BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment of the invention by way of non-limiting example.
In the figures:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dispenser head of the invention, ready to be mounted on a fluid reservoir;
FIG. 2 is a view of the FIG. 1 dispenser head in the mounted state, and while in the low axial rest position;
FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 with some of the component elements of the head omitted in order to show the internal structure of the head;
FIG. 4 is a vertical section view taken on section line A-A of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is another section view on line B-B of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the head in the high axial position;
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 3 in the high axial position;
FIG. 8 is a vertical section view on section line C-C of FIG. 6; and
FIG. 9 is a vertical section view on section line D-D of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference is made below to FIG. 1 in order to explain in detail the structure of the various component elements of the dispenser head constituting a non-limiting embodiment of the invention.
The dispenser head is for associating with a fluid reservoir 1 that defines a body 10 and a neck 11. The body 10 defines a working volume that is the volume of the reservoir. The neck 11 defines an opening 12 that puts the inside of the body 10 into communication with the outside. The neck 11 forms a projecting outer peripheral rim that defines a shoulder 13 that is oriented downwards. The shoulder 13 serves to fasten the dispenser head on the reservoir. In this particular embodiment, the reservoir defines a section that is polygonal, advantageously square, at the body 10.
In this particular embodiment, the dispenser head comprises six distinct component elements, namely a dispenser member 2, a hoop 3, actuator means 4, a pushbutton core 5, a fluid-flow connection and thrust-transmission system 6, and a pushbutton cover 7. All the component elements can be made by injection-molding an appropriate plastics material. Certain component elements can also be made of metal, such as the actuator means 4 and the pushbutton cover 7, for example.
The dispenser member 2 can be a pump or a valve comprising a body 20 defining a bottom inlet that is optionally provided with a dip tube. The pump or valve also comprises a valve rod 21 that is axially displaceable down and up inside the body 20. In conventional manner, the valve rod 21 defines an internal flow duct for the fluid that is put into communication with the inside of the body 20 selectively by means of an outlet valve. The pump or valve can also be fitted with a fastener ring 22 that is provided with fastener tabs 23 for coming into engagement below the shoulder 13 of the neck 12. In this embodiment, the fastener ring 22 is presented as a component element of the dispenser member. However, the fastener ring can also be in the form of an element that is distinct from the dispenser member, and that is fastened on the dispenser member. However, in this embodiment, the fastener ring is considered as forming an integral part of the dispenser member. This is a fairly conventional design for a pump or a valve in the fields of perfumery, cosmetics, or even pharmacy. By pressing on the valve rod 21, the outlet valve (not shown) opens, and the fluid stored in the body 20 can flow out through the rod 21.
The hoop 3 fulfils a plurality of functions. Its first function is to block or to lock the fastener ring 22 on the neck 11 of the reservoir. To do this, the hoop 3 defines a locking bushing 32 having an inside wall that comes into clamping contact around the ring 22, as can be seen in FIGS. 4, 5, 8, and 9. The hoop 3 thus prevents the tabs 23 of the ring 22 from becoming disengaged from below the shoulder 13. The locking bushing 32 also fulfils other functions. It should be observed in FIG. 1 that the bushing 32 is slotted in such a manner as to define two substantially semi-cylindrical portions that are separated by two axial slots 34. The slots 34 do not extend over the entire height of the locking bushing 32. The bottom portion of the bushing 32 is continuous over its entire periphery, and comes into clamping contact around the tabs 23 at the shoulder 13. The slots 34 are axial guide slots for axially guiding another component element of the head that is described below. In addition, the locking bushing 32 externally defines cam means in the form of two cam paths 33 that form grooves in the outside wall of the bushing 32. Each cam path 33 comprises a helical portion 331 and a vertical axial portion 332. The axial portion 332 is connected to the helical portion 331 at its top end. Each cam path 33 extends substantially over 90°. More precisely, the helical portion 331 extends substantially over 90°, whereas the vertical axial portion 332 is of practically no angular extent. The two cam paths 33 are for co-operating with two cam lugs that are formed by another component element of the head that is described below. It can easily be understood that moving the lugs in the helical portions 331 causes the component element that is described below to move axially. Naturally, this axial displacement is combined with a turning displacement as a result of the helical portion 331 extending over about 90°. In contrast, in the vertical axial portion 332, the cam lug can be displaced vertically and axially, without any turning component. The hoop 3 further defines a base 31 that is for coming around the thicker base of the neck 11. The outside wall of the base 31 forms two elongate grooves 311 that extend substantially over 90°. Each groove is for co-operating with a lug that is free to move inside its respective groove. It can easily be understood that the displacement of the lug has a horizontal turning component only, without any vertical or axial component, because of the horizontal orientation of the groove 311. Each end of the groove 311 defines a stop position in turning. The component element that co-operates with the groove 311 of the hoop 3 is described below.
