Patent Application
20230264217
The invention relates to an automatic dispenser of fluid products contained in cartridges, in particular for the extemporaneous and personalised preparation of a mixture of products from a plurality of cartridges, for example, but not exclusively, in the field of food additives.
The invention also relates to a cartridge and to an injection nozzle enabling ejection of the product when the cartridge is substantially horizontal, as well as a method of use.
The health and cosmetics industries are increasingly tending to favor the personalisation of products as a function of the end user. This tendency is for example observed for the preparation of pharmaceutical treatments specifically adapted to the patient as a function of their sex, their age, their genetic heritage and specifics of their disease, such as their cancer or the viral strain.
This type of preoccupation also concerns the field of food additives in order to optimize the efficacy of those additives whilst limiting negative effects and/or overdoses, and adapting in real time the composition of the solution to the actual needs of the patient or of the consumer.
In order to enable personalised preparation of this kind there have already been proposed automatic dispensers including at least two cartridges of different components and a mechanical (syringe pusher type) or pneumatic pumping mechanism.
The patent document FR3044219 describes an automated device including a control interface controlling syringe drivers causing the injection of the content of the syringes into flexible tubes meeting in a mixing zone consisting of a multiple input connector connected to a cone for ejection of the cosmetic composition prepared in this way.
However, the use of syringe drivers makes the machine very costly, somewhat imprecise in terms of the volume dispensed, somewhat impractical when it comes to changing the reservoirs of products, and very bulky, because a great deal of space is required to enable retraction of the pistons. The footprint on the support is therefore very large.
The documents U.S. Pat. No. 10,022,741, NL1015747 and WO2016090235 describe two dispensers of products the cartridges of which are organized in the form of a vertical or substantially vertical barrel, that is to say the vertical cartridges are arranged around the vertical axis of the dispensing container. This arrangement has the disadvantage of a somewhat disadvantageous form factor: the dispenser thus takes the form of a vertically elongate cylinder the diameter of which soon becomes very large if the number of cartridges or the volume thereof is to be increased.
In fact, a cartridge with a volume of 100 mL generally has a minimum diameter of 40 mm and more generally a value close to 50 mm. If it is considered that the outlet is on the edge of the cartridge, that implies that the outlets are arranged on a diameter of 50 mm in a barrel configuration with 6 cartridges.
With 7 cartridges a barrel configuration makes possible outlets on a circle of approximately 65 mm diameter.
With 8 cartridges, a barrel configuration makes possible outlets on a circle of approximately 80 mm diameter.
Now, a small glass has a diameter of approximately 5 to 6 cm. It then becomes indispensable to use a nozzle if there are to be more than 6 cartridges in the device. However, a nozzle adds a dead volume that can be a source of error because of drying out of the liquid.
Moreover, the cylindrical form factor of the cartridges is also limiting with the concept of the document WO2016090235 and with the machine of the document U.S. Pat. No. 10,022,741. In fact, in the concept of the document WO2016090235, it the number of cartridges is to be increased beyond three, the result would necessarily be a machine that would no longer resemble a gourd and there would then be lost the mobility aspect that is one of the objectives of that document. This is even more of a problem in the case of the machine from the document U.S. Pat. No. 10,022,741 which uses cartridges of larger capacity.
Consequently, for an equivalent footprint, either preference is given to the number of cartridges and their size (and therefore their capacity) are reduced, as in the document WO2016090235, which generates much waste and risk of prescription errors, or preference is given to the capacity of the cartridges and the number thereof must be limited, possibly as in the document U.S. Pat. No. 10,022,741 by adapting their shape to limit the spaces between the cartridges, which decreases the number of possible combinations and increases the costs of manufacturing the cartridges.
On the other hand, the vertical barrel configuration described in the above two documents necessitates loading either from above, in which case it is necessary to move all of the mechanical units situated above the cartridges, or from the side, in which case there must either be provided a cover that extends all around the device so as to be able to change all the cartridges or a sliding barrel, which necessarily leads to a loss of precision in the positioning of the cartridges.
Finally, it is found in practise that all these dispensers rapidly become soiled when certain products are dispensed, in particular products containing particles that settle out (for example compositions including plant extracts for example). This leads to blocking of the nozzles, which either necessitates very regular maintenance which is generally not within the skillset of the user or a complex and costly automatic cleaning mechanism. Moreover, the particles that settle out are generally undesirable and dispensing them is to be avoided, which is not possible with dispensers before now.
