EP1330314B1 - Fluid product dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a fluid product dispenser comprising: a container (1) defining a reservoir designed to contain the fluid product, said container being formed with a neck (10) defining an opening (15) communicating the reservoir inside with outside, said neck including an outer peripheral wall (13), a dispensing member (2), such as a pump or a valve, mounted in the neck (10) of the container (1) to extract the fluid product from the reservoir, fixing means (3, 4, 5, 6) for securing the dispensing member on the container neck, said fixing means comprising means for receiving (33) the dispensing member and catching means (36; 6; 48) on the container neck, said fixing means comprising a substantially cylindrical drum (30, 50) extending around the neck. The invention is characterised in that the fixing means comprise a ring (4) arranged around the container neck, and an annular element (36; 6; 48) in contact with the outer wall (13) of the neck, the ring (4) being engaged inside the drum (30, 50) so as to urge the annular element against the neck outer wall.

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid product device comprising a container, a dispensing member such as a pump or a valve and fixing means for fixing the dispenser member on the container. The container generally defines a reservoir intended to contain fluid product to distribute by the distributor. The container is formed with a collar defining an opening in which the dispenser member is secured using fastening means which generally comprise receiving means often snap-fastening for the dispensing member. In addition, the means of fasteners comprise hooking means on the neck of the container.

Conventionally, the fixing means comprise often a fastener defining a substantially cylindrical skirt which extends around the neck. It is also classic to train the collar with a reinforcement which forms an inward rim to join a lower part finer neck that connects to the tank by a shoulder.

A well known fastening technique is to use the skirt for make a fixation below the reinforcement that is to say at the edge. We know several technical solutions of this type. In particular, we can train skirt with tabs terminated by snap-in heads intended to come into taken below the reinforcement against the rim. To lock the legs in position, we generally use a band that comes to cover the skirt. Another technique plans to carry out the skirt in a continuous way and to realize internally a snap cord which is housed below the reinforcement.

In the fastening technique with tabs and snap heads, it is necessary to use a locking ferrule. Therefore, it is not possible to mount the hoop before mounting the skirt on a container neck. In the other technique of snap-fitting by continuous skirt and inner cord, it happens that the fixation is not perfectly safe and it is thus possible to remove the dispensing manually by pulling on it. We do not ensure a perfect security of first use to the user.

US-4,984,702 discloses a fluid dispenser comprising fastening means 50 for fixing a dispensing member 80 on a neck 12 of the container 10. The fastening means 50 comprise a ring 28 disposed around the neck 12 of the container 10, and an annular element 32 in contact with the outer wall of the neck 12, the ring 28 being engaged inside a barrel 24 of in such a way as to urge the annular element 32 against the external wall of the neck 12.

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a distributor in which the fixing means are perfectly safe while passing a blocking fret. Therefore, if a fret is used, it would be a simple fret dress that can be previously mounted on the skirt even before mounting on the neck of the container.

For this purpose, the present invention provides that the fixing means comprise a ring disposed around the neck of the container, as well as an element annular contact with the outer wall of the neck, the ring being engaged with the inside of a barrel formed by the skirt or the hoop so as to solicit the element ring against the outer wall of the neck. So we use the relative displacement of the ring to urge or even press the annular element against the outer wall of the collar. In the case where the annular element is strongly pressed by jamming by the ring, this annular element can serve as a sealing element to the same as a neck seal. It is precisely the taking of the ring inside the barrel which allows relative movement between these two pieces to bring the element ring in contact with the outer wall of the neck.

The annular element can be part of the skirt or the ring under the shape of a deformable part urged by the ring or the skirt in contact with the outer wall of the neck. When the skirt realizes the deformable part, it is the ring which will serve as a cam to urge this deformable part against the outer wall neck, and when it is the ring that forms the deformable part, it is the skirt that will urge the ring against the outer wall of the neck. The solicitation of the skirt or of the ring can be done by a cam system.

Alternatively, the annular element may be a separate deformable part for example in the form of an O-ring disposed between the skirt, the ring and the outer wall of the neck.

