The invention relates to the domain of cosmetic product dispensers, and particularly the domain of perfume dispensers. The invention relates particularly to the domain of refillable dispensers.
Refills for perfume flasks are typically composed of receptacles or flasks comprising a threaded neck closed off by a threaded cap.
Similarly, refillable dispensers typically comprise an atomization head fixed by screwing to a flask comprising a threaded neck.
The normal way of refilling the dispenser is to unscrew the atomization head and manually transfer the refill contents after having unscrewed its cap.
Use of a refill is justified if the dispenser with head is not a discardable object, considering its quality and its price.
However, the value of a refill for the refillable dispenser depends more on the value of its contents than on the value of the receptacle containing the refill, such that the dispenser refill is typically thrown away or recycled when it is empty, because it has a low intrinsic value.
This normal procedure does cause some problems. Considering that the neck of the said refillable dispenser is typically small, a certain amount of skill or manual dexterity is necessary to transfer the perfume from a refill flask or a feeder to the flask of the said dispenser.
The normal consequences of a transfer, unless the user is very dexterous, are firstly loss of product contained in the refill, which is frequently an expensive perfume, and secondly the risk of getting the clothes and hands dirty with the associated risk of creating a strong and lasting smell associated with such an operation, since the product or the perfume could have spread and impregnated fabric.
French application No. 00 11082 describes a system for filling a secondary flask, starting from a main flask. This type of system is complex in manufacturing and during use. Therefore, the applicant searched for an economic and practical means, in other words easy to use by any person, of avoiding the disadvantages related to the normal manner of proceeding.
According to the invention, the refill device for a said first receptacle, typically a perfume flask, and typically provided with a first threaded neck and an atomization head, comprises:
In this device:
This combination of means solves the problems that arise.
The transfer of the product is limited to two elementary operations:
Provided that the user is capable of performing these two simple operations, the result to be obtained, namely a clean transfer with no losses, is then automatically achieved.
All figures relate to the invention.
a to 4f relate to the same embodiment of the refill device (1).
a shows a side view of a refill device (1) assembled to the said first receptacle (6) to be refilled.
b is a perspective side view of the said refill device 1) in
c is a perspective side view of the said first receptacle (6) in
a and 2b show partial axial sections illustrating the said main screwing and represent the said first part (7) and the striker (51) in position during the said first main screwing.
a corresponds to a first stage of the said main screwing.
b is similar to
c shows a cross section D—D in
d shows a cross section C—C in
e shows a perspective bottom view of the said first part (7) in
a to 3d relate to the said first part (7) of
a shows a side view.
b shows an axial section along plane A—A in
c is a bottom view.
d shows an enlarged view of the part circled with dashed lines in
a to 4d relate to the striker (51) as the transfer means (5).
a is a side view.
b is an axial section along plane A—A in
c is a top view.
d is a perspective side view of the striker (51), at full scale.
e is a Figure corresponding to
f corresponds to
a to 6c relate to other embodiments of the invention. In these Figures, the said refill device (1) has been shown above the said first receptacle (6) to be filled.
a shows a partial axial section of a single-piece dispenser (9′) before breakage of the said wall portion (31).
b is a cross section perpendicular to the said axial direction (10) in plane A—A in
c corresponds to
a to 6c illustrate an embodiment of the refill device (1) in which the said closing means (3), the said cooperation means (4) and the said transfer means (5) form a single-piece head (9).
a corresponds to
b shows a cross section perpendicular to the said axial direction (10) along plane A—A in
c is a variant of
a and 7b relate to a striker (51′) comprising two inverted tapered pipes (517, 517′), offset in the axial direction and typically with a different average section.
a is an axial section.
b is a cross section along plane A—A in
According to a first embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in
According to another embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in
In this case, the said receptacle (2) is opened, typically at the bottom, so that it can be filled.
Regardless of the embodiment of the invention, and for example as illustrated in
As illustrated particularly in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The said central tube (510) may have an upper part (516) with height H and outside diameter D chosen so as to cooperate with the said first neck (60), the said upper part (516) penetrating into the said first neck (60). See
The said central tube (510) may include an axial partition (512) forming an axial partition of the said central tube (510) creating two parallel channels or ducts (513, 514), one (513) typically intended for passage of the said typically liquid product, and the other (514) typically being intended for passage of air in the reverse direction.
The said central tube (510) may have a beveled lower end (515′) and upper end (516′), such that firstly the said beveled lower end (515′) facilitates breakage of the said wall portion (31), and secondly the said beveled upper end (516′) facilitates parallel flow of the said liquid product and air in opposite directions.
According to another embodiment of the invention illustrated in
The said transfer means (5) may comprise at least one axial projection (90) fixed at its upper end (900) to the said wall portion (31, 91), the said axial projection (90) being designed to be moved axially by the said first neck (60) during the said main screwing, its lower end (901) then being pushed by the said locking ring (601).
In this embodiment, the said transfer means (5) may include a plurality of N axial projections (90) at a uniform spacing where N varies from 2 to 8, with a space (92) between each so as to enable the said liquid product and air to pass when the said transfer means (5) and the said wall portion (31) are pushed into the said second neck (40) during the said first screwing. In the case shown in
The said single-piece head (9) may comprise a lower axial panel (94) forming a partition below the said wall portion (91, 31) so as to entirely or partly separate a parallel flow of the said liquid product and air in opposite directions.
