BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
All the Figures are axial cross sections along the axial direction of the device (1), except FIGS. of 3c, 4b, 5c, 6c and 8c which are transverse cross-sections perpendicular to the axial direction (10).
FIGS. 1
a to 4 relate to an embodiment of the refill device (1).
FIG. 1
a is a partial view of a refill device (1).
FIG. 1
b is a partial view of a refill device (1′) including a cap (8).
FIG. 1
c is an enlarged view of the upper part of FIG. 1a illlustrating the upper valve (12) and a tightness means (15).
FIGS. 2
a to 2d show the refill device (1) from FIG. 1a in operation.
FIG. 2
a shows the device (1) in FIG. 1a placed in use above the first container to be filled. The first container is not yet screwed to the first bearing plate and the valve (12) is closed (“F”).
In FIG. 2b, the first container is screwed to the first bearing plate and the valve (12) is open (“O”), the first container being shown half full.
In FIG. 2c, the valve (12) is open (“O”), the first container being shown full.
In FIG. 2d, the first container is unscrewed and the valve (12) is closed (“F”).
FIG. 3
a is a partial left-hand half-view of FIG. 1a, the valve (12) being in the closed position “F”.
In FIG. 3b, the first container has been shown in dotted lines screwed to the device (1), the valve (12) being in the open position “O”.
FIG. 3
c is a cross-section B-B of FIG. 3b.
FIG. 4
a corresponds to FIG. 3b reversed, the device (1) being in use above the first container in such a way to allow a flow of liquid by gravity.
FIG. 4
b is a cross-section A-A of FIG. 4a.
FIGS. 5
a and 5b show another embodiment of the device (1).
FIG. 5
c is a cross-section A-A of FIG. 5a.
FIGS. 6
a and 6b show another embodiment of the device (1).
FIG. 6
c is a cross-section B-B of FIG. 6b.
FIG. 7
a and 7b show another embodiment of the device (1). In FIG. 7b and the following Figures, the first container is shown in solid lines.
FIGS. 8
a and 8b show another embodiment of the device (1).
FIG. 8
c is a cross-section A-A of FIG. 8a.
FIGS. 9
a and 9b show another embodiment of the device (1).
FIGS. 10
a and 10b show another embodiment of the device (1).
FIGS. 11
a and 11b show another embodiment of the device (1).
FIGS. 12
a to 12c show the second container as a tube (2′). This tube (2′) is a tube (2″) that forms a unitary component with the connection component.
FIG. 12
a shows the device (1) before the tube (2′, 2″) is filled through the opening (21) in its bottom.
FIG. 12
b shows the tube filled with product (7).
FIG. 12
c shows the tube closed by a welded edge (22).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the Figures, aspects of the invention relate to a device (1) for refilling a first container with liquid product. The device provides a connection component for connecting the first container with a second container that holds liquid to be filled into the first container.
According to aspects of the invention, a radial projection may form a peripheral ring (50). Any type of radial projection may be suitable insofar as the radial projection allows the automatic axial displacement of the movable component when the first container is screwed to the device (1). The movable component is displaced in a direction towards the median wall of the device (1) which makes it possible to move the valve (12) from the closed position “F” to the open position “O”.
According to an embodiment of the invention such as illustrated in all the Figures, except for FIGS. 8a to 9b, the connection component may include an axial projection around the central orifice, the axial projection typically forming a tube portion integral with the median wall so as to form all or part of the transfer means.
As shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, the tube portion may include an upper tube portion located above the median wall.
As shown in FIGS. 3a, 5a, 6a, 10a and 11a, the tube portion may include a lower tube portion located below the median wall.
Whatever the embodiment of the invention, the central part may engage with the central orifice or with the tubes (43, 43a, 43b) so as to form the valve. This engagement, which allows an axial displacement of the movable component relative to the connection component, is preferably a watertight engagement, which may require the use of tightness means, typically gaskets.