The taking of the ring inside the skirt or the hoop can be done by various techniques, in particular by screwing, tightening, snapping or harpooning. This last technique makes it possible to take irreversible so that the fixation is final.

According to one embodiment, the collar comprises locking means in rotation to lock the rotating ring around the neck. The blocking of the ring in particular when the catch between the ring and the skirt is made by screwing. It is indeed necessary to lock the ring on the neck for can screw the skirt on the ring without causing it to rotate.

On the other hand, when the catch between the ring and the skirt is made by harpooning, it is necessary to lock the ring in translation on the neck in order to to be able to put the skirt on the ring. For this purpose, the ring can be supported with its lower end on the container. More precisely, the ring takes support on the container at the level where the neck joins the body of the tank.

According to another characteristic, the skirt may be provided with a covering in contact with the skirt at the level of the ring. Since the outer wall of the skirt is not deformed when moving the ring, it is possible to mount the trim band on the skirt even before it is mounted on the collar of a container.

The invention will now be further described with reference to accompanying drawings giving by way of non-limiting example several modes of embodiment of the invention.

• la figure 1a est une vue en section transversale verticale à travers un distributeur de produit fluide selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 1b est une vue agrandie de la partie du distributeur de la figure 1a montrant la fixation sur le col,
• la figure 2 est une vue en section transversale verticale à travers un distributeur de produit fluide selon un second mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 3 est une vue en section horizontale le long de la ligne BB de la figure 2,
• la figure 4 est une vue partielle en section transversale verticale à travers un distributeur de produit fluide selon un troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 5 est une vue similaire à celle de la figure 4 pour un quatrième mode de réalisation de l'invention, et
• la figure 6 est une vue similaire à celles des figures 4 et 5 pour un cinquième mode de réalisation de l'invention.

On the drawings:

• FIG. 1a is a vertical cross sectional view through a fluid dispenser according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 1b is an enlarged view of the portion of the dispenser of FIG. 1a showing the fastening on the neck,
• FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a fluid dispenser according to a second embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 3 is a view in horizontal section along the line BB of FIG. 2,
• FIG. 4 is a partial view in vertical cross section through a fluid dispenser according to a third embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 for a fourth embodiment of the invention, and
• Figure 6 is a view similar to those of Figures 4 and 5 for a fifth embodiment of the invention.

In all the embodiments shown in the figures, the fluid dispenser is only partially represented, since the tank is not visible. It is represented only the upper part of the container which forms a neck 10 forming an opening 15 in which extends an organ of distribution, here a pump 2. The dispenser could very well have been a valve. The neck 10 of the container 1 defines an outer peripheral wall 13. The pump 2 is fixed in the opening 15 of the neck 10 by means of fixing means 3. These fixing means comprise a fastener 3 defining a snap receiving housing 33 in which a flange 22 formed by the body 20 of the pump 2 is snapped. The detent housing 33 is formed with a central opening through which the stem extends 23 of the pump 2. A pusher 24 optionally provided with a nozzle 25 is mounted on the actuating rod 23. At the other end of the body 20, there is provided an inlet sleeve 21 on which can be possibly adapted a dip tube that extends to the bottom of the tank of the container 1. The detent housing 33 then extends outwardly to define an annular flange 32 which comes to rest on the end upper part of the neck 10. The attachment piece 3 extends on the periphery outer of the radial flange 32 downwards by a skirt 30 which surrounds the collar 10. For aesthetic reasons, the skirt 30 can extend downwards almost to the point of contact with the container 1.

So far, this is a quite classic design for a fluid dispenser.

In all embodiments, the neck 10 of the container 1 is formed with a reinforcement 11 which protrudes outwards. This reinforcement 11 forms a rim returning to join the lower part of the fin pass 10 which is connects to the reservoir forming a shoulder 16. The peripheral wall 13 of the neck 10 is formed by the outer surface of the reinforcement 11 and the edge 12.

According to the invention, the fixing means comprise in addition to the piece 3, a ring 4 which also extends around the neck 10 inside of the skirt 30. The ring 4 is engaged inside the skirt 30, either by screwing or by harpooning.