On the other hand, these vertical dispensers are totally insensitive to the problem of products containing supernatant particles, generally also undesirable, as the latter are concentrated opposite the nozzle and do not risk being expelled by the nozzle or blocking it.
Moreover, the vertical barrel configuration is essential to allow localized dispensing of the products contained in the cartridges. In fact, this arrangement enables the outlets of each cartridge to be positioned one against the other, so that the products drop into a restricted perimeter zone. Accordingly, as explained in the document U.S. Pat. No. 10,022,741, the user can place their fingers under the cartridges to collect the dispensed cosmetic products.
The invention therefore has for objective proposing an economic automatic dispenser (that is to say one capable of using identical cartridges) automatic dispenser that is relatively compact (that is to say has a small footprint) whilst being able to contain numerous cartridges (that is to say at least six), of large capacity (that is to say at least 100 milliliters) to be able to dispense numerous different combinations of fluid products, without having to change the cartridges every day, multi-purpose (that is to say able to dispense without risk products liable to feature inhomogeneities—sedimentation or supernatation), limiting waste, and all this in a restricted dispensing zone with precise dosage by reproducible mechanical action of the dispenser on the cartridges.
Another objective is to facilitate the maintenance and the repair of the dispenser by favoring direct access to the various parts, in particular to the motor and to the transmission mechanism), without having to demount the cartridges and their support.
One of the ideas behind the invention is to propose a radically different arrangement of the cartridges by elongating them relative to the position of use. Accordingly, the body of the cartridges is essentially horizontal, so that the cartridges may be organized in height on a plurality of levels without increasing the footprint. In accordance with the invention, the cartridges are moreover offset axially, either structurally or functionally, that is to say when activated, so that their outlet is arranged above a container, which enables dispensing in a restricted zone, in particular in a container with a diameter of 6 cm, which is a classic glass diameter.
In this way, if the number of cartridges is increased the footprint of the machine on the support increases only very little, and only its height increases by substantially the diameter of a cartridge. There may therefore be up to 10 or even 15 cartridges of large volume directed directly into the container, which makes it possible to obtain a very large number of possible combinations.
This arrangement moreover allows direct access to the cartridges and loading from the front, which is a very important ergonomic advantage, in particular if the cartridges are changed by a non-professional. This organisation of the cartridges also makes it possible for the mechanism for actioning the cartridges to be arranged behind the cartridges, and therefore directly accessible via a rear cover, which facilitates maintenance.
The dispenser according to the invention is therefore simple, economic, with a small footprint and multi-purpose.
To be more precise, the invention has for object an automatic dispenser of fluid products contained in cartridges, the dispenser including:
By fluid product is meant any product that can be dispensed by a mechanical metering pump equipping the cartridges.
According to particular embodiments:
Another object of the invention is a fluid product cartridge for a dispenser as described above, the cartridge including a product reservoir and a mechanical pump provided with a product ejection orifice, said mechanical pump further including an ejection nozzle including a conical and outwardly flared product ejection portion.
According to particular embodiments:
The invention also has for object an ejection nozzle for a product cartridge as described above, the nozzle including an ejection portion having an outwardly flared interior face.
According to particular embodiments:
Another object of the invention is a method of using a dispensing device as described above, wherein:
In accordance with one particular embodiment, for a dispenser including cartridge locations mounted to slide relative to the frame along their longitudinal axis, the method may comprise the following steps:
Other features of the invention will be set out in the following detailed description with reference to the appended figures, provided by way of example, that respectively represent:
Generally speaking, the dispenser 100 includes an exterior casing 10 in which are found a frame 20 with N locations E each having a longitudinal axis Y, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2.
N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, but of course the benefit of the invention is to provide more cartridge locations so as to be able to use more different products and to enable the dispensing of many more combinations of mixtures. Accordingly, thanks to the invention N is an integer that may be greater than or equal to at least 6, advantageously at least 8, even more advantageously at least 10.
In other words, the frame includes a rack part formed of compartments constituting the locations E. This rack may be an integral part of the frame or be fixed to the frame.
Each location E is intended to receive, in use, cartridges 200 of products that can be actuated mechanically, such as those illustrated in
This type of mechanically-actuated metering pump is for example described in the patents EP1572375 and EP2841206. The accuracy of metering is guaranteed by the metering pump, which dispenses a fixed volume when it is mechanically actuated, typically by linear pressure in the axial direction X-X of the pump. The volume delivered depends on the metering pump and it is therefore possible to equip a reservoir of standard shape with metering pumps with different ejection volumes.