As shown in FIGS. 3a, 5a, 6a, 7a and 8a, the central part may form a central tube, the central tube being able to slide in the central orifice or in the tube portion.
As shown in FIGS. 3a, 5a and 6a, the central tube of the movable component may engage with the lower tube portion, the central tube being able to slide inside the lower tube portion. As shown in FIG. 3a, the lower tube portion may include a bottom including an orifice, the bottom being integral with a central component including an upper flap valve and an axial rod anchoring, typically by a snap-on process, the central component to the lower tube portion, and typically to the bottom, the upper flap valve forming an upper stop for the central tube, the central tube being open at its two ends. In this way, when the axial constraint is exerted on the radial projection, and opening is formed between the fixed upper flap valve and the upper end of the central tube that form the valve, the opening thus ensures flow of the liquid product.
As shown in FIG. 5a, the lower tube portion may include a bottom including an orifice, and the central tube may include a lower flap valve anchored to the central tube by a rod or an axial wall, the lower flap valve being spaced out axially from the lower end of the central tube, in such a way that the lower tube portion forms, typically by its lower end, a lower stop for the lower flap valve, and in such a way that, when the axial constraint is exerted on the radial projection, a lower end (12′a, 12′b) is formed between the movable lower flap valve and the lower end of the lower tube portion which form the valve, the lower opening (12′a, 12′b) thus ensuring a flow of the liquid product. The rod or axial wall may form a unitary component with the movable component. The lower flap valve may either form a unitary component with the rod or axial wall, as shown in FIG. 6a, or may be anchored, typically by being snapped on, to the rod or axial wall, as shown in FIG. 5a.
According to aspects of the invention, the return means may be a spring, typically a helical spring, located either between a lower end of the central tube (5′) and the bottom, or between the radial projection and the median wall.
According to another embodiment of the invention, such as shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, the central tube of the movable component may engage the upper tube portion, the central tube being able to slide outside the upper tube portion, the central tube including only an upper part (51a). In this case, the upper tube portion may be closed at its upper end and includes at least one lateral orifice, in such a way that the lateral orifice is able to be closed or opened as a function of the axial displacement of the movable component, typically by its end (510).
According to another embodiment of the invention, such as shown in FIG. 8a, the connection component does not include an axial projection around the central orifice. The central tube is capable of sliding in the central orifice, and comprises a lower flap valve anchored to the central tube by a rod or an axial wall. The lower flap valve is spaced out axially from the lower end of the central tube and the return means (6) or spring may be placed between the radial projection and the median wall or radial extension thereof, in such a way that the median wall or radial extension thereof forms a stop for the lower flap valve. Additionally, when the axial constraint is exerted on the radial projection, a lower opening (12′a, 12′b) is formed between the movable lower flap valve and the median wall or radial extension thereof which form the valve. The lower opening (12′a, 12′b) thus ensures flow of the liquid product.
According to another embodiment of the invention, such as shown in FIGS. 9a and 10a, the central part may include a lower flap valve anchored to a rod or an axial wall. A connection means (514) anchors the rod or axial wall to the radial projection, the lower flap valve being stopped against the median wall or against the radial extension thereof or against a lower tube portion. In this way, when the axial constraint is exerted on the radial projection, a lower opening (12′a, 12′b) is formed between the movable lower flap valve and the median wall or radial extension thereof or the lower end of the lower tube portion, which form the valve. The lower opening (12′a, 12′b) thus ensures flow of the liquid product.
Whatever the embodiment of the invention, the central part of the movable component or of the axial projection may include an axial separation wall (52, 45), so as to form a conduit (13) for the liquid distinct from the conduit (14) for the air. The liquid (13′) and air (14′) flows have to run in counterflow, with the liquid flow running from the second container towards the first container, and the air flow running from the first container towards the second container. The upper openings or the lower openings (12′a, 12′b) form distinct openings, that is, distinct upper openings and/or distinct lower openings (12′a, 12′b).
