Patent Application
20200407127
The disclosure of Italian Patent Application No. 102018000003536 is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a liquid dispenser.
In particular, it refers to a dispenser used to quickly and effectively mix at least two different liquids for electronic cigarettes, for example a base and a flavouring.
As is known, liquid dispensers are used in multiple fields.
One particularly significant field is that of electronic cigarettes, which must be filled with specific liquids, which usually include a vaporizable base and optionally a flavouring or nicotine (if not already included in the base) to be diluted in the latter in order to obtain an end result to the consumer's liking.
According to prior art, bases and flavourings are supplied by the various producers in separate containers.
The end user mixes the two liquid substances to obtain a final liquid to the liking thereof.
There are various situations in the retail market. The user can buy a base liquid, usually sold in a half-full container, to which to add the preferred flavouring.
One alternative is to buy both the base liquid and the flavouring in containers which are full. In this case, the retailer also provides an empty bottle in which the user can mix the two liquids.
Currently known containers include a bottle, at the mouth of which is there is a metering device associated, which is interference-fitted into the mouth in a sealed manner.
When (total or partial) filling is necessary, the dispenser must be removed from the neck of the bottle to clear the opening thereof.
The operation is complicated and there is a risk of liquid being wasted (if the said liquid is present in the container to be filled). Last but not least, the extraction of the dispenser (which must form a seal) is also complicated by the small size thereof. It should be noticed that the containers are very “small” and designed to contain 10, 20, or 50 ml of liquid. Consequently, the dispensers are also very small and difficult to handle using one's fingers.
The object of the present invention is to provide a liquid dispenser which simplifies the operations to fill the bottle with which the dispenser is associated.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved, easily fillable liquid container.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating a liquid mixture, for example for electronic cigarettes, quickly and simply.
This and other objects are achieved by means of a dispenser and a method for the use thereof according to the technical teachings of the claims annexed hereto.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer in the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the device, illustrated—by way of a non-limiting example—in the drawings annexed hereto, in which:
With reference to the figures stated, reference number 1 is used to denote, as a whole, a liquid dispenser, for example for an electronic cigarette liquid.
In the initial part of the description that follows, reference will be made to
The liquid dispenser 1, e.g. for an electronic cigarette liquid, in
Preferably the dispenser is made by injection moulding. Some plastics which are suitable for forming the dispenser may be, for example: PE, PP, or other materials used in plastic moulding.
The dispenser 1 is formed of a first 2 and a second part 5, which are mutually interconnected by a hinging 18. The hinging 18 may be formed of a tongue of thin plastic, which is therefore less thick and therefore less rigid than the adjacent portions.
The first part 2 may be equipped with a first flange 2A from which a first tubular portion 2B extends (towards the bottom of
Returning to
The sealing means 3 can be produced in many different ways. For example, the said means may consist of simply a frusto-conical surface or may be formed of at least one perimetral swelling 12 (or multiple swellings) on the outer surface of the tubular portion 2B. Obviously, in certain embodiments, the external surface of the tubular portion may be slightly frusto-conical and there may be swellings thereupon.
To facilitate insertion into the mouth of the bottle 20, the tubular portion may feature a taper, which may also consist of simply an end portion whose external diameter is smaller than the diameter where the sealing means 3 are located (see
The fact that the dispenser fits and seals inside the mouth of the bottle 20 (or container), basically reduce the radial encumbrance of the dispenser; this allows the possibility to fit the cap 3 over the container, screwed on a thread formed on the outside wall of the mouth of the container 20.
The second part 5 of the dispenser, which is—as already mentioned—hinged to the first part 2, is equipped (
To be suitable for the use with e-cig liquids, the metering nozzle may be a dropper. Specifically, the nozzle 5C may be least 9 mm long, and it is narrower than, and slots comfortably into, the opening of the tank of the electronic cigarette with which it is used.
The dispensing port 7 may be configured to emit no more than 20 drops of refill liquid per minute when placed vertically and subjected to atmospheric pressure alone at 20° C.±5° C.
Moreover, the nozzle 5c and the opening 7 may be designed in line with the DECISION (EU) 2016/586.
To facilitate dispenser opening, providing access to the opening 4, at least one portion 50 of the peripheral surface of the first median portion 5A may extend beyond the perimeter of the first flange 2A when the median portion 5A is placed on the first flange 2A (see
For example, as can be seen in
Also, to facilitate the opening of the dispenser, a projecting wall 9 may extend from the median portion 5A, on the same side as the nozzle 5B. The projecting wall 9 provides a surface for a user to apply pressure during dispenser opening. For example, a user can press the protruding part 9 using the finger pad of the thumb thereof.
To facilitate dispenser closure, the second tubular portion 5B may be equipped with a sloped end portion 10. In order to improve the seal between the first and second part of the dispenser, the tubular portion may have a frusto-conical surface 11.
The container further comprises a cap 30 (absent from
Upon first use, the container may be partially filled with a first liquid L, which may be an electronic cigarette liquid. The liquid L may, for example, be an electronic cigarette base liquid (with or without pre-mixed nicotine) or a flavouring for electronic cigarette liquids, or a different base liquid for a mixture.
In this case, it is important that the liquid L only partially fills the bottle, in order to leave a free volume for the addition, inside the said bottle container, of a further liquid to be mixed with the first.
In practice, use of the bottle to obtain a (mixed end) liquid, e.g. for an electronic cigarette, is performed according to the following method.
Initially, the cap 30 is removed from the container partially filled with liquid (for example, in the case of electronic cigarettes, a nicotine-free base).
The second part 5 is then rotated around the hinging 18 with the first part 2 so as to clear the opening 4, and a further liquid (e.g. an electronic cigarette flavouring) is poured into the opening 4 to mix the said further liquid with the first liquid L already present in the bottle.
Optionally a third liquid may be added, e.g. with a high concentration of nicotine, in the specific amount required to obtain the desired final nicotine value.
The second part 5 is then rotated around the hinging 18 so as to insert the said part into the opening 4, and therefor seal the dispenser.
Finally, the cap 30 is repositioned on the container and screwed onto the neck 20A, and—if necessary—the whole assembly is agitated.
At this point, the mixed liquid is ready for use and, once the cap 30 has been removed, may be dispensed via the dispensing port of the dispenser 1.
The description above clearly shows how the dispenser is particularly suitable for the use of electronic cigarette liquids, although, obviously, use thereof may be quickly and effectively extended to any type of liquid, whether for mixing with others or not.
It has therefore been demonstrated that the dispenser disclosed herein allows a more convenient and simple use than those according to the prior art.
According to a different use, the container may also be sold empty and subsequently filled by the user with liquids (to be mixed) inside the bottle, making full use of the convenience offered.
Various embodiments of the innovation have been disclosed herein, but further embodiments may also be conceived using the same innovative concept.