By convention, in the remainder of the present description a cartridge according to the invention comprises a reservoir of fluid product provided with a mechanical metering pump enabling dispensing of a known dose by mechanical action on the reservoir (relative pressure between the reservoir and the pump). In some embodiments the cartridge may further comprise a rigid envelope in which are found the fluid product reservoir provided with the metering pump, the envelope including actuation orifices intended each to receive, in use, an actuation rod carried by the automatic dispenser for pressing the reservoir against the pump and commanding ejection of product.
The dispenser 100 also includes a system 30 for actuating the cartridges, including a motor 31 adapted to generate a force for actuating the mechanical metering pump 202 of the cartridges 200 and a selective transmission mechanism 32 adapted to transmit the force generated by the motor selectively to at least one of the mechanical metering pumps 202 of the cartridges 200. One embodiment of an actuating system of this kind will be described with reference to
The dispenser 100 also includes a housing 40 for a removable container 41 intended to receive the fluid products contained in the cartridges 200 accommodated in the N locations E and actuated by the selective transmission mechanism 32.
The dispenser 100 according to the invention also includes an interface 50 for controlling the dispenser. In
According to the invention the N locations E are arranged substantially horizontally with reference to the direction of terrestrial gravity. In other words, the locations E are substantially horizontal in a position of use, that is to say in a position for dispensing products contained in the cartridges accommodated in the locations E.
By substantially horizontal is to be understood that the projection Eh on a horizontal plane H1 of the locations E is very much larger than the projection Ev on a vertical plane V1 of the locations E, which can be zero.
The longitudinal axis Y of the N locations E preferably has an angle of inclination a between −20° and +20° inclusive relative to the horizontal H, preferably between −15° and +15°, advantageously between −10° and +10°.
The cartridges 200 may thus be slightly inclined so that they are not totally horizontal, but slightly inclined in order to control the position of the air present in the cartridge. This is particularly pertinent if airless cartridges are used. In fact, if a bubble is present in a horizontal airless cartridge, the latter will be directed toward the outlet at an uncontrolled moment and will lead to an incorrect dose.
Inclining the pump cartridge upward makes it possible to orient the bubbles toward the pump in order for them to be evacuated immediately in the first doses. This may be taken into account in an initialization step.
Moreover, a slight upward inclination of the pump is sufficient to prevent the disadvantages stemming from the distribution of products sensitive to the phenomenon of sedimentation since the particles that settle out are to be found at the opposite end of the cartridge to the pump.
Conversely, having the pump inclined downward drives the bubbles to the rear, with the result that the bubbles arrive at the pump only toward the end of the cartridge, which can equally be taken into account in the dispensing time of the cartridge.
Moreover, a slight downward inclination of the pump is sufficient to prevent the disadvantages stemming from the dispensing of products sensitive to the phenomenon of supernatation, since the supernatant particles are to be found at the opposite end of the cartridge from the pump.
Thus locations E slightly inclined upward for products containing particles that settle out may be combined with slightly downward inclined locations E for products containing supernatant particles. Alternatively, the locations E may be strictly horizontal and the cartridges have a pump arranged toward the center of the end face of the cartridge and not in a peripheral manner as is the case in the cartridges illustrated in the appended figures, with the result that in use the particles that settle out remain under the pump and the supernatant particles remain above the pump during most of dispensing, which can also be taken into account in the dispensing time of the cartridge.
Also in accordance with the invention the locations E are arranged in a staggered manner with the result that the cartridges are superposed and distributed over a plurality of levels. This distribution may be effected in one or more columns as illustrated in
In the first embodiment illustrated in
The distance D1 must be greater than half the maximum diameter of the outlet jet of the cartridge, this diameter being defined essentially by the shape of the ejection orifice or of the nozzle when the latter is provided with same.
Thanks to the arrangement according to the invention the number N of cartridge locations may be between 6 and 15 inclusive, preferably between 8 and 12 inclusive, whilst maintaining a limited footprint of the machine. The number of locations is then limited more by the cost and the bulk of the components of the actuating system (motor, number of actuators, power supply, etc.), especially if the dispenser is intended for domestic use.