Regardless of the embodiment of the invention, the said wall portion (31) may be typically plane and located in a horizontal plane or an inclined plane, the said lower part of the said axial packing (50) then forming an inclined plane or a horizontal plane respectively, so as to enable progressive breakage of the said wall portion (31) during the said first screwing.
According to the embodiment of the invention shown in
According to another embodiment of the invention illustrated in
In this embodiment, the said second receptacle may typically be made of a rigid material, typically glass or a moulded plastic material.
According to another embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in
Finally, as illustrated in
In both of these two cases, the said single-piece body (8) may be a receptacle open at the bottom, typically a flexible tube made of a thermoplastic material.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Refill devices (1) were made according to all
A) A Refill Device (1) was Made According to
a shows a side view of the refill device (1) assembled by screwing the refill device needing to be placed above the said first receptacle (6) to the said first receptacle (6) to be refilled, before tipping, so that liquid can flow by gravity.
b is a perspective side view of the said refill device, its different parts being shown at a spacing one above the other, as follows from bottom to top:
c is a perspective side view of the said first receptacle (6) in
a and 2b illustrate the said main screwing and represent the said first part (7) and the striker (51) in position during the said main screwing.
The said first part comprises three elements:
a corresponds to a first stage of the said main screwing, in which the said first neck (60) cooperates by screwing with the base (40), its locking ring (601) being in contact with the radial ring (511) of the striker (51) free to move in the axial direction, the said striker (51) having its lower end (515) in contact with the said portion of the wall (31) to be broken. This
b corresponds to the last stage of the said main screwing; screwing of the said first receptacle (6) displaces the striker (51) and its lower end (515) tears the said wall portion (31) that comprises a thinned part (310) at its periphery such that since the bodies (21) and (61) communicate with each other, all that is necessary is to tip the second receptacle by 180° so that the liquid flows by gravity from the said second receptacle (2) to the said first receptacle (6).
c is a cross section D—D in
d is a cross section C—C in
e is a perspective bottom view of the said first part (7) in
The said first part (7) was made according to
The said striker (51) as a transfer means (5) was made in accordance with
B) A Refill Device (1) was Made According to
In this embodiment of the invention, the said refill device (1) forms a single-piece part (8) comprising:
C) Caps (12) were Made as Illustrated in
These caps (12) are screwed according to the said main screwing, so that during storage or transport of the said refill device (1), they prevent an unwanted axial force from being applied on the said striker (51) and fix the said striker (51) to the said refill device (1).
D) A Refill Device (1) was Made According to
The device (1) forms a single-piece dispenser (9′) shown in
E) A Refill Device (1) was Made According to
In this device (1), the said closing means (3), the said cooperation means (4) and the said transfer means (5) form a single-piece head (9).
a shows the single-piece head (9) fitted with an upper skirt (95) provided with an inner thread (950) capable of cooperating with the thread (200) of the neck (20) of the said second receptacle (2) shown in dashed lines.
The said wall portion (91, 31) is provided with lower axial projections (90, 50) on one side, and a lower axial panel (94), as in the case shown in
c illustrates a variant embodiment of the device according to
F) Different Types of Strikers were Made, and Particularly Strikers of the Type Shown in
In these variant strikers, the axial partitions (512), instead of delimiting two identical spaces or ducts, delimit two different sized spaces or ducts: the section of the duct or the perfume flow space is larger than the section of the air space.
Dispensers were also made with axial panels (94, 97) offset so as to have asymmetric spaces for the liquid and air flow.
Operation of the refill device:
At the time of filling, the receiving flask, namely the said first receptacle (6), is placed under the feeder flask, and the connection between the two flasks is leak tight. At the time of the transfer, the two containers (2) and (6) make a single cavity characterised by a throttle particularly at the closing means (3) and the portion of the wall (31) to be broken or pierced. It is important to at least partly separate the reverse flows of the two fluids present, so that liquid can be transferred in this closed chamber; the perfume goes down and the air rises, the perfume flows into the receiving flask automatically generating a negative pressure in the feeder flask. The at least partial separation of the two reverse flows prevents rising air from forming a “plug” thus preventing the perfume from going down.
Advantages of the Inventory
The invention has major advantages.
Firstly, it provides a simple, efficient and economic solution to the problems that arise.
Secondly, it offers many embodiments that can be adapted to all sorts of cases.
It is thus possible to have a refill device (1) made of only one single-piece part (9′), typically a partly or completely moulded part which is economically very advantageous.
In this case, there may be a feeder receptacle (2) in the form of a tube, made of a barrier material for long-term preservation of the product contained.
With some embodiments, a perfume contained in a rigid feeder flask forming the said second receptacle (2) can be transferred.
Refill device . . . 1
Second receptacle of 1 . . . 2
Means of closing 1 . . . 3
Means of cooperation with 6 . . . 4
Means of transfer of 1 . . . 5
Lower part of 50 . . . 500
First receptacle . . . 6
First part of 40+3 . . . 7
Single-piece part or body=2+3+48
Single-piece head=3+4+59
Single-piece dispenser=2+3+4+59′
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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04 02853 | Mar 2004 | FR | national |
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Number | Date | Country |
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2638721 | May 1990 | FR |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20050205151 A1 | Sep 2005 | US |