According to the invention, the fixing means comprise, in addition to the piece 3 and the ring 4, an annular element which is in contact with the outer peripheral wall 13 of the neck 10. In other words, the annular element is in contact with either the reinforcement 11 or the flange 12.

According to the invention, the ring 4 engaged in the skirt 30 solicits the element ring in contact with the outer wall of the neck 10. This is the principle of basis of the present invention.

We will now refer more particularly to Figures 1a and 1b to explain the first embodiment of the invention. In this mode embodiment, the ring 4 is in spear pattern in the skirt 30. As we can see it more clearly in FIG. 1b, the ring 4 is formed with a body 40 surmounted by a head 41.

Harpooning reliefs 44 are formed on the outer wall of the body 40 of the ring 4 to bite into the inner wall of the skirt 30. The orientation harpooning reliefs 44 allows a unidirectional movement of the ring 4 in the skirt 30, namely upwards. It is impossible to do go down the ring 4 in the skirt 30.

The annular element is formed here by a deformable part 36 defined by the skirt 30. The deformable portion 36 extends around the neck 10 or only by segment or in the form of legs. The deformable portion 36 comprises a body 361 which ends with a head 360. In the initial state (not shown) the ring 4 is engaged only partially in the skirt 30 so that the part deformable 36 may extend along the skirt 30 in the alignment of the ring 4. The head 41 of the ring 4 is then just below the head 360 of the deformable part 36. In this configuration, it is then possible to engage the fastening means 3 on the neck 10 of the container 1 without difficulty, since the part deformable 36 does not project inwards. As soon as the lower end 46 of the ring 4 comes into contact with the container 1, an additional pressure on the fixing means 3 causes the ring 4 to move in the skirt 30 in going up inside her. The head 41 of the ring 4 is formed with a inclined cam surface 42 which allows the head 41 to engage below the head 360 of the deformable portion 36. The engagement of the head 41 between the head 360 and the skirt 30 has the effect of moving the head 360 inwards, ie under the reinforcement 11, below the rim 12. By continuing to press the means 3, the ring 4 continues to engage inside the skirt 30 until that its head 41 comes to snap on the head 360 of the deformable portion 36 to level of a mutual notch 43. The ring 4 is then engaged to the maximum at the inside of the skirt 30, which is shown as FIG. 1a and in enlarged view in Figure 1b. In this position, the head 360 is biased inward, but also a part of the body 361 which is arranged diagonally so that its wall outer edge comes into contact against the flange 12 at its junction with the reinforcement 11. When the deformable part 36 is formed continuously all around the neck, the contact of the deformable portion 36 with the lower edge of the reinforcement 11 is carried out continuously along the entire periphery of the neck, which at the same time achieves a solid fixation and effective sealing. He is at note that in this embodiment (continuous deformable part), it is possible to do without a collar joint interposed between the flange 32 and the end upper collar 10.

It should be noted that in this embodiment, one can do without profiles 44, since the head 41 is snapped onto the head 360. It is this alone makes it impossible to move the ring 4 in the opposite direction so as to to extract it from the skirt 30. The harpooning reliefs are only means of additional to improve the attachment of the ring 4 inside the skirt 30.

It should also be noted that the fixing means 3 are covered by a trim ring 5 which is in the form of a cylindrical body 50 finished at its upper end by a reentrant flap 51 which comes to bear on the end of the sleeve 31. The cylindrical body 50 of the trim band 5 is in contact with the skirt 30 at the level of the ring 4. It may be noted that the displacement of the ring 4 inside the skirt 30 does not cause a radial deformation towards the outside of the skirt 30, as is the case with the prior art fixation techniques described above. So we can ride the covering 5 on the fastening means 3 before mounting the fastening means on the neck of a container. We can therefore deliver the set consisting of the ring and fixing means covered by the casing 5 in the assembled state. It remains then more than to fill the container and to mount in one piece the means of fastening with pump and casing 5.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 to describe a second mode embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the fixing means 3 also form a snap receiving housing 33 for the body 20 of the pump 2 and a skirt 30 which extends on the outside of the neck 10 formed with a reinforcement 11 and a return flange 12. Here again, the fastening means comprise a ring 4 engaged within the skirt 30 and an element annular 6 interposed between the ring 4 and the skirt 30.