In the embodiment illustrated in
The elongate disposition of the cartridges further enables direct access to the cartridges and loading from the front by raising the cover 11. In order to enable both loading of the cartridges from the front and actuation of the cartridges in use the invention provides a locking system reversible between a loading position in which it enables withdrawal from and insertion in a cartridge in its housing and a position of use in which it holds the pump when the actuating system actuates the pump by applying pressure to the reservoir. Each location E includes at the front an inlet orifice of the cartridge and an abutment flap 21 pivoting between a position for loading/emptying the cartridge in which the flap 21 is retracted to free the inlet orifice and sliding of the cartridge into or out of the location E (see the flap 21a and the cartridge 200 being loaded in
Alternatively, the front cover 11 may itself include on its interior face (not visible in
Accordingly, to load or empty the cartridges it is sufficient to raise the cover 11, to pivot the pivoting abutment flaps 21 to enable sliding of the cartridges 200, and then to fold the flaps 21 into the position of use against the pumps 202 of the cartridges 200 and finally to close the cover. The flaps are preferably also connected to one or more return springs to prevent a flap inadvertently remaining in the open position. The return spring then enables return of the flap against the pump or pumps and actuation of the system for immobilizing the flaps in this position (for example by positioning them behind an abutment).
At no time does the user have access to the compartment of the actuation system during loading/emptying of the cartridges.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention illustrated in
Each of the N cartridge locations E preferably includes a polarizer arranged so that when a cartridge is inserted in a location the product ejection orifice of the metering pump of the cartridge is oriented toward a center of the housing for a removable container, at an angle β to the direction of terrestrial gravity between 0° and 80° inclusive, preferably between 20° and 65° inclusive, advantageously between 30° and 45° inclusive.
The polarizer may be a particular shape of the cartridge and therefore of the locations E such as that illustrated hereinafter.
Accordingly, as
In
ln this embodiment, if a jet of product has a diameter of 5 to 10 mm an offset D1 of 15 mm between the cartridges is necessary to prevent a row of cartridges wetting that below them. Accordingly, 4 rows make possible a total offset Dt of 45 mm between the two rows that are the farthest apart, which is appropriate for a glass with a diameter of 60 mm.
In one advantageous embodiment of the invention the cartridges of the most viscous products (for example syrups) are placed at the highest level and the cartridges of the least viscous products at the lowest level.
This limits the splashes generated when the product falls. In fact, the more viscous a product, the less the risk of splashes on dropping.
To this end, the cartridges advantageously include an indication of the height at which to place them in the locations E of the dispenser Ito be more precise an indication of the height at which to place them in the rack part) in such a manner as to enable the user to comply with the preferred location and to limit splashes. Alternatively or in combination with this, the cartridges include an electronic microchip that can be read by the dispenser, the latter warning the user of the incorrect positioning of the cartridge if the height information stored in the microchip is incompatible with the location E chosen by the user.
It is also preferable if the housing 40 is slightly off-axis so that when the container is in place to receive the products the most viscous products fall onto the base of the container and the less viscous products fall onto inclined rims of the container, which further reduces the risk of splashes.
Accordingly, in
In this instance with four levels, the rows of three cartridges can neither be all at the top or all at the bottom, because the jets would no longer be above the container.
It will also be noted that in this cluster configuration the cartridges are not oriented in the same manner in the sense that the injection orifices are at different angles to the vertical (that is to say the direction of terrestrial gravity in the position of use). Accordingly, the cartridges 200B1 and 200C1 arranged vertically in line with the median plane of the container 41 have a zero-orientation angle β whereas the cartridges J200A, J200B, J200 C and J200D offset relative to the median plane of the container 41 have an orientation angle β of 45° in this example. This enables good aiming of the jets J200B1 and J200B2 at the center of the container 41.
A table setting out the various possible configurations as a function of the number of cartridges and of the number of rows required in the device is illustrated below.
Row 1 is the lowest and row 4 is the highest.
It is to be noted that if there are only three rows the device will be less high and that if there are only rows of two cartridges the device will be narrower (smaller footprint).
Accordingly, in
In addition to ifs composition as described above, the cartridge 200 is cylindrical and advantageously has a non-circular section enabling a polarizer function for the arrangement described with reference to
If the cartridges 200 have the shape illustrated and a content of 100 mL (see the last embodiment above) and have dimensions such that each cartridge is circumscribed in a cylinder of 47 mm diameter (23.5 mm radius), the liquid outlet orifice will be found at the edge and at 28.5 mm from the central axis. If the cartridges 200 are disposed in the device with an angle β of 30° relative to the vertical, the outlet orifices of two cartridges of the same row are 23.5 mm apart, which enables the liquid to drop into a 60 mm container.