Although the devices in these Figures are shown in the vertical position, in practice, they depart more or less from the vertical, with the result that, due at least in part to the presence of an axial separation wall (45), the liquid product will tend to flow through the conduit (13) and the displaced air will tend to flow through the other conduit (14), as shown in FIG. 4b, which greatly facilitates the flow by gravity of the liquid product from the second container towards the first container (3). In FIG. 4a, the flow or flux (13′) of the liquid product in the conduit (13) has been shown by an arrow.
As shown in FIG. 3a, the axial separation wall may be an axial separation wall (45) forming or including the axial rod.
As shown in FIG. 5a, the axial separation wall may be an axial separation wall (52) forming or including the rod or an axial wall (513).
As shown in FIG. 7a, the axial separation wall may be an axial separation wall (45), typically a central separation wall (434) forming a partition wall of the upper tube portion.
As shown in FIGS. 8a and 9a, the axial separation wall may be an axial separation wall (52) typically formed by the axial wall (513).
As shown in FIGS. 8a and 9a, the lower flap valve may be anchored to the axial wall, the axial wall typically being extended by an upper axial wall (515), the axial wall and the upper axial wall (515) forming the axial separation wall (52).
As shown for example in FIG. 1c, the connection component and the movable component may include a least one tightness means (15) to provide a watertight valve.
As a shown in FIG. 1b, the device (1) may include a removable cap (8) that engages the first bearing plate so as to protect the movable component when the device is not in use. The cap also avoids unintentional application of an axial constraint on the movable component.
By way of example, the axial travel between the positions “O” and “F” in the various embodiments may be typically from about 2 mm to about 6 mm, and preferably, from about 3 mm to about 5 mm.
According to aspects of the invention, the second container may be a bottle with a threaded neck, of plastic or glass material, or a tube made of plastic material.
As shown in FIGS. 12a to 12c, the plastic tube (2′) may be a tube (2″) making a unitary component with the connection component (4).
Embodiments of the invention, on the one hand, address the problems posed in a straightforward, efficient and cost-effective manner. On the other hand, a variety of embodiments are provided, which can be adapted to various situations, some including a very limited number of components and thereby being highly cost-effective.
Lastly, aspects of the invention make it possible to transfer, by gravity, a perfume contained in a rigid feeder bottle forming a second container, and to do so while maintaining control over the quantity to be transferred. The receiving container, or first container, has only to be unscrewed to automatically close the valve of the device.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Device A was manufactured as illustrated in FIGS. 1a to 4a. To do this, thermoplastic material molding was used to manufacture:
- a) a connection component (4), which was an integral component, including: two internally threaded bearing plates (40) and (41), a median wall and an axial projection forming a tube portion and more specifically a lower tube portion fitted with a bottom having at least one orifice,
- b) a movable component, which was a unitary component, including a peripheral ring (50, 50′) and a central part forming a tube, and
- c) a central component (44), which was a unitary component, including the upper flap valve (440), the axial rod the lower end of which includes a means for snapping into the bottom.
A helical spring (6, 6′) was provided as well as the second container, fitted with a second threaded neck, and filled with liquid product intended to refill the first container.
These components were assembled by placing the spring in the lower tube portion, then by sliding into this lower tube portion the lower part (51b) of the central tube, then by snapping the end (442) of the central component into the bottom of fitted with a central orifice for this purpose. The second container was then screwed on.
The refill device (1) was thus obtained whereby a cap (8) was assembled by screwing. The operation of this device (1) is shown for example in FIGS. 2a to 2d.
Example 2
Device B was manufactured as illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b. In this case, thermoplastic material molding was used to manufacture:
- a) a connection component as in device A,
- b) a movable component, which was a unitary component, including a peripheral ring (50, 50′) and a central part including a tube and an axial separation wall (52) forming the rod or axial wall and fitted with a lower snap-on end (517),
- c) a lower flap valve including a central snap-on orifice of diameter selected so that its lower edge (516) is able to be stopped against the lower end of the lower tube portion.