In this embodiment, the engagement between the ring 4 and the skirt 30 is a threaded socket so that the ring 4 is screwed inside the skirt 30. The annular element 6 is in the form of a separate deformable part disposed between the ring 4, the skirt 30 and the outer wall 13 of the neck 10. More precisely, the annular element 6, which acts here as a fixing joint and seal, is compressed between the upper end of the ring 4 and the skirt 30 so as to be urged under stress against the outer wall 13 of the neck 10 where it forms a seal. The annular element 6 is housed in a recess partially formed by the skirt 30 and in which the end upper ring 4 penetrates to reduce the volume of the housing and so compress the annular element that is inserted in this housing. We understand easily that the screwing of the ring 4 in the skirt 30 has the effect of compressing the annular element 3 which is thus strongly urged against the outer wall 13 of the neck 10.

In the initial state, it suffices that the ring 4 does not urge the annular element 6 so that it is possible to engage the fastening means 3 on the neck of a container without difficulties. Then, just screw the skirt 30 on the ring 4 to raise the ring 4 inside the skirt 30 and thus compress the element 6. To do this, it is necessary to fix in rotation the ring 4 on the neck 10. For this purpose, the neck 10 forms locking means in the form of two ribs 14 which extend under the reinforcement 11 of the collar even more protruding towards outside. The ring 4 has two deep indentations in which are engaged the two ribs 14. The notches of the ring 4 extend deeply to leave only a continuous glue 46 that is positioned above the ribs 14 as can be seen in FIG. this way, the ring 4 is locked in rotation around the neck 10. The ring 30 can then be screwed on the ring without risk of causing it to rotate.

In this embodiment, pressing on the container with the end the lower part of the ring is replaced by its locking in rotation using the reinforcements 14.

It should be noted that in this embodiment the waterproof fastening on the collar at the level of the cylindrical outer wall of the neck, and not at the level of the its shoulder 12, so that the neck can be made without carnette 11.

Reference is now made to Figure 4 to explain another mode of production. In this embodiment, which is substantially similar to that of 2, the annular element 6 is in the form of a part deformable separated 6 interposed between the ring 4, the skirt 30 and the outer wall 13 of the neck 10. The annular element 6 is here in the form of a seal cylindrical housed in a recess formed by the skirt 30 and open on the bottom of so that the ring 4 can penetrate into the recess so as to urging the element 6 in press-tight contact against the outer surface 13 of the neck 10. It can be seen that the annular element 6 cooperates not only with the wall cylindrical of the reinforcement 11 but also with the rim 12 so that the annular element 6 extends radially inwards below the reinforcement 11.

In this embodiment, the ring 4 is not screwed inside the ring 30 as in the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3, but the ring 4 is engaged by a catch harpooned inside the ring 30. For this purpose, the outer wall of the ring 4 is formed with adapted harpooning reliefs 44 to bite into the inner wall of the skirt 30. The upper end of the ring 4 is formed with a cam surface 42 which is inclined towards the inside of in order to urge the annular element 6 below the reinforcement 11 at the level of edge 12.

Again, the displacement of the ring 4 inside the skirt 30 is by pressing on the container 1 at the lower end 46 of the ring 4. The mode of movement of the ring 4 in the skirt 30 is therefore the same as that of Figures 1a and 1b.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown a fourth embodiment, in which the ring 4 forms the annular element designated here under the reference numeral 48. The ring 4 is formed with an upper part deformable 48 whose upper end 49 engages below the reinforcement 11 at the level of edge 12. To request distortion of Part 48 of the ring 4 below the reinforcement 11, the skirt 30 is formed with a cam surface 38 along which the upper end 48 of the ring 4 is deformed to as the ring 4 rises in the skirt 30 by pressing its end lower 46 against the shoulder of the container 1. It is essential here that the ring 4 be dimensioned accurately so that its upper end 49 can come into contact under the rim 12 while its lower end 46 is in contact with the shoulder of the container.