The product may be ejected from the cartridge by pushing on the reservoir 201 so that the pump 202 bearing against the frame of the dispenser (in particular against the pivoting abutment flap 21) is actuated and the fluid product is ejected.
In one particular embodiment illustrated in
The actuation orifice 205′ has a section less than the section of a finger of a three-year-old child which prevents the child pressing on the reservoir with their fingers, even if the latter are thin, and manually triggering the dispensing of the product in the reservoir.
Of course, the person skilled in the art is in a position easily to assess the size of the fingers of a three-year-old child, which is a reference used in very many international standards with respect of safety, for example in systems for preventing trapping of fingers in car electric windows (see for example Hohendorff et al., Annals of Anatomy 192 (2010) 156-161). That study shows that the average diameter of the finger of a three-year-old child is greater than 9 millimeters for the smallest phalanx of the little finger, advantageously less than 6 millimeters, typically between 3 and 6 millimeters, and can be up to 15 millimeters for the index finger and the middle finger.
Whatever kind of cartridge is used (with or without a rigid protection envelope), the metering pump 202-202′ preferably includes an ejection orifice 203-203′ provided with an ejection nozzle 300 enabling reduction of the speed at which the product is ejected as it leaves the cartridge.
A first preferred embodiment of an ejection nozzle according to the invention is illustrated in
The nozzle 300 has a longitudinal body enabling its insertion in the ejection orifice of the pump 202 of the cartridge 200.
The nozzle 300 has a product inlet portion 301 and a product ejection portion 302 the interior surface 302a of which is conical and outwardly flared, which reduces the speed at which the product is ejected at constant flowrate and enables accurate aiming for dispensing the product by gravity into the container 41.
By conical is meant that the ejection portion has a generally conical shape, that is to say is inscribed in a cone. In the sense of the invention a cone is therefore a volume generated by a straight or curvilinear line passing through a fixed point, at least virtually (that is to say in line with the real volume of the ejection portion) and the base of which, that is to say the shape of the terminal section of the ejection portion, is a closed curve. That curve may be substantially circular, as in the embodiment from
For example, in the embodiment from
in this example the ejection portion 302 is 15 mm long and has an inside diameter of 5 mm at the level of the passage 305 and an inside diameter of 5.5 mm at the level of the outlet.
For example, for a fluid with a viscosity between 10-4 and 10-2 Pa·s inclusive, which reaches the nozzle at a speed of 18.8 cm/s (flowrate of 1.33 ml/second), the latter will exit the nozzle at a speed of 5.6 cm/s, which represents a 70% reduction in speed and enables the fluid to fall essentially by gravity into the container (the horizontal component of the trajectory of the fluid is therefore negligible).
In an advantageous embodiment illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated the decelerator 303 is a cone converging toward the exterior of the nozzle and retained in the nozzle and at a distance from the interior wall 301b of the nozzle by support tongues 304.
In this way, when the product arrives from the product inlet portion 301 via the passage 305 connecting the inlet portion 301 and the ejection portion 302 it encounters the decelerator 303 (here the base of the cone, that is to say the widest part 303a of the cone 303) and is obliged to circumvent it by passing between the support tongues 304, as indicated by the arrows F1 in
This further reduces the speed at which the product is ejected at the outlet of the nozzle until the product is able to fall vertically by gravity into the removable container 41.
The volume of the decelerator depends on the fluid that has to be ejected. In fact, the greater the area of contact of the decelerator with the fluid, the greater the tendency to hold back its flow through surface tension forces, which can therefore falsify the volume of product really ejected. Accordingly, the more viscous the fluid the less the decelerator must have a volume that projects from its base 303a. The decelerator may then take the form of a simple disk. In some cases the fluid is so viscous that a decelerator is of no use or even harmful.
To the contrary, when the fluid is not very viscous the contact area must be increased to slow the fluid, in combination with the base 303a and the flared surface 302a.
The nozzle 300 according to the invention has only a very slight harmful influence on the dead volume. In fact, this nozzle is inserted in the outlet orifice 203 of the pump, which reduces the volume that orifice 203 so that “dead” volume added by the nozzle is largely compensated by the volume eliminated in the end piece of the pump. The increase in the dead volume therefore remains moderate (less than 50%). The nozzle consequently has much greater advantage in slowing the fluid so that it drops vertically by gravity into the removable container 41.