A helical spring (6, 6′) was provided as well as the second container (2). These components were assembled by snapping on the flap valve and the lower end (517) of the movable component (5).
Example 3
Device C was manufactured as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b. In this case, thermoplastic material molding was used to manufacture:
- a) a connection component (4), which was a unitary component, including a lower tube portion without a bottom (430),
- b) a movable component, which was a unitary component, including a peripheral ring (50, 50′) and a central part including a tube and an axial separation wall (52) forming the rod or axial wall integral with a lower flap valve (512). The lower flap valve includes a flexible outer edge (516′) able, by its shape, to be stopped against the lower end of the lower tube portion.
A helical spring (6, 6′) was provided as well as the second container (2). These components were assembled by forcibly snapping the movable component into the connection component (4), with the lower edge (516′) ensuring both the assembly of these two components and the tightness of the lower valve (12′).
Example 4
Device D was manufactured as shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b. In this case thermoplastic material molding was used to manufacture:
- a) a connection component (4), which was a unitary component, including an upper tube portion with, at its upper end (433), lateral orifices and an arch, at its base, an outer hollowed-out part (436), and an axial separation wall (45),
- b) a movable component, which was a unitary component, including a peripheral ring (50, 50′) and a central part including an upper tube part fitted at its base with an inner radial projection (518) intended to engage with the hollowed-out part (436), the upper tube part and this radial projection (518) being of a shape and dimension to enable the connection part to be force fitted into the movable component (5).
A helical spring (6, 6′) was provided as well as the second container (2). These components were assembled by snapping the connection component into the movable component with force fitting.
Example 5
Device E was manufactured as shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b. In this case thermoplastic material molding was used to manufacture:
- a) a connection component, which was a unitary component without an axial projection and with a median wall internally extended by an annular wall,
- b) a movable component, which was a unitary component, including a peripheral ring (50, 50′) and a central part including a central tube and an axial wall fitted with a lower snap-on end (517),
- c) a lower flap valve including a snap-on orifice.
A helical spring (6, 6′) was provided as well as the second container (2). These components were assembled by snapping the lower end (517) into the snap-on orifice of the lower flap valve (512).
Example 6
A device E′ was also manufactured in which the movable component and the lower flap valve form a unitary component that can be snapped onto the connection component (4).
Example 7
Device F was manufactured as shown in FIGS. 9a and 9b. In this case, thermoplastic material molding was used to manufacture:
- a) a connection component, which was a unitary component without an axial projection and with a median wall internally extended by an annular wall,
- b) a movable component, which was a unitary component, including a peripheral ring (50, 50′) and a central part including orifices (519), an upper axial wall (515) and an axial wall fitted with a snap-on lower end (517),
- c) a lower flap valve including a snap-on orifice.
A helical spring (6, 6′) was provided as well as the second container (2). These components were assembled by snapping the lower end (517) into the snap-on orifice of the lower flap valve (512).
Example 8
A device F′ was also manufactured in which the movable component and the lower flap valve form a unitary component that can be snapped onto the connection component (4).
Example 9
Device G was manufactured as shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b. In this case, thermoplastic material molding was used to manufacture:
- a) a connection component (4), which was a unitary component, including a lower tube portion,
- b) a movable component, which was a unitary component, including a peripheral ring (50, 50′) and a central part including orifices (519), an axial wall and a lower flap valve includes an outer flexible edge (516′) able, by its shape to be stopped against the lower end of the lower tube portion, and to allow the movable component to be snapped into the tube portion.
These components were assembled by moving the movable component into the tube portion.
Example 10
A device G′ was also manufactured as shown in FIGS. in 11a and 11b in which the movable component includes an upper axial wall (515).
Example 11
Device H was manufactured as shown in FIG. 12a in a similar way to device A. In this case, thermoplastic material molding was used to manufacture a unitary component including a tube forming the second container and the connection component (4).
Patent Application
20070277902