In this embodiment, the engagement between the ring 4 and the skirt 30 is also an irreversible harpoon catch.

A fifth embodiment shown in FIG. previous embodiments in that the ring 4 is engaged in the cladding band 5 by radial clamping. The ring is housed between the fret and the skirt. The ring comprises a cam 42 adapted to deform a portion 36 of skirt inward below the reinforcement, resting against the rim. The ring also bears with its lower end on the shoulder of the container for realizing its movement inside the hoop.

It should be noted that the setting mode (screwed or harpooned) between the ring and the skirt 30 can be interchanged in each described embodiment.

The principle of the invention is to move a ring inside the skirt or hoop so as to urge an element against the outer wall of the collar. The displacement of the ring can be done by pressing on the shoulder of the container or by locking in rotation on the neck of the container. The element that comes in contact with the outer wall of the neck can be both a part of the skirt, part of the ring or an additional piece.

Claims (15)

1. A fluid dispenser comprising:

   a container (1) defining a reservoir serving to contain a fluid, said container being provided with a neck (10) defining an opening (15) putting the inside of the reservoir in communication with the outside, said neck having a peripheral outside wall (13);

   a dispenser member (2) such as a pump or a valve mounted in the neck (10) of the container (1) so as to extract fluid from the reservoir; and

   fixing means (3, 4, 5, 6) for fixing the dispenser member to the neck of the container, said fixing means comprising recess-forming means (33) for receiving the dispenser member and fastening means (36, 6; 48) for fastening to the neck of the container, said fixing means further comprising a substantially cylindrical sheath (30, 50) that extends around the neck;

   said fixing means further comprising a ring (4) disposed around the neck of the container, and an annular element (36; 6; 48) in contact with the outside wall (13) of the neck, the ring (4) being engaged in the sheath (30, 50) so as to urge the annular element against the outside wall of the neck,

      characterized in that said ring (4) bears via its bottom end (46) against the container (1).
2. A fluid dispenser according to claim 1, in which the fixing means comprise a fixing piece (3) defining the recess-forming means (33) and a skirt (30) extending around the outside wall (13) of the neck, the skirt (30) forming the sheath in which the ring (4) is engaged.
3. A fluid dispenser according to claim 1, in which the fixing means comprise a fixing piece (3) defining a skirt (30) and a trim band (5) extending around the skirt (30), the band forming the sheath in which the ring (4) is engaged.
4. A fluid dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, in which the annular element is a separate deformable piece (6) disposed between the skirt (30), the ring (4) and the outside wall (13) of the neck.
5. A fluid dispenser according to claim 1, 2, or 3, in which the annular element is formed by a deformable portion (36) of the skirt (30).
6. A fluid dispenser according to claim 1, 2, or 3, in which the annular element is formed by a deformable portion (48) of the ring (4).
7. A fluid dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the engagement between the ring (4) and the sheath (30, 50) is by means of a thread.
8. A fluid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the engagement between the ring (4) and the sheath (30, 50) is by means of barbs.
9. A fluid dispenser according to any one claims 1 to 6, in which the engagement between the ring (4) and the sheath (30, 50) is by means of a tight fit.
10. A fluid dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the outside wall (13) of the neck forms an inwardly-extending ledge (12), the annular element (36; 6; 48) being pressed against said ledge (12).
11. A fluid dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the ring (4) forms a cam (42) for urging the annular element (36) against the outside wall (13) of the neck.
12. A fluid dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the skirt (30) forms a cam (38) for urging the annular element (48) against the outside wall (13) of the neck.
13. A fluid dispenser according to claim 7, in which the neck (10) is provided with locking means (14) for preventing the ring (4) from rotating about the neck.
14. A fluid dispenser according to claim 2, in which the skirt (30) is provided with trim (5) in contact with the skirt at the ring.
15. A fluid dispenser according to any preceding claim, in which the annular element is a sealing element providing peripheral sealing at the neck of the container.

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