The product inlet portion 301 has a conical interior surface 301a that converges slightly toward the product ejection portion 302. This arrangement is necessary when the nozzle is manufactured by injection molding to enable extraction from the mold. In this case it is therefore necessary to minimize this convergence angle to enable effective removal from the mold whilst limiting the acceleration of the product. In any event, this acceleration is very much less than the deceleration obtained by the flared ejection part 302 of the nozzle.
Of course, if the nozzle is manufactured by a technique other than molding (for example by 3D printing), the convergence of the inlet portion 301 may be zero.
In complementary manner the nozzle 300 advantageously includes additional means 306 for fixing it to the cartridge. This is particularly advantageous when the cartridge includes a rigid protection envelope, because this enables the nozzle to be held against the envelope and therefore enables regular and reproducible aiming of the product into the container 41.
In the embodiment illustrated, this additional fixing means 306 is an elastic tongue intended to be immobilized between the ejection orifice of the pump 202 and the rigid envelope 204′.
Thanks to the elongate arrangement of the cartridges proposed by the invention it is therefore possible to provide a dispenser taking up very little room on its support (that is to say having a small footprint). Accordingly, if it is required to increase the number of cartridges, this increases the height of the dispenser by only the diameter of a cartridge per level added, even if that level comprises a plurality of cartridges. With the first embodiment illustrated in
The benefit of adding cartridges and therefore of offering more possible combinations is therefore very much greater than the disadvantage of slightly increasing the footprint. The second embodiment illustrated in
Another very important advantage of the elongate arrangement of the cartridges is that the actuation system is shifted to the rear of the machine. It is therefore possible to provide an independent inspection cover and to access the mechanism without having to demount the cartridges and the frame.
Moreover, the mechanism employed for selective actuation of the cartridges is complex and highly aesthetic, with the result that it is possible, by providing a transparent inspection cover, to show this mechanism, like a transparent watch that exposes its mechanism.
The actuation system one embodiment of which is described hereinafter is advantageously a system conforming to that described in the patent application FR2000302.
Generally speaking, the actuating system includes a motor 31 with a rotating output shaft 31a able to generate a force for actuating the mechanical metering pump 202 of the cartridges 200 and a selective transmission mechanism 32 able selectively to transmit the force generated by the motor to at least one of the mechanical metering pumps 202 of the cartridges 200.
The transmission mechanism 32 includes:
Moreover, the gear train 34a connecting the shaft of the motor to the succession of notched wheels 34b is advantageously provided with a coding wheel system capable of measuring the speed of the motor in order to enable regulation of the speed of the latter if necessary.
To manage the use of this system the dispenser also includes a central unit programmed for selective actuation of each linear actuator 37 as function of a particular instruction for preparation of a mixture received via the interface 50 or via an Internet connection.
The motor 31 is provided with a member 34 for transmission of the force generated by the motor to N actuator members 35 of the mechanical metering pump of the cartridges. In other words, the dispenser includes as many actuating members 35 as locations for cartridges of products.
According to the invention, the dispenser also includes N clutch mechanisms 36 (that is to say as many as locations for cartridges of products), each including a clutch member that can be actuated reversibly by a linear actuator 37. Each clutch mechanism 36 is arranged in such a manner as to couple or uncouple the transmission member 34 and an actuating member 35 either directly or indirectly.
In the present invention a linear actuator is a mechanical actuator capable of generating a linear, that is to say non-circular, force. Moreover, a linear actuator in the sense of the present invention has insufficient power for direct actuation of the mechanical metering pump of the cartridges.
A linear actuator 37 is preferably an electromagnet with a mobile core, more commonly known by an abuse of language as a solenoid. In the present description there is therefore meant by solenoid an electromagnet with a mobile core which consists of an assembly comprising a coil of electrically conductive wire and a ferromagnetic and therefore magnetizable rod mounted to slide along the axis of the coil to be moved in translation as a function of the current circulating in the coil.
Finally, the dispenser according to the invention includes a central unit (not illustrated) programmed for selective actuation of the solenoid 37 of each cartridge location as a function of a particular instruction for preparation of a mixture.
In this embodiment the transmission member is a succession of transmission notched wheels 34 connected to the rotary output shaft 31a of the motor and the N cartridge locations are arranged on either side of the succession of transmission notched wheels 34b.
