manual intervention allows the head to switch from the UP configuration to the DOWN configuration and vice versa .
  • the UP configuration is unstable in the UPS IDE DOWN configuration of use and the dispensing head tends to return to the DOWN configuration
  • the DOWN configuration is unstable in the UPS IDE configuration of use and the dispensing head tends to return to the UP configuration, due to the action of gravity, due to the weight of the bottle and/or the bottle together with the product contained therein and the interaction between the fixed body and the cooperation region, i . e . , predefined play or friction actions that are suf ficiently unstable between the fixed body and the cooperation region .
  • the dispensing head described above meets the needs o f the industry in that it avoids the use of metal components while also allowing the product to be dispensed on hard-to-reach surfaces , due to "upright” or upside down” use .
  • the dispensing head and the entire device may be made solely from plastics materials , partly also recycled, so as to make the solution sustainable from an environmental impact point of view .
  • a person ski lled in the art in order to meet contingent needs , could make modi fications to the trigger dispensing head and to the dispensing device described above , all of which are contained within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims .

Landscapes

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

Abstract

Tête de distribution de gâchettes (4) pour un dispositif de distribution de produit (1) comprenant un cadre (30), une chambre de pression (40), des moyens de pression, des moyens de valve de distribution, des moyens de valve d'aspiration, des moyens d'actionnement de gâchette, un premier corps (10) fixe par rapport à la bouteille (B), un cadre (30) mobile en translation entre une position HAUTE et une position BASSE, des moyens de mise à l'air qui, en position BASSE, empêchent la fuite de produit lors d'une configuration d'utilisation « renversée » de la tête de distribution, et des moyens de dérivation adaptés qui, en position BASSE, permettent le passage du produit vers la chambre de pression (40) lors de la configuration « renversée » d'utilisation de la tête de distribution.
PCT/IB2025/054726 2024-05-13 2025-05-06 Dispositif de distribution à gâchette pouvant fonctionner dans une position renversée Pending WO2025238473A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT102024000010717 2024-05-13
IT202400010717 2024-05-13

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2025238473A1 true WO2025238473A1 (fr) 2025-11-20

Family

ID=91966286

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2025/054726 Pending WO2025238473A1 (fr) 2024-05-13 2025-05-06 Dispositif de distribution à gâchette pouvant fonctionner dans une position renversée

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2025238473A1 (fr)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5341967A (en) 1993-05-26 1994-08-30 Dowbrands Inc. Trigger sprayer for upright or inverted dispensing without leakage
US5467901A (en) 1994-05-13 1995-11-21 Contico International, Inc. Trigger sprayer operable in upright, downturned & inverted positions
DE19882071T1 (de) 1997-12-09 2000-03-16 Yoshino Kogyosho Co Ltd Spender in aufrechter oder umgekehrter Position
CN2717537Y (zh) 2004-06-16 2005-08-17 林添大 可倒置的喷枪
WO2022011811A1 (fr) 2020-07-16 2022-01-20 宁波圣捷喷雾泵有限公司 Pistolet de pulvérisation
WO2024089611A1 (fr) * 2022-10-28 2024-05-02 Guala Dispensing S.P.A. Dispositif de distribution à gâchette pour fonctionnement à l'envers

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5341967A (en) 1993-05-26 1994-08-30 Dowbrands Inc. Trigger sprayer for upright or inverted dispensing without leakage
US5467901A (en) 1994-05-13 1995-11-21 Contico International, Inc. Trigger sprayer operable in upright, downturned & inverted positions
DE19882071T1 (de) 1997-12-09 2000-03-16 Yoshino Kogyosho Co Ltd Spender in aufrechter oder umgekehrter Position
CN2717537Y (zh) 2004-06-16 2005-08-17 林添大 可倒置的喷枪
WO2022011811A1 (fr) 2020-07-16 2022-01-20 宁波圣捷喷雾泵有限公司 Pistolet de pulvérisation
WO2024089611A1 (fr) * 2022-10-28 2024-05-02 Guala Dispensing S.P.A. Dispositif de distribution à gâchette pour fonctionnement à l'envers

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