It is specifically the actuator means 4 that co-operate with the base 31 of the hoop 3. To do this, the actuator means 4 define an internal cylinder 43 that surrounds the base 31 of the hoop 3. The cylinder is not visible in FIG. 1, but it can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. On its inside wall, the cylinder 43 defines two guide lugs 431 that become engaged in the guide grooves 311 formed by the base 31 of the hoop 3, as can be seen in FIG. 5. The lugs 431 can thus be displaced in their respective grooves 311 by turning the cylinder 43 about the base 31. The turning displacement of the cylinder relative to the base is limited by the lugs 431 coming into abutment against the ends of the grooves 311. The turning displacement of the cylinder relative to the base can be limited to 90°, for example. As a result of the completely horizontal orientation of the grooves 311, the cylinder 43 turns about the base 31 without any axial or vertical component. In order to cause the cylinder 43 to turn about the base 31 of the hoop 3, the actuator means 4 define an outer fairing 40, that, in this embodiment, is of cross-section that is polygonal, advantageously square. The fairing 40 is connected to the cylinder via an annular flange 41, such that the fairing surrounds the cylinder and together they act as a single piece. The dimensions of the fairing are preferably substantially identical to the dimensions of the body 10 of the reservoir, such that the fairing 40 can be placed in continuity with the body 10 of the reservoir, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 6. The bottom edge of the fairing 40 is advantageously situated in the proximity of, or in contact with, the reservoir. The fairing 40 constitutes handle means for actuating the internal cylinder 43. By turning the fairing 40 through 90°, it comes back into alignment with the reservoir 1. FIGS. 2 and 6 show the dispenser head with the fairing 40 turned to its two extreme positions that are both in alignment with the reservoir. In this embodiment, the fairing 40 is a cylinder of square section: however, the fairing 40 could be of some other shape, such as hexagonal, octagonal, or even circular, for example. The shape of the fairing 40 can be determined by the shape of the body 10 of the reservoir. However, it can be seen that it is advantageous to make the fairing 40 with a shape that is polygonal rather than with a circularly-cylindrical shape.
The pushbutton core 5 includes an outer casing 51 of general shape that is polygonal, advantageously square with rounded corners. The core 5 defines a central opening 52 that extends through the core. The central opening 52 is defined by an inner sleeve 53 that is for coming into engagement around the bushing 32 of the hoop 3. On its inside wall, the sleeve 53 defines two cam lugs 531 that are housed in the two cam paths 33 formed in the bushing 32 of the hoop 3. The core 5 is thus displaceable relative to the hoop 3 by moving the two cam lugs 531 along the two sinuous cam paths 33. At the helical portion 331, the core 5 is displaced helically both in turning and in translation, while at the axial vertical section 332, the core 5 is only displaced axially without any turning component. Engaging the core 5 on the bushing 32 is made easier by the presence of the guide slots 34 that impart a certain amount of elastic deformability to the bushing 32. In addition, the inner sleeve 53 also defines a force-transmission flange 56 that can be seen more clearly in FIG. 7. Its function is explained below with reference to the component element with which it interacts. The core 5 also defines a housing 55 for receiving a nozzle that forms the dispenser orifice, as can be seen below. The core 5 is engaged, at least in part, inside the fairing 40 of the actuator means 4. As a result of its co-operation with the cam paths 33 of the hoop 3, the core 5 is axially displaceable inside the fairing 40, in such a manner as to be capable of projecting upwards beyond the fairing.
FIGS. 3 and 7 show the pushbutton core 5 in the low axial abutment position and in the high axial abutment position respectively. It can be seen that the core 5 is displaced axially relative to the hoop 3 and to the reservoir 1 by following the cam paths 33. In FIGS. 3 and 7, the core is shown stationary, and it is the hoop 3 and the reservoir 1 that have been turned through one fourth of a turn. In this embodiment, the actuator means are omitted for reasons of clarity, so as to be able to observe the displacement of the core 5 relative to the hoop 3.
The fluid-flow connection and thrust-transmission system 6 is a complex system comprising: a nozzle 61 defining a dispenser orifice 60; a flexible hose 62; a connection endpiece 63; and a force-transmission member 64. The nozzle 61 is for being housed in the housing 55 formed in the core 5, as can be seen very clearly in FIGS. 3 and 7. The connection endpiece 63 is for being interfitted on the free end of the actuator rod 21 of the dispenser member 2. This is visible in FIGS. 4, 5, 8, and 9. The flexible hose 62 thus makes it possible to connect the valve rod 21 to the dispenser orifice 60, while enabling the nozzle 61 to be displaced relative to the rod 21. It should be understood that the flexible hose 62 must be capable of being deformed when the core 5 is displaced from the low axial position (FIG. 3) to the high axial position (FIG. 7). The nozzle 61 is displaced not only axially relative to the rod 21, but it also turns about the rod 21. This leads to complex deformation of the flexible hose 62 between a position visible in FIG. 1 and another position visible in FIG. 8. In FIG. 1, the flexible hose 62 forms a bend, and then a loop, before reaching the nozzle 61. In FIG. 8, the flexible hose forms only a bend situated in a single plane. The flexible hose is a particularly advantageous element of the present invention since it enables a fluid-flow connection to be made between the valve rod 21 and the nozzle 61, while the pushbutton core 5 is displaced both in turning and in translation.