Each cartridge location is provided with an actuating member 35 including a driving notched wheel 35a secured to a cylindrical cam 35b (illustrated in dashed line in
Each cartridge location is also provided with a clutch mechanism that includes a clutch notched wheel 36 mobile between a clutch engaged position and a clutch disengaged position.
In
The clutch mechanism also includes a solenoid 37 for driving movement of the clutch notched wheel by means of a lever 37a between the clutch engaged position and the clutch disengaged position.
If the cartridge of a location has to be activated, that is to say the product that it contains has to be dispensed, the corresponding solenoid 37 goes to the clutch engaged position (on the right in
The rotation of the motor is therefore transmitted to the driving notched wheel 35a, which begins to turn.
The driving notched wheel 35a being secured to the cylindrical cam (not visible in the figure), the latter also begins to turn, with the result that the cam follower slides in translation relative to the frame and to the cartridge location E.
The cam follower being secured to a piston, the latter also slides and presses on the bottom of the reservoir 201, applying a substantially horizontal pressure, thus crushing the pump 202 against the pivoting abutment flap 21 to eject a dose of product.
The dispenser may advantageously provide a demultiplication system for accelerating or to the contrary reducing the speed of rotation of the driving notched wheel 35a of the cam relative to the transmission notched wheel 34b of the motor 13.
The solenoids of each location can be commanded independently of one another by the central unit of the dispenser with the result that each cartridge can be engaged or disengaged by the clutch independently of the others.
The actuating system described therefore enables selective actuation of the cartridges. Moreover, it is relatively compact and may be arranged entirely at the rear of the dispenser, which enables it to be accessible directly thanks to a demountable rear cover. It is then not necessary to demount the rest of the dispenser (frame, cartridge locations and cartridges, etc.) to access the system and to maintain it or to repair it.
The example actuation system described is equally applicable to the second embodiment of the dispenser according to the invention described hereinafter.
However, to enable dispensing by gravity into the removable container 41 of products contained in the cartridges located in the upper levels (from the second level inclusive), the invention provides for moving the cartridge locations that have to be activated.
To this end, the N locations E are mounted so as to slide relative to the frame along their longitudinal axis Y and each is connected to a movement in translation mechanism 38: in
In this second embodiment the dispenser is programmed for selective actuation of the movement mechanism (here 38B) of the location (here E200B) of a cartridge (here 200B) that has to be activated to offset it by a sufficient distance Di (
The movement distance D1 must be greater than half the maximum diameter of the outlet jet of the cartridge, that diameter being essentially defined by the shape of the ejection orifice or of the nozzle if the latter is provided with one.
The movement and the activation of the cartridges are effected level by level to save time, and not location by location. Thus the cartridges of the same level can be actuated at the same time, and then replaced in the rest position, that is to say aligned on the plane P1.
Accordingly, to prepare a mixture of products of particular composition the second embodiment is used as follows:
The dispenser then repeats the steps a) to c) level by level of locations E until all the cartridges the product in which is part of the particular compensation have been actuated.
This embodiment enables an increase in the footprint of the dispenser to be avoided when the choice is made to increase the number of levels or cartridges. The only limit is then the height of the dispenser, which must remain reasonable if it is a dispenser for domestic use.
In accordance with embodiments that are not illustrated:
The automatic dispenser may further include an instrument for monitoring delivery of the dose enabling verification of the actuation of each pump and/or monitoring of the volume of fluid dispensed. For example, the monitoring instrument enabling the actuation of each pump to be verified is arranged in such a manner as to detect a stroke of the actuating member (of the cam or of the piston).
Alternatively or in combination with this the monitoring instrument enabling monitoring of the volume of fluid dispensed may be arranged in the location 40 intended to receive the container 41, in particular under that container. Accordingly, it is possible to weigh the doses of products received in the container and to compare them to setpoint data. In the event of too large a difference, the central unit may be programmed to shut down the dispenser and request maintenance. In combination with this, if the dispenser is connected to a communication network, the central unit may be programmed to alert the manager of the machine.
The automatic dispenser may equally include at each cartridge location an anti-soiling damper of the cartridge. For example, this damper may be fixed to the pivoting abutment flap and generate an alarm if it detects a stress greater than the stress received upon normal activation of the ejection pump of the cartridge.
A preferred second embodiment of an injection nozzle according to the invention is illustrated in
The nozzle 400 has a longitudinal body enabling its insertion in the ejection orifice 203 of the pump 202 of the cartridge 200.
The nozzle 400 includes a product entry portion 401 and a product ejection portion 402 the interior surface 402a of which is conical and outwardly flared, which reduces the speed at which the product is ejected at constant flowrate and enables accurate aiming when dispensing product by gravity into the container 41.
The nozzle 400 differs from the nozzles 300 in the shape of its ejection portion 402. In this second embodiment the terminal section 402b of the ejection portion is an oblong closed curve, that is to say the shape of the terminal section 402b of the ejection portion 402 is inscribed in a virtual rectangle 402c. In the example illustrated this oblong shape is a rectangle with the shorter sides rounded in a portion of a circle. Alternatively, this shape could be elliptical, ovoid or polygonal, provided that the length L of the terminal section 402b is greater than its width l. By convention, the oblong shape of the terminal section 402B includes two small flanks 402b1 corresponding to the shorter sides 402c1 of the virtual rectangle 402c and two large flanks 402b2 corresponding to the large sides 402c2 of the virtual rectangle 402c.
This oblong shape of the terminal section 402b at the outlet of the ejection portion 402 enables particularly effective use of the cartridges in the elongated position according to the invention. In fact, in the position of use, illustrated in
This oblong shape of the ejection end of the nozzle is therefore perfectly suited to the ejection of a dose of product by gravity and therefore to the use of a dispenser of products in accordance with the invention in which the cartridges are in elongate position. This oblong shape of the ejection end of the nozzle therefore contributes to enabling dispensing by gravity in a restricted dispensing zone and with precise metering by reproducible mechanical action of the dispenser on the cartridges, which the features of the product dispenser according to the invention also aim to enable.
Accordingly, as
In other words, in the position of use, the length L of the ejection portion is parallel, in horizontal projection, to the direction G of gravity and the width l is perpendicular, in horizontal projection, to the direction G of gravity.
In an advantageous embodiment illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated the decelerator 403 is a dome the convex side of which is directed toward the product entry portion 401 and the concave side of which is directed toward the outlet of the ejection portion 402.
The decelerator 403 is retained in the nozzle and at a distance from the interior wall 401b of the nozzle by support tongues 404.
In this way, when the product arrives from the product entry portion 401 through the passage 405 connecting the entry portion 401 and the ejection portion 402 it encounters the decelerator 403 (here the convex side) and is obliged to circumvent it by passing between the support tongues 404.
This further slows the speed at which the product is ejected at the outlet of the nozzle until the product is able to fall vertically by gravity into the removable container 41.
The automatic dispenser according to the invention is therefore able to accommodate more than six different cartridges whilst limiting the footprint of the machine. In fact, the elongate arrangement of the cartridges makes it possible not only to stack a large number of cartridges but also to “spread” the actuation system over the full height of the dispenser, thereby limiting the depth of said actuation system and therefore the footprint of the machine.
In other words, the proposed arrangement makes it possible not only to limit the footprint of the cartridge storage part but also the footprint of the cartridge actuating part.
The automatic dispenser according to the invention is also able to dispense a plurality of different combinations of fluid products each contained in a different cartridge as it enables selective activation of the cartridges.
Moreover, the dispenser according to the invention enables precise metering by reproducible mechanical action of the dispenser on the cartridges.
Thanks to the proposed arrangement, the dispenser according to the invention is simple, economical and relatively compact, that is to say has a small footprint, whilst enabling a large number of products and combinations to be offered, and all this with cartridges of high capacity.
It is thus possible to propose treatments over several weeks without having to change the cartridges, which limits the risks of error and waste.
Moreover, it is multipurpose, that is to say the proposed arrangement enables design of a dispenser having between 6 and 12 cartridges.
The system according to the invention enables adaptation to all mechanical metering pumps, in particular to the various amplitudes of travel necessary for actuating the pumps. In fact, depending on the volume dispensed, the pumps have different actuation strokes. For example, for a given type of pump, a pump delivering a volume of 1 milliliter necessitates a travel amplitude of 7.5 millimeters, whereas a pump delivering a volume of 2 milliliters necessitates an amplitude of travel of 12 millimeters. The system according to the invention can therefore be easily sized as a function of the dispensing volume of the pumps used.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR2007375 | Jul 2020 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/069345 | 7/12/2021 | WO |