In this embodiment, the thrust-transmission member 64 is advantageously made integrally with the connection endpiece 63. It is even possible for the flexible hose 62 to be made integrally with the connection endpiece 63. The thrust-transmission member is constituted by two arms 64 that extend in diametrally-opposite manner relative to the connection endpiece 63. The two arms 64 are respectively engaged in the two slots 34 formed by the bushing 32 of the hoop 3, as can be seen very clearly in FIG. 7. The two arms 64 can thus be displaced axially in translation, but cannot turn at all as a result of the completely axial orientation of the slots 34. The function of the two arms 64 is to transmit the thrust force exerted by the core 5 to the valve rod 21. To do this, the core 5 comes to be positioned with its two thrust flanges 56 just above the ends of the arms 64 that project out from the respective slots 34, as can be seen in FIG. 7. In this position, it should easily be understood that a force exerted downwards on the core 5 would cause the two thrust-transmissions arms 64 to be displaced axially in their respective slots 34. The thrust flanges 56 only come into engagement with the arms 64 in the high axial position of the core 5, as shown in FIG. 7. In the low axial position shown in FIG. 3, the core 5 does not come into engagement with the arms 64, such that there is no coupling between the core 5 and the valve rod 21. In addition, in the low axial position, the core 5 cannot be displaced axially in translation because of the configuration of the cam paths 33.
Finally, the pushbutton cover 7 comes to cover the core 5, surrounding it at least in part. The core 5 and the cover 7 together form the pushbutton of the head. The cover 7 includes a thrust surface 71 on which the user can exert pressure by means of one or more fingers. In addition, the cover 7 includes a peripheral skirt 72, that, in this embodiment, is in the form of a polygonal cylindrical section. The skirt 72 becomes engaged around the casing 51 of the core 5 by means of a snap-fastener system 74, 54. The skirt 72 is dimensioned in such a manner that it is a sliding fit inside the fairing 4 of the actuator means 40. This is visible in FIGS. 2 and 6. The core 5 is therefore mounted in stationary manner inside the cover 7, which is itself engaged inside the fairing 40. Because of the polygonal shape of the fairing 40 and of the cover 7, turning the fairing 40 turns the cover 7, and consequently the core 5. However, the core 5 is engaged with the hoop 3 in the cam paths 33. As a result, turning the fairing 40 forces the cam lugs 531 of the core 5 to be moved along the respective cam paths 33 of the hoop 3. As a result, the core 5 and the cover 7 are displaced both in turning and in axial translation relative to the valve rod 21 that remains stationary relative to the body 20 and to the reservoir 1. With regard to the actuator means 4, they merely turn about the hoop 3, without any movement in translation. It should be kept in mind that the hoop 3 is mounted in completely stationary manner relative to the dispenser member and to the reservoir 1. The displacement of the core 5 and of the cover 7 is limited firstly by the extent of the grooves 311, and secondly by the extent of the cam paths 33. In a variant, the cam paths 33 alone could define the high and low axial abutment positions. In that event, the grooves 311 could extend over the entire periphery of the base 31, and serve solely as fastener means for the cylinder of the actuator means.
A principle of the invention resides in using a head covering element, such as the fairing 40, as actuator means in order to displace the pushbutton, constituted in this embodiment by the core 5 and by the cover 7, relative to the valve rod 21. Conventionally, the fairing 40 is a part that is mounted in stationary manner relative to the reservoir 10.
It should also be observed that the pushbutton is coupled to the actuator rod 21 only in the high axial position, which is the dispensing position. In the low axial position, the pushbutton is locked, since the cam path does not give it any axial freedom.
In its axial displacement relative to the fairing 40, the cover 7 is displaced between two extreme positions shown respectively in FIGS. 2 and 6. In the low axial position, the thrust surface 71 of the cover 7 is situated substantially in alignment with the top edge of the fairing 40. In contrast, in the high axial position shown in FIG. 6, the cover 7 projects upwards beyond the top edge of the fairing 40. It should also be observed that the dispenser orifice 60 is situated in a hole 70 formed in the skirt 72 of the cover 7. In the low axial position, the hole 70 is masked by the fairing 40. In the high axial position, the hole 70 is unmasked so as to allow fluid to be dispensed.
In order to guarantee that the head is properly oriented relative to the reservoir, it is possible to provide indexing means on the reservoir and on the hoop 3, so as to orientate the hoop 3 correctly relative to the reservoir. It is the hoop 3 that determines the angular orientation of the actuator means 4, and consequently of the pushbutton 5, 7. By way of example, the indexing means can be in the form of a projection 35 formed by the hoop 3, and that comes into abutment against a corresponding profile of the reservoir 1.
A circularly-cylindrical configuration of the actuator means 4 and of the pushbutton 5, 6 is also possible, but it is then necessary to provide means for constraining the actuator means and the pushbutton to turn together.
Patent Application
20080